Disposable multicup container

Abstract

A collapsible, disposable beverage container 10 holds an insulating sleeve 12 that carries a collapsible bag 14 for holding hot fluid. The container 10 is made of paperboard. Preferred materials for the collapsible bag are nylon and metalized flexible materials. The entire structure 10 is formed from a single sheet of paperboard that is suitably scored, cut, bent and folded to a hex-shaped structure. The structure 10 includes seven panels 20 - 26 that form a six sided hexagonal structure. The two longest panels 23 - 24 overlap. The container has a top 30 that is integral with one of the longest panels. The container has a bottom 50 that includes multi-lobed interfering flaps 52, 62 . Those flaps are mirror images of each other and are mounted on the bottom edges of the panels. The panels have different lengths to provide a sloped upper surface. All of the panels have their lower edges in a continuous line. At one end the bag is a narrow neck 16 with a threaded connection for receiving a threaded cap 17 . The other end has a folded gusset plate, not shown. Insulating material 12 surrounds the bag and may be any suitable material including polystyrene or any open or closed cellular material. As an alternative, the insulating sleeve 12 could be replaced by loose insulation or other suitable material for reducing the transfer of heat from the hot liquids contained in the bag 14 to the ambient environment.

What we claim is:  
     
         1 . A liquid container for holding a relatively large quantity of liquid and operable to deform from a collapsed, flat storage configuration to an upright configuration with sidepanels and end panels for holding and dispensing fluid, the container comprising: 
 a container structure comprising an elongated paperboard divided into multiple panels that form sidepanels and flaps extending from one or more of the panels for forming end panels;    wherein panels between the ends of the paperboard are attached to adjacent panels along their edges by an integral hinged portion of the paperboard to form a continuous multisided sided structure,    a front panel has a first end flap with an opening for receiving a neck of a beverage bag;    two end panels for overlapping each other to surround a beverage bag and having a second end flap with a opening aligned with the opening the first end flap for receiving the neck of the beverage bag;    a flexible bag disposed inside the container panel having a narrow neck for receiving and discharging a beverage and expandable when filled with a liquid from a collapsed position to an enlarged position for holding fluid; and    an insulation sheath surrounding the flexible bag for reducing the transfer of heat between the fluid in the bag and ambient environment.    
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the end panels have openings in their sidepanels aligned with each other for admitting a digit of a user to assist in pouring the beverage from the container.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1  wherein two side panels have openings for receiving opposite ends of a handle.  
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the panels are an odd or an even number.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4  wherein the container comprises an odd number and the odd number is five or seven or nine.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the panels have an odd number with a center panel being shortest in length and the end panels being longest.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6  wherein the base edge of the panels lie in a line with one another.  
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7  wherein the top edges of the panels between the center panel and the end panels line along a line connecting the edge of the center panel to the edge of the end panel.  
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 6  wherein the center and the intermediate panels have the same width.  
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 6  wherein one end panel has a width smaller than the other end panel in order to allow one end panel to overlap the other.  
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 6  wherein the center panels has a top end flap with six sides and ears disposed on the edges of the three sides for folding into the container.  
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 6  wherein selected panels have bottom flaps disposed along their respective bottom edges for interlocking to form a bottom end panel.  
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 6  wherein the panels adjacent the center panel have top end flaps for cooperating with the center end flap to cover the top of end of the container.  
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 6  wherein the two end panels adhere to each other to form a six sided container.  
     
     
         15 . A liquid container for holding a relatively large quantity of liquid and operable to deform from a collapsed, flat storage configuration to an upright configuration for holding and dispensing fluid, the container comprising: 
 a container structure comprising an elongated paperboard divided into seven rectangular panels that form sidepanels and flaps that form end panels, wherein the panels between opposite ends of the paperboard are attached to adjacent panels along their longer side by an integral hinged portion of the paperboard to form a continuous six sided structure;    the center panel being one of the shortest of the seven panels, an end panel being one of the longest of the panels and two panels on both sides of the center panel having lengths greater than the center panel and less than the one longest end panel;    the one longest end panel having at one end at least one cover flap with six sides for forming a top cover of the container that slopes from the one longest end panel to the center shortest panel, the cover flap having an opening;    the panels having bottom flaps at their ends opposite the top flap for forming a bottom floor of the upright container;    a flexible bag disposed inside the container panel and expandable from a collapsed position to an enlarged position for holding fluid and a neck located the top of the bag for extending through an opening in the top sloping panel to receive and discharge beverages;    an insulation sheath surrounding the flexible bag for reducing the transfer of heat between the fluid in the bag and ambient environment;    wherein the upright container has a height greater than the width of its base and the container is tilted from its normal upright position for dispensing fluid from the flexible bag.    
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15  wherein the other end panel adheres to the one longest end panel to form a six sided container.  
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 15  having a second opening in the two end panels for providing access for a finger and a handle extending from one intermediate panel to an opposite intermediate panel.