Drinking cup including a food storage element

Abstract

A drinking cup device has a base and a wall upstanding from the base to define a drink chamber for holding liquid. It further includes a food storage element defining a chamber for storing food in a location at the side of the drink chamber over the base. The food storage element and rest of the cup device are relatively movable, between a first position in which the food is accessible and a second position in which the food storage element is stowed on the side of the cup device. The invention makes it possible for a user (typically a small child) to store small items of food, such as raisins, in the food compartment, while still accessing drinks stored in the drink chamber. In a first form of the cup device the food compartment is insertable into the food storage region by a variable amount. In another form of the cup device, the food storage element is rotated at the food storage region to open and close it.

1 . A cup device, the cup device comprising: 
 a cup member having a base, and at least one side wall defining a drink chamber for holding liquid, the drink chamber communicating with a drinking aperture, the side wall being shaped to define a food storage region to the side of the drink chamber and over the base;    a food storage element defining a compartment for holding food material in the food storage region; and    a detent for retaining the food storage element in the food storage region.    
   
   
       2 . A cup device according to  claim 1  in which at least part of the outer surface of the wall of the cup member lies on a cylinder having an axis upstanding from the base, the food storage element being substantially within the cylinder when food storage element is in the food storage region.  
   
   
       3 . A cup device according to  claim 1  in which at least part of the outer surface of the wall of the cup member lies on a cylinder having an axis upstanding from the base, at least a portion of the outer surface of the food storage element lying on the convex surface when the food storage element is in the food storage region.  
   
   
       4 . A cup device according to  claim 1  in which the food storage element is insertable to a variable degree into the food storage region.  
   
   
       5 . A cup device according to  claim 4  in which the insertion of the food storage element into the cavity is by a rotational motion, in which an axis of the food storage element rotates relative to the cup member.  
   
   
       6 . A cup device according to  claim 5  in which the rotational motion is a pivotal motion of the food storage element about a pivot line on the cup device.  
   
   
       7 . A cup member according to  claim 4  further comprising at least one second releasable detent to maintain the food storage element in an intermediate position in which it is inserted into the cavity by an amount less than in the insertion position.  
   
   
       8 . A cup member according to  claim 1  in which the food storage element is separable from the cup member, the interior of the food compartment being accessible for removal or insertion of food when the food storage element is separated from the cup.  
   
   
       9 . A cup member according to  claim 1  in which the food storage element is movable, while, still being attached to the cup member, between a position in which the food compartment is closed and an position in which the interior of the food compartment is accessible for removal or insertion of food.  
   
   
       10 . A cup device according to  claim 9  in which the food storage element is rotatable in the food storage region between a position in which the compartment is accessible and one in which it is closed.  
   
   
       11 . A cup device according to  claim 1  in which the drinking aperture is a spout.  
   
   
       12 . A cup device according to  claim 1  in which the drinking aperture is a training rim.  
   
   
       13 . A cup device according to  claim 12  in which the training rim includes a flow control means.  
   
   
       14 . A cup device according to  claim 1  further comprising a straw extending from the drinking aperture into the drink chamber.  
   
   
       15 . A cup device according to  claim 1  wherein, when liquid is present in the drink chamber, the centre of mass of the cup device is on a side of a central vertical axis of the cup for which, if the cup is tipped over in that direction, the liquid does not exit the drink chamber.  
   
   
       16 . A cup device according to  claim 1  wherein, when liquid is present in the drink chamber, the centre of mass of the cup device is on the other side of a central vertical axis of the cup than the food storage region.