Adjustable portion cup with invertible sidewall panel

Abstract

An adjustable portion cup includes a bottom and a sidewall defining a scooped perimeter about the upper aperture of the cup. The sidewall is provided with an invertible sidewall panel which defines, in part, the contained volume of the cup in a first position and is operative to reinforce the opposite portion of the sidewall in a second position. The invertible panel is configured so that when displaced from a first position to a second position, it is detached from a lower portion of the sidewall to which it is joined and is in contact with an opposing portion of the cup sidewall, whereby the contained volume of the cup is reduced and the opposing portion of the cup sidewall is reinforced.

1 . An adjustable portion cup comprising a bottom and a sidewall with a scooped perimeter about an upper aperture of the cup, 
 a) the sidewall being provided with an invertible sidewall panel which defines, in part, the contained volume of the cup in a first position and is operative to reinforce an opposite portion of the sidewall in a second position,    b) the invertible sidewall panel in the first position being contiguous to and joined with a lower portion of the cup sidewall such that it defines, in part, the contained volume of the cup,    c) the invertible sidewall panel being further provided with a scooped upper edge which defines the scooped portion of the perimeter of the cup about its upper aperture, when the invertible panel is in the first position, and    d) the invertible panel being configured so that when displaced from the first position to the second position it is detached from the lower portion of the sidewall with which it was joined and is in contact with an opposing portion of the cup sidewall,    whereby the contained volume of the cup is reduced and the opposing portion of the cup sidewall is reinforced, the cup being characterized by an overall height, H, an invertible panel breadth, B, a scoop height, S, and a lower sidewall portion height, S′.    
     
     
         2 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the invertible panel is crescent-shaped.  
     
     
         3 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 2 , wherein the cup has a circular cross-section.  
     
     
         4 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 3 , wherein the cup has a taper of from about 2° to 10°.  
     
     
         5 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 4 , wherein the cup has a taper of from about 3° to 7°.  
     
     
         6 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the invertible panel breadth to be overall height of the cup, B/H, is from about 0.15 to about 0.35.  
     
     
         7 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the scoop height to the overall height of the cup, S/H, is from about 0.4 to about 0.8.  
     
     
         8 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the lower sidewall portion height to the overall height of the cup is from about 0.25 to about 0.55.  
     
     
         9 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall of the invertible cup is perforate scored at the lower edge of the invertible panel.  
     
     
         10 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall of the cup is scored at the lateral edges of the invertible panel.  
     
     
         11 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall of the cup is formed from paperboard having a basis weight of from about 140 lbs to about 220 lbs per 3000 square foot ream.  
     
     
         12 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 11 , wherein the sidewall is made from a paperboard polymer film laminate.  
     
     
         13 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer film is a polyethylene film.  
     
     
         14 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 11 , wherein the paperboard cups are provided with foamed polymer insulation on their outer surfaces.  
     
     
         15 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 14 , wherein the foamed insulation on the outer surface of the cups is formed in-situ by action of moisture present in the paperboard with polymer film applied to the paperboard.  
     
     
         16 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 14 , wherein the foamed polymer insulation is syntactic foam.  
     
     
         17 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 14 , wherein there is further provided an unfoamed film layer of the cup.  
     
     
         18 . The adjustable portion cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the cup has a frustoconical volume of from about 20 to about 50 fluid ounces.  
     
     
         19 . An adjustable portion cup comprising a bottom and a sidewall with a scooped perimeter about an upper aperture of the cup, 
 a) the sidewall being of frustoconical shape with a circular cross section and further being provided with an invertible sidewall panel which defines, in part, the contained volume of the cup in a first position and is operative to reinforce an opposite portion of the sidewall in a second position,    b) the invertible sidewall panel in the first position being contiguous to and joined with a lower portion of the cup sidewall such that it defines, in part, the contained volume of the cup,    c) the invertible sidewall panel being further provided with a scooped upper edge which defines the scooped portion of the perimeter of the cup about its upper aperture, when the invertible panel is in the first position, and    d) the invertible sidewall panel being configured so that when displaced from the first position to the second position it is detached from the lower portion of the sidewall with which it was joined and is in contact with an opposing portion of the cup sidewall,    whereby the contained volume of the cup is reduced and the opposing portion of the cup sidewall is reinforced, the cup being characterized by an overall height, H, an invertible panel breadth, B, a scoop height, S, and a lower sidewall portion height, S′ and wherein the cup is characterized by the following ratios: B/H is from about 0.15 to about 0.35; S/H is from about 0.4 to about 0.8; and S′/H is from about 0.25 to about 0.55    
     
     
         20 . An adjustable portion cup comprising a bottom and a sidewall with a scooped perimeter about an upper aperture of the cup, 
 a) the sidewall comprising a paperboard laminate with a polymer film being provided with an integrally formed, crescent shaped invertible panel which defines, in part, the contained volume of the cup in a first position and is operative to reinforce an opposite portion of the sidewall in a second position,    b) the invertible sidewall panel in the first position being contiguous to and joined with a lower portion of the cup sidewall such that it defines, in part, the contained volume of the cup,    c) the invertible sidewall panel being further provided with a scooped upper edge which defines the scooped portion of the perimeter of the cup about its upper aperture, when the invertible panel is in the first position, and    d) the invertible sidewall panel being configured so that when displaced from the first position to the second position it is detached from the lower portion of the sidewall with which it was joined and is in contact with an opposing portion of the cup sidewall,    whereby the contained volume of the cup is reduced and the opposing portion of the cup sidewall is reinforced.