Configurable cup holder

Abstract

A beverages holder, comprising a disposable cup ( 200 ) for containing the beverage and a carrier ( 100 ) for enabling a user to carry or support the cup, the holder being configurable in at least two of: a first configuration in which a portion ( 5,12 ) of the carrier ( 100 ) supports a base ( 201 ) of the cup; a second configuration in which the cup ( 200 ) is suspended beneath part ( 5,12 ) of the carrier; and a third configration in which the carrier ( 100 ) provides a band around the cup ( 200 ).

1 .- 41 . (canceled)  
   
   
       42 . A carrier for enabling a purchaser to support or carry a receptacle containing purchased goods, the carrier being formed from a carrier blank as an endless loop with a portion of the wall of the loop being formed with an aperture, aperture defining region or depression to provide a receptacle receiving region, the carrier being deformable to provide at least two of: 
 a first configuration in which the receptacle is receivable by the receptacle receiving region so that a base of the receptacle is supported on a surface region of the endless loop opposed to the receptacle receiving region, thereby enabling the receptacle to be supported in an upright condition;    a second configuration in which the receptacle is receivable by the receptacle receiving region and the surface region provides a handle for enabling the purchaser to carry the carrier so that the receptacle is suspended below the handle; and    a third configuration in which the receptacle is receivable within the endless loop so that the wall of the endless loop forms a band around the receptacle and provides a handle so that the receptacle can be carried by the purchaser grasping the handle.    
   
   
       43 . A carrier according to  claim 42 , configurable in the third configuration.  
   
   
       44 . A carrier according to  claim 42 , configurable in at least the second and third configurations.  
   
   
       45 . A carrier according to  claim 42 , configurable in the first configuration, wherein the receptacle receiving region provides an aperture defining region for providing an aperture through which part of the receptacle can extend in the first configuration so that the base of the receptacle is supported by the surface region opposed to the receptacle receiving region.  
   
   
       46 . A carrier according to according to  claim 42 , configurable in the second configuration, wherein the receptacle receiving region provides an aperture defining region for providing an aperture through which part of the receptacle can extend in the second configuration so that the receptacle is suspended from the carrier in the second configuration.  
   
   
       47 . A carrier according to  claim 42 , configurable in at least the first and second configurations, wherein the carrier receptacle receiving region provides an aperture defining region for providing an aperture through which part of the receptacle can extend so that the base of the receptacle is supported by the surface region opposed to the receptacle receiving region in the first configuration and through which part of the receptacle can extend in the second configuration so that the receptacle is suspended from the carrier.  
   
   
       48 . A carrier according to  claim 45 , wherein the aperture defining region comprises a frangible portion.  
   
   
       49 . A carrier according to  claim 45 , wherein the aperture defining region comprises an aperture pre-formed in the carrier blank.  
   
   
       50 . A carrier according to  claim 45 , wherein the aperture defining region comprises a plurality of slits or slots.  
   
   
       51 . A carrier according to  claim 45 , wherein the aperture defining region comprises an aperture bounded by a slitted periphery.  
   
   
       52 . A carrier according to  claim 42 , wherein the receiving region comprises a depression.  
   
   
       53 . A carrier according to  claim 42 , wherein the carrier has a plurality of receptacle receiving regions each adapted to receive a receptacle.  
   
   
       54 . A carrier according to  claim 42 , wherein first and second ends of the carrier blank forming the carrier have respective coupling portions which are coupled together to provide the endless loop.  
   
   
       55 . A carrier according to  claim 54 , wherein at least one of the coupling portions also provides the handle.  
   
   
       56 . A carrier according to  claim 54 , wherein one of the coupling portions comprises a slot and the other comprises a tab or projection which extends through the slot to form the endless loop.  
   
   
       57 . A carrier according to  claim 54 , wherein each coupling portion comprises a slot and a projection or tab with the slot and projection or tab of one coupling portion cooperating with the projection or tab and slot, respectively, of the other coupling portion to form the endless loop.  
   
   
       58 . A carrier according to  claim 54 , wherein the coupling portions comprise end portions of the carrier blank that are adhered together to form the endless loop.  
   
   
       59 . A carrier according to  claim 54 , wherein the coupling portions comprise at least one selected from a group consisting of: cooperating tabs or projections, cooperating projections and slits, cooperating handle portions and a slit and a cooperating handle portion.  
   
   
       60 . A carrier according to  claim 54 , wherein the coupling portions comprise handle portions holdable together by the purchaser to define the endless loop and the handle.  
   
   
       61 . A carrier according to  claim 42 , wherein the surface region provides the handle as an integral handle.  
   
   
       62 . A carrier according to  claim 61 , wherein the handle is provided by a cut out formed in the endless loop.  
   
   
       63 . A carrier according to  claim 42 , wherein the carrier blank has fold lines that facilitate deformation of the carrier to enable adoption of said at least two of said first to third configurations.  
   
   
       64 . A carrier according to  claim 42 , wherein the carrier blank has fold lines that define separate wall portions of the carrier and that facilitate deformation of the carrier to enable adoption of said at least two of said first to third configurations.  
   
   
       65 . A carrier according to  claim 42 , further comprising projecting side portions for closing open sides of the carrier during use.  
   
   
       66 . A carrier according to  claim 42 , wherein the carrier is formed from at least one of a group consisting of: paper, card, cardboard, a plastics material, corrugated paper, plastics, cardboard, rubber, reinforced cloth, and leather.  
   
   
       67 . A holder comprising a carrier in accordance with  claim 42 , and a receptacle adapted for operable engagement with the carrier.  
   
   
       68 . A holder according to  claim 67 , wherein the receptacle is a beverage cup.  
   
   
       69 . A holder according to  claim 67 , wherein the receptacle is a food container.  
   
   
       70 . A holder according to  claim 67 , wherein the receptacle is disposable.  
   
   
       71 . A blank adapted to form a carrier according to  claim 42 , wherein the blank has opposed end portions and an intermediate portion, the intermediate portion having an aperture, aperture defining region or depression to provide a receptacle receiving region, wherein the blank is provided with an integral handle portion that projects from one end portion and is arranged to be received by a slit, provided by the other end portion so as to couple the end portions of the blank together to form an endless loop in use.  
   
   
       72 . A blank according to  claim 71 , wherein there are two handle portions and one of the handle portions defines a securing element receivable through an aperture in the other handle portion.  
   
   
       73 . A blank according to  claim 71 , wherein the receptacle receiving region comprises at least one of the slots, cut outs and fold lines for defining a depression for receiving a receptacle in use.  
   
   
       74 . A blank according to  claim 71 , wherein the receptacle receiving region is an aperture defining region.  
   
   
       75 . A blank according to  claim 74 , wherein the aperture defining region comprises at least one of a frangible section, slit and an aperture.  
   
   
       76 . A blank according to  claim 71 , wherein the blank has a plurality of receptacle receiving regions each arranged to receive a receptacle.  
   
   
       77 . A blank according to  claim 71 , having fold lines that facilitate deformation of a carrier formed from the blank.  
   
   
       78 . A blank according to  claim 71 , having fold lines that define a plurality of portions each providing a respective different wall region of the carrier in use and that facilitate deformation of a carrier formed from the blank.  
   
   
       79 . A blank according to  claim 71 , further comprising projecting side portions, for closing open sides of the carrier during use.  
   
   
       80 . A blank according to  claim 71 , wherein the blank is formed from at least one of a group consisting of: paper, card, cardboard, a plastics material, corrugated card, plastics or cardboard or paper, rubber, reinforced cloth and leather.  
   
   
       81 . A vendable goods holder, comprising: 
 a receptacle for receiving goods and a carrier for enabling a purchaser of the goods to carry or support the receptacle, the holder being configurable in at least two of:    a first configuration in which a portion of the carrier supports a base of the receptacle;    a second configuration in which the receptacle is suspended beneath part of the carrier; and    a third configuration in which the carrier provides a band around the receptacle.