Collapsible cup

Abstract

Collapsible containers are presented including: a bottom cup having a circular base and a cylindrical wall attached with the circular base, where the cylindrical wall includes a cup lip formed along an edge of the cylindrical wall, and where the cylindrical wall includes a number of bottom cup guide tabs formed along the cup lip; a middle sleeve having a middle sleeve upper edge and a middle sleeve lower edge, the middle sleeve forming a middle sleeve cylinder capable of nesting the bottom cup, where the middle sleeve includes a number of middle sleeve guide channels for slidingly engaging the bottom cup guide tabs, where the middle sleeve further includes a middle sleeve gasket channel formed along the middle sleeve lower edge and along a middle sleeve inner surface of the middle sleeve, where the middle sleeve gasket channel is configured for receiving a middle sleeve gasket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A collapsible container comprising:
 a bottom cup having a circular base and a cylindrical wall attached with the circular base, wherein the cylindrical wall includes a cup lip formed along an edge of the cylindrical wall, and wherein the cylindrical wall includes a plurality of bottom cup guide tabs formed along the cup lip;   a middle sleeve having a middle sleeve upper edge and a middle sleeve lower edge, the middle sleeve forming a middle sleeve cylinder capable of nesting the bottom cup, wherein the middle sleeve includes a plurality of middle sleeve guide channels for slidingly engaging the plurality of bottom cup guide tabs, wherein the middle sleeve further includes a middle sleeve gasket channel formed along the middle sleeve lower edge and along a middle sleeve inner surface of the middle sleeve, wherein the middle sleeve gasket channel is configured for receiving a middle sleeve gasket that forms a seal between the middle sleeve and the bottom cup, and wherein the middle sleeve includes a plurality of middle sleeve guide tabs formed along the middle sleeve upper edge; and   a top sleeve having an top sleeve upper edge and a top sleeve lower edge, the top sleeve forming a top sleeve cylinder capable of nesting the bottom cup and the middle sleeve, wherein the top sleeve includes a plurality of top sleeve guide channels for slidingly engaging the plurality of middle sleeve guide tabs, wherein the top sleeve lower edge includes a top sleeve gasket channel formed along the top sleeve lower edge and along a top sleeve inner surface of the top sleeve, the top sleeve gasket channel configured for receiving a top sleeve gasket that forms a seal between the top sleeve and the middle sleeve.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible container of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bottom cup guide tabs each further comprise a bottom outer tab groove for releasably engaging a middle sleeve ridge disposed along a top portion of each of the plurality of middle sleeve guide channels, and wherein the plurality of middle sleeve guide tabs each further comprise a middle sleeve outer tab groove for releasably engaging a top sleeve ridge disposed along a top portion of each of the plurality of top sleeve guide channels. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible container of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a lid configured for removeably engaging the top sleeve upper edge.   
     
     
         4 . The collapsible container of  claim 3 , wherein the lid further comprises:
 a hatch configured for sipping or for receiving a straw.   
     
     
         5 . The collapsible container of  claim 3 , wherein the lid further comprises:
 a push-top dispensing feature.   
     
     
         6 . The collapsible container of  claim 1 , wherein the middle sleeve gasket and the top sleeve gasket are selected from the group consisting of: an o-ring, a rubber washer, a polymeric washer, and a packing material. 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible container of  claim 1 , wherein the middle sleeve gasket is co-molded with the middle sleeve gasket channel, and wherein the top sleeve gasket is co-molded with the top sleeve gasket channel. 
     
     
         8 . The collapsible container of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of middle sleeve guide channels and the plurality of top sleeve guide channels form a path selected from the group consisting of a diagonal path and an L-shaped path. 
     
     
         9 . The collapsible container of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of middle sleeve guide channels each further comprise a middle sleeve path ridge configured to releasably engaging the bottom cup guide tabs, the middle sleeve path ridge disposed along a distal end of the middle sleeve guide channel, and wherein the plurality of top sleeve guide channels each further comprise a top sleeve path ridge configured to releasably engaging the middle sleeve guide tabs, the top sleeve path ridge disposed along a distal end of the top sleeve guide channel. 
     
     
         10 . The collapsible container of  claim 1 , wherein the circular base further comprises:
 a finger pull thrilled by at least two cavities formed along the circular base, wherein each cavity includes a flared portion along an inner edge of each cavity.   
     
     
         11 . The collapsible container of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an insert removeably attached with the top sleeve upper edge and extending to the circular base, wherein the insert forms a cavity, and wherein the insert is configured to extend and collapse in accordion fashion with the collapsible cup. 
 
     
     
         12 . A collapsible container comprising:
 a bottom cup having a circular base and a cylindrical wall attached with the circular base, wherein the cylindrical wall includes a bottom cup lip formed along an edge of the cylindrical wall, wherein the cylindrical wall includes a plurality of bottom cup guide tabs formed along the bottom cup lip and wherein the plurality of bottom cup guide tabs each further comprise a bottom outer tab groove for releasably engaging as top sleeve ridge disposed along a top portion of each of the plurality of top sleeve guide channels; and   a top sleeve having an top sleeve upper edge and a top sleeve lower edge, the top sleeve forming a top sleeve cylinder capable of nesting the bottom cup, wherein the top sleeve includes a plurality of top sleeve guide channels for slidingly engaging the plurality of bottom cup guide tabs, wherein the top sleeve lower edge includes a top sleeve gasket channel formed along the top sleeve lower edge and along a top sleeve inner surface of the top sleeve, the top sleeve gasket channel configured for receiving a top sleeve gasket that forms as seal between the top sleeve and the bottom cup.   
     
     
         13 . The collapsible container of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a lid configured for removeably engaging the top sleeve upper edge.   
     
     
         14 . The collapsible container of  claim 13 , wherein the lid further comprises:
 a push-top dispensing feature.   
     
     
         15 . The collapsible container of  claim 12 , wherein the top sleeve gasket is selected from the group consisting of: an o-ring, a rubber washer, a polymeric washer, and a packing material. 
     
     
         16 . The collapsible container of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of top sleeve guide channels form as path selected from the group consisting of: as diagonal path and an L-shaped path. 
     
     
         17 . The collapsible container of  claim 12 , wherein the circular base further comprises:
 a finger pull formed by at least two cavities formed along the circular base, wherein each cavity includes a flared portion along an inner edge of each cavity.   
     
     
         18 . A method for utilizing a collapsible cup comprising:
 receiving the collapsible cup, the collapsible cup including,
 a bottom cup having a circular base and a cylindrical wall attached with the circular base, wherein the cylindrical wall includes a cup lip formed along an edge of the cylindrical wall, and wherein the cylindrical wall includes a plurality of bottom cup guide tabs formed along the cup lip, 
 a middle sleeve having a middle sleeve upper edge and a middle sleeve lower edge, the middle sleeve forming a middle sleeve cylinder capable of nesting the bottom cup, wherein the middle sleeve includes a plurality of middle sleeve guide channels for slidingly engaging the plurality of bottom cup guide tabs, wherein the middle sleeve further includes a middle sleeve gasket channel formed along the middle sleeve lower edge and along a middle sleeve inner surface of the middle sleeve, wherein the middle sleeve gasket channel is configured for receiving a middle sleeve gasket that forms a seal between the middle sleeve and the bottom cup, and wherein the middle sleeve includes a plurality of middle sleeve guide tabs formed along the middle sleeve upper edge, and 
 a top sleeve having an top sleeve upper edge and a top sleeve lower edge, the top sleeve forming a top sleeve cylinder capable of nesting the bottom cup and the middle sleeve, wherein the top sleeve includes a plurality of top sleeve guide channels for slidingly engaging the plurality of middle sleeve guide tabs, wherein the top sleeve lower edge includes a top sleeve gasket channel formed along the top sleeve lower edge and along a top sleeve inner surface of the top sleeve, the top sleeve gasket channel configured for receiving a top sleeve gasket that forms a seal between the top sleeve and the middle sleeve; 
   expanding the collapsible cup to an extended position; and   filling the collapsible cup.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising:
 collapsing the collapsible cup to a collapsed position. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the expanding, the collapsible cup further comprises:
 grasping a finger pull formed by at least two cavities formed along the circular base, wherein each cavity includes a flared portion along an inner edge of each cavity.