Reusable children's drinking cup

Abstract

A reusable drinking cup for use by children including either a hammered textured pattern extending around at least a portion of the annular side wall portion of the drinking cup, or a gripping member extending around at least a portion of the annular side wall portion of the cup for enabling children to better grip the cup. The present cup can likewise include at least one viewing window positioned intermediate the top and bottom portions of the cup for ascertaining the fluid level of the liquid contained within the cup. In one embodiment, the at least one viewing window can be an elongated vertically extending window in the form of an elongated slot and, in another embodiment, the at least one viewing window can include a plurality of vertically extending spaced windows or cut-outs which are positioned and arranged intermediate the top and bottom portions of the cup at predetermined locations therebetween. The present cup can likewise include a flared bottom portion which functions as an anti-roll member to help prevent accidental spillage of the contents within the cup.

1 . A drinking cup comprising:
 an annular side wall portion, a bottom wall portion, and an upper portion, said upper portion including an opening providing access to the cavity of the cup and an upper lip portion; and   at least a portion of the outer surface of said annular side wall portion including a hammered textured pattern.   
     
     
         2 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 1  wherein said upper lip is shaped and configured so as to be compatible with any one of a plurality of lid members which can be attached to the drinking cup to contain the contents received therewithin. 
     
     
         3 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 1  including at least one window formed within said annular side wall portion for allowing a person to view the fluid level of the particular liquid within the drinking cup. 
     
     
         4 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 3  wherein said at least one window includes an elongated vertically extending window positioned intermediate the upper and bottom portions of the cup at a predetermined location. 
     
     
         5 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 4  wherein said elongated vertically extending window is in the form of an elongated slot. 
     
     
         6 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 3  wherein said at least one window includes a plurality of vertically extending spaced cut-outs positioned and arranged intermediate the upper and bottom portions of the cup at predetermined locations therebetween on said annular side wall portion. 
     
     
         7 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 6  wherein each cut-out is configured in the shape of a fish. 
     
     
         8 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 6  wherein each cut-out is configured in the shape of a diamond. 
     
     
         9 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 6  wherein the plurality of vertically extending spaced cut-outs are staggered vertically on the annular side wall portion. 
     
     
         10 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 6  wherein the plurality of vertically extending spaced cut-outs are vertically positioned in alignment with each other. 
     
     
         11 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 1  including a gripping member extending vertically around at least a portion of the annular side wall portion of the cup, said gripping member being positioned over at least a portion of the hammered textured pattern. 
     
     
         12 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 11  wherein said gripping member includes silicone. 
     
     
         13 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 11  including at least one viewing window for ascertaining the fluid level of the liquid contained within cup. 
     
     
         14 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 13  wherein said at least one viewing window includes an elongated vertically extending window. 
     
     
         15 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 13  wherein said at least one viewing window includes a plurality of vertically extending spaced windows positioned and arranged intermediate the upper and bottom portions of the cup at predetermined locations therebetween. 
     
     
         16 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 13  wherein said at least one viewing window includes a plurality of vertically extending spaced windows positioned intermediate the upper and bottom portions of the cup at predetermined locations therebetween. 
     
     
         17 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 1  including a flared bottom portion associated with said bottom wall portion. 
     
     
         18 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 1  including a ridge portion separating the hammered textured pattern from the untextured portion of the annular side wall portion. 
     
     
         19 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 1  including a slide-on gripping member extending vertically around at least a portion of the annular side wall portion of the cup and over at least a portion of the hammered textured pattern, said slide-on gripping member being removably engageable with said drinking cup. 
     
     
         20 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 19  including a ridge portion separating the hammered textured pattern from the untextured portion of the annular side wall portion, one edge portion of said slide-on gripping member abutting said ridge portion. 
     
     
         21 . A drinking cup comprising:
 an annular side wall portion, a bottom wall portion, and an upper portion, said upper portion including an opening providing access to the cavity of the cup;   a gripping member extending vertically around at least a portion of said annular side wall portion; and   at least one viewing window for ascertaining the fluid level of the liquid contained within the cup, said at least one viewing window being positioned intermediate the upper and bottom portions of the cup at a predetermined location therebetween.   
     
     
         22 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 21  wherein said at least one viewing window includes an elongated vertically extending window. 
     
     
         23 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 21  wherein said at least one viewing window includes a plurality of vertically extending spaced cut-outs positioned and arranged intermediate the upper and bottom portions of the cup at predetermined locations therebetween. 
     
     
         24 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 21  including a flared flange associated with said bottom wall portion, said flared flange extending beyond the outer parameter of the bottom wall portion of the cup. 
     
     
         25 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 21  wherein said gripping member is removably attachable to at least a portion of said annular side wall portion. 
     
     
         26 . A drinking cup for use by children comprising:
 an annular side wall portion, a bottom wall portion, and an upper portion, said upper portion including an opening providing access to the cavity of the cup and an upper lip portion, said upper lip portion being shaped and configured so as to be compatible with any one of a plurality of lid members which can be attached to the cup to contain the contents received therewithin;   at least a portion of the outer surface of said annular side wall portion including a hammered textured pattern; and   at least one viewing window extending through said annular side wall portion for ascertaining the fluid level of the liquid contained within the cup, said at least one viewing window being positioned intermediate the upper and bottom portions of the cup at a particular location therebetween.   
     
     
         27 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 26  wherein said at least one viewing window includes an elongated vertically extending window. 
     
     
         28 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 26  wherein said at least one viewing window includes a plurality of vertically extending spaced windows positioned intermediate the upper and bottom portions of the cup at predetermined locations therebetween on said annular side wall portion. 
     
     
         29 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 28  wherein said plurality of vertically extending spaced windows are positioned vertically in alignment with each other. 
     
     
         30 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 26  wherein said plurality of vertically extending spaced windows are positioned in staggered arrangement relative to each other. 
     
     
         31 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 26  including a gripping member extending vertically around at least a portion of said annular side wall portion, said at least one viewing window extending through said gripping member. 
     
     
         32 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 26  including a flared bottom portion. 
     
     
         33 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 31  wherein said gripping member is removably attachable to at least a portion of said annular side wall portion. 
     
     
         34 . The drinking cup defined in  claim 33  including a ridge portion separating the hammered textured portion from the remaining portion of the annular aide wall portion, one end portion of said gripping member abutting said ridge portion when said gripping member is removably attached to at least a portion of said annular side wall portion.