Tip-resistant cup with handle

Abstract

A tip-resistant cup with handle having at least three external extended legs that prevent tip-overs. The external legs extend down to the surface the cup being placed on to provide support from three different directions. In addition, any of the legs can be used has a handle. Cups of the present invention can be stacked like other cups by simply rotating the position of the legs. The cup of the present invention can also have a curved lip to further prevent spilling when the user is drinking.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A drinking cup comprising:
 a cup body with a drinking lip, the cup body having a lower part, and upper part and a bottom forming a cavity adapted to hold a liquid, the upper part being of greater diameter than the lower part and bottom;   the drinking cup also having a plurality of external legs extending outward and downward from the upper part of the cup to a point below the bottom;   wherein, the legs of the drinking cup are configured to prevent tipping by impact by having each of the legs curve concave downward away from the upper part of the cup body; each leg configured so that its distal end encounters a resting surface at approximately right angles, and its proximal end joins the cup body and an acute angle below the drinking lip;   wherein, the a region of the cup body approaching the drinking lip curves inward so that the drinking lip has a diameter smaller than the upper part of the cup body.   
     
     
         2 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the cup has three legs. 
     
     
         3 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein a plurality of like drinking cups are configured to stack vertically one cup on top of another such that the bottom of one cup is inserted into the cavity of the a cup below it, and the legs of the one cup are rotated with respect to the legs of the cup below it by an angle sufficient that the legs of the one cup clear the legs of the cup below. 
     
     
         4 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein said cup is made of porcelain. 
     
     
         5 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein said cup is made of plastic. 
     
     
         6 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the legs curve downward from a widest point of the cup body. 
     
     
         7 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the legs have a top portion in proximity to the cup body and a bottom portion, and wherein each leg has an outward facing surface; wherein, the outward facing surface in the bottom portion of the leg is laterally concave. 
     
     
         8 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the cup has more than three legs. 
     
     
         9 . The drinking cup of  claim 8  wherein the cup has four legs. 
     
     
         10 . A coffee-cup system comprising:
 a plurality of tip-proof coffee cups, each cup with a drinking lip and a cup body having a lower part, and upper part and a bottom forming a cavity adapted to hold a liquid, the upper part being of greater diameter than the lower part and bottom;   each cup also having a plurality of external legs extending outward and downward from the upper part of the cup to a point below the bottom;   wherein the cups are configured to stack vertically one cup on top of another such that the bottom of one cup is inserted into the cavity of the a cup below it, and the legs of the one cup are rotated with respect to the legs of the cup below it by an angle sufficient that the legs of the one cup clear the legs of the cup below.   
     
     
         11 . The coffee-cup system of  claim 10  wherein, the legs of each cup are configured to prevent tipping by impact by having each of the legs curve concave downward away from the upper part of the cup body; each leg configured so that its distal end encounters a resting surface at approximately right angles, and its proximal end joins the cup body and an acute angle below the drinking lip. 
     
     
         12 . The coffee-cup system of  claim 10  wherein the legs have a top portion in proximity to the cup body and a bottom portion, and wherein each leg has an outward facing surface; wherein, the outward facing surface in the bottom portion of the leg is laterally concave. 
     
     
         13 . The coffee-cup system of  claim 10  wherein, the a region of the cup body approaching the drinking lip curves inward so that the drinking lip has a diameter smaller than the upper part of the cup body. 
     
     
         14 . The coffee-cup system of  claim 11  wherein, the a region of the cup body approaching the drinking lip curves inward so that the drinking lip has a diameter smaller than the upper part of the cup body. 
     
     
         15 . The coffee-cup system of  claim 12  wherein, the a region of the cup body approaching the drinking lip curves inward so that the drinking lip has a diameter smaller than the upper part of the cup body. 
     
     
         16 . A method for providing a drinking cup comprising:
 providing a cup body with a drinking lip, the cup body having a lower part, and upper part and a bottom forming a cavity adapted to hold a liquid, the upper part being of greater diameter than the lower part and bottom; the drinking cup also having a plurality of external legs extending outward and downward from the upper part of the cup to a point below the bottom; wherein, the legs of the drinking cup are configured to prevent tipping by impact by having each of the legs curve concave downward away from the upper part of the cup body; each leg configured so that its distal end encounters a resting surface at approximately right angles, and its proximal end joins the cup body and an acute angle below the drinking lip; wherein, the a region of the cup body approaching the drinking lip curves inward so that the drinking lip has a diameter smaller than the upper part of the cup body.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the cup has three legs. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said cup is made of porcelain. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the cup has more than three legs. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the cup has four legs.