Drinking cup with integrated foldable cover

Abstract

A disposable cup includes a sidewall and a plurality of first, second, and third flaps arranged along a top end of the sidewall. The flaps are bendable along respective creases in the sidewall to a stacking configuration, an open configuration, and a closed configuration. In the stacking configuration, the first, second, and third flaps extend upward from and are aligned with the sidewall, which allows for multiple cups to be nested and stacked. In the open configuration, the first, second, and third flaps are downwardly bendable to respective positions along an exterior surface of the sidewall, which allows for full access to a liquid in the cup and drawing on the surface of the liquid contained within the cup in the form of latte art. In the closed configuration, the first, second and third flaps together define a concave cover to the cup and an elevated spout for drinking the liquid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cup, comprising:
 a sidewall having a top end, a bottom end, and a first plurality of creases disposed along the top end, the sidewall defining an interior space and a central axis extending in a longitudinal direction; and   first, second, and third flaps bendable about respective creases of the first plurality of creases, radially outward of the sidewall, to an open configuration, wherein in the open configuration, the first, second, and third flaps are downwardly bendable to respective positions along an exterior surface of the sidewall,   wherein the second and third flaps are movable radially inward of the sidewall, to a closed configuration in which the first, second and third flaps at least partially define a concave cover to the cup and an elevated spout in communication with the interior space.   
     
     
         2 . A cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall includes a second plurality of creases formed in the sidewall below corresponding creases of the first plurality of creases, and the second and third flaps and respective portions of the sidewall are configured to bend about respective creases of the second plurality of creases to the closed configuration. 
     
     
         3 . A cup according to  claim 2 , wherein the first plurality of creases are linearly shaped during bending of the first, second, and third flaps about the first plurality of creases, and the second plurality of creases remain arcuate shaped in both the open and closed configurations, and during bending of the second and third flaps about the second plurality of creases. 
     
     
         4 . A cup according to  claim 3 , wherein the respective portions of the sidewall are aligned with adjacent sections of the sidewall in the open configuration, and oriented perpendicular to the adjacent sections of the sidewall and radially inward of an outer surface of sidewall in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         5 . A cup according to  claim 4 , wherein each of the respective portions of the sidewall is crescent-shaped. 
     
     
         6 . A cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third flaps are each bendable about their respective creases of the first plurality of creases, up to 180 degrees radially inward of the sidewall to an interior surface of the sidewall, and up to 180 degrees radially outward of the sidewall, to an exterior surface of the sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . A cup according to  claim 6 , wherein the first, second, and third flaps are each bendable about their respective creases of the first plurality of creases, up to a 360 degree range of motion, without ripping any portion of the cup. 
     
     
         8 . A cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the cup is configurable to a stacking configuration in which the first, second, and third flaps extend longitudinally upward from and are aligned with the sidewall. 
     
     
         9 . A cup according to  claim 8 , wherein the first plurality of creases are coplanar in the open and stacking configurations, but are not coplanar in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         10 . A cup according to  claim 8 , wherein in the stacking configuration, the first and second flaps define an inverted triangular space between them. 
     
     
         11 . A cup according to  claim 10 , wherein in the open configuration, the first and second flaps define a triangular space between them. 
     
     
         12 . A cup according to  claim 1 , wherein bending of each of the first, second, and third flaps radially outward of the sidewall pushes a respective portion of the sidewall radially inward toward the central axis against a spring bias of the sidewall toward a convex configuration. 
     
     
         13 . A cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall has a frustoconical shape. 
     
     
         14 . A cup according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a floor defining a bottom of the interior region of the cup, wherein the bottom end of the sidewall defines a circular edge below the floor for supporting the cup in an upright position.   
     
     
         15 . A cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall, and first, second, and third flaps are integrally formed. 
     
     
         16 . A cup, comprising:
 a sidewall; and   a plurality of first, second, and third flaps arranged along a top end of the sidewall, and bendable along respective creases in the sidewall to a stacking configuration and a closed configuration, wherein:   (i) in the stacking configuration, the first, second, and third flaps extend upward from and are aligned with the sidewall, and   (ii) in the closed configuration, the first, second and third flaps together at least partially define a concave cover to the cup and an elevated drinking spout, wherein a portion of the elevated drinking spout defines an opening in communication with the interior space, and wherein the portion of the elevated drinking spout defining the opening is elevated relative to any other point on the concave cover.   
     
     
         17 . A cup according to  claim 16 , wherein in the stacking configuration, the first and second flaps define a first inverted triangular gap between them, the first and third flaps define a second inverted triangular gap between them, and the second and third flaps define a third gap between them, and wherein, in the closed configuration, the second and third flaps define a top surface of the elevated drinking spout. 
     
     
         18 . A method of transforming a cup into different configurations, comprising:
 providing a cup having a sidewall and a plurality of first, second, and third flaps arranged along a top end of the sidewall and extending upward from and aligned with the sidewall;   bending the first, second, and third flaps into an open configuration in which the first, second, and third flaps extend downwardly along an exterior surface of the sidewall; and   bending the plurality of first, second, and third flaps into a closed configuration in which the first, second and third flaps at least partially define a concave cover to the cup and an elevated spout in communication with the interior space.   
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein bending the plurality of first, second, and third flaps into the open configuration includes bending the first, second, and third flaps along a plurality of creases disposed at a top end of the sidewall, and bending the plurality of first, second, and third flaps into the closed configuration includes bending the first flap along one of the creases at the top end of the sidewall, and bending the second and third flaps along respective arcuate creases opposite a pair of the creases at the top end of the side wall. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein bending the plurality of first, second, and third flaps into the closed configuration includes bending the second and third flaps, as well as portions of the sidewall adjacent the second and third flaps, along the respective arcuate creases.