Thermally insulated collapsible cup for hot or cold beverages

Abstract

A thermally insulated collapsible cup for hot or cold beverages. The collapsible cup includes a flexible inner liner and a multi-segmented outer shell including a top segment, a base segment, and one or more intermediate segments. Each segment of the outer shell includes an insulation layer adhered thereto. An integral rubber sleeve extends around the periphery of each intermediate segment. The flexible inner liner extends from the top to the bottom of the collapsible cup and is secured and sealed at the bottom of the base segment and at the rim of the top segment. In an expanded configuration, internal screw threads at the bottom of the top and intermediate segments engage external screw threads on the adjacent segment there below and thereby maintain the cup in an expanded configuration. The screw threads can be unscrewed in order to convert the cup to a collapsed configuration.

1 . A collapsible cup comprising:
 a plurality of rigid interlocking tubular outer shell segments, said outer shell segments including an inner side and an outer side;   said outer shell segments including a base segment, a top segment, and one or more intermediate segments with said base segment including a bottom, said top segment including a rim, and said intermediate segments including a lower outer periphery;   a flexible inner liner secured to said rim of said top segment and extending there from to said bottom of said base segment;   a tubular insulating layer on said inner sides of each of said outer shell segments;   a tubular integral sleeve secured around said lower outer periphery of each of said intermediate outer shell segments; and   screw threads on each of said each of said outer shell segments, said screw threads for engaging complementary screw threads on the adjacent segment there below and holding said collapsible cup in an expanded configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein said top segment of said outer shell includes
 an inturned wall portion adjacent said rim, said inturned wall portion including an outer periphery; and 
 a peripheral flange extending outward from said outer periphery of said inturned wall portion. 
 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible cup of  claim 2  wherein
 said inner liner includes a top portion with a peripheral groove therein; and 
 said peripheral flange of said top segment extends into said peripheral groove of said top portion of said inner liner thereby securing said top portion of said liner to said top segment of said outer shell. 
 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein
 said bottom of said base segment of said outer shell includes an inner periphery; and 
 a peripheral flange extending inward from said inner periphery of said base segment. 
 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible cup of  claim 4  wherein
 said inner liner includes a base portion with a peripheral groove therein; and 
 said peripheral flange of said base segment extends into said peripheral groove of said base portion of said inner liner thereby securing said base portion of said liner to said base segment of said outer shell. 
 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein
 said integral sleeves include an inner periphery and screw threads on said inner periphery; and 
 said screw threads of said integral sleeves engaging said screw threads on said top of said intermediate segments. 
 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein each of said tubular insulating layers are secured to said outer shell segments with adhesive. 
     
     
         8 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein said tubular outer shell segments are constructed of materials selected from the group including metal and plastic. 
     
     
         9 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein said tubular insulating layers are constructed of polyurethane. 
     
     
         10 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein said flexible inner liner is constructed of silicone rubber. 
     
     
         11 . The collapsible cup of  claim 10  wherein said silicone rubber includes a Shore A hardness of 0. 
     
     
         12 . The collapsible cup of  claim 11  wherein said silicone rubber is a food grade or FDA approved silicone rubber. 
     
     
         13 . The collapsible cup of  claim 3  wherein
 said top portion of said inner liner includes a throat and screw threads on said throat; and 
 a lid threaded into said screw threads of said throat of said inner liner. 
 
     
     
         14 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein said lid includes
 a hinge thereon; and 
 a flip up cover pivotally attached to and rotatable about said hinge. 
 
     
     
         15 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein said integral sleeves include
 an inward extending lower leg; and 
 said inward extending lower leg is in contact with said outer side of said outer shell segments, 
 
       whereby said lower legs of said integral sleeves provides friction against said outer shell segments for controlling the rate of expansion of said collapsible cup from the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein said integral sleeves are constructed of silicone rubber. 
     
     
         17 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein said tubular outer shell segments are of steadily decreasing diameter from said top segment to said base segment. 
     
     
         18 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein said cup in said collapsed configuration includes said base segment within said intermediate segments and said intermediate segments within said top segment. 
     
     
         19 . The collapsible cup of  claim 1  wherein
 said collapsible cup includes an inner volume; 
 the entire inner volume of said collapsible cup is bound by said inner liner; and 
 said inner liner is constructed of food grade or FDA approved silicone rubber. 
 
     
     
         20 . The collapsible cup of  claim 15  wherein
 said integral sleeves include an outer periphery; and 
 said outer periphery of said sleeves includes an indent therein.