Carrier for cups and method for producing it

Abstract

A carrier for cups includes at least two accommodations for cups and a circumferential wall surrounding and connecting the accommodations, wherein the carrier is made from moulded fibre, and between two accommodations, the circumferential wall includes a widened part. It provides additional strength. The carrier can be obtained by providing a wet layer of fibre material on suction moulds, and subsequently the wet layer of fibre material is provided on a hot mould in which the layer is pressed to a moisture contents of less than about 5% by weight.

1 .- 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A cup carrier made from moulded fibre and comprising:
 at least two accommodations for cups, the accommodations comprises a bottom wall for supporting the bottom of cups and several holding parts extending into the accommodations for in use exerting a resilient force to an inserted cup for holding it in place; a circumferential wall surrounding and connecting said accommodations; gutter-shaped parts each having a pair of opposite, continuous, inwardly sloping, downward extending walls extending at least 12 mm downward and connecting to a bottom wall part with a width of at least 5 mm and a length of at least 10 mm, said gutter-shaped parts each connecting two neighbouring accommodations and extending within and along the circumferential wall, a dome-shaped central part, extending between said accommodations and ending in the gutter-shaped parts transverse with respect to said dome-shaped part, and said cup carrier has a weight of less than 7 gr per accommodation at almost 0% moisture content while providing a strength and rigidity to pass the lift test.   
     
     
         36 . The cup carrier of  claim 35 , having a weight of less than 5.5 gr per accommodation at almost 0% moisture content while providing a strength and rigidity to pass the lift test. 
     
     
         37 . The cup carrier of  claim 35 , wherein said circumferential wall slopes toward the inside of the carrier. 
     
     
         38 . The cup carrier of  claim 35 , wherein said circumferential wall comprising an end flange extending outward from said carrier. 
     
     
         39 . The cup carrier of  claim 35 , wherein said carrier is substantially square, said circumferential wall having four substantially identical sides. 
     
     
         40 . The cup carrier of  claim 35 , wherein said carrier has four accommodations. 
     
     
         41 . The cup carrier of  claim 35 , wherein said carrier is rotational symmetric for rotations over 90 degrees with respect to an axis of rotation normal to the plane of said accommodations and thought the centre of said carrier. 
     
     
         42 . The cup carrier of  claim 35 , wherein said carrier is produced in a moulded fibre process comprising a step of pre-pressing a wet moulded fibre layer. 
     
     
         43 . The cup carrier of  claim 35 , wherein said pair of opposite, continuous, inwardly sloping, downward extending walls extend about 12-25 mm downward. 
     
     
         44 . The cup carrier of  claim 35 , wherein said bottom wall part has a width of about 5-10 mm. 
     
     
         45 . The cup carrier of  claim 35 , wherein said gutter-shaped part having a pair of opposite, continuous, inwardly sloping, downward extending walls extending at least 15 mm downward and connecting to a bottom wall part with a width of at least 7 mm and a length of at least 10 mm, said gutter-shaped parts connecting two neighbouring accommodations. 
     
     
         46 . The cup carrier of  claim 45 , wherein the downward extending walls extend at last 20 mm downward. 
     
     
         47 . The cup carrier of  claim 45 , wherein the gutter-shaped parts have a length of more than 30 mm. 
     
     
         48 . The cup carrier of  claim 42 , wherein the wet layer of fibre material is provided on suction moulds, said wet layer of fibre material is provided on intermediate moulds providing a pre-pressing step, said pre-pressed layer of fibre material is transferred to a drying oven in which the carrier is dried. 
     
     
         49 . The cup carrier of  claim 48 , wherein the wet layer of fibre material is provided on suction moulds, said wet layer of fibre material is subsequently provided on a hot mould in which said layer is pressed to a moisture contents of less than about 5% by weight. 
     
     
         50 . The cup carrier of  claim 46 , wherein the gutter-shaped parts have a length of more than 30 mm.