Drinking cup that attaches to a beverage can for closure and protection

Abstract

A drinking cup with a gripping mechanism that allows it to attach to a beverage can for closure to minimize the amount of dissolved gases escape from a carbonated beverage and for protection to minimize the amount of beverage spillage when the can is inadvertently dropped or tilted sideways. The drinking cup is designed with thick and thin sections that extend vertically around the outside of the cup to provide sufficient rigidity and flexibility to allow it to operate as a drinking cup and as a cover that snaps on to and off from the top of a beverage can.

1 . A drinking cup for use with a can having a top section that includes an outwardly extending bead and comprising
 a top rim;   a base;   a tubular sidewall with an inside surface and having a plurality of thick sections and thin sections extending vertically from said top rim to said base;   a bead protruding from said inside surface of said tubular sidewall within said thin sections; and   wherein said bead of said drinking cup engages through a snapping action said outwardly extending bead of said can when said drinking cup is placed over said can upside down so that said top section of said can is confined inside said drinking cup.   
     
     
         2 . The drinking cup according to  claim 1 , further comprising a circular bead that radially extends throughout said top rim. 
     
     
         3 . The drinking cup according to  claim 1 , further comprising a ring protruding downward from said base. 
     
     
         4 . The drinking cup according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bottom section of said tubular sidewall that is in sealing contact with said top section of said can when said drinking cup is placed over said can upside down so that said top section of said can is confined inside said drinking cup. 
     
     
         5 . The drinking cup according to  claim 4 , wherein said tubular sidewall has a larger diameter at said top rim than at said bottom section. 
     
     
         6 . The drinking cup according to  claim 1 , wherein said tubular sidewall has a larger diameter at said top rim than at said base. 
     
     
         7 . A drinking cup for use with a can having a top section that includes an outwardly extending bead and comprising
 a top rim;   a base;   a tubular sidewall with an inside surface and having a plurality of thick sections and thin sections extending vertically from said top rim to said base;   a bead protruding from said inside surface of said tubular sidewall within said thick sections; and   wherein said bead of said drinking cup engages through a snapping action said outwardly extending bead of said can when said drinking cup is placed over said can upside down so that said top section of said can is confined inside said drinking cup.   
     
     
         8 . The drinking cup according to  claim 7 , further comprising a circular bead that radially extends throughout said top rim. 
     
     
         9 . The drinking cup according to  claim 7 , further comprising a ring protruding downward from said base. 
     
     
         10 . The drinking cup according to  claim 7 , further comprising a bottom section of said tubular sidewall that is in sealing contact with said top section of said can when said drinking cup is placed over said can upside down so that said top section of said can is confined inside said drinking cup. 
     
     
         11 . The drinking cup according to  claim 10 , wherein said tubular sidewall has a larger diameter at said top rim than at said bottom section. 
     
     
         12 . The drinking cup according to  claim 7 , wherein said tubular sidewall has a larger diameter at said top rim than at said base.