Spill Resistant Cup Receptacle

Abstract

A combination cup receptacle and cup container assembly for instant food products such as instant soup is disclosed. The assembly includes a hollow cup receptacle having a central ring and a peripherally extending support base for holding and retaining a cup container holding a quantity of food ingredients. The central ring of the cup receptacle forms a cavity to frictionally receive and retain the cup container with the cup container in contact with the bottom of the receptacle cup cavity. The cup receptacle has venting means for preventing pressure differentials between support base of the cup receptacle and an external support surface such as a table top. The cup may be utilized as packaging for instant soup or other food products and the cup receptacle may be included as part of the packaging or provided as a separate item.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A food container apparatus comprising:
 (a) a cup having an exterior peripheral surface and a base, said cup holding a food product;   (b) a cup receptacle having a peripherally extending support base and a cavity configured to receive and retain said cup; and   (c) means for preventing pressure differentials between said support base of said cup receptacle and an external cup receptacle support surface.   
     
     
         2 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 1  wherein the method of constructing said cup and said cup receptacle includes plastic thermoforming, injection molding, and paper forming. 
     
     
         3 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 1  wherein means for preventing pressure differentials between said support base of said cup receptacle and said external support surface includes providing a pressure equalization conduit in said cup receptacle. 
     
     
         4 . A food container apparatus comprising:
 (a) a cup having an exterior peripheral surface and a base;   (b) a cup receptacle having a sidewall ring configured around a central receptacle cup cavity having an integrally molded cavity bottom, said sidewall ring having an interior perimeter sidewall surface, a top surface, and an exterior perimeter sidewall surface that create a sidewall interior hollow within said cup receptacle;   (c) a support lip configured with said receptacle base; and   (d) means for preventing pressure differentials between said cup receptacle and an external support surface.   
     
     
         5 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 4  wherein said sidewall ring exterior perimeter sidewall surface is a crenate surface comprised of a plurality of scallops. 
     
     
         6 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 4  wherein said means for preventing pressure differentials between said cup receptacle and an external support surface includes a plurality of corrugations on said support lip that extend through said exterior perimeter sidewall surface to said sidewall interior hollow. 
     
     
         7 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 4  wherein said means for preventing pressure differentials between said cup receptacle and an external support surface includes a plurality of vents distributed around said top of said sidewall ring to communicate with said sidewall interior hollow. 
     
     
         8 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 4  wherein said means for preventing pressure differentials between said cup receptacle and an external support surface includes a plurality of vents distributed around said exterior perimeter sidewall surface of said sidewall ring to communicate with said sidewall interior hollow. 
     
     
         9 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 4  wherein said means for preventing pressure differentials includes a vent opening extending into said sidewall interior hollow. 
     
     
         10 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 9  further comprising a channel configured with said interior perimeter sidewall surface of said sidewall ring whereby spillage from said cup may be directed to said receptacle cup cavity. 
     
     
         11 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 10  wherein said cup is so evenly supported by said cavity bottom. 
     
     
         12 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 11  further comprising warning labels affixed to said cup receptacle. 
     
     
         13 . The food container apparatus in  claim 11  wherein said cup receptacle is colored. 
     
     
         14 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 11  wherein the method of constructing said cup receptacle includes plastic thermoforming, injection molding, or paper forming. 
     
     
         15 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 14  wherein said channel configured with said interior perimeter sidewall surface of said sidewall ring is configured to support an eating utensil. 
     
     
         16 . The food container apparatus recited in  claim 10  wherein said central receptacle cup cavity is configured to frictionally receive said cup with said base of said cup in contact said bottom of said receptacle cup cavity. 
     
     
         17 . A food container apparatus comprising:
 (a) a cup receptacle having a sidewall ring configured with an integrally molded cavity bottom to form a central cavity for receiving a cup for holding a food product, said sidewall ring having an interior perimeter sidewall surface, a top surface, and an exterior perimeter sidewall surface that create a sidewall interior hollow within said cup receptacle; and   (b) a vent to said sidewall interior hollow whereby pressure differentials may be equalized.   
     
     
         18 . The food container apparatus as recited in  claim 17  further comprising a channel configured with said interior perimeter sidewall surface of said sidewall ring whereby spillage from said cup may be directed to said central cavity of said receptacle. 
     
     
         19 . The food container apparatus as recited in  claim 18  wherein said an interior perimeter sidewall surface is configured to frictionally retain said cup within said central cavity of said receptacle with said cup in contact said integrally molded cavity bottom. 
     
     
         20 . The food container apparatus as recited in  claim 11  wherein the method of constructing said cup receptacle includes plastic thermoforming, injection molding, or paper forming. 
     
     
         21 . A container apparatus comprising:
 (a) a cup receptacle having a cavity configured to receive and retain said cup;   (b) a support base extending peripherally around said cup receptacle; and   (c) a pressure equalization conduit in said cup receptacle, said pressure equalization conduit serving to equalize pressure between said cup receptacle and an external cup receptacle support surface.   
     
     
         22 . The container apparatus as recited in  claim 21  further comprising:
 (a) a cup having an exterior peripheral surface configured to be frictionally received and retained in said cavity of said cup receptacle. 
 
     
     
         23 . The container apparatus as recited in  claim 22  wherein said cup receptacle has a channel configured to retain spillage from said cup. 
     
     
         24 . The container apparatus recited in  claim 23  wherein the method of constructing said cup and said cup receptacle includes plastic thermoforming, injection molding, and paper forming. 
     
     
         25 . The container apparatus as recited in  claim 24  wherein said pressure equalization conduit in said cup receptacle is a plurality of corrugations in said support base. 
     
     
         26 . The container apparatus as recited in  claim 24  wherein said cup is in contact with a bottom surface in said receptacle cup cavity. 
     
     
         27 . The container apparatus as recited in  claim 24  further comprising warning labels affixed to said cup receptacle. 
     
     
         28 . The container apparatus as recited in  claim 24  wherein said cup receptacle is colored. 
     
     
         29 . The container apparatus as recited in  claim 24  wherein said cup is utilized as a container for a food product. 
     
     
         30 . The container apparatus recited in  claim 29  wherein said food product is instant soup. 
     
     
         31 . The container apparatus recited in  claim 29  wherein said food product is a beverage. 
     
     
         32 . The container apparatus recited in  claim 22  wherein said container apparatus is utilized as packing for said food product.