Vessel With Folded Dam

Abstract

A vessel has an inner flap and an outer flap that fold across a base of the vessel to form a cover. The inner flap includes a dam tab along the outer edge of the inner flap. When the inner flap is folded down, the free edge of this tab contacts the wall of the vessel and bends upward forming a “folded edge” dam. This folded edge dam can either be one segment or be made of two or more segments divided by one or more V-shaped cuts to allow each segment to fold down and fit together seamlessly. A restrictive channel is formed by the outer and inner flaps together with the “folded edge” dam, which is present in-between the outer and inner flaps.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vessel comprising:
 a base region, the base region having a width and defining an inner side wall and an interior volume;   a top region comprising an inner flap and an opposing outer flap, the two flaps delineated from the base region by two respective paths,   the inner flap comprising a dam flap extending from a free edge,   the flaps disposed so that, when folded along their respective paths, the opposing flaps define an elevated spout having a spout opening, and the dam flap forms a folded edge dam between the outer and inner flaps that extends up the spout towards the spout opening.   
     
     
         2 . A vessel according to  claim 1  wherein the dam flap has a length defined along the free edge of the inner flap, and a width extending away from the free edge, the length greater than the width. 
     
     
         3 . A vessel according to  claim 1  wherein the dam flap extends more than one half of the length of the free edge of the inner flap. 
     
     
         4 . A vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the dam flap and the inner side wall cooperate to define a channel to direct substances towards the spout opening when the vessel is being used for drinking or pouring those substances. 
     
     
         5 . A vessel according to  claim 1  wherein the inner flap is wider than the width of the base region and has a scored outer edge defining the dam flap, so that when the inner flap is folded down, the dam flap contacts the side wall of the vessel and this action folds the dam flap upward along the score line, thus forming the folded edge dam. 
     
     
         6 . A vessel according to  claim 1  wherein the dam flap comprises two segments divided by a V-shaped gap, such that when the inner flap is folded down, the segments of the dam flap are raised upward and fit together in a fashion closing the V-shaped gap between the segments. 
     
     
         7 . A vessel according to  claim 1  wherein the spout comprises one or more serrations configured to enlarge the spout opening when the serrations are torn, compressed, stretched, or otherwise distorted. 
     
     
         8 . A vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the flaps comprise cooperating straw holes. 
     
     
         9 . A vessel according to  claim 8 , wherein the flaps comprise one or more serrations configured to be pushed through to form the cooperating straw holes. 
     
     
         10 . A vessel according to  claim 1  wherein the vessel comprises an insulating material. 
     
     
         11 . A vessel according to  claim 1  wherein the vessel is manufactured by injection modeling, by thermoforming, or by rolling, scoring and forming from a sheet. 
     
     
         12 . A vessel according to  claim 1  wherein the outer flap comprises an adhesive tab to secure the outer flap to the base of the vessel, or adhesives on an inner surface of the outer flap and/or adhesives on an outer surface of the inner flap, to secure the outer flap to the top of the inner flap. 
     
     
         13 . A vessel according to  claim 1  wherein the inner flap comprises a drain aperture disposed to allow fluid to flow from a space between the inner flap and the outer flap, when the flaps are folded, to the interior volume of the vessel. 
     
     
         14 . A vessel according to  claim 1 , further comprising a spout closure tab extending from the spout and configured to fold over and cover the spout opening. 
     
     
         15 . A vessel according to  claim 14 , further comprising an adhesive on the spout closure tab, the adhesive configured to releasably attach the spout closure tab to the spout when the closure tab is folded over the spout opening. 
     
     
         16 . A vessel according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plug closure configured to removably fit within the spout opening. 
     
     
         17 . A vessel according to  claim 16 , wherein the plug closure comprises a stopper portion and a base portion, the stopper portion extending from the base portion and configured to fit within the spout opening, and the base portion configured to remain outside of the spout opening when the stopper portion is within the spout opening. 
     
     
         18 . A vessel according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cap closure molded over the spout to cover the spout opening. 
     
     
         19 . A vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the edges and/or fold paths comprise a waterproofing material.