Cup resistant to both slipping and tipping

Abstract

A cup or glass design that prevents both slipping and tipping. The cup is shaped so that its bottom has both a region of high friction and a region of low friction. The region of high friction can be a set of small rubber feet or the like. The region of low friction can be the smooth cup surface. The two regions are juxtapositioned so that when the cup is sitting flat in its normal resting position, the region of high friction makes contact with the surface; however, if the cup is tipped, the region of high friction lifts off the surface allowing the region of low friction to contact the surface. This then causes the partially-tipped cup to slide rather than tip over. As it slides away from the source of the tipping force, the cup will then right itself by gravity and return to the normal resting position.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A cup bottom that prevents sliding and tipping comprising:
 a high friction region positioned to contact a supporting surface when the cup is in a normal resting position, the high friction region positioned to lift off of the supporting surface as the cup tips;   a low friction region in proximity to the high friction region positioned so that the low friction region contacts the supporting surface when the high friction region lifts off the supporting surface as the cup tips.   
     
     
         2 . The cup bottom of  claim 1  wherein the high friction region is rubber. 
     
     
         3 . The cup bottom of  claim 1  wherein the high friction region is a plurality of rubber feet. 
     
     
         4 . The cup bottom of  claim 1  wherein the high friction region is recessed into the cup bottom and the low friction region is shaped to cause the high friction region to lift off the supporting surface as the cup is tipped. 
     
     
         5 . The cup bottom of  claim 1  wherein the low friction region is a smooth portion of the cup bottom. 
     
     
         6 . The cup bottom of  claim 5  wherein the low friction region is a same material as the cup bottom. 
     
     
         7 . The cup bottom of  claim 1  wherein the low friction region is ceramic. 
     
     
         8 . The cup bottom of  claim 1  wherein an outer edge of the low friction region is curved. 
     
     
         9 . A cup having a cup bottom that resists both sliding and tipping comprising:
 a plurality of high friction areas positioned to contact a supporting surface when the cup is in a normal resting position, the high friction areas positioned to lift off of the supporting surface as the cup tips;   a plurality of low friction areas located in proximity to the high friction areas;   wherein, the low friction areas are shaped to cause the high friction areas to lift off of a supporting surface when the cup is partially tipped.   
     
     
         10 . The cup bottom of  claim 9  wherein the high friction areas and low friction areas are located on legs extending outward from a cup body. 
     
     
         11 . The cup bottom of  claim 9  wherein the low friction areas are a same material as the cup bottom. 
     
     
         12 . The cup bottom of  claim 11  wherein the low friction areas are ceramic. 
     
     
         13 . A method of preventing a cup from sliding and tipping comprising
 placing a plurality of high friction areas on the cup bottom;   placing a plurality of low friction areas on the cup bottom in proximity to the high friction areas, wherein, the low friction areas are shaped to cause the high friction areas to lift off of a supporting surface when the cup is partially tipped.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the high friction areas are rubber. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the high friction areas are a plurality of rubber feet. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the high friction areas are recessed into the cup bottom and the low friction areas are shaped to cause the high friction areas to lift off the supporting surface as the cup is tipped. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the low friction areas are smooth portions of the cup bottom. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the low friction areas are a same material as the cup bottom. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the low friction areas are ceramic. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the high friction areas and low friction areas are located on legs extending outward from a cup body.