GB2484270A

GB2484270A - Mug with storage compartment for biscuits

Info

Publication number: GB2484270A
Application number: GB201016570A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Sinclair Clarke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-10-04
Filing date: 2010-10-04
Publication date: 2012-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 2030-10-04
Also published as: GB2484270B; GB201016570D0

Abstract

A mug comprises a cylindrical body 1 for containing a drink, a handle 3 and a compartment at its lower end separate from the cylindrical body for storing one or more biscuits, the compartment having an open front face and a closed rear face 5. The open face spans at least half the circumference of the compartment, and the height of the compartment is such that several biscuits may be stored therein. The wall of the closed face opposing the open face has a hole 6 through which the drinker may push out biscuits with their little finger whilst holding the mug in the same hand. The sides of the mug may additionally comprise posts 9 against which the thumb and fingers of the drinker may press along with gripping the handle in order to support the mug whilst they push out a biscuit with their little finger. In use, a number of biscuits may be placed inside the compartment through the open face and dispensed as desired. The open face is orientated such that when a user drinks from or carries the mug the biscuits are retained within the compartment by the closed face and do not accidentally fall out.

Description

I

BISCUIT AND COFFEE MUG

The invention relates to a mug or cup as is commonly understood to be of the sort that is used to drink coffee, tea, chocolate and other beverages.

Such mugs are well known and commonly used. Also, when drinking coffee or other beverages, many people also enjoy accompanying the drink with some biscuits, which obviously must be placed closed to hand on the person's table on a plate or in a packet or other recipient. However, when being used by people who must be often on the move or on their feet, such as classroom teachers or security guards, the common cup or mug suffers from the disadvantage that it can only contain coffee and so that person may not enjoy biscuits at the same time.

An object of this invention is to provide a mug which allows biscuits to be carried as well as containing a beverage.

Accordingly, this invention provides a mug including a body of common design, with the addition of a compartment for holding biscuits at the bottom below the base of the mug, therefore being closed to the inside of the main mug part, whose sides at the back of the mug where the handle is located continue to be formed of the same sides of the rest of the mug in a half-cylinder and at the back has a hole through which the drinker may push out biscuits with their finger, and is open at the front of the mug with a gap corresponding to the other half-cylinder shape, exposing the open cavity of the compartment, which then at the bottom has a circular base corresponding to the same dimensions of the circular section of the bottom of the main mug part above, for which the whole mug and compartment unit are of sufficient width to hold average-sized biscuits.

Preferably the mug is made of ceramics, but may instead be made of a plastics material, or metal such as tin, or glass or Pyrex.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FiGURE 1 shows a three-dimensional view of the whole mug; FiGURE 2 is a cross-section of the mug from the side; FiGURE 3 is a view of the mug from the front; F1GURE 4 is a view of the mug from the rear; F1GURE 5 shows how the mug may be held by the hand.

As shown in Figure 1, the mug comprises the cylindrical body I closed at the bottom end 2 of most mugs, with a handle 3, and with a compartment 4 continuing on from this body, and being an integral part of it below. The compartment is closed at the sides 5 at the back of the mug, the sides being of the same thickness as those of the main body of the mug, and is open at the front, in the manner shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5, exposing the hollow interior of the compartment. The opening of the compartment must be at least that of half the circumference of its base in order to allow for biscuits to be inserted and removed easily. The depth of the compartment is not essential to this invention, but it may be deep enough to hold three or four biscuits of the average width. Similarly, the diameter of the mug and compartment unit should be enough to fit in average-sized biscuits. The in the side of the compartment at the rear is a hole 6 through which the drinker can push out biscuits with their finger, usually the little finger, whilst drinking, as shown in Figure 5. The hole, therefore, should be wide enough to allow for the finger of an average person to fit through comfortably, also from an angle, and so should be generous in width as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The hole may or may not be of the whole height of the compartment, as it is shown here in figures 1 to 5, but must at least start from the bottom of the compartment. At the bottom of the compartment is a base 7, which again must be of the same diameter and circular shape as the top of the compartment and bottom of the mug part 2. The base of the compartment may also have a slight lip 8 on its top edge to help keep the biscuits from falling out, but not too high so as to cause hindrance to the pushing-out of the biscuits. The base must a'so be strong enough to support the whole mug when full of drink on a surface.

An additional feature of the mug, which is not essential to the invention but does improve its functioning, is that of two thumb-and-finger posts 9 located on the sides of the main body I of the mug, towards its top and near the handle, in the positions shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, so that the drinker may support the mug more firmly with thumb and middle or forefinger against these posts with the other fingers grasping the handle, whilst with their little finger they push out a biscuit from the compartment to take it with their other hand, as shown in Figure 5.

Claims

CLAiMS 1. A drinking mug including a hollow compartment at the bottom below its drink-holding cavity for the use of holding biscuits, which is therefore closed to the inside of the main mug part, which is closed at the at the sides forming the rear of the mug and compartment unit and open at the front for at least half the circumference of its base so that biscuits may inserted and removed easily, which has in its rear side below the handle a hole of sufficient size for a finger through which the user may push out biscuits with their little finger, which has at its bottom a circular base corresponding to the same dimensions of the bottom of the main mug part above, and which is deep enough to hold a sufficient amount of biscuits to go with one drink.
2. A mug as claimed in Claim I with a handle of common design.
3. A mug as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 where the base of the compartment for biscuits has a shaflow lip around its upper edge.
4. A mug as claimed in any preceding claim including posts on the sides of the main body of the mug against which the thumb and fingers of the drinker may be pressed whilst holding the mug and pushing out a biscuit to steady the mug.
5. A mug as claimed in any preceding claim which is made from ceramics material, plastics material, metal, glass or a synthetic glass material, or any combination of these materials.