Hollow, stackable molded product with rigidifying skirt-shaped flange

Abstract

A hollow, stackable, injection-molded plastic product having a given stacking height includes a perimetric ledge extending generally in a lateral direction; an upper perimetric side wall extending generally upward from the ledge for a height exceeding the stacking height of the product; a lower perimetric side wall spaced from the upper perimetric side wall by the ledge and extending from the ledge generally downward for a height exceeding the stacking height of the product wherein at the ledge the cross-sectional area defined by the first perimetric side wall is greater than the cross-sectional area defined by the second perimetric side wall; and a rigidifying skirt-shaped perimetric flange extending generally in an upward or downward direction from the perimetric ledge. Thus, the rigidity of the side walls of the product is further enhanced by the flange without having to increase the stacking height of the product beyond what the stacking height would be were it not for the perimetric flange. One such skirt-shaped flange is outside of and spaced from the lower perimetric side wall and extends from the ledge in a generally downward direction. Such flange also provides the feature of interposing an effective thermal insulating barrier between the fingers of a person holding the product and a substance within the product. The product preferably has a series of ledges joining adjacent side walls and a plurality of skirt-shaped flanges respectively extending from the plurality of ledges to provide a series of such insulating barriers along the exterior of the product. This feature is particularly important for protecting the fingers of users of thin-walled plastic cups containing hot beverages. The rigidity of the product may be still further enhanced by a second skirt-shaped flange inside of and spaced from the upper perimetric side wall and generally extending from the ledge in an upward direction.