How the Modern Disposable Paper Cup Was Invented
A 1908 patent for a sanitary, single-use paper cup designed to prevent the spread of germs from shared public drinking vessels.
Original patent title: “Cup.”
A 1908 patent for a sanitary, single-use paper cup designed to prevent the spread of germs from shared public drinking vessels. Granted to Individual in 1912 with 4 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a drinking cup formed from a single piece of paper, folded into a conical or tapered shape. It uses a specific method of overlapping the edges and securing them to create a watertight seal without the need for adhesive that might taint the water. By creating a cheap, disposable vessel, it addressed the public health crisis of the early 20th century where shared metal cups at water coolers were spreading tuberculosis and other diseases.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover cups made from materials other than paper or paper-based pulp.
- Does not cover reusable drinking vessels made of glass, metal, or ceramic.
- Does not cover the process of coating the paper with wax, which was a later improvement.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation was in the structural geometry of the paper fold, which allowed a flat sheet to become a rigid, leak-proof container using only mechanical pressure and folding, rather than complex manufacturing.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Dixie Cups
Standard water cooler paper cones
Disposable coffee cup liners
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This invention effectively launched the modern disposable culture. It transformed public health by replacing communal dippers and glasses in schools and offices with individual, germ-free cups, directly contributing to the decline of waterborne illness transmission in public spaces.
Filed
May 23, 1908
Granted
July 16, 1912
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like Georgia-Pacific, which owns the Dixie brand, and various global packaging manufacturers continue to iterate on the material science of these cups, such as making them compostable or plastic-free.
Market impact
This patent triggered a massive shift in public health policy and consumer behavior, making the 'disposable' concept a standard in the food and beverage industry. It effectively killed the market for public communal drinking cups and created the multi-billion dollar single-use paper product industry.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a drinking cup formed from a single piece of paper, folded into a conical or tapered shape. It uses a specific method of overlapping the edges and securing them to create a watertight seal without the need for adhesive that might taint the water. By creating a cheap, disposable vessel, it addressed the public health crisis of the early 20th century where shared metal cups at water coolers were spreading tuberculosis and other diseases.
The clever bit
The innovation was in the structural geometry of the paper fold, which allowed a flat sheet to become a rigid, leak-proof container using only mechanical pressure and folding, rather than complex manufacturing.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover cups made from materials other than paper or paper-based pulp.
- Does not cover reusable drinking vessels made of glass, metal, or ceramic.
- Does not cover the process of coating the paper with wax, which was a later improvement.
Patent Journey
From filing to expiry
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Limited data
Citation count
14/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$3K – $9K
Midpoint $5K · expired or expiring · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Luellen, L. W. (1912). How the Modern Disposable Paper Cup Was Invented (U.S. Patent No. 1,032,557). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1032557/dixie-cup-disposable-paper-cup
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How the Modern Disposable Paper Cup Was Invented cover?
A 1908 patent for a sanitary, single-use paper cup designed to prevent the spread of germs from shared public drinking vessels.
Who owns patent US 1032557?
Individual owns this patent, granted in 1912.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 1032557 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 4 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This invention effectively launched the modern disposable culture. It transformed public health by replacing communal dippers and glasses in schools and offices with individual, germ-free cups, directly contributing to the decline of waterborne illness transmission in public spaces.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover cups made from materials other than paper or paper-based pulp.
Same assignee
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