U.S. patent application number 11/531527 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-13 for drink cup lid.
This patent application is currently assigned to CDI International, Inc.. Invention is credited to Fredric Edelstein, Emory Krall.
Application Number | 20080061069 11/531527 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39168542 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080061069 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Edelstein; Fredric ; et
al. |
March 13, 2008 |
DRINK CUP LID
Abstract
A drink cup lid is provided for mounting over the open mouth of
a beverage container. A rim of the lid preferably includes an outer
mounting skirt, a distal end, and a proximal end. The lid also
includes a central hub spaced inwardly of the rim and separated
therefrom by a lower channel. The channel is generally inclined
downwardly from the distal end to the proximal end, except for a
drainage wall portion thereof adjacent to the proximal end of the
rim. The drainage wall is inclined upwardly from the drink aperture
to the proximal end of the rim. The opposing inclinations of the
drainage wall and the remainder of the channel cooperate to create
a "funnel" effect that improves drainage of spilled beverage from
the channel, through the drink aperture, and back into the
container.
Inventors: |
Edelstein; Fredric;
(Philadelphia, PA) ; Krall; Emory; (Philadelphia,
PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
COOK, ALEX, MCFARRON, MANZO, CUMMINGS & MEHLER LTD
SUITE 2850, 200 WEST ADAMS STREET
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Assignee: |
CDI International, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
39168542 |
Appl. No.: |
11/531527 |
Filed: |
September 13, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/713 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2543/00796
20130101; B65D 2543/00527 20130101; B65D 43/0212 20130101; B65D
2543/00092 20130101; B65D 2543/00731 20130101; B65D 2543/00537
20130101; B65D 2543/00046 20130101; B65D 2543/00296 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/713 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/22 20060101
A47G019/22 |
Claims
1. A drink cup lid comprising: a generally annular rim including an
outer mounting skirt, a distal end, and a proximal end; a central
hub spaced inwardly from the rim; a lower channel separating the
rim and the hub, wherein said channel is generally inclined
downwardly from the distal end to the proximal end; a drink
aperture through a sidewall of the central hub, in facing
relationship with the proximal end of the rim; and a drainage wall
defining a portion of the channel and inclined upwardly from the
drink aperture to the proximal end of the rim.
2. The drink cup lid of claim 1, wherein said hub is generally
cylindrical and said channel is generally annular.
3. The drink cup lid of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the
proximal end of the rim is inclined inwardly toward the
channel.
4. The drink cup lid of claim 3, wherein said proximal end of the
rim and said drainage wall have different inclination angles.
5. The drink cup lid of claim 4, wherein the inclination angle of
the drainage wall is less than the inclination angle of the
proximal end of the rim.
6. The drink cup lid of claim 1, wherein said drainage wall is
angularly centered about the drink aperture and is at least
coterminous with the drink aperture.
7. The drink cup lid of claim 1, wherein said drainage wall is
angularly centered about the drink aperture and is less than
coterminous with the drink aperture.
8. The drink cup lid of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the
rim extends vertically to a greater degree than the distal end to
define a drinking spout.
9. The drink cup lid of claim 1 further comprising a lip on
proximal end of said rim.
10. The drink cup lid of claim 1 wherein said lid is a disposable
lid.
11. A drink cup lid comprising: a generally annular rim including
an outer mounting skirt, a distal end, and a proximal end; a
central hub spaced inwardly from the rim; an inclined lower channel
separating the rim and the hub; a drink aperture through a sidewall
of the central hub, in facing relationship with the proximal end of
the rim; and an inclined drainage wall defining a portion of the
channel and extending from the proximal end of the rim to the drink
aperture, wherein the drainage wall has a different inclination
attitude than the remainder of the channel.
12. The drink cup lid of claim 11, wherein said hub is generally
cylindrical and said channel is generally annular.
13. The drink cup lid of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of
the proximal end of the rim is inclined inwardly toward the
channel.
14. The drink cup lid of claim 13, wherein said proximal end of the
rim and said drainage wall have different inclination angles.
15. The drink cup lid of claim 14, wherein the inclination angle of
the drainage wall is less the inclination angle of the proximal end
of the rim.
16. The drink cup lid of claim 11, wherein said drainage wall is
angularly centered about the drink aperture and is at least
coterminous with the drink apertures.
17. The drink cup lid of claim 11, wherein said drainage wall is
angularly centered about the drink aperture and is less than
coterminous with the drink aperture.
18. The drink cup lid of claim 11, wherein the proximal end of the
rim extends vertically to a greater degree than the distal end to
define a drinking spout.
19. The drink cup lid of claim 11, wherein said lid is a disposable
lid.
20. A drink cup lid comprising: a generally annular rim including a
distal end, and a proximal end; a central hub spaced inwardly from
the rim; a lower channel separating the rim and the hub, wherein
said channel is generally inclined downwardly from the distal end
to the proximal end; a drink aperture through a sidewall of the
central hub, in facing relationship with the proximal end of the
rim; and a drainage wall defining a portion of the channel and
inclined upwardly from the drink aperture to the proximal end of
the rim.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention is directed to lids for drink
containers. In particular, the present invention is directed to a
lid having improved surface drainage.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Disposable lids for carry-out beverage containers are well
known. The nature of the lid typically varies according to the
beverage, with some lids having a perforation for receiving a straw
and others having a drink aperture for pouring the beverage
directly into a user's mouth. The latter, often called
"drink-through" lids, are most often used with hot beverages, such
as coffee A typical drink-through lid is described in U.S. Pat. No.
4,589,569 to Clements, which is hereby incorporated herein by
reference.
[0005] When a drink-through container is jostled or the user is
careless in drinking, the beverage may spill out of the drink
aperture and onto the user or elsewhere. Such spillage may be
referred to as "primary spillage." However, it is possible for the
spilled beverage to spill or flow back onto the top of the lid,
instead of separating or flowing completely out from the container.
If the beverage is not adequate drained back into the container, it
remains on the lid, and there is the risk that it may spill onto or
otherwise unexpectedly contact the user. Such spillage may be
referred to as "secondary spillage." Many advances have been made
to reduce the incidence of primary spillage, but there is still the
need for improvement with respect to the problem of secondary
spillage.
[0006] Accordingly, an object or aspect of the present invention is
to provide a container lid having improved drainage to prevent the
risk of secondary spillage
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In accordance with the present invention, a drink cup lid is
provided with a generally annular rim including an outer mounting
skirt, a distal end, and a proximal end. The lid also includes a
central hub spaced inwardly of the rim and separated therefrom by a
lower channel. The channel is generally inclined downwardly from
the distal end to the proximal end, except for a drainage wall
portion thereof adjacent to the proximal end of the rim. The
drainage wall separates the proximal end of the rim from a drink
aperture through a sidewall of the hub and is inclined upwardly
from the drink aperture to the proximal end of the rim.
[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, a
drink cup lid is provided with a generally annular rim including an
outer mounting skirt, a distal end, and a proximal end. The lid
also includes a central hub spaced inwardly of the rim and
separated therefrom by an inclined lower channel. A drainage wall
defines a portion of the channel adjacent to the proximal end of
the rim. The drainage wall extends between the proximal end of the
rim and a drink aperture through a sidewall of the hub and has a
different inclination attitude than the remainder of the
channel
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a lid according to an
aspect of the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the lid of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the lid of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the lid of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the lid of FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the lid of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the lid of FIG. 5, taken
through the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of a lid according to
another aspect of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the lid of FIG. 8;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the lid of FIG.
8;
[0019] FIG. 11 is a rear elevational view of the lid of FIG. 8;
[0020] FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the lid of FIG. 8;
[0021] FIG. 13 is a bottom plan view of the lid of FIG. 8; and
[0022] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the lid of FIG. 12,
taken through the line 14-14 of FIG. 12.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] FIGS. 1-14 illustrate embodiments of a lid 10 according to
the present invention. The lid 10 includes a generally annular rim
12 having an outer mounting skirt 14, a distal end 16, and a
proximal end 18. The illustrated mounting skirt 14 is of the type
typically incorporated into disposable drink-through lids, and is
adapted to be press-fit onto the open mouth of a cup or container
(not illustrated). Alternatively, the lid could be made without the
mounting skirt (not illustrated). The structure of the mounting
skirt may take any form without departing from the scope of the
present invention, provided that it is suitable for securing the
lid 10 to a durable or disposable container. The lid 10 itself may
also be either durable or disposable and manufactured according to
known methods with the materials well known in the art for
lids.
[0024] The distal end 16 of the lid 10 refers to the portion
farthest away from the user during use, whereas the proximal end 18
refers to the portion of the rim 12 facing the user during use,
generally adjacent to a drink aperture 20. The proximal end 18, or
a portion thereof may be shaped to form a pronounced drinking spout
or lip 22, for example by extending vertically to a greater degree
than the distal end 16 (FIGS. 1-7). Alternatively, as illustrated
in the embodiment of FIGS. 8-14, the proximal end 18 may be
substantially identical to the distal end 16, thereby defining a
level top for the rim 12. The present invention, however, is not
limited to the particular design or shape of the spout shown in
FIGS. 1-7, as other types and sizes of spouts could also be
incorporated thereon (or as shown in FIGS. 8-14, no spout or
lip).
[0025] The lid 10 further includes a central hub 24 spaced inwardly
from the rim 12, separated therefrom by a lower channel 26. In the
illustrated embodiments, the hub 24 is generally cylindrical and
the channel 26 is generally annular, but virtually any other shape
is contemplated by and within the scope of the present invention.
However, the channel is used for drainage, as will be described in
greater detail herein, so the illustrated hub 24 and channel 26 may
be preferred to provide enhanced drainage.
[0026] The hub 24 is defined by a top wall 28 and a sidewall 30
extending downwardly from the perimeter of the top wall 28 to form
a generally closed inner border of the channel 26. A drink aperture
20 extends through the sidewall 30 in facing relationship with a
portion of the proximal end 18 of the rim 12. The sidewall 30 may
include an open steam vent 32 (FIGS. 7 and 14), especially if the
lid 10 is intended for use with a hot beverage, to for example,
allow steam to escape from the container and gradually lower the
temperature of the beverage. In a preferred embodiment, the steam
vent 32 is diametrically spaced from the drink aperture 20, facing
the distal end 16 of the rim 12.
[0027] The channel 26 is generally inclined or sloped downwardly
from the distal end 16 of the rim 12 to the proximal end 18, as
shown in FIGS. 7 and 14. The downwardly inclined portion of the
channel 26 which is obscured by the hub 24 is shown in broken
lines. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 14, this portion of the channel 26
may be generally parallel to the top wall 28 of the central hub 24,
but the top wall 28 may be substantially horizontal or otherwise
non-parallel to the downwardly inclined portion of the channel 26
without departing from the scope of the present invention. In one
embodiment, the channel 26 has a relatively constant declination
angle .alpha. as shown, for example, in FIG. 7. The declination
angle .alpha. need not be constant, but the slope of the channel 26
may vary, for example being relatively steep closer to the distal
end 16 of the rim 12 and relatively shallow closer to the proximal
end 18 of the rim 12 (not illustrated).
[0028] A arcuate portion of the channel adjacent to the drink
aperture 20 is defined by a drainage wall 34 extending between the
drink aperture 20 and a lower end of the rim proximal end 18 (FIG.
7) or drinking spout 22 (FIG. 14). The drainage wall 34 is
preferably angularly centered about the drink aperture 20 and has
an arcuate extent .omega. (FIG. 5), which is the angle or portion
of the channel 26 defined by the drainage wall 34. The arcuate
extent .omega. may vary from relatively large so as to be at least
coterminous with the drink aperture 20 (FIGS. 6 and 13), to
relatively small so as to be narrower than the drink aperture 20
(not illustrated). The drainage wall 34 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 12
in solid lines to clarify its position, but typically the
transition from the downwardly inclined portion of the channel 26
to the upwardly inclined drainage wall 34 is more subtle and is not
necessarily defined by a visible line.
[0029] In the orientation of FIGS. 7 and 14, the drainage wall 34
is inclined upwardly from left to right, which may be referred to
as a positive inclination attitude, whereas the remainder of the
channel 26 is inclined downwardly from left to right, which may be
referred to as a negative inclination attitude. Hence, the drainage
well 34 and the remainder of the channel 26 have different
inclination attitudes, which configuration improves the drainage
characteristics of the lid 10, as will be described in greater
detail herein. In one embodiment, the drainage wall 34 has an
inclination angle .beta. (FIG. 7). Preferably, the drainage wall 34
has a relatively constant inclination angle .beta.. The inclination
angle .beta. need not be constant, but the slope of the drainage
wall 34 may vary, for example being relatively shallow immediately
adjacent to the drink aperture 20 and relatively steep adjacent to
the proximal end 18 or drinking spout 22 (not illustrated).
[0030] The proximal end 18 of the rim 12 (FIG. 14) or the drinking
spout or lip 22 (FIG. 7) may have a positive inclination attitude,
similar to the drainage wall 34. In FIGS. 7 and 14, the proximal
end 18 or drinking spout 22 has an inclination angle .theta.. The
inclination angle .theta. may be different from the drainage wall
inclination angle .beta.. Preferably, the proximal end 18 or
drinking spout 22 has a relatively constant inclination angle
.theta.. The inclination angle .theta. need not be constant, but
the slope may vary or the proximal end 18 or drinking spout 22 may
be substantially vertical (not illustrated).
[0031] In use, the user grips a container (not illustrated) covered
by the lid 10, puts his/her lips on or adjacent to the proximal end
18 (or drinking spout 22 if provided) of the rim 12, and tips the
lid 10 and container towards himself/herself, A beverage in the
container pours out of the drink aperture 20, moves over the
drainage wall 34 and the proximal end 18 (and drinking spout 22 if
provided) and into the user's mouth. The user then tips the lid 10
maid container away from himself/herself to halt the flow of
beverage. Much of the liquid positioned at that time between the
drink aperture 20 and the user's mouth flows back into the drink
aperture 20, but some may remain in the channel 26. The differently
inclined portions of the channel 26 and drainage wall 34
cooperatively create a "funnel" effect that efficiently directs and
drains all of the beverage through the drink aperture 20 and into
the container. It will be appreciated that an inclined channel
without a drainage wall may tend to cause beverage to congregate at
a portion of the lid between the drink aperture and the proximal
end of the rim, thereby increasing the risk of secondary
spillage.
[0032] It will be understood that the embodiments of the present
invention which have been described are illustrative of some of the
applications of the principles of the present invention. Numerous
modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without
departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention,
including those combinations of features that are individually
disclosed or claimed herein. For these reasons, the scope of the
invention is not limited to the above description, but is as set
forth in the following claims.
* * * * *