U.S. patent application number 11/878590 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-29 for lid of beverage container.
This patent application is currently assigned to Fu Hong Industries Ltd.. Invention is credited to Chung Lun Wong.
Application Number | 20090026218 11/878590 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40294347 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090026218 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wong; Chung Lun |
January 29, 2009 |
Lid of beverage container
Abstract
A lid of a beverage container includes a lid body and a cover.
The lid body includes a first engaging portion and an opening
shaped and sized to receive a straw. The cover includes a second
engaging portion adapted to be slidably engaged with the first
engaging portion of the lid body. The cover is adapted to flip
between an open position and a closed position while the second
engaging portion is slidably moved along the first engaging
portion.
Inventors: |
Wong; Chung Lun; (Hong Kong,
CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BYIP, LTD.
P.O. BOX 1484, GENERAL POST OFFICE
HONG KONG
CN
|
Assignee: |
Fu Hong Industries Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
40294347 |
Appl. No.: |
11/878590 |
Filed: |
July 25, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/713 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 47/2043 20130101;
B65D 47/066 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/713 |
International
Class: |
B65D 51/16 20060101
B65D051/16 |
Claims
1. A lid of a beverage container comprising: a lid body comprising
a sliding channel and an opening shaped and sized to receive a
straw; and a cover comprising a guiding member received in the
sliding channel of the lid body, the cover adapted to flip between
an open position and a closed position while the guiding member is
slidably moved along the sliding channel.
2. The lid as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sliding channel is
arcuate.
3. The lid as claimed in claim 1 wherein an end of the cover is
abutted against the lid body defining an abutment along which the
cover flips.
4. The lid as claimed in claim 3 wherein the end of the cover
comprises a projection and the lid body comprises a recess adapted
to receive the projection of the cover.
5. The lid as claimed in claim 1 wherein the straw extends upwards
when the cover is in the open position and the straw is bent
underneath the cover when the cover is in the closed position.
6. The lid as claimed in claim 1 wherein: the guiding member of the
cover comprises two guide rods on two opposite sides of the cover,
respectively; and the sliding channel of the lid body comprises two
opposite grooves on two opposite walls, respectively, the two
grooves adapted to receive the two guide rods, respectively.
7. The lid as claimed in claim 6 wherein the two opposite walls,
the part of the lid body extending between the two opposite walls,
and the cover, when closed, define a compartment for storing the
part of the straw bent underneath the cover.
8. The lid as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a locking
mechanism adapted to releasably lock the cover onto the lid body in
the closed position.
9. The lid as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cover comprises a
pressing member at a lower side thereof, the pressing member is
adapted to press the straw against the lid body when closing the
cover.
10. The lid as claimed in claim 9 wherein the pressing member
comprises a curved surface adapted to rollingly press the straw
against the lid body when closing the cover.
11. The lid as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an air
balancing valve.
12. A lid of a beverage container comprising: a lid body comprising
a first engaging portion and an opening shaped and sized to receive
a straw; and a cover comprising a second engaging portion adapted
to be slidably engaged with the first engaging portion of the lid
body, the cover adapted to flip between an open position and a
closed position while the second engaging portion is slidably moved
along the first engaging portion.
13. The lid as claimed in claim 12. wherein: the first engaging
portion of the lid body comprises two opposite grooves on two
opposite walls, respectively; and the second engaging portion of
the cover comprises two guide rods on two opposite sides of the
cover, respectively, the two guide rods adapted to be received in
the two grooves, respectively.
14. The lid as claimed in claim 12. wherein: the first engaging
portion of the lid body comprises two opposite elongated guide
projections on two opposite walls, respectively; and the second
engaging member of the cover comprises two concaves on two opposite
sides of the cover, respectively, the two concaves adapted to
receive a portion of the two elongated guide projections,
respectively.
15. The lid as claimed in claim 12 wherein the first engaging
member of the lid body is arcuate.
16. The lid as claimed in claim 12 wherein an end of the cover is
abutted against the lid body defining an abutment along which the
cover flips.
17. The lid as claimed in claim 16 wherein the end of the cover
comprises a projection and the lid body comprises a recess adapted
to receive the projection.
18. A lid of a beverage container comprising: a lid body comprising
two oppositely facing arcuate grooves on two oppositely facing
walls, respectively, and an opening shaped and sized to receive a
straw; and a cover comprising two guide rods on two opposite
lateral sides of the cover, respectively, the two guide rods being
received in the two grooves, respectively, the cover adapted to
flip between an open position and a closed position while the
guiding member is slidably moved along the sliding channel.
19. The lid as claimed in claim 18 wherein an end of the cover is
abutted against the lid body defining an abutment along which the
cover flips.
20. The lid as claimed in claim 19 wherein the end of the cover
comprises a projection and the lid body comprises a recess adapted
to receive the projection.
Description
[0001] The present application relates to a lid of a beverage
container.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Containers such as a cup, a bottle, a canteen, or a mug are
used to contain beverage. A lid is usually provided to removably
cover an open top of a beverage container to define an enclosure
for containing beverage therein. A straw can also be provided on
the lid of the beverage container.
[0003] U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,273,172, 5,339,982, 5,361,934, 5,518,142
and 5,897,013 disclose a straw-equipped lid having a cap rotatable
or pivotable relative to the lid. The rotatable or pivotable cap
has an aperture through which a straw extends. The cap can be
rotated or pivoted in one direction allowing the straw to extend
freely upwards, and in an opposite direction such that the straw is
retracted and bent underneath the cap.
[0004] The above description of the background is provided to aid
in understanding the lid of the present application, but is not
admitted to describe or constitute pertinent prior art, or consider
the cited patent documents as material to the patentability of the
appending claims of the present application.
SUMMARY
[0005] A lid of a beverage container includes a lid body and a
cover. In one aspect, the lid body includes a first engaging
portion and an opening shaped and sized to receive a straw. The
cover includes a second engaging portion adapted to be slidably
engaged with the first engaging portion of the lid body. The cover
is adapted to flip between an open position and a closed position
while the second engaging portion is slidably moved along the first
engaging portion.
[0006] In another aspect, the lid body includes a sliding channel
and an opening shaped and sized to receive a straw. The cover
includes a guiding member received in the sliding channel of the
lid body. The cover is adapted to flip between an open position and
a closed position while the guiding member is slidably moved along
the sliding channel.
[0007] In a further aspect, the lid body includes two oppositely
facing arcuate grooves on two oppositely facing walls,
respectively, and an opening shaped and sized to receive a straw.
The cover includes two guide rods on two opposite lateral sides of
the cover, respectively. The two guide rods are received in the two
grooves, respectively. The cover is adapted to flip between an open
position and a closed position while the guiding member is slidably
moved along the sliding channel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of a lid
of a beverage container.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the lid.
[0010] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the lid.
[0011] FIG. 4a is a cross sectional view of the lid showing a cover
in an open position.
[0012] FIG. 4b is a cross sectional view of the lid showing the
cover in an intermediate position.
[0013] FIG. 4c is a cross sectional view of the lid showing the
cover in an opening/closing position.
[0014] FIG. 4d is a cross sectional view of the lid showing the
cover in a closed position.
[0015] FIG. 5a is a cross sectional view of the lid showing a cover
in an open position where a straw extends freely upwards.
[0016] FIG. 5b is a cross sectional view of the lid showing the
cover in an intermediate position where both the straw and the
cover extend upwards.
[0017] FIG. 5c is a cross sectional view of the lid showing the
cover in an opening/closing position where the straw is urged by
the cover towards one side.
[0018] FIG. 5d is a cross sectional view of the lid showing the
cover in a closed position where the straw is bent underneath the
cover and pressed against the lid body blocking the flow of
beverage through the straw.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] Reference will now be made in detail to an embodiment of the
lid. Exemplary embodiments of the lid are described in detail,
although it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art
that some features that are not particularly important to an
understanding of the lid may not be shown for the sake of
clarity.
[0020] Furthermore, it should be understood that the lid is not
limited to the illustrated embodiments described below and that
various changes and modifications thereof may be effected by one
skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of
the disclosure and the appended claims. For example, elements
and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be
combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within
the scope of this disclosure and appended claims.
[0021] Referring to the drawings, in which like reference numerals
represent like parts throughout the drawings, FIG. 1 is a top
perspective view of an embodiment of a lid 10 of a beverage
container. The beverage container can be a cup, a bottle, a
canteen, a mug, a vessel, or a flask, etc. The lid 10 is adapted to
removably engage with an open top of the container so as to define
an enclosure for containing beverage therein. The lid 10 may engage
with the beverage container by any possible conventional means such
as mating threads, snap-fitting, press-fitting, hinges, or a
combination thereof.
[0022] According to the illustrated embodiment, the lid 10 has a
lid body 12 including a skirt portion 14. The lid body 12 has a
straw opening 16 provided at a central portion of the lid body 12,
as shown in the drawings, or at any other suitable position. A
drinking straw 18 extends through the straw opening 16 of the lid
body 12.
[0023] The lid 10 may be made of plastic or other suitable
material. The straw 18 may be made of silicone, thermoplastic
elastomer, or other flexible materials, and possesses resilience
characteristic. The straw opening 16 may be circular in shape and
is dimensioned to permit the straw 18 of circular cross section to
snugly and sealingly fitted therethrough.
[0024] The lid 10 has a cover 20 adapted to flip over the opening
16. The cover 20 has a proximal end 22, a distal end 24, and two
opposite lateral sides 26, 26. The proximal end 22 of the cover 20
is adapted to abut against the lid body 12.
[0025] According to the illustrated embodiment, the proximal end 22
of the cover 20 may include a projection 30 having a generally
tail-shaped cross section, and two generally horn-shaped
projections 32, as depicted in FIG. 3.
[0026] The projection 30 is configured to abut against a recess 40
provided on the lid body 12 at one side of the opening 16. The
surfaces of the projection 30 and the recess 40 define abutment 50
along which the cover 20 flips between an opening position as shown
in FIG. 4a and an intermediate position as shown in FIG. 4b.
[0027] The two projections 32 are configured to abut against two
recesses 42 provided on the lid body 12 at two opposite sides of
the opening 16 respectively. The surfaces of the two projections 32
and respective recesses 42 define two abutments 52 along which the
cover 20 flips between the intermediate position as shown in FIG.
4b and a closed position as shown in FIG. 4d. FIG. 3c shows the
cover 20 in an opening/closing position.
[0028] The projections 30, 32 and recesses 40, 42 are shaped and
dimensioned so that the projections 30, 32 are received, retained,
and abutted against the respective recesses 40, 42 while the cover
20 is flipping between the open position and the closed
positions.
[0029] As used herein, the term "abut" means that the projections
30, 32 and the respective recesses 40, 42 are in direct physical
contact with each other or adjacent to each other, but are not
directly attached to each other by any pivot pins or hinges.
[0030] Although it has been described that projections are provided
on the cover and recesses are provided on the lid body, it is
contemplated that the arrangement can be reversed, i.e. projections
can be formed on the lid body and recesses can be formed on the lid
body.
[0031] The lid body 12 includes a first engaging portion 70, and
the cover includes a second engaging portion 60. The second
engaging portion 60 is slidably engaged with the first engaging
portion 70. The first engaging portion 70 can be a sliding channel,
and the second engaging portion 60 can be a guiding member. The
first engaging portion 70 can be arcuate. According to the
illustrated embodiment, the second engaging portion may be in the
form of two guide rods 60 provided on the two opposite lateral
sides 26 of the cover 20, respectively, and the first engaging
portion of the lid body 12 may be in the form of two oppositely
facing arcuate grooves 70 provided on two oppositely facing walls
72 extending from the lid body 12 for receiving the two guide rods
60, respectively. In another embodiment, the first engaging portion
of the lid body 12 may be in the form of two opposite elongated
guide projections provided on two oppositely facing walls 72
extending from the lid body 12, and the second engaging portion may
be in the form of two notches or indentations provided on the two
opposite lateral sides 26 of the cover 20, respectively. The two
notches or indentations are adapted to receive a portion of the two
elongated guide projections, respectively.
[0032] The two oppositely facing walls 72, the part of the lid body
12 extending between the two oppositely facing walls 72, and the
cover 20, when closed, define a compartment 90 for storing the part
of the straw 18 bent underneath the cover 20.
[0033] The construction of the lid 10 renders the two arcuate
grooves 70 and hence the two oppositely facing walls 72 to have a
shallow curvature. This gives the lid 10 a relatively low profile,
as compared to conventional high-profile dome-shaped lid.
[0034] Although it has been shown and described that there are two
sets of projections 30, 32 and recesses 40, 42 to define two
abutments 50, 52 along which the cover 20 flips, it is understood
by one skilled in the art that there may be only one set of
projections and recesses to define only one abutment along which
the cover 20 flips between the open and the closed positions.
[0035] The distal end 24 of the cover 20 may be provided with a
locking mechanism 80, 82 for releasably locking the cover 20 onto
the lid body 12 in the closed position, as shown in FIGS. 4d and
5d.
[0036] According to the illustrated embodiment, the locking
mechanism may include a recess 80 formed at the distal end 24 of
the cover 20, and a protrusion 82 formed on the skirt portion 14 of
the lid body 12. The distal end 24 of the cover 20 is adapted to
deflect outwards when it is pressed against the lid body 12 such
that the recess 80 rides over the protrusion 82 thereby snapping
and holding the cover 20 onto the lid body 12 in the closed
position.
[0037] The lid 10 may further include an air balancing valve 92
provided on a valve seat 94 of the lid body 12. The air balancing
valve 92 may be located underneath the straw 18 when it is bent
underneath the cover 20 as shown in FIG. 5d. The air balancing
valve 92 allows air to enter the beverage container when the
beverage is sucked from the beverage container through the straw
18.
[0038] The air balancing valve 92 may also be made of silicone,
thermoplastic elastomer, or other flexible materials, and may be
formed integrally with the straw 18.
[0039] The straw 18 may have a lower flared end 96 disposed at the
underside of the lid body 12, as best illustrated in FIG. 2, to
facilitate the insertion of a straw extension (not shown) adapted
to extend into the beverage container.
[0040] FIGS. 5a-5d are cross sectional views of the lid 10, which
show the flipping action of the cover 20 from an open position to a
closed position and the bending of the straw 18 by the flipping
cover 20.
[0041] FIG. 5a shows the lid 10 with the cover 20 in an open
position. In this open position, the cover 20 is flipped towards
one side of the opening 16 allowing the straw 18 to extend freely
upwards from the opening 16.
[0042] FIG. 5b shows the lid 10 with the cover 20 in an
intermediate position. The cover 20 is flipped, in the direction
shown by the arrow, from the open position to this intermediate
position by flipping the cover 20 along abutment 50 while the guide
rods 60 slide along the respective arcuate grooves 70. In this
intermediate position, the cover 20 is disposed at a substantially
vertical position parallel and adjacent to the upwardly extending
straw 18.
[0043] FIG. 5c shows the lid 10 with the cover 20 in a closing
position. The cover 20 is flipped, in the direction shown by the
arrow, from the intermediate position to this closing position by
flipping the cover 20 along abutment 52 while the guide rods 60
slide along the respective arcuate grooves 70. In this closing
position, the straw 18 is biased by the cover 20 towards one
side.
[0044] FIG. 5d shows the lid 10 with the cover 20 in a closed
position. The cover 20 is flipped, in the direction shown by the
arrow, from the closing position to this closed position by
continuously flipping the cover 20 along abutment 52 while the
guide rods 60 continuously slide along the respective arcuate
grooves 70 until reaching the ends thereof. In this closed
position, the straw 18 is bent underneath the cover 20 and pressed
against the lid body 12.
[0045] The cover 20 may include a pressing member 28 at the lower
side thereof proximate to the proximal end 22 of the cover 20.
According to the illustrated embodiment, the pressing member 28 may
be disposed between the two guide rods 60. The cover 20 acts as a
lever arm to provide leverage for pressing the straw 18 by the
pressing member 28 against the lid body 12 and blocking the flow of
beverage through the straw 18. This makes closing the cover 20 and
pressing the straw 18 against the lid body 12 easy for children and
the elderly users.
[0046] The pressing member 28 may have a curved surface adapted to
press against the straw 18 in a slightly rolling manner. This may
reduce the likelihood of damaging the straw 18 when flipping the
cover 20 between the open and closed positions thereby prolonging
the life of the straw 18 and the lid 10.
[0047] To open the cover 20, the distal end 24 of the cover 20 is
pushed upwards so that it deflects outwards until the recess 80
rides over the protrusion 82. When the recess 80 of the cover 20 is
disengaged from the projection 82 of the lid body 12, the straw 18
underneath the cover 20 acts as a spring adapted to spring back by
its resilience from a biased bending position to a free upright
position. This automatically flips the cover 20 from the closed
position as shown in FIG. 5d to the open position as shown in FIG.
5a under the influence of the spring back force exerted on the
underside of the cover 20. This makes opening of the cover 20 easy
for children and the elderly users.
[0048] While the present invention has been shown and described
with particular references to preferred embodiments thereof, it
should be noted that various other changes or modifications may be
made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
* * * * *