U.S. patent application number 11/980008 was filed with the patent office on 2009-04-30 for leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly.
Invention is credited to Derek W. Cornelius, Gary L. Haynes.
Application Number | 20090107997 11/980008 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40581512 |
Filed Date | 2009-04-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090107997 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cornelius; Derek W. ; et
al. |
April 30, 2009 |
Leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly
Abstract
A leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly is taught which
effectively prevents any liquid from escaping the interior chamber
of the cup. The leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly comprises
a cup and a lid, where the lid is adapted to seal the cup by
screwing onto the cup and contacting at least two distinct radial
sealing areas on the cup. The leak-proof cup and lid assembly
allows for vigorous shaking and mixing of the cup's contents in
addition to transportation of the contents without leaking. A
preferred embodiment further incorporates a blending disk to
improve mixing of the contents.
Inventors: |
Cornelius; Derek W.; (Cape
Girardeau, MO) ; Haynes; Gary L.; (Scott City,
MO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DEREK W. CORNELIUS
251 GARNET LANE
CAPE GIRARDEAU
MO
63701
US
|
Family ID: |
40581512 |
Appl. No.: |
11/980008 |
Filed: |
October 30, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/212 ;
220/288 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 43/0231 20130101;
B65D 2543/00462 20130101; B65D 2543/00351 20130101; A47G 19/2205
20130101; B65D 2543/00629 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/212 ;
220/288 |
International
Class: |
B65D 41/04 20060101
B65D041/04; B65D 51/32 20060101 B65D051/32 |
Claims
1. A leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly comprising: a cup;
and a lid adapted to seal the cup by screwing onto said cup and
contacting at least two distinct radial sealing areas on the
cup.
2. The leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly of claim 1, wherein
said drinking cup and lid assembly is manufactured from a plastic
resin.
3. The leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly of claim 1, wherein
said lid is adapted to seal the cup by contacting at least three
distinct radial sealing areas on the cup.
4. The leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly of claim 1, wherein
said cup and lid assembly is used as a shaker to mix liquids by
shaking the contents.
5. The leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly of claim 1, wherein
said cup and lid assembly is used to transport liquids.
6. The leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly of claim 1, wherein
at least two distinct radial sealing areas on the cup are selected
from the group consisting of: a top edge, an inner edge and an
outside edge.
7. The leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly of claim 1, further
comprising a blending disk.
8. A lid for sealing a cup which is attachable to said cup by
screwing onto radial threads on said cup, wherein said lid contacts
at least two distinct radial sealing areas on the cup and prevents
liquids in said cup from leaking out of said cup.
9. The lid of claim 8, wherein at least two distinct radial sealing
areas on the cup are selected from the group consisting of: a top
edge, an inner edge and an outside edge.
10. The lid of claim 8, wherein the lid and cup are manufactured
from a plastic resin.
11. The lid of claim 8, wherein the lid contacts at least three
distinct radial sealing areas on the cup and prevents liquids in
said cup from leaking out of said cup.
12. The lid of claim 8, wherein the lid and cup are used as a
shaker to mix liquids by shaking the contents.
13. The lid of claim 8, wherein the lid and cup are used to
transport liquids.
14. A leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly comprising: a cup; a
lid adapted to seal the cup by screwing onto said cup and
contacting at least two distinct radial sealing areas on the cup;
wherein at least two distinct radial sealing areas on the cup are
selected from the group consisting of: a top edge, an inner edge
and an outside edge.
15. The leak proof drinking cup and lid assembly of claim 14
further comprising a blending disk.
16. The leak proof drinking cup and lid assembly of claim 15
wherein the blending disk comprises an insert containing a mesh
grid.
17. The leak proof drinking cup and lid assembly of claim 16
wherein the cup contains an internal ledge for positioning the
blending disk.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE
[0001] This application cross references corresponding U.S. design
Patent No ______, filed on Oct. 30, 2007, the disclosure and
contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the modern, industrialized world, there is considerable
need for leak-proof drinking cups with removable lids. People are
increasingly mobile and want the ability to transport and consume a
beverage while doing such activities as driving, walking, running,
or hiking. Likewise, there is much demand for a leak-proof cup that
allows vigorous shaking and mixing of the cup's contents. Many diet
beverages, nutritional supplements and baby formulas require the
mixing of a dry powder with a liquid just prior to consumption.
Cups for these uses are often known as shaker cups and require a
leak-proof lid.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The current drinking cup and lid assemblies on the market
are only marginally leak-proof. Many designs exist which have a
snap-on lid. If precisely engineered and manufactured and if used
extremely carefully, some of these designs can have a degree of
leak resistance. However, snap-on lids, regardless of how well they
are designed and manufactured, have an inherent flaw. Because the
lid merely pushes onto and weakly attaches to the cup, snap-on lids
routinely fail with rugged or aggressive use. In most of these
instances, failure is total and complete with the snap-on lid
popping off of the cup and its contents spilling or splattering
over the surroundings.
[0004] For instance, several snap-on designs currently exist for
sports-related shaker cups which are used to mix protein and
nutritional beverages. These shaker cups are often used to blend a
beverage at home and then the shaker cup and its contents are
placed haphazardly in a gym bag. At this point, if the shaker cup
is poorly designed, a leak could potentially ensue. If the shaker
cup is well designed and does not initially leak, one of several
problematic scenarios can still likely occur. If the gym bag and
shaker cup are placed in a hot environment like the interior of a
car on a hot day, the interior of the shaker cup can build up
pressure from the expansion of gases within the shaker cup. In this
situation, the pressure of the gases can cause the snap-on lid to
pop off the cup base which then allows the contents to spill into
the gym bag. Likewise, if the gym bag is thrown around or handled
roughly, the snap-on lid can inadvertently pop off. It has also
been observed on occasion that if the shaker cup is shaken too
vigorously in an effort to blend the contents of the shaker cup,
the snap-on lid can pop off, thus randomly releasing the contents
of the cup into the air and onto the surrounding environment.
[0005] A leak-proof drinking or shaker cup that uses a physical
mechanism to lock the lid onto the cup is desired. One solution is
a screw-on lid. Drinking and shaker cups currently exist that use
screw-on lids; however, these designs are flawed because they do
not satisfactorily prevent leaks. One design uses a radial rubber
or polymer gasket that sits in a radial groove in the screw-on lid.
In this design, the top edge of the shaker cup becomes pressed
against this rubber gasket and creates a seal. Seemingly, this
would be an effective design against leaks. In most instances,
drinking and shaker cups with this design do not initially leak.
However, with continual use, the gasket becomes misshapen, worn
out, or brittle which consequently causes the cup to leak. Another
problem with this design is that the gasket must be removed after
use in order to properly clean the radial groove and all parts of
the gasket. Once removed, the gasket tends to be extremely
difficult to re-insert correctly into the groove.
[0006] Several existing screw-on lid drinking and shaker cup
designs currently do not use a gasket. Although they are not
plagued with the problems of the gasket-type variety, they are not
sufficiently leak-proof to be used confidently and consistently in
everyday use. All current designs use one radial sealing surface in
the screw-on lid that seals with one surface at the top of the cup
base. The surface at the top of the cup base that is used for
sealing is usually the top edge or inside edge. The problem with
having only one sealing area is that the methods used to mass
produce plastic items such as cups are not incredibly precise. A
true leak-proof seal requires one of the surfaces at the top of the
cup base to be completely and thoroughly sealed against a mating
surface on the screw-on lid. For this situation to exist, all areas
of the sealing surfaces must be extremely uniform and smooth. Any
bumps, irregularities or scratches can create a situation that
allows for leaks.
[0007] Another problem is that heat from automatic dishwashers
routinely shrinks and/or warps the shape of the cup base and
screw-on lid. Once this occurs, it is nearly impossible to obtain a
full, air tight seal as the original design is no longer true to
form and the sealing surfaces do not perfectly align. This
deficiency with the current designs of screw-on lid drinking and
shaker cups creates a situation whereby it is impractical or
frustrating to use the cup. Drinking cups and shaker cups on the
market today leak when shaken or leak when turned upside down or
put on their side. These cups obviously pose a problem for a person
that wishes to randomly put the shaker cup into a bag and/or travel
with it to a final destination. It also poses a problem for
drinking cups designed for infants. These cups are routinely
thrown, turned upside down or left on their side for long periods
of time. The drinking cups for infants currently on the market do
not address the annoying leaking problems that occur with having
only one radial sealing surface.
[0008] A need exists for drinking and shaker cup and lid assemblies
that are completely and thoroughly devoid of leaks. There is a need
for an anti-leak design that is robust enough so that even with
vigorous use and numerous encounters with the high heat of an
automatic dishwashing machine, the cup will not leak.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The drinking and shaker cup and lid assembly of the present
invention creates a very robust and air-tight seal between the
screw-on lid and the cup. The seal is strong and secure enough to
handle the most rigorous of shaking as well as preventing any
leaking liquids from escaping even if the cup is turned upside down
for extended periods of time. Furthermore, this superior design
allows the seal to remain functional even after numerous encounters
with high heat, such as what is encountered in an automatic
dishwashing machine.
[0010] Whereas prior art describes and uses only one sealing
surface, the drinking and shaker cup and lid assembly of the
invention uses two or more sealing surfaces. The invention includes
a leak-proof drinking cup and lid assembly comprising a cup and a
lid adapted to seal the cup by screwing onto the cup and contacting
at least two distinct radial sealing areas on the cup. The
invention also comprises a lid for sealing a cup which is
attachable to the cup by screwing onto radial threads on the cup,
wherein the lid contacts at least two distinct radial sealing areas
on the cup and prevents liquids in the cup from leaking out of the
cup. Although difficult to properly engineer and manufacture,
having two sealing surfaces provides much needed redundancy which
makes the sealing system extremely robust and resistant to
leaks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a cross-section view of prior art showing a lid
attached to a cup using the top edge of the cup as a sealing
surface.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of prior art showing a lid
attached to a cup using the inner edge of the cup as a sealing
surface.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of prior art showing a lid
attached to a cup using the outer edge of the cup surface as a
sealing surface.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of a cup showing a lid
attached to a cup using the top edge of the cup and inside edge of
the cup as sealing surfaces.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of a cup showing a lid
attached to a cup using the top edge of the cup and the outside
edge of the cup base as sealing surfaces.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a cross-section view of a cup showing a lid
attached to a cup using the inside edge of the cup and the outside
edge of the cup as sealing surfaces.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of a cup showing a lid
attached to a cup using three sealing surfaces on the cup: the top
edge, the inside edge and the outside edge.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a top view of the cup showing the positioning of
the blending disk.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a top view of the blending disk.
[0020] FIG. 10 is a side view of the blending disk.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0021] FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show examples of prior art cup and lid
assemblies. These designs use only one sealing surface between the
lid 3 and the cup 2. FIG. 1 shows the sealing surface on the top
edge 1 of the cup 2 while FIG. 2 demonstrates a seal that uses the
surface on the inner edge 5 of the cup 2. FIG. 3 shows a cup 2
designed to use only the outer edge surface 6 of the cup for a
sealing surface. The sealing ability of the lid 3 shown in FIG. 3
is even less effective than using the top edge 1 alone or the
inside edge 5 alone.
[0022] FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 show examples of the four possible
designs that conform to the scope of this invention. FIGS. 4, 5 and
6 demonstrate designs based on a lid 3 contacting at least two
distinct radial sealing areas on the cup 2. FIG. 4 shows a lid 3
contacting the top edge 1 of the cup 2 and inside edge 5 of the cup
2 as sealing areas. FIG. 5 shows a lid 3 contacting the top edge 1
of the cup 2 and the outside edge 6 of the cup as sealing areas.
FIG. 6 shows a lid 3 contacting the inside edge 5 of the cup 2 and
the outside edge 6 of the cup 2 as sealing areas. FIG. 7
demonstrates a design based on a lid 3 contacting three sealing
points, which include the top edge 1, the inside edge 5 and the
outside edge 6.
[0023] The invention provides for a drinking or shaker cup 2 and
lid 3 assembly that is completely leak-proof. Unlike prior designs
which only use one radial sealing point, the designs according to
this invention use two or even three radial sealing points. The
radial sealing points are shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7. The radial
sealing points include the top edge 1, the inside edge 5 and the
outside edge 6 of the cup 2. These sealing surfaces are sealed when
the lid 3 is screwed onto the cup 2 through radial threads 4. The
multiple sealing points are superior in that they provide a much
greater surface area to allow for an air tight seal. Furthermore,
they allow for redundancy in the sealing process. Therefore, even
if one seal is slightly out of specification or damaged during the
manufacturing process or is slightly warped from contact with high
heat, the other seal is present for full sealing. When two or more
seals are employed, the seals tend to push against one another and
become self-locking. This characteristic of a multiple sealing
system creates a sealing system that is very secure, robust and is
nearly 100% effective against leaks or seal failure.
[0024] The sealing system as set forth can be used in any type of
drinking cup or shaker cup including drinking cups for infants,
drinking cups for sports related activities such as hiking, running
and biking, shaker cups for sports and medical related beverages
such as protein shakes, meal replacements, and amino acid
formulations, and shaker cups for other food related items such as
pancake, pudding and gelatin mixes. The lid to the cup can include
all variations of leak-proof spouts known in the industry.
[0025] In a most preferred embodiment, the shaker cup also
incorporates a blending disk 21 as shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10.
While the blending disk 21 can be made from any material safe for
use with food such as metals, plastics, resins, etc, in a preferred
embodiment, the blending disk comprises a molded plastic disk
comprising a grid or screen 22. The blending disk can be positioned
anywhere inside the cup, but is most preferably positioned just
under the lid for ease of removal. In one embodiment the disk
contains projections 23 which allow for easy grasping of the disk
when it is inserted into the cup. When shaken, solid and liquid
materials inside the cup are further agitated, mixed or broken up
upon coming in contact with the blending disk. This ensures more
uniform mixing of components than if the blending disk was not
present. One of skill in the art will appreciate that the blending
disk can take forms other than a grid or screen as long as the
blending disk is capable of further agitating the contents upon
shaking.
[0026] Plastic polymers that can be used to produce the drinking
and shaker cups and lid assemblies of this invention include
polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, polyester,
polycarbonate, nylon and high technology derivatives of these
polymeric resins. All varieties of polyethylene work especially
well with this invention and include high density, medium density,
low density, linear low density, very low density, ultra low
density, and metallocene linear low density. In some instances, it
may be advantageous to use two different polymers; one for the
screw-on lid and one for the cup base. For instance, if an
odor-free sports drinking cup was desired, it would be ideal to use
polycarbonate for the cup base and polyethylene for the screw-on
lid.
[0027] Accordingly, it will be understood that the preferred
embodiment or embodiments of the present invention have been
disclosed by way of example and that other modifications and
alterations may occur to those skilled in the art without departing
from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.
* * * * *