U.S. patent number RE31,650 [Application Number 06/095,200] was granted by the patent office on 1984-08-21 for non-spillable cup lid.
Invention is credited to James J. Serritella.
United States Patent |
RE31,650 |
Serritella |
August 21, 1984 |
Non-spillable cup lid
Abstract
The disposable lid for a coffee cup or the like has penetrable
score lines around the sides of a 90.degree. sectorial portion
thereof for easily breaking off this portion to form a drinking
access opening therethrough while the remaining portion of the lid
serves to reduce the danger of spilling the contents of the cup
when held in an unsteady cup support environment. Another
penetrable score line extending near the periphery of the lid,
between the sides of this sector, and a fold score line between the
ends of this peripheral score line provide for a segmental flap to
be broken open and bent on the fold score line to form an access
opening to the contents of the cup while providing a substantial
shield against spilling the contents of the cup through the
opening.
Inventors: |
Serritella; James J.
(Rockville, MD) |
Family
ID: |
26789958 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/095,200 |
Filed: |
November 16, 1979 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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672920 |
Apr 1, 1976 |
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Reissue of: |
165611 |
Jul 23, 1971 |
03800999 |
Apr 2, 1974 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
229/404;
229/906.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
43/0268 (20130101); B65D 47/36 (20130101); B65D
2543/00092 (20130101); B65D 2543/00555 (20130101); B65D
2543/00046 (20130101); B65D 2231/022 (20130101); B65D
2401/15 (20200501); B65D 2543/00537 (20130101); B65D
2543/00296 (20130101); B65D 2231/02 (20130101); B65D
2543/00509 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
47/00 (20060101); B65D 47/36 (20060101); B65D
43/02 (20060101); B65D 041/46 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/229,265,90.2,90.4,90.6,266,217 ;215/253,254,255 ;222/541
;229/43,7R,115B |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Garbe; Stephen P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Zegeer; Jim
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 672,920, filed Apr.
1, 1976, now abandoned, which is a reissue of application Ser. No.
165,611, filed July 23, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,995.
.Iaddend.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A lid for a coffee cup or the like, comprising
a disc having a groove-formed edge portion extending around its
periphery and fitting over the rim of the cup,
a fold score line forming the base of a segment of said disc within
said edge portion subtending an angle of substantially 90.degree.
at the center of the disc, and
a penetrating score line extending adjacent said peripheral edge
portion, between the ends of said fold score line within said
subtended angle.
2. A lid as defined in claim 1, and
a pair of penetrating score lines extending from the ends of said
fold score line substantially at right angles to each other and
meeting substantially at the center of the disc.
3. A lid as defined in claim 2,
said right angular score lines extending across said peripheral
groove-formed edge of the disc.
4. A lid as defined in claim 3,
said right angular score lines crossing over each other to form a
penetrable access opening for a drinking straw.
5. A lid for a coffee cup or the like, having a groove-formed edge
around its periphery fitting over the rim of said cup, and
a pair of penetrating score lines in said disc extending at right
angles to each other from the center thereof across said perpheral
groove-formed edge,
said score lines extending slightly past each other at the center
of the disc to provide for the making of an access opening for a
drinking straw.
6. A lid for a coffee cup or the like, comprising
a thin disc of substantially impervious material having a
groove-formed outer edge fitting closely over the rim of said
cup,
a pair of penetrating scored lines in said disc inside of said
groove-formed outer edge and extending from its center at a
substantially 90.degree. angle to each other, and an arcuate scored
line adjacent said groove-formed outer edge, between the outer ends
of said pair of scored lines, so as to make it easy to break a
90.degree. sector piece out of said lid to provide a sector shaped
opening in the lid, through which one may drink from said cup,
while retaining a major shielding portion of said lid on said cup
to minimize accidental spilling of any contents from said cup if it
is held in an unsteady support environment.
7. A lid as defined in claim 6,
said penetrating score lines extending slightly past said center to
provide an opening for a drinking straw at the center when
penetrated by pushing the straw therethrough.
8. A lid for a coffee cup or the like, comprising
a thin disc of substantially impervious material having a
groove-formed outer edge fitting closely over the rim of said
cup,
a pair of penetrating scored lines in said disc extending from its
center at substantially 90.degree. angle to each other and an
arcuate penetrating score line adjacent said groove-formed outer
edge between and intersecting said scored lines so as to make it
easy to break a 90.degree. piece out of said lid to provide a
sector shaped opening in the lid through which one may drink from
said cup, while retaining a major shielding portion of said lid on
said cup to minimize accidental spilling of any contents in said
cup if it is held in an unsteady support environment,
said penetrating score lines extending slightly past said center to
provide an opening for a drinking straw at the center when
penetrated by pushing the straw therethrough,
said disc having another score line extending between said pair of
score lines along and close to the edge of said disc,
said sectorial portion between said right angular score lines and
said edge score line being adapted to be easily broken out from the
lid at said score lines without breaking its rim portion.
9. A lid for a coffee cup or the like, comprising
a thin disc of substantially impervious material having a
groove-formed outer edge fitting over the rim of said cup,
a pair of penetrating scored lines in said disc extending from its
center at substantially 90.degree. angle to each other and an
arcuate penetrating score line adjacent said groove-formed outer
edge between and intersecting said scored lines so as to make it
easy to break a 90.degree. piece out of said lid to provide a
sector shaped opening in the lid through which one may drink from
said cup, while retaining a major shielding portion of said lid on
said cup to minimize accidental spilling of any contents in said
cup if it is held in an unsteady support environment,
said penetrating score lines extending slightly past said center to
provide an opening for a drinking straw at the center when
penetrated by pushing the straw therethrough,
said disc having a fold score line extending between the ends of
said edge score line, so that a segmental flap may be broken off at
said edge score line and folded down at said fold score line to
provide a drinking opening without removing or weakening the lid
mounting on the rim of the cup.
10. A container having a top of thin impervious material,
a pair of penetrable score lines in said top extending from its
center at a substantially 90.degree. angle to each other, to its
outer edge,
said penetrable score lines crossing each other at the center of
the top to provide an opening for a drinking straw when it is
pushed therethrough.
11. A container as defined in claim 10,
said top having another penetrable score line extending between
said pair of score lines along and close to the edge of the
top,
said sectorial portion between said right angular score lines and
said edge score line being adapted to be easily broken out from the
top of said container at said score lines.
12. A container as defined in claim 11,
said top having a fold score line extending between the ends of
said edge score line, so that a segmental flap portion may be
broken off at said edge score line and bent down at said fold score
line to provide a drinking opening. .Iadd. 13. A lid for a cup or
the like comprising a thin disc, said disc having a peripheral
flange formed on its edge around its periphery for frictional
engagement with the rim of said cup to form a seal therewith for
liquid contained in said cup,
an arcuate penetrating score line in said disc having terminal ends
bounded by lines extending at an angle to each other from
substantially the center of said lid, said arcuate score line
extending adjacent said peripheral flange edge, and
a fold line formed of a chord of a circle subtending an arc between
said terminal ends such that an opening bounded by the arcuate
penetrating score line and said chord of a circle form an opening
having a segmental flap, which opening is sufficient to permit
fluid in said cup to flow substantially unimpeded to the mouth of
the user and said segmental flap substantially prevents inadvertent
spillage of the contents when said cup is nearly full with a
liquid. .Iaddend..Iadd. 14. The invention defined in claim 13
wherein there are a pair of penetrating score lines along said
lines extending at an angle to each other, the fold line of said
segmental flap intersects said score lines at said flange portion
of said lid. .Iaddend..Iadd. 15. A container having a top of thin
impervious plastic material, said top having a rim for frictional
engagement with the side walls of said container,
a pair of penetrable straight score lines in said top extending
from said rim at a selected angle to each other so that the arc
subtended thereby forms ample space for the upper lip of the
user,
an arcuate penetrable score line adjacent said rim extending
between said pair of lines,
a straight fold line intersecting said pair of penetrating score
lines and said pair of penetrating score lines being extended at
their interior ends to cross each other proximate the center of the
top to provide an opening for a drinking straw when it is pushed
therethrough. .Iaddend.
Description
The prior art that was found to be closest to the present invention
comprises U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,606,586, 2,689,664, 2,974,815 and
3,504,817. None of these, however, discloses the segmental flap
opening at the edge of the lid, subtending an angle of
approximately 90.degree., so as to provide ample space for the
upper lip of a user to enter said opening without fully closing it
off, and so that the flap when open inwardly provides a baffle to
reduce the danger of spilling the contents through said opening.
Neither does any of these references show a right angular sectorial
opening in the lid broken open inside the rim of the lid, so as to
keep the entire rim intact while breaking open either the sectorial
portion or just the segmental flap portion.
Accordingly, the main object of this invention is to provide a
disposable cover or lid for coffee cups and the like in which a
convenient opening may be readily broken out of the lid for
unrestricted drinking therefrom while the rest of the lid forms a
restrictive shield against the danger of spilling when the cup is
held in or on an unsteady support.
A further object is to provide a combination of penetratable and
fold score lines in the lid for selective use in accordance with
the type of access opening desired by the user.
A further object is to provide a lid with a segmental flap opening
adjacent the rim of the cup.
A further object is to provide a sectorial break-off portion in the
lid to form a convenient drinking opening therein without removing
the lid from the cup.
A further object is to form the sectorial break-off portion inside
the rim of the cup so as to keep the edge of the lid intact on said
rim when the sectorial portion is broken out.
A further object is to extend the penetrating score lines across
each other at the center of the lid to form a penetratable opening
for a drinking straw.
Other and more specific objects will appear in the following
detailed description of the invention, as illustrated in the
accompanying drawing, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cup with a lid made in accordance
with the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cup with a lid as in FIG. 1 but
having a sectorial portion removed to provide a convenient drinking
opening,
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the lid shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the same lid with the segmental flap
portion broken through and bent inwardly to provide a convenient
drinking opening, and
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the same lid with the flap and the rest of
the sectorial portion of the lid inside the rim of the cup removed
to provide a convenient drinking opening without weakening the
mounting of the entire rim portion of the lid on the cup.
In his travels on the Metro-Liner between Washington and New York
as well as on other high speed transportation means on water and in
the air, the inventor has observed many accidents, some quite
serious, which could have been avoided by the use of the present
invention, or at least minimized to a great extent.
Many accidents of this type have also been noticed in private
transportation means, especially in connection with carry out food
services which are becoming more and more popular.
Hot coffee and other drinks are now often served in moving vehicles
in many environments where the cup is necessarily held in or on an
unsteady support, human or otherwise.
In large crowds even on steady ground, it is almost impossible to
avoid getting bumped in the arm holding your drink, and the danger
of spilling hot or cold drinks is ever present, and many serious
accidents can be avoided by using the non-spillable lids of the
present invention.
Besides providing safety against spilling, this invention provides
against the danger of dirt or insects entering the cup or other
vessel using the present lid, because access to the contents of the
vessel or container may be had through a selected reduced opening
in the lid while keeping the major portion of the top of the vessel
covered. Many food containers may thus be protected against dirt
and insects at picnics or on camping trips, etc.
In homes such lids may be used as a training device for children in
their early years of motion coordination and drinking.
The present structure of the lids does not limit the manufacturers
thereof in the use of impressions of any kind of advertizing or
marking of corporate names, etc.
The present type of improved lid could even be made integral with
the container which it covers. The combinations of score marks that
may be used will give the consumer different options that may be
suitable for him under different environments, e.g., a consumer
with large physical lips will want to select a larger opening.
Referring now to the drawing, the cup 10 is provided with a lid 12
having penetrable score lines 14 extending from the center of the
lid at right angles to each other to the edge of the lid inside the
rim of the cup, at which points they are joined by a straight fold
score line 16. These points are also joined together by an arcuate
penetrable score line 18 inside the rim of the cup, as may be seen
in FIG. 3.
The lid 12 has a groove-formed edge 20 fitting closely over the rim
of the cup. The penetrable score lines 14 may be extended slightly
across each other at the center of the cup, to form a penetrable
opening for a drinking straw.
Fold score lines 24 across the triangular flap portions having
their apexes at the center of the lid, and defined by the
extensions of the penetrable score lines 14 crossing each other at
the center.
The penetrable score lines 14 may be extended across the
groove-formed edge of the lid 12 at 26 to provide an option of
breaking off the entire sectorial portion of the lid, when desired,
as shown in FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 4, only the segmental flap portion may be broken
away at the penetrable score line 18 and bent at the fold score
line 16 by pushing it inwardly, to form the segmental drinking
opening. Or, if desired, the entire sectorial portion of the lid
inside the rim of the cup may be broken out easily by lifting it at
the fold line 16 or at the corner between the score lines 14,
leaving the sectorial opening , as shown in FIG. 5, without
breaking through the groove-formed edge of the lid and weakening
its mounting on the rim of the cup.
The operatively easy manipulation of the options in the selection
of a suitable opening in the lid of the present invention lends
itself toward aiding of the handicapped, epileptics, and other
prone situations. The relatively simple construction should appeal
to manufacturers, since it requires a minimum of retooling and a
minimal increase in costs.
Consumer acceptance should be widespread, nationally as well as
internationally.
Many obvious modifications in the form and arrangement of parts of
this invention may be made without departing fom the spirit and
scope of the invention.
* * * * *