Abstract:
A beverage cup lid ( 12 ) having a generally planar central portion and a rim surrounding and extending away from said central portion. At least one drinking aperture ( 12   a ) located substantially adjacent said rim and adapted to permit liquid to flow through said lid. A barrier member ( 14 ) overlies said drinking aperture. The barrier member ( 14 ) being applied to the lid during a manufacturing process and removable by an end user to permit drinking via the drinking aperture.

Description:
FIELD  
       [0001]    The invention relates to beverage cup lids, to barriers for shielding drinking apertures of beverage cup lids, the hygienic supply of beverage cup lids, and the application of barriers to lids during a manufacturing process and prior to delivery to a café or the like. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Beverages such as coffee, tea or the like are often sold in disposable cups provided with lids. 
         [0003]    Some lids include a drinking aperture through which a product located therein may be consumed whilst the lid remains in place. Some lids include a projecting spout terminating in the drinking aperture and about which the consumer&#39;s lips may be pursed. The latter form of lid is sometimes referred to as a “sipper cup lid”. 
         [0004]    Cafes, restaurants and the like are often busy and cramped. Often the lids and cups are stored separately and the lids applied to the cups by the barista or other staff. 
         [0005]    Baristas and staff are typically faced with coordinating a multitude of tasks under time pressure. Beyond operation of a coffee machine, for example, they must also handle milk cartons, money, food items, dirty dish cloths and other potentially unsanitary items. Within this challenging work environment it is unsurprising that a barista&#39;s hands may be unsanitary. 
         [0006]    These potentially unsanitary hands then routinely come into contact with the drinking apertures of the lids when applying the lids to the cups, particularly in the case of sipper cups with their projecting drinking apertures. Typically, a barista would place the lid on a cup and using his/her hand push the lid down onto a cup rim with the palm pushing down and coming in contact with the aperture and spout. It is of course the drinking aperture and spout which is brought into intimate contact with the consumer&#39;s mouth causing a health risk if the surfaces are dirty. 
         [0007]    There is a need to address these health risks in a simple, easy and inexpensive way. 
       OBJECT 
       [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to at least provide a useful alternative. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    There is disclosed herein a beverage cup lid having a generally planar central portion and a rim surrounding and extending away from said central portion;
       at least one drinking aperture located substantially adjacent said rim and adapted to permit liquid to flow through said lid;   a barrier member overlying said drinking aperture;   the barrier member being applied to the lid during a manufacturing process and removable by an end user to permit drinking via the drinking aperture.       
 
         [0013]    Preferably, the barrier member overlies a region, about the drinking aperture where a consumer&#39;s lips contact the lid whilst drinking. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the barrier member is a sticker, the sticker having a tab to peel said sticker away from at least a portion of said lid to expose said drinking aperture. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the barrier member extends at least partly over the drinking apertures, rim and central portion. 
         [0016]    There is further disclosed herein a method of producing a beverage cup lid including:
       forming a portion shaped to fit a cup;   forming a drinking aperture in said shaped portion;   applying a barrier member to the shaped portion to shield the drinking aperture;   wherein during said method the drinking aperture is not touched by human hands.       
 
         [0021]    Preferably, including the step of selecting the barrier from a supply of barriers. 
         [0022]    Preferably, including the step of applying a vacuum to the barrier to urge the barrier into contact with said shaped portion. 
         [0023]    Preferably, the step of applying the barrier to said shaped portion includes pressing the barrier against the shaped portion. 
         [0024]    Preferably, the step of forming the shaped portion includes thermoforming a portion of a sheet of material. 
         [0025]    Preferably, including the step of severing the shaped portion from the sheet of material. 
         [0026]    Preferably, further including the step of, after applying the barrier to a shaped portion, stacking a plurality of lids and shaped portions to form a transportable stack. 
         [0027]    Preferably, including the step of sealingly packaging said stack as a single unit. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0028]      FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b  to  4   a,b  show production steps producing a lid for a beverage cup of an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIGS. 5   a  and  6   a  show barrier members of the present invention; and 
           [0030]      FIGS. 5   b  and  6   b  show the barrier members of  5   a ,  6   a , applied to a lid. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0031]    In the illustrated examples, shielded lids  1  (see  FIGS. 5   b ,  6   b ) are produced during a manufacturing process (see  FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b  to  4   a ,  4   b ) and prior to delivery to a café or the like. The manufacturing process in a preferred embodiment includes moving a sheet of material in the form of strip  2  along a production line  4  including through production stations  6 ,  8  and  10 . It should however be understood that the process could include any number of production stations. The strip  2  is typically produced through an extrusion process and supplied to the first production station  6  in a hot, pliable, form. The strip  2  could be manufactured on site or brought from a third party. However, it should be understood that strip  2  could be produced using various typical sheet forming methods. At the first production station (not shown) the strip  2  is thermoformed to create a shaped portion  12  within the strip  2 . This involves forming the pliable material  2  within a mould (not shown) to form the material  2  into a lid shape  12  as shown in the Figures. In this example, the thermoforming is vacuum forming, that is, the strip  2  is sucked onto a male die. In other examples of the process, the material  2  may be supplied in solid form, in a roll and heated to be made pliable before application or the like. The lids  12  could also be made through injection moulding. 
         [0032]    After thermoforming, the shaped portion  12  (i.e. lid) is moved to the second station  6  (see  FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b ). Station  6  is a punching station at which the shaped portion  12  is sandwiched between a punch tool  6   a  and a complementary anvil  6   b  to form a drinking aperture  12   a , vent holes and the like. From station  6  the shaped portion  12  is moved to the third station  8  (see  FIGS. 2   a    2   b ). 
         [0033]    Third station  8  is a barrier application station at which a barrier  14  is applied to the formed portion  12  (see  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b ). Station  8  includes a sticker application tool  8   a . The tool  8   a  includes a main body  8   b  referred to as a “mask” integrally formed with a shaft  8   c  projecting therefrom. A collar  8   d  embraces the shaft  8   c  and carries vacuum fingers  8   e  which slidingly project through apertures (not shown) through the mask  8   b  in a direction parallel to the shaft  8   c.    
         [0034]      FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b  show the tool  8   a  in its barrier selecting position in which the fingers  8   e  project beyond the mask  8   b  to suctionally engage the face of a barrier  14  to a dispenser  8   f.    
         [0035]    From the barrier selecting position of  FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b  the tool  8   a  is moved to a sticker applying position of  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b . In this variant the tool  8   a  rotates from a horizontal barrier selecting position to a vertical barrier applying position. The sticker could at this stage or later applied include advertising or the like. 
         [0036]    In the position of  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  the tool  8   a  is aligned with the shaped portion  12  sitting at station  8 . The tool  8   a  is then relatively advanced towards the shaped portion  12  (in this case lowered) to press the barrier  14  onto the shaped portion  12 . As the tool  8   a  advances toward the portion  12 , the barrier  14 , carried by the fingers  12   e , contacts the shaped portion  12  (see  FIGS. 3   a ,  3   b ). With continued advancement of the tool  8   a , the collar  8   d  and fingers  8   e  remain stationary whilst the main body  8   b  continues on the production line  4 . The main body  8   b  has a face (not shown) shaped to complement the shaped portion  12  so as to conformably apply the barrier  14  to the shaped portion  12 . 
         [0037]    From the position of  FIGS. 4   a ,  4   b  the tool  8   a  is withdrawn (in this example raised) and returns to select a further barrier from the dispenser  8   f  whilst the strip  2  is incremented along the production line  4  to move the newly shielded shaped portion  12  to the station  10  (see  FIGS. 4   a ,  4   b ). 
         [0038]    The station  10  is a trimming station including a cutter  10   a  and anvil  10   b . The anvil  10   b  has a central bore and is lowered into contact with the strip  2  so as to encircle the shielded shaped portion  12 . The cutter  10   a  has a circular cutting edge complementary to the bore of the anvil  10   b  and is upwardly driven to make a circular cut severing the shielded shaped portion  12  from the strip  2 . Thus a shielded lid  1  is formed, although of course its formed plastic portion still fits the description of “a shaped portion”  12 . The sticker  14  however can be dressed before trimming or after trimming. 
         [0039]    With continued advancement of the tool  10   a  the newly formed lid  12  is driven to engage the underside of an overlying previously formed lid  12 . Thus the newly formed shielded lid  12  is added to the stack of lids  12 . In this example, the newly formed shielded lid  12  nests within the upwardly adjacent lid  12  as shown in the Figures. 
         [0040]    The shapes of the described exemplary lids  12  and barriers  14  are better shown in more detail in  FIGS. 5   a ,  5   b  and  6   a ,  6   b.    
         [0041]    As can be seen in for example  FIGS. 5   a ,  5   b ,  6   a ,  6   b , the shaped portion  12 , which is to become a lid  12 , includes an upwardly converging conical exterior  12   c  surrounding a circular well or central portion  12   d  dimensioned to receive the bottom of a cup (not shown). The well  12   d  has an upwardly diverging conical side wall  12   b . The wall  12   c  and the wall  12   b  of the well  12   d  are connected about the upper peripheries by a rim  12   e . The aperture  12   a  is spaced about the rim. There may be one or more apertures. The wall  12   c  is surrounded by a circular flange  12   f  shaped to engage the rim of a cup. 
         [0042]    The flange  12   f  includes an outwardly bulbous portion (not shown) defining an annular recess (not shown) dimensioned to receive a more or less toroidal rim of a cup. The bulbous portion is shaped to embrace the rim of the cup and defines an annular nose which in use underlies the rim of the cup to hold the lid  12  in place as per a standard coffee cup lid. Below the nose is a short downwardly diverging conical skirt (not shown) which acts on the rim of the cup to provide a lead in when fitting the lid  12  to the cup. 
         [0043]    When the lids  12 , or shaped portions which are to become lids  12 , are stacked an interior of the skirt rests on an exterior of the bulbous portion defining a circular line of contact and in turn defining the pitch at which the lids  12  are stacked. 
         [0044]    The barrier  14 , in the example of  FIGS. 5   a  and  6   a , is a sticker predominantly consisting of a thin pliable piece cut from a sheet of material. The sticker may be formed of paper treated with a suitable adhesive or any other suitable material. 
         [0045]    The sticker  14  in an embodiment is about twice as long as it is wide when viewed in plan. One end of the sticker terminates in a straight edge  14   a  which runs transverse to the sticker&#39;s length. A central portion  14   b  is positioned towards the other end of the sticker  14 . The central portion  14   b  can be of any shape and size. A straight bridging portion  14   c  runs parallel to the sticker&#39;s length and connects a rectangular body of material defining the edge  14   a  to the central portion  14   b . On either side of the bridging portion  14   c  a portion  14   d  projects from the body of material. Each portion  14   d  has an outer edge  14   g  and an inclined edge  14   h . The inclined edges  14   h  diverge from each other in a direction away from the edge  14   a  and thus a respective opening  14   e  is defined between each portion  14   d  and the bridging portion  14   c . A pull tab  14   f  extends from the circular portion  14   b  in a direction parallel to the length of the sticker  14 . The sticker  14  would be made of a single piece of material and could include separable slits, perforations, scores or the like. The sticker  14  could be made of a biodegradable material. 
         [0046]    In alternate embodiments the stickers  14  may be applied by heat or by heat shrinking or vacuum shrinking. Heat and heat shrinking eliminates the need for cuts and perforations as it molds the plastic sticker  14  around the contours, however, slight scores may be required. It also eliminates the need to make stickers  14  in different shapes to suit different shape lids  12 . The stickers  14  may also be applied without heat and/or only with a downward pressure and use of an adhesive or the like. In this regard, the section about the aperture would utilise food grade adhesive or the like and leave no residue about the aperture. The sticker  14  may cover the entire mouth area or the whole lid  12 . The sticker  14  would be drawn using a vacuum, but there can be other ways to draw the stickers, like a roll over the lids that by pressing down, will apply the sticker  14  and release the sticker  14  from the roll, or a roller that rolls over the lids  12  and applies the sticker in a rolling motion. The tab  14   f  is generally positioned towards the center of the lid  12  so the pulling motion is down, pulling the tab  14   f  upwards may cause the lid  12  to pop off the cup. The sticker  14  can be made using any thin material, whether plastic, vinyl, paper etc. The sticker  14  will be adhered back onto the side of the cup to prevent littering. 
         [0047]    In use, the edge  14   a  follows the circular lower extent of the surface  12   c  and the central portion  14   b  is adhered to the floor of the well  12   d  such that the bridging portion  14   c  directly overlies the drinking aperture  12   a  and runs down the conical wall of the well  12   d . As the material defining the edge  14   a  is deformed about the surface  12   c  the sticker  14  is deformed to close the openings  14   e  and the inclined portions  14   d  overlie the conical wall of the well  12   d.    
         [0048]    The central portion  14   d  serves to shield the floor of well  12   d , which may contact the consumer&#39;s nose. It is also a convenient place for displaying images, advertising, trademarks, and/or other markings. By way of example the markings may be logos or advertisements. A business, such as a cafe or coffee supplier, might pay for their identity to be applied to the spot. 
         [0049]    Of course some deformation of the sticker  14  is required to follow the complex curvatures of the shaped portion  12 . The inclusion of the openings  14   e  serves to minimize overlapping portions of material and/or potential folds in the material which may “scrunch up”. Thus this sticker  14  sits flat against the shaped portion  12  to permit efficient stacking. 
         [0050]    No part of the sticker  14  overlies the flange  12   f , such that when stacked the circular line of contact between the portion  12   g  and an upwardly adjacent lid  12  is not broken by the sticker  14 . By spacing the sticker  14  from the point of contact, the lids  12  may be efficiently stacked to form a straight vertical stack  30  which is stable. Such stacking qualities are of course highly desirable to suit packaging and transport and easy handling by the barista or other café staff. In particular a stack  30  of shielded lids  12  can be packaged in a tube of pliable plastic material (not shown) to shield them from contamination between the manufacturer and the barista or during use at a café. The barista may then receive the sealed package and simply remove the stack from the package and transfer it to a convenient location. By way of example, the stack  30  may be placed atop a coffee machine or the like, in which case the stability of the stack is highly desirable so that the stack does not fall over in response to machine vibration or the like. 
         [0051]    The sticker  14  in a preferred embodiment has strategically placed points of adhesive—in this case, one adjacent each end of the edge  14   a  and one adjacent the pull tab  14   f . The degree of adhesion is selected to resist inadvertent removal of the sticker  14  from the shaped portion  12  whilst permitting removal of individual stickers  14  from the dispenser  8   f  and removal of the sticker  14  by the consumer. The sticker  14  preferably covers the hole or aperture  12   a  and acts to stop liquid located within the cup from splattering through the hole when a consumer is walking or when pressing on the sides of the cup. The sticker  14  can also be applied to the side of the cup once peeled from the lid to become a “cup print” or advertising as well as to prevent litter. 
         [0052]    For the purpose of removal by the consumer, the pull tab  14   f  is positioned to be grasped and pulled horizontally towards the edge  14   a  and then, without releasing the pull tab  14   f , to be pulled downwardly to peel the material defining the edge  14   a  from the conical surface  12   c . This positioning of the pull tab  14   c  desirably allows for the removal of the sticker  14  in substance without upward force being applied, such that the likelihood of inadvertently pulling the lid  12  from the cup is reduced. 
         [0053]    Following the described example, a shielded lid  12  is manufactured and supplied to the retailer (e.g. café or the like) in a fully assembled configuration. This ensures that a barista, café staff, delivery man or the like has not touched the drinking aperture prior to use by a consumer. This will be of great reassurance to many consumers and a significant advance in hygiene. 
         [0054]    Various exemplary features have been described. These examples do not limit the scope of the invention as described herein. Many other examples are possible. By way of example, the ordering of the steps may be revised—the lids  12  could be stacked atop to the shaped portion prior to it being severed from the sheet  2 , or the sticker  14  may be applied after a shaped portion is severed from the sheet. Indeed, shaped portions may be formed other than from sheet material. 
         [0055]    The orientation and scale of the production line may also be varied. Multiples of the described work stations may be arranged in parallel or series. In one example, an extruder horizontally feeds a sheet of hot pliable material to a drum having a horizontal axis about which it is rotatable, wherein the drum includes  7  rows of  8  vacuum forming dies along its length. The drum rotates continuously forming shaped portions as it carries the sheet material from about a 2 o&#39;clock to about a 7 o&#39;clock position. At about the 7 o&#39;clock position the sheet peels away from the drum and moves downwardly through 7 parallel vertically-oriented variants of the production line  4 . 
         [0056]    The lids  1  may be of various shapes and sizes, including different spout shapes, etc. Indeed the lids  1  may be spoutless. 
         [0057]    Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.