Liquid container lid

A lid for a beverage container comprising a first portion having an opening therethrough and a second portion integrally connected to the first portion and capable of being folded underneath the first portion to be normally biased to a sealing engagement with the aperture when the lid is fastened onto the rim of the container. When the user depresses the second portion, liquid is allowed to pass from the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to liquid container lids, and more particularly, to 
lids which remain on the container while the user drinks therefrom through 
a depressible section on the lid. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
It is known in the prior art to provide liquid container lids with an 
aperture therethrough that prevents spillage of the liquid and allows for 
drinking from the container without removing the lid. Frequently, straws 
are inserted through these apertures. Examples of such lids are disclosed 
in the following U.S. patents and French patent: 
2,375,532 Di Cosme 
2,646,670 Spalding et al 
2,689,664 Vingron 
2,861,716 Framer 
2,974,815 Driscoll 
3,301,459 Gardner 
3,727,808 Fitzgerald 
3,730,399 Dibrell et al 
3,800,999 Serritella 
3,927,794 Erdman 
3,952,910 Wheeler 
French Pat. No. 388,719 Saignier 
These lids provide an effective seal against spillage before the aperture 
is first opened. However, when the aperture is created by punching out a 
scored portion, means for re-sealing the aperture is either not provided 
(Serritella and Erdman, for example) or is insufficient to provide a truly 
effective closure. For example, Vingron discloses a cover having a flap 
portion which may be torn along a score line, folded back for use to 
provide an opening and then refolded over the opening for storage. No 
provision is made for preventing leakage after refolding. 
Garangiotis (U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,798) shows a resealable sliding closure 
for a pressurized beverage container. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention comprises a non-spill cover for a liquid container 
comprising a first portion which has an outer peripheral section of the 
type which snap-fittingly engages the rim of the container to hold the 
cover thereon. An opening, defined along its perimeter by a raised groove, 
is provided through the top of the first portion within the boundaries of 
the rim section. 
The second portion of the cover is integrally joined to the first portion 
along a fold-line adjacent the outer rim section and includes a groove on 
its surface which is shaped to conform with the groove in the first 
portion so that the grooves are in sealing registry when, in the operative 
position of the cover, the second portion is folded to underly the first 
portion. The second portion also includes a depression adjacent the fold 
line which is in mating engagement with a part of the rim section of the 
first portion when the second portion is folded about the fold line. A 
raised member is provided on the second portion which, when the second 
portion is in its operative position, extends above the surface of the 
first portion so as to engage the lips of the user. The cover also 
includes a snap fastener consisting of a ball on the second portion which 
engages the socket on the first portion when the cover is in the operative 
position. 
In its operation, the second portion is folded downwardly along the fold 
line approximately 180.degree. so that it underlies the first portion to 
normally close the opening. Slight pressure is applied to the ball on the 
second portion so that it engages the socket on the first portion. The 
cover is then secured along its peripheral section to the rim of a 
container to provide a substantially spill-proof lid. Access to the 
contents of the container can easily be provided by having the upper lip 
of the user engage the raised member on the second portion which causes 
the second portion to move away from its registry with the first portion 
to expose the opening, the second portion pivoting about the ball and 
socket fastener. As the container is tilted toward the user's mouth, the 
contents flow out of the opening into the user's mouth. When the user's 
lip disengages the raised member, the second portion pivots upwardly about 
the snap fastener and returns to its original sealing position. 
It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a 
liquid container lid which has a segmented portion which can be repeatedly 
moved between an open position to provide access to the contents of the 
container and a closed, sealing position to prevent spillage of the 
contents of the container. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a unitary lid for a 
liquid container which has a portion which is depressible to provide 
drinking access.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
The numeral 10 denotes generally the lid of the present invention and is 
comprised of a first portion 11 and a second portion 12. The lid 10 is 
used on a conventionally shaped liquid container shown in phantom lines as 
numeral 13 having a flat, annular bottom wall 14 with side walls 15 
extending upwardly and outwardly from the periphery of bottom wall 14. The 
side wall 15 terminates at an upper end to define edge 16. 
The first portion 11 has an annular peripheral section 17 which conforms in 
diameter to the lid 10 and provides a means for connecting the lid 10 to 
the container 13. The underside of rim section snap-fittingly engages the 
rim 16 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. An outer flange 18 is spaced about 
section 17 by means of annular connecting member 19. 
The inner section 20 of the first portion 11 within the confines of the 
section 17 is flat. An opening 21 defined by edge 22 is provided through 
inner section 20 and is bounded along edge 22 by means of groove 23 formed 
on the underside of inner section 20. The opening 21 and, thus, groove 23 
can be of any desired configuration so as to provide access by the mouth 
of the user to the contents of container 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the edge 
22 as viewed from above comprises a transverse top 24 with downwardly 
diverging sides 25 which are joined by arcuate bottom side 26. 
As seen in FIG. 2, the second portion 12 generally has a configuration 
which is similar to edge 22 and is integrally connected to the first 
portion 11 along rear edge 27 adjacent rim section 17. Side edges 28 
outwardly diverge from rear edge 27 and are joined by arcuate front edge 
29. As second portion 12 extends outwardly from rear edge 27, it 
interrupts flange 18. A fold-line A transversely extends across second 
portion 12 adjacent the section 17. An arcuate depression 30 is formed in 
the flat bottom surface 31 of second portion 12 adjacent the fold-line A 
and is so dimensioned and located on second portion 12 as to be in mating 
engagement with the underside of rim section 17 when in the operative 
position, as described hereinbelow. A groove 32 is formed on bottom 
surface 31 and has the same configuration as groove 23 so that when the 
lid 10 is in its operative position on container 13, the grooves 23, 32 
are in mating engagement as seen in FIG. 3. An arcuate shaped, raised 
member 33 is formed on second portion 12 within the confines of groove 32 
and is dimensioned to extend above rim section 17 when the lid 10 is in 
the operative position as shown in FIG. 3. 
The lid 10 includes a fastening means which is provided between the first 
and second portions and comprises a ball 34 formed on the second portion 
12 which is in registry with the socket 35 formed in the inner section 20 
of the first portion 11. It is understood, of course, that the location of 
the ball 34 and socket 35 could be reversed. The fastening means provides 
a point about which the second portion 12 pivots, as described 
hereinbelow. 
In the operation of the present invention, the container 13 is filled with 
a suitable liquid. The second portion 12 is folded in the direction of B 
along fold-line A so that the depression 30 is in mating engagement with 
the underside of rim section 17 and grooves 23, 32 are in sealing 
engagement with each other. The ball 34 is pressed into engagement with 
socket 35. The lid 10 will then have the operative configuration as shown 
in FIG. 3. 
The lid 10 is then releasably secured to the container 13 by having edge 16 
engage the underside of rim section 17 and depression 30. The second 
section 12 will then be biased upwardly to a sealing engagement with the 
aperture 21 to provide a spill-proof cover for the container 13. Since 
second portion 12 is normally biased to a first or closed position over 
aperture 21, inversion of container 13 with lid 10 thereon causes the 
liquid therein to press against the bottom of second portion 12, further 
pressing groove 32 into sealing registration with groove 23 and 
prohibiting the liquid from escaping through aperture 21. 
When the user desires to drink from container 13, he raises it to his mouth 
whereby his upper lip engages the raised member 33. Continued upward 
movement of the container 13 causes the upper lip to press gently downward 
on raised member 33, as shown in FIG. 4 to move second portion 12 about 
the engagement of the ball 34 and socket 35 and away from sealing 
engagement with aperture 21 to its second or open position. The liquid can 
now enter the mouth of the user, so long as the upper lip is pressing 
downwardly on raised member 33. The aperture 21 is of sufficient dimension 
to allow air to enter the container 13 to aid in the withdrawal of the 
liquid contents. 
An alternative method of utilizing lid 10 would be for the user to press 
downward on member 33 with one of his fingers and then drink the contents 
through aperture 21. 
When the user is through drinking from the container 13, removal of the 
upper lip from raised member 33 allows the second portion 12, because of 
its resiliency, to spring upwardly to its closed position. The user can 
repeatedly pivot second portion 12 in and out of sealing registration with 
aperture 21 until the contents of container 13 are consumed. 
As seen the lid 10 is an improvement in the art since the depressible 
member is not glued or otherwise secured to the first portion of the lid 
10.