SIPPABLE LID FOR VARIABLE CONTAINERS

A sippable lid for drinking from variable cups, glasses, bottles or any other circular-mouthed container adapted to hold fluids. The sippable lid generally comprises a resilient rubber skirt attachable to a hard plastic lid. The skirt is rubber while the lid is hard heat-resistant plastic. The lid is molded with cylindrical sidewalls topped by an offset parabolic drinking surface that slopes downward from fore to aft. A series of drinking holes are circularly-aligned along the rearward edge. The skirt includes a cylindrical upper sidewall fitted tongue-in-groove inside the lower edge of the lid sidewalls, a frusto-conical ribbed middle section, and a lower cylindrical sidewall having a diameter smaller than the upper cylindrical sidewall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to drinking accessories and, in particular, a universal sippable lid for use with variably-sized containers.

2. Description of the Background

There are a variety of lids or container covers that are traditionally placed over beverage containers. For example, establishments serve hot coffee and provide a disposable lid with an opening to enable the coffee to be sipped.

Most beverage containers have a rim with which the container cover makes a tongue and groove snap fit. However, the snap fit retention is not strong and in the event the beverage container is inadvertently tipped over, the lid or cover sometimes dislodges and hot coffee spills out onto to the floor, possibly burning the coffee drinker. Moreover, disposable lids are clogging landfills and causing severe environmental problems. What is needed is a reusable lid which is more securely snap fit onto a container for hot or cold beverages.

It is known to provide a lid that simply screws over the top of a container. These provide a better seal, but the arrangement requires a thread to be provided on the upper surface of the container which increases the manufacturing cost, and also limits the lid to fitting a specific container size.

Accordingly there is substantial need for a universal reusable lid for both hot and cold beverage containers that securely fits a variety of container sizes, eliminates drippage, seeping, splashing and leaking, and yet still provides a natural drinking sensation as opposed to drinking through a spout.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to embodiments of the invention, a sippable lid is provided for drinking from variable cups, glasses, bottles or any other circular-mouthed container adapted to hold fluids. The sippable lid generally comprises a resilient rubber skirt attachable to a hard plastic lid. The skirt is rubber while the lid is hard heat-resistant plastic. The lid is molded with cylindrical sidewalls topped by an offset parabolic drinking surface that slopes downward from fore to aft. A series of drinking holes are circularly-aligned along the rearward edge. The skirt includes a cylindrical upper sidewall fitted tongue-in-groove inside the lower edge of the lid sidewalls, a frusto-conical ribbed middle section, and a lower cylindrical sidewall having a diameter smaller than the upper cylindrical sidewall.

The present invention is described in greater detail in the detailed description of the invention, and the appended drawings. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the sippable lid according to the invention is a reusable lid or top, configured for drinking from variable cups, glasses, bottles or any other circular-mouthed container adapted to hold fluids. The present invention is capable of use with threaded and non-threaded containers. The sippable lid generally comprises two attachable components: a resilient rubber skirt4and a hard plastic lid2. The skirt4is preferably formed of a resilient, high friction material and preferably of silicone rubber, or other suitable rubber. The lid2is preferably formed of a hard high heat-resistant polymer, such as polypropylene, polyesters, polyamides, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, polycarbonates and the like.

The lid2is molded with cylindrical sidewalls12topped by a distinctly concave drinking surface14that is offset, sloping downward from rearward to forward edge. A series of drinking holes16are aligned along a circular path offset inwardly from the rearward edge.

As seen inFIG. 2the skirt4includes a cylindrical sidewall42fitted tongue-in-groove inside the lower edge of lid sidewalls12. Upper sidewall42leads to a frusto-conical ribbed section44, section44in turn leading to a lower cylindrical sidewall46having a diameter smaller than the first cylindrical sidewall42. As described below, the frusto-conical ribbed section44is specially-designed to form a fluid-tight seal with any of a variety of variably-sized containers having circular mouths ranging in size from a first diameter of cylindrical sidewall42to a second diameter of sidewall46.

FIGS. 4-7illustrate the lid2with exemplary dimensions. Cylindrical sidewalls12of lid2rise to an offset parabolic drinking surface14that slopes downward from rearward to forward edge at an approximate 30 degree angle. The uppermost edge of surface14is defined by a series of drinking holes16, three for example. The drinking holes16are aligned along a circular path that is offset inwardly from the rearward edge. In use the broadest part of sidewall12of lid2sits atop the user's lower lip and the parabolic surface14falls sharply away such that no contact with the upper lip is made. The lid2feels like an open glass. The series of drinking holes16allows liquid to drain outward and run down parabolic surface14falling uniformly into the mouth.

As seen inFIG. 5the inner lower surface of the sidewall12is defined by a 0.01″ notch124for a tongue-in-groove fit with skirt4. Similarly, as seen inFIG. 3the rim of the upper sidewall42bears a 0.02″ w×0.06″1flange126for a tongue-in-groove fit with the notch124of lid2.

FIGS. 8-11illustrate the skirt4with exemplary dimensions. The cylindrical sidewall42has a diameter d1, cylindrical sidewall46has a diameter d2 smaller than the first cylindrical sidewall42, and frusto-conical ribbed section44segways the two sidewalls42,46. In an embodiment, d1 is within a range of from 1-1.5″ and most preferably 1.2″, while d2 is approximately 0.7×d1. The frusto-conical ribbed section44joins both cylindrical sidewalls42,46at the same obtuse angle between 150-170 degrees, and most preferably 161 degrees as shown inFIG. 10to maximize the sealing ability of skirt4.

As seen in the inset ofFIG. 10the rib shape and dimensions are optimized to ensure a fluid-tight seal with the widest possible range of variably-sized container mouths, including those with screw-threads. Toward this end, and given the above-described 19 degree offset angle of frusto-conical section44from vertical, each rib50has a triangular profile with a 0.03″ downwardly-inclined face52and a 0.02″ inwardly-angled base54. Preferably multiple ribs50are equally spaced along the entire length of frusto-conical section44, e.g., six (6) coaxial ribs spaced equally along the approximate 0.44″ length. The triangular profile of ribs50is preferably a right-triangle, offset from vertical such that the downwardly-inclined face52departs from the frusto-conical surface of section44by 30 degrees, returning to it at 60 degrees. Given the foregoing configuration the skirt4can be forcibly depressed down into a container mouth until the diameter of the container mouth equals that of the skirt4. At this point the most equally-sized rib50encounters the container mouth such that the inclined base54of ribs50encounter the rim of the container at a sufficient angle to deflect the rib50inward. As the apex of the rib50drops below the rim of the container the outward bias of the rubber skirt4and the angle of the face52continues to urge it downward, effectively affixing the skirt4in place. The sippable lid is effectively secured to the container and renders it leak and spill proof. Once the device is fastened to a container holding a fluid, a user can drink the fluid. The container can be anything with a circular mouth ranging from a drinking glass to a bottle. Regardless, the device can be attached such that it fits snugly around the lip of the mouth. Moreover, the relatively flexible ribs50can form a seal around variable “twist-top” or “screw-on” grooves or notched openings, such as soda bottles; bottles with compression or “snap-top” seals, such as certain milk containers; and containers with permanently openings, such as aluminum cans or beer bottles.