Abstract:
A liquid container includes a brim forming an opening into a liquid reservoir chamber formed in the cup. A lid is coupled to the brim to form more than one seal with the container. The lid includes lid-removal blocker walls arranged to engage undercuts formed in the cup to retain the lid in a mounted position on the cup closing the opening into the liquid reservoir chamber.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     The present disclosure relates to drink cups, and particularly to lids for drink cups. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a seal established between a drink cup and a lid mounted on the drink cup.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0002]     According to the present disclosure, a liquid container comprises a cup including a brim, a floor, and a side wall extending from the brim toward the floor. The side wall includes a radially inwardly facing first annular seal surface. The brim includes a radially inwardly facing second annular seal surface, an axially upwardly facing third annular seal surface, and a radially outwardly facing fourth annular seal surface.  
         [0003]     The liquid container also comprises a lid including a closure and a closure mount ring appended to the closure. The closure mount ring is coupled to the brim to retain the closure in a position closing a mouth opening into a liquid reservoir chamber formed in the cup.  
         [0004]     In illustrative embodiments, the closure mount ring includes four seal rings. A first seal ring is arranged to engage the radially inwardly facing first annular seal surface on the cup to establish a first liquid flow barrier therebetween. A second seal ring is arranged to engage the radially inwardly facing second annular seal surface on the cup to establish a second liquid flow barrier therebetween. A third seal ring is arranged to engage the axially upwardly facing third annular seal surface on the cup to establish a third liquid flow barrier therebetween and a fourth seal ring is arranged to engage the radially outwardly facing fourth annular seal surface on the cup to establish a fourth liquid flow barrier therebetween.  
         [0005]     In illustrative embodiments, two annular retainers are included in the lid to engage annular inner and outer portions of the cup to help retain the lid in a mounted position on the cup closing an opening into a liquid reservoir chamber formed in the cup. A first lid-removal blocker wall is included in the lid and arranged to engage an annular undercut formed in the cup during movement of the lid in an outer direction away from the floor of the cup to provide a first of the annular retainers and block unwanted removal of the lid from the cup. A second lid-removal blocker wall is included in a peripheral portion of the lid and is arranged to engage a terminal end of the brim of the cup during movement of the lid in the outer direction to provide a second of the annular retainers and assist in blocking unwanted removal of the lid from the cup.  
         [0006]     Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a lid and cup in accordance with the present disclosure before the lid is mounted on the cup;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the lid of  FIG. 1  showing a closure including a round hub providing a straw receiver, five radially extending spoke ribs terminating at the hub, and an inclined plate located between each pair of adjacent spoke ribs and showing a closure mount ring encircling the spoke ribs and inclined plates;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the lid taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2  showing configuration of a downwardly opening annular brim receiver defined by the closure mount ring and sized to receive an annular brim of the cup therein as suggested in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a transverse sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2  showing one of the spoke ribs (in solid) when the lid is mounted on the cup as shown in  FIG. 6  and showing deformation of that spoke rib (in phantom) of the type that would occur during mounting of the lid on the brim of the cup;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view of portions of the lid and cup of  FIG. 1  before the lid is mounted on the cup;  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  after the lid is mounted on the cup showing formation of a series of liquid flow barriers to retain liquid in a reservoir chamber formed in the cup owing to sealing engagement between the closure mount ring of the lid and both of a side wall and the brim of the cup and showing retention of the lid on the cup owing, in part, to engagement of a portion of the lid in an “undercut” formed on an interior surface of the cup at a junction between the side wall and the brim of the cup;  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view of a lid in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure;  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged view of a portion of the lid cross-section of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the lid of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view (similar to  FIG. 8 ) showing a stack comprising two of the lids shown in  FIGS. 7 and 10 ; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 12  is a partial sectional view showing a lid of the type shown in  FIGS. 7-11  mounted on a first cup that is nested in an underlying second cup. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]     A liquid container  10  includes a cup  12  and a lid  14  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Lid  14  includes a closure  16  and a closure mount  18  configured to be mounted on a brim  20  of cup  12  to arrange closure  16  to close an opening into a liquid reservoir chamber  22  formed in cup  12  as suggested in  FIG. 6 . Another lid  114  in accordance with the present disclosure is shown in  FIGS. 7-12 .  
         [0021]     In illustrative embodiments, retainers  24 ,  26  included in lid  14  are arranged to engage portions of cup  12  to block unwanted removal of lid  14  from cup  12  as suggested in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Also in illustrative embodiments, four seal rings  31 ,  32 ,  33 , and  34  are provided on lid  14  to engage companion annular seal surfaces  41 ,  42 ,  43 , and  44  on cup  12  to establish four liquid flow barriers arranged in series near and on brim  20  to block unwanted discharge of liquid from liquid reservoir chamber  22  while lid  14  is in place on cup  12  as suggested in  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , cup  12  includes brim  20 , a floor  28 , and a side wall  40  extending from brim  20  to floor  28 . Side wall  40  is formed to include a large-diameter top portion  46  appended to brim  20 , a small-diameter bottom portion  48 , and a body portion  50  located between top and bottom portions  46 ,  48  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Side wall  40  also includes an annular top transitional portion  52  interconnecting top portion  46  and body portion  50  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Side wall  40  also includes a “scalloped” annular bottom transitional portion  54  interconnecting body portion  50  and bottom potion  48  as suggested in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0023]     As shown, for example, in  FIG. 5 , brim  20  includes, in series, a lid retainer  56 , an inner annular strip  58 , an annular bridge  60 , and an outer annular strip  62 . Lid retainer  56  is rooted to an upper portion of top portion  46  to anchor brim  20  to top portion  46 . Outer annular strip  62  is oriented to lie in concentric relation to inner annular strip  58  and annular bridge  60  extends horizontally to link inner and outer annular strips  58 ,  62  as suggested in  FIG. 5 . Strips  58 ,  62  and bridge  60  cooperate to form a downwardly opening annular channel  64  above an exterior surface of lid retainer  56  in the illustrated embodiment. Outer annular strip  62  includes an axially downwardly facing annular terminal end  63 .  
         [0024]     Brim  20  is configured to form several seal surfaces arranged to mate with companion portions of lid  14  as suggested in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Large-diameter top portion  46  includes radially inwardly facing first annular seal surface  41 . Inner annular strip  58  includes second radially inwardly facing second annular seal surface  42 . Annular bridge  60  includes axially upwardly facing third annular seal surface  43 . Outer annular strip  62  includes radially outwardly facing fourth annular seal surface  44 .  
         [0025]     Lid retainer  56  is a frustoconical segment in the illustrated embodiment and extends from top portion  46  to inner annular strip  58  in a radially inwardly projecting, axially outwardly extending direction as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Lid retainer  56  is arranged to converge toward a reference point (not shown) located along reference line  57  and in spaced-apart relation to floor  28  to position lid retainer  56  therebetween to provide an undercut  59  under inner annular strip  58  as suggested in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Annular terminal end  63  of outer annular strip  62  is arranged to extend around frustoconical lid retainer  56  as suggested in  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  
         [0026]     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , closure  16  of lid  14  includes a round hub  70  providing a straw receiver  72 , five radially extending spoke ribs  74  terminating at hub  70 , and an inclined plate  76  located between each pair of adjacent spoke ribs  74 . In the illustrated embodiment, closure mount  18  is ring-shaped and arranged to encircle radially outermost portions of spoke ribs  74  and inclined plates  76 . Each spoke rib  74  includes first and second side walls  73 ,  75  and a top wall  77  interconnecting side walls  73 ,  75  as suggested in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . Deformation of side walls  73 ,  75  of one of spoke ribs  74  during mounting of lid  14  on brim  20  of cup  12  is shown in phantom in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0027]     Retainer  24  in lid  14  is defined by an annular first lid-removal blocker wall located between and arranged to interconnect first and second seal rings  31 ,  32 . First lid-removal blocker wall  24  is arranged to engage frustoconical lid retainer  56  during movement of lid  14  in an outer direction  78  (see  FIG. 6 ) away from floor  28  of cup  12  to block unwanted removal of lid  14  from cup  12 . In the illustrated embodiment, first lid-removal blocker wall  24  has a frustoconical shape. As suggested in  FIG. 4 , first seal ring  31  has a larger diameter than second seal ring  32 .  
         [0028]     Closure mount  18  further includes an annular lid-removal flange  80  located below fourth seal ring  34  and arranged to extend downwardly in an inner direction  79  opposite to outer direction  78 . Retainer  26  included in lid  14  forms a part of closure mount  18  and is formed to provide a second lid-removal blocker wall. This second lid-removal blocker wall  26  is arranged to engage terminal end  63  of brim  20  during movement of lid  14  in outer direction  78  to block unwanted removal of lid  14  from cup  12 .  
         [0029]     Lid-removal flange  80  includes, in series, first, second, third, and fourth annular segments  81 ,  82 ,  83 , and  84  as shown in detail in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Second lid-removal blocker wall  26  has a frustoconical shape and is arranged to interconnect first annular segment  81  of lid-removal flange  80  and fourth seal ring  34  of closure mount  18 . Each of the segments have frustoconical shapes of various slopes.  
         [0030]     First annular segment  81  is arranged to surround first seal ring  31  to define an annular channel  85  therebetween. When lid  14  is mounted on brim  20  of cup  12 , radially inwardly facing first annular seal surface  41  is located in annular channel  85  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0031]     Referring to the illustration of closure mount  18  in  FIG. 5 , fourth seal ring  34  is aligned in concentric relation with second seal ring  32 . The diameter of fourth seal ring  34  is greater than the diameters of first and second seal rings  31 ,  32 . Closure mount  18  also includes an annular quarter round-shaped inner rim  86  interconnecting second and third seal rings  32 ,  33  and an annular quarter round-shaped outer rim  88  interconnecting third and fourth seal rings  33 ,  34  as suggested in  FIG. 5 . Second, third, and fourth seal rings  32 ,  33 ,  34  cooperate to define an annular chamber  89  communicating with annular channel  85  and receiving brim  20  therein when lid  14  is mounted on cup  12  as suggested in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0032]     Closure  16  includes a peripheral portion comprising outer frustoconical wall  90  appended to first seal ring  31 , inner frustoconical wall  91  appended to inclined plates  76 , and middle frustoconical wall  92  arranged to interconnect outer and inner frustoconical walls  90 ,  91  as shown in  FIGS. 1, 3 , and  5 . These walls  90 - 92  cooperate to support inclined plates  76  as suggested in the drawings.  
         [0033]     The slope of inclined plates  76  provided in lid  14  increases once lid  14  is mounted on cup  12 . Owing, in part, to configuration of walls  90 - 92 , a first of inclined plates  76  has a first slope (defined by first acute angle  93 ) with respect to a horizontal reference plane  94  before closure mount  18  is mounted on brim  20  of cup  12  as suggested in  FIG. 5 . That inclined plate  76  is moved to assume a steeper second slope (defined by second acute angle  95 ) with respect to horizontal reference plane  94  upon coupling of closure mount  18  on brim  20  as suggested in  FIG. 6 . As lid  14  is mounted on brim  20  of cup  12 , dimension  100  between radially outwardly facing surfaces of first seal ring  31  and first annular segment  81  will increase as suggested by greater dimension  101  owing, in part, to dimension  102  between radially outwardly facing fourth annular seal surface  44  and radially outwardly facing surface of top portion  46  since dimension  102  is greater than dimension  100 .  
         [0034]     Lid  114  shown, for example, in  FIGS. 7-12 , incorporated many of the features associated with lid  14  shown, for example, in  FIGS. 1-6 . Retainers  124 ,  126  included in lid  114  are arranged to engage portions of cup  112  to block unwanted removal of lid  114  from cup  112  as suggested in  FIG. 12 . Four seal rings  131 ,  132 ,  133 , and  134  are provided on lid  114  to engage companion annular seal surfaces  141 ,  142 ,  143 , and  144  on cup  112  to establish four liquid flow barriers arranged in series near and on brim  120  of cup  112  to block unwanted discharge of liquid from a liquid reservoir chamber  122  in cup  112  while lid  114  is in place on cup  112  as suggested in  FIG. 12 .  
         [0035]     As shown, for example, in  FIG. 112 , cup  112  includes brim  120  and a side wall  140  extending downwardly from brim  120 . Side wall  140  is formed to include a large-diameter top portion  146  appended to brim  120 , a body portion  150  located under top portion  146 , and an annular transitional portion  152  interconnecting top portion  146  and body portion  150 . Brim  120  also includes a lid retainer  156  as suggested in  FIG. 12 .  
         [0036]     Closure  116  of lid  114  includes a round hub  170  providing a straw receiver  172  and five radically extending spoke ribs  174  terminating at hub  170 . Closure  116  also includes an inclined plate  176  located between each pair of adjacent spoke ribs  174 . Lid  114  also includes a lid-removal flange  180  as suggested in  FIGS. 8, 9 , and  12 .