Abstract:
A lid for a cup which provides for use of a beverage bag unit comprising a beverage bag and a drawstring connected to the beverage bag, the lid comprising: a flange for attachment to a cup; and a body unit comprising a body section including an aperture through which the drawstring is slideable, and at least one wing member operable to allow a user to squeeze and/or hold the beverage bag when in a raised position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a lid for a cup, in particular a disposable cup, which provides for use of a beverage bag unit comprising a beverage bag and a drawstring connected to the beverage bag, where a beverage product, in particular an infused beverage product, such as tea, is obtained by immersion of a beverage bag in a beverage liquid. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Beverage products are commonly supplied for consumption in disposable cups, these cups often being provided with a lid to prevent spillage, such as when carried. Also, where the beverage product is a hot product, the lid acts to maintain the temperature of the beverage product. 
     Conventional lids are inadequate for use with beverage bag units, as the drawstring has to pass between the lid and the cup, thus breaking the seal as normally provided by the lid, and requiring the lid to be removed in order to remove the beverage bag on attainment of a beverage product at the required strength. 
     More recently, a lid has been developed for use with a tea bag which includes a cross-shaped slit through which the drawstring is threaded, such that, following a required infusion, the drawstring is drawn up through the slit to cause the tea bag to be drawn into the slit and be held captive thereby. 
     This lid still, however, suffers from a number of disadvantages. Notably, the drawstring has to be pre-threaded, both because it is particularly difficult to thread the drawstring through the slit, akin to threading the eye of a needle but where the slit does not present an aperture, and because the tab, which is provided to the drawstring to allow a user to raise the tea bag, has to be attached to the drawstring following threading. In addition, as the drawstring is a tight fit in the slit, the tea bag cannot be repeatedly dunked in the beverage, as required to obtain a strong infusion. Furthermore, in requiring the tea bag to be forcibly drawn up into the slit, the tea bag can be ruptured by the sharp edges of the slit, leading undesirably to the leakage of tea leaves into the cup, and the drawstring can even be separated from the tea bag, which could occur prior to the tea bag being held captive in the slit and lead to the tea bag remaining in the cup and providing for over-infused tea. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is thus an aim of the present invention to provide an improved lid for use with a beverage bag unit, in particular a lid which allows for the drawstring of the beverage bag unit to be attached easily to the lid, and the beverage bag of the beverage bag unit to be squeezed and held clear of the beverage product on attainment of a beverage product at a required strength. 
     Thus, the present invention provides a lid for a cup which provides for use of a beverage bag unit comprising a beverage bag and a drawstring connected to the beverage bag, the lid comprising: a flange for attachment to a cup; and a body unit comprising a body section including an aperture through which the drawstring is slideable, at least one wing member which is hinged to the body section and operable, with the lid fitted to the cup, by a finger and/or thumb of a user to allow the user to squeeze and/or hold the beverage bag when in a raised position. 
     Preferably, the lid is provided with first and second wing members which are operable by ones of fingers or a finger and a thumb of a user. 
     Preferably, the flange is configured to provide a fluid-tight seal with a cup. 
     Preferably, the aperture is sized such that the drawstring is freely slideable therein. 
     Preferably, the beverage bag unit comprises a tab provided to the drawstring, and the aperture is sized such that the tab can be threaded therethrough. 
     Preferably, the body section includes a drinking spout. However, alternatively, a drinking spout may be formed by operation of one of the wing members. 
     Preferably, the at least one wing member is resiliently hinged to the body section. 
     In one embodiment there are two wing members hinged to a central region of the body section such as to be hinged in opposite senses on operation of the same. 
     Preferably, at least one wing member is attached to the body section by a hinge element about which the same is hinged on operation of the wing member, and a perforated connection which is broken on operation of the wing member. 
     Preferably, at least one wing member is recessed such as to receive a finger and/or thumb of the user. 
     In one embodiment at least one wing member comprises an engagement element which can engage another such element when the wing member is in a hinged configuration following squeezing of the beverage bag, such as to lock the wing member in the hinged configuration and thereby hold the beverage bag in a raised position. 
     Preferably, the engagement element on one wing member comprises a projection and the other such element comprises a recess, with locking being achieved by frictional engagement of the same. 
     Preferably, there are first and second wing members, and the wing members include counterpart engagement elements which engage one another when the wing members are in a hinged configuration following squeezing of the beverage bag, such as to lock the wing members in the hinged configuration and thereby hold the beverage bag in the raised position. 
     In another embodiment the body unit includes a drawstring locking element which provides for locking of the drawstring when the beverage bag is in the raised position, such as to hold the beverage bag in the raised position. 
     Preferably, the body unit comprises an upstanding wall member, a lower edge of which is connected to the flange, and a closure member which extends inwardly of an upper edge of the wall member and comprises the body section and the at least one wing member. 
     Preferably, the lid is integrally formed. 
     More preferably, the lid is vacuum formed from a plastics material. 
     In one embodiment the beverage bag unit comprises a tea bag unit. 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described hereinbelow by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a lid in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of the lid of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a plan view of the lid of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an underside view of the lid of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective sectional view (along section I-I) of the lid of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a side sectional view (along section I-I) of the lid of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 7(   a ) to ( c ) illustrate the operation of the lid of  FIG. 1  in relation to a beverage bag unit; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a plan view of a lid as a modification of the lid of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a plan view of a lid in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates one side view of the lid of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates another side view of the lid of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a side sectional view (along section II-II) of the lid of  FIG. 9 ; and 
         FIGS. 13(   a ) to ( c ) illustrate the operation of the lid of  FIG. 8  in relation to a beverage bag unit. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The lid  3  comprises an annular flange  5  which is configured, in this embodiment dimensioned, to be a tight, sealing fit with the upper rim of an open-topped cup which contains a beverage product such as to prevent leakage at the junction of the flange  5  and the cup, and a body unit  7  which is formed integrally with the flange  5  and encloses the cup. 
     In this embodiment the lid  3  is formed from a plastics material, with the material being determined according to the beverage product. In a preferred embodiment the lid  3  is vacuum formed. 
     In this embodiment the body unit  7  comprises an annular wall member  9 , a lower edge of which is formed with the flange  5 , and a closure member  11  which extends inwardly of an upper edge of the wall member  9 , here substantially parallel to the flange  5 , and encloses the cup. 
     In this embodiment the wall member  9  has a height such that the beverage bag of a beverage bag unit can be maintained clear, or at least substantially clear, of the beverage product contained by the cup when full, as will become apparent hereinbelow. 
     The closure member  11  comprises a body section  15  and first and second wing members  17 ,  19  which are hingeable about respective hinges  20 , in this embodiment resilient connections, to the body section  15  such as to allow a user to squeeze the beverage bag when raised from the beverage product and hold the beverage bag in a position raised from the beverage product to prevent further infusion when standing, as will be described in more detail hereinbelow. In this embodiment the junction of the wing members  17 ,  19  to the body section  15  at other than the respective hinges  20  is by a perforated connection  21 , which connection  21  is broken on operation of the wing members  17 ,  19  by a user. 
     The body section  15  includes a slot  22 , in this embodiment centrally thereof, through which the drawstring of a beverage bag unit is threaded. In this embodiment the slot  22  is configured such as to allow the tab on the drawstring to be threaded therethrough. This configuration advantageously allows beverage bag units to be attached to lids  3  either at the time of manufacture or as and when required at service points. Also, as a result of the drawstring being a free, sliding fit in the slot  22 , a user can repeatedly dunk the beverage bag into the beverage liquid where a strong infusion is required. 
     The body section  15  further includes a drinking spout  23  at one edge thereof through which a user drinks the beverage product as contained In the cup. 
     In one embodiment, for example, where the beverage product is a hot product, the body section  15  can include a caution notice warning of the same, which notice can be vacuum formed into the body section  15  where the lid  3  is vacuum formed. 
     The wing members  17 ,  19  are hinged, in this embodiment to a central region of the body section  15 , such that on operating the same, the wing members  17 ,  19  are hinged in opposite senses and encompass the beverage bag when located therebetween. In this embodiment the wing members  17 ,  19  are recessed to receive ones of fingers or a finger and a thumb, typically a forefinger and a thumb, to allow for operation by squeezing the same. The wing members  17 ,  19  include counterpart engagement elements  25 ,  27  which engage one another when the wing members  17 ,  19  are in the hinged configuration such as to lock the wing members  17 ,  19  in the hinged configuration, and thereby hold the beverage bag in the raised position following squeezing. In this embodiment the engagement element  25  on one, the first wing member  17  comprises a projection and the engagement element  27  on the other, second wing member  19  comprises a recess, with the locking being achieved by frictional engagement of the same. 
     In this embodiment the engagement elements  25 ,  27  are disposed centrally to the ends of the wing members  17 ,  19 . In other embodiments the engagement elements  25 ,  27  can be disposed in any configuration, for example, off center, in dependence upon the design of the beverage bag. 
     A typical operation of the lid  3  in relation to a beverage bag unit  33  will now be described hereinbelow by way of example with reference to  FIGS. 7(   a ) to ( c ) of the accompanying drawings. 
     The beverage bag unit  33  comprises a beverage bag  35  which contains beverage material, a drawstring  37  which is connected to the beverage bag  35  and a tab  38  which is provided to the drawstring  37  to allow for a user to handle the beverage bag unit  33 . It will be understood that the present invention finds application in relation to any bagged beverage product, which, for example, includes tea and flavourings. Also the beverage liquid can be hot or cold, and can be other than water, for example, milk. For the purposes of illustration, the operation of the lid  3  will be described in relation to a tea bag unit, where infused by hot water. 
     A cup  39  is first filled with a beverage liquid  41 , in this embodiment a hot water. 
     The beverage bag unit  33 , In this embodiment a tea bag unit, is then attached to the lid  3  by threading the tab  38  through the slot  22  in the body section  15 . In one embodiment the lid  3  can be supplied with the beverage bag unit  33  already pre-threaded thereto. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 7(   a ), the lid  3  is then fixed to the rim of the cup  39 , whereupon the beverage bag  35  falls into the beverage liquid  41 . The user can then dunk the beverage bag  35  as required to obtain a beverage product of the required strength. 
     On attainment of a beverage product at the required strength, the user draws up the beverage bag by raising the tab  38  and operates on the wing members  17 ,  19  first to squeeze the retained beverage liquid from the beverage bag  35 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7(   b ), and subsequently lock the wing members  17 ,  19  in the locked configuration through inter-engagement of the engagement members  25 ,  27  thereof, such as to hold the beverage bag  35  clear of the beverage product and prevent further infusion, as illustrated in  FIG. 7(   c ). 
     In one modification, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the wing members  17 ,  19  and the slot  22  in the body section  15  can be offset from the center of the lid  3  in a direction opposed from the drinking spout  23 . This configuration allows for a cup to which the lid  3  is fixed to be tilted to a greater degree. 
     The lid  103  comprises an annular flange  105  which is configured, in this embodiment dimensioned, to be a tight, sealing fit with the upper rim of an open-topped cup which contains a beverage product such as to prevent leakage at the junction of the flange  105  and the cup, and a body unit  107  which is formed integrally with the flange  105  and encloses the cup. 
     In this embodiment the lid  103  is formed from a plastics material, with the material being determined according to the beverage product. In a preferred embodiment the lid  103  is vacuum formed. 
     In this embodiment the body unit  107  comprises an annular wall member  109 , a lower edge of which is formed with the flange  105 , and a closure member  111  which extends inwardly of an upper edge of the wall member  109 , here generally parallel to the flange  105 , and encloses the cup. 
     In this embodiment the wall member  109  has a height such that the beverage bag of a beverage bag unit can be maintained clear, or at least substantially clear, of the beverage product contained by the cup when full, as will become apparent hereinbelow. 
     The closure member  111  comprises a body section  115  and first and second wing members  117 ,  119  which are hingeable about respective hinges  120 , in this embodiment resilient connections, to the body section  115  such as to allow a user to squeeze the beverage bag when raised from the beverage product. In this embodiment the junction of the wing members  117 ,  119  to the body section  115  at other than the respective hinges  120  is by a perforated connection  121 , which connection  121  is broken on operation of the wing members  117 ,  119  by a user. 
     The body section  115  includes a slot  122 , in this embodiment centrally thereof, through which the drawstring of a beverage bag unit is threaded. In this embodiment the slot  122  is configured such as to allow the tab on the drawstring to be threaded therethrough. This configuration advantageously allows beverage bag units to be attached to lids  103  either at the time of manufacture or as and when required at service points. Also, as a result of the drawstring being a free, sliding fit in the slot  122 , a user can repeatedly dunk the beverage bag into the beverage liquid where a strong infusion is required. 
     The body section  115  further includes a drinking spout  123  at one edge thereof through which a user drinks the beverage product as contained in the cup. 
     In one embodiment, for example, where the beverage product is a hot product, the body section  115  can include a caution notice warning of the same, which notice can be vacuum formed into the body section  115  where the lid  103  is vacuum formed. 
     The wing members  117 ,  119  are hinged, in this embodiment to a central region of the body section  115 , such that on operating the same, the wing members  117 ,  119  are hinged in opposite senses and encompass the beverage bag when located therebetween. In this embodiment the wing members  117 ,  119  are recessed to receive ones of fingers or a finger and a thumb, typically a forefinger and a thumb, to allow for operation by squeezing the same. 
     The body section  115  further includes a drawstring locking element  125 , in this embodiment a resilient tab formed integrally with the body section  115 , which acts to lock the drawstring when located thereat, thereby enabling the beverage bag to be held in a position raised from the beverage product to prevent further infusion when standing, as will be described in more detail hereinbelow. 
     A typical operation of the lid  103  in relation to a beverage bag unit  133  will now be described hereinbelow by way of example with reference to  FIGS. 13(   a ) to ( c ) of the accompanying drawings. 
     The beverage bag unit  133  comprises a beverage bag  135  which contains beverage material, a drawstring  137  which is connected to the beverage bag  135  and a tab  138  which is provided to the drawstring  137  to allow for a user to handle the beverage bag unit  133 . It will be understood that the present invention finds application in relation to any bagged beverage product, which, for example, includes tea and flavourings. Also the beverage liquid can be hot or cold, and can be other than water, for example, milk. For the purposes of illustration, the operation of the lid  103  will be described in relation to a tea bag unit, where infused by hot water. 
     A cup  139  is first filled with a beverage liquid  141 , in this embodiment a hot water. 
     The beverage bag unit  133 , in this embodiment a tea bag unit, is then attached to the lid  103  by threading the tab  138  through the slot  122  in the body section  115 . In one embodiment the lid  103  can be supplied with the beverage bag unit  133  already pre-threaded thereto. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 13(   a ), the lid  103  is then fixed to the rim of the cup  139 , whereupon the beverage bag  135  falls into the beverage liquid  141 . The user can then dunk the beverage bag  135  as required to obtain a beverage product of-the required strength. 
     On attainment of a beverage product at the required strength, the user draws up the beverage bag by raising the tab  138  and locks the drawstring  137  at the drawstring locking element  125 , in this embodiment by engaging the drawstring  137  underneath the drawstring locking element  125 , such as to hold the beverage bag  135  clear of the beverage product and prevent further infusion, as illustrated in  FIG. 13(   b ). 
     The user then operates on the wing members  117 ,  119  to squeeze the retained beverage liquid from the beverage bag  135 , as illustrated in  FIG. 13(   c ). 
     Finally, it will be understood that the present invention has been described in its preferred embodiments and can be modified in many different ways without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     For example, in one modification where the fill level of the cup allows, the body unit  7 ,  107  need not include an annular wall member  9 ,  109 . 
     In another modification, the drinking spout  23 ,  123  can be omitted, as some users may prefer to remove the lid  3 ,  103  and attached beverage bag unit following infusion, and thereby drink directly from the cup. Alternatively, a drinking spout may be formed by operation of a wing member. 
     In a further modification, the lid  3 ,  103  can include a ruptureable aperture to allow for use with a straw; the use of straws being particularly suited to cold beverages.