Abstract:
A multipurpose beverage lid includes a lid portion that is tethered to a drink cup, a first removable film attached to the lid and covering and sealing a drink aperture in the lid, a second removable film covering the remainder of the drink lid, with each removable film suitable for receiving printed information and/or prize type information.

Description:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    This invention relates to the field of lids for beverage containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a lid for use with a beverage container that would typically contain a hot liquid such as coffee or tea, and that provides a removable, sanitary boundary that ensures that the drink lid surface that will come into contact with the beverage drinker&#39;s mouth is not contaminated by the beverage server. 
         [0006]    2. Summary of the Invention 
         [0007]    There is broad support for the proposition that human hands can transport and communicate viruses or harmful bacteria. People that work in coffee shops typically will apply a drink lid to a beverage container before the beverage is provided to a customer. This action often requires the beverage server to place his fingers/palm on the portion of the drink lid that will contact the beverage drinker&#39;s lips/mouth when the beverage is consumed. As a result, there is a substantial opportunity for the beverage server to communicate harmful viruses or bacteria to the drink lid and then for the harmful viruses or bacteria to then contact the beverage drinker&#39;s lips/mouth. 
         [0008]    Further, once a beverage drinker receives the beverage, the beverage drinker often moves to a secondary station where the drinker can add cream, sugar, or other condiments to the beverage. This process generally requires the beverage drinker to remove the beverage lid and often results in the lid being placed on the secondary station that itself, may be contaminated with harmful viruses or bacteria. As a result, having a removable lid that is not connected to the beverage container provides an additional opportunity for contamination. Also, to keep a hot beverage hot, and to prevent spillage, it is preferable for a beverage lid to completely seal the top of the beverage container. Finally, retailers wish to place advertisements, promotions, and other information in locations that will be viewed by customers. 
         [0009]    Thus, there is a need for a beverage lid that provides a removable barrier that keeps the portion of the drink lid that will contact a user&#39;s lip/mouth sanitary, that allows the lid to be removed without the lid having to be placed in contact with secondary surfaces, that provides a complete sealing of the beverage container, and that provides a location for the placement of advertisements, promotions, and other information. 
         [0010]    This summary provides, in simplified forms, concepts that are more fully described and detailed below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is this summary intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope fo the claimed subject matter. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the appended claims. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set described in this application. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the invention can be obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a front, isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a rear, isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention attached to a beverage container. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a front isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , sanitary drink lid  100  is shown attached to beverage container  101 . As seen in  FIG. 2 , sanitary drink lid  100  includes a tether  201  that extends from sanitary drink lid  100  and connects to beverage container  101 . Tether  201  is preferably an integral part of cup lid  106 , extends from an edge of the rim of cup lid  106 , and is located opposite beverage aperture  203 . Preferably, tether  201  is attached by adhesive  202  to beverage container  101 . Sanitary drink lid  100  is composed of cup lid  106  which is of a known design for attachment to beverage container  101 . Sanitary drink lid  100  further includes a front cover  104 , that covers the area of cup lid  106  where a beverage is dispensed to a drinker through an aperture. Front cover  104  is removably attached to cup lid  104 , preferably with a light, food grade adhesive that does not leave any residue upon removal. Similarly, rear cover  105  covers the remaining top surface of cup lid  106  and is removably attached with a light, food grade adhesive that does not leave any residue upon removal. 
         [0019]    Front cover  104  includes at least one front tab  102  that is not adhered to cup lid  106  and may be readily grasped by a user to facilitate removal of front cover  104 . Rear cover  105  also includes at least one rear tab  103  that is not adhered to cup lid  106  and may be readily grasped by a user to facilitate removal of rear cover  105 . It should be understood that the general disposition and configuration of the front cover  104  and rear cover  105  may be modified to fit any and all beverage lid configurations, and no description herein is intended to limit the shape, design, dimensions, angles, materials or application of the invention. While this embodiment is intended to accommodate easy manufacturing on a flat sheet of material, front cover  104  and rear cover  105  may be transparent, opaque, colored, or of any combination thereof. Provided, however, that front cover  104  and rear cover  105  are made from a material suitable to receive printing on both a top surface that is immediately viewed by a user, and a bottom surface, that is not viewable until front cover  104  and/or rear cover  105  is removed from cup lid  106 . Further, front cover  104  and rear cover  105  are preferably made from a thin, flexible, fluid impervious sheet of material. 
         [0020]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , rear cover adhesive  301  and front cover adhesive  302  preferably are applied in a band proximate to the periphery of rear cover  105  and front cover  104  respectively. Alternatively, rear cover adhesive  301  and front cover adhesive  302  may be applied to the entire underside of rear cover  105  and front cover  104 . As seen in  FIG. 4 , plug  401  is attached to the underside of front cover  104  and is sized and positioned to completely seal sip opening  203 . Plug  401  further includes a shoulder  402 , that aids in securing plug  401  in sip opening  203 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , tether  201  may be integrally formed as an extension to cup lid  106  and is secured to beverage container  101  by tether adhesive  501 . Alternatively, tether  201  may be separate from cup lid  106  and may be secured to cup lid  106  by adhesive or like connector. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , rear cover  105  is configured to receive a printed message on both the top and bottom surface of rear cover  105 . Preferably, top rear message  601  would include advertising and bottom rear message  602  would include coupon, promotion, or sweepstake type information. As further shown in  FIG. 6 , preferably, front cover  104  and rear cover  105  are separate and may be independently removed from cup lid  106 . 
         [0022]    In operation, a barista would first fill beverage container  101  with a consumer&#39;s choice of beverage. Next, the barista would position cup lid  106  into position on top of beverage container  101 . Because plug  401  completely seals sip opening  203 , beverage container  101  is completely sealed and there is no need to insert a separate sip opening plug as is common practice with conventional drink lids. The consumer then removes front cover  104 , thereby removing plug  401 , and the consumer may then consume the beverage through sip opening  203 . Importantly, removing front cover  104  exposes a portion of lid  106  that is clean, sanitary, and untouched by the barista. If a consumer desires to remove lid  106  to add condiments, tether  201  retains lid  106  without requiring lid  106  to be placed on a separate surface. This eliminates the possibility of acquiring contaminants from a secondary surface. 
         [0023]    It will be readily seen by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention fulfills all the objects set forth above. After reading the foregoing specification, one of ordinary skill will be able to effect various changes, substation of equivalents and various other aspects of the invention as broadly disclosed herein. It is, therefore, intended that the protection granted hereon be limited only by he definition contained in the appended claims and equivalents thereof.