Abstract:
A clip can be slidably attached to a disposable cup lid. The clip can easily attach to a commercially available lid or a customized lid and cover an aperture in the lid. The spill clip can be made separately from the lid and attach to any lid, or the lid can be built with a pre-attached clip.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/598,901, filed Aug. 4, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Inventions  
         [0003]     This invention relates generally to cup lids configured to reduce the likelihood of spillage and particularly to a reusable clip that may attach to beverage lids to reduce the likelihood of spillage.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     Beverage containers are widely used in the food industry to provide hot and cold drinks to customers. These containers are often disposable cups that have a lid secured to the top of the cup. Disposable cups permit the customer to take the drink with them when they leave the food establishment in which they purchased the cup. These containers are frequently used during transit, such as in automobiles, boats, golf carts, or walking, and the possibility of spilling the contents of the container during such activities is increased. This may result in spillage on a shirt, trousers, or carpet. Additionally, these containers are often used in settings involving large crowds, such as ball games, where the possibility of spillage may be increased, posing an inconvenience to the customer and those within the vicinity.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS  
       [0006]     Disclosed herein are different embodiments related to a clip that is designed to connect to a beverage lid containing an aperture. The clip preferably is designed to cover the aperture to reduce the likelihood of spillage. The clip may slidably engage a perimeter, or other edge, of the lid, allowing a user to slide the clip over the aperture to reduce the likelihood of spillage. In order to drink or pour the beverage, the user may slide the clip to expose the aperture.  
         [0007]     The clip can be attached to any commercially available, disposable cup lid. The clip can be easily attached to a pre-existing commercially available lid or a customized lid to cover the aperture of the lid. The clip can be made separately from the lid and can snap-on, or otherwise attach, to any lid, or the lid can be manufactured with a pre-attached clip.  
         [0008]     The clip can be attached on a disposable lid, and may be plastic and disposable or reusable. The clip may be a clip-on flap that covers the aperture for any hot or cold beverage. The curve of the clip may fit to all standard cup lids and therefore is very cost effective. The clip can have vertical ridges to provide grip for easy sliding of the clip. The clip can be moved along the edge of the lid, so it can cover the aperture of the lid or it can be slid away from it.  
         [0009]     The clip can also be attached to a lid that has an elevated edge and a small dome on the opposite side from the aperture. The aperture may consist of either several holes or one single hole for drinking or pouring liquid therethrough. Part of the dome of the lid can be used for any promotional ad or the logo of the corresponding company.  
         [0010]     In one embodiment, a clip is provided that may be configured to reduce the likelihood of spillage from a beverage lid. The clip may include an elongated portion extending between a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may be configured to slidably engage a first perimeter of a lid, and the second portion may be configured to slidably engage a second perimeter of the lid. The clip may also be configured to permit multiple uses on different lids.  
         [0011]     For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain embodiments, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such embodiments, advantages, or features are required in any particular embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     The features herein disclosed are believed to be novel and are set forth with particularity in the claims. The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by making reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the figures of which like referenced numerals identify the like elements, and wherein:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a lid with a spill clip attached thereto;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a side cross-sectional view of a cup with the lid and an embodiment of the spill clip also shown;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the spill clip; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the spill clip. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     With reference to the figures, certain embodiments will be described, which embodiments provide spill clips for reducing the likelihood of spillage from a beverage container. The spill clips contemplated herein are adapted to be assembled to a conventional or custom lid and slidably engage the lid to cover and expose an opening through which fluid may be poured. The spill clips may be removed when the beverage container is disposed, thereby permitting a user to reuse the clip.  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a view of a spill clip  50  attached to a lid  10 . Both the spill clip  50  and the lid  10  can be made of plastic, although it is contemplated that they may be formed of other materials. For example, the spill clip  50  may also be constructed of metals, ceramics, etc.  
         [0019]     As schematically illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the spill clip  50  is configured to engage features of the lid  10  to secure the clip  50  on the lid  10 , but to permit slidable movement of the clip  50  along at least a portion of the lid  10 . The spill clip  50  may have a right edge  60  and a left edge  70  and may accommodate slidable movement to either side of an opening  40  in the top of the lid  10 . The lid  10  preferably has a recess  100  that provides sufficient room for accommodating a portion of the spill clip  50 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The lid  100  also preferably includes a vent hole  20  and a drain hole  30 .  
         [0020]     The lid  10  can have any of a number of shapes and may be manufactured in standard sizes to fit snugly over an upper rim of a cup  150 . A lower rim  90  of the lid  10  can be slightly thicker to allow better fitting of the spill clip  50 . A thicker lower rim  90  of the lid  10  may increase the durability of the lid  10  during operation of the spill clip  50  or reduce the likelihood of the spill clip slipping off the lid  10 . The lower rim  90  engages the upper rim of the cup  150  to secure the lid  10  on top of the cup  150 . When the lid  10  is secured on the cup  150 , the lower rim  90  of the lid  10  extends from below the upper rim of the cup  150  and provides a circumferential rim that can be engaged by a portion of the spill clip  50 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0021]     The upper rim  95  of the lid  10  can be slightly thicker in the horizontal plane and encircles a major portion of the cup  150 . The horizontal thickness of the upper rim  95  allows the clip  50  to be further reinforced on its upper side. The remaining part of the horizontal plane of the top of the cup  150  may be covered by a dome-portion of the lid  10  and may provide space for any promotional sign or imprinted logo of the company.  
         [0022]     As shown in the figures, the clip  50  may be a parabolic-shaped, thin, plastic piece that may tightly fit on the top horizontal  95  and lower bottom ridge  90  of the lid. As used herein, parabolic-shaped is not intended to limit the clip  50  profile to that of a mathematically-defined parabola, but it is used in the broadest sense of the term meaning any shape, irregular or otherwise, with an open end or with an end capable of opening.  
         [0023]     The top, inner surface of the clip can be reinforced with an additional layer of material  80  that can increase friction and decrease the chances of spillage of the beverage. The material  80  may be made of plastic or other material that can assist in sealing the opening  40  of the lid  10  when the spill clip  50  is in the closed position. For example, the material  80  may be a rubber or semi-pliable material that will conform to the opening  40 . The material  80  may be adhesively connected to the spill clip  50 , or the material  80  may be integrally formed with the spill clip  50 . The outer surface of the clip wall may contain ridges  55  to improve the grip and ease the sliding of the clip along the edge of the lid, as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The ridges  55  may be formed of a separate material and adhesively coupled to the top of the spill clip  50 , or the ridges  55  may be formed integrally with the spill clip  50 . In some embodiments, the ridges  55  are made with a different material than that of the spill clip  50 .  
         [0024]     In some embodiments, the right edge  60  and left edge  70  of the clip may extend beyond the surface of the clip, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . For example, the right edge  60  or left edge  70  may have a greater width than the portions of the clip therebetween. The increased width can operate as a ridge, against which a user can press to slide the clip between the open and closed positions.  
         [0025]     In one embodiment, the clip may include a hook  65  along its bottom edge. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the hook  65  may extend from the outer surface wall of the spill clip  50  inward, enabling the hook  65  to engage a perimeter of the cup lid  10 , for example, the lower rim of the lid  10 . The outer surface wall may extend along and over a first portion and top of an elevated ridge, or upper rim  95 , upon which the aperture or opening  40  is preferably located. The outer surface wall of the spill clip  50  may then extend along a second portion of the elevated ridge to secure the clip on the lid. Thus, the first portion engages the front of the upper rim  95  and lid  10  while the second portion engages the back of the upper rim  95 . The clip may be manufactured of a material having shape memory properties. Such a material may permit the clip to be deformed during attachment to the lid. Substantially non-deformable materials may also be used for the clip  50 .  
         [0026]     In one embodiment, a shape memory material may be used for the hook  65 . In such embodiments, the hook  65  may be able to vary in length and accommodate different lids  10  with varying heights. For example, the hook  65  may have a preset U-shape. When the hook  65  is applied to a lid  10  having a short height between the lower rim  90  and upper rim  95 , the hook  65  will substantially keep the U-shape. However, when the lid  10  has a significant height between the lower rim  90  and the upper rim  95 , the hook  65  will expand to assume a C-shape in order to traverse the distance between the lower rim  90  and the upper rim  95 . Thus, the spill clip  50  may accommodate lids  10  of different shape and size.  
         [0027]     In another embodiment, the clip  50  may be configured to assume the cross-sectional profile of the lid  10 , similar to the clip shown in  FIG. 1 . In other embodiments, the clip  50  may be configured to engage opposite sides of the upper-rim of the lid. The clip  50  may do this in a number of ways. For example, the clip  50  may include a protrusion  75  configured to engage opposite sides of the upper-rim when placed thereon. The lid  10  may be configured with elongated detents along the upper-rim configured to accommodate the clip  50  protrusion. Accordingly, when the clip  50  is placed on the lid  10 , the protrusion may slidably engage the detents of the lid  10 . In other embodiments, the clip  50  may include one portion that has a protrusion  75  for slidably engaging a detent in the lid  10  and a hook for engaging the lower rim  90  of the lid  10 , as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0028]     The clip  50  may be extruded or injection molded plastic, although other manufacturing methods and materials may be used. For example, the clip  50  may be formed of extruded metal. The color of the clip and lid can be in white or other colors. For instance, the color could be green to convey environmental consciousness.  
         [0029]     In some embodiments, the clip may have a flat outer surface, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , while still having a contoured inner surface for engaging the lid  10 . The flat outer surface may include a gripping portion disposed thereon. Alternatively or additionally, the flat surface of the spill clip  50  may include a brand name logo or other marketing indication thereon for advertisement purposes.  
         [0030]     The particular convenience of the clip is that it can be easily slid along the edge of the lid, so that the aperture can be covered or opened, depending on the need. This newly designed clip can be used to reduce the likelihood of beverage spillage. The possibility of mass-production, simplicity, and low-cost make the clip very cost-efficient.  
         [0031]     In accordance with certain features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention, the clip  50  described above can be removably attached to the cup lid  10 . In some embodiments, the combination can be provided to a customer in an assembled state while, in others, the components can be supplied separately. Thus, a customer desiring to use the clip could be provided with a cup lid and a separate clip. Thereafter, the customer can apply the clip to the cup lid in any suitable fashion. For instance, in accordance with the arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the customer could engage the hook that is formed along the bottom edge of the clip  50  over a lower edge  90  of the lid  10 . With the hook engaged on the lower edge of the lid  10 , the upper portion of the clip  50  can be slid over the upstanding portion of the lid in which the aperture for drinking the beverage is contained. In some configurations, the clip  50  can be disposed over the upstanding ridge and the hook portion can be forced over the lower edge of the lid. Once assembled to the lid, the clip  50  can be slid around the circumference of the lid to cover and/or expose the aperture to respectively reduce the likelihood of spillage or to facilitate consumption of the beverage through the aperture. The clip can be removed simply by reversing the steps taken to assemble the clip to the lid. The clip is made of a material suitable for washing and reuse in certain embodiments of the present invention. As such, the clip provides for use and continuous reuse of a simple to manufacture and easy to install member that can reduce the likelihood of spillage during transport of a container of liquid.  
         [0032]     Although this spill clip  50  has been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the clip  50  extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the clip  50  and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. In addition, while a number of variations of the clip  50  have been shown and described in detail, other modifications, which are within the scope of the present invention, will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure. It is also contemplated that various combinations or subcombinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed present invention. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the spill clip  50  herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow.