Abstract:
A drinking cup lid is disclosed. The drinking cup lid includes a body with a deck and an annular wall that depends downwards. The annular wall is adapted to insert into a drinking cup. A first gasket and a second gasket extend outward from the annular wall and are configured for sealing engagement with the drinking cup. A closure is pivotally attached to the annular wall and configured and arranged to pivot between a closed position, sealing the drinking cup closed, and an open position, opening the drinking cup.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/412,651, filed Mar. 6, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,027,774, issued May 12, 2015. 
     This application also claims priority to earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/466,511, filed on Mar. 23, 2011, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates generally to drinking cup lids and more particularly to a drinking cup lid that is adapted to be secured to a drinking cup, such as a common household coffee mug, made of ceramic, glass or plastic and the like. 
     2. Background of the Related Art 
     A variety of styles of travel mugs are known in the art. These conventional travel mugs are made from plastic and metal materials and are molded and formed to exacting standards. The lids for conventional travel mugs are formed with tight tolerances so that they have an exacting fit within the mouth of their associated cup or tumbler. 
     Household drinking cups, such as ceramic coffee mugs, glasses and the like, generally do not come with lids, which prevents them, in most cases, from being used as travel mugs. All too often, though, a person desires to bring their favorite cup or mug with them on the road or on the ocean. However, due to the less exacting methods by which they are made (i.e. manual shaping and firing), there is a large tolerance in the dimensions, particularly in the size of the mouth opening, and thus it has been nearly impossible to design a lid which can accommodate the varying sizes and irregular inner dimensional shapes of everyday household mugs. 
     Therefore, there is need in the art for a device to allow a person to take the household drinking cup with them that reduces the chance of spillage while travelling and negates the need to transfer the beverage into a conventional travel mug. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention solves the problems of the prior art by providing a drinking cup lid particularly adapted for attaching to a ceramic or glass household drinking cup or mug. The drinking cup lid includes a body with a deck and an annular wall that depends downwards. The drinking cup lid includes first and second, oversized annular gaskets which can accommodate the varying dimensions and irregular inner surfaces of ceramic and glass cups and mugs. The first and second gaskets extend outward from the annular wall and are configured for sealing engagement with the inner wall of the mouth of the drinking cup. A closure is pivotally attached to the annular wall and configured and arranged to pivot between a closed position, sealing the drinking cup closed, and an open position, opening the drinking cup. In this manner, a conventional household drinking cup may be easily adapted for travel without transferring the beverage into a separate travel mug or risking spilling the beverage. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a drinking cup lid constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view thereof; 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevation view thereof; 
         FIG. 4  is a right side elevation view thereof; 
         FIG. 5  is a rear elevation view thereof; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view thereof; 
         FIG. 7  is a left side elevation view thereof; 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom view of thereof; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-section view through line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9A  is another cross-sectional view thereof showing the drinking cup lid received within the mouth of a cup; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view thereof as mounted on a ceramic coffee mug; 
         FIG. 11  is a bottom view of a second embodiment of a drinking cup lid including a tethered third gasket; 
         FIG. 12  is a rear elevation view of a third embodiment of a drinking cup lid including an upwardly pitched upper gasket; 
         FIG. 13  is a rear perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a drinking cup lid; 
         FIG. 14  is a bottom view thereof; 
         FIG. 15  is a front perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a drinking cup lid; 
         FIG. 16  is a bottom view thereof; 
         FIG. 17  is a rear perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a drinking cup lid; 
         FIG. 18  is a plan view of the bottom gasket thereof; and 
         FIG. 19  is a bottom view of the drinking cup lid. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-10 , a first exemplary embodiment of a drinking cup lid constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is shown generally at  10 . The drinking cup lid  10  includes a body  12  having a deck  14  with an annular wall  16  depending from the deck  14 . Extending upward from the deck  14  is a curved dispensing spout  18  that faces the front of the drinking cup lid  10 . The annular wall  16  includes a pair of spaced apart sealing gaskets  20 ,  22  extending outwardly from the annular wall  16 , which will be described further below. The drinking cup lid  10  further includes a closure  24  to prevent spillage and retain the heat in the contents of the drinking cup  26  (best seen in  FIG. 10 ), which will also be described further below. 
     The annular wall  16  includes an outer surface adapted for insertion into a drinking cup  26 , such as a common, household coffee mug, made of ceramic, glass or plastic and the like. The first and second gaskets  20 , 22  are generally planar, annular gaskets formed from sheets of a flexible, water resistant material, such as silicone. The first gasket  20  extends from outer surface of the annular wall  16  and is adapted to form a seal against the inner wall of a drinking cup  26 . The inner edge of the first gasket  26  is retained to the outer surface of the annular wall  16  between a first annular rib  28   a  and a second annular rib  28   b . The first annular rib  28   a  and the second annular rib  28   b  extend from the outer surface of the annular wall  16  and are spaced apart sufficient to fit the first gasket  20  and form a tight seal therebetween. 
     The second gasket  22  extends from outer surface of the annular wall and is also adapted to form a seal against the inner wall of a drinking cup  26 . The second gasket  22  includes a number of slots  30  formed therethrough. Depending from the annular wall is an equal number of retaining elements  32  that interfit with the slots  30  on the second gasket  22 . The retaining elements  32  hold the second gasket  22  onto the drinking cup lid  10 . A third annular rib  28   c  extending from the outer surface of the annular wall  16  abuts the second gasket  22  and ensures a tight seal between the second gasket  22  and the annular wall  16  of the drinking cup lid  10 . 
     Referring briefly to  FIG. 9A , the cup  26  includes an inner wall  27  having an inner diameter ID. As will become apparent from  FIG. 9A , the outer diameter (OD) of the retaining elements  32  are sized significantly smaller than the inner diameter (ID) of the cup  26  creating a large gap (G) therebetween. The large gap (G) accommodates the varying dimensions attendant with ceramic or glass cups and the irregularities of the surface of a ceramic or glass material. Because the present lid  10  is intended to be a universal solution, the lid  10  is provided with a smaller diameter annular wall  16  to fit within a large variation of sizes of mugs or cups, and is further provided with larger, i.e. wider, annular gaskets  20 ,  22  to bridge the gap (G) created between the outer surface of the annular wall  16  and the inner surface  27  of the cup  26 . 
     In contrast, the cup and lid of standard travel cups are formed using exacting dimensions to eliminate any unnecessary gap between the lid and cup. Accordingly, there is virtually no gap seen in these cups and the seal is formed by small O-ring like gaskets. 
     The annular wall  16  further includes an inner surface. An upper wall  34  extends across the inner surface of the annular wall  16  and is connected thereto. An opening  35  is formed through the upper wall  34  to allow the contents of the drinking cup  26  to be dispensed therefrom. 
     The closure  24  is pivotally attached to the annular wall  16  by posts  36  which are received into openings  38  in the annular wall  16 . The closure  24  may be pivoted forward or backward to open or close, respectively, the opening  35  in the upper wall  34 . The closure  24  rocks on the rounded support  37  extending from the closure  24 . 
     An appendage  40  depends from the closure  24  and down through the opening  35  on the upper wall  34 . A third oval gasket  42  is received onto the appendage  40  and is adapted to seal the opening  35  on the upper wall  34  closed when the closure  24  is pivoted back to the closed positioned. A pair of spaced apart retaining ribs  44   a ,  44   b  holds the third gasket  42  on the appendage  40  of the closure  24 . Pivoting the closure  24  backwards lifts the appendage  40  and causes the third gasket  42  to engage the opening  35  on the inner wall  34 . Pivoting the closure  34  forwards lowers the appendage  40  and disengages the third gasket  42  from the opening  35  (See  FIG. 9 ). 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , a second exemplary embodiment of the drinking cup lid is shown generally at  100 . The second embodiment  100  includes all the features and advantages of the first embodiment described above and shown in  FIGS. 1-10 . However, the third gasket  42  is now tethered to the second gasket  22  via a tether  102 . The tether  102  prevents the third gasket  42  from becoming a choking hazard if it dislodges from the appendage  40 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , a third exemplary embodiment is indicated at  200  and includes a first gasket  220  that is pitched upwards towards the deck  14  of the drinking cup lid  100 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 13 and 14 , a fourth exemplary embodiment of the drinking cup lid is generally indicated at  300 . The fourth embodiment  300  includes all the features and advantages of the second embodiment described above and shown in  FIGS. 1-12  with some additional features. The fourth embodiment  300  adds the ability to use a straw  302  with the drinking cup  300 . In this regard, the closure  324  includes a notch  304  at the side edge thereof to permit the straw  302  to extend down into the cup  26 . Likewise, the opening  335  in the upper wall  334  is enlarged to the side to allow the straw  302  to pass by the upper wall  334 . The lower gasket  22  is then modified by enlarging the size of the tethered third gasket  342  so that it is large enough to cover the opening  335 . In this manner, the lid  300  can be used in either mode (without straw or with straw). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 15 and 16 , a fifth exemplary embodiment of the drinking cup lid is generally indicated at  400 . The fourth embodiment  400  is a “straw only” version of lid which provides a lid  400  having the sealing gasket features of the earlier embodiments but only provides the ability to use a straw  402 . In this regard, the closure  24  is eliminated and the upper wall  434  is modified to extend all the way across the upper portion of the lid deck  414 . An opening  404  is provided in the upper wall  434  to allow the straw  402  to pass through the upper wall  434 . The lower gasket  422  is then modified by removing the large central opening, removing the third gasket  42  and extending the gasket  422  all the way across the lid  400  to form a solid barrier. An X-shaped slit  406  is provided in the center of the gasket  422  to permit the straw  402  to pass through the gasket into the interior of the cup  26 . 
     Finally, turning to  FIGS. 17-19 , a sixth exemplary embodiment of the lid is generally indicated at  500 . This version includes an alternative lower gasket  522  which is solid across the bottom to cover the opening. However, the solid surface includes a plurality of small holes  502 , preferably 40 micron holes, which are sized to strain tea leaves or coffee grounds. The tether  102  is slightly longer which allows it fold outside the outer edge of the gasket  522  and then back under to attach to the appendage  40  (see dotted lines  FIG. 19 ). The use of the perforated gasket  522  allows one to put loose tea leaves or coffee grounds into a cup and add hot water and then drink the coffee or tea directly through the lid  500  strained through the gasket  522 . 
     It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be within the scope of the invention except insofar as limited by the appended claims.