Abstract:
A cup lid comprising a first part lying in a first plane and having a top surface and a second part depends radially outwardly from said first part and lies in a second plane. Means on the second part and traversing perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second part for preventing the tearing of the second part during the movement of the second part. First container means on the second part and second container means on the second part contiguous to the first container means. Barrier means mounted on the second part for impeding a portion of the liquid in the cup from flowing directly out of the drinking aperture. Latching means on said cup lid located near the center axis of rotation of the cup lid.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a plastic lid for a drinking cup. In particular, the invention relates to a lid having a flexible flange which depends downwardly into the cup and rests contiguously against the cup&#39;s inner sidewall surface to form a channel and two apertures through which the contents of the cup may be emptied. The subject matter of the present invention comprises a first channel on the first part; a first container and a second container connected to the first container; latching means on the bottom surface of the first part of the cup lid; and barrier means on the distal end of the first part. 
         [0002]    The prior art, such as Morris et al U.S. Pat. No. 7,275,652, discloses a lid which solves many of the disadvantages of using a traditional cup lid. However, the subject matter of the invention disclosed in Morris et al &#39;652 does not offer a solution to the premature tearing of the distal portion of the first part at the point of movement of the first part. Another design solution that the Morris et al &#39;652 invention does not solve is to preclude the spillage of liquid out of the weep hole in the lid. Still further, another design solution that the Morris et al &#39;652 invention does not solve is to offer a latch to hold the distal portion of the first part to facilitate the stacking of the lids during packaging and storage. Still further, another design solution that the Morris et al &#39;652 invention does not solve is to offer a bather on the distal portion of the first part to impede the flow of liquid out of the drinking aperture. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A cup lid for use with a drinking cup containing a liquid, the cup having a base and a sidewall extending upwardly from the base, the sidewall including an inner surface, a top end, and a rim extending along the circumference of the top end and comprising a first part lying in a first plane and having a top surface, means on the first part for releasably mounting the first part to the top end of the cup to form a substantially liquid tight seal between the cup lid and the cup, a second part depending radially outwardly from the first part and lying in a second plane, a longitudinal axis and a distal end on the second part, means on the second part for movement relative to the first part, compartment means formed between the inner surface of the cup and the second part for allowing liquid in the cup to flow into the compartment and out of the compartment, the second part comprising baffle means for substantially shielding the liquid in the compartment means from substantial interference with the liquid outside the compartment means during lateral movement of the cup whereby spillage of liquid out of the cup is substantially minimized, means on the second part and traversing perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second part for preventing the tearing of the second part during the movement of the second part. First container means on the second part, second container means on the second part contiguous to the first container means, the first container means having a surface, the second container means having a surface, the surface of the first container means and the surface of the second container means joined at a location on the surface of said first container means and at a location on the surface of the second container means. Barrier means mounted on the second part for impeding a portion of the liquid from flowing directly from the cup out of the drinking aperture. Latching means on said cup lid located near the center axis of rotation of the cup lid. The latching means is located near the center axis of the cup lid and has means for releasably holding the distal end of the second part when the flange is moved to its second position. 
         [0004]    These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing, the same reference numbers are used to identify similar elements in the various embodiments. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and a partial view of a liquid filled drinking cup; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is an elevational cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is an elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  is a partial cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 11  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 12  is a partial cross sectional view taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    A detailed description of the preferred embodiment and best mode for practicing the invention are described herein. While the present invention is described in greater detail relative to the enclosed drawings in which the preferred method of practicing the present invention are shown, it should be acknowledged that persons skilled in the relevant arts may modify certain of the invention herein described while still arriving at the same positive conclusions with regards to this invention. Consequently, the following description is intended to be a general, instructive disclosure and is not intended to be restrictive upon the present invention. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a top view of cup lid  10 , which is the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Cup lid  10  is used with a drinking cup  12  comprising a sidewall  16  having an inner surface  18  extending vertically, a top end  20 , and a rim  22  which extends along the circumference of the top end  20 . Lid  10  comprises a first part  24 , which is generally flat and circular in shape and lies in a first plane. Lid  10  is normally manufactured out of a very thin thermoplastic material. A sheet of the plastic material is heated over a vacuum mold, which softens the material and forms the lid. After the vacuum forming process, the material cools and is removed from the mold as a hardened material. During the forming process, a slotted edge  26  is also formed along the circumference of the lid, which provides means for releasably mounting the first part  24  to the rim  22  of cup  12  to form a substantially liquid tight seal between the lid  10  and the cup  12 . 
         [0019]    In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a second part  28  ( FIG. 3 ), which is formed out of the same thermoplastic material as the first part  24  ( FIG. 2 ) and which is integral with or permanently mounted to the first part  24 . The second part extends radially outwardly from the first part  24  and lies within the same plane as first part  24  and is centered along the center longitudinal axis  200 . 
         [0020]    The second part  28  is co-joined with first part  24  along edge  25  to comprise one continuous integral part. Second part  28  comprises a longitudinally tapered flange  29  having a distal end  32  and a proximal end  30 , spaced apart and away from the distal end  32 , and a substantially flat surface  33 , contiguous to proximal end  30 . Second part  28  comprises a permanently formed longitudinal hinge  37  having a cross-sectional area in the form of channel  37 . Channel  37  is formed in the lid during the manufacturing process which bifurcates lid  10  into first part  24  and second part  28 . Channel  37  is concave in cross sectional area. The open side of channel  37  and faces away from bottom surface  39 . (See,  FIG. 10 ) Channel  37 &#39;s structure allows second part  28  to move freely between a first-open position  41   a  ( FIG. 10 ) and a second-closed position  41   b  ( FIG. 12 ). Channel  37  acts as a “living hinge” so that second part  28  may move independently of first part  24 . It has been unexpectantly found and determined that the constant movement of second part  28  without the addition of channel  37  causes the thermoplastic material to tear. Channel  37  prevents this tearing at end points  37   a  and  37   b  ( FIG. 2 ). It is not desirable for end points  37   a  and  37   b  to tear since such tearing would allow for the spillage of liquid out of the cup and the premature breakage of second part  28 . 
         [0021]    Second part  28  further comprises two containers formed near the proximal end  30  of part  28 . First container  90  lies perpendicular to the center longitudinal axis  200  of second part  28  at proximal end  30 . Second container  92  lies perpendicular to first container  90  near proximal end  30  and along the center longitudinal axis of second part  28 . First container  90  and second container  92  are concave in cross sectional area. The concave opening of first container  90  faces towards bottom surface  39  of first part  24 . First container  90  comprises first surface  91  with opening  93  which meets opening  95  in second container  92  so that there is an open passageway between first container  90  and second container  92 . Second container  92  comprises second surface  94  with opening  96  located at the opposite end of second container  92  spaced apart from and away from opening  95 . These containers serve two very important purposes: the first purpose is that the containers provide an opening for air to flow between the inside of the cup and the outside of the cup to allow for the equalization of the air pressure between the inside cup air pressure and the outside air pressure. Without this opening to equalize the air pressure, the liquid in the cup would pour out of the cup very easily due to the unequal air pressure outside of the cup relative to the air pressure on the inside of the cup. This is the reason that all cup lids have a small weep hold punched through the cup lid surface to equalize the air pressure. 
         [0022]    An air weep hole in the lid of a cup lid presents another problem when in use: the liquid in the cup can easily exit the hole during normal use by splashing liquid out of the top of the cup lid and possibly onto the cup user. Neither circumstance is desirable. It has been unexpectantly found and determined that the structure of the first container  90  and second container  92  allows for liquid which splashes or spills into the containers to be held in the resulting reservoirs created by the containers. When the cup is returned to a vertical position after drinking or pouring the contents, whatever liquid remains in the containers simply empties back into the cup. 
         [0023]    In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, second part  28  comprises means to form aperture  51  when the lid is mounted to the cup and second part  28  is inserted inside of the cup and abuts the sidewall of the cup. Second part  28  has means for movement between first position  41   a  (See  FIG. 10 ) and second position  215 . See,  FIG. 8 . The design of the lid causes a biasing force in second part  28  towards the horizontal plane thereby causing second part  28  to come to rest against the inner sidewall surface  18  of cup  12  when lid  10  is mounted onto rim  22 . 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 6  there is shown a top view of the cup lid before the lid is attached onto a cup. A plurality of three semispherical barriers  50  are mounted onto the distal portion of second part  28 . The diameter of each barrier  50  should is preferably between 0.25″ to 0.375″. Barriers  50  may be made out of thermoplastic material and mounted directly on second part  28  with suitable adhesives and the like, or barriers  50  may be directly formed out of the material of second part  28  during the manufacturing forming process of the lid. Referring to  FIG. 8 , the purpose of the bathers  50  is to impede the flow of liquid during pouring, thereby substantially reducing the splashing of liquid out of aperture  51 . It has been unexpectantly found, that while barriers  50  impede the flow of liquid out of aperture  51 , barrier  50  does not significantly impede the flow of liquid during the normal drinking process since there is sufficient area in the aperture compartment to allow for a sufficient volume of liquid to move around and through barrier  50  to satisfy normal drinking or sipping needs. While at least one barrier  50  of a larger size then one of the three barriers, can be used in the present invention, it has been unexpectantly found that three barriers work best by allowing the liquid to flow around the serpentine channels created by the close proximity of the three barriers juxtaposed on second part  28 . 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 2  there is shown a latch  150  which is either mounted to the bottom surface  33  of second part  28  or formed as a part of the same material of second part  28  during the manufacturing process. Latch  150  provides means for releasably attaching the distal edge  151  of distal end  32  when second part  28  is moved to its second position  41   b  (See,  FIG. 12 ) The purpose of using means for releasably attaching second part  28  to the underside of the lid is to provide a convenient and economical mechanism to stack or package the lids vertically without having second part  28  protruding from the stacking or packaging container. Further, the use of latch  151  has the unexpected benefit that it is very easy to release second part  28  from its latched or second position by slightly bending the sides of first part  24 . Cup lid  10  is then held with one hand whereby first part  24  is essentially horizontal and then moving or bending the second part  28  (or flange  29 ) in a downward direction so that first part  24  and second part  28  are non-coplanar with each other. Second part  28  need only be bent or moved 90 degrees or more from the horizontal plane of first part  24  before movement is terminated in order for second part  28  to fit into cup  12 . After movement of second part  28  is terminated, lid  10  is then mounted onto rim  22  by pushing slotted edge  26  onto rim  22  around the circumference of lid  10 . After mounting, second part  28  comes to rest against the inner sidewall surface  18  of cup  12  thereby forming a channel  48  or compartment and the like. The liquid  54  in the cup  12  essentially flows into first aperture  56 , through channel  48  and out of aperture  56  when the cup  12  is either inverted or the contents are drunk. 
         [0026]    It should be noted that the preferred embodiment of the present invention offers no significant disadvantage over cup lids presently used in the beverage industry. For example, the added cost of manufacture of the lid is relatively insignificant since each of the design features stated herein adds a fraction of the cost of manufacture. The added de minimis cost is most certainly offset by the added convenience and unexpected advantages of the present invention which would translate into increased sales of beverages for the business establishment using the present invention. The cup lid also is easily stored in the business establishment since the lids may be stacked one on top of the other as presently done with conventional lids. Thus packaging for shipment from the manufacturer to customer will not be substantially different or inconvenient for customer. 
         [0027]    Other embodiments and variation of the cup lid in keeping with the present invention may be realized, without departing from the sprit and scope of the appended claims.