Patent Publication Number: US-2010127011-A1

Title: Lid having a flip top cover

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/913,063 filed on Apr. 20, 2007. The contents of Application Ser. No. 60/913,063 are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Children&#39;s drinking cups are generally provided with lids to help prevent large spills. The lids generally include an opening such as those commonly found in drinking spouts extending from the lid. These cups are sometimes called “sippy cups.” 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention includes a container having a removable lid with a flip top cover. 
     The invention provides a container comprising a main body and a removable lid. The main body defines an interior cavity accessible through an opening at an upper end of the main body, and the main body has a rim about the opening. The removable lid is removably secured to the rim of the main body to enclose the interior cavity. The removable lid includes a planar surface, a wall surrounding the planar surface, an outside surface of the wall configured to contact an inside surface of the rim, a recess formed in the planar surface, the recess having a gradually sloping surface from a center portion of the planar surface to the wall, an opening in the recess for communication with the interior cavity, and a cover pivotably connected with the recess and configured to pivot between a first position and a second position, the cover having a cavity sized to engage the opening. 
     The invention also provides a lid for a container. The lid includes a planar surface, a wall surrounding the planar surface, and a recess. The recess is formed on a portion of the planar surface and has a defined perimeter. The recess has a gradually sloping surface from a middle portion of the planar surface to the wall and an opening formed therein. The lid also includes a cover pivotably connected with the recess and is configured to pivot between a first position and a second position. The cover has a perimeter configured to rest within the recess when in one of the first position and the second position. The cover also has a cavity sized to engage the opening in the recess. 
     Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a lid for a container in a closed position according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side cross-sectional view of the lid illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the lid illustrated in  FIG. 1  in an open position. 
         FIG. 4  is a side cross-sectional view of the lid illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. 
     Although directional references, such as upper, lower, downward, upward, rearward, bottom, front, rear, etc., may be made herein in describing the drawings, these references are made relative to the drawings (as normally viewed) for convenience. These directions are not intended to be taken literally or limit the present invention in any form. In addition, terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” are used herein for purposes of description and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or significance. 
       FIGS. 1-4  illustrate a lid  10  for a container  12 , such as a cup or bowl or any type of storage container. The lid  10  is generally circular shaped, but could also include other suitable shapes, such as oval, square, rectangular, or irregular shapes. The lid  10  includes a generally planar surface  14  surrounded about the perimeter by a first wall  18  that extends upward from the planar surface  14 . The first wall  18  is connected to a second wall  22  generally oriented parallel with the planar surface  14 . The second wall  22  is connected to a third wall  26  generally oriented parallel with the first wall  18  and generally concentric about the first wall  18 . The first wall  18 , the second wall  22 , and the third wall  26  form a recess  30  around the planar surface  14  and on the underside of the lid  10 . The recess  30  is adapted to receive an upper rim of the container to form an air-tight and/or liquid/tight seal at the top of container. The lid  10  can include a tab that extends laterally from one of the walls  18 ,  22 ,  26  of the lid for ease of removing the lid  10  from the container. 
     The lid  10  can be molded from a suitable polypropylene material having a suitable thickness and durability. Other suitable materials and/or combinations of materials may also be used to manufacture the lid  10 . The container also can be molded from a suitable polypropylene material having a suitable thickness, but is not limited to polypropylene material. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the planar surface  14  includes an integrally molded recess  34  having a surface  38  with a slope extending gradually downward from an off-center portion  42  of the planar surface  14  toward the first wall  18 . The recess  34  includes an opening  46  for communication with the interior of the container. The opening  46  includes a lip  50  surrounding the opening  46  and extending downward into the container. The sloped surface  38  of the recess  34  provides a receptacle for liquid contents on the planar surface  14  and a flow path for returning the liquid back into the container. 
     The lid  10  includes a cover  54  supported by the recess  34 . The cover  54  includes a hinge  58  coupled to the sloped surface  38 . The hinge  58  provides a pivot point for manipulating the cover  54  between open and closed positions. The hinge  58  provides a range of motion for the cover  54  from about zero degrees to about 180 degrees. More particularly, the range of motion is from about zero degrees to about 150 degrees. The range of motion of the hinge  58  allows the cover  54  to be sufficiently open so as not to interfere with the user while drinking from the container. 
     The cover  54  includes a planar surface  60  and a cavity  62  formed within the planar surface  58 . The cavity  62  includes a bottom wall  66  and a plurality of walls  70  surrounding the bottom wall  66 . The cavity  62  extends downwardly from the planar surface  60  and is adapted to engage the opening  46  in the surface  38  of the recess  34  when the cover  54  is in a closed position as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The underside surface walls  70  of the cavity  62  seal the opening  46  to prevent the container contents from exiting the container. 
     The cover  54  includes a tab  74  adjacent the cavity  62  and extending from an edge  78  of the planar surface  60 . The tab  74  is vertically oriented and generally perpendicular to the sloped surface  38  of the recess  34 . The tab  74  includes an end  80  adjacent the cavity  62  and a distal end  82  that extends beyond a height of the rim or second wall  22  of the lid  10 . The end  80  of the tab  74  rests upon the surface  38  of the recess  34  when the cover  54  is in a closed position. The tab  74  provides the user a means of manipulating the cover  54  and disengaging the cavity  62  of the cover  54  from the opening  46 . 
     The cover  54  can be moved to an open position, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , to allow the contents in the container to exit through the opening  46 . The cover  54  can be moved to an open position where it rests upon the wall  22 . The hinge  58  is sufficiently stiff such that the cover  54  can remain in contact with the wall  22 . In this manner, the cover  54  will not close while the user is drinking from the container for example. 
     Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.