Patent Publication Number: US-7721911-B2

Title: Rotating type cup lid

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a cup lid structure, and more particularly to a multifunctional cup lid structure that allows users to selectively open and close a drinking opening by rotating the cup lid, and insert a large straw or a small straw. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Fast food restaurant, coffee shops, convenience stores and the like, typically distribute beverages in disposable drinking cups. These cups are often provided with drink-through lids having reversible openings, which permit the consumption of liquids contained therein, while at the same time preventing unwanted spillage. Drink-through lids with reversible openings are especially desirable when distributing hot beverages, such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate and the like. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,245 to Narushko provides an example of a container lid with a movable closing flap. The lid has a raised segment that forms a channel, which is adapted to receive the closing flap. The closing flap is a curved piece that must be inserted into the channel. The closing flap is movable between an open position and a closed position. Because the movement of the closing flap is controlled by a series of notches, grooves, tabs and handles located on the channel and the closing flap, the closing flap is difficult to operate and the effectiveness of the lid is compromised. 
   Referring to FIG. 1 for a cup lid 40 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,456 that is issued to Wincup Holdings, Inc., a cover portion 41 of the cup lid 40 includes a recess 42 and a hinged portion 43. If a user wants to drink from the cup, the user can press the hinged portion 43 to break open its front edge to form a hole, and then turn the hinged portion 180° backward to be latched into the recess 42. The method of this patented invention gives a convenient application, but the hinged portion 43 cannot be sealed repeatedly after it is pressed open. If a user has not finished with the drink, the liquid content in the cup may be split out easily when the cup is tilted. 
   Referring to FIG. 2 for a reclosable container lid 50 as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,875 that is issued to Solo Cup Company, the reclosable container lid 50 includes a cover 51 and a movable second piece 52, wherein the surface of the second piece 52 has a projection 521 exposed from an opening 511 of the cover 51 and a post 522 disposed on another side and exposed from a slot 512; such that the post 522 can be turned and moved to control the opening 511 in an open state or a closed state. However, the operation of turning the post 522 according to the abovementioned method is not easy. The opening 511 can be opened or closed only, but it does not come with other functions. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is a primary object of the invention to provide a rotating type cup lid that comprises a cover and a rotating body for latching an internal contact surface. The center of the cover has a circular hole, and the rotating body has a protruding knob for facilitating the operation of driving a rotating body in the cover to reach a predetermined position and achieving the effect of opening or closing the cup lid. 
   Another objective of the present invention is to provide a rotating type cup lid for the use in different food containers and the operation with a large straw or a small straw according to the requirements of the cup lid, in addition to the function of opening or closing the cup lid. 
   A further objective of the present invention is to provide a rotating type cup lid that includes a plurality of protruding ribs disposed on a cover and a rotating body to enhance the strength of the cup lid and provides a precise alignment with the position of a through hole of the rotating body. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     The accomplishment of this and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following descriptions and its accompanying figures of which: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a cup lid disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,456; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a cup lid disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,875; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 8  shows a lid being turned at different angles with respect to a rotating body in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 6 , a cup lid structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises the following elements: 
   A cover  10  includes a cover portion  11 , a wall surface  12  surrounded around the periphery of the cover portion  11 , and a flange connecting surface extended from the bottom of the wall surface  12 . The connecting surface  13  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  is provided for engaging a cup opening  31  of a cup body  30 , which is a general conventional structure, and thus will not be described in detail here. The present invention is characterized in that the cover portion  11  has a first circular groove  111  protruded from the center of the cover portion  11 , and the first circular groove  111  includes a circular hole  112  on an internal side of the first circular groove  111  and a first through hole  113  on an external side of the first circular groove  111 , and the wall surface  12  has an inwardly concave first latch portion  121  disposed at the middle section of the wall surface  12 . 
   A rotating body  20  is installed corresponding to the cover portion  111  of the cover  10 , and has a rotating surface  21  corresponding to the cover portion  11 , and the rotating surface  21  includes an embeddable second circular groove  22  corresponding to the first circular groove  111 , and a protruding knob  23  passing through the central circular hole  112 . Further, the periphery of the rotating body  20  forms a downwardly tapered edge  24  on an internal surface of a first latch portion  121  of the cover  10 , such that the rotating body  20  can be fixed to an upper half section of the internal edge of the cover  10 . When the rotating body  20  is rotated, the rotating surface  21  of the rotating body  20  corresponding to the position of the first through hole  113  includes a second through hole  211  corresponding to the first through hole  113 , a puncture hole  214  with X-shaped break lines, a small opening  213  for receiving a corresponding smaller straw, and a closed surface  212  without any hole at all. 
   With the foregoing structure, the rotating body  20  can be engaged from the bottom of the cover  10  and connected to an internal surface of the cover  10  as shown in  FIG. 6 . In other words, the rotating body  20  covers the downwardly tapered edge  24  of the rotating body  20  by an elastic clamping force of the first latch portion  121 , so that the rotating body  20  will not fall off easily. Of course, the second circular groove  22  can be embedded into the first circular groove  111  to fix the center for a 360° rotation and also provides a partial combining function. Further, the cover  20  includes a downwardly tapered second latch portion  114  disposed at the bottom of an internal circumference of the central circular hole  112 , and the rotating body  20  includes a protruding ring  25  disposed at an external periphery of the protruding knob  23  for embedding and positioning the rotating body  20 , such that the rotating body  20  can be fixed more securely. 
   Referring to  FIG. 7  for a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a cover portion  11  of the cover  10  further includes a plurality of radial first ribs  115  radiating outward from the center of the cover portion  11 , and the rotating surface  21  of the rotating body  20  includes a plurality of radial second ribs  215  corresponding to the first ribs  115 . If the second rib  215  is rotated to a position corresponding to the bottom of the first rib  115 , the first rib  115  is engaged and fixed with the second rib  215 . Therefore, the first and second ribs can have a multiple of functions for reinforcing the strength of the cover  10  and the rotating body  20 , providing an aligning function, and preventing the rotating surface  21  of the rotating body  20  from being stuck with the cover portion  11 . Of course, one or more concentric protruding ribs  116  can be formed between the first ribs  115  of the cover portion  11  for enhancing the strength of the cover portion  11  and preventing a deformation of the cover portion  11  when heated. In addition, the number of first ribs  115  and protruding ribs  116  can be increased as needed. 
   Referring to  FIG. 8 , the application and effect of the present invention are described as follows: 
     FIG. 8A  shows that the second through hole  211  of the rotating body  20  is aligned precisely with the first through hole  113  of the cover  10 , such that when the cup lid is opened, a user can drink a beverage in the cup body  30 . If the user needs to close the cup lid after drinking some of the beverage, the user can turn the knob  23  clockwise, and the rotating surface  21  as shown in  FIG. 8B  changes its angle and rotates the closed surface  212  to a position below the first through hole  113  for closing the first through hole  113 , and thus the beverage will not be spilt out easily.  FIGS. 8C and 8D  are schematic views showing a small opening  213  for receiving an insertion of a small straw and a punchable hole  214  corresponding to the first through hole  113  for receiving an insertion of a larger straw, and thus the present invention allows users to drink the content from the cup body  30  directly by mouth or by straws of different sizes. 
   Since the large and small openings and the closed surface on the rotating surface  21  of the rotating body  20  can be installed with an appropriate interval apart according to their predetermined positions, so as to position the first and second ribs  115 ,  215  with an interval apart for precisely turning the rotating surface  21  below the first through hole  113 . Furthermore, the protruding knob  23  of the rotating body  20  is positioned precisely at the circular hole  112  at the center of the cover portion  11 , and thus the rotation will be smooth and effort-saving, and the present invention can meet user requirements. 
   Many changes and modifications in the above-described embodiments of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.