Patent Publication Number: US-2011049153-A1

Title: Drink cover

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is in the field of covers for a drink, and more specifically to such covers for temporarily protecting the top surface of a drink container against bugs, dirt, dust, bacteria, and the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A person enjoying a drink in the outdoors such as on a beach, in a park, or on a porch may often leave their unfinished drink unattended standing on a table while dealing with other matters or while their attention is drawn into a conversation. During this time bugs, dirt, dust, sand, and bacteria are free to float or fly into the top of the drink container and into the drink itself. When the person returns their attention to their unfinished drink, their drink will have been contaminated and therefore undrinkable. 
     For this reason, a person may wish to carry their drink with them wherever they go. This is undesirable, however, because it requires that the person pays constant attention to their drink so as not to spill it or to allow any free floating matter or bugs to fly into their drink. Oftentimes both hands of the person are occupied in protecting their drink: one hand to hold their drink and the other to cover the top of the drink container so as not to allow any matter to fly into the top of the drink container or to swat away flies and other bugs from getting into her drink. This solution to preventing matter from contaminating a person&#39;s drink is frequently impractical. A person will often have need of both hands in order to go to the bathroom, make food, play outdoor sports, etc. making it frustrating and difficult to continuously swat away bugs or to otherwise use one&#39;s hands to prevent matter from being carried into one&#39;s drink by the wind. 
     It is therefore desirable to have some sort of cover to temporarily protect the open top of a drink container while one leaves it unattended. The cover would prevent floating matter such as dust and sand, and flying bugs from entering the open top of the drink container, and in that way, prevent the drink from being contaminated. Furthermore, such a cover would allow a person to leave their drink unattended while having both hands free to attend to other activities. 
     A person might use a readily available object with a flat surface such as a coaster or piece of paper as a temporary cover for their drink. However, this solution is undesirable for many reasons. A person needs to search for a usable object with a flat surface and of a suitable size to fit over the open top of the particular drink container they are using, which may not always be on hand. Even if an object with a flat surface is found, it must be of a suitable size for fitting over the open top of the drink container, and furthermore, must be able to form somewhat of a seal between the flat surface and the open top of the drink container. If such an object is found, once the object is in place, it may still be necessary to pay attention to the drink, as a slight breeze could easily blow the object off of the top of the drink container if the object is not properly weighted down, leaving the drink once again open to contamination. A desire to have a temporary drink cover that fits over the open top of a drink container and can form somewhat of a seal between the temporary drink cover and the open top of the drink container, and that is also properly weighted so as not to be brushed off the top of the drink container by a slight breeze is therefore reasonable. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a drink cover that overcomes problems in the prior art. 
     In an embodiment, a drink cover for covering an open top of a drink container comprises a sheet made out of a pliable material having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an outer edge, the outer edge configured to extend beyond the open top of the drink container. A plurality of peripheral weight members are attached to a periphery of the sheet such that opposite sides of the periphery of the sheet are weighted substantially the same. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a method of covering an open top of a drink container comprises the steps of providing a drink cover having a sheet made out of a pliable material having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an outer edge, and a plurality of peripheral weight members attached to a periphery of the sheet. The drink cover is positioned over an open top of the drink container with the outer edge of the sheet extending beyond the open top of the drink container. The peripheral weights weigh down the outer edge of the sheet such that the lower surface of the sheet sits substantially flat against the open top of the drink container. 
     The drink cover blocks bugs and dust, sand, and other matter suspended in the air from entering through the open top of the drink container and into the drink. This allows one to temporarily leave their drink unattended while attending to other matters without having their drink contaminated by airborne bugs and particles. The drink cover is furthermore able to be used over a variety of drink containers, including cups and cans, and is maintenance-free once set in place, making it a quick and easy method of allowing a person to leave their drink completely and have both hands free to attend to other activities. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best understood in conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the several diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a drink cover in an aspect of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the drink cover shown in  FIG. 1  placed over the open top of a drink container; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the drink cover shown in  FIG. 1  along sectional lines AA′; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of a drink cover with a rectangular outer edge; and 
         FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of a drink cover with peripheral weights extending beyond the outer edge of the sheet of the drink cover. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  illustrate a drink cover  10  in an embodiment of the present invention. Drink cover  10  has a base of uniform cross section consisting of a pliable sheet of material  20 . Sheet  20  is defined by an upper surface  22 , a lower surface  24 , and an outer edge  26 . Sheet  20  of the drink cover  10  is unperforated or has pore spaces that are generally so small as to prevent bugs, dust, sand and other airborne particles from passing therethrough. In one embodiment, the sheet  20  is made up of tulle. However, the material of the sheet  20  may be varied and selected suitably depending on what is esthetically most pleasing. 
     Sheet  20  is circular in an embodiment, however, it is anticipated that outer edge  26  may be given a geometrical configuration more closely resembling a rectangle so as to be more esthetically pleasing to the eye. Other geometrical shapes are also possible. 
     Sheet  20  of the drink cover  10  has a number of peripheral weight members  32  and  34  attached thereto. Around the periphery of sheet  20  near outer edge  26  are peripheral weight members  32  and  34 . Peripheral weight members  32  and  34  are placed such that the opposite sides of the sheet  20  at any point along the outer edge  26  are similarly weighted. Peripheral weight members  32  and  34  are typically beads or gems so as to be esthetically pleasing to the eye. Peripheral weight members  32  and  34  are of sufficient weight so as to be able to ply the sheet  20  downward over the rim  52  of a drink container  50  when the peripheral weight members  32  and  34  are extended beyond the rim  52  of the drink container  50 . 
     It is anticipated that there may be more or less peripheral weight members  32  and  34  as is needed to sufficiently weigh down the drink cover  10 . The number of peripheral weight members  32  and  34  is dependent on the size and weight of the drink cover  10 . It is further anticipated that the peripheral weight members  32  and  34  could comprise first and second weight members  32  and  34  wherein the first weight members  32  are spaced equidistant along the periphery of the sheet  20  and the second weight members  34  are spaced equidistant along the periphery of the sheet  20 . The first and second weight members will typically be different gems or beads or combinations thereof, and have different weights. Equally spacing the weight members of different weights about the periphery of the sheet  20  results in the opposite sides of the sheet  20  at any point along the outer edge  26  being similarly weighted. 
     Alternatively, the peripheral weight members  32  and  34  could comprise first, second and third weight members with the first and second weight members having substantially the same weight and the third weight member having a different weights. Either one of the first and second weight members could be equidistantly interspersed along the periphery, since they have the same weight, and the third weight members could be spaced equidistant along the periphery, again resulting in opposite sides of the sheet  20  at any point along the outer edge  26  being equally weighted. 
     To use the drink cover  10 , a drink  55  contained in the drink container  50  is provided. The drink cover  10  is placed over the open top of the drink container  50  allowing the drink cover  10  to rest on the rim  52  of the drink container  50  and such that the drink cover  10  covers the entire area of the open top of the drink container  50  with the entire outer edge  26  of the drink cover  10  extending beyond the rim  52  of the drink container  50 . The peripheral weight members  32  and  34  weigh down the outer edge  26  of the drink cover  10  such that the lower surface  24  of the drink cover  10  sits substantially flat against the rim  52  of the drink container  50 , forming somewhat of a seal between the lower surface  24  of the drink cover and the rim  52  of the drink container. 
     The drink cover  10  blocks bugs and dust, sand, and other matter suspended in the air from entering through the open top of the drink container  50  and into the drink  55 . This allows one to temporarily leave their drink  55  unattended while attending to other matters without having their drink  55  contaminated by airborne bugs and particles. 
     To remove the drink cover  10 , one simply lifts the drink cover  10  off of the rim  52  of the drink container  50 , and sets the drink cover  10  aside to be reused. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a drink cover  110  with a rectangular outer edge  126 . It is anticipated that the sheet  120  can have other shapes such as oval, triangular, trapezoidal, etc. and that the sheet  120  may be made with other materials such as plastic or woven fabric. It is further anticipated that there may be any number of different types of peripheral weight members  132  on the same sheet  120 , so long as each point along the outer edge  126  has an opposite side that is similarly weighted thereto. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a drink cover  210  in a further aspect with peripheral weight members  232  that extend beyond the outer edge  226  of the sheet  220 . It is anticipated that peripheral weight members  232  may be ornamental beads or gems to be esthetically pleasing to the eye. 
     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or modifications in structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed invention.