Patent Abstract:
A spill-resistant beverage cup lid which includes a well for adding liquid or powder condiments to a hot beverage and which also serves as a drinking portal is described. The well includes a plurality of apertures in a side wall of the well allowing the condiments to mix with the beverage. In an alternative embodiment, the well further includes a removable flap.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
   The present development is a spill-resistant beverage cup lid which includes a well for adding liquid or powder condiments to a hot beverage. The well is designed to allow the condiment to diffuse within the beverage thereby eliminating the need for a stirrer. 
   In the fast-food industry, hot beverages are commonly served in disposable cups having a close-fitted lid. The lid typically includes a flap that can be opened to allow the consumer to drink the beverage, and a vent. Indicia such as corporate logos, warning notices, and recycling information may also be included on the lid. If the customer wishes to add condiments, such as creamer or sugar, for the beverage, the lid must be removed, the condiment added, and the lid replaced on the cup. When the lid is removed, there is a risk that the beverage can splash or spill, burning the customer. 
   Lids have been developed which allow the consumer to add condiments to hot beverages without the need of removing the lid after it has been positioned on the cup. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,179, issued to Hanson on Jun. 25, 1996, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,276, issued to Lialin on Jul. 11, 1998, teach lids having compartments or vessels filled with condiments. With the lid mounted on the cup, the consumer applies pressure to an exterior face of the lid opposing the compartment containing the condiment the consumer wishes to add to the beverage. The pressure causes the compartment to open or rupture releasing the condiment into the beverage. The lids of the &#39;179 and &#39;276 patents thereby allow the consumer to add condiments without removing the lid. However, the lids are not cost efficient because the condiments must be added to the lid when the lid is produced so each consumer receives all the possible condiments which can be added to the beverage regardless of which condiment(s) the consumer desires. Further, because the compartments are filled with the condiments during production, a predetermined amount of each condiment is available in the lid compartments, thereby limiting the freedom of the consumer to determine the quantity of each condiment to add to the beverage. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,952 teaches a lid that allows the consumer to add condiments through a “condiment funnel” positioned at the center of the lid. The &#39;952 patent further teaches a stirring rod which fits into the cup through the base of the condiment funnel. The consumer can add the desired type and quantity of condiment to the beverage through the funnel, and then use the stirring rod to disperse the condiment throughout the beverage. Thus, the lid of the &#39;952 patent allows the consumer to use only the condiments of his choice. However, after adding the condiment(s), the consumer must stir the beverage using a stirrer adapted to the lid. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   The present invention is a spill-resistant beverage cup lid which includes a well for adding liquid or powder condiments to a hot beverage also serving as a drinking portal. The well is sized such that the consumer can add the desired quantities of the selected condiments to the well. Further, a plurality of apertures are included in a side wall of the well. 
   In an alternative embodiment, the well further includes a removable flap. The flap can be opened to allow the condiments to be added to the well, then closed to minimize the risk that the hot beverage would splash or spill on the consumer. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a lid made in accordance with the present invention, the lid being shown with a typical disposable cup; 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the lid of  FIG. 1 , with the space between the well and the rim exaggerated; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the well taken along line  3 — 3 ; and 
       FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of a lid made in accordance with the present invention and further including a flap. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The present development is a beverage cup lid having a combination condiment addition well and drinking portal. The lid may be made of a variety of materials and may be combined with a variety of cups. In the figures presented herein, the lid is shown without ornamentation and is shown being used with a disposable insulated cup, such as is commonly used in fast-food establishments to serve hot beverages. It is to be understood that a lid made in accordance with the present invention may be made of a durable material, allowing the user to wash and reuse the lid, and may be combined with reusable cups. The lid may also include indicia or decoration. 
     FIGS. 1-3  show an embodiment of a beverage cup lid  10  made in accordance with the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the lid  10  can be used with a disposable cup  90  for serving a hot beverage. Such lid  10  and cup  90  combinations are commonly used in the fast-food industry. The lid  10  has a major components an essentially flat cover region  12 , having a peripheral rim  11 , and a condiment addition well  20 . Because hot beverages may be served in the cup  90 , the lid  10  is proportioned and the rim  11  is preferably adapted to provide a close or tight fit between the cup  90  and lid  10 . The tight fit requires that some force be exerted against the rim  11  in order to remove the lid  10  from the cup  90 . The cover region  12  has a center, C, and a diameter, d l . The cover region  12  further defines an exterior face  16  and an interior face  18 . When the lid  10  is secured to the cup  90 , the exterior face  16  is exposed. 
   The condiment addition well  20  is designed to allow the customer to add condiments, such as creamer or sugar, to the hot beverage without the need for removing the lid  10  from the cup  90 . The well  20  is positioned between the center of the cover region, C, and the rim  11 . In a preferred embodiment, the addition well  20  is positioned such that it  20  is essentially abutting the rim  11 . 
   The well  20  projects away from the interior face  18  of the cover  12  so that when the lid  10  is secured to the cup  90 , the well  20  is positioned within the cup  90 . The well  20  has a sidewall  24  and a bottom  26 . The well  20  defines an upper edge  22 , which is contiguous with the cover  12 , and has a length “L” defined as the distance between the upper edge  22  and the bottom  26 . The well  20  defines a first diameter, d u , at the upper edge  22 , and a second diameter, d b , at the at the bottom  26 . In a preferred embodiment, the well  20  is tapered slightly so that the diameter of the upper edge  22 , d u , is greater than the diameter of the bottom, d b . This particular well design allows a plurality of lids  10  to be stacked such that the exterior face  16  of each lid  10  abuts the interior face  18  of the neighboring lid  10 . The well  20  may be essentially cylindrical or even tapered such that the diameter of the upper edge  22 , d u , is smaller than the diameter of the bottom, d b , and the well  20  would function as intended, although the lid  10  would not be stackable. Optionally, the well  20  may have a non-traditional, non-circular periphery, such as an oval or triangular or square shape. 
   The sidewall  24  includes a slit  28  and an aperture  29 . The slit  28  runs lengthwise along the sidewall  24  and allows the condiments in the well  20  to mix with the beverage in the cup  90 . The aperture  29  is positioned near the upper edge  22  and on the sidewall  24  in closest proximity to the rim  11 . The aperture  29  provides a means to allow the cup  90  to drain essentially completely. 
   The well  20  is proportioned to allow the customer to add the desired quantities of the selected condiments to the well  20 . In an example embodiment, the lid  10  has a diameter of about 3.5″, the condiment addition well  20  is positioned such that it  20  is abutting the rim  11 , and the well  20  has an upper edge diameter (d u ) of about 1.125″, a bottom diameter (d b ) of about 0.75″, a length “L” of 1.25″, the slit  28  has a width of about 0.125″ and a length of about 0.75″ and runs longitudinally along the sidewall  24  of the well  20  leaving about 0.25″ sidewall  24  near the upper edge  22  and an additional 0.25″ sidewall  24  near the bottom  26 , the aperture has a diameter of about 0.125″ and is offset from the slit  28  by about 90°. 
   Although the lid  10  will vent adequately through the aperture  29  and slit  28  of the condiment addition well  20 , other venting means may be optionally be included on the lid  10 . As is known in the art, a variety of venting designs and styles may be used. Further, optional indicia such as corporate logos, warning notices, and recycling information may be included on the lid  10 . 
     FIG. 4  shows an alternative embodiment  110  of the lid  10  of  FIGS. 1-3 . The lid  110  is essentially identical to the lid  10  except a flap  130 , having a diameter, d f , greater than the upper edge diameter, d u , is affixed to the exterior face  16  of the cover  12  thereby closing or prevent access to the condiment addition well  20 . The flap  130  can easily be opened, providing the customer with access to the well  20 . In a variation, the flap  130  can be closed after the cup  90  is filled and as it is being transported by the consumer, thereby minimizing the risk that the hot beverage would splash or spill on the consumer. 
   While particular examples of the present invention have been shown and described, it is understood that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the development.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1