Abstract:
A lid that, in order to keep the sip hole area sanitary when the lid is removed from the cup and is placed top-side down on a potentially contaminated surface, has raised locations on the top surface that lift the sip hole area at a distance from the potentially contaminated surface when the lid is placed on a surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/963,090, filed Nov. 23, 2013, entitled “SIP HOLE STOPPER AND LIFTS THAT PREVENT LID CONTAMINATION” under 37 U.S.C. §119(e). Additionally, Application No. 61/963,090 is incorporated herein in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The field of invention relates generally to beverage containers and, more specifically but not exclusively relates to lids for beverage cups, mugs and the like. 
       BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
       [0003]    Many times when people fill their travel cups, they need to remove the lid and set it aside, whether to reach for their wallet or to add cream or sugar to their drink. In some cases, such as in lids with nose accommodations (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/874,471) that have a central depression extending below the lower rim of the lid, setting the lid top-side down means that the underside of the lid, which comes in contact with the beverage when the lid is on, may touch a contaminated surface. Some regular lids have an interior rim that comes in contact with the beverage and can contact a contaminated surface when set bottom-side down. Also, a lid removed after being used can have liquid accumulated on the underside from condensation or from the beverage sloshing. That liquid can then drip onto the surface upon which the lid is sitting. Setting a regular lid top-side down, however, means that the sip hole area, whether the sip-hole is formed as a top surface hole or is the top rim when the hole is in the well below the top rim, can come in contact with the contaminated surface. All these situations are undesirable. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a topside isometric view of a lid including raised areas on the top, according to one embodiment; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a lid set on a horizontal surface including raised areas, according to one embodiment; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section of a lid illustrating the elevated position of the sip hole; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a lid illustrating an integrated raised surface. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    Embodiments of a beverage container lid that enables users to set the lid top-side down without the area that comes in contact with the mouth during drinking touching the surface are described herein. In the following description, specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
         [0010]    As used herein in the detailed description and the claims, directional references such as front, rear, upward, downward, etc. may be made with reference to a lid assembly being upright and parallel to a horizontal surface or plane that is perpendicular to gravity. 
         [0011]    For this invention, a raiser is understood as an elevation of the top surface of the lid. In a general sense, such a raiser can be a point, line, or surface that contacts a flat surface on which the lid is placed top-side down. The plane formed by the flat surface on which the lid sits is called the sitting plane. The plane formed by the raisers&#39; contact points and another contact point, usually at the rear of the lid, is called the lifting plane. The lifting plane and the sitting plane coincide when the lid is set down on a flat surface. 
         [0012]    Various views of a lid  100  according to a first embodiment are shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 .  FIG. 1  shows a topside isometric of lid  100  that includes a skirt  106  extending downward from a generally raised and plateaued area  108  formed around the periphery of the lid in which a well  110  is formed. In this embodiment the well includes a cavity formed in a rearward portion of the well that accommodates a human nose and a frontward shelf  114 . Lid  100  also includes an orifice  116  formed in the front portion of the raised area  108  through which the beverage is consumed. 
         [0013]    Front raisers  112  are provided at a distance d from center of gravity CG of the lid towards the sip hole  116  located at the front end of the lid. The peaks of these raisers together with the rear edge  132  form the lid-lifting plane  140 . The raisers are preferably positioned at the periphery of the lid so as not to interfere with the face while drinking. This is especially true for the lid with nose cavity shown in  FIG. 1 , where a person&#39;s cheeks may come in contact with the plateaued areas  108 . 
         [0014]    Because the front raisers  112  are placed between the center of gravity CG of the lid and the sip hole  116 , the lid&#39;s natural equilibrium position is such that it leans toward the rear end instead of toward the sip hole  116  in the front. Because the raisers are at a higher elevation than the rear edge, the natural position of the sitting lid is such that the sip hole, which is generally at a lower elevation than the raisers, will be lifted to an elevation h from the sitting plane  140 . This is similar to a seesaw with the pivot point at the front raisers  112 . 
         [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a cross section of the same lid in which the sip hole  116  and its position above the surface, on which the lid sits, is clearly depicted. 
         [0016]    Somebody skilled in the art will recognize that there are many geometrical configurations in which the raising of the sip hole from the sitting surface can be effected that are based on the same seesaw principle described above. For example, in another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4 , instead of having the distinct protuberances  112  at the top of the lid, the same effect could be achieved with a integrated planar surface  142  that is continued by an upward-sloped front surface  152  starting at kink point  113  which serves as the pivot point of the seesaw structure. 
         [0017]    The above description of illustrated embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize.