Cup Lid Ice Container Apparatus and Methods of Using the Same

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to packaging and dispensing ice. Cup lid ice container apparatuses configured to be cup lids and/or covers for beverage containers such as cups and/or single serve beverages with such cup lid ice container apparatuses have at least one compartment configured for containing an ingestible material, such as, for example, ice. The ice in the cup lid ice container apparatus may be made from at least one ingestible liquid (such as water or a flavored/modified liquid), which may be contained within the compartment and provided from the cup lid ice container apparatus as one or more pieces of ice and/or in an unfrozen or semi-frozen state. The cup lid ice container is configured for the ice to be frozen within the cup lid ice container and removed and/or released from the at least one compartment into a beverage container when the cup lid ice container apparatus is placed over and/or onto a beverage container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Approximately 500 billion disposable cups and lids are used annually worldwide and provided by small private business owners and large chains such as McDonalds, Starbucks and others.

Disposable cup lids come in various shapes and sizes but are generally made to be somewhat standardized in various shapes and sizes to support the most common disposable cups provided to consumers. When drinks are provided with ice in these cups, the ice is generally dispensed from a machine into the drink or removed from an ice bin or plastic bag by an employee and placed into the drink before providing it to the end customer. Oftentimes, a customer may simply be provided with a disposable cup so that they may go to a dispensing machine to select and fill their own drink and ice into the cup, then optionally place a lid onto the cup.

Disposable cup lids (e.g., “cup lids”) are typically made of thin recyclable plastics and configured to snap onto the rim and/or opening of a disposable cup. More rarely, they may rotate onto the beverage container. These cup lids often comprise a hole configured to drink directly from, or for a straw to be inserted thereinto. Disposable cup lids currently available in the market generally do not offer any additional utility beyond covering a beverage and allowing a person to drink the beverage through from the cup lid on the cup.

In addition to ice being formed in nature because of available water and climate conditions, ice has also been manufactured (made) by man for literally more than 100 years. The first ice trays were patented in 1933. The evolution of man manufacturing frozen water and other liquids has progressed to the point of the process being essentially automatic utilizing equipment and devices that are either very simplistic or very sophisticated production systems.

In the simplistic form of manufacture of ice cubes/forms are either so-called reusable ice cube trays or refrigerators (refrigeration systems) that dispense water into internal trays that then freeze the water and dispense the frozen cubes into holding pens or directly into a desired container or glass/cup. Although ice cube trays are small enough to be portable, they are not designed to be single serve portable and/or disposable devices but are designed for continuous reuse. Although cubes are a common shape for freezing ice, there exist various types of ice trays that are configured to freeze liquids into ice that are various shapes, sizes and/or configurations other than cubes. The term “ice cube” as used herein is contemplated to mean any shape of ice and is not meant to limit the invention in any manner.

Ice cube trays although, in many cases, small, have not been designed to be portable single serve disposable devices configured to deliver ice directly into a disposable cup and generally are configured to provide more ice than what would be needed for a single serve drink and/or disposable cup.

In addition to trays to allow formation of frozen liquids for cooling, there are completely enclosed devices which are often plastic or silicone containers wherein a liquid is contained inside and then frozen to be used as a reusable cooling device (known as reusable ice cubes) for beverage containers.

In addition to ice trays and bins, ice is supplied with and/or sold in bags which can be poured into a bin or cooler, or the ice may be left in the bag and removed on an as-needed basis. When ice is provided in a bag, the ice often was first formed into cubes or other individual shapes and then bagged and sealed.

Although ice dispensers are configured to deliver and/or dispense ice directly into a disposable cup, the lid for the disposable cup must not be on the cup at the time the ice needs to be inserted into the cup.

It would be advantageous to provide consumers with new methods of packaging ice.

It would further be advantageous to provide consumers with new portable and disposable methods of packaging ice and dispensing ice into cups and/or single serve drinks that are configured to be used with and/or covered with disposable cup lids.

It would further be advantageous to provide a disposable cup lid that could also function as an ice container and/or package of ice by being configured to be a cup lid and comprise at least one compartment for containing and dispensing at least one piece of ice (e.g., “ice”) into beverage containers.

It would further be advantageous to provide a disposable cup lid that could also function as a container and/or package for ice or other ingestible materials by being configured to be in the form of a cup lid and comprise at least one compartment for containing and dispensing at least one piece of ice (e.g., “ice”) into beverage containers and allow a person to drink through the cup lid after the ice or ingestible material has been dispensed into the beverage and/or beverage container. It would further be advantageous to provide new devices and methods of delivering ice

in a sanitary, portable, controlled and optionally disposable form. It would also be beneficial to be able to add ice to an empty beverage container in a sanitary manner for the sole purpose of maintaining the sanitariness of the ice prior to adding a desired beverage and/or other indigestible.

Thus, there is a need to provide new devices and methods of delivering ice over current forms of ice dispensers, trays, bins and bags both in size, shape, design, special purpose and other methods of packaging servings of ice that are configured to be added to a beverage contained within a disposable cup and/or personal beverage container. The inventions described herein teach over the shortcomings of existing methods of delivering ice and provide new and unique devices and methods of packaging and dispensing ice and other ingestible materials into beverage containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Although disposable cups are designed to be covered with disposable lids, disposable lids only provide the utility of covering the opening of a cup (e.g., “beverage container”) and allowing a person to drink the beverage from the cup through the disposable cup lid. The utility of covering the cup with the lid is typically to prevent spilling and/or foreign containments from entering, as well as, keeping beverages warm or cool for an extended period of time.

Existing methods of packaging, providing and dispensing ice (specifically those that are portable and/or disposable) to consumers are not designed as single serve ice packages. Nor are these existing methods configured to be shaped and sized similar to a single serve drink opening and/or lid of a cup, which may be a disposable cup lid (e.g., “cup lid ice container”).

One aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to provide a cup lid ice container apparatus that provides the utility of a device that functions as a cup lid with an integrated ice (or other ingestible material) container and/or compartment (e.g., “cup lid” or “cup lid ice container apparatus”) that can be held over or placed onto the opening of a beverage container to release the ice into. Including but not limited to the exception of the added utilities of providing new methods and devices for packaging ice, sanitarily providing ice, storing ice, forming ice, transporting ice and dispensing ice to consumers and/or single serve drinks, the cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured to offer other similar utility and features of existing cup lids. As an example, the cup lid ice container apparatus may be removed from, or left on the beverage container, after the ice is dispensed, to be used as a cup lid to drink directly from, or through a straw when drinking a beverage from a beverage container. The cup lid ice container apparatus may be left on the beverage container to prevent spilling of the beverage and may help maintain and/or extend the temperature of the beverage contained within the beverage container.

The cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured to be disposable, recyclable, flexible and to match the various sizes of standard beverage container cup lids and, as well, the openings of various beverage containers. The cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured to have one or more compartments for freezing and/or containing ice or one compartment/container with walls that partially and or completely separates ice into one or more pieces. As an example, the compartment in the cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured to allow for one, two or more individual pieces of ice to be frozen and/or contained within the compartment, or one piece of ice that is segmented into two or more pieces of ice that can be broken apart, similar to a bar of chocolate having formed pieces of chocolate that can be broken off, or in this case for the ice, eventually melt apart. The cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured to be made of a flexible, recyclable and disposable material and comprise the at least one container for ice on the side that faces down into a cup when placed over and/or onto a cup and/or beverage container to allow a person using the cup lid ice container apparatus to press and/or push down on the back or top (the side opposite the side facing the opening of the beverage container) of the cup lid ice container apparatus to push and/or release the ice out of the cup lid ice container apparatus into the beverage container.

The cup lid ice container apparatus compartment(s) may be configured to be raised, recessed or flush in relation to the rest of the cup lid ice container. The cup lid ice container apparatus is configured to prevent splashing when the ice is released into the beverage. The cup lid ice container apparatus is configured to be securely positioned and/or connected to the beverage container.

The cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured to contain water or one or more other ingestible materials that can be contained in a, unfrozen, frozen or semi-frozen state while in the at least one container and/or compartment and the water and/or one or more other ingestible materials, or combination of materials, may be sealed in into the at least one container to keep the ice sanitary until the cup lid ice container is ready to be used.

The seal may be a seal that is configured to be peeled or otherwise removed from the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 or the compartment 102, or may be configured such that the ice may be forced through the seal when a person and/or user of the cup lid ice container presses down on the back of the cup lid ice container to release the ice and/or ingestible material into the beverage container.

The cup lid ice container may be configured to be stacked with one or more additional cup lid ice container apparatuses in a manner that allows for efficient space saving and packaging of multiple cup lid ice containers when the cup lid ice containers do or do not contain ice or an ingestible material in the at least one compartment. The cup lid ice container apparatus may also be manufactured in adjacent pairs or arrays, again being able to be stacked, and later at time of use be broken apart from each other's tab or segment of material connecting them allowing for efficient space saving and packaging.

The cup lid ice container apparatus may be made of a transparent or semi-transparent material or be made of an opaque material that provide little or no transparency. The cup lid ice container apparatus may be made of a colored or multi-colored material. The cup lid ice container may be configured to be made of or otherwise include a material that can keep ice cooler for an extended period of time than convention materials used for disposable cup lids. As an example, the cup lid ice container apparatus may be made of a flexible and disposable plastic or rubber material such as silicon, but the inside of the at least one container of the cup lid ice container may be lined with foil or other material that would help keep ice cool for longer. The seal over the at least one container in the cup lid ice container apparatus may also be made of a similar material such as foil to help maintain the frozen and/or semi-frozen state of the ice for an extended period of time.

The cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured to include at least one pressure seal or portion of the cup lid ice container apparatus that is configured to allow water or the ingestible liquid to be injected through the pressure seal or puncturable area and into the at least one compartment where the ice is eventually frozen, contained and released from. Where there are more than one compartment, the pressure seal or puncturable area would be configured to allow a different ingestible liquid to be injected through the pressure seal or puncturable area into each of the separate compartments. The pressure seal or puncturable area may be on the back of the cup lid ice container apparatus where a person presses down onto the lid to release the ice, or on the side facing down into the beverage container. The cup lid ice container apparatus may also be configured to have a pressure seal or puncturable area on the back as well as the side facing the open beverage container. The seal that is configured to be removed and/or broken to allow the ice to be released from the cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured to include the pressure seal or puncturable area.

The cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured to include at least one perforated section that can be broken or removed from the cup lid ice container to allow ice, a beverage, straw or other item to pass through the cup lid ice container apparatus and/or the at least one compartment of the cup lid ice container apparatus. The cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured to include at least one beverage container configured to be utilized and/or properly sized for the cup lid ice container. The cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured to be made of a dishwasher safe silicone rubber or reusable plastic or even bamboo, paper or combinations of materials and be used as a reusable cup lid ice container.

Another aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to provide such a cup lid ice container apparatus configured to contain at least one or a combination of ingestible materials.

Another aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to provide such a cup lid ice container apparatus configured to be thin and/or flexible in at least one section of the cup lid ice container apparatus. Such cup lid ice container apparatus could be made of a specific material and/or material thickness that allows for faster freezing of ice in the at least one compartment for containing and dispensing the at least one piece of ice. The at least one compartment for containing and dispensing the at least one piece of ice may be configured to comprise at least one, but preferably multiple small and/or thin compartments to allow for ice to freeze faster.

Another aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to provide packages of ice in the form and size of cup lids (e.g., “cup lid ice container apparatuses”). The cup lid ice container apparatuses are shaped and/or formed as cup lids and/or covers for beverage containers that may comprise at least one integrated compartment configured for packaging at least one liquid such as water or any other ingestible material that may be frozen, but may be contained and/or packaged within the compartment in a unfrozen, frozen and/or semi-frozen state and configured for the ice to be removed and/or released from the at least one compartment into a beverage container when the cup lid ice container apparatus is placed over or onto a beverage container.

The cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured such that when the cup lid ice container is placed over the opening of a beverage container, the ice is facing down into the beverage container and a user of the cup lid ice container may push down on the top of the cup lid ice container behind the ice to pop out, remove and/or release the ice into the beverage container. The cup lid ice container apparatus may be created from materials that are easily flexed to allow for the easy, controlled removal of the ultimately frozen or semi-frozen formed shapes without physical contact with the contents. The cup lid ice container apparatus may be configured such that the back or top of the cup lid ice container apparatus is embossed and/or debossed in a way that using letters, symbols or areas provide the user of the cup lid ice container a more informed way to release the ice into the beverage container. The surfaces of the cup lid ice container apparatus may also be used for advertisements of any type.

Another aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to provide such a cup lid ice container apparatus to be stackable together with one or more additional cup lid ice container apparatuses and packaged together in a single cup lid ice container package such as a canister configured to be similar to canisters for tennis balls or potato chips such as Pringles® canisters (e.g., “cup lid ice container package” or “canister”).

Another aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to provide such a cup lid ice container apparatus to be stackable as an array of cup lid ice containers that would be stackable together and stored in a stacked array form to be later broken away and separated from each other when ultimately provided to and used by a consumer.

Another aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to provide such cup lid ice container apparatuses to be configured to allow a liquid contained inside the at least one compartment of the cup lid ice tray to be flash frozen.

Another aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to provide such cup lid ice container apparatuses to be made of a disposable and recyclable material.

Another aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to provide such cup lid ice container apparatuses to be configured to provide various shapes and sizes of hermetically-sealed and sanitary liquids and/or ice for cooling, diluting, and/or adding an material or mixture of materials to a beverage container. The cup lid ice container may also be configured to include alignment and/or positioning features that allow the simple aligning or positioning of the cup lid ice container onto a beverage container opening in a skirting fashion and/or engaging method over the top of beverage containers so as to eliminate splashing out of the beverage containers when the ice and/or liquid is dispensed into the beverage and/or beverage container. The cup lid ice container apparatus of the present invention may be configured to snap and/or rotate and or rotate and snap onto the opening of a beverage container the same way existing cup lids do.

Another aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to provide such cup lid ice container apparatus to comprise at least one sealed integrated compartment configured for encapsulating at least one piece of ice or a liquid with the seal being configured to be at least one of broken, punctured and/or removed to allow the ice and/or liquid to be dispensed and/or released from the at least one compartment after removing the seal, and added to and/or mixed into a beverage contained in the beverage container when the cup lid ice container apparatus is placed over and/or secured onto the opening of the beverage container to allow a user to insert and/or release the liquid and/or ice into the beverage contained within the beverage container.

Another aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to provide a cup lid that comprises at least one sealed integrated compartment(s) configured for packaging at least one ingestible material that can be removed and/or released (by a user or resultantly) from the at least one compartment after the seal is dissolved and/or melts in response to becoming at least one of moist, wet, damp, hot or cold, and adding and/or combining the ingestible material to a beverage contained in the beverage container when the cup lid is placed over and/or secured onto the opening of the beverage container to allow a user to insert and/or release the ingestible material into the beverage contained within the beverage container. It is contemplated by the inventors that the seal and/or ingestible material may become at least one of moist, wet, damp, hot or cold in response to the beverage contained in the at least one beverage container when the cup lid is placed over a beverage contained in the beverage container, or in response to a person using the cup lid ice container and causing the at least one seal to dissolve completely or partially to allow the ingestible material to enter and/or release into the beverage container.

Another aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to provide a cup lid that comprises at least one sealed or unsealed integrated compartment configured for packaging at least one ingestible material that can be removed and/or released from the at least one compartment and added to and/or mixed into a beverage contained in a beverage container when the cup lid is placed over and/or secured onto the opening of the beverage container to allow a user to insert and/or release the ingestible material into the beverage contained within the beverage container and wherein the ingestible material may be edible, drinkable, chewable and may be food-based, drink-based, vitamin supplement-based, and/or a pharmaceutical-based ingestible material any of which may be in one or a combination of liquid, powder, solid, and/or a semi-solid form, all of which may be contained within the compartment in a unfrozen, frozen and/or semi-frozen state and configured to be removed and/or released from the at least one compartment into a beverage container and added to the beverage in the beverage container, in the original form or altered form of the ingestible material.

The beverage may further change the original form of the ingestible material once the ingestible material is added to the beverage in the beverage container. As an example, the ingestible material may originally be in a liquid form such as water when packaged and/or placed into the sealed and/or unsealed compartment within the cup lid. Then the cup lid and/or ingestible material contained within the at least one compartment of the cup lid may be frozen or semi frozen such that the ingestible material (such as water) is frozen and/or semi frozen so that the ingestible material (in this case ice) may be added to a beverage to cool the beverage in the beverage container when the cup lid is placed over and/or secured onto the opening of the beverage container to allow a user to insert and/or release the ingestible material (ice in this example) into the beverage contained within the beverage container.

It is contemplated by the inventors that the result of adding the ingestible material to the beverage contained in the beverage container may change at least one of but not limited to, the temperature, flavor, consistency and/or texture of the beverage sensed by a person consuming the beverage and the combination of the beverage and the ingestible material consumed by the person may provide the person with a physical, medical and/or sensory reaction after consuming the beverage that would be different than the physical, medical and/or sensory reaction experienced by the person from consuming the beverage without the added ingestible material. It is contemplated by the inventors that where CBD, THC, or other controlled substance is currently approved by the FDA as a pharmaceutical and where states have approved the recreational use of marijuana, that these substances could be one or both of the potentially added materials to the cup lid ice containers and as such materials are further approved either by the FDA and/or states such materials may become materials in cup lid ice container apparatuses.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide such cup lid ice containers and/or cup lids with beverage containers that include a beverage.

Another aspect of the present disclosure described herein is to add a coloring agent to the material that is used to manufacture such cup lid ice containers for aesthetics or to define the contents as a certain material. A similar effect could be used by using a clear material in the manufacture of the such a cup lid ice container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a cup lid apparatus in an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a cup lid apparatus and beverage container in an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a cup lid apparatus having an ingestible material pushed therefrom in an embodiment of the invention

FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a cup lid apparatus having a seal in an embodiment of the invention

FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a cup lid apparatus in an embodiment of the invention

FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a cup lid apparatus in an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a cup lid apparatus attached to a beverage container in an embodiment of the invention

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a cup lid apparatus in an embodiment of the invention, and;

FIG. 9 shows a bottom view of a cup lid apparatus in an embodiment of the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Generally, the present invention comprises cup lid ice container apparatuses configured to be cup lids and/or covers for beverage containers such as cups and/or single serve beverages with such cup lid ice container apparatuses have at least one compartment configured for containing ice. The ice in the cup lid ice container apparatus may be made from at least one ingestible liquid (such as water or a flavored/modified liquid), which may be contained within the compartment and provided from the cup lid ice container apparatus as one or more pieces of ice and/or in an unfrozen or semi-frozen state. The cup lid ice container apparatus is configured for the ice to be frozen within the cup lid ice container apparatus and removed and/or released from the at least one compartment into a beverage container when the cup lid ice container is placed over and/or onto a beverage container.

Now referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 discloses a semi-transparent view of an example embodiment of a cup lid ice container apparatus 100 according to the invention. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 provides the utility of a device that functions as a cup lid comprising at least one container and/or compartment 102 configured to contain ice and/or other ingestible material 104 (e.g., “ice” or “material”). The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to be held over a cup and/or beverage container (e.g., “beverage container”), or may be placed onto the opening of a beverage container to allow a person to release and/or dispense the ice directly into the beverage container from the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 without the need for a person ever needing to touch the ice and/or material 104.

The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 is configured to provide the utility of a novel device and novel methods for packaging of ice or other ingestible materials, sanitarily providing ice, storing ice, forming ice, transporting ice and dispensing ice into consumers' cups and/or single serve drinks. The at least one compartment 102 may be configured to be formed within the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 at a distance 103 of at least 2 millimeters from an inside edge of a beverage container. The at least one compartment 102 may be configured to be flush with, recessed, or protrude past the surface of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100.

The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be manufactured by molding or thermoforming, vacuum forming or pressure forming a material such as Polyethylene (e.g., “PET”) or other plastics which would be configured to be free of may be free of any Bisphenol A (e.g., BPA-free). The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may optionally be formed and/or molded from one or more elastomeric materials, such as, for example, a rubber such as silicone. The cup lid ice container compartment 102 may be configured to be raised, recessed or flush in relation to the rest of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 and may include markings to indicate where to push and/or press down to release the ice or frozen or semi-frozen material.

FIG. 2 discloses a semi-transparent view of an example embodiment of a cup lid ice container apparatus 100 as described in FIG. 1 and according to the invention. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 provides the utility of a device that functions as a cup lid comprising at least one compartment 102 configured to contain ice and/or other ingestible material 104 (e.g., “ice” or “material”). The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to be held over the top opening 200 of a cup and/or beverage container 202 or placed onto the top opening 200 of a beverage container 202 to allow a person to release and/or dispense the ice 104 directly into the beverage 204 and/or beverage container 202 from the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 without the need for a person ever needing to touch the ice and/or material 104. Thus, the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 is configured to provide the utility of a novel device and novel methods for packaging of ice or other ingestible materials, sanitarily providing ice, storing ice, forming ice, transporting ice and dispensing ice into consumers cups and/or single serve drinks. It should be noted, however, that although the present invention discloses ice as the main material within the cup lid ice container apparatus 100, other ingestible materials may also be contained therein, such as solids, powders, ingestible beads, or other similar materials apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to offer other similar utility and features of existing cup lids. As an example, the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be removed from or otherwise left on a beverage container 202 as shown in FIG. 2 to be used as a cup lid. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured for a person to be able to drink directly from, or through a straw when drinking a beverage from a beverage container 202. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be left on the beverage container 202 to prevent spilling of the beverage 204 as well as prevent containments from entering and helping maintain and/or extending the temperature of the beverage 204 contained within the beverage container 202. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to be disposable, recyclable, flexible and to match the various sizes of standard beverage container cup lids and the openings of various beverage containers. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to have one or more compartments 102 for freezing and/or containing ice or one compartment 102 with walls 106 that partially and or completely separate ice into one or more pieces of ice 104. As an example, the at least one compartment 102 in the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to allow for two or more individual pieces of ice 104 to be frozen and/or contained within the compartment 102, or one piece of ice 104 that is segmented into two or more pieces of ice 104 that can be broken apart, (similar to a bar of chocolate having formed pieces of chocolate that can be broken off), or in this case for the ice, eventually to melt apart.

The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to be made of a flexible, recyclable and disposable material and comprise the at least one compartment 102 for ice 104 on the side that faces down into a beverage container 202 when placed over and/or onto a top opening 200 of a cup and/or beverage container 202 to allow a person using the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 to press down on the back of the top 108 of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 to push out and/or release the ice 104 out of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 into the beverage container 202. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may further be configured to prevent splashing when the ice 104 is released into the beverage 204.

The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to be securely positioned and/or connected to the beverage container 202. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to contain water or one or more other ingestible materials that can be contained in a, unfrozen, frozen or semi-frozen state while in the at least one compartment 102 and the water and/or one or more other ingestible materials may be sealed in into the at least one compartments 102 to keep the ice sanitary until the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 is ready to be used.

The seal 116 may be a seal that is configured to be peeled off (or otherwise removed) from of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 and/or the compartment 102, or may be configured such that the ice 104 may be forced through the seal 116 when a person and/or user of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 presses down on the top 108 and/or back of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 to release the ice and/or ingestible material 104 into the beverage 204 and/or beverage container 202.

The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to be stacked with one or more additional cup lid ice container apparatuses in a manner that allows for efficient space saving and packaging of multiple cup lid ice container apparatuses when the cup lid ice container apparatuses do or do not contain ice or an ingestible material in the at least one compartment 102. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be manufactured in pairs of cup lid ice container apparatuses 100 or in arrays of cup lid ice container apparatuses 100 that can be easily broken away from each other when ultimately used that are stackable in a manner that allows for efficient space saving and packaging and manufacturing efficiencies of multiple cup lid ice container apparatuses 100 when the cup lid ice container apparatuses 100 do not contain ice or an ingestible material in at least one compartment.

The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be made of a transparent or semi-transparent material or made of an opaque material that provides little or no transparency. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to be made of or include a material that can keep ice cooler for an extended period of time than conventional materials used for disposable cup lids. As an example, the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be made of a flexible and disposable plastic but the inside of the at least one compartment 102 of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be lined with an insulating material 110 such as foil or other material that may be a thermal insulating material and configured to help keep ice cool for longer. The seal over the at least one compartment in the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may also be made of a similar insulating material 110 to help maintain the frozen and/or semi-frozen state of the ice for an extended period of time. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may also be made from a material that, in itself is an insulating material.

The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to include at least one pressure seal 112 that may be configured to allow water or other material to be injected through the pressure seal 112 and into the at least one compartment 102 to fill the compartment 102 with water or other materials, so that the material can eventually be frozen into ice, contained and released from the compartment 102 into a beverage container 202. The pressure seal or seal area 112 may be on the top 108 and/or back side (the opposing side from where the ice is released) of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 where a person may press down onto the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 to release the ice, or on a seal that is positioned on the side facing down into the beverage container 202. Thus, the seal 116 that may be configured to be removed and/or broken to allow the ice to be released from the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to include a pressure seal or seal area that would allow for water to be injected into to fill the compartment 102.

The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to include at least one perforated section that can be broken or removed from the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 to allow ice, a beverage, straw or other item to pass through the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 and/or the at least one compartment 102 of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to include at least one beverage container 202 configured to be utilized and/or properly sized for the cup lid ice container apparatus 100. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to be made of a dishwasher safe silicone rubber or reusable and/or recyclable plastic and be used as a reusable cup lid ice container apparatus 100. The cup lid ice container apparatus compartment 102 may be configured to be raised, recessed or flush in relation to the rest of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 and may include markings to indicate where to push and/or press down to release the ice.

FIG. 3 discloses a semi-transparent view of an example embodiment of a cup lid ice container apparatus 100 as described in FIGS. 1 and 2 and according to the invention. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 provides the utility of a device that functions as a cup lid comprising at least one compartment 102 configured to contain ice and/or another ingestible material 104. FIG. 3 show how a person can use their hand or a finger 114 to push down on the top 108 and/or back of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 to release the ice and/or ingestible material 104 from the at least one compartment 102 and into the beverage and/or beverage container. The cup lid ice container apparatus compartment 102 may be configured to be raised, recessed or flush in relation to the rest of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 and may include markings to indicate where to push and/or press down to release the ice. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may also contain advertisement wording, pictures or symbols.

FIG. 4 discloses a semi-transparent view of an exemplary embodiment of a cup lid ice container apparatus 100 as described in FIGS. 1 through 3 and according to the present invention. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to contain water or one or more other ingestible materials that can be contained in an unfrozen, frozen or semi-frozen state while in the at least one compartment 102. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to include a seal 116 that may be configured to seal in the water and/or one or more other ingestible materials into the at least one compartments 102 to keep the ingestible materials sanitary until the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 is ready to be used.

The seal 116 may be configured to be attached to the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 using adhesive, induction heating, laser or other adhering methods. The seal 116 may be a seal that is configured to be removed. The seal 116 may be removed by breaking the seal 116, or by peeling the seal 116 off of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 and/or the compartment 102, or may be configured such that the ice 104 may be forced through the seal 116 when a person and/or user of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 presses down on the top 108 and/or back of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 to release the ice and/or ingestible material 104 into the beverage and/or beverage container.

The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to include at least one pressure seal 112 or puncturable area that is configured to allow water to be injected through the pressure seal 112 or puncturable area and into the at least one compartment 102 or to any number of compartments 102 where there are more than one and it is desired to load given compartments 102 with different ingestible materials to fill the compartment 102 or with water or other materials, so that the ice can eventually be frozen, contained, and released from the compartment 102 into a beverage container. The pressure seal or puncturable area 112 may be on the top 108 and/or back side (the opposing side from where the ice is released wherein the top is the back side) of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 where a person presses down onto the lid to release the ice, and/or such a pressure seal or puncturable area 112 may be an integrated part of the seal 116 that may be configured to be broken or peeled off of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100. The pressure seal or puncturable area 112 may be configured to allow for water or other material to be injected into the at least one compartment 102 to fill the compartment 102 with an unfrozen ingestible material such as water. The seal 116 may contain instructions for removal and/or advertisement.

FIG. 5 discloses a non-transparent view of an exemplary embodiment of a cup lid ice container apparatus 100 as described in FIGS. 1 through 4 and according to the present invention. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to include at least one hole 116 which may be configured to include a pressure seal, a perforated seal, or a puncturable area 118 that can be removed and/or broken away in whole or in part from the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 to allow ice, a beverage, a straw or other item to pass through the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 and/or the at least one compartment of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100.

FIG. 6 discloses a semi-transparent raise perspective view of the bottom side (i.e., the section that would face down into a beverage container when the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 is to be used) of an exemplary embodiment of a cup lid ice container apparatus 100 according to the present invention. The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may comprise at least one compartment 102 configured to contain ice and/or another ingestible material(s). The cup lid ice container apparatus 100 is configured to comprise an outer rim 120 and an inner rim 122 with an inner wall 124 between the outer rim 120 and the inner rim 122. When the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 is pressed down onto and/or positioned on the top and/or opening of a beverage container (as shown in FIG. 2) the inner rim 122 may be seated onto the top rim of the opening of a beverage container (the part that a person would drink from when there is no lid on a cup and/or beverage container) and the inner wall 124 would fit tightly around the outer diameter top rim of the opening of a beverage container to secure the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 in place onto the top of the beverage container as shown in FIG. 2. The inner rim 122 may be located relative to the wall 124 such that a dovetail (i.e., recessed circumferential groove) may be created as shown in FIG. 7 that may allow the cup lid ice beverage container apparatus 100 to snap on to the top opening of a beverage container's radiused edge. Alternatively, the cup lid ice beverage container apparatus 100 may have threads that match mating threads on the beverage container.

FIG. 7 discloses an exemplary embodiment of a cup lid ice container apparatus 100 according to the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 through 6. FIG. 7 more specifically discloses an exemplary cross sectional view of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 facing down and mounted to the top rim 126 opening of a beverage container 202. In this exemplary embodiment the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to comprise a groove 128 in the inner wall 124 that sits between the outer rim 120 and the inner rim 122. The groove 128 may be configured to secure the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 to the top rim 126 of the beverage container 202 in a tongue and groove fashion when the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 is pressed down onto and/or positioned on the top and/or opening of a beverage container 202 (as shown in FIG. 2) with the inner rim 122 being very near and/or seated flush onto the top rim 126 of the opening of a beverage container (the part that a person would drink from when there is no lid on a cup and/or beverage container) and the inner wall 124 would fit tightly around the outer diameter top rim of the opening of a beverage container to further secure the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 in place onto or near the top of the beverage container (as shown in FIG. 2). In a further exemplary embodiment, a cup lid ice container apparatus 100, when made from a material that is sufficiently thin enough and flexible enough, may self-lock onto the one or more thread like forms or top rim 126 of the beverage container by creating a deformation in the side wall 124 of the cup lid ice container 100 without such side wall having an undercut as shown in FIG. 7. Such an embodiment is as shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 discloses a facing down transparent side view of an exemplary embodiment of a cup lid ice container apparatus 100 as described in FIGS. 1 through 7 and according to the invention. As described in FIG. 2, the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may be configured to have one or more compartments 102 for freezing and/or containing ice or one compartment 102 with at least one wall 106 that may be configured to partially separate ice into pieces that may be broken apart and/or eventually melt apart. The ice 104 may be formed to be flush with the inner rim 122 and the wall 106 may extend to a point that is a certain level below being flush with the inner rim 122 thereby leaving a gap 130 that may be configured to let the water and/or ice join together between two or more compartments 102 to allow for producing a piece of ice 104 that may be frozen and/or contained within the compartment 102 and segmented into two or more pieces of ice 104 that may be broken apart, (similar to a bar of chocolate having formed pieces of chocolate that can be broken off), or in this case for the ice, eventually melt apart.

FIG. 9 discloses an additional exemplary embodiment of a cup lid ice container apparatus 100 as described in FIGS. 1 through 8 and according to the invention. FIG. 9 illustrates a bottom view of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100 showing the at least one compartment 102 comprises an insulating material 110 such as foil or other material that may be a thermal insulating material configured to help keep ice cool for longer. The insulating material 110 may be aligned on a portion or the entire inner surface of the cup lid ice container apparatus 100. The removable seal (such as seal 116 as shown in FIG. 4) may be placed over the at least one compartment 102 of cup lid ice container apparatus 100 may also be made of a similar insulating material 110 to help maintain the frozen and/or semi-frozen state of the ice for an extended period of time.

It is contemplated by the inventors that one or more features and/or embodiments described in FIGS. 1-9 may be combined with one or more other features and/or embodiments described in FIGS. 1-9 and that while the figures show example embodiment, they do not limit the scope of the invention to be limited in any way in features, materials, sizes, shapes, dimensions, colors and or thickness to any one or combination of teachings described herein according to the invention.

It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. Further, references throughout the specification to “the invention” are non-limiting, and it should be noted that claim limitations presented herein are not meant to describe the invention as a whole. Moreover, the invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.

Cup Lid Ice Container Apparatus and Methods of Using the Same

Information

Publication Number

Date Filed

Date Published

Inventors

CPC

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

Parent Case Info

Provisional Applications (1)