Patent Application
20110266294
At least one feature pertains to a disposable beverage lid.
Disposable hot beverage containers and suitable lids for these containers are critical supply items for any business serving hot beverages. In order to meet the needs of both the company and the customer, a disposable lid must at least meet the following criteria: the lid must be inexpensive to manufacture, import and/or purchase; the lid must adequately couple to the container; and the lid must be user-friendly to the consumer.
Since disposable lids are generally manufactured for single use, the cost to manufacture is extremely important, especially to those businesses whose principle product is hot beverages (e.g., a coffee shop). At the same time, however, the lid must adequately couple to the container to reduce the chance of the hot beverage spilling and potentially injuring the consumer or causing damage (i.e., stains) to garments worn by the consumer. Additionally, the lid must be user-friendly in manipulation so that the consumer can remove the lid, e.g., add sugar, sugar substitutes, milk, cream, etc., without causing the beverage to spill and user-friendly in use to allow the consumer to drink from the cup (i.e., a drinking port) without removing the lid from the cup.
A device for coupling to a disposable cup, comprising: a beverage lid having: (i) a beverage container coupling portion; (ii) a flange extending downwardly from the coupling portion; and (iii) an elevated rim extending upwardly from an inner periphery of the coupling portion wherein the elevated rim defines a recess therein, a bottom of the recess substantially defined by a dome wherein an inner periphery of the elevated rim and an outer periphery of the dome define a channel, a plurality of apertures within the channel is herein disclosed.
The elevated rim may be double-walled. The plurality of apertures may provide a metered flow of liquid when the beverage lid is coupled to a disposable cup and tilted relative to a horizontal plane. In one embodiment, the plurality of apertures is symmetrically spaced about the entire channel. In another embodiment, the plurality of apertures is aggregated in at least one group within the channel. In either embodiment, the plurality of apertures is adjacent to the inner periphery of the elevated rim. The beverage container coupling portion may be configured to removeably couple to a rim of a beverage cup. A material comprising the beverage lid may comprise polystyrene or a derivative thereof. In one embodiment, each aperture is 0.050 inches in width.
A disposable lid, the lid comprising: a unitary, circular structure adapted to removeably couple to a rim of a disposable cup, the structure including an elevated rim with a plurality of drinking ports adjacent an inner periphery of the elevated rim and a dome within an area defined by the inner periphery of the elevated rim is herein disclosed. An outer periphery of the dome and the inner periphery of the elevated rim may define a channel. The elevated rim may be double-walled. The plurality of drinking ports may provide a metered flow of liquid when the lid is coupled to the disposable cup and tilted relative to a horizontal plane.
In one embodiment, the plurality of drinking ports is symmetrically spaced about the entire channel. In another embodiment, the plurality of drinking ports is aggregated in at least one group within the channel. The disposable lid may further comprise a disposable cup coupling portion about the elevated rim on an outer periphery thereof. The disposable lid may further comprise a flange extending downwardly from the coupling portion. A material comprising the beverage lid may comprise polystyrene or a derivative thereof. In one embodiment, each aperture is 0.050 inches in width.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.
Embodiments of the invention are directed to disposable beverage lids which may be used in conjunction with beverage containers. In one embodiment, a disposable beverage lid is generally circular and configured to removeably couple to a beverage container. The lid may include an elevated rim in-set and about the periphery thereof with a dome within a recess defined by the elevated rim. A plurality of apertures may be located within a channel defined by an inner wall of the elevated rim and an outer periphery of the dome.
One conventional beverage lid includes a drinking port on a peripheral rim of the lid. When the cup coupled to the beverage lid is subjected to motion, i.e., when a consumer is walking or when the cup is in a cup holder in a car, liquid has a tendency to spill out of the drinking port. Moreover, this type of lid often includes additional openings for heat ventilation (in the case when the liquid is hot). These additional openings can also be sources of spillage. A solution is to temporarily cap the drinking port with a so-called “splash stick”, however, this solution is not user-friendly as it does not allow the consumer to drink the beverage without removing the “splash stick” and does not completely prevent spillage. Moreover, this solution does not address spillage from the heat ventilation openings.
Another conventional beverage lid includes a “living hinge” which can partially cap the drinking port. Again, this type of lid often includes additional openings for heat ventilation (in the case when the liquid is hot). This solution is not user-friendly as it does not always function properly and does not completely prevent spillage. For example, a defective hinge may be removed by the consumer thereby defeating the purpose of the hinge (i.e., to prevent spillage). Again, this solution does not address spillage from the heat ventilation openings.
The beverage lid as described previously according to embodiments of the invention has advantages over conventional lids. For example, the lid's specific geometry, i.e., the dome within the recess defined by the elevated rim and the plurality of apertures (drinking ports) within the channel, substantially or completely prevents the fluid from spillage while dynamic, i.e., while moving (sloshed around). More particularly, because the drinking ports are not on the rim but rather distanced from the edge of the lid, i.e., on the interior of the elevated rim, spillage is substantially or completely eliminated. The elevated rim functions as a barrier to prevent or substantially prevent liquid from spilling over. Moreover, the dome within the recess defined by the elevated rim forces the liquid to stay in the channel if there is any residual liquid once the consumer takes a drink.
Additionally, because there are numerous drinking ports, the need for additional openings to vent the lid is eliminated. That is, the sizing and spacing of the drinking ports simultaneously function as drinking ports and heat ventilation openings. Moreover, the sizing and spacing of the drinking ports provide a metered flow of fluid completely controlled by the consumer. Additionally, the lid according to embodiments of the invention allows for the consumer to drink from any edge. Additionally, heat transfer properties attributable to a lower volume of space between the lid and the hot fluid show an unexpected result that the liquid stays hot longer when compared to conventional lids.
While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention is not to be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.
