Drinking-Cup Lid with Drinking Aperture

Abstract

According to the invention, a drinking-cup lid with at least one drinking aperture (34) and a lid edge (24) for sealing insertion into the drinking opening of a cup is characterized in that a plurality of drinking apertures are distributed uniformly over a circumference of the lid.

Description

The invention relates to a drinking-cup lid with at least one drinking aperture and a lid edge for sealing insertion into the drinking opening of a cup.

There are drinking cups for hot and cold beverages, disposable and for multiple use, and correspondingly made of different materials such as ceramic, glass, metal, plastic, cardboard with a watertight or water-repellent coating or impregnated, and combinations thereof. Cups within the broadest sense according to the invention are understood to be containers that can be appropriately gripped with one hand and lifted in accordance with their size and weight, and that have an opening (drinking opening) with an edge design to enable a human to drink drip-free, and that have a footprint or a support device that allows the cup to be set down on a horizontal surface so that the liquid remains in the cup. In particular, cups within a narrower sense according to the invention are understood to be containers that are rotationally symmetrical about a vertical axis, at least in the area of the opening (properly set down on a horizontal plane), and, at least with its inner wall, that narrow axially downward from the edge, at least in the area of the opening.

Such cups, especially those to be discarded, have a lid, as is known, that can cover the drinking opening to prevent the drinking liquid from spilling. Such lids, including those according to the invention, are especially provided in catering establishments where beverages are (also) dispensed for consumption along the way. Such lids, including those according to the invention, are preferably made of plastic such as recyclable polypropylene.

The known lids normally have a snap-on structure that is suitable for snapping on and gripping an edge area of the drinking opening of a cup in a form-fit manner. Cups, especially made of plastic or cardboard, normally have a drinking edge that surrounds the drinking opening and has a cross-section folded over in a circular manner to the outside. This is gripped by the known snap-on structures of known generic lids in a snap-on, form-fit manner. As it is known, the diameter of the snap-on structure of the lids close to the cup edge along with the width of the snap-on opening must be adapted to the cup geometry for which they are provided.

In order for the known lids to not only seal the cup drinking opening but also enable drinking out of the cup provided with the lid, the lids generally have a drinking aperture which is arranged close to the edge of the lid. The user can place his lips there on the lid to drink, and draw the drinking liquid from the cup through the aperture.

When using these known lids, a manifest disadvantage is that the lips must precisely contact the drinking aperture to successfully drink. Drinking with a lid therefore deviates from conventional drinking from a cup without a lid where the lips may be placed on any location on the edge of the cup opening. This deviation in itself is disadvantageous. Furthermore, placing the lips on the lid surface around the drinking aperture generates an unfamiliar and also insecure drinking sensation since, in contrast to drinking from an unsealed cup edge, the upper lip only lies on the lid and do not enclose the cup edge.

The object of the invention is to create a still reliable drinking-cup lid through which drinking can occur in a normal manner.

This object is achieved by a drinking-cup lid having the features of claim 1. Preferred developments are stated in the dependent claims.

The drinking-cup lid according to the invention has a lid edge for sealing insertion into the drinking opening of a cup. According to the invention, this cup edge can, for example, be conventionally designed with a snap-on edge as described above. On the filing date for this application, the applicant for this application is also submitting an application relating to a drinking-cup lid, the subject of which is a more secure lid/cup connection in comparison to prior art. The wording of this application is also incorporated within this application by means of reference such that the lid/cup connection in said application with all of the possible embodiments that are described, depicted and claimed therein are also disclosed in this application as a possible embodiment of the lid according to this invention.

Preferably, at least the lid edge is adapted to the drinking opening of a specific cup geometry, or said drinking opening is adapted to the lid edge, such that the lid can be sealingly inserted into the cup drinking opening.

According to the invention, the lid is characterized in that a plurality of drinking apertures (individually or even a plurality in the form of groups of drinking apertures) are evenly distributed over at least a perimeter of the lid, in particular in the perimeter of the lid edge. The user can therefore drink from nearly every location of the lid edge as usual, and when there is a sufficient number of drinking apertures, actually every location of the lid edge, namely when the apertures are spaced from each other preferably by at least approximately the width of the lip opening while drinking (approximately <2 cm).

The apertures are preferably evenly distributed in the perimeter of the lid edge close to the edge of the lid, and are therefore preferably located relatively close to the edge in the area of the edge such that the drinking liquid preferably exits the apertures right away when the cup with the drinking liquid is tilted such that the drinking liquid lies not only against the cup wall on the inside but also against the lid (initially in an edge area of the lid). These apertures are preferably closer to the edge of the lid than 20% (particularly preferably closer than 10%) of the cup diameter passing through the respective aperture.

The drinking apertures can for example be circular openings, or for example slotted, and then preferably extend in the peripheral direction.

As circular openings, for example, the drinking apertures can have a very small aperture area (such as needle-fine with a diameter of approximately 1 mm) such that only a number of them lets a conventional flow for drinking pass through, assuming a conventional pressure gradient in a water-like drinking liquid between the outside of the lid and inside of the lid (when sucking thereon while drinking or, in a preferred embodiment, the drinking liquid only rests against the lid from the inside with its hydrostatic pressure, for example, when the cup is tilted), wherein this number is distributed over a section of approximately <3 cm in the perimeter of the lid.

In this embodiment, the apertures have a particularly small area to minimize the risk of drinking liquid accidentally sloshing out through them. In addition, the lid (in comparison to slotted apertures extending in the peripheral direction) retains connecting bar material between the lid edge and lid middle area. A sufficiently large aperture cross-section is thereby also ensured (which is preferably also ensured in other embodiments of the invention to the same extent, regionally or by each aperture).

The lid surface within the lid edge can be stretched flat, at least regionally. It is thereby suitable for advertising and decorative applications that are particularly noticeable and printable. Alternately or in addition, the lid surface can have a concave lid surface section (or lie flat at a sufficient depth at a distance from the edge) such that the lips as well as the nose do not collide with any area of the lid (unusual compared to drinking “lid-free”).

To this end, an annular drinking surface as a top drinking edge abuts, radially to the inside, an annular outer edge of the lid surrounding the lid, the drinking surface extending radially to the inside on the outside of the lid, and extending around the lid in the peripheral direction of the lid, and extending in an axial direction of the lid from the outer edge of the lid at a height between 40 mm and 5 mm, and especially 30 mm and 10 mm. The lid according to the invention can therefore preferably sit on the cup opening in the shape of a cup with the outer edge of the drinking edge as the top edge, and the drinking surface as the inner wall. The lips of the user can lie in a usual manner on the outer edge and drinking surface while drinking and imbibe the drinking liquid from there that flows through one or a number of the drinking apertures evenly distributed in the perimeter of the lid into said cup-shaped outside of the lid when the cup is tilted, however preferably with the depth of said cup shape being so slight that the lips just reach the bottom of this cup shape and enclose as usual an edge of a cup shape, and the liquid in the cup-shaped lid exiting the apertures therein can be immediately swallowed almost completely by the lips and hence cannot be spilled.

The drinking surface preferably narrows in an axial direction of the lid from the top drinking edge toward the inside of the lid, and is preferably conical, i.e., tapers evenly.

These and other advantages and features of the invention will be explained further with reference to the following figures of exemplary embodiments of the invention, wherein

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a lid according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a sectional side view of the lid according to the invention according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a sectional side view of a cup to which the lid according to the invention from FIGS. 1 and 2 is adapted,

FIG. 4 shows a sectional side view of the lid according to the invention according to FIGS. 1 and 2 inserted in the cup according to FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 a to d shows a sectional plan view of the lid according to the invention according to FIG. 1 and three alternative lids according to the invention with alternative drinking aperture arrangements,

FIG. 6 shows a section of a sectional side view of the lid according to the invention according to FIGS. 1 and 2 inserted in the cup according to FIG. 3 with drinking liquid tilted for drinking,

FIG. 7 shows a plan view of an alternative lid according to the invention,

FIG. 8 shows a sectional side view of the lid according to the invention according to FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 shows a sectional side view of a cup to which is adapted the lid according to the invention from FIGS. 1 and 2, as well as the alternative lid according to the invention from FIGS. 7 and 8, and

FIG. 10 shows a sectional side view of the lid according to the invention according to FIGS. 7 and 8 inserted in the cup according to FIG. 9.

A drinking cup 2 for hot or cold beverages to be discarded consisting of cardboard coated on the inside with plastic (properly set down on a horizontal plane 4) has, at the top, a drinking opening 6 and, at the bottom, an annular standing edge 8 that enables the cup to be set down on a horizontal plane 4 so that the drinking liquid 10 remains in the cup. Overall, the cup is rotationally symmetrical about a vertical axis 12, and its peripheral wall 14 narrows, not just in the area of the drinking opening 6 but rather overall, downward axially (along the axis 12) in a conical shape from the edge 16 of the drinking opening.

The drinking opening 6 is surrounded by a drinking edge 16 which has a cross-section folded over in a circular manner to the outside.

The cup 22 bears a lid 20 that can cover the drinking opening 6 to prevent the drinking liquid therein from spilling. The lid 22 is injection molded from recyclable polypropylene.

The lid 22 has a lid edge 24 which is sealingly inserted in the drinking opening 6 of the cup (FIG. 4). An annular sealing surface 24 of the lid edge is adapted to the geometry of the drinking opening 6 of the portrayed cup 2 such that the lid 22 can be sealingly inserted into the cup drinking opening 6.

The annular sealing surface 24 projects radially outward and extends in the peripheral direction of the lid 22 around the lid and narrows in the axial direction of the lid (along the axis 12) from the outside of the lid 26 to the inside of the lid 28. The lid 22 therefore has a plug-like structure with a straight, conical outer contour 24. The sealing surface 24 narrows at the same slope as the inner diameter of a ring surface section 30 below the drinking opening edge 16 of the cup geometry and is thereby adapted to the cup geometry. Said lid 22 is affixed in the cup opening 6 by means of adhesion force and a certain amount of suction from even small amounts for the drinking liquid that can be drawn between the sealing surface and ring surface section from sloshing and a capillary effect, as well as by means of a wedge effect. A user can press the lid 22 into the drinking opening 6, whereby slight pressure is sufficient for the wedge effect to take effect in the cup opening.

To reliably prevent the lid 22 from being pressed too deeply into the cup 2 and to easily and reliably remove the lid from the cup, a stop collar 32 projecting radially outward is attached at the top (at the area of the greatest outer diameter of the downwardly-narrowing sealing surface 24), and the stop collar lies against the drinking edge 16 of the cup opening from the top when the lid is strongly pressed into the cup opening.

In order for the lid 22 to not just seal the cup drinking opening 6 but also always enable drinking from the cup provided with the lid, the lid has a plurality of drinking apertures 34 that are distributed evenly along and close to the edge 24 of the lid 22 on the perimeter of the lid edge 24.

According to FIG. 5a, b and d, the drinking apertures are distributed individually or, according to FIG. 5c, severally as drinking aperture groups, evenly over the perimeter of the lid edge 24. The user can therefore drink from actually every location of the lid edge as usual when there is a sufficient number of drinking apertures 34 when the apertures are spaced from each other by at least approximately the width of the lip opening while drinking (approximately <2 cm).

The apertures are evenly distributed in the perimeter of the lid edge close to the edge 24 of the lid 22 such that the drinking liquid preferably exits the apertures 34 directly when the cup with the drinking liquid according to FIG. 6 is tilted such that the drinking liquid lies not only against the cup wall 14 on the inside but also against the lid 22 (initially in an edge area 36 of the lid surface 38 therefrom).

The drinking apertures 34 according to FIG. 5b and c are circular openings, or extend according to FIGS. 1 and 5a as slots in the peripheral direction.

As circular, needle-fine openings with a diameter of approximately 1 mm, the drinking apertures 34d according to FIG. 5d can each have such a small aperture area that only a number of them lets a conventional flow 40 for drinking pass through, assuming a conventional pressure gradient in a water-like drinking liquid between the outside of the lid 26 and inside of the lid 28 (when, while drinking, the drinking liquid 10 rests against the lid 22 from the inside as shown in FIG. 6 with its hydrostatic pressure when the cup 2 is tilted). This number is distributed on the perimeter of the lid 22 along a section of approximately 2 cm.

The drinking apertures 34 are arranged in edge recesses 42 that extend into the lid like a spout, i.e., toward the inside of the lid 28. As described above in the situation according to FIG. 6, this advantageously causes a swallowing amount 40 to exit out of the drinking apertures 34 under hydrostatic pressure. If however the cup 2 is unintentionally moved more forcefully and the drinking liquid 10 begins to move, this arrangement prevents the generation of additional dynamic pressure at the drinking apertures 34 which could cause excessive drinking fluid 10 to exit.

Within the perimeter of the drinking apertures, the lid surface 36 is stretched flat for advertising and decoration applications 44. To prevent the lips as well as the nose of the user (not shown) from colliding with any area of the lid when drinking (which would be unusual in comparison to “lid-free” drinking), an annular drinking surface 46 abuts, radially to the inside, an annular outer edge of the lid surrounding the lid as a top drinking edge, the drinking surface 46 extending radially to the inside on the outside of the lid 26, and extending around the lid in the peripheral direction of the lid 22, and extending in the axial direction of the lid 22 from the outer edge of the lid at a height of approximately 20 mm. The lid 22 according to the invention therefore sits on the cup opening 6 in the shape of a cup with the outer edge of the drinking edge 32 as the top edge, and the drinking surface 46 as the inner wall. The lips of the user (not shown) can lie in a usual manner on the outer edge and drinking surface while drinking and imbibe the drinking liquid 10 from there that flows through one or a number of the drinking apertures 34 evenly distributed in the perimeter of the lid 22 into said cup-shaped outside of the lid 26 when the cup 2 is tilted, however preferably with the depth of said cup shape 26 being so slight that the lips just reach the bottom 36 of this cup shape and enclose as usual only an edge 32, 46 of a cup shape, and the liquid 10 in the cup-shaped lid 22 exiting the apertures 34 therein can be immediately swallowed almost completely by the lips, and hence this liquid 40 also cannot be spilled.

The drinking surface 46 narrows conically in an axial direction of the lid 22 from the top drinking edge 32 toward the inside of the lid 28, i.e., evenly.

Claims

1. A drinking-cup lid comprising a plurality of drinking apertures and a lid edge for sealing insertion into the drinking opening of a cup, wherein a plurality of drinking apertures are evenly distributed along a perimeter of the lid.

2. The drinking-cup lid according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of drinking apertures are arranged in groups that are evenly distributed over the perimeter of the lid edge.

3. The drinking-cup lid according to claim 1, wherein the drinking apertures are structurally configured as slots along a periphery of the lid.

4. The drinking-cup lid according to claim 1, wherein the drinking apertures are structurally configured with a small aperture area such that only a number of them lets a conventional flow of a water-based beverage pass through.

5. The drinking-cup lid according to claim 1, wherein an annular drinking surface abuts an annular top edge of the lid edge, and the drinking surface extends: radially to the inside on the outside of the lid,in the peripheral direction of the lid around the lid, andin an axial direction of the lid from the outer edge of the lid at a height between 40 mm and 5 mm.

6. The drinking-cup lid according to claim 1, wherein the drinking surface narrows in the axial direction of the lid from the outside edge of the lid to the inside of the lid.

7. The drinking cup lid according to claim 6, wherein the drinking surface has a uniformly conical shape.

8. The drinking-cup lid according to claim 1, wherein a flat lid surface section and/or concave lid surface section in the direction of the inside of the lid is stretched within the lid edge.

9. The drinking-cup lid according to claim 1, wherein the lid has a sealing surface which is structurally configured for sealing with the drinking opening of the cup, and the lid is structurally configured to be sealingly inserted into the drinking opening of the cup.

10. The drinking-cup lid according to claim 5, wherein the drinking surface extends in an axial direction of the lid from the outer edge of the lid at a height between 20 mm and 5 mm.

11. The drinking-cup lid according to claim 1, wherein the drinking opening of the cup is adapted to the lid edge, and the lid is structurally configured to be sealingly inserted into the drinking opening of the cup.