1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to drinking cup lids and more particularly to a drinking cup lid that is adapted to be secured to a drinking cup, such as a common household coffee mug, made of ceramic, glass or plastic and the like.
2. Background of the Related Art
A variety of styles of travel mugs are known in the art. These conventional travel mugs are made from plastic and metal materials and are molded and formed to exacting standards. The lids for conventional travel mugs are formed with tight tolerances so that they have an exacting fit within the mouth of their associated cup or tumbler.
Household drinking cups, such as ceramic coffee mugs, glasses and the like, generally do not come with lids, which prevents them, in most cases, from being used as travel mugs. All too often, though, a person desires to bring their favorite cup or mug with them on the road or on the ocean. However, due to the less exacting methods by which they are made (i.e. manual shaping and firing), there is a large tolerance in the dimensions, particularly in the size of the mouth opening, and thus it has been nearly impossible to design a lid which can accommodate the varying sizes and irregular inner dimensional shapes of everyday household mugs.
Therefore, there is need in the art for a device to allow a person to take the household drinking cup with them that reduces the chance of spillage while travelling and negates the need to transfer the beverage into a conventional travel mug.
The invention solves the problems of the prior art by providing a drinking cup lid particularly adapted for attaching to a ceramic or glass household drinking cup or mug. The drinking cup lid includes a body with a deck and an annular wall that depends downwards. The drinking cup lid includes first and second, oversized annular gaskets which can accommodate the varying dimensions and irregular inner surfaces of ceramic and glass cups and mugs. The first and second gaskets extend outward from the annular wall and are configured for sealing engagement with the inner wall of the mouth of the drinking cup. A closure is pivotally attached to the annular wall and configured and arranged to pivot between a closed position, sealing the drinking cup closed, and an open position, opening the drinking cup. In this manner, a conventional household drinking cup may be easily adapted for travel without transferring the beverage into a separate travel mug or risking spilling the beverage.
Referring now to
The annular wall 16 includes an outer surface adapted for insertion into a drinking cup 26, such as a common, household coffee mug, made of ceramic, glass or plastic and the like. The first and second gaskets 20,22 are generally planar, annular gaskets formed from sheets of a flexible, water resistant material, such as silicone. The first gasket 20 extends from outer surface of the annular wall 16 and is adapted to form a seal against the inner wall of a drinking cup 26. The inner edge of the first gasket 26 is retained to the outer surface of the annular wall 16 between a first annular rib 28a and a second annular rib 28b. The first annular rib 28a and the second annular rib 28b extend from the outer surface of the annular wall 16 and are spaced apart sufficient to fit the first gasket 20 and form a tight seal therebetween.
The second gasket 22 extends from outer surface of the annular wall and is also adapted to form a seal against the inner wall of a drinking cup 26. The second gasket 22 includes a number of slots 30 formed therethrough. Depending from the annular wall is an equal number of retaining elements 32 that interfit with the slots 30 on the second gasket 22. The retaining elements 32 hold the second gasket 22 onto the drinking cup lid 10. A third annular rib 28c extending from the outer surface of the annular wall 16 abuts the second gasket 22 and ensures a tight seal between the second gasket 22 and the annular wall 16 of the drinking cup lid 10.
Referring briefly to
In contrast, the cup and lid of standard travel cups are formed using exacting dimensions to eliminate any unnecessary gap between the lid and cup. Accordingly, there is virtually no gap seen in these cups and the seal is formed by small O-ring like gaskets.
The annular wall 16 further includes an inner surface. An upper wall 34 extends across the inner surface of the annular wall 16 and is connected thereto. An opening 35 is formed through the upper wall 34 to allow the contents of the drinking cup 26 to be dispensed therefrom.
The closure 24 is pivotally attached to the annular wall 16 by posts 36 which are received into openings 38 in the annular wall 16. The closure 24 may be pivoted forward or backward to open or close, respectively, the opening 35 in the upper wall 34. The closure 24 rocks on the rounded support 36 extending from the closure 24.
An appendage 40 depends from the closure 24 and down through the opening 35 on the upper wall 34. A third oval gasket 42 is received onto the appendage 40 and is adapted to seal the opening 35 on the upper wall 34 closed when the closure 24 is pivoted back to the closed positioned. A pair of spaced apart retaining ribs 44a, 44b holds the third gasket 42 on the appendage 40 of the closure 24. Pivoting the closure 24 backwards lifts the appendage 40 and causes the third gasket 42 to engage the opening 35 on the inner wall 34. Pivoting the closure 34 forwards lowers the appendage 40 and disengages the third gasket 42 from the opening 35 (See
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Finally, turning to
It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be within the scope of the invention except insofar as limited by the appended claims.
This patent document claims priority to earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/466,511, filed on Mar. 23, 2011, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
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