Patent Application
20060096983
This invention relates to recloseable plastic lids for drink cups of the type having circular rims and more particularly to a two-ply recloseable lid made up of two similar internesting shells which can be rotated relative to one another to open and close a drink-through opening by aligning and/or de-aligning apertures in the shells.
Molded and thermoformed disposable plastic lids for drink cups are well known in the “fast food” industry The typical lid is formed as an integral single ply device having an edge contour which grippingly engages the rim of a disposable drink cup, and a deck portion having one or more of several available architectural features to satisfy specific requirements. Some lids are formed in such a way as to provide a plug fit for hot drinks while other lids have raised deck portions to accommodate whipped cream or foam, the latter lids often being referred to as “cappuccino” lids. Drink-through openings of various types may be provided, the most popular of which being the “tear back” feature which permits a small segment of the lid to be broken free and hinged or torn back to provide a drink-through opening. Other drink-through lids have pre-formed, permanent openings.
More recently, disposable drink cup lids have been designed in a two-ply construction in which nesting thin plastic shells are disposed in overlying relationship with one another. The outer shell may be rotated relative to the inner shell while the lid is on the cup. In a typical design, rotation in one direction causes alignment or registration of two apertures, one in each of the shells, while relative rotation in the opposite direction de-registers the apertures to close the lid. One known design includes a manually manipulable “lever” formed in the inner shell and extending upwardly through an arcuate opening in the upper shell. The relative rotation between the two shells is accomplished by grasping the lever and moving it either left or right to open or close. To work, the inner shell must be smaller than the outer shell such that only the outer shell rests on the cup rim.
The present invention represents an improvement to existing two-ply relatively rotatable recloseable plastic lids for drink cups wherein the lid is of the type having nestable inner and outer shells made of thin plastic material. In accordance with the invention, the lid shells have nestable edge contours which edge contours engage one another to hold the two shells together as well as to provide a feature which permits the inner shell to directly grippingly engage the rim of a cup. Apertures are formed in the shells and may be aligned to provide a drink-through feature or de-aligned to close the lid. A gripping feature is provided on an outside surface of the outer shell to assist in the rotation motion.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment hereinafter described in greater detail, the inner and outer shells are provided, in addition to the edge contours described above, with annular crown portions characterized by top surfaces and inner and outer side surfaces. The apertures providing the drink-through openings are formed in the top surface of each annular crown. Mechanical stops at the extremes of relative rotation are provided by means of an arcuate recess in the crown portion of the inner shell, and a detent is formed in the crown portion of the outer shell to extend into and ride within the arcuate recess of the inner shell. When the rotation of the two shells relative to one another is such to bring the detent into contact with either of the end surfaces of the arcuate recess, a mechanical stop is provided.
As hereinafter explained in greater detail, a lid constructed in accordance with the present invention may incorporate either of two operating modes. In one mode, one mechanical stop defines the “open” condition while the opposite mechanical stop defines the “closed” condition. Alternatively, the arcuate recess may be made to extend over a larger angular range, say 30 degrees to 45 degrees, and both mechanical stops may be associated with “closed” conditions, an “open” condition being defined between these two “closed” positions. A secondary detent feature may be optimally provided to produce a tactile signal to the user that the lid has been placed in the centered or “open” condition.
Further in accordance with the present invention, at least one downwardly extending male plug portion is formed in the under side of the crown portion of the outer shell. This male plug portion is smaller, is in reversely symmetrically relation to the aperture, and is of such size and shape as to fit into the aperture of the inner shell when the lid is closed. This feature may be used with either the two-position lid or the three-position lid described above.
In either embodiment, shallow arcuate recesses are formed in the crown of the lower shell to provide clearance for the plug(s) so they do not add excessive drag to the relative rotation of the lid shells.
Other applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
Referring to the drawing a disposeable drink cup 10 made of plastic or paper and having a rolled circular rim 12 is fitted with a two-ply recloseable lid 14. Lid 14 comprises nestable inner and outer plastic shells 16, 18 respectively. The shells are typically manufactured by thermoforming thin plastic sheet in a known manner. Inner shell 16 comprises a rolled or arcuate edge contour 20 which is of such size and shape as to grippingly engage rolled rim 12 of the cup 10. The lower shell 16 further comprises generally annular integral crown portion 22 having a top surface 17 and inner side surface 24 and outer side surface 26. A drink-through aperture 28 is die cut through the top surface of the crown portion 22 of the lower shell. In straddling and reversely similar relationship to the aperture 28 are arcuate depressions 30, 32 for purposes to be described. Directly opposite the aperture 28 an arcuate recess or channel 34 is molded into the crown portion 22 and having an arcuate length of between 30 and 65 degrees. Small detents 52 are formed into the inner top surface of the recess channel 34 as shown in
The outer shell 18 also has a crown portion 36 with top, inside and outside surfaces 37, 38, 40 respectively. The shape and the size of the crown 36 is such as to nest with and overlie the crown 22 of the inner shell 16. Where the lower shell 16 has an integral closed center deck 39, the outer shell 18 has an open center.
The outer shell 18 is also provided with a drink-through aperture 42 of the same size and shape as opening 28 located in the top surface 37 of crown portion 36. Shallow, downwardly-extending arcuate plugs 46, 48 are formed in shell 18. When the shells 16, 18 are placed together in nesting relationship, the plugs 46, 48 extend into the shallow recesses 30, 32. The recesses 30, 32 thus provide clearance from the plugs 46, 48 during relative rotation between the two shelves so as to prevent excessive drag which would otherwise resist relative rotation.
A detent 44 is formed in the crown 36 directly opposite the opening 42. This detent 44 fits into the recessed channel 34 and moves left and right in the channel from a central position in which the detent 44 fits exactly between the raised detent 52.
A pattern of darts is provided in the outer side surface 40 of the top shell 18 to assist in gripping the outer shell and rotating it relative to the inner shell 16 when the two shells are placed on the cup 10. Other patterns can, of course, be used.
In operation, the two shells 16, 18 are nested together. The edge configurations are such as to hold the two shelves together without the need for other mechanical interlocks as well as to hold nested shells to the rim of the cup 10 when they are serving their purpose as a two-ply lid.
When the cup 10 is filled with liquid and the lid 14 is in place, the lid 14 is typically closed by de-registering the apertures 28, 42; i.e., achieving the condition shown in
To open the lid 14, the outer shell is twisted or rotated relative to the inner shell back toward the central position shown in
The lid of the present invention may be formed in various configurations and may be provided with embossed or printed indica or advertising or promotional purposes as will be apparent to those familiar with products serving fast food industry.
A two-position lid is nearly identical to the lid 14 described above. The principal difference lies in the fact that the recess 34 is made smaller in angular length and the secondary detent 52 is eliminated. The apertures 28, 42 are positional such that they are aligned when the detent 44 abuts one end wall of the recess 34 and non-aligned when the detent 44 abuts the opposite end wall of the recess 34. Only one plug 46, 48 is needed in this embodiment.
The words “apertures” and “openings” are used interchangeably in this document.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.
