Receptacles – Container attachment or adjunct – Drinking device
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-07
2002-12-03
Young, Lee (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Container attachment or adjunct
Drinking device
C215S387000, C229S404000, C220S711000, C220S719000, C220S255000, C220S374000, C220S367100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06488173
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1) Field of the Invention
The subject matter of this invention is directed to a removable lid for a beverage container and more particularly to a lid that is designed to minimize the possibility of burning a user's mouth during consuming a hot beverage and also substantially prevent accidental spillage of the liquid beverage from the beverage container.
2) Description of the Prior Art
It is exceedingly common within the present day society to utilize beverage containers that are made of paper and plastic that are intended to be used once and then disposed. It is also exceedingly common for individuals to utilize these disposable beverage containers to contain hot beverages such as coffee, tea and hot chocolate. It is common that an individual is mobile while consuming of the beverage as the individual may be walking from one location to another, riding in a car or doing some other activity other than merely sitting. It is common to have a lid substantially enclose the open mouth of the beverage container. The primary function of the lid is to prevent leakage of the beverage which can easily occur when the consumer is moving from one location to another or riding in a car. The movement of the car or the movement of the consumer can cause the beverage to move within the beverage container and be squirted out through the dispensing opening formed within the lid. This spilling of the beverage can be deposited on the consumer's hands and clothing or on articles contained near the consumer, such as on a desk.
Another problem associated with lids of the past is that the hot liquid is dispensed directly from the beverage container, through the dispensing opening into the consumer's mouth. Frequently, the hot liquid is at such an elevated temperature that it can actually cause a burn to occur on the lips of the consumer and within the mouth of the consumer. In the past, there has not been made any effort to construct lids to substantially eliminate the possibility of the consumer being burned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first embodiment of beverage container lid which has an exterior cover and an interior cover, both of which are discoid shaped. The peripheral edge of the interior cover is permanently secured to the peripheral edge of the exterior cover. Located between the interior cover and the exterior cover is a substantially enclosed space. The peripheral edge of the exterior cover is to be removably mounted over the mouth of a beverage container with the liquid of the beverage container to be capable of being moved through an inlet opening formed within the interior cover to then be contained within the substantially enclosed space. The inlet opening is non-centrally located within the interior cover with the forward edge of the inlet opening being located substantially closer to the peripheral edge than the rearward edge of the inlet opening. A partition is attached to the interior cover and is located within the substantially enclosed space. The partition has a top edge which is to be located in contact with the interior surface of the exterior cover. The length of the partition is to be at least equal to the length of the inlet opening which requires that the beverage that passes through the inlet opening must pass around the partition to be located within a gap area defined as being part of the substantially enclosed space. A dispensing opening is formed within the exterior cover and is aligned with the gap area. The beverage from the gap area is to be dispensed exteriorly of the beverage container through this dispensing opening by tilting of the beverage container.
A second embodiment of beverage container lid which also has an exterior cover and an interior cover both of which are discoid. The peripheral edge of the interior cover is permanently secured to the peripheral edge of the exterior cover. Located between the interior cover and the exterior cover is a substantially enclosed space. The peripheral edge of the exterior cover is to be removably mounted over the mouth of the beverage container with the liquid of the beverage container to be capable of being moved through a pair of inlet openings formed within the interior cover to then be contained within the substantially enclosed space. The pair of inlet openings are non-centrally located within the interior cover with the forward edge of the inlet openings being located substantially closer to the peripheral edge than the rearward edge of the inlet openings. A wall assembly in the form of a pair of upstanding members is attached to the interior cover with the upstanding members being located between the pair of inlet openings. Each upstanding member has a top edge which is to be located in contact with the interior surface of the exterior cover. The length of the upstanding members is to be at least equal to the length of the inlet openings which requires that the vast majority of the beverage that passes through the inlet openings must pass around the upstanding members to be located within a gap area defined as being part of the substantially enclosed space. A dispensing opening is formed within the exterior cover and is aligned with the gap area. The beverage from the gap area is to be dispensed exteriorly of the beverage container through this dispensing opening by tilting of the beverage container. Each upstanding member abuts against a raised surface formed on the interior surface of the exterior cover. Each of these raised surfaces includes a groove which permits a small quantity of the beverage to be conducted directly from the substantially enclosed space to be deposited within gap area. These grooves provide an initial quantity of beverage into the gap area when the user is taking his or her first drink. The interior cover also includes a weep hole through which the liquid that is contained within the substantially enclosed space can flow back into the beverage container and thereby be reheated if a substantial length of time has occurred from the most recent consumption. Also formed within the interior cover and the exterior cover is a vent.
The primary objective of the present invention is to construct a beverage container lid which substantially eliminates the possibility of spillage of the beverage from the beverage container upon the beverage container encountering a sudden movement.
Another objective of the present invention is to construct a beverage container lid which substantially eliminates the possibility of a hot beverage burning of the consumer's lips or mouth during consuming of the hot beverage.
Another objective of the present invention is to construct a beverage container lid which can be constructed inexpensively and therefor sold to the ultimate consumer at a relatively inexpensive price.
Another objective of the present invention is to a beverage container lid which is simple in construction and therefore non-complex to manufacture.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3360161 (1967-12-01), Smith
patent: 4322014 (1982-03-01), Philip
patent: 4331255 (1982-05-01), Fournier
patent: 4460101 (1984-07-01), Tseng
patent: 5143248 (1992-09-01), Sawatsky
patent: 5540350 (1996-07-01), Lansky
patent: 5890619 (1999-04-01), Belanger
patent: 5979689 (1999-11-01), Lansky
patent: 6220476 (2001-04-01), Waller
patent: 6305571 (2001-10-01), Chu
patent: 6318584 (2001-11-01), Milan
Hylton Robin A
Munro Jack C.
Young Lee
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