TWI708716B - Cup lid - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a lid for mounting on a cup opening defined by a brim of a cup body. The lid comprises a cover having a substantially planar portion and a recessed opening disposed on the cover; a side wall disposed around the periphery of the cover; a flange extended from the bottom edge of the side wall and forms a trench space for accommodating the brim of the cup body when the lid is mounted on the cup opening; and a breathable film disposed below the substantially planar portion and covered the recessed opening of the cover. The cover and the breathable film of the present lid are integrally formed into a single piece.

Description

Lid

The present disclosure relates to a lid installed on the mouth of the cup body. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a lid, which is characterized by having a gas-permeable membrane arranged in a cavity of the lid to allow vapor to evaporate while preventing liquid from overflowing, leaking or dripping from the cup.

Disposable containers are widely used in this modern society, especially for daily beverages such as water, coffee and tea. Disposable containers (such as cups) themselves are usually made of materials such as paper, cardboard, plastic, laminates, etc. However, most of the lids installed on the container are made of plastic. Containers and lids made of different materials often cause leakage or dripping due to the incomplete seal between the cup and the lid.

To solve this problem, a fixing component can be constructed on the lid to ensure that the cup and lid are tightly sealed. For example, US Patent US2009/0090721A1 (Publication Date: April 9, 2009) describes a packaging system (for example, a disposable cup) that includes a container and a flexible top cap attached thereto, the flexible top cap includes There are gaskets respectively used to seal the container and adhere to the two surfaces of the top cover, so as to realize the air-tight opening between the container and the top cover.

However, once a tight seal is formed between the cup and the lid, another problem arises. In the case that the cup is filled with hot drinks, the pressure inside the cup will immediately rise due to the increase in temperature, which inevitably causes the hot liquid to suddenly spray out when the lid is opened (for example, when the user opens the lid for drinking).

In order to solve this problem, small holes (such as air holes) can be formed in the lid to discharge the steam inside the enclosed space of the cup to balance the pressure inside and outside the cup. However, the inclusion of additional air holes increases the possibility of liquid spillage and leakage, especially during the transportation or delivery of beverages.

In view of this, there is an urgent need in the related technical field for an improved lid structure in which the lid and the cup can be kept airtight and sealed while minimizing the possibility of liquid overflow and/or leakage from the container.

In order to provide readers with a basic understanding, the following provides a brief summary of the disclosure. This content of the invention is not an extensive overview of the content of the present disclosure, and is not used to identify the key/required elements of the present disclosure or outline the scope of the present disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of this disclosure in a simplified conceptual form as a prelude to the more detailed description presented later.

As implemented and broadly described herein, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a lid for mounting on a cup. According to the specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the lid has an improved structural feature, which can minimize the possibility of liquid overflow and/or leakage from the cup. At the same time, when the lid is installed on the edge of the cup, it can maintain the gap between the lid and the cup. Tightly sealed between.

Accordingly, one aspect of the present disclosure relates to a lid for mounting on the cup mouth defined by the edge of the cup body. The cover includes: a cover body with a substantially flat part and a recess provided on the cover body; side walls arranged around the periphery of the cover body; flanges extending from the bottom edge of the side walls and forming a groove space, So that when the cover is installed on the mouth of the cup, the edge of the cup body is accommodated; and the breathable membrane is arranged under the substantially flat part and covers the recess of the cover body. According to a preferred embodiment, the cover body and the breathable film of the cover of the present disclosure are integrally formed to form a single component.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the side wall is characterized in that a part of the side wall surrounds a part of the cover, and a step is formed above a part of the cover, wherein the step and the recess are disposed oppositely .

In some specific embodiments of the present disclosure, the ladder has a drinking hole provided thereon.

According to a preferred embodiment, the lid further includes a stopper attached to the drinking hole.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the flange has at least one cutout provided on the bottom edge thereof; and at least one fastener protruding toward the groove space.

In some preferred embodiments, the cover further includes a fixing member, which includes a ring frame and at least one tab (tab), wherein the ring frame is arranged in the groove space; the tab is from the ring frame The outer surface of the flange extends downward and covers the incision.

According to specific embodiments of the present disclosure, the cover, the breathable film, and the fixing member are individually selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), cellulose ether, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, and polyether polyamide. Amine block copolymer (poly(ether-block-amide) (PEBA)), polyamide (PA), polycarbonate (PC), polyether ester (PEE), polyethylene (PE, including ultra-low density poly Ethylene (ULDPE) and very low density polyethylene (VLDPE)), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyhydroxy ether, polyolefin (PO), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), Polystyrene-acrylonitrile (PSAN), polyurethane (PU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene cyclohexane, polysiloxane, styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA), styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPS) ), thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) and a combination of materials. In some embodiments, the cover and the breathable film are independently made of polypropylene (PP); and the fixing member is made of polyurethane (PU).

According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the breathable membrane is characterized by having a plurality of micropores, which are permeable to steam and gas but not to liquid droplets.

According to some preferred embodiments, the breathable membrane and the notch together form a cavity.

Through the above design, the manufactured lid can provide improved structural features, that is, the breathable film covering the notch on the lid body can balance the pressure inside and outside the cup by allowing the internal vapor to evaporate, thereby reducing as much as possible The possibility of liquid spilling from the container.

After referring to the following embodiments, those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs can easily understand the basic spirit and other purposes of the present invention, as well as the technical means and implementation aspects of the present invention.

In order to make the description of the present disclosure more detailed and complete, the following provides an illustrative description for the implementation aspects and specific embodiments of the present invention; but this is not the only way to implement or use the specific embodiments of the present invention. The implementation manners cover the characteristics of a number of specific embodiments and the method steps and sequences used to construct and operate these specific embodiments. However, other specific embodiments can also be used to achieve the same or equal functions and sequence of steps.

I. Definition

For ease of description, here is a comprehensive description of specific terms described in this specification, embodiments, and the appended patent scope. Unless otherwise defined in this specification, the scientific and technical terms used herein have the same meanings as understood and used by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the present invention. In addition, without conflict with context, the singular nouns used in this specification cover the plural nouns; and the plural nouns also cover the singular nouns. Specifically, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form "one" (a and an) used in the scope of the patent application herein and appended includes plural forms. In addition, in this specification and the scope of the patent application, expressions such as "at least one" and "one or more" have the same meaning, and both of them mean that they include one, two, and three. Or more.

The use of the term "container" in this disclosure is intended to include any object, container or vessel used to store, dispense, package or divide items. Examples of containers include, but are not limited to, cups, jars, bottles, bowls, plates, cartons, boxes, crates, plates, or other types of holders. The term "disposable container" as used in this specification refers to a container that has characteristics that usually accompany disposable materials. However, the use of the term "disposable" does not mean that the container is necessarily only a one-time use container, and must be discarded after only one use. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the container is used to hold beverages, especially hot beverages.

The term "lid" used in this disclosure is made by injection molding technology known in the art. The so-called "injection molding" broadly refers to any technology used to inject one or more materials (ie, injection) into a mold to produce an object with a desired shape or structure. Non-limiting examples of materials suitable for use as injection agents include thermoplastic polymers, thermosetting polymers, elastomers, photocurable polymers, metals, glass, and ceramics.

II. Specific implementation

The present disclosure aims to provide an improved lid for use with a disposable container, wherein the lid has a unique design that allows steam or hot air to leave the container, thereby minimizing the possibility of subsequent liquid ejection from the container.

Accordingly, the purpose of the present disclosure relates to a lid, which is characterized by having a gas permeable membrane integrally formed therein, and when the lid is installed on the edge of the container, air can be discharged through the gas permeable membrane.

As can be understood, the container of the present disclosure may be a cup, which has a mouth defined by the edge of the cup body. The cup body is used to hold the beverage, and the lid is installed on the edge to cover the cup mouth.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the lid of the present disclosure is intended to be assembled on the edge of the cup to cover the mouth of the cup and prevent the contents contained in the cup from easily oozing out of the cup. Therefore, the flange of the lid should be substantially aligned with the cup. The edges match to hold the cup tightly in place.

Referring to FIG. 1, it shows the cover 100 according to one aspect of the present disclosure. The cover 100 in its structure includes a cover 110 having a substantially flat portion 112 and a recess 114, a side wall 120 arranged around the periphery of the cover 110, a flange 130 extending from the bottom edge of the side wall 120 and forming a groove space S, and a cover The breathable film 140 that holds the notch 114.

As shown in the figure, the notch 114 is provided near the edge of the cover 110 and is lower than the surface of the substantially flat portion 112. However, it should be noted that the notch 114 can be provided at any position on the cover 110. The breathable film 140 is disposed under the substantially flat portion 112 and covers the recess 114. Preferably, the breathable membrane 140 is integrally formed with the cover 110 to form a single component. Alternatively or optionally, the breathable membrane 140 and the cover 110 may be formed separately and then combined together (for example, by using an adhesive).

According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the lid 100 is manufactured by injection molding. Injection molding is a process in which the injection agent (mostly polymer) is heated until it becomes flexible, and then injected into the cavity of the mold, where it cools and hardens into the shape of the cavity. Examples of injections suitable for manufacturing the lid 100 of the present disclosure include but are not limited to: acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), cellulose ether, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, polyether polyamide block copolymer ( PEBA), polyamide (PA), polycarbonate (PC), polyether ester (PEE), polyethylene (PE, including ultra low density polyethylene (ULDPE) and very low density polyethylene (VLDPE)), poly Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyhydroxy ether, polyolefin (PO), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polystyrene-acrylonitrile (PSAN), polyurethane (PU), poly Vinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene cyclohexane, polysiloxane, styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA), styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPS), thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) and combinations thereof.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, at least one injection agent can be used to form the cover 100 of the present disclosure by injection molding, wherein the cover 110, the side wall 120, the flange 130 and the breathable film 140 are integrally formed into a single piece. In addition, the cover 110 and the breathable membrane 140 can be separately made from the same or different injections. In the case of injection molding using two injections, the two injections can be injected simultaneously or sequentially according to methods known in the art. In some embodiments, the cap system is formed by the first injection (such as PP); and the breathable membrane is formed by the second injection (such as PE). In an embodiment where two injections are used, at least one of them is a food-grade material. Alternatively or optionally, the at least one injection may also be a biodegradable material. In other embodiments, only one injection (such as PP or PE) is used to form the cover 100 of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, PP is used to form both the cover 110 and the breathable film 140 to become the cover 100. In other embodiments, PE is used to form both the cover 110 and the breathable membrane 140 to become the cover 100.

Preferably, the breathable membrane 140 is formed by the latitude and longitude threads of the injection (for example, the weft and warp threads of PP, or the weft and warp threads of PE) woven together, thereby forming a membrane with micropores. The micropores are permeable to steam and gas, but impermeable to liquid droplets and water. In other words, steam from hot drinks, not beverages in the form of droplets, can escape from the pores of the breathable membrane. In this way, the pressure inside and outside the cup is balanced, thereby reducing the possibility of sudden ejection of the beverage from the cup during drinking or transportation.

Referring to FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, these drawings show the cover 200 according to another aspect of the present disclosure. Similar to the aforementioned cover 100, the cover 200 of this embodiment also includes a cover 210, a side wall 220, a flange 230, and a breathable membrane 240 in its structure; and the cover 210 also has a substantially flat portion 212 and a recess 214, wherein the recess The bottom of the port 214 is covered by the breathable film 240. Preferably, the cover 210 and the breathable membrane 240 are integrated into a single component (see Figure 2A and Figure 3). As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 3 more clearly, the edge of the notch 214 smoothly transitions to the breathable film 240 without any gaps or gaps between the two, which allows the notch 214 and the breathable film 240 to come together to form a cavity ( In the figure "C"), the steam (not liquid droplets) of the hot drink can be dissipated from the breathable film 240, and the steam accumulates in the cavity C in the form of water droplets when it contacts the relatively cold air outside the cup.

In addition, as depicted in FIG. 2A, the side wall 220 of the cover 200 has a step 222 formed above and surrounding a part of the cover 210. Preferably, the ladder 222 is arranged opposite to the recess 214 (that is, away from the recess 214); and a drinking hole 224 is constructed on the ladder, so that the user can sip or drink through it. In addition, arranging the drinking hole 224 at a position away from the notch 214 can also reduce the possibility of any liquid blocking or blocking the breathable membrane 240 when the cup is tilted (that is, when the user drinks). Additionally or optionally, an additional plug 260 may be inserted into the drinking hole 224 to prevent liquid from overflowing the cup from the drinking hole 224. The stopper 260 suitable for the present disclosure is not limited to a specific size and/or shape, as long as it can conform to the shape of the drinking hole 224 and form a tightly sealed mouth when inserted into it.

Next, referring specifically to the groove space S and refer to Figures 2B, 3, and 4. The groove space S is defined by the two side walls of the flange 230 forming a U-shaped space, wherein when the lid 200 is installed to the edge of the cup (not shown), the edge of the cup can be tightly held in the space. In order to ensure that a tight seal can be formed between the cup and the lid 200, the flange 230 is designed to include at least a notch 234 (see Figure 2B) on its bottom edge, and at least one fastener 232 protruding toward the inside of the groove space S (See Figures 3 and 4). When the lid 200 is attached to the edge of the cup, the cutout 234 and the protruding fastener 232 are used to fix the edge of the cup in place.

In addition, the flange 230 further includes a fixing member 250 to help fix the lid 200 and the cup. As depicted in the enlarged view of FIG. 4, the fixing member 250 includes a ring frame 252 and at least one tab 254. The ring frame 252 is substantially circular, and can be arranged in the groove space S or on the inner surface of the lid 200 facing the cup mouth. When the lid 200 is installed on the cup opening, the ring frame 252 will contact the edge and at least part of the cup body; at the same time, the tabs 254 will extend downward from the ring frame 252 along the outer surface of the flange 230 to cover The cutout 234 of the flange 230. The tab 254 is also used to prevent the cover 200 from splitting from the cut 234, thereby improving the structural integrity of the cover 200. Therefore, the tab 254 is preferably not narrower than the width of the opening at the bottom of the cutout 234, so that the lower edge of the tab 254 can be set across the bottom of the cutout 234. The tab 254 may form a flat piece or frame, and have a shape matching the shape of the cutout 234. Optionally or additionally, the tabs 254 can also be used to hold the ring frame 252 on the lid 200, thereby achieving a firm bond between the cover 200 and the cup. In this way, each tab 254 extends from the ring frame 252 and Along the outer surface of the flange 230 (that is, the surface facing the outside) downwards into the flange 230 to completely cover the cutout 234, so that the fixing member 250 is fastened to the flange 230 and the cover 200. Preferably, the number of cutouts 234 is equal to the number of tabs 254, for example, the number can be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10, but is not limited thereto. In a preferred embodiment, there are three tabs 254 and three notches 234 (see Figure 2B).

In some embodiments, the injection material used to make or form the fixing member 250 and the cover 210 may be the same or different materials. In addition, the fixing member 250 can also be manufactured by the same injection molding method as described above. Optionally or additionally, the fixing member 250 and the cover 210 may also be integrally formed as a single component, or separately formed as two independent components. In some embodiments, the fixing member 250 is made of PU, and the cover 210 is made of PP or PE.

In view of the foregoing, the advantage of the lid of the present disclosure is that it has the structural characteristics of a breathable membrane, which is arranged below the substantially flat part of the lid to dissipate steam and prevent liquid droplets from overflowing from the cup. In addition, the breathable membrane and the cover body of the cover are integrally formed into a single part by injection molding. In a word, the present disclosure provides a lid with low production cost and can improve the sealing between the lid and the cup while reducing the probability of liquid overflow.

It should be understood that the foregoing description of the implementation manners is only given in the form of examples, and various modifications can be made by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the art. The above specification, examples and experimental results provide a complete description of the structure and use of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Although various specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in the above embodiments, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the present invention, without departing from the principle and spirit of the present invention, Various changes and modifications can be made to it, so the protection scope of the present invention should be defined by the accompanying patent application.

100, 200: Lid

110, 210: cover

112, 210: essentially flat part

114, 214: Notch

120, 220: side wall

130, 230: flange

140, 240: breathable membrane

222: Ladder

224: Drinking hole

232: Fastener

234: cut

250: fixed parts

252: ring frame

254: Hanging Piece

260: Stopper

S: groove space

C: cavity

In order to make the above and other objectives, features, advantages and embodiments of the present invention more comprehensible, the description of the accompanying drawings is as follows:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a cover 100 drawn according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figures 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams of a front plan view (Figure 2A) and a bottom view (Figure 2B) of a lid 200 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, respectively;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cover 200 taken along line 3-3 in Figure 2A; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a part of a cover 200 encircled according to Fig. 3 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

According to the usual working method, the various elements and features in the figure are not drawn to scale, and the drawing method is to best present the specific features and elements related to the present invention. In addition, between different drawings, the same or similar element symbols are used to refer to similar elements/components.

100: Lid

110: Lid

112: Substantially flat part

114: Notch

120: side wall

130: flange

140: Breathable membrane

S: groove space

Claims (9)

A cover (100) for installing on a cup opening defined by the edge of a cup body, comprising: a cover body (110) having a substantially flat portion (112) and a notch provided on the cover body (110) (114); A side wall (120) is arranged around the periphery of the cover (110); a flange (130) extends from the bottom edge of the side wall (120) and forms a groove space (S) for the The cover (100) accommodates the edge of the cup body when installed on the cup mouth; and a breathable membrane (140), which is arranged under the substantially flat portion (112) and covers the recess (114) of the cover body (110) Wherein, the gas-permeable membrane (140) is characterized by having a plurality of micropores, which are permeable to steam and gas but impermeable to liquid droplets; wherein, the cover (110) and the gas-permeable membrane (140) are integrally formed. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the side wall is characterized in that a part of the side wall surrounds a part of the cover body, and a step is formed above a part of the cover body, wherein the step is opposite to the recess Set up. The lid according to claim 2, wherein the step has a drinking hole provided thereon. The lid described in claim 3 further includes a stopper, which is set to fit the drinking hole. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the flange has at least one fastener protruding into the groove space; and the flange has at least one cutout provided on the bottom edge thereof. The cover according to claim 5, further comprising a fixing member, which comprises a ring frame and at least one tab, wherein the ring frame is arranged in the groove space; and the tab is drawn along from the ring frame The outer surface of the flange extends downward and covers the cutout. The cover according to claim 6, wherein the cover, the breathable film and the fixing member are individually selected from acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), cellulose ether, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, and polyether Poly(ether-block-amide) (PEBA)), poly(ether-block-amide) (PEBA), polyamide (PA), polycarbonate (PC), polyether ester (PEE), polyethylene (PE, including ultra-low Density polyethylene (ULDPE) and very low density polyethylene (VLDPE)), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyhydroxy ether, polyolefin (PO), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) ), polystyrene-acrylonitrile (PSAN), polyurethane (PU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene cyclohexane, polysiloxane, styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA), styrene thermoplastic elastomer (TPS), Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) and a combination of materials. The cover according to claim 7, wherein the cover body and the breathable film are individually made of polypropylene (PP), and the fixing member is made of polyurethane (PU). The cap according to claim 1, wherein the gas-permeable membrane and the notch together form a cavity.

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