US20150359365A1 - Universal Lid for Drinking Cups - Google Patents
Universal Lid for Drinking Cups Download PDFInfo
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- US20150359365A1 US20150359365A1 US14/738,786 US201514738786A US2015359365A1 US 20150359365 A1 US20150359365 A1 US 20150359365A1 US 201514738786 A US201514738786 A US 201514738786A US 2015359365 A1 US2015359365 A1 US 2015359365A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- lid
- drinking
- hood
- cups
- drinking cup
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G19/00—Table service
- A47G19/22—Drinking vessels or saucers used for table service
- A47G19/2205—Drinking glasses or vessels
- A47G19/2266—Means for facilitating drinking, e.g. for infants or invalids
- A47G19/2272—Means for facilitating drinking, e.g. for infants or invalids from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers
Definitions
- the present invention relates generally to lids for drinking cups and, more particularly, to universal sipping lids made of silicone for various size glass, plastic and metal drinking cups.
- This application incorporates by reference and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/011,430, filed on Jun. 12, 2014.
- drinking cups were primarily made of glass and typically did not come with drinking and sipping lids. Glass drinking cups were generally effective, however they had their shortfalls. If a glass drinking cup without a lid falls over, the liquids inside spill out, and, because the drinking cup is glass, the glass itself may break. As a result, a child or adult could knock over a glass drinking cup, spill the contents, and possibly be injured due to the breakage of glass. Because of the probability of breakage, many parents do not like to use glass drinking cups for their children. And, because glass cups usually do not contain lids, if parents choose to use glass drinking cups, they worry about the child spilling the drink. There are some glass cups that include a snap on silicone lid designed specifically for the cup, but the lids are not secure enough to prevent liquids from spilling out and can easily pop off the cup, leaving the rim of the glass unprotected.
- plastic drinking cups with lids
- plastic cups are more common, relatively inexpensive, come with sipping straws or lids, and are less susceptible to breaking when compared to glass drinking cups.
- Some plastic drinking cups offer custom fit lids. These lids are generally effective, however, shortfalls exist. For example, some of these drinking lids are made of plastic and screw onto, or snap onto, the plastic cup. These lids are custom fit and cannot be used with other cups. In addition, these lids can be difficult to get on and off and do not always stay in place. Many times these lids are not leak proof.
- Some lids for plastic drinking cups are meant for young children and incorporate a sipping spout or straw mechanism that only fits the specific corresponding plastic drinking cup and can not be used with other plastic, glass, or metal cups.
- plastic drinking cups and plastic lids might not be as safe as once believed.
- many plastic cups and plastic sipping lids for kids and adults have been found to contain certain toxic chemicals, such as BPA, that tend to leach into the fluid contents of the cup.
- BPA certain toxic chemicals
- Even low doses of these chemicals have been linked to the altering of genes in the human body, which can then lead to health risks such as diabetes, altered immune system, and early puberty.
- the present invention provides a lid including a molded body formed of resilient material with elastic properties, such as silicone, to mate with a variety of a glass, plastic, and metal drinking cups.
- the body of the lid is a cylindrical configuration adapted to circumscribe the side walls of the drinking cup. Because the lid is elastic, it is able to take the shape of a variety of sizes and shapes of drinking cups. When placed over the open mouth of a drinking cup, the body of the lid covers the top portion of the drinking cup, extending over and down below the rim of the drinking cup.
- the portion of the lid that extends below the rim of the drinking cup acts as a hood that adheres the lid to the drinking cup and prevents the lid from accidentally coming off.
- the lid includes a raised spout near the edge of the body for sipping liquids from the drinking cup.
- the sipping spout can be a nipple, a straw, or another access point through the lid.
- the lid provides a unitary molded body, spout, and hood formed of a silicone material.
- the lid further includes a non-toxic finish, such as, HS-4, XC9603, YC6831, made by GE Toshiba Silicone, disposed on substantially the entirety of an inner surface of the molded lid, which allows the lid to be easily taken on and off. Because of this feature, the lid is easily removable for cleaning and reusing with other drinking cups.
- the molded body of the lid is formed of translucent resilient material such that one can observe the level of the contents within the cup.
- the molded body of the lid has a thickness between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.
- the molded hood of the lid is disposed below the circumference of the drinking cup rim by about 1 to 1.5 inches and has a generally smooth cylindrical configuration, which facilitating its use with drinking cups from a variety of manufacturers. In this manner, the lid can conform to the shape of the drinking cup and accommodate cups with varying rim circumferences.
- the molded hood includes small nubs about 1 to 5 mm in height to improve the grip and shock absorption around the rim and sides of drinking cup, which gives added protection to the rim of the drinking cup when the lid is in place.
- a lid for drinking cups includes: a unitary body including a spout and a hood formed of silicone, the hood including a cylindrical portion configured to completely surround and cover the top rim on a variety of different size drinking cups preventing liquids from spilling out, wherein the hood includes a plurality of circumferentially disposed grips in the form of ridges and valleys.
- the spout may be a valve through which a straw may be placed.
- the silicone may be translucent such that contents of a drinking cup can be seen when the lid is in place over the rim of the drinking cup.
- the cylindrical portion may take the shape of various drinking cups onto which it is placed.
- the lid includes a high slip coating disposed on an inner surface of the body.
- the high slip coating may include HS-4, XC9603, and YC6831.
- the cylindrical portion may further include a plurality of nubs aiding a user when gripping the lid.
- FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a lid of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a side view of the lid shown in FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is a side view of the lid shown in FIG. 1 placed over the top portion of a drinking cup.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another lid of the present invention shown in use with another drinking cup.
- FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the lid shown in FIG. 4 .
- FIG. 6 is a side view of the lid shown in FIG. 4 .
- FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a drinking cup, a silicone sleeve, and a lid of the present invention.
- FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the elements shown in FIG. 7 in a fully assembled form.
- FIG. 9 is a side view of the lid shown in FIG. 7 .
- FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lid including a valve for a drinking straw.
- FIG. 11 is a side view of the lid shown in FIG. 10 .
- FIG. 12 is a top view of the lid shown in FIG. 10 .
- FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of the lid shown in FIG. 10 .
- a lid 16 is shown embodying inventive aspects of the present disclosure.
- the lid 16 includes a hood 11 and a spout 10 .
- the hood 11 is intended to wrap over and around the open mouth of a drinking cup 12 to seal a liquid within.
- the spout 10 enables a user to drink the liquid sealed within the cup 12 .
- the lid 16 includes a venting hole 8 for venting the interior of a cup 12 over which the lid 16 is placed. This enables the spout 10 to operate more efficiently.
- the spout 10 includes holes 9 through which liquids may be sipped.
- grips 7 are disposed on the side portion of a hood 11 to provide users with an improved grip and to help protect the rim 19 of the drinking cup 12 , which is particularly useful when the cup 12 is a glass cup 12 .
- the lid 16 is configured to provide an airtight seal to the outer surface of various size drinking cups 12 to prevent liquids from spilling out of the cups 12 when the lid 16 is in place.
- the spout is approximately 1 to 1.5 inches in height and the hood 11 has a thickness of approximately 1 to 1.5 mm.
- the grips 7 of the lid 16 are configured as raised dots arranged in patterns around the hood 11 .
- the grips 7 are shown in arc patterns, though the grips 7 may vary in number and may be arranged in an array of shapes and sizes.
- the grips 7 can be formed by recesses, or ridges, channels, or other variations of thickness of the hood 11 to provide increased grip for the user and shock absorption to protect the rim of a drinking cup 12 .
- the grips 7 may be strategically placed to help assist the user in gripping and maintaining grip on the drinking cup 12 .
- the grips 7 have a rounded shape, but the grips 7 may also come in a variety of other shapes (e.g., square, triangular, rectangular, etc.).
- the hood 11 of the lid 16 is meant to conform to various sizes of drinking cups 12 to keep the lid 16 snugly fit, to stay in place, and to prevent liquids from spilling out of the cups 12 .
- the sipping spout 10 and hood 11 of the lid 16 are one-piece, whereby the sipping spout 10 is approximately 1 to 2 inches in height and the total height of the lid 16 is 2 to 2.5 inches in height.
- the sizes and relative proportions of the elements of the lid 16 may be adapted to fit varying sizes of cups 12 , as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art based on the disclosures provided herein.
- the hood 11 defines an opening 18 that allows the lid 16 to slide over various drinking cups 12 .
- the opening 18 stretches to take the shape of various drinking cups 12 to secure the lid 16 about the upper portion of the drinking cup 12 .
- the opening 18 has a diameter of about 2.5 inches. However, the diameter of the opening 18 can vary to match various sizes of cups 12 .
- the hood 11 of the lid 16 allows the lid 16 to be pulled over the rim 19 of the drinking cup 12 to snugly fit around the drinking cup 12 and provide complete protection around the rim 19 .
- the lid 16 may be adapted to fit a wide range of drinking cups 12 , while maintaining its basic structure and quality.
- the lid 16 is formed of a medical-grade silicone material that is durable, yet flexible, to enable repeated placement and removal of the lid 16 onto and from the drinking cup 12 .
- the elasticity of the lid 16 allows it to be stretched and pulled and still fit snugly around the drinking cup 12 .
- the silicone material also allows the lid 16 to have a resilient quality, which enables the lid 16 to spring back to its original shape even after it is temporarily warped.
- the lid 16 further includes a high slip coating applied to its inner surface.
- the coating may include a phthalates material, such as phthalate esters.
- the high slip coating comprises a three-component system including HS-4 (silicone base), XC9603 (adhesion promoter), and YC6831 (catalyst and solvent), These mixtures can be obtained as pre-mixed formulations from GE Toshiba.
- the high slip coating may be disposed on substantially the entire inner surface of the hood 11 , which helps the lid 16 to be easily secured to and removed from the drinking cup 12 .
- the lid 16 is formed through an injection molding process to produce a lid 16 formed from a single piece of silicone.
- the lid 16 shown in FIG. 1 is a continuous, unitary structure.
- other processes and materials can be used to obtain the advantage and objectives of the invention.
- FIG. 4 represents a second embodiment of a lid 16 .
- This example of the lid 16 includes a spout 10 in the shape of a bottle nipple and a hood 11 that allows the lid 16 to be pulled over the rim 19 of the drinking cup 12 to snugly fit around the drinking cup 12 and provide complete protection around the rim 19 .
- the lid 16 provides a spout 10 in the shape of a bottle nipple to allow babies to sip out of a drinking cup 12 instead of a baby bottle.
- the lid 16 may be adapted to fit a wide range of drinking cups 12 , while maintaining its basic structure and quality.
- FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the lid 16 shown in FIG. 4 .
- the lid 16 includes a nipple-shaped spout 10 that is approximately 1 to 1.5 inches in height and includes a hole 13 through which liquids may be sipped.
- grips 7 are disposed on the side portion of the hood 11 to provide improved grip and to help protect the rim 19 of the drinking cup 12 , specifically a glass cup 12 .
- the hood 11 has a thickness of approximately 1 to 1.5 mm and the lid 16 is configured to provide an fluid tight fit onto the outer surface of various size drinking cups 12 to prevent liquids from spilling out.
- the grips 7 of the lid 16 are configured as raised dots arranged in patterns.
- the grips 7 may vary in number and may be arranged in an array of shapes and sizes.
- the grips 7 can be formed by recesses, or ridges, channels, or other variations of thickness of the hood 11 to provide increased grip for the user and shock absorption to protect the rim 19 of the drinking cup 12 .
- the grips 7 are strategically placed to help assist the user in gripping and maintaining grip on the drinking cup 12 .
- the grips 7 have a rounded shape, but they may also come in a variety of other shapes (e.g., square, triangular, rectangular, etc.).
- the hood 11 of the lid 16 is meant to conform to various sizes of drinking cups 12 to keep the lid 16 snugly in place and prevent liquids from spilling out.
- the spout 10 and hood 11 of the lid 16 are all one piece whereby the spout 10 is approximately 1 to 2 inches in height and the total height of the lid 16 is 2 to 2.5 inches in height.
- the sizes and relative proportions of the elements of the lid 16 may be adapted to fit varying sizes of cups 12 , as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art based on the disclosures provided herein.
- FIG. 7 shows another example of a lid 16 in which the grips 7 are embodied in ridges 21 and valleys 22 circling the perimeter of the hood 11 .
- the lid 16 may be used with a cup 12 and a silicone sleeve 23 , such as the silicone sleeve taught in U.S. Pat. No. 8,978,906 B2, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference, to fully enclose the cup 12 within a silicone shell formed by the combination of the lid 16 and the sleeve 23 .
- This configuration shown in FIG. 8 , completely secures and protects a glass cup 12 within the protective silicone shell.
- FIG. 9 shows another example of a lid 16 in which the hood 11 extends even further down the side of the cup 12 .
- This example of the lid 16 includes grips 7 embodied in the form of ridges 21 and valleys 22 , as well as bumpy knobs 24 .
- FIG. 10 shows yet another example of a lid 16 in which the spout 10 is a valve 25 adapted for use with a drinking straw.
- the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 is adapted to turn any cup 12 , whether plastic, glass, metal, etc., into a straw-top cup in seconds.
- FIGS. 11-13 show the lid 16 of FIG. 10 from the side ( FIG. 11 ), top ( FIG. 12 ), and as a side cross-section ( FIG. 13 ). These figures help to further illustrate the configuration of the example shown in FIG. 10 .
- the outer diameter of the lid 16 is approximately 42 mm.
- the inner diameter of the hood 11 is approximately 40 mm, which means the walls of the hood 11 are approximately 1 mm thick, ranging between 0.7 mm in the valleys 22 , 1 mm at the ridges 21 , and wall thickness up to 1.5 mm in other areas, for example surrounding the spout 10 .
- the height of the hood 11 is approximately 40 mm.
- This specific configuration of the lid 16 may be most useful for pairing with cups 12 having a rim 19 with a diameter between an inch and a half and three inches. Increasing the height of the hood 11 may enable the lid 16 to pair with wider mouth cups 12 . Narrowing the inner diameter of the hood 11 may enable the lid to pair with narrower mouth cups 12 .
- the circumferential ridges 21 and valleys 22 make the lid 16 well adapted to seamlessly pair with cups 12 of varying dimensions. These configurations of the lid 16 are well-suited to provide a secure fit with all sorts of sizes of cups 12 .
- the present invention provides a universal lid for drinking cups configured to protect the drinking cup rim, to facilitate gripping, and to enable various size drinking cups to take a universal sipping lid to prevent liquids from spilling.
Abstract
A lid for drinking cups includes: a unitary body including a spout and a hood formed of silicone, the hood including a cylindrical portion configured to completely surround and cover the top rim on a variety of different size drinking cups preventing liquids from spilling out, wherein the hood includes a plurality of circumferentially disposed grips in the form of ridges and valleys.
Description
- The present invention relates generally to lids for drinking cups and, more particularly, to universal sipping lids made of silicone for various size glass, plastic and metal drinking cups. This application incorporates by reference and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/011,430, filed on Jun. 12, 2014.
- In the past, drinking cups were primarily made of glass and typically did not come with drinking and sipping lids. Glass drinking cups were generally effective, however they had their shortfalls. If a glass drinking cup without a lid falls over, the liquids inside spill out, and, because the drinking cup is glass, the glass itself may break. As a result, a child or adult could knock over a glass drinking cup, spill the contents, and possibly be injured due to the breakage of glass. Because of the probability of breakage, many parents do not like to use glass drinking cups for their children. And, because glass cups usually do not contain lids, if parents choose to use glass drinking cups, they worry about the child spilling the drink. There are some glass cups that include a snap on silicone lid designed specifically for the cup, but the lids are not secure enough to prevent liquids from spilling out and can easily pop off the cup, leaving the rim of the glass unprotected.
- More recently, individuals have been using plastic drinking cups with lids, because plastic cups are more common, relatively inexpensive, come with sipping straws or lids, and are less susceptible to breaking when compared to glass drinking cups. Some plastic drinking cups offer custom fit lids. These lids are generally effective, however, shortfalls exist. For example, some of these drinking lids are made of plastic and screw onto, or snap onto, the plastic cup. These lids are custom fit and cannot be used with other cups. In addition, these lids can be difficult to get on and off and do not always stay in place. Many times these lids are not leak proof. Some lids for plastic drinking cups are meant for young children and incorporate a sipping spout or straw mechanism that only fits the specific corresponding plastic drinking cup and can not be used with other plastic, glass, or metal cups.
- However, recent research has shown that plastic drinking cups and plastic lids might not be as safe as once believed. For example, many plastic cups and plastic sipping lids for kids and adults have been found to contain certain toxic chemicals, such as BPA, that tend to leach into the fluid contents of the cup. Even low doses of these chemicals have been linked to the altering of genes in the human body, which can then lead to health risks such as diabetes, altered immune system, and early puberty.
- Therefore, there is a need for a universal, non-toxic, sipping lid that fits a variety of different size glass, plastic, and metal drinking cups, taking the shape of that said cup, providing a tight and protective fit, preventing liquids from leaking and spilling, while also protecting the rim of a glass drinking cup from breaking on impact. The present invention fulfills these needs and others.
- Briefly, and in general terms, the present invention provides a lid including a molded body formed of resilient material with elastic properties, such as silicone, to mate with a variety of a glass, plastic, and metal drinking cups. The body of the lid is a cylindrical configuration adapted to circumscribe the side walls of the drinking cup. Because the lid is elastic, it is able to take the shape of a variety of sizes and shapes of drinking cups. When placed over the open mouth of a drinking cup, the body of the lid covers the top portion of the drinking cup, extending over and down below the rim of the drinking cup.
- In a primary example, the portion of the lid that extends below the rim of the drinking cup acts as a hood that adheres the lid to the drinking cup and prevents the lid from accidentally coming off.
- In another example, the lid includes a raised spout near the edge of the body for sipping liquids from the drinking cup. Alternatively the sipping spout can be a nipple, a straw, or another access point through the lid.
- More particularly, in some examples, the lid provides a unitary molded body, spout, and hood formed of a silicone material. The lid further includes a non-toxic finish, such as, HS-4, XC9603, YC6831, made by GE Toshiba Silicone, disposed on substantially the entirety of an inner surface of the molded lid, which allows the lid to be easily taken on and off. Because of this feature, the lid is easily removable for cleaning and reusing with other drinking cups.
- In one example, the molded body of the lid is formed of translucent resilient material such that one can observe the level of the contents within the cup.
- Although many ranges of thicknesses may be used, in one example, the molded body of the lid has a thickness between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.
- In another example, the molded hood of the lid is disposed below the circumference of the drinking cup rim by about 1 to 1.5 inches and has a generally smooth cylindrical configuration, which facilitating its use with drinking cups from a variety of manufacturers. In this manner, the lid can conform to the shape of the drinking cup and accommodate cups with varying rim circumferences.
- In another example, the molded hood includes small nubs about 1 to 5 mm in height to improve the grip and shock absorption around the rim and sides of drinking cup, which gives added protection to the rim of the drinking cup when the lid is in place.
- In one example, a lid for drinking cups includes: a unitary body including a spout and a hood formed of silicone, the hood including a cylindrical portion configured to completely surround and cover the top rim on a variety of different size drinking cups preventing liquids from spilling out, wherein the hood includes a plurality of circumferentially disposed grips in the form of ridges and valleys. The spout may be a valve through which a straw may be placed. The silicone may be translucent such that contents of a drinking cup can be seen when the lid is in place over the rim of the drinking cup. The cylindrical portion may take the shape of various drinking cups onto which it is placed.
- In a preferred embodiment, the lid includes a high slip coating disposed on an inner surface of the body. The high slip coating may include HS-4, XC9603, and YC6831. When the lid is placed on a drinking cup, the hood portion covers the rim of the drinking cup and extends down over the side walls of the drinking cup 1 to 1.5 inches and the body has a thickness between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.
- The cylindrical portion may further include a plurality of nubs aiding a user when gripping the lid.
- For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain advantages of the invention have been described herein. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. Moreover, a number of features are discussed throughout the specification with reference to particular embodiments. Nonetheless, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various other embodiments can be provided without departing from the scope of the invention, to include any and all combination of features discussed.
- These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular embodiment disclosed, except as provided by the claims.
- The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present concepts, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.
-
FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a lid of the present invention. -
FIG. 2 is a side view of the lid shown inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a side view of the lid shown inFIG. 1 placed over the top portion of a drinking cup. -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another lid of the present invention shown in use with another drinking cup. -
FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the lid shown inFIG. 4 . -
FIG. 6 is a side view of the lid shown inFIG. 4 . -
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a drinking cup, a silicone sleeve, and a lid of the present invention. -
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the elements shown inFIG. 7 in a fully assembled form. -
FIG. 9 is a side view of the lid shown inFIG. 7 . -
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lid including a valve for a drinking straw. -
FIG. 11 is a side view of the lid shown inFIG. 10 . -
FIG. 12 is a top view of the lid shown inFIG. 10 . -
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of the lid shown inFIG. 10 . - Referring now to the drawings, in particular
FIG. 1 , alid 16 is shown embodying inventive aspects of the present disclosure. As shown, thelid 16 includes ahood 11 and aspout 10. Thehood 11 is intended to wrap over and around the open mouth of adrinking cup 12 to seal a liquid within. Thespout 10 enables a user to drink the liquid sealed within thecup 12. - As shown, the
lid 16 includes aventing hole 8 for venting the interior of acup 12 over which thelid 16 is placed. This enables thespout 10 to operate more efficiently. Thespout 10 includesholes 9 through which liquids may be sipped. Also shown, grips 7 are disposed on the side portion of ahood 11 to provide users with an improved grip and to help protect therim 19 of thedrinking cup 12, which is particularly useful when thecup 12 is aglass cup 12. Thelid 16 is configured to provide an airtight seal to the outer surface of various size drinking cups 12 to prevent liquids from spilling out of thecups 12 when thelid 16 is in place. - Although various sizes may be used, in the example shown, the spout is approximately 1 to 1.5 inches in height and the
hood 11 has a thickness of approximately 1 to 1.5 mm. - Turning now to
FIG. 2 , thegrips 7 of thelid 16 are configured as raised dots arranged in patterns around thehood 11. In the example shown, thegrips 7 are shown in arc patterns, though thegrips 7 may vary in number and may be arranged in an array of shapes and sizes. For example, in other embodiments, thegrips 7 can be formed by recesses, or ridges, channels, or other variations of thickness of thehood 11 to provide increased grip for the user and shock absorption to protect the rim of adrinking cup 12. Thegrips 7 may be strategically placed to help assist the user in gripping and maintaining grip on thedrinking cup 12. In one embodiment, thegrips 7 have a rounded shape, but thegrips 7 may also come in a variety of other shapes (e.g., square, triangular, rectangular, etc.). - The
hood 11 of thelid 16 is meant to conform to various sizes of drinking cups 12 to keep thelid 16 snugly fit, to stay in place, and to prevent liquids from spilling out of thecups 12. Further, in the example shown inFIG. 2 , the sippingspout 10 andhood 11 of thelid 16 are one-piece, whereby the sippingspout 10 is approximately 1 to 2 inches in height and the total height of thelid 16 is 2 to 2.5 inches in height. Of course, the sizes and relative proportions of the elements of thelid 16 may be adapted to fit varying sizes ofcups 12, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art based on the disclosures provided herein. - Turning back to
FIG. 1 , thehood 11 defines anopening 18 that allows thelid 16 to slide over various drinking cups 12. Theopening 18 stretches to take the shape ofvarious drinking cups 12 to secure thelid 16 about the upper portion of thedrinking cup 12. In the example shown, theopening 18 has a diameter of about 2.5 inches. However, the diameter of theopening 18 can vary to match various sizes ofcups 12. - Turning now to
FIG. 3 , thehood 11 of thelid 16 allows thelid 16 to be pulled over therim 19 of thedrinking cup 12 to snugly fit around thedrinking cup 12 and provide complete protection around therim 19. Thelid 16 may be adapted to fit a wide range of drinking cups 12, while maintaining its basic structure and quality. - In the example shown, the
lid 16 is formed of a medical-grade silicone material that is durable, yet flexible, to enable repeated placement and removal of thelid 16 onto and from thedrinking cup 12. The elasticity of thelid 16 allows it to be stretched and pulled and still fit snugly around thedrinking cup 12. The silicone material also allows thelid 16 to have a resilient quality, which enables thelid 16 to spring back to its original shape even after it is temporarily warped. - The
lid 16 further includes a high slip coating applied to its inner surface. The coating may include a phthalates material, such as phthalate esters. In a preferred embodiment, the high slip coating comprises a three-component system including HS-4 (silicone base), XC9603 (adhesion promoter), and YC6831 (catalyst and solvent), These mixtures can be obtained as pre-mixed formulations from GE Toshiba. The high slip coating may be disposed on substantially the entire inner surface of thehood 11, which helps thelid 16 to be easily secured to and removed from thedrinking cup 12. - In the example shown, the
lid 16 is formed through an injection molding process to produce alid 16 formed from a single piece of silicone. Thus, thelid 16 shown inFIG. 1 is a continuous, unitary structure. However, other processes and materials can be used to obtain the advantage and objectives of the invention. -
FIG. 4 represents a second embodiment of alid 16. This example of thelid 16 includes aspout 10 in the shape of a bottle nipple and ahood 11 that allows thelid 16 to be pulled over therim 19 of thedrinking cup 12 to snugly fit around thedrinking cup 12 and provide complete protection around therim 19. Thelid 16 provides aspout 10 in the shape of a bottle nipple to allow babies to sip out of adrinking cup 12 instead of a baby bottle. Thelid 16 may be adapted to fit a wide range of drinking cups 12, while maintaining its basic structure and quality. -
FIG. 5 is a bottom view of thelid 16 shown inFIG. 4 . Thelid 16 includes a nipple-shapedspout 10 that is approximately 1 to 1.5 inches in height and includes ahole 13 through which liquids may be sipped. As further shown, grips 7 are disposed on the side portion of thehood 11 to provide improved grip and to help protect therim 19 of thedrinking cup 12, specifically aglass cup 12. In the example shown, thehood 11 has a thickness of approximately 1 to 1.5 mm and thelid 16 is configured to provide an fluid tight fit onto the outer surface of various size drinking cups 12 to prevent liquids from spilling out. - As shown in
FIG. 6 , thegrips 7 of thelid 16 are configured as raised dots arranged in patterns. Thegrips 7 may vary in number and may be arranged in an array of shapes and sizes. For example, in other embodiments, thegrips 7 can be formed by recesses, or ridges, channels, or other variations of thickness of thehood 11 to provide increased grip for the user and shock absorption to protect therim 19 of thedrinking cup 12. Thegrips 7 are strategically placed to help assist the user in gripping and maintaining grip on thedrinking cup 12. In the embodiment shown, thegrips 7 have a rounded shape, but they may also come in a variety of other shapes (e.g., square, triangular, rectangular, etc.). - In the example shown in
FIG. 6 , thehood 11 of thelid 16 is meant to conform to various sizes of drinking cups 12 to keep thelid 16 snugly in place and prevent liquids from spilling out. Thespout 10 andhood 11 of thelid 16 are all one piece whereby thespout 10 is approximately 1 to 2 inches in height and the total height of thelid 16 is 2 to 2.5 inches in height. Of course, the sizes and relative proportions of the elements of thelid 16 may be adapted to fit varying sizes ofcups 12, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art based on the disclosures provided herein. -
FIG. 7 shows another example of alid 16 in which thegrips 7 are embodied inridges 21 andvalleys 22 circling the perimeter of thehood 11. As shown, thelid 16 may be used with acup 12 and asilicone sleeve 23, such as the silicone sleeve taught in U.S. Pat. No. 8,978,906 B2, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference, to fully enclose thecup 12 within a silicone shell formed by the combination of thelid 16 and thesleeve 23. This configuration, shown inFIG. 8 , completely secures and protects aglass cup 12 within the protective silicone shell. -
FIG. 9 shows another example of alid 16 in which thehood 11 extends even further down the side of thecup 12. This example of thelid 16 includesgrips 7 embodied in the form ofridges 21 andvalleys 22, as well as bumpy knobs 24. -
FIG. 10 shows yet another example of alid 16 in which thespout 10 is a valve 25 adapted for use with a drinking straw. The embodiment shown inFIG. 10 is adapted to turn anycup 12, whether plastic, glass, metal, etc., into a straw-top cup in seconds. -
FIGS. 11-13 show thelid 16 ofFIG. 10 from the side (FIG. 11 ), top (FIG. 12 ), and as a side cross-section (FIG. 13 ). These figures help to further illustrate the configuration of the example shown inFIG. 10 . In this example, the outer diameter of thelid 16 is approximately 42 mm. The inner diameter of thehood 11 is approximately 40 mm, which means the walls of thehood 11 are approximately 1 mm thick, ranging between 0.7 mm in thevalleys 22, 1 mm at theridges 21, and wall thickness up to 1.5 mm in other areas, for example surrounding thespout 10. The height of thehood 11 is approximately 40 mm. This specific configuration of thelid 16 may be most useful for pairing withcups 12 having arim 19 with a diameter between an inch and a half and three inches. Increasing the height of thehood 11 may enable thelid 16 to pair with wider mouth cups 12. Narrowing the inner diameter of thehood 11 may enable the lid to pair with narrower mouth cups 12. - Particularly with the embodiments of the
lid 16 shown inFIGS. 7-13 , thecircumferential ridges 21 andvalleys 22 make thelid 16 well adapted to seamlessly pair withcups 12 of varying dimensions. These configurations of thelid 16 are well-suited to provide a secure fit with all sorts of sizes ofcups 12. - It should be appreciated from the foregoing that the present invention provides a universal lid for drinking cups configured to protect the drinking cup rim, to facilitate gripping, and to enable various size drinking cups to take a universal sipping lid to prevent liquids from spilling.
- It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages.
Claims (9)
1. A lid for drinking cups comprising:
a unitary body including a spout and a hood formed of silicone, the hood including a cylindrical portion configured to completely surround and cover the top rim on a variety of different size drinking cups preventing liquids from spilling out, wherein the hood includes a plurality of circumferentially disposed grips in the form of ridges and valleys.
2. The lid of claim 1 wherein the spout is a valve through which a straw may be placed.
3. The lid of claim 1 wherein the silicone is translucent such that contents of a drinking cup can be seen when the lid is in place over the rim of the drinking cup.
4. The lid of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical portion takes the shape of various drinking cups onto which it is placed.
5. The lid of claim 1 further comprising a high slip coating disposed on an inner surface of the body.
6. The lid of claim 5 wherein the high slip coating includes HS-4, XC9603, and YC6831.
7. The lid of claim 1 wherein the lid is placed on a drinking cup and the hood portion covers the rim of the drinking cup and extends down over the side walls of the drinking cup 1 to 1.5 inches.
8. The lid of claim 1 wherein the body has a thickness between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.
9. The lid of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical portion includes a plurality of nubs aiding a user when gripping the lid.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US14/738,786 US20150359365A1 (en) | 2014-06-12 | 2015-06-12 | Universal Lid for Drinking Cups |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201462011430P | 2014-06-12 | 2014-06-12 | |
US14/738,786 US20150359365A1 (en) | 2014-06-12 | 2015-06-12 | Universal Lid for Drinking Cups |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20150359365A1 true US20150359365A1 (en) | 2015-12-17 |
Family
ID=54835113
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US14/738,786 Abandoned US20150359365A1 (en) | 2014-06-12 | 2015-06-12 | Universal Lid for Drinking Cups |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US20150359365A1 (en) |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20160051069A1 (en) * | 2013-03-24 | 2016-02-25 | Double Double Inc. | Universal Lid for Food and Drink Containers |
USD853789S1 (en) * | 2017-12-04 | 2019-07-16 | Klean Kanteen, Inc. | Cup for fluid container |
USD871844S1 (en) * | 2017-12-04 | 2020-01-07 | Klean Kanteen, Inc. | Fluid container with cap and cup |
US11383903B1 (en) | 2018-07-24 | 2022-07-12 | Sherifa Gayle | Beverage cover alarm |
US20230159231A1 (en) * | 2021-11-19 | 2023-05-25 | Ceres Chill, Inc. | Drinking and sealing lids for vessels and associated devices and methods |
-
2015
- 2015-06-12 US US14/738,786 patent/US20150359365A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20160051069A1 (en) * | 2013-03-24 | 2016-02-25 | Double Double Inc. | Universal Lid for Food and Drink Containers |
US9848721B2 (en) * | 2013-03-24 | 2017-12-26 | Double Double Inc. | Universal lid for food and drink containers |
USD853789S1 (en) * | 2017-12-04 | 2019-07-16 | Klean Kanteen, Inc. | Cup for fluid container |
USD871844S1 (en) * | 2017-12-04 | 2020-01-07 | Klean Kanteen, Inc. | Fluid container with cap and cup |
US11383903B1 (en) | 2018-07-24 | 2022-07-12 | Sherifa Gayle | Beverage cover alarm |
US20230159231A1 (en) * | 2021-11-19 | 2023-05-25 | Ceres Chill, Inc. | Drinking and sealing lids for vessels and associated devices and methods |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: SILIKIDS, INC., MICHIGAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:FEELEY, ANASTACIA;SCHWAB, GIULIANA;REEL/FRAME:035834/0777 Effective date: 20150611 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |