DRINK CUP LID WITH DISC CARRIER

Abstract

A container including a drink cup and a lid containing a media disc. The lid being configured to mate with the brim of the drink cup.

Description

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/709,873 filed Aug. 19, 2005, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to drink cups, and particularly to lids for drink cups. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a drink cup lid having a media disc storage chamber formed in the lid.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present disclosure, a container includes a drink cup, a lid coupled to the drink cup, and a media disc retained in the lid. The lid includes a disc carrier formed to include a disc storage chamber containing the media disc and a carrier mount coupled to the underside of the disc carrier and configured to mate with a brim of the drink cup to retain the lid carrying the media disc on the drink cup.

In illustrative embodiments, the lid includes a top wall, a side wall, and a disc retainer. The disc retainer includes a center anchor coupled to the top wall and a rim anchor coupled to the side wall. The top wall includes an outer ring coupled to the side wall and a raised disc support coupled to the center anchor and surrounded by the outer ring.

In a first embodiment, the disc carrier is adapted to carry full-sized media discs and the carrier mount is coupled to the underside of the outer ring. In a second embodiment, the disc carrier is adapted to carry small-sized media discs and an extension ring is coupled to and arranged to surround the outer ring and the carrier mount is coupled to an underside of the extension ring.

Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure including a drink cup, a lid formed to include a straw-receiving aperture, and a media disc mounted in a disc storage chamber formed in the lid to align a center aperture formed in the media disc with the straw-receiving aperture formed in the lid;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the container and straw of FIG. 1 showing a drink cup formed in include an interior region and a brim configured to define a top opening into the interior region, a lid configured to mate with the brim of the drink cup and formed to include a disc retainer including a center anchor located to surround the straw-receiving aperture and a rim anchor arranged to extend around the perimeter of the lid, and a media disc including a circular inner edge adapted to mate with the center anchor in the lid as shown in FIG. 3 and a circular outer edge adapted to mate with the rim anchor in the lid as shown in FIG. 3 to retain the media disc in an annular disc storage chamber formed in the lid between the center and rim anchors;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing retention of the media disc in the disc storage chamber of the lid on a raised disc platform included in a top wall of the lid and showing that the lid includes a disc carrier comprising to top wall and a perimeter side wall extending around the top wall and including the rim anchor;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view, with portions broken away, of a portion of the media disc retained on the lid by the center anchor and showing four anchor arms which cooperate to form the center anchor in the lid and four deflectable pie-shaped flaps that cooperate to define the straw-receiving aperture that is surrounded by the center anchor;

FIGS. 5 and 6 show steps for removing the media disc from the disc storage chamber formed in the lid by manipulation of the center and rim anchors included in the disc retainer after removal of the lid from the drink cup;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lid and media disc of FIG. 1 showing manipulation of the center anchor by an index finger on a user's left hand and manipulation of the rim anchor by the thumb and other fingers on a user's right hand to “deform” the lid;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 6-6 of FIG. 5 showing movement of the media disc out of the disc storage chamber formed in the deformed lid as a result of pushing downwardly on the rim anchor included in the lid side wall and pushing upwardly on the outer edge of the media disc in an effort to pry the media disc away from the deformed lid;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a container in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the container and straw of FIG. 7 showing a drink cup, a lid formed to include a small-diameter media disc (as compared to the disc shown in FIGS. 1-6), a relatively smaller disc storage chamber sized to receive the small-diameter media disc; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7 showing retention of the small-diameter media disc in the smaller disc storage chamber and showing that the lid is formed to include a disc retainer having a center anchor aligned with the straw-receiving aperture and a rim anchor surrounded by a radially outwardly extending portion of the top wall of the lid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A liquid container 10 includes a drink cup 12 and a lid 14 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Lid 14 includes a disc carrier 16 and a media disc 18 retained in the disc carrier 16. Lid 14 also has a carrier mount 20 configured to be mounted on a brim 22 of cup 12 to cover a top opening into an interior region 24. Another lid 114 in accordance with the present disclosure is shown in FIGS. 7-9.

In illustrative embodiments, lid 14 includes a disc carrier 16 having a top wall 26 and a side wall 28 coupled to a disc retainer 30 defining a disc storage chamber 32. Top wall 26 also includes an outer ring 34 adjacent to side wall 28 and a raised disc support 36 within outer ring 34. Disc retainer 30 includes a center anchor 38 and rim anchor 40 configured to engage a media disc 18 supported at an elevation above the plane of brim 22.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, drink cup 12 includes brim 22, defining a top opening into an interior region 24 of drink cup 12. Lid 14 has a carrier mount 20 adapted to engage brim 22 securing lid 14 to drink cup 12. Lid 14 also has a disc storage chamber 32 having a center anchor 38 and a rim anchor 40 configured to retain a media disc 18 having an outer edge 46 and a center aperture 42 defining an inner edge 44. Center anchor 38 is configured to engage a circular inner edge 44 of media disc 18 and rim anchor 40 is configured to engage a circular outer edge 46 of media disc 18. Rim anchor 40 may be annular in shape to engage the entire outer edge 46 of media disc 18. A straw-receiving aperture 48 is provided within center anchor 38 to allow insertion of a drinking straw 50 through lid 14.

As shown, for example in FIG. 3, top wall 26 has an outer ring 34, a raised disc support 36, and a transition portion 52 interconnecting outer ring 34, and raised disc support 36. Raised disc support 36 has a substantially flat top surface 37 with a circular outer edge 37a. Transition portion 52 may be a frustoconical wall having a circular outer edge 54 coupled to an inner edge of a radially inner portion 34a of outer ring 34 and a circular inner edge 56 coupled to raised disk support 36. Raised disc support 36 is disposed about center anchor 38 having an over hang 58 configured to retain inner edge 44 of media disc 18. Opposite center anchor 38, rim anchor 40 is coupled to top wall 26 at an outer periphery of outer ring 34 by side wall 28. Rim anchor 40 is configured with a circular inner edge 40a having a first diameter and a circular outer edge 40b having a second diameter larger than the first diameter. Rim anchor 40 is arranged to extend above and inward of side wall 28 such that distance 60 from the center of lid 12 to circular inner edge 40a of rim anchor 40 is smaller than distance 62 from the center of lid 12 to outer edge 46 of media disc 18 and to circular outer edge 40b of rim anchor 40. Media disc 18 is thus secured within disc retainer 30 by the combination of center anchor 38 and rim anchor 40. A carrier mount 20 is coupled to an underside of top wall 26 and configured to engage brim 22 of drink cup 12. Carrier mount 20 has a cylindrical portion 64 adjacent the bottom side of top wall 26 and a tapered portion 66 forming a receptacle 68 configured to engage brim 22. Carrier mount 20 is configured such that a radially outer portion 34b of outer ring 34 is arranged to extend away from and surround brim 22 of drink cup 12.

To remove media disc 18 from disc carrier 16, a user may pull away rim anchor 40 from outer edge 46 in direction 70 with the thumb of a first hand while pushing down on center anchor 38 with the forefinger of a second hand to disengage inner edge 44 while lifting media disc 18 with the remaining fingers of the second hand in a direction 74 as shown in FIG. 5. Alternatively, a user may pull down on rim anchor 40 in direction 76 while prying up on media disc 18 in direction 78 as shown in FIG. 6.

Media disc 18 may be of any type of digital media including, but not limited to, a compact disc (CD), CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-RAM, DVD-ROM, or DVD-RW.

A straw-receiving aperture 48 is provided within center anchor 38, as shown in FIG. 4. In the illustrated embodiment, straw-receiving aperture 48 is formed by intersecting slits 80, 82 within top wall 26. The intersecting slits 80, 82 define a number of flaps 84, 86, 88, 90 substantially closing straw-receiving aperture 48. Flaps 84, 86, 88, 90 being resilient, deflect allowing a user to insert straw 50 through straw-receiving aperture 48.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, drink cup 112 includes brim 122, defining a top opening into an interior region 124 of drink cup 112. Lid 114 has a carrier mount 120 adapted to engage brim 122 securing lid 114 to drink cup 112. Lid 114 also has a disc storage chamber 132 having a center anchor 138 and a rim anchor 140 configured to retain a media disc 118 having an outer edge 146 and a center aperture 142 defining an inner edge 144. Center anchor 138 is configured to engage a circular inner edge 144 of media disc 118 and rim anchor 140 is configured to engage a circular outer edge 146 of media disc 118. Rim anchor 140 may be annular in shape to engage the entire outer edge 146 of media disc 118 . A straw-receiving aperture 148 is provided within center anchor 138 to allow insertion of a drinking straw 150 through lid 114.

As shown, for example in FIG. 9, top wall 126 has an outer ring 134, a raised disc support 136, and a transition portion 152 interconnecting outer ring 134, and raised disc support 136. Raised disc support 136 has a substantially flat top surface 137 with a circular outer edge 137a. Transition portion 152 may be a frustoconical wall having a circular outer edge 154 coupled to an inner edge of a radially inner portion 134a of outer ring 134 and a circular inner edge 156 coupled to raised disk support 136. Raised disc support 136 is disposed about center anchor 138 having an over hang 158 configured to retain inner edge 144 of media disc 118. Opposite center anchor 138, rim anchor 140 is coupled to top wall 126 at an outer periphery of outer ring 134 by side wall 128. Rim anchor 140 is configured with a circular inner edge 140a having a first diameter and a circular outer edge 140b having a second diameter larger than the first diameter. Rim anchor 140 is arranged to extend above and inward of side wall 128 such that distance 160 from the center of lid 112 to circular inner edge 140a of rim anchor 140 is smaller than distance 162 from the center of lid 112 to outer edge 146 of media disc 118 and to circular outer edge 140b of rim anchor 140.

Media disc 118 is thus secured within disc retainer 130 by the combination of center anchor 138 and rim anchor 140. A carrier mount 120 is coupled to an underside of top wall 126 and configured to engage brim 122 of drink cup 112. Carrier mount 120 has a cylindrical portion 164 adjacent the bottom side of top wall 126 and a tapered portion 166 forming a receptacle 168 configured to engage brim 122. Carrier mount 120 is configured such that a radially outer portion 134b of outer ring 134 is arranged to extend away from and surround brim 122 of drink cup 112.

Extension ring 210, as shown in FIG. 9 is included as part of top wall 126 and coupled to outer ring 134 and side wall 128, extending carrier mount 120 to outside the periphery of disc carrier 116. Extension ring 210 may include a stacking ring 212. Stacking ring 212 maintains alignment of adjacent lids to facilitate bulk packaging. Stacking ring 212 is configured to engage a carrier mount 120 of another lid when lids are stacked and packaged, for example.

Claims

1. A container comprising

a drink cup formed to include an interior region and a brim configured to define a top opening into the interior region,

a media disc including a circular inner edge and a circular outer edge, and

a lid including a disc carrier, a disc retainer coupled to the disc carrier, and a carrier mount coupled to the disc carrier and to the brim of the drink cup and configured to support the disc carrier and a media disc retained in the disc carrier by the disc retainer in a position above the top opening, the disc carrier including a top wall coupled to the carrier mount and arranged to cover the top opening and a side wall coupled to the top wall and arranged to extend in an upward direction away from the drink cup and to cooperate with the top wall to form a disc storage chamber containing the media disc, the disc retainer including a center anchor coupled to the top wall and configured to surround a straw-receiving aperture formed in the top wall and mate with the circular inner edge of the media disc and a rim anchor coupled to the side wall and configured to mate with the circular outer edge of the media disc, the top wall including an outer ring coupled to the side wall and a raised disc support surrounded by the outer ring and arranged to lie in a position between the center anchor and the rim anchor and support the media disc in an elevated position above the outer ring within the disc storage chamber.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the rim anchor has an annular shape and is configured to engage the circular outer edge of the media disc entirely.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein the outer ring includes a circular inner edge, the raised disc support includes a substantially flat top surface having a circular outer edge and supporting the media disc to cause an outer portion of the media disc to lie above and in spaced-apart relation to the outer ring, and the raised disc support further includes a transition portion arranged to extend from the circular outer edge of the substantially flat top surface to the circular inner edge of the outer ring.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the transition portion has a frustoconical shape and is configured to include a circular inner edge sized to have a first diameter and a circular outer edge sized to have a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter.

5. The container of claim 3, wherein the rim anchor has a frustoconical shape and is configured to include an inner edge arranged to overlie the outer ring to locate the circular outer edge of the media disc therebetween and an outer edge coupled to the side wall.

6. The container of claim 1, where in an underside of the outer ring is located to engage the brim of the drink cup.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein a radially inner portion of the outer ring is arranged to overlie the interior region of the drink cup, a radially outer portion of the outer ring is arranged to extend away from the surround the brim of the drink cup, and a middle portion of the outer ring is arranged to interconnect the radially inner and outer portions and is coupled to the carrier mount.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein the radially inner portion of the outer ring includes an inner edge, the raised disc support includes a top surface having an outer edge and supporting the media disc in cause the media disc to lie above and in spaced-apart relation to the inner, middle, and outer portions of the outer ring, and the raised disc support further includes a transition portion arranged to extend from the outer edge of the top surface to the inner edge of the outer ring.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the top wall further includes an extension ring coupled to the outer ring and arranged to surround the outer ring.

10. The container of claim 9 wherein the extension ring is coupled to the side wall and coupled to the carrier mount.

11. The container of claim 10, further comprising a stacking ring coupled to the extension ring and arranged to surround and lie in spaced-apart relation to the side wall and the carrier mount and wherein the stacking ring is configured to provide means for mating with a carrier mount of an adjacent lid to facilitate alignment of a pair of lids in stacked relation one to another.

12. The container of claim 1, wherein the outer ring includes a circular inner edge, the raised disc support includes a substantially flat top surface having a circular outer edge and supporting the media disc to cause an outer portion of the media disc to lie above and in spaced-apart relation to the outer ring, and the raised disc support further includes a transition portion arranged to extend from the circular outer edge of the substantially flat top surface to the circular inner edge of the outer ring.

13. The container of claim 12, wherein the transition portion has a frustoconical shape and is configured to include a circular inner edge sized to have a first diameter and a circular outer edge sized to have a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter.

14. The container of claim 12, wherein the rim anchor has a frustoconical shape and is configured to include an inner edge arranged to overlie the outer ring to locate the circular outer edge of the media disc therebetween and an outer edge coupled to the side wall.