Multipurpose Beverage Lid

Abstract

A multipurpose beverage lid includes a lid portion that is tethered to a drink cup, a first removable film attached to the lid and covering and sealing a drink aperture in the lid, a second removable film covering the remainder of the drink lid, with each removable film suitable for receiving printed information and/or prize type information.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the field of lids for beverage containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a lid for use with a beverage container that would typically contain a hot liquid such as coffee or tea, and that provides a removable, sanitary boundary that ensures that the drink lid surface that will come into contact with the beverage drinker's mouth is not contaminated by the beverage server.

2. Summary of the Invention

There is broad support for the proposition that human hands can transport and communicate viruses or harmful bacteria. People that work in coffee shops typically will apply a drink lid to a beverage container before the beverage is provided to a customer. This action often requires the beverage server to place his fingers/palm on the portion of the drink lid that will contact the beverage drinker's lips/mouth when the beverage is consumed. As a result, there is a substantial opportunity for the beverage server to communicate harmful viruses or bacteria to the drink lid and then for the harmful viruses or bacteria to then contact the beverage drinker's lips/mouth.

Further, once a beverage drinker receives the beverage, the beverage drinker often moves to a secondary station where the drinker can add cream, sugar, or other condiments to the beverage. This process generally requires the beverage drinker to remove the beverage lid and often results in the lid being placed on the secondary station that itself, may be contaminated with harmful viruses or bacteria. As a result, having a removable lid that is not connected to the beverage container provides an additional opportunity for contamination. Also, to keep a hot beverage hot, and to prevent spillage, it is preferable for a beverage lid to completely seal the top of the beverage container. Finally, retailers wish to place advertisements, promotions, and other information in locations that will be viewed by customers.

Thus, there is a need for a beverage lid that provides a removable barrier that keeps the portion of the drink lid that will contact a user's lip/mouth sanitary, that allows the lid to be removed without the lid having to be placed in contact with secondary surfaces, that provides a complete sealing of the beverage container, and that provides a location for the placement of advertisements, promotions, and other information.

This summary provides, in simplified forms, concepts that are more fully described and detailed below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is this summary intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope fo the claimed subject matter. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the appended claims. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set described in this application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the invention can be obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front, isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear, isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention attached to a beverage container.

FIG. 6 is a front isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated in FIG. 1, sanitary drink lid 100 is shown attached to beverage container 101. As seen in FIG. 2, sanitary drink lid 100 includes a tether 201 that extends from sanitary drink lid 100 and connects to beverage container 101. Tether 201 is preferably an integral part of cup lid 106, extends from an edge of the rim of cup lid 106, and is located opposite beverage aperture 203. Preferably, tether 201 is attached by adhesive 202 to beverage container 101. Sanitary drink lid 100 is composed of cup lid 106 which is of a known design for attachment to beverage container 101. Sanitary drink lid 100 further includes a front cover 104, that covers the area of cup lid 106 where a beverage is dispensed to a drinker through an aperture. Front cover 104 is removably attached to cup lid 104, preferably with a light, food grade adhesive that does not leave any residue upon removal. Similarly, rear cover 105 covers the remaining top surface of cup lid 106 and is removably attached with a light, food grade adhesive that does not leave any residue upon removal.

Front cover 104 includes at least one front tab 102 that is not adhered to cup lid 106 and may be readily grasped by a user to facilitate removal of front cover 104. Rear cover 105 also includes at least one rear tab 103 that is not adhered to cup lid 106 and may be readily grasped by a user to facilitate removal of rear cover 105. It should be understood that the general disposition and configuration of the front cover 104 and rear cover 105 may be modified to fit any and all beverage lid configurations, and no description herein is intended to limit the shape, design, dimensions, angles, materials or application of the invention. While this embodiment is intended to accommodate easy manufacturing on a flat sheet of material, front cover 104 and rear cover 105 may be transparent, opaque, colored, or of any combination thereof. Provided, however, that front cover 104 and rear cover 105 are made from a material suitable to receive printing on both a top surface that is immediately viewed by a user, and a bottom surface, that is not viewable until front cover 104 and/or rear cover 105 is removed from cup lid 106. Further, front cover 104 and rear cover 105 are preferably made from a thin, flexible, fluid impervious sheet of material.

As seen in FIG. 3, rear cover adhesive 301 and front cover adhesive 302 preferably are applied in a band proximate to the periphery of rear cover 105 and front cover 104 respectively. Alternatively, rear cover adhesive 301 and front cover adhesive 302 may be applied to the entire underside of rear cover 105 and front cover 104. As seen in FIG. 4, plug 401 is attached to the underside of front cover 104 and is sized and positioned to completely seal sip opening 203. Plug 401 further includes a shoulder 402, that aids in securing plug 401 in sip opening 203. As seen in FIG. 5, tether 201 may be integrally formed as an extension to cup lid 106 and is secured to beverage container 101 by tether adhesive 501. Alternatively, tether 201 may be separate from cup lid 106 and may be secured to cup lid 106 by adhesive or like connector.

As shown in FIG. 6, rear cover 105 is configured to receive a printed message on both the top and bottom surface of rear cover 105. Preferably, top rear message 601 would include advertising and bottom rear message 602 would include coupon, promotion, or sweepstake type information. As further shown in FIG. 6, preferably, front cover 104 and rear cover 105 are separate and may be independently removed from cup lid 106.

In operation, a barista would first fill beverage container 101 with a consumer's choice of beverage. Next, the barista would position cup lid 106 into position on top of beverage container 101. Because plug 401 completely seals sip opening 203, beverage container 101 is completely sealed and there is no need to insert a separate sip opening plug as is common practice with conventional drink lids. The consumer then removes front cover 104, thereby removing plug 401, and the consumer may then consume the beverage through sip opening 203. Importantly, removing front cover 104 exposes a portion of lid 106 that is clean, sanitary, and untouched by the barista. If a consumer desires to remove lid 106 to add condiments, tether 201 retains lid 106 without requiring lid 106 to be placed on a separate surface. This eliminates the possibility of acquiring contaminants from a secondary surface.

It will be readily seen by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention fulfills all the objects set forth above. After reading the foregoing specification, one of ordinary skill will be able to effect various changes, substation of equivalents and various other aspects of the invention as broadly disclosed herein. It is, therefore, intended that the protection granted hereon be limited only by he definition contained in the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A multipurpose beverage lid for attachment to a beverage cup comprising:

a. a lid portion suitable for attachment to a beverage cup, said lid portion including a beverage dispensing aperture formed into a lid top surface;

b. a first, removable film attached to a portion of said lid top surface, said first, removable film covering said beverage dispensing aperture;

c. a second, removable film attached to a portion of said lid top surface not covered by said first, removable film; and

d. a plug, attached to a bottom side of said first, removable film, said plug positioned to removably seal said beverage dispensing aperture.

2. The multipurpose beverage lid of claim 1 further including a tether, said tether extending from an edge of said lid portion and secured to said beverage cup.

3. The multipurpose beverage lid of claim 1 further including at least one front tab attached to said first, removable film, and wherein said front tab is not adhered to said lid portion or said beverage cup.

4. The multipurpose beverage lid of claim 1 further including at lest one rear tab attached to said second, removable film.

5. The multipurpose beverage lid of claim 1 wherein said second, removable film has a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein said top surface and said bottom surface are configured to receive a printed message.

6. A multipurpose beverage lid for attachment to a beverage cup comprising:

a. a lid portion suitable for attachment to a beverage cup, said lid portion including a beverage dispensing aperture formed into a lid top surface;

b. a removable film attached to said lid top surface, said removable film covering said beverage dispensing aperture; and

c. a plug, attached to a bottom side of said removable film, said plug positioned to removably seal said beverage dispensing aperture, said plug further including a shoulder.

7. The multipurpose beverage lid of claim 6 further including a tether, said tether extending from an edge of said lid portion and secured to said beverage cup.

8. The multipurpose beverage lid of claim 1 wherein said plug further includes a shoulder.