COFFEE CUP LID WITH HOOK

A disposable coffee cup lid has a hook having a portion which snaps or hangs from the rim of the coffee cup. The hook may have a snap portion. In embodiments the snap portion may be a trough in the top of the lid, or may be a wave-like part of the hook, with the hook projecting from the side of the lid. The hook may instead have a flat wide shape which hangs from the cup rim, or may be a flat, arcuate projection from the top of the lid. The lid may be made of a polymer material and may have two substantially flat portions, one lower than the other, to provide the feel of a cup rim.

Skip to: Description  ·  Claims  · Patent History  ·  Patent History
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

N/a

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to receptacles such as are found in class 200, in particular to closures such as are found in subclasses 220+, and more particularly, to disposable polymer lids for coffee cups.

BACKGROUND

Disposable coffee cups having disposable lids offer an easy way for restaurateurs to serve coffee. In general, the cups are a complex paper-based material while the lids are molded out of inexpensive polymers. When the cup lid is secured onto the cup mouth, it blocks the mouth and helps prevent potentially dangerous accidents from hot coffee spills.

When a coffee user wishes to drink their coffee, they can normally do so without removing the lid: usually a small dispensing aperture is provided in the top of the coffee cup lid through which a small amount may be sipped.

However, as the coffee cools the drinker may wish to remove the lid and drink the coffee directly. The user may also wish to remove the lid to cool the coffee, or to add sugar and stir, or simply because they prefer to sip their coffee without the lid.

It would be desirable to provide a method to allow a coffee drinker to remove their lid without having to place the lid onto a counter-top or table-top of dubious cleanliness or else hold the (wet) lid in their hand.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,043 to O'Neal (Feb. 13, 2007) teaches one partial solution to this problem. The '043 reference teaches a disposable coffee cup lid having two indentations on the bottom edge. By means of these indentations, it may be possible to hang the lid from the rim of the cup. However, depending on the shape of the indentations, the security of the attachment may differ: a scan of FIG. 4 of the '043 reference would seem to imply that the lid might still fall off easily.

The same reference, '043, also teaches a pair of snap or hook designs: in one case the snap is a portion of the edge of the cup, in the other case the hook projects from the bottom of the cup downward into the coffee.

In embodiments of the '043 reference the water-tight seal between the rim of the cup and the edge of the lid appears to be broken, so the lid is no longer impermeable.

It would be desirable to provide a lid which allows the secure attachment of the lid to the coffee cup without having the edge of the lid be interrupted by gaps created in order to make hooks, and also without having a hook which extends into the coffee when it is atop the cup.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,094 (Rapchak et al, Sep. 16, 1997) and Kitto (U.S. Pat. No. 8,613,369 issued Dec. 24, 2013) both teach separate attachments of a cap to a bottle or cup. For example, the '369 reference teaches that a separate holder device may be attached to a bottle, then the lid, when removed, may be put onto the holder.

It would be desirable to provide a way to secure a coffee cup lid to a coffee cup without danger of it falling off, without breaking the integrity of the seal around the rim of the cup, without having a hook extending into the coffee cup (and thus being slippery, wet and unpleasant when the user desires to employ the hook) and without extra devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention teaches that a disposable coffee cup lid may have a hook thereon, the hook dimensioned and configured to snap to the rim of the coffee cup when the lid is not covering the mouth of the cup. By this means a coffee drinker may remove the lid, for example, to allow the coffee to cool faster, and yet is not presented with the problem of finding a clean place to set the lid down.

In one embodiment, the device of the invention is a hook projecting from the edge of the cap, the hook having a wave shape. The wave of the hook defines one or more troughs which are the same width as the thickness of the coffee cup rim. The trough is furthermore curved with a radius of curvature equal to the radius of curvature of the coffee cup rim, thus allowing one or more of the troughs to be snapped onto the edge of the cup, securing the lid to the cup but outside of the mouth of the cup.

In another embodiment, the trough may be formed in the top elevated surface of the lid, once again with the same width as the thickness of the rim and the same radius of curvature as the rim. By this means the snap can be retained but the hook eliminated, easing manufacturing.

In yet another embodiment, the hook may be retained and the trough eliminated: the hook is a wide somewhat planar body which has two edges spaced apart. The hook is placed over the rim of the cup and the width of the hook and the widely spaced edges prevent it from twisting.

In yet another embodiment, the hook may be a flat and arcuate member which extends upward in a gentle slope from the top of the lid.

SUMMARY IN REFERENCE TO CLAIMS

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a lid for a disposable coffee cup having a circular rim, the rim having a first radius and a first thickness, the lid comprising:

a body molded of a polymer material;

the body having a circular planform defining a plane of the body, the body having a circular edge portion, the edge being oriented in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the body, the edge of the body having a second radius seen in planform, the second radius approximately equal to such first radius of such cup rim, whereby the lid may be secured to such cup by snapping it onto such rim;

the body having an elevated portion, the elevated portion having a third radius smaller than such first and second radii;

the body having first and second substantially flat portions with the third radius, the second substantially flat portion being elevated less than the remainder of the elevated portion;

a dispensing hole disposed on the elevated portion adjacent to the second substantially flat portion;

the body having a hook;

the hook projecting from the circular edge of the body and extending beyond the circular edge portion;

the hook having a snap portion, the snap portion wave-shaped in side view and having two crests defining one trough therebetween, the trough being an arc when seen in planform, the trough having a fourth radius, the fourth radius being equal to such first radius of such cup rim;

the trough having a width, the width of the trough being approximately equal to such first thickness of such rim, whereby when the lid is removed from such coffee cup and inverted, the trough may snap onto such cup rim, thereby securing the lid to such coffee cup.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a lid for a disposable coffee cup having a circular rim, the rim having a first radius and a first thickness, the lid comprising:

a body molded of a polymer material;

the body having a circular planform defining a plane of the body, the body having a circular edge portion, the edge being oriented in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the body, the edge of the body having a second radius seen in planform, the second radius approximately equal to such first radius of such cup rim, whereby the lid may be secured to such cup by snapping it onto such rim;

the body having an elevated portion, the elevated portion having a third radius smaller than such first and second radii;

the body having first and second substantially flat portions with the third radius, the second substantially flat portion being elevated less than the remainder of the elevated portion;

a dispensing hole disposed on the elevated portion adjacent to the second substantially flat portion;

the body having a trough on the elevated portion;

the trough being an arc when seen in planform, the trough having a fourth radius, the fourth radius being equal to such first radius of such cup rim;

the trough having a width, the width of the trough being approximately equal to such first thickness of such cup rim, whereby when the lid is removed from such coffee cup and inverted, the trough may snap onto such cup rim, thereby securing the lid to such coffee cup.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a lid for a disposable coffee cup having a circular rim, the rim having a first radius and a first thickness, the lid comprising:

a body molded of a polymer material;

the body having a circular planform defining a plane of the body, the body having a circular edge portion, the edge being oriented in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the body, the edge of the body having a second radius seen in planform, the second radius approximately equal to such first radius of such cup rim, whereby the lid may be secured to such cup by snapping it onto such rim;

the body having an elevated portion, the elevated portion having a third radius smaller than such first and second radii;

the body having first and second substantially flat portions with the third radius, the second substantially flat portion being elevated less than the remainder of the elevated portion;

a dispensing hole disposed on the elevated portion adjacent to the second substantially flat portion;

the body having a hook;

the hook projecting from the elevated portion of the body and having a first portion extending beyond the third radius of the elevated portion, the first portion having first and second edges;

the hook having a second portion, the second portion projecting downward, whereby when the lid is removed from such coffee cup and the second portion of the hook is placed over such cup rim with the plane of the lid horizontal, the first and second edges of the hook prevent the cap from leaving the horizontal, thereby securing the lid to such coffee cup.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a lid for a disposable coffee cup having a circular rim, the rim having a first radius and a first thickness, the lid comprising:

a body molded of a polymer material;

the body having a circular planform defining a plane of the body, the body having a circular edge portion, the edge being oriented in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the body, the edge of the body having a second radius seen in planform, the second radius approximately equal to such first radius of such cup rim, whereby the lid may be secured to such cup by snapping it onto such rim;

the body having an elevated portion, the elevated portion having a third radius smaller than such first and second radii;

the body having first and second substantially flat portions with the third radius, the second substantially flat portion being elevated less than the remainder of the elevated portion;

a dispensing hole disposed on the elevated portion adjacent to the second substantially flat portion;

the body having a hook;

the hook flat and projecting from the elevated portion of the body and having in planform an arcuate shape, the hook having a radius approximately equal to the third radius;

the hook having two ends, the first end of the hook secured to the elevated portion of the body.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a lid for a disposable coffee cup having a rim having a shape and a first thickness, the lid comprising

a body molded of a polymer material;

the body having a planform defining a plane of the body, the body having an edge portion, the edge being oriented in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the body, the body seen in planform having the same shape as such cup rim, whereby the lid may be secured to such cup by snapping it onto such rim;

the body having an elevated portion;

the body having first and second substantially flat portions within elevated portion, the second substantially flat portion being elevated less than the remainder of the elevated portion;

a dispensing hole disposed on the elevated portion adjacent to the second substantially flat portion;

the body having a hook;

the hook projecting from the edge of the body and extending beyond the edge portion in the plane of the body;

the hook having a hook gap portion having a width, the width of the hook gap portion being approximately equal to such first thickness of such rim, whereby when the lid is removed from such coffee cup, the hook may engage onto such cup rim, thereby securing the lid to such coffee cup.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a lid for a disposable coffee cup having a rim having a shape and a first thickness, wherein the width of the hook gap portion is approximately equal to such first thickness of such rim, and additionally is greater than such first thickness of such rim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an oblique side view of the hook and wave-shaped snap of the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a top/planform view of the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is an elevational perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a top/planform view of the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is an elevational perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a top/planform view of the third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a low angle elevational view of a fourth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a top/planform view of the fourth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the fourth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a low angle elevational view of a fifth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 is a top/planform view of the fifth embodiment of the invention.

 INDEX OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

Body 101

Plane of body 102

Substantially vertical edge 103

Second radius 104

Elevated portion 105

Third radius 106

Circular edge in planform 107

First substantially flat portion 109

Second substantially flat portion 110

Dispensing aperture 111

Hook 112

Snap portion 113

Wave shape 114

Two crests 115

One trough 116

Trough width 117

Arc 118

Fourth radius 119

Second radius 204

Elevated portion 205

Trough 216

Width 217

Fourth radius 219

Edge 303

Elevated portion 305

Hook 312

First portion of hook 320

Second portion of hook 321

First edge 322

Second edge 323

Elevated portion 405

Third radius 406

Hook 412

Arc shaped hook body 424

Hook first end 425

Hook second end 426

Body 501

Hook 512

Hook gap 527

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention teaches a disposable lid for a disposable coffee cup which may be dimensioned and configured to engage to the rim of the coffee cup in two different ways.

In prior art usage, a coffee cup lid may be snapped onto a coffee cup. The normal coffee cup lid has an outer edge which has a portion which is substantially vertical and thus perpendicular to the plane of the lid. The outer edge is round and has a circumference which is is the same radius as the radius of the coffee cup. Thus in normal use, the lid is placed flat and level across the rim of the coffee cup and pressed down, thus serving as a closure of the coffee cup.

However, the present invention teaches a second mode of attachment to the cup rim. IN particular, a hook may be provided on the coffee cup lid. This hook will physically engage to the coffee cup rim when the lid is removed from the cup and reattached in a different location and/or orientation relative to the cup rim.

For purposes of this disclosure, a coffee cup of normal disposable type is assumed to have a circular rim. The rim is generally a lip or similar structure having a thickness for reinforcement of the mouth of the cup. A typical disposable coffee cup might have a rim with a radius of a bit more than 1.5 inches (˜38 mm) and thus a diameter of 3 inches plus. The thickness of the lip or rolled rim might be on the order of ⅛ inch. These dimensions are exemplary only, and not to be taken as part of the invention. For purposes of this application, the thickness of the rim is termed the “first thickness”.

A typical coffee cup lid will match the first radius of the coffee cup with an inner radius of the lid, so that the lid can snap onto the coffee cup. However, typical lids can only engage to the cup in that one manner.

For purposes of this disclosure, the terms “substantially” and “approximately” mean that something need not be exact, but is close enough to physically engage in the same manner as if it were exact. Thus a substantially vertical or perpendicular portion of a coffee cup lid will be close enough to vertical to allow it to snap onto a coffee cup rim. A substantially equal radius is one that may not be mathematically equal but is close enough that two items can snap together physically, given the flexibility of the polymer material of one or the other of the two items. A substantially flat area need not be exactly level, nor exactly planar completely from edge to edge, but nearly the entire surface area will be.

As used herein the term “radius” refers to a radius of curvature, not necessarily a literal radius of a circular body. Thus for example, arc shaped elements of the invention have a radius of curvature even though they are not complete circles.

EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is an elevational perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention. The disposable coffee cup lid of the invention may be seen to have an elevated portion having two substantially flat areas and the hook projecting out from one edge of the lid.

FIG. 2 is an oblique side view of the hook and wave-shaped snap of the first embodiment of the invention. In this view the hook is shown in greater detail, while FIG. 3 is a side view of the first embodiment of the invention, and in this view the plane of the lid may be seen.

FIG. 4 is a top/planform view of the first embodiment of the invention, allowing the arc shape of the trough of the snap of the hook to be seen.

Body 101 may be molded of an inexpensive material so as to be disposable, for example, polymers such as HDP, LDP, etc. The only constraints on the material are that it have a small degree of flexibility, so as to allow the coffee cap to snap onto the rim of the coffee cup and act as a closure, and also enough flexibility to allow the wave shaped snap to snap to the rim of the cup and be secured to the cup but out of the way.

The plane 102 of the body 101 may be seen in FIG. 3. It has substantially vertical edge 103 which is thus perpendicular to the plane, if not exactly than closely enough that the edge 103 may snap over the rim of the coffee cup. For this reason second radius 104 must be is approximately equal to the first radius (that of the cup), as noted previously, closely enough that the elasticity of the material will allow the snapping action.

Elevated portion 105 may be seen to be slightly smaller than the overall diameter of the cup, as third radius 106 is slightly smaller than the second & first radii 104. However, in embodiments this may be considerably smaller, nearly equal to the first radius, etc.

Circular edge (as seen in planform) 107 is also of necessity the same shape as the coffee cup mouth.

First substantially flat portion 109 is seen to be higher than second substantially flat portion 110. In use, second substantially flat portion 110 may serve, depending on circumstances, any of a number of purposes. It may serve as a well so that coffee leaking from the dispensing aperture 111 is captured. It may provide the feel of a coffee mug rim for the lips of drinkers. It may provide a fingerhold, provide a coffee cooling basin and so on and so forth.

Turning now to hook 112 the unique features of the invention may be better understood by referring back to FIG. 2. Snap portion 113 defines a wave shape 114 having two crests (115). Two wave crests by definition create a wave trough 116 therebetween, the trough in turn has a trough width 117. Trough width 117 may be equal to the cup rim thickness: most cups have a rim which is slightly thickened and this trough width 117 will match that first thickness, allowing it to be snapped thereon.

It should be noted, as in the embodiment illustrated, the device may in fact have more than one pair of crests and thus more than one trough. The troughs of a multiple crest form may thus be of the same size, allowing a coffee drinker to either secure the lid upside down on the coffee cup rim (thus preventing moisture inside the lid from dripping) or right side up (perhaps in order to keep the lid clean for some purpose). In addition, the troughs may be different widths, thus allowing the lid to be used on cup rims of different thicknesses. Thus one lid might serve several different brands of coffee cups having different cup rim thicknesses (first thicknesses as used herein).

Adverting to FIG. 4, arc 118 of the hook 112 may be seen to have fourth radius 119, which will be the same as the first and second radii. Thus, the radius of the cup (the first radius) is matched by the radius of the lid (the second radius) and by the radius of the wave-shaped hook's trough (the fourth radius). (And for clarification, the third radius is smaller than the other three, being the radius of the elevated portion 105).

Obviously a coffee drinker may remove the lid, then use a trough of the hook to snap the lid to the rim of the cup, out of the way. This provides a sanitary and hygienic method of removing the lid and yet not having to hold it continuously or set it down on some surface, thus gathering dust or other undesirable matter from the surface.

FIG. 5 is an elevational perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention, while FIG. 6 is a top/planform view of the second embodiment of the invention.

Second radius 204 is once again seen to be that radius which matches the coffee cup.

In this embodiment, which is the presently preferred embodiment and the best mode now contemplated, trough 216 is actually present in the elevated portion 205. By this means, it is not necessary to have the rest of the hook, and yet the snap fastener for attaching the lid to the cup upside down and open is still present.

In addition, this particular embodiment may be easier to manufacture, presenting another advantage.

Width 217 of trough 216 is the same as the thickness of the coffee cup, and fourth radius 219 is the same as the first and second radii (204).

In this embodiment, the lid will partially overlap the mouth of the cup.

FIG. 7 is an elevational perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention, FIG. 8 is a top/planform view of the third embodiment of the invention and FIG. 9 is a side view of the third embodiment of the invention.

Elevated portion 305 has hook 312 projecting therefrom, though it may project from the vertical portions as well. Hook 312 has multiple parts.

First hook portion 320 extends away from the body of the lid, while the second portion 321 angles downward to form a barb or catch.

Hook 312 is also wide. The width of hook 312 is necessary, in this embodiment, in order to prevent the lid from twisting sideways when it depends from the hook 312 and the cup rim. Thus first edge 322 and second edge 323 will touch the rim, preventing the cap's natural tendency to twist. It the hook were not this wide and lacked these two spaced apart edges, it would potentially allow the lid to twist.

When the hook is used to hang the lid from the rim of the cup, the edge of the lid 303 will touch the side of the cup lower down than the hook 312, providing a stable triangular support with edges 322/323.

FIG. 10 is a low angle elevational view of a fourth embodiment of the invention and FIG. 11 is a top/planform view of the fourth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 12 is a side view of the fourth embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment, the hook is elevated above the top of the cup, rising up slightly from elevated portion 405. In this case, the hook is an arc shaped body 424 which matches third radius 406. The hook 412 is flat, but generally as flexible as the material of the lid. Arc shaped hook body 424 has a hook first end 425 which is attached to the lid and a free second end 426 used to slide the hook over the cup rim.

FIG. 13 is a low angle elevational view of a fifth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 14 is a top/planform view of the fifth embodiment of the invention. Body 501 will have elevated portion 505 as well as an edge as discussed previously (103, 303, etc). Hook 512 may project from the edge of the body.

In this embodiment the hook 512 is a relatively straightforward shape, however, unlike prior art hooks which project from the tops of container lids for use in securing the entire container to something, this hook projects from the edge and thus acts to secure the lid to the rim of the coffee cup when not in use as a lid.

Hook 512 will have a hook gap width 527 representing the inner space defined within the hook 512. Hook gap width 527 will match the first thickness, that is, match the thickness of the rim of the cup.

The hook gap width 527 may match the first thickness by being equal thereto. It may also match the first thickness in an alternative embodiment by being greater than the first thickness.

In the first embodiment (equal), it may slide over the cup rim and then since it is the same dimension, frictional forces will tend to hold it thereto. In the second embodiment (greater gap than cup rim thickness) it will still hold by mechanical engagement (the hook shape).

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

Various changes and modifications can, of course, be made, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A lid for a disposable coffee cup having a circular rim, the rim having a first radius and a first thickness, the lid comprising:

a body molded of a polymer material;
the body having a circular planform defining a plane of the body, the body having a circular edge portion, the edge being oriented in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the body, the edge of the body having a second radius seen in planform, the second radius approximately equal to such first radius of such cup rim, whereby the lid may be secured to such cup by snapping it onto such rim;
the body having an elevated portion, the elevated portion having a third radius smaller than such first and second radii;
the body having first and second substantially flat portions within the third radius, the second substantially flat portion being elevated less than the remainder of the elevated portion;
a dispensing hole disposed on the elevated portion adjacent to the second substantially flat portion;
the body having a hook;
the hook projecting from the circular edge of the body and extending beyond the circular edge portion;
the hook having a snap portion, the snap portion wave-shaped in side view and having two crests defining one trough therebetween, the trough being an arc when seen in planform, the trough having a fourth radius, the fourth radius being equal to such first radius of such cup rim;
the trough having a width, the width of the trough being approximately equal to such first thickness of such rim, whereby when the lid is removed from such coffee cup and inverted, the trough may snap onto such cup rim, thereby securing the lid to such coffee cup.

2. The lid of claim 1, wherein the wave-shaped snap portion further comprises a third crest defining a second trough, the second trough also having an arc seen in planform, the second trough having a fifth radius different from the fourth radius.

3. A lid for a disposable coffee cup having a circular rim, the rim having a first radius and a first thickness, the lid comprising:

a body molded of a polymer material;
the body having a circular planform defining a plane of the body, the body having a circular edge portion, the edge being oriented in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the body, the edge of the body having a second radius seen in planform, the second radius approximately equal to such first radius of such cup rim, whereby the lid may be secured to such cup by snapping it onto such rim;
the body having an elevated portion, the elevated portion having a third radius smaller than such first and second radii;
the body having first and second substantially flat portions within the third radius, the second substantially flat portion being elevated less than the remainder of the elevated portion;
a dispensing hole disposed on the elevated portion adjacent to the second substantially flat portion;
the body having a trough on the elevated portion;
the trough being an arc when seen in planform, the trough having a fourth radius, the fourth radius being equal to such first radius of such cup rim;
the trough having a width, the width of the trough being approximately equal to such first thickness of such cup rim, whereby when the lid is removed from such coffee cup and inverted, the trough may snap onto such cup rim, thereby securing the lid to such coffee cup.

4. A lid for a disposable coffee cup having a circular rim, the rim having a first radius and a first thickness, the lid comprising:

a body molded of a polymer material;
the body having a circular planform defining a plane of the body, the body having a circular edge portion, the edge being oriented in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the body, the edge of the body having a second radius seen in planform, the second radius approximately equal to such first radius of such cup rim, whereby the lid may be secured to such cup by snapping it onto such rim;
the body having an elevated portion, the elevated portion having a third radius smaller than such first and second radii;
the body having first and second substantially flat portions within the third radius, the second substantially flat portion being elevated less than the remainder of the elevated portion;
a dispensing hole disposed on the elevated portion adjacent to the second substantially flat portion;
the body having a hook;
the hook projecting from the elevated portion of the body and having a first portion extending beyond the third radius of the elevated portion, the first portion having first and second edges;
the hook having a second portion, the second portion projecting downward, whereby when the lid is removed from such coffee cup and the second portion of the hook is placed over such cup rim with the plane of the lid horizontal, the first and second edges of the hook prevent the cap from leaving the horizontal, thereby securing the lid to such coffee cup.

5. A lid for a disposable coffee cup having a circular rim, the rim having a first radius and a first thickness, the lid comprising: the hook having two ends, the first end of the hook secured to the elevated portion of the body.

a body molded of a polymer material;
the body having a circular planform defining a plane of the body, the body having a circular edge portion, the edge being oriented in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the body, the edge of the body having a second radius seen in planform, the second radius approximately equal to such first radius of such cup rim, whereby the lid may be secured to such cup by snapping it onto such rim;
the body having an elevated portion, the elevated portion having a third radius smaller than such first and second radii;
the body having first and second substantially flat portions within the third radius, the second substantially flat portion being elevated less than the remainder of the elevated portion;
a dispensing hole disposed on the elevated portion adjacent to the second substantially flat portion;
the body having a hook;
the hook flat and projecting from the elevated portion of the body and having in planform an arcuate shape, the hook having a radius approximately equal to the third radius;

6. A lid for a disposable coffee cup having a rim having a shape and a first thickness, the lid comprising:

a body molded of a polymer material;
the body having a planform defining a plane of the body, the body having an edge portion, the edge being oriented in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the body, the body seen in planform having the same shape as such cup rim, whereby the lid may be secured to such cup by snapping it onto such rim;
the body having an elevated portion;
the body having first and second substantially flat portions within elevated portion, the second substantially flat portion being elevated less than the remainder of the elevated portion;
a dispensing hole disposed on the elevated portion adjacent to the second substantially flat portion;
the body having a hook;
the hook projecting from the edge of the body and extending beyond the edge portion in the plane of the body;
the hook having a hook gap portion having a width, the width of the hook gap portion being approximately equal to such first thickness of such rim, whereby when the lid is removed from such coffee cup, the hook may engage onto such cup rim, thereby securing the lid to such coffee cup.

7. The lid of claim 6, wherein the width of the hook gap portion is approximately equal to such first thickness of such rim, and additionally is greater than such first thickness of such rim.

Patent History
Publication number: 20160007780
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 10, 2014
Publication Date: Jan 14, 2016
Inventors: Danielle Marie Dolan (Highlands Ranch, CO), Joshua Lee Whalen (Denver, CO), Thomas Alvarez Dolan (Highlands Ranch, CO)
Application Number: 14/328,052
Classifications
International Classification: A47G 19/22 (20060101); B65D 45/18 (20060101); B65D 43/02 (20060101);