SIPPABLE LID FOR VARIABLE CONTAINERS

Abstract

A sippable lid for drinking from variable cups, glasses, bottles or any other circular-mouthed container adapted to hold fluids. The sippable lid generally comprises a resilient rubber skirt attachable to a hard plastic lid. The skirt is rubber while the lid is hard heat-resistant plastic. The lid is molded with cylindrical sidewalls topped by an offset parabolic drinking surface that slopes downward from fore to aft. A series of drinking holes are circularly-aligned along the rearward edge. The skirt includes a cylindrical upper sidewall fitted tongue-in-groove inside the lower edge of the lid sidewalls, a frusto-conical ribbed middle section, and a lower cylindrical sidewall having a diameter smaller than the upper cylindrical sidewall.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application derives priority from U.S. provisional application 62/832,031 filed 10 Apr. 2019 and from U.S. provisional application 62/913,255 filed 10 Oct. 2019.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to drinking accessories and, in particular, a universal sippable lid for use with variably-sized containers.

2. Description of the Background

There are a variety of lids or container covers that are traditionally placed over beverage containers. For example, establishments serve hot coffee and provide a disposable lid with an opening to enable the coffee to be sipped.

Most beverage containers have a rim with which the container cover makes a tongue and groove snap fit. However, the snap fit retention is not strong and in the event the beverage container is inadvertently tipped over, the lid or cover sometimes dislodges and hot coffee spills out onto to the floor, possibly burning the coffee drinker. Moreover, disposable lids are clogging landfills and causing severe environmental problems. What is needed is a reusable lid which is more securely snap fit onto a container for hot or cold beverages.

It is known to provide a lid that simply screws over the top of a container. These provide a better seal, but the arrangement requires a thread to be provided on the upper surface of the container which increases the manufacturing cost, and also limits the lid to fitting a specific container size.

Accordingly there is substantial need for a universal reusable lid for both hot and cold beverage containers that securely fits a variety of container sizes, eliminates drippage, seeping, splashing and leaking, and yet still provides a natural drinking sensation as opposed to drinking through a spout.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to embodiments of the invention, a sippable lid is provided for drinking from variable cups, glasses, bottles or any other circular-mouthed container adapted to hold fluids. The sippable lid generally comprises a resilient rubber skirt attachable to a hard plastic lid. The skirt is rubber while the lid is hard heat-resistant plastic. The lid is molded with cylindrical sidewalls topped by an offset parabolic drinking surface that slopes downward from fore to aft. A series of drinking holes are circularly-aligned along the rearward edge. The skirt includes a cylindrical upper sidewall fitted tongue-in-groove inside the lower edge of the lid sidewalls, a frusto-conical ribbed middle section, and a lower cylindrical sidewall having a diameter smaller than the upper cylindrical sidewall.

The present invention is described in greater detail in the detailed description of the invention, and the appended drawings. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and certain modifications thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective assembled view of a sippable lid according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective dis-assembled exterior view of a sippable lid as in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective dis-assembled interior view of a sippable lid as in FIGS. 1-2.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the cap member 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the cap member 2 along the lines A-A′ of FIG. 4, with exemplary dimensions.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the cap member 2 of FIGS. 1-5 with exemplary dimensions.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the cap member 2 of FIGS. 1-6 with exemplary dimensions.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the neck member 4.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the neck member 4.

FIG. 10 is a side cross-section of the neck member 4 along the lines B-B′ of FIG. 9, with exemplary dimensions.

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the neck member 4 of FIGS. 8-10 with exemplary dimensions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made in detail to preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the sippable lid according to the invention is a reusable lid or top, configured for drinking from variable cups, glasses, bottles or any other circular-mouthed container adapted to hold fluids. The present invention is capable of use with threaded and non-threaded containers. The sippable lid generally comprises two attachable components: a resilient rubber skirt 4 and a hard plastic lid 2. The skirt 4 is preferably formed of a resilient, high friction material and preferably of silicone rubber, or other suitable rubber. The lid 2 is preferably formed of a hard high heat-resistant polymer, such as polypropylene, polyesters, polyamides, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, polycarbonates and the like.

The lid 2 is molded with cylindrical sidewalls 12 topped by a distinctly concave drinking surface 14 that is offset, sloping downward from rearward to forward edge. A series of drinking holes 16 are aligned along a circular path offset inwardly from the rearward edge.

As seen in FIG. 2 the skirt 4 includes a cylindrical sidewall 42 fitted tongue-in-groove inside the lower edge of lid sidewalls 12. Upper sidewall 42 leads to a frusto-conical ribbed section 44, section 44 in turn leading to a lower cylindrical sidewall 46 having a diameter smaller than the first cylindrical sidewall 42. As described below, the frusto-conical ribbed section 44 is specially-designed to form a fluid-tight seal with any of a variety of variably-sized containers having circular mouths ranging in size from a first diameter of cylindrical sidewall 42 to a second diameter of sidewall 46.

FIGS. 4-7 illustrate the lid 2 with exemplary dimensions. Cylindrical sidewalls 12 of lid 2 rise to an offset parabolic drinking surface 14 that slopes downward from rearward to forward edge at an approximate 30 degree angle. The uppermost edge of surface 14 is defined by a series of drinking holes 16, three for example. The drinking holes 16 are aligned along a circular path that is offset inwardly from the rearward edge. In use the broadest part of sidewall 12 of lid 2 sits atop the user's lower lip and the parabolic surface 14 falls sharply away such that no contact with the upper lip is made. The lid 2 feels like an open glass. The series of drinking holes 16 allows liquid to drain outward and run down parabolic surface 14 falling uniformly into the mouth.

As seen in FIG. 5 the inner lower surface of the sidewall 12 is defined by a 0.01″ notch 124 for a tongue-in-groove fit with skirt 4. Similarly, as seen in FIG. 3 the rim of the upper sidewall 42 bears a 0.02″ w×0.06″ 1 flange 126 for a tongue-in-groove fit with the notch 124 of lid 2.

FIGS. 8-11 illustrate the skirt 4 with exemplary dimensions. The cylindrical sidewall 42 has a diameter d1, cylindrical sidewall 46 has a diameter d2 smaller than the first cylindrical sidewall 42, and frusto-conical ribbed section 44 segways the two sidewalls 42, 46. In an embodiment, d1 is within a range of from 1-1.5″ and most preferably 1.2″, while d2 is approximately 0.7×d1. The frusto-conical ribbed section 44 joins both cylindrical sidewalls 42, 46 at the same obtuse angle between 150-170 degrees, and most preferably 161 degrees as shown in FIG. 10 to maximize the sealing ability of skirt 4.

As seen in the inset of FIG. 10 the rib shape and dimensions are optimized to ensure a fluid-tight seal with the widest possible range of variably-sized container mouths, including those with screw-threads. Toward this end, and given the above-described 19 degree offset angle of frusto-conical section 44 from vertical, each rib 50 has a triangular profile with a 0.03″ downwardly-inclined face 52 and a 0.02″ inwardly-angled base 54. Preferably multiple ribs 50 are equally spaced along the entire length of frusto-conical section 44, e.g., six (6) coaxial ribs spaced equally along the approximate 0.44″ length. The triangular profile of ribs 50 is preferably a right-triangle, offset from vertical such that the downwardly-inclined face 52 departs from the frusto-conical surface of section 44 by 30 degrees, returning to it at 60 degrees. Given the foregoing configuration the skirt 4 can be forcibly depressed down into a container mouth until the diameter of the container mouth equals that of the skirt 4. At this point the most equally-sized rib 50 encounters the container mouth such that the inclined base 54 of ribs 50 encounter the rim of the container at a sufficient angle to deflect the rib 50 inward. As the apex of the rib 50 drops below the rim of the container the outward bias of the rubber skirt 4 and the angle of the face 52 continues to urge it downward, effectively affixing the skirt 4 in place. The sippable lid is effectively secured to the container and renders it leak and spill proof. Once the device is fastened to a container holding a fluid, a user can drink the fluid. The container can be anything with a circular mouth ranging from a drinking glass to a bottle. Regardless, the device can be attached such that it fits snugly around the lip of the mouth. Moreover, the relatively flexible ribs 50 can form a seal around variable “twist-top” or “screw-on” grooves or notched openings, such as soda bottles; bottles with compression or “snap-top” seals, such as certain milk containers; and containers with permanently openings, such as aluminum cans or beer bottles.

The foregoing disclosure of embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many variations and modifications of the embodiments described herein will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above disclosure. The scope of the invention is to be defined only by the claims, and by their equivalents.

Claims

1. A sippable lid for drinking from a variety of circular-mouthed containers, comprising:

a molded-plastic lid formed with cylindrical sidewalls topped by an offset concave drinking surface that slopes downward from rear to front, and a series of drinking holes circularly-aligned along a rear edge;

a resilient rubber skirt attached to said plastic lid and having a cylindrical upper sidewall, a frusto-conical ribbed middle section, and a lower cylindrical sidewall having a diameter smaller than the upper cylindrical sidewall.

2. The sippable lid according to claim 1, wherein said offset concave drinking surface is parabolic.

3. The sippable lid according to claim 1, wherein said series of drinking holes are aligned along a circular path offset inwardly from the rear edge of said plastic lid.

4. The sippable lid according to claim 2, wherein said series of drinking holes are aligned along a circular path offset inwardly from the rear edge of said plastic lid.

5. The sippable lid according to claim 1, wherein said resilient rubber skirt has an outward-projecting flange encircling the cylindrical upper sidewall.

6. The sippable lid according to claim 5, wherein said plastic lid has a notch encircling an interior of said cylindrical sidewalls conforming to the outward-projecting flange of said skirt.

7. The sippable lid according to claim 1, wherein the frusto-conical ribbed middle section of said skirt comprises a plurality of circumscribing ribs each having a triangular profile.

8. The sippable lid according to claim 7, wherein the triangular profile comprises a right triangle.

9. The sippable lid according to claim 8, wherein the hypotenuse of said triangular profile is angled downward and outward from said skirt.

10. The sippable lid according to claim 2, wherein the cylindrical upper sidewall of said skirt has a diameter d1, the cylindrical lower sidewall of said skirt has a diameter d2, and d2 is approximately equal to 0.7×d1.

11. A sippable lid for drinking from a variety of circular-mouthed containers, comprising:

a molded-plastic lid formed with cylindrical sidewalls topped by an offset parabolic drinking surface that slopes downward from rear to front, and a series of drinking holes circularly-aligned along a rear edge, and a circular notch circumscribing an interior of said cylindrical sidewalls;

a resilient rubber skirt having a cylindrical upper sidewall inserted inside said plastic lid, a frusto-conical ribbed middle section, and a lower cylindrical sidewall having a diameter smaller than the upper cylindrical sidewall, the upper sidewall having an outwardly-projecting flange fitted tongue-in-groove into the circular notch of said plastic lid.

12. The sippable lid according to claim 11, wherein said series of drinking holes are aligned along a circular path offset inwardly from the rear edge of said plastic lid.

13. The sippable lid according to claim 12, wherein said series of drinking holes comprise three drinking holes.

14. The sippable lid according to claim 11, wherein the frusto-conical ribbed middle section of said skirt comprises a plurality of circumscribing ribs each having a triangular profile.

15. The sippable lid according to claim 14, wherein the triangular profile comprises a right triangle.

16. The sippable lid according to claim 15, wherein the hypotenuse of said triangular profile is angled downward and outward from said skirt.

17. The sippable lid according to claim 11, wherein the cylindrical upper sidewall of said skirt has a diameter d1, the cylindrical lower sidewall of said skirt has a diameter d2, and d2 is approximately equal to 0.7×d1.