Dripless lid for beverage container

• US 20090065518A1
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey D Carnevali
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey D Carnevali
• Inventors: Carnevali, Jeffrey D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,056,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/711
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2205/02 Venting holes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00046 Drinking-through lids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00092 circular
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00268 Paper
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00296 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00314 Combination, e.g. laminates, several different materials
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00388 Bent or angled, i.e. central part presents two main planes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00722 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00796 Totality
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0212 only on the outside, or a part turned to the outside, of the mouth B65D43/0206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/06 with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages with slidable spouts B65D47/26
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

A disposable lid for mounting upon the substantially circular lip of a personal beverage container and a method for making the same, the lid having an annular mounting portion comprising means for anchoring upon the circular cup lip; a top plate portion coupled to the annular mounting portion; a drink-through opening within the top plate portion and adjacent to an outer portion thereof adjacent to the annular mounting portion and enabling drinking from the cup without removal of the lid and permitting the lips of a user drinking from the cup to substantially encompass the drink-through opening, the drink-through opening further including a liquid permeable membrane formed of a first plurality of perforations; and a vent opening within the top plate portion spaced away from the drink-through opening, the vent opening further including an air permeable membrane formed of a second plurality of perforations.

Claims

1. A disposable lid closure for mounting upon the substantially circular lip of a personal beverage container, the lid comprising:

an annular mounting portion comprising means for anchoring upon the circular cup lip;

a top plate portion coupled to the annular mounting portion;

a drink-through opening within the top plate portion and adjacent to an outer portion thereof adjacent to the annular mounting portion and enabling drinking from the cup without removal of the lid and permitting the lips of a user drinking from the cup to substantially encompass the drink-through opening, the drink-through opening further comprising a porous membrane permeable to a water-based liquid and comprising a first plurality of perforations; and

a vent opening within the top plate portion spaced away from the drink-through opening, the vent opening further comprising an air permeable membrane comprising a second plurality of perforations.

2. The lid closure of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of perforations of the drink-through opening further comprises a plurality of substantially pin-hole sized perforations.

3. The lid closure of claim 2 wherein the first plurality of pin-hole sized perforations of the drink-through opening further comprises a plurality of apertures having an average throughput area substantially in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.12 millimeters.

4. The lid closure of claim 2 wherein the first plurality of pin-hole sized perforations of the drink-through opening further comprises a plurality of apertures having an average throughput area substantially in the range of about 0.08 to about 0.10 millimeters.

5. The lid closure of claim 2 wherein the second plurality of perforations of the vent opening further comprises a plurality of substantially pin-hole sized perforations.

6. The lid closure of claim 5 wherein the porous permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises a surface being substantially flush with a surrounding portion of the top plate portion;

and

the porous permeable membrane of the vent opening further comprises a surface being substantially flush with a surrounding portion of the top plate portion.

7. The lid closure of claim 6, further comprising an annular outer sidewall portion sloping upwardly and radially inwardly from the annular mounting portion and being coupled to the top plate portion.

8. The lid closure of claim 6, further comprising:

an annular outer sidewall portion sloping upwardly and radially inwardly from the annular mounting portion; and

the top plate portion further comprising;

an annular top wall portion formed adjacent to a top of the outer sidewall portion spaced above the annular mounting portion,

an annular inner sidewall portion projected downwardly of the annular top wall portion,

an inner top plate portion being formed within the annular inner sidewall portion and spaced away from the annular top wall portion;

a recessed portion within the inner top plate portion, the recessed portion further comprising an arcuate sidewall portion adjacent to the drink-through opening and an interior side wall spaced away from the drink-through opening and terminating in the inner top plate portion, and

a drain hole formed in the recessed portion and spaced away from the inner top plate portion.

9. The lid closure of claim 1 wherein the liquid permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises a pattern formed of a plurality of elongated narrow slit perforations.

10. The lid closure of claim 1 wherein the liquid permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises a portion of substantially self-supporting mesh material.

11. The lid closure of claim 1 wherein at least the liquid permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises a discrete membrane coupled to an aperture formed through the top plate portion.

12. A lid closure for mounting upon the lip of a personal beverage container, the lid closure comprising:

a top plate portion surrounded by a mounting portion that anchors upon the lip;

a drink-through opening within the top plate portion and adjacent to the mounting portion enabling drinking from the cup without removal of the lid and permitting the lips of a user drinking from the cup to encompass the drink-through opening, the drink-through opening further comprising a liquid permeable membrane; and

a vent opening within the top plate portion adjacent to the mounting portion substantially opposite from the drink-through opening, the vent opening further comprising an air permeable membrane.

13. The lid closure of claim 12 wherein at least the liquid permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises a pattern formed of a plurality of pin-hole of perforations.

14. The lid closure of claim 13 wherein one or more of the plurality of pin-hole perforations further comprises an aperture having a throughput area substantially in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.12 millimeters.

15. The lid closure of claim 13 wherein one or more of the plurality of pin-hole sized perforations further comprises an aperture having a throughput area substantially limited to the range of about 0.08 to about 0.10 millimeters.

16. The lid closure of claim 12 wherein the liquid permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises a pattern formed of a plurality of elongated slit perforations.

17. The lid closure of claim 16 wherein the pattern of elongated slit perforations further comprises a pattern of elongated slit perforations of about 0.12 millimeters or less in width.

18. The lid closure of claim 12 wherein the liquid permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises a portion of self-supporting mesh material.

19. The lid closure of claim 12 wherein the liquid permeable membrane of at least the drink-through opening further comprises a discrete membrane coupled to an aperture formed through the top plate portion.

20. The lid closure of claim 12 wherein the liquid permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises a surface substantially flush with the top plate portion;

and

the air permeable membrane of the vent opening further comprises a surface substantially flush with the top plate portion.

21. The lid closure of claim 12, further comprising a peripheral outer sidewall portion projected upwardly from the mounting portion;

and

wherein the top plate portion further comprises a primary recessed portion therein and interior of the drink-through opening, the primary recess further comprising an sidewall portion adjacent to the drink-through opening and a drain hole formed therein.

22. The lid closure of claim 21 wherein the top plate portion further comprises a peripheral top wall portion formed adjacent to the outer sidewall portion spaced away from the mounting portion, the annular top wall portion substantially containing the drink-through opening;

and

an inner top plate portion within the peripheral top wall portion, the inner top plate portion substantially containing the vent opening.

23. A disposable dome lid closure for mounting upon the substantially circular lip of a disposable drinking cup, the lid closure comprising:

an annular mounting portion that anchors upon the circular cup lip;

an annular outer sidewall portion sloping upwardly and radially inwardly from the mounting portion thereby providing volume extension means within the lid;

an annular top wall portion formed at the top of the outer sidewall portion enclosing the top of the outer sidewall portion;

an inner top plate portion within the annular top wall portion;

a drink-through opening within the annular top wall portion and adjacent to the outer sidewall portion enabling drinking from the cup without removal of the lid and permitting the lips of a user drinking from the cup to encompass the drink-through opening, with the lower lip of the user engaging with the outer sidewall portion, the drink-through opening further comprising a membrane permeable to water-based liquid;

a primary recessed portion within the inner top plate portion providing clearance for the upper lip of the user, wherein the primary recess includes an arcuate sidewall portion adjacent to the drink-through opening with the upper lip of the user engaging with the arcuate sidewall portion;

a drain hole formed in the primary recess and being substantially larger than the -hole sized perforations; and

a vent opening within the inner top plate portion adjacent to the annular top wall portion substantially opposite from the drink-through opening, the vent opening further comprising an air permeable membrane.

24. The lid closure of claim 23 wherein at least the permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises a pattern of a plurality of perforations having an average throughput area substantially in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.12 millimeters.

25. The lid closure of claim 24 wherein the plurality of perforations further comprises perforations having an average throughput area substantially limited to the range of about 0.08 to about 0.10 millimeters.

26. The lid closure of claim 24 wherein the liquid permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises a surface substantially flush with the annular top wall portion;

and

the air permeable membrane of the vent opening further comprises a surface substantially flush with the inner top plate portion.

27. The lid closure of claim 23 wherein the wherein the liquid permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises a pattern formed of a plurality of elongated slit perforations.

28. The lid closure of claim 23 wherein the wherein the liquid permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises a portion of substantially self-supporting mesh material.

29. The lid closure of claim 23 wherein the liquid permeable membrane of at least the drink-through opening further comprises a discrete membrane coupled to an aperture formed through the annular top wall portion.

30. The lid closure of claim 29 wherein the air permeable membrane of the vent opening further comprises a discrete membrane coupled to an aperture formed through the inner top plate portion.

31. A method for forming a disposable lid closure for mounting upon the lip of a personal beverage container, the method comprising:

in a plastic material, forming a thin top plate portion;

in the plastic material, forming a thin peripheral mounting portion coupled to the top plate portion and further comprising means for anchoring upon the cup lip;

in the plastic material, forming a drink-through opening within the top plate portion and adjacent to an outer portion thereof adjacent to the peripheral mounting portion, the forming the drink-through opening further comprising forming a first membrane substantially permeable to water-based liquids; and

in the plastic material, forming a vent opening within the top plate portion spaced away from the drink-through opening, the forming the vent opening further comprising forming a second membrane substantially permeable to air.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the forming the first membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises forming a plurality of pin-hole sized perforations.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the forming the plurality of perforations of the drink-through opening as a plurality of pin-hole sized perforations further comprises forming the plurality of pin-hole sized perforations having an average throughput area substantially in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.12 millimeters.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the forming the liquid permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises forming a plurality of perforations sized as a function of at least one of a range of viscosity and a range of surface tension of a water-based liquid in such manner as to produce a throttle effect on a water-based liquid.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the forming the respective liquid and air permeable membranes further comprises forming each of the liquid and air permeable membranes as respective first and second pluralities of perforations each having a substantially identical average range of pore sizes.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the forming a first plurality of perforations further comprises forming the first plurality of perforations having a first average range of pore sizes, and the forming a second plurality of perforations further comprises forming the second plurality of perforations having a second average range of pore sizes substantially smaller than the first average range of pore sizes.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein the forming the first and second permeable membranes further comprises forming the first and second porous permeable membranes substantially flush with an outer surface of the top plate portion.

38. The method of claim 31, further comprising, in the plastic material, forming a thin peripheral outer sidewall portion sloping upwardly and radially inwardly from the peripheral mounting portion and being coupled to the top plate portion.

39. The method of claim 31, wherein the forming the top plate portion further comprises:

in the plastic material, forming a peripheral top wall portion adjacent to a top of the outer sidewall portion spaced above the peripheral mounting portion;

in the plastic material, forming a peripheral inner sidewall portion projected downwardly of the peripheral top wall portion;

in the plastic material, forming an inner top plate portion within the peripheral inner sidewall portion and spaced away from the peripheral top wall portion;

in the plastic material, forming a recessed portion within the inner top plate portion, forming the recessed portion further comprising forming a sidewall portion adjacent to the drink-through opening and an interior side wall spaced away from the drink-through opening and terminating in the inner top plate portion; and

in a distal portion of the recessed portion of the inner top plate portion, forming a drain hole in the plastic material.

40. The method of claim 31 wherein the first liquid permeable membrane of the drink-through opening further comprises forming a plurality of elongated slit perforations.

41. The method of claim 31 wherein the forming a drink-through opening within the top plate portion further comprises forming an enlarged aperture through the top plate portion, and mounting therein a discrete liquid permeable membrane.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the forming a vent opening within the top plate portion further comprises forming an enlarged aperture through the top plate portion, and mounting therein a discrete air permeable membrane.

43. The method of claim 31 wherein the forming a drink-through opening within the top plate portion further comprises forming a portion of substantially self-supporting mesh material.

44. A drink-through closure for mounting upon the substantially circular lip of a personal beverage container, the closure comprising:

a bottle-type personal beverage container further comprising a narrow discharge spout comprising a thick annular neck forming a dispensing orifice communicating with an interior portion of the container; and

a drink-through closure formed of a substantially fluid impervious membrane further comprising a drink-through opening portion thereof comprising a plurality of perforations rendering the drink-through opening portion permeable to a water-based liquid, and an annular mounting portion impermeably coupled to a peripheral portion of the discharge spout surrounding the dispensing orifice.

45. The closure of claim 44 wherein the plurality of perforations of the drink-through opening portion further comprises a plurality of perforations sized as a function of at least one of a range of viscosity and a range of surface tension of a water-based liquid in such manner as to produce a throttle effect on a water-based liquid.

46. The closure of claim 44 wherein the plurality of perforations of the drink-through opening portion further comprises a plurality of substantially pin-hole sized perforations each further comprising an aperture having a throughput area substantially in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.10 millimeters.

47. The closure of claim 46, further comprising a fusion joint formed between the annular mounting portion of the drink-through closure and the peripheral portion of the discharge spout.

48. The closure of claim 47 wherein the membrane of the drink-through closure further comprises a metallic foil coated with a fixant layer at least in the annular mounting portion thereof, the fusion joint being formed between the fixant layer and the peripheral portion of the discharge spout.

49. The closure of claim 48 wherein the fixant layer further comprises a heat fusible material.

50. The closure of claim 47 wherein the membrane of the drink-through closure further comprises a heat fusible thermoplastic material.

51. A drink-through bottle cap closure structured to attach to a discharge spout of a bottle-type personal beverage container adjacent to a dispensing orifice thereof communicating with an interior portion of the container, the drink-through bottle cap closure comprising:

a substantially cylindrical body comprising a tubular aperture thereof extending substantially completely therethrough and surrounded by a peripheral lip adjacent to one end thereof;

a substantially fluid impervious membrane having an annular mounting portion impermeably coupled to the peripheral lip of the body surrounding the tubular aperture thereof, and further comprising a drink-through opening portion thereof comprising a plurality of perforations rendering the drink-through opening portion of the membrane permeable to a water-based liquid; and

a means for retaining the drink-through bottle cap on the container discharge spout.

52. The closure of claim 51 wherein the plurality of perforations of the drink-through opening portion further comprises a plurality of perforations sized as a function of at least one of a range of viscosity and a range of surface tension of a water-based liquid in such manner as to produce a throttle effect on a water-based liquid.

53. The closure of claim 52 wherein the plurality of perforations of the drink-through opening portion further comprises a plurality of substantially pin-hole sized perforations each further comprising an aperture having a throughput area substantially in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.10 millimeters.

54. The closure of claim 52, further comprising a fusion joint formed between the annular mounting portion of the membrane and the peripheral lip of the body surrounding the tubular aperture thereof.

55. The closure of claim 54 wherein the membrane further comprises a metallic foil coated with a fixant layer at least in the annular mounting portion thereof, the fusion joint being formed between the fixant layer and the peripheral lip of the body.

56. The closure of claim 55 wherein each of the body and the fixant layer further comprises a heat fusible material.

57. The closure of claim 54 wherein each of the body and the membrane further comprises a heat fusible thermoplastic material.