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Patent 2361850 Summary

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Claims and Abstract availability

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(12) Patent Application: (11) CA 2361850
(54) English Title: SPLASH PROOF LID ASSEMBLY
(54) French Title: COUVERCLE ANTI-ECLABOUSSURES
Status: Dead
Bibliographic Data
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):
  • B65D 41/56 (2006.01)
  • B65D 65/02 (2006.01)
(72) Inventors :
  • LUKACEVIC, TEMO (United States of America)
(73) Owners :
  • LUKACEVIC, TEMO (United States of America)
(71) Applicants :
  • LUKACEVIC, TEMO (United States of America)
(74) Agent: MACRAE & CO.
(74) Associate agent:
(45) Issued:
(22) Filed Date: 2001-11-13
(41) Open to Public Inspection: 2003-03-20
Examination requested: 2001-11-13
Availability of licence: N/A
(25) Language of filing: English

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): No

(30) Application Priority Data:
Application No. Country/Territory Date
09/957,327 United States of America 2001-09-20

Abstracts

English Abstract





A splash-proof lid assembly is a substantially planar unit
which is made up of a disc and a bottom section that is rotatably
connected to the disc. By rotating the bottom section to the
underside of the disc, a tube is formed which allows for drinking
from a cup once the lid is placed on the cup.


Claims

Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.





What is claimed is:

1. A splash-proof lid for a drinking cup comprising:
a circular disc having a snap fitting periphery for engagement
with a cup rim;
an air hole in said disc which is positioned in the center of
said disc;
an arched tube adjacent said snap fitting periphery, said tube
having a radius that is concentric with the radius of said disc and
less than the radius of said disc, said tube having a top portion
which is above the top surface of said disc and a bottom portion
which is below the bottom surface of said disc;
a drinking hole in a top wall of said tube, said tube centered
on said drinking hole, said air hole being smaller than said
drinking hole;
at least two inlets in said tube positioned in said bottom
portion of said tube, such that said inlets are in fluid
communication with said drinking hole to allow a user to drink
through the lid when the lid is placed on top of a drinking cup.

2. The lid of claim 1 wherein said inlets are in a bottom
wall of said tube.

3. The lid of claim 1 wherein said inlets are in an end wall
of said bottom portion of said tube.



14




4. The lid of claim 1 wherein said arched tube forms an angle
of about 30° to about 60°.

5. A splash-proof lid assembly for making a lid for use with
a drinking cup comprising:
a circular disc having a periphery;
a first snap fitting periphery portion which extends around a
first portion of said periphery, said first snap fitting periphery
portion being absent from a second portion of said periphery;
a tube top portion with a drinking hole therein, said tube top
portion positioned adjacent to said periphery at said second
portion of said periphery, said tube top portion rising above the
top surface of said disc;
an air hole positioned in the center of said disc;
a bottom section having an arcuate side, said bottom section
having a second snap fitting periphery portion which is adjacent
said arcuate side and a tube bottom portion having at least two
inlets therein, said tube bottom portion adjacent said second snap
fitting periphery portion,
said bottom section rotatably attached to said disc along said
periphery of said disc such that when said bottom section is
rotated under said disc, said second snap fitting periphery portion
is positioned in said second portion of said periphery and said
tube bottom portion aligns with said tube top portion to form an



15



arched tube in said lid, said inlets are in fluid communication
with said drinking hole, and said first snap fitting periphery
portion and said second snap fitting periphery portion for a
complete snap fitting periphery of said lid.

6. The splash-proof lid assembly of claim 1 wherein said tube
forms an angle of about 30° to about 60°.

7. The splash-proof lid assembly of claim 1 wherein said disc
has a projection and said bottom section has a channel which mates
with said projection when said bottom section is rotated to mate
with the underside of said disc.

8. The lid assembly of claim 5 wherein said inlets are in a
bottom wall of said tube bottom section.

9. The lid of claim 1 wherein said inlets are in an end wall
of said tube bottom portion.

16

Description

Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


CA 02361850 2001-11-13
SPLASH PROOF LID ASSEMBLY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a removable lid for a cup and, more
particularly, to a lid assembly which is used to form the lid. The
lid of the present invention avoids inadvertent splashing which
occurs due to unintentional movement of the cup.
2. Art Related to the Invention
Splash-proof lids for drinking cups are known. Typically,
they comprise a round, removable cover which fits tightly over the
top opening of a cup to prevent unwanted spillage of the contents
of the cup while allowing the user to drink the contents of the cup
even though the lid remains on the cup. To allow the user to drink
the contents of the cup while the lid remains on the cup, both a
drinking hole and an air hole are provided in the lid. Both holes
1

CA 02361850 2001-11-13
are configured to prevent unwanted loss or spillage of the contents
of the cup which occurs when the cup is unintentionally moved.
Typically, such lids are used on disposable cups which the user
takes on a train, a plane, in a boat, or in a car.
The drinking hole is usually positioned at the edge of the lid
next to the side wall of the cup, while the air hole is positioned
either centrally in the lid or along the edge of the lid next to
the side wall of the cup, opposite the drinking hole.
One example of such a lid is taught in U.S. Patent No.
4,322,014. In the '014 patent, a splash-proof lid has both a
drinking hole and an air hole wherein both holes have a baffle
arrangement to prevent the liquid contents of the cup from exiting
the cup. The baffle arrangement is such that the axis of the
baffle, taken along the fluid flow lines, forms a straight line and
does not follow the contour or radius of the exterior of the lid.
The baffle arrangement in the '019 patent is rather complicated.
In order to make the lid of the '014 patent, two separate
pieces are either molded separately and then subsequently glued, or
the lid is molded as one unitary piece. Molding is obviously
difficult and assembling the two pieces is time-consuming.
2

CA 02361850 2001-11-13
Another example of a splash-proof lid is taught in U.S. Patent
No. 4,394,928. Here a special cup having a ledge functions with
the lid to form a curved channel through which liquid flows to the
drinking hole. This has the advantage of a one step molding
process, but requires a special cup to allow the lid to function.
There is a need for a simplified design for a splash-proof lid
which can function with a conventional disposable cup.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A simplified lid assembly for making a splash-proof lid for a
cup has now been discovered. The lid is intended to be disposable
and for use with disposable drinking cups such as the type used
for coffee, tea, etc. The lid has an air hole, a drinking hole and
is designed to avoid spillage of the contents of the cup through
the drinking hole and the air hole.
It has been discovered that the jiggling or unintended
movement of the cup causes a wave to form on the surface of the
liquid and to travel back and forth across the surface of the
liquid crashing against the side walls of the cup. When the wave
hits the side walls of the cup, it splashes out of the drinking
hole or the air hole when the air hole is positioned next to the
side wall of the cup. Thus, it is the movement of the waves on the
3

CA 02361850 2001-11-13
surface of the liquid in the cup and its crashing against the side
wall that causesthe splashing and spillage theliquid.
the of


It has also been found that the air is made small
when hole


and positioned in the center of the lid that splashing or spillage
due to the wave through the air hole does not occur. Furthermore,
it has been found that when the air hole is made rather small
compared to the drinking hole, that the air hole will still
function to allow liquids to flow out of the drinking hole and air
in through the air hole. Thus, in the present invention, the air
hole is positioned in the center of the lid and made relatively
small compared to the drinking hole.
To avoid spillage out of the drinking hole, an arched tube is
employed in fluid communication with the drinking hole. The arched
tube of the present invention blocks the wave from crashing
directly into the drinking hole and redirects the liquid back into
the cup to prevent spillage of the contents of the cup through the
drinking hole.
The arched tube extends above and below the planar surface of
the lid so as to form a chamber. The drinking hole is positioned
in the top of the tube and the top of the tube rises above the
planar surface of the lid. The bottom of the tube extends below
4

CA 02361850 2001-11-13
the planar surface of the lid and contains inlets through which the
contents of the cup travel to reach the drinking hole. The arched
tube follows the curvature of the lid, is centered on the drinking
hole, and is in fluid communication with the drinking hole. The
arched tube is formed along the edge of the lid and has a plurality
of inlets to allow the liquid contents of the cup to travel into
the tube. The inlets can be in the bottom of the tube, in the end
walls of the tube, or both. The drinking hole .is positioned in the
top of the tube to allow the liquid contents to flow from the cup
through the tube and into the user's mouth. The radius of the tube
is less than the radius of the lid and the radius of the tube is
concentric with the radius of the lid. The lid itself has an
engaging periphery to allow it to engage with the rim of a cup and
become removably affixed to the rim of the cup. In this way, the
lid of the present invention fits a conventional disposable cup and
no special cup must be employed with the lid of the present
invention.
It has been discovered that the lid of the present invention
can be easily made in a one step molding process from a unique lid
assembly which is disclosed herein. The lid assembly is made up of
two pieces, one piece being the disc that makes up the majority of
the lid while the other piece is a bottom section which forms the
bottom portion of the arched tube and a portion of the engaging

CA 02361850 2001-11-13
periphery. The disc and the bottom section are rotatably connected
to one another along their peripheries such that the lid is
assembled by rotating the disc and the bottom section together. In
the molding operation, the disc and the bottom section form one,
essentially planar, element.
Broadly, the splash-proof lid for a drinking cup in accordance
with the present invention comprises:
a circular disc having a snap fitting periphery for engagement
with a cup rim:
an air hole in said disc which is positioned in the center of
said disc:
an arched tube adjacent said snap fitting periphery, said tube
having a radius that is concentric with the radius of said disc and
less than the radius of said disc, said tube having a top portion
which is above the top surface of said disc and a bottom portion
which is below the bottom surface of said disc;
a drinking hole in a top wall of said tube, said tube centered
on said drinking hole, said air hole being smaller than said
drinking hole; and
at least two inlets in said tube positioned in said bottom
portion of said tube, such that said inlets are in fluid
communication with said drinking hole to allow a user to drink
through the lid when the lid is placed on top of a drinking cup.
6

CA 02361850 2001-11-13
Broadly, the splash-proof lid assembly for making a lid for a
drinking cup in accordance with the present invention comprises:
a circular disc having a periphery;
a first snap fitting periphery portion extending around a
first portion of said periphery, said first snap fitting periphery
portion absent from a second portion of said periphery;
a tube top portion with a drinking hole therein, said tube top
portion positioned adjacent to said periphery at said second
portion of said periphery, said tube top portion rising above the
top surface of said disc;
an air hole positioned in the center of said disc;
a bottom section having an arcuate side, said bottom section
having a second snap fitting periphery portion adjacent said
arcuate side, and a tube bottom portion having at least two inlets
therein, said tube bottom portion adjacent said second snap fitting
periphery portion,
said bottom section rotatably attached to said disc along said
periphery of said disc such that when said bottom section is
rotated under said disc, said second snap fitting periphery portion
is positioned in said second portion of said periphery, said tube
bottom portion aligns with said tube top portion to form an archede
tube in said lid, said inlets are in fluid communication with said
drinking hole, and said first snap fitting periphery portion and
said second snap fitting periphery portion for a complete snap
7

CA 02361850 2001-11-13
fitting periphery of said lid.
Preferably, the inlets are in the bottom wall of the tube,
however, the inlets can also be in the end wall of the tube,
provided they are in the end wall of the bottom portion of the
tube, i.e. below the bottom surface of the disc.
Preferably, the arched tube forms an angle of about 30 to
about 60° with respect to its radius.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other aspects of the present invention may be more
fully understood by reference to one or more of the following
drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of the assembled lid of the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom view of the assembled lid of
the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a top view of the lid assembly of the present
invention; and
8

CA 02361850 2001-11-13
FIGS. 4A-4C are cross-sections of the lid assembly of the
present invention along the lines 4A-4A of FIG. 3 and illustrate
the assembly process in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 illustrates a top perspective view of the assembled
lid 8. Lid 8 comprises disc 10 having raised center section 11 on
top thereof, snap fitting periphery 12 along the sides thereof,
air hole 16 extending therethrough, and arched tube 18 with top
portion 19 and having drinking hole 14 extending therethrough. Top
portion 19 rises above the surface of disc 10.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom of lid 8. As shown
in FIG. 2, bottom portion 20 of tube 18 is sunken below the bottom
surface of disc 10. Bottom portion 20 has two inlet openings 21
and 22. Tube 18 is in fluid communication with drinking hole 14
such that when a user drinks from a cup, the liquid contents of the
cup flow through inlet openings 21, 22 into tube 18, through tube.
18 to drinking hole 14 and into the user's mouth.
Bottom section 30 is used to form tube 18 and a portion of
snap fitting periphery 12. Bottom section 30 comprises arcuate
side 32 with snap fitting periphery portion 34. Disc 10 has snap
fitting periphery 36. Snap fitting periphery portion 36 along with
9

CA 02361850 2001-11-13
snap fitting periphery portion 34 makes up snap fitting periphery
12.
Lid 8 is securely held on a cup due to the engagement between
snap fitting periphery portions 39, 36 and the rim of the cup.
This engagement between snap fitting periphery portions 34 and 36
occur when the lid 8 is pressed down onto the rim of the cup. Such
snap fitting periphery portions 34, 36 are conventional and well-
known to those of skill in the art. The snap fitting periphery
portions 34, 36 house the lip of the cup when the two are joined.
As shown in FIG. 3, which is a top view of lid 8 unassembled
into its two pieces, bottom section 30 and disc 10, bottom section
30 and disc 10 are connected along their respective peripheries at
joint 38. Bottom section 30 has arched side 32 with snap fitting
periphery portion 34. Bottom section 30 has bottom portion 20
which forms the bottom and a part of the lower side walls of tube
18. Inlet openings 21, 22 are shown in the bottom wall of portion
20.
FIG. 4A illustrates a cross-section of unassembled lid 8 of
the present invention. As shown therein, bottom section 30 is
connected to disc 10 by joint 38. Joint 38 is a conventional weak
spot which allows for the rotation of bottom section 30 under disc

CA 02361850 2001-11-13
as shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C.
Bottom portion 20 has bottom wall 40 and lower side walls 42
and 44. Top portion 19 has top wall 46 and upper side walls 48 and
50. When bottom section 30 is rotated around joint 38, bottom wall
40, top wall 46, lower side walls 42, 44 and upper side walls 48,
50 form tube 18.
It is preferred that bottom section 30 is securely fixed to
disc 10 by means of a latch mechanism which is illustrated as
projection 52 and channel 54. It will be understood, however, that
such a latching mechanism is not necessary because, when bottom
section 30 is rotated about joint 38 so as to join bottom section
30 to the underside of disc 10, the force between the rim of the
cup and snap fitting periphery portion 32 is enough to maintain the
engagement between disc 10 and bottom section 30. It will be
appreciated that the rim of the cup forces snap fitting periphery
portion 32 up to and against disc 10 as shown in FIG. 4C. Rim 56
of cup 58 is illustrated in FIG. 4C.
It should be appreciated that although only two inlets 21 and
22 are illustrated, additional inlets in tube 18 may be employed.
Specifically, there can be inlets in lower end walls 60 and 62 of
tube 18. Lower end walls 60 and 62 are illustrated in FIG. 2.
11

CA 02361850 2001-11-13
It will also be appreciated that although FIG. 3 illustrates
that bottom section 30 is positioned directly opposite drinking
hole 14, joint 38 can be at another location along the periphery of
disc 10, provided that when section 30 is rotated about joint 38,
bottom portion 20 aligns with top portion 19 to form tube 18.
It will also be noted in FIGS. 9A-4C that disc 10 has no snap
fitting periphery in the area in which snap fitting periphery
portion 34 resides. Thus, disc 10 has no snap fitting periphery
along a portion of its periphery, that portion being the portion
which is filled by snap fitting periphery portion 34 upon rotation
of bottom section 30 against disc 10.
Obviously, the dimensions of the lid assembly are adjusted
accordingly depending on the size of the cup. Typically,
disposable cups are made in three sizes, small, medium and large.
The lid of the present invention will have its dimensions adjusted
accordingly for each one of the cup dimensions.
The lid assembly of the present invention is made in any
conventional plastic molding process wherein the lid assembly is
molded in a one-step molding operation in a conventional manner
using conventional equipment.
12

CA 02361850 2001-11-13
It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that lid
8 in the unassembled form, i.e. lid assembly as shown in FIGS. 3
and 4A, easily nest with one another. This is important for the
purposes of shipping the lids to different users. As will be
appreciated, the unassembled lid 8 takes up less volume than the
assembled lid 8 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4C.
It will be appreciated that it is preferred that disc 10
employ a moat as shown in FIG. 1 so as to catch any liquid that may
escape from drinking hole 14. This moat is not essential and need
not be present in the invention as shown in FIGS. 4A-4C.
It will also be appreciated that the cross-sectional
dimensions of tube 18 may be rounded as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or
may be rectangular in shape as shown in FIGS. 9A-4C.
It will be understood that the claims are intended to cover
all changes and modifications of the preferred embodiments of the
invention herein chosen for the purpose of illustration which do
not constitute a departure from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
13

Representative Drawing
A single figure which represents the drawing illustrating the invention.
Administrative Status

For a clearer understanding of the status of the application/patent presented on this page, the site Disclaimer , as well as the definitions for Patent , Administrative Status , Maintenance Fee  and Payment History  should be consulted.

Administrative Status

Title Date
Forecasted Issue Date Unavailable
(22) Filed 2001-11-13
Examination Requested 2001-11-13
(41) Open to Public Inspection 2003-03-20
Dead Application 2004-11-15

Abandonment History

Abandonment Date Reason Reinstatement Date
2003-11-13 FAILURE TO PAY APPLICATION MAINTENANCE FEE

Payment History

Fee Type Anniversary Year Due Date Amount Paid Paid Date
Application Fee $150.00 2001-11-13
Request for Examination $200.00 2001-11-13
Owners on Record

Note: Records showing the ownership history in alphabetical order.

Current Owners on Record
LUKACEVIC, TEMO
Past Owners on Record
None
Past Owners that do not appear in the "Owners on Record" listing will appear in other documentation within the application.
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Document
Description 
Date
(yyyy-mm-dd) 
Number of pages   Size of Image (KB) 
Representative Drawing 2002-03-11 1 15
Cover Page 2003-02-21 1 36
Claims 2001-11-13 3 76
Abstract 2001-11-13 1 11
Description 2001-11-13 13 369
Drawings 2001-11-13 4 87
Assignment 2001-11-13 2 74