US 6,056,144 AGranted

Beverage cup with locking lid

AssigneeInternational Paper Company

InventorsRandall H. Strange, David E. Stier, Ernest Lindlar

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Abstract

A beverage container lid is disclosed and taught whereby the brim of the lid is provided a multiplicity of small inwardly directed, radial protuberances projecting inward from the lid's outer peripheral brim which snap-in place under the cup's beaded rim thereby securing the lid to the cup's rim. In addition the circumferential array of small protuberances is interrupted by one or more, preferably three, inwardly projecting, circumferentially elongated oblong protuberances which engage the under surface of the cup's circumferential beaded rim. A second embodiment the beaded rim of the beverage cup is also taught wherein circumferentially spaced depressions, or recesses, corresponding to the oblong protuberances of the lid are provided. When the lid is applied to the cup, the oblong protuberances are indexed so as to pass over the rim depressions. After the lid is in place, the lid is rotated, with respect to the cup, thereby placing the oblong protuberances under the cup's, otherwise undisturbed circumferential rim bead, thereby securely locking the lid in place.

Claims5

Dependent claims

In combination, a beverage cup and removable lid comprising:

a) a generally cylindrical shaped cup having an open top and an opposite closed bottom, said open top having a lid retaining bead circumscribing the open top thereof, said bead having at least two circumferentially extending recessed slots therein,
b) a removable lid having a circumscribing brim, said brim including a first set of inwardly directed projections wherein each of said projections having a radially inward length of L, said first set of projections generally circumscribing the inward surface of said brim wherein said first set of projections circumferentially grip the bead of said cup,
c) a second set of two radially inward projecting protuberances circumferentially aligned with the recessed slots of said lid retaining bead of said cup wherein each protuberance of said second set is aligned with one of said recessed slots of said cup bead, whereby said second set of protuberances will pass axially through said recessed slots of said lid retaining bead of said cup when said lid is affixed to said cup, said second set of protuberances having an inwardly directed radial length greater than L whereby said protuberance passes under the bead of said cup when said lid is affixed to said cup and rotated with respect to said cup.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.