Cup lid having improved drink-through opening

A disposable cup lid for placement onto a drinking cup having an opening at its upper end, said opening being defined by a substantially circular cup rim whose upper extremity lies substantially in a single plane;

• wherein said disposable cup lid is thermoformed from plastics sheet material, and comprises:
• substantially circular and substantially planar top surface;
• and
• downwardly facing cup rim engaging recess formed near the outer periphery of said disposable cup lid;
• wherein said cup rim engaging recess extends from 300.degree. to 360.degree. around the periphery of said disposable cup lid, and is defined at its outer side by a substantially circular, downwardly depending apron, and at its inner side by a first downwardly directed recess sidewall;
• wherein said downwardly depending apron extends 360.degree. around the periphery of said disposable cup lid;
• wherein said cup rim engaging recess has a top wall which extends between said downwardly depending apron and said first downwardly directed recess sidewall;
• wherein there is an arcuate portion of said substantially planar top surface which extends radially outwardly to said downwardly depending apron;
• wherein said arcuate portion of said substantially planar top surface has a radially directed axis of symmetry;
• wherein a depressed "U"-shaped hinge is formed in said substantially planar top surface in the region thereof occupied by said arcuate portion, and said "U"-shaped hinge is oriented so as to be perpendicular to said axis of symmetry of said arcuate portion of said substantially planar top surface;
• wherein a first fault line is stamped into said substantially planar top surface in said arcuate portion thereof, in a location opposed to said "U"-shaped hinge;
• wherein said location of said first fault line is spaced radially inwardly from said downwardly directed apron by a distance which is at least equal to the width of said top wall of said cup rim engaging recess, and wherein said first fault line defines an outer extremity of a tear-back flap which, when torn back, will fold backwardly at said "U"-shaped hinge and will thereby define a drink-through opening in said substantially planar top surface;
• wherein an upwardly extending lifting stub is formed in said arcuate portion of said substantially planar top surface in a location thereof between said first fault line and said "U"-shaped hinge, and at a defined distance from said "U"-shaped hinge;
• and
• wherein the dimensions of said lifting stub are such that the lifting stub may be easily grasped between the thumb and a finger of an adult hand;
• whereby said tear-back flap may be torn back by a grasping and lifting action of said lifting stub so as to be folded backwardly about said "U"-shaped hinge, and so as to thereby provide access to said drink-through opening.