US 7,691,302 B2 · Disposable cup lid

Abstract

A disposable cup lid including a body and a mounting portion extending around the periphery of the body. The body defines a suitably shaped clearance area to accommodate a person's nose when drinking the contents of a cup having the lid positioned thereon. The body also defines an enhanced drinking area which is suitably configured to provide a person with a drinking experience more similar to the drinking experience of drinking from an uncovered cup or glass. In one embodiment, the body includes a raised portion which defines a lip engaging front wall and an enhanced drinking area. The enhanced drinking area includes a closure member having an upwardly extending gripping member and a drink-through opening initially covered by the closure member, wherein the drink-through opening is positioned substantially adjacent to the lip engaging front wall. The closure member is movable about a hinge from an initial closed position to an open position. The closure member of the top wall is also movable into a locking position wherein the gripping member frictionally engages the walls of a locking recess.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing a disposable cup lid which is attachable to a drinking cup, said method comprising:

(a) forming a body including a floor and a raised portion, said floor extending in a first plane, said raised portion extending from the floor and including:
(i) a lip engaging front wall,
(ii) a rear wall,
(iii) a plurality of spaced apart side walls connected to the lip engaging front wall and the rear wall, and
(iv) a top wall connected to the lip engaging front wall, the side walls, and the rear wall, said top wall including a closure member section extending in a second plane which intersects the first plane;
(b) after forming the body, positioning the body relative to a cutting edge of a cutting member such that said cutting edge extends in a third plane substantially parallel to the second plane;
and
(c) causing the cutting edge to form at least first and second spaced apart perforated lines in the closure member section to define part of a closure member, wherein a first end of the first formed perforated line which is adjacent to the lip engaging front wall is at a greater distance from the floor of the body than a second opposite end of said first formed perforated line and said closure member has a gripping member extending from a floor of the closure member.

5 more elements

A method of manufacturing a disposable cup lid which is attachable to a drinking cup, said method comprising:

(a) forming a body including a floor and a raised portion, said floor extending in a first plane, said raised portion extending from the floor and including:
(i) a lip engaging front wall,
(ii) a rear wall,
(iii) a plurality of spaced apart side walls connected to the lip engaging front wall and the rear wall, and
(v) a top wall connected to the lip engaging front wall, the side walls, and the rear wall, said top wall including a closure member section extending in a second plane which intersects the first plane;
(b) after forming the body, positioning the body relative to a cutting edge of a cutting member such that the first plane extends horizontally or substantially horizontally, the second plane extends offset from a horizontal or substantially horizontal plane at an angle in a range of greater than zero degrees to forty-five degrees and said cutting edge extends in a third plane substantially parallel to the second plane;
and
(c) causing the cutting edge to form at least first and second spaced apart perforated lines in the closure member section to define part of a closure member, wherein a first end of the first formed perforated line which is adjacent to the lip engaging front wall is at a greater distance from the floor of the body than a second opposite end of said first formed perforated line and said closure member has a gripping member extending from a floor of the closure member.

5 more elements

A method of manufacturing a disposable cup lid which is attachable to a drinking cup, said method comprising:

(a) forming a body including a floor and a raised portion, said floor extending in a first plane, said raised portion extending from the floor and including:
(i) a lip engaging front wall,
(ii) a rear wall,
(iii) a plurality of spaced apart side walls connected to the lip engaging front wall and the rear wall, and
(vi) a top wall connected to the lip engaging front wall, the side walls, and the rear wall, said top wall including a closure member section extending in a second plane which intersects the first plane;
(b) after forming the body, positioning the body relative to a cutting edge of a cutting member such that the first plane extends offset from a horizontal or substantially horizontal plane at an angle in a range of greater than zero degrees to forty-five degrees, the second plane extends horizontally or substantially horizontally and said cutting edge extends in a third plane substantially parallel to the second plane;
and
(c) causing the cutting edge to form at least first and second spaced apart perforated lines in the closure member section to define part of a closure member, wherein a first end of the first formed perforated line which is adjacent to the lip engaging front wall is at a greater distance from the floor of the body than a second opposite end of said first formed perforated line and said closure member has a gripping member extending from a floor of the closure member.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Disposable cup lid

Life of this patent

Disposable cup lid

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19