Beverage container lid that provides natural drinking experience

A drink-through lid for a beverage cup having a circular opening, comprising:

• a thermoformed plastic structure, comprising a base comprising a rim having an interior bead sealing portion, said base sized and shaped to sealingly engage the circular opening of the beverage cup;
• a hollow raised lip portion comprising an exterior portion extending upwardly from said base, an outer lip portion, and an interior portion sloping downwardly from upper end portions at said outer lip portion, to lower end portions;
• a drink well base having a floor extending inwardly from at least some of said lower end portions, a low point in said floor providing a liquid drain located a height H below said outer lip portion;
• and at least one drink outlet, said at least one drink outlet defined by a first edgewall provided by an inwardly protruding shoulder from said interior portion of said hollow raised lip portion, said first edgewall extending upward into said interior portion of said hollow raised lip portion, and by an elongated second edgewall extending along an outlet portion of said drink well base, said at least one drink outlet oriented at least in part as if along a first surface extending from said first edgewall at an average angle alpha (α) in the range of from about forty degrees (40°) to about ninety degrees (90°).

A drink-through lid for a beverage cup having a circular opening, comprising:

• a thermoformed plastic structure, comprising a base comprising a rim having an interior bead sealing portion, said base sized and shaped to sealingly engage the circular opening of the beverage cup;
• a hollow raised lip portion comprising an exterior portion extending upwardly from said base, an outer lip portion, and an interior portion sloping downwardly from upper end portions at said outer lip portion, to lower end portions;
• a drink well base having a floor extending inwardly from at least some of said lower end portions, a low point in said floor providing a liquid drain located a height H in the range of from about four-tenths of an inch (0.4 inches) (1.016 cm) to about nine-tenths of an inch (0.9 inches) (2.286 cm) below said outer lip portion;
• and at least one drink outlet, said at least one drink outlet defined by a first edgewall provided by an inwardly protruding shoulder from said interior portion of said hollow raised lip portion, said first edgewall extending upward into said interior portion of said hollow raised lip portion, and by an elongated second edgewall extending along an outlet portion of said drink well base, said at least one drink outlet oriented at least in part as if along a first surface extending from said first edgewall at an average angle alpha (α) in the range of from about forty degrees (40°) to about ninety degrees (90°), said at least one drink outlet having an open area of at least zero point zero
• five (0.05) square inches (0.3226 square centimeters) within zero point five (0.5) inches (1.27 cm) radially inward from a reference plan PR located at said interior bead sealing portion, and wherein said first edgewall of said at least one drink outlet is located a distance V of at least zero point four (0.4) inches (1.016 cm) from said outer lip portion.