Spill-resistant cup lid and assembly

Abstract

An anti-spill cup lid comprising a first member, a second member detachably attached to the first member, and a collar detachably attached to the second member. The first member has a plurality of protrusions extending from an inner surface towards the second member, the plurality of protrusions arranged to maintain a fluid passage between the first member and the second member, the first member comprises a flexible outer rim, the collar comprises an outer rim, and the flexible outer rim of the first member abuts the outer rim of the collar, and the flexible outer rim of the first member is deformable to extend the fluid passage through the anti-spill cup lid.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a drinking container lid and a drinking container assembly including the drinking container lid. More specifically, the container lid is spill-proof, but a user can drink the liquid contained in the drinking container assembly. Background Art

[0002] The spillage of liquids from drinking containers is a problem for a large portion of society, from children to the elderly, who may have cognitive or motor limitations that, for example, hinder coordination or motor control. As is known, spill-proof drinking containers prevent some or all of the contents from flowing out of the container except when the user is drinking from the container.

[0003] The examples described herein are not limited to examples that solve the problems mentioned in this Background section. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Preferred aspects and embodiment examples of the invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims.

[0005] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0006] A first general objective is to minimize the amount of liquid that may spill from existing spill-resistant containers.

[0007] A second overall objective is to minimize obstacles to drinking from a spill-resistant container while the user is drinking; for example, obstacles may involve reduced flow of liquid while drinking, non-linear flow of liquid while drinking, difficulty drinking from the mouth of the container for ergonomic reasons, or a shape of the liquid flow that is unnatural for the user, such as liquid flowing out too high on the side of the container when the user is drinking.

[0008] A third general object is to provide a drinking container lid or drinking container assembly that can be easily assembled and disassembled.

[0009] A fourth general object is to provide a drinking vessel lid having components that are easy to clean due to their shape and / or materials of construction.

[0010] A fifth general objective is to minimize the angle at which a spill-resistant container must be held while drinking.

[0011] Aspects of the disclosed technology described below provide some or all of the above-mentioned benefits over prior art drinking container lids and drinking container assemblies.

[0012] A first aspect is a spill-resistant cup lid comprising: a first member; a second member removably attached to the first member; and a collar removably attached to the second member. The first member has a plurality of protrusions extending from an inner surface toward the second member; the plurality of protrusions are arranged to maintain a fluid passageway between the first and second members; the first member includes a flexible outer rim, the collar includes an outer rim, the flexible outer rim of the first member abuts the outer rim of the collar, and the flexible outer rim of the first member is deformable to extend the fluid passageway through the spill-resistant cup lid.

[0013] Optionally, the second component further comprises a plurality of holes, and each hole of the plurality of holes extends a fluid channel through the second component.

[0014] Optionally, the second member further comprises an outer edge, and the plurality of protrusions of the first member abut the second member near the outer edge of the second member.

[0015] Optionally, the fluid channel is a first fluid channel; the second member further comprises an outer edge; the collar further comprises an inner wall; and the outer edge of the second member is spaced apart from the inner wall of the collar to provide a second fluid channel.

[0016] Optionally, the path of the second fluid channel surrounds the second member.

[0017] Optionally, the first fluid channel and the second fluid channel are opened simultaneously.

[0018] Optionally, the first fluid channel and the second fluid channel diverge at a first side of the second member away from an outer edge of the second member, and converge at a second side of the second member close to the outer edge of the second member.

[0019] Optionally, the plurality of protrusions are concentrically arranged relative to an outer edge of the first member.

[0020] Optionally, the collar at least partially surrounds the first member and the second member.

[0021] Optionally, the collar is removably attached to the second member by rotation of the second member relative to the collar.

[0022] Optionally, the first member further comprises a central protrusion, the second member further comprises a central hole, and the second member is detachably attached to the first member by inserting the central protrusion of the first member into the central hole of the second member.

[0023] Optionally, the first member is formed of a flexible material, the second member is formed of a rigid material, and / or the collar is formed of a rigid material. Alternatively, the first member may be formed partially of a flexible material, such as a flexible material overmoulded onto a rigid body.

[0024] Optionally, a drinking cup lid is attached to the opening of the container.

[0025] A second aspect is a method of assembling a spill-proof drinking container lid, the spill-proof drinking container lid comprising a first member, a second member, and a collar, wherein the first member comprises a flexible outer rim and a plurality of protrusions extending from an inner surface of the first member, and the collar comprises an outer rim. The method comprises attaching the second member to the collar, and attaching the first member to the second member. During attachment, the plurality of protrusions of the first member extend toward the second member, the plurality of protrusions being arranged to maintain a fluid passage between the first and second members, the flexible outer rim of the first member abutting the outer rim of the collar, and the flexible outer rim of the first member being deformable to extend the fluid passage through the spill-proof drinking container lid.

[0026] It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that some of the preferred features noted above may be substituted for one or more preferred features of other preferred aspects of the disclosed technology within the context of one noted aspect of the disclosed technology. For the sake of brevity, no such explicit combinations have been explicitly listed above under each such possible additional aspect.

[0027] Other examples will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrate by way of example the principles of the disclosed technology. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The accompanying drawings illustrate various examples of the disclosure.

[0029] Figure 1 An exploded perspective view showing a drinking container lid;

[0030] Figure 2 A top view of a drinking vessel lid is shown;

[0031] Figure 3 and Figure 4 showing a perspective view of a drinking vessel lid;

[0032] Figure 5 shows a side perspective view of a drinking container assembly;

[0033] Figure 6 and Figure 7 A side view of a drinking vessel lid is shown;

[0034] Figure 8 a bottom perspective view showing aspects of a drinking vessel lid;

[0035] Figure 9 A perspective view showing components of a drinking vessel lid;

[0036] Figure 10 A cross section of a drinking vessel lid is shown;

[0037] 11A-11C illustrate the function of the combination of the drinking vessel lid and components of the assembly; and

[0038] Figure 12 A flow chart illustrating a method associated with the assembly of a drinking container lid is shown.

[0039] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) shown in the drawings represent one example of boundaries. In some examples, one element may be designed as multiple elements, or multiple elements may be designed as one element. Where appropriate, common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to indicate similar features. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The following description is provided for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the present technology and is not meant to limit the inventive concepts claimed herein. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, one or more or all of the specific features described herein in the context of one embodiment may also be present in some other embodiments and / or may be used in combination with other described features in various possible combinations and permutations in some other embodiments.

[0041] In the attached figure Figure 1 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a drinking container lid 100. The drinking container lid 100 comprises a first member 1, a second member 2, a collar 3 and a seal 4. The seal 4 provides an improved liquid-tight fit between the lid 100 and the container 5, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 shown.

[0042] The first member 1 of the drinking vessel lid 100 has a rounded outer edge 16. The upper surface 13 of the first member 1 slopes downwardly towards the center of the first member 1. The slope of the upper surface of the first member 1 is generally shallowest at the inner portion where it is mostly flat, steepest at the middle portion around the inner portion, and less steep at the outer portion where it terminates at the first member outer edge 16. In an alternative construction not shown in the drawings, the inner section of the upper surface of the first member 1 can be domed rather than mostly flat. There is a dome-shaped portion on the lower surface of the first member 1. Figure 1A plurality of protrusions 11 are visible in the middle section. The protrusions 11 are provided on the outer section of the first member 1 and protrude from the lower surface of the first member 1. In the example shown, the protrusions 11 are regularly spaced apart and concentric with the first member outer rim 16. In other, not shown, examples, the protrusions can be irregularly spaced apart and the distance between the protrusions and the outer rim 16 can vary. The first member 1 is shown as including a valve 14 between its upper and lower surfaces. The valve 14 is formed to be openable when there is a pressure differential between the upper and lower surfaces of the upper disc 1, which is created when drinking occurs. The main function of the valve 14 is to allow the pressure inside the drinking cup to equalize when drinking occurs. Preferably, the valve 14 is a two-way valve.

[0043] The second member 2 of the drinking vessel lid 100 fits between the first member 1 and the collar 3 and the outer rim 26 of the second member is surrounded by the collar 3. The upper surface of the second member 2 is concave and is able to accommodate the lower surface of the first member 1, which is convex.

[0044] The upper surface of the second member 2 is able to accommodate the lower surface of the first member 1 because the upper surface of the second member 2 has a sloped outer section that extends from the outer rim 26 towards the centre of the second member 2. The sloped outer section of the upper surface of the second member 2 meets a mostly flat middle section. The middle section of the second member 2 has a plurality of holes 21 arranged concentrically with respect to the outer rim 26 of the second member 2. The holes 21 extend through the second member 2 from the upper surface to the lower surface of the second member 2. The holes 21 provide a passage through which fluid can flow. The holes 21 are shown as having a square shape, i.e. a rectangle with rounded corners, but can take other shapes and, optionally, other non-repeating shapes. Within the middle section of the second member 2 there is a central section that slopes upwards towards the first member 1. The middle section of the second member 2 has a central opening 25. The central opening 25 of the second member is arranged to accommodate the central protrusion 12 of the first member 1; the central protrusion 12 of the first member 1 is shown in Figure 1 but is shown in Figure 10 .

[0045] The second member 2 has a locking collar 22 that forms part of its lower surface. When the second member 2 is inserted into the collar 3, the locking collar 22 of the second member 2 enables the second member 2 to mechanically engage with the collar 3 by rotation of the second member 2 relative to the collar 3. Figure 8 A perspective view of the underside of the second member 2 is shown after it has been inserted into the collar 3 and rotated to lock it in place. The locking collar 22 is shown as being a perfect circle, but other shapes of locking collar are envisaged. The collar 3 has a square opening in its centre through which the locking collar 22 can pass when aligned, but not when it is not aligned, as shown in Figure 83. As shown, the second member 2 and the collar 3 are mechanically engaged. In the example shown, the locking collar 22 and the collar opening are both square, however this is not necessary for their removable engagement, and other shapes can be used for the interlocking process, and the interlocking shapes do not need to match. The shape of the collar opening must allow the locking collar to fit, although this depends on the degree of rotation of the locking collar. The lower surface of the second member 2 is shown as having two handles 23 protruding from the locking collar 22 away from the first member 1. The handles 23 facilitate rotation of the second member 2 to assist in locking and / or unlocking the second member 2 and the collar 3. Although two handles 23 are shown in the various figures, other configurations with more or fewer handles (including no handles) are envisioned.

[0046] Collar 3 has an orthogonal outer profile with a large central axial channel between its upper and lower surfaces. The upper surface of collar 3 has a collar outer edge 36 that forms a drinking surface for engagement with the user's mouth. The exterior of collar 3 can have a different profile, such as a circular or square shape, in addition to the sqround shape shown. Collar 3 has a smooth inner wall 32 shaped to accommodate second member 2. The inner wall includes ridges 37 shaped to not engage with second member 2 when not in an engaged position with collar 3, but to engage with second member 2 when the second member 2 is in an engaged position by rotation relative to collar 3, locking it in place relative to collar 3. Second member 2 has a plurality of notches 24 extending from the upper surface of locking collar 22. When second member 2 and collar 3 are in their engaged position, the notches 24 of second member 2 contact and press against the ridges 37 of collar 3.

[0047] The outer wall of the collar 3 has a grip 31 to facilitate the rotational engagement process. Optionally, the drinking container lid 100 includes a removable seal 4 that prevents liquid from escaping between the collar 3 and the container 5 when the lid 100 is attached to the container 5. The seal has a tab 41 that facilitates removal of the seal 4, along with the collar 3, from the recess when the seal is to be cleaned or replaced. The seal 4 can be made of rubber or a rubber-like material. Alternatively, the seal 4 can be partially formed of a flexible material, such as a flexible material overmolded onto a rigid body.

[0048] The components of the cap 100, namely the first member 1, the second member 2, the collar 3 and the seal 4, are all removable, replaceable and maintainable, enabling regular cleaning and disinfection of one or more components. Although the various components of the cap 100 are shown and described as being separable from one another, one or more components may alternatively be permanently attached.

[0049] In the attached figure Figure 2A top view of a drinking container lid 100 is shown with the first member 1 surrounded by a collar rim 32. The gap between the collar rim and the first member surrounds the upper surface of the lid 100 so that drinking can occur at any point around the collar rim 32.

[0050] In the attached figure Figure 3 and Figure 4 Shown is a perspective view of a drinking vessel lid 100. The collar 3 includes a gripping portion 31 which, in addition to facilitating the joining process, helps a user to hold the lid 100 during normal use when the drinking vessel 5 is attached.

[0051] In the attached figure Figure 5 A perspective side view of a drinking vessel assembly comprising a drinking vessel lid 100 and a vessel 5 is shown. Containers of various shapes may be connected to the lid 100.

[0052] In the attached figure Figure 6 and Figure 7 The drinking vessel lid 100 is shown in a side profile view, primarily showing the collar 3. The collar 3 provides structure and rigidity to the drinking vessel lid, protecting the first 1 and second 2 components.

[0053] In the attached figure Figure 9 A perspective view of an exemplary protrusion 11 on the lower surface of the first member 1 is shown. The protrusion 11 maintains the spacing between the lower side of the first member 1 and the upper side of the second member 2. The protrusion 11 of the first member 1 is shaped to provide a rounded point that can contact the upper side of the second member 2 to allow the outer portion of the first member 1 to move and pivot about this point to open a passage between the outer edge 16 of the first member and the outer edge 26 of the collar to maximize liquid flow.

[0054] Figure 10 A cross-section of the drinking vessel lid 100 is shown when assembled. The lid 100 is assembled when the central protrusion 12 of the first member 1 has been inserted into the central opening 25 of the second member 2, and the second member 2 has been inserted into the collar 3 and rotated relative to the collar 3, thereby locking it in place. More specifically, the first member 1 is mechanically fastened to the second member 2 by mechanically engaging the central protrusion 12 of the first member with the central opening 25 of the second member 2. A push-fit engagement of the relatively resilient first member 1 with the relatively inelastic second member 2 provides the engagement, however, other examples may use other types of fits, such as a press fit.

[0055] The first member 1 may be made of a resilient, rubber-like material to provide improved engagement with the user's mouth when drinking, and also to achieve a good, fluid-tight seal between the outer edge 16 of the first member and the outer edge 26 of the collar when drinking is not occurring, to prevent spillage. The first member protrusion 11 holds the first member 1 apart from the second member 2 near the outer edge 26 of the second member. Fluid may be passed through the Figure 10 Two channels A1 and A2, indicated by arrows in FIG, flow through the container lid 100. The first channel A1 involves fluid flowing through the hole 21 in the second member 2, and then between the first member 1 and the second member 2, with the first member protrusion 11 maintaining a channel opening for the second channel. The second channel A2 involves fluid flowing between the locking collar 22 and the collar ridge 37 of the second member, and then flowing between the outer edge 26 of the second member and the collar inner wall 32. During drinking, the pressure generated by the user's mouth (the user's upper lip against the upper surface 13 of the first member 1) deforms the shape of the outer edge 16 of the first member near the first member, and this deformation enables the fluid to flow between the outer edge 16 of the first member and the collar outer edge 36 via at least one of the two aforementioned channels A1 and A2.

[0056] Spill-proof drinking devices are often used by people with developing or weakened immune systems, such as young children or the elderly, so device hygiene is paramount. The components of the container lid 100 can all be cleaned by partially or completely disassembling them, and the components are easy to keep clean. Furthermore, the examples described herein maximize the flow of fluid through the drinking container lid when drinking occurs.

[0057] Figure 1 and Figure 10 The features shown in provide a number of advantages. The protrusion 11 for maintaining the fluid channel A1 is located on the first member 1 rather than on the second member so as to minimize the interruption of the flow of the fluid passing through the upper surface of the second member 2 via the channel A1 when drinking occurs. The first member 1 and the second member 2 are formed separately. The first member 1 alone can be formed from a soft, deformable and / or elastic material to maximize the convenience of drinking and cleaning; the protrusion 11 is on the first member 1, which is easy to remove and clean because it is the component most accessible to the user. There are no such protrusions on the second member 2 or the collar 3 that would reduce the hygiene of the device and / or require more regular cleaning. In addition, such protrusions or projections on the second member 2 or the collar 3 in either of the fluid channels A1, A2 can be avoided because they may affect the flow of the fluid when drinking occurs.

[0058] The second fluid channel A2 is activated at a shallower drinking angle than the first fluid channel A1, which means that drinking can occur at a shallower device angle, which is important for users with limited mobility. The availability of the first fluid channel A1 increases the maximum total fluid flow through the container cap 100.

[0059] The liquid reservoir held in the drinking vessel lid 100 is minimized to prevent spillage, the reservoir being the volume between the first and second components.

[0060] The collar 3 provides a smooth exterior and a smooth collar rim 36, without an additional frame, to maximize the mouth shape change to enable proper engagement with the lid 100 for drinking.

[0061] 11A , 11B and 11C illustrate three modes of use of the components forming the container lid 100 when attached to a drinking container 5 .

[0062] The first mode shown in Figure 11A comprises a first member 1, a second member 2, a collar 3, a seal 4 and a drinking container 5. The first mode provides a non-spill drinking container.

[0063] The second mode, shown in FIG11B , includes a second member 2, a collar 3, a seal 4, and a drinking container 5. This second mode allows the user to add liquids to the container 5 through the central opening 25 of the second member 2, or to add solids to the container to inject liquid therein. The opening 25 also allows a straw to be inserted and used with the device, making this mode more convenient for elderly people to drink from. Furthermore, the second member hole 21 provides an interface where food can be squeezed to crush it before entering the container 5. Using the hole 21 as a crusher allows soft foods such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and bananas to be pressed into the container 5.

[0064] The third mode shown in FIG. 11C comprises a collar 3 , a seal 4 and a drinking container 5 , and provides a wide opening for drinking through the collar 3 .

[0065] The smooth and level nature of the first member 16, second member 26, and collar rim 36 provide a suitable drinking surface for the user, selecting any combination of the components of Figures 11A-11C for use.

[0066] The first member 1 can be made entirely or partially of silicone. The second member 2 can be made entirely or partially of polyphenylsulfone. The collar 3 can be made entirely or partially of polypropylene. The seal 4 can be made entirely or partially of silicone. The container 5 can be made entirely or partially of polyphenylsulfone.

[0067] In the attached figure Figure 12A flow chart of a method of assembling a spill-proof drinking container lid comprising a first member, a second member, and a collar, wherein the first member comprises a flexible rim, the first member comprises a plurality of protrusions extending from an inner surface of the first member, and the collar comprises a rim.

[0068] The method includes a first step (S1) of attaching the second member to the collar member, and a second step (S2) of attaching the first member to the second member. During attachment, a plurality of protrusions of the first member extend toward the second member, the plurality of protrusions are arranged to maintain a fluid channel between the first member and the second member, the flexible first member outer edge abuts the collar outer edge, and the flexible first member outer edge is deformable to extend the fluid channel through the anti-spill cup lid.

[0069] Another example, not shown, of the present disclosure is a method of disassembling a spill-proof drinking container lid wherein the steps of the assembly method are reversed for disassembly.

[0070] Yet another example, not shown, of the present disclosure is a spill-proof drinking container lid product provided by the above-described assembly process.

[0071] Any reference to an item refers to one or more of that item. The term "comprising" is used herein to indicate including the identified method blocks or elements, but such blocks or elements do not comprise an exclusive list, and an apparatus may include additional blocks or elements, and a method may include additional operations or elements. Furthermore, blocks, elements, and operations themselves do not imply that other blocks, elements, and operations cannot be included.

[0072] The steps of the methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. The arrows between the boxes in the figure illustrate an example order of method steps, but are not intended to exclude other orders or to perform multiple steps in parallel. In addition, without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein, individual boxes can be deleted from any method. Aspects of any one of the examples described above can be combined with aspects of any one of the other examples described to form other examples without losing the effect sought.

[0073] Where the specification has explicitly disclosed some individual features individually, any obvious combination of two or more such features is also considered disclosed, as long as these features or combinations are obvious and can be performed according to the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art based on the entire specification, regardless of whether these features or combinations of features solve any problems disclosed herein. In view of the foregoing description, it is clear to a person skilled in the art that various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A spill-proof cup cover, comprising: first component; a second member detachably attached to the first member; as well as a collar that is removably attached to the second member; wherein, The first member has a plurality of protrusions extending from an inner surface toward the second member, The plurality of protrusions are arranged to maintain a fluid channel between the first member and the second member, The first member includes a flexible outer edge, the collar includes an outer edge, the flexible outer edge of the first member abuts the outer edge of the collar, and the flexible outer edge of the first member is deformable to extend the fluid channel through the no-spill cup lid.

2. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 1, wherein: The second member further includes a plurality of apertures, and each of the plurality of apertures extends the fluid channel through the second member.

3. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 1, wherein: The second member further includes an outer edge, and the plurality of protrusions of the first member abut the second member near the outer edge of the second member.

4. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 1, wherein: The fluid channel is a first fluid channel; The second member further includes an outer edge; The collar further includes an inner wall; and An outer edge of the second member is spaced apart from an inner wall of the collar to provide a second fluid passage.

5. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 4, wherein: The path of the second fluid channel surrounds the second member.

6. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 4, wherein: The first fluid channel and the second fluid channel are opened simultaneously.

7. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 4, wherein: The first fluid channel and the second fluid channel diverge at a first side of the second member away from an outer edge of the second member and converge at a second side of the second member close to the outer edge of the second member.

8. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of protrusions are concentrically arranged with respect to an outer edge of the first member.

9. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 1, wherein: The collar at least partially surrounds the first member and the second member.

10. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 1, wherein: The collar is removably attached to the second member by rotation of the second member relative to the collar.

11. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 1, wherein: The first member further includes a central protrusion, the second member further includes a central hole, and the second member is detachably attached to the first member by inserting the central protrusion of the first member into the central hole of the second member.

12. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 1, wherein: The first member is formed of a flexible material, or the first member is partially formed of a flexible material.

13. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 1, wherein: The second member is formed of a rigid material.

14. The anti-spill cup cover according to claim 1, wherein: The collar is formed of a rigid material.

15. A drinking cup comprising a container and a spill-proof lid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The no-spill lid is attached to the opening of the container.

16. A method of assembling a spill-proof drinking container lid comprising a first member, a second member, and a collar, wherein: The first member includes a flexible outer edge and a plurality of protrusions extending from an inner surface of the first member, the collar including an outer edge; The method comprises: attaching the second member to the collar; and attaching the first member to the second member; wherein, upon attaching: The plurality of protrusions of the first member extend toward the second member, The plurality of protrusions are arranged to maintain a fluid channel between the first member and the second member, The flexible outer edge of the first member abuts the outer edge of the collar, and The flexible outer edge of the first member is deformable to extend the fluid passageway through the spill-proof drinking container lid.

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