Coffee cup lid
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coffee lids fail to securely fit various standard disposable cups and often allow spillage and heat loss, especially when subjected to impact or agitation.
Innovation Solution
A flexible, non-toxic silicone coffee lid with a snap-fit retention mechanism, adjustable Shore hardness, and a unique design featuring a circumferential curtain and groove system that securely fits different cup sizes, along with a flexible sealing closure element that includes rotatable plugs for the vent and drink holes, ensuring leak-proof and temperature retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional rigid coffee lid is used, then the lid structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it fails to securely fit various standard disposable cups and allows spillage during impact or agitation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a flexible silicone lid body that can deform to accommodate different cup sizes and shapes while maintaining a secure fit. The flexibility allows the lid to conform to various disposable cup dimensions without requiring multiple rigid lid designs, preventing spillage during impact or agitation while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid incorporates a dynamic snap-fit retention mechanism with movable wings that can flex and adjust during impact or agitation. This dynamic structure allows the lid to maintain its sealing function under varying conditions, improving reliability without significantly increasing complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible silicone lid with snap-fit retention is used, then the lid securely fits various cup sizes and prevents spillage, but the lid structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible silicone lid with snap-fit retention mechanism serves multiple functions: it secures to various cup sizes through elastic deformation, provides spill prevention through the groove system, and maintains sealing through the closure element. This multi-functionality achieves broad cup size compatibility without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid utilizes changes in material properties (Shore hardness) and geometric parameters (groove depth, wing flexibility) to adapt to different cup sizes. By adjusting these parameters within a single flexible structure, the lid achieves versatility across various disposable cup dimensions without requiring multiple specialized designs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the lid material is made flexible with adjustable Shore hardness, then the lid can adjust to different cup brands and lip thicknesses, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies a range of Shore hardness values (10-40) for the silicone material, allowing manufacturers to produce lids that can adapt to different cup brands and lip thicknesses. This parameter specification provides flexibility in material selection while maintaining manufacturing feasibility, balancing adaptability with reasonable manufacturing precision requirements.
4Temperature
If a closure element with rotatable plugs is used, then the vent and drink holes can be sealed to maintain temperature, but the operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closure element with rotatable plugs allows the user to easily seal or open the vent and drink holes by simple rotation. The self-contained design integrates the sealing function into the lid structure itself, maintaining temperature retention capability while keeping the operation simple and intuitive without requiring additional components or complex mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The flexible silicone coffee lid securely fits any standard cup, prevents spillage, maintains liquid temperature, and allows for quick cooling by venting, while withstanding impacts and pressure changes, ensuring a leak-tight seal and comfort during use.
Implementation Method 1
A flexible universal spill resistant coffee lid is disclosed which can fit securely on almost any standard disposable cup
Implementation Method 2
a flexible sealing closure element that includes rotatable plugs for the vent and drink holes, ensuring leak-proof and temperature retention
Implementation Method 3
maintains liquid temperature, and allows for quick cooling by venting
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible coffee lid having memory having memory is disclosed. The d coffee lid comprises a circumferential cap structure, which in turn comprises aid circumferential cap structure comprises a a vent hole positioned on a platform for supporting the vent hole, a b) a drink hole, the drink hole positioned 180 degrees from the vent hole, the drink hole positioned on a platform for supporting the drink hole; c) a diaphragm centrally located on the upper platform; and a rotatable flexible sealing closure element that has the ability to seal both the vent hole and the drink hole, said rotatable flexible. The lid also has a diaphragm.