Sip lid for a container

Abstract

A lid is provided which is designed to attach to the top of a beverage container having its open top sealed by a membrane. The lid further has a mechanism for opening the closed top of the container and simultaneously providing access to container contents through the sip opening. In one form, the lid includes a main body and a rotatable center portion with a top surface having recesses for one to grasp with one's fingers to rotate the center portion. A projection extends in a direction away from a bottom of the center portion and towards the membrane. When the center portion is rotated, the projection is forced towards the membrane until the projection pierces the membrane. The lid may include a closable opening through which one sips the beverage after the membrane has been pierced. The opening is selectively opened and closed by rotating the center portion, which selectively moves a cover over the opening in the sip lid.

1 . A container having a closed top and a lid thereover, the lid having a sip opening, the lid further having a mechanism for opening the closed top of the container and simultaneously providing access to container contents through the sip opening. 
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the closed top comprises a membrane material over the container. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises a top and a bottom and the mechanism comprises a rotateable center portion, the center portion having a projection extending downwardly from the bottom, the center portion being rotatable relative to a main body of the lid, to cause the projection to move downwardly towards the closed top, to pierce the closed top therebelow. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the projection is radially spaced from a main part of the rotatable center portion. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the arm comprises a groove facing away from the direction of the protection, the groove being slidable along an inclined cam disposed on a bottom surface of the main body of the lid, whereby rotation of the center portion permits the radial arm with the projection to move in the direction away from the bottom surface. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the rotatable center portion comprises a sip cover which covers and uncovers the sip opening upon being rotated in one direction or the other. 
     
     
         7 . A container having a closed top and a lid, thereover, the lid having a sip opening with a recloseable sip cover, the lid further having a mechanism for:
 moving the sip cover away from the sip opening, and   opening the closed top of the container, thereby simultaneously providing access to container contents through the sip opening.   
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the closed top comprises a membrane material over the container. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the lid comprises a top and a bottom and the mechanism comprises a rotateable center portion, the center portion having a projection extending downwardly from the bottom, the center portion being rotatable relative to a main body of the lid, to cause the projection to move downwardly towards the closed top, to pierce the closed top therebelow. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the projection is radially spaced from a main part of the rotatable center portion. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the arm comprises a groove facing away from the direction of the protection, the groove being slidable along an inclined cam disposed on a bottom surface of the main body of the lid, whereby rotation of the center portion permits the radial arm with the projection to move in the direction away from the bottom surface. 
     
     
         12 . The container  claim 7 , wherein the sip cover is of sufficient size to completely cover the sip opening. 
     
     
         13 . A lid for a container having a membrane cover, the lid comprising:
 a top and a bottom, a stationary main body and a rotatable center portion, the center portion having a projection extending downwardly from the bottom,   the center portion being rotatable relative to the main body to cause the projection to move downwardly towards the membrane cover.   
     
     
         14 . The lid of  claim 13 , wherein rotation of the center portion permits the projection to pierce a container membrane disposed therebelow. 
     
     
         15 . The lid of  claim 13 , wherein the projection is radially spaced from a main part of the rotatable center portion. 
     
     
         16 . The lid of  claim 15 , wherein the projection is disposed on an arm which is radially spaced from the main part of the center portion. 
     
     
         17 . The lid of  claim 16 , wherein the arm comprises a groove facing away from the direction of the protection, the groove being slidable along an inclined cam disposed on a bottom surface of the main body of the lid, whereby rotation of the center portion permits the radial arm with the projection to move in the direction away from the bottom surface. 
     
     
         18 . The lid of  claim 13 , further comprising a sip opening in the main body to permit one to drink from a container to which the lid is attached. 
     
     
         19 . The lid of  claim 18 , wherein the rotatable center portion comprises a sip cover which covers and uncovers the sip opening upon being rotated in one direction or the other. 
     
     
         20 . The lid of  claim 19 , wherein the sip cover covers the sip opening when the projection is in its retracted position and the sip cover uncovers the sip opening when the projection is in its extended position. 
     
     
         21 . The lid of  claim 13 , further comprising a package integrity tab connecting the main body and the rotatable center portion, the tab being breakable upon rotation of the rotatable center portion, relative to the main body, to thereby indicate that the rotatable center portion has been previously rotated relative to the main body. 
     
     
         22 . The lid of  claim 13 , wherein the center portion has a top surface with recesses formed therein. 
     
     
         23 . The lid of  claim 13 , wherein the top of the main body has a groove circumferentially disposed adjacent the center portion. 
     
     
         24 . A lid for a container having a membrane covering its open top, the lid comprising:
 a main body; and   a rotatable member, rotatable relative to the main body, the rotatable member comprising an arm radially spaced from a main part of the rotatable member and having a projection, the projection being movable in a direction to pierce a membrane of a container on which the lid is mounted when the rotatable member is rotated.   
     
     
         25 . The lid of  claim 23 , wherein the main body comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface having an inclined surface extending from the bottom surface; and the radially spaced arm abuts the inclined surface, whereby rotation of the rotatable member causes the arm to ride up the inclined surface, thereby moving the arm away from the bottom surface of the main body. 
     
     
         26 . A container lid having a main body surrounding a rotatable center portion, the main body having a sip opening and the center portion having a sip cover which selectively covers and uncovers the sip opening, the center portion also having a projection which, upon rotation of the center portion relative to the main body, moves downwardly in a position whereat the projection would pierce the membrane of a container when the lid is located on a container,
 and wherein movement of the center portion relative to the main body essentially simultaneously uncovers the sip opening and pierces the membrane.