One-piece splash and spill resistant lid

Abstract

A one-piece disposable cup lid enables drinking while inhibiting splashing and spilling by blocking straight-line paths through the lid and dispensing beverage through a well. A drinking spout can include a well having a sidewall, a bottom and a penetration into the cup, or a sloping lid section can intersect a raised rim to create a well therebetween, with a penetration in the sloping section or the rim configured to block straight-line paths, for example by upwardly hinging of a flap or depressing half of a split, convex bubble. Embodiments include baffles that force a beverage to flow through a convoluted path and/or through chambers before being consumed. Baffles can be formed in place, or by hinged movement of flaps after forming. Textures and/or protruding structures can intercept, direct, and/or influence surface tension as beverage flows across surfaces. Vent hole sizes and locations can further limit flow and spilling.

1 . A one-piece lid for use with a drinking vessel, said one-piece lid comprising:
 a peripheral rim configured for engaging with said drinking vessel;   a raised lid portion extending vertically from said peripheral rim;   a dispensing well descending from the raised lid portion, said raised lid portion and said dispensing well being configured for allowing consumption of a beverage contained within an interior of said drinking vessel; and   at least one well penetration that provides fluid communication between an interior of said drinking vessel and the dispensing well, the well penetration being configured for inhibiting straight-line paths between the interior of the drinking vessel and the dispensing well and thereby inhibiting at least one of spilling and splashing of said beverage contained within the interior of said drinking vessel.   
   
   
       2 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1  further comprising a drinking spout wherein the dispensing well is formed within the drinking spout, thereby causing beverage flowing through the well penetration and into the dispensing well to be drinkable from the drinking spout. 
   
   
       3 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing well is configured for allowing beverage contained within the dispensing well to flow through the well penetration and drain back into the interior of the drinking vessel when the drinking vessel is held in a generally upright orientation. 
   
   
       4 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing well comprises a plurality of side walls and a bottom, and wherein the well penetration is formed in at least one of the side walls amongst said plurality of side walls of the dispensing well. 
   
   
       5 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing well comprises a bottom and at least one sidewall, and wherein the well penetration is formed by a vertical gap between the bottom and at least one of said side walls. 
   
   
       6 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing well is formed by side walls, a first bottom tier, and a second bottom tier, the well penetration being formed by a vertical gap between said first bottom tier and said second bottom tier. 
   
   
       7 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing well is formed by side walls and a bottom, and at least a portion of the bottom is inclined toward the well penetration, thereby allowing beverage contained in the dispensing well to drain back through the well penetration into the interior of the drinking vessel when the drinking vessel is returned to a generally upright orientation. 
   
   
       8 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing well comprises a plurality of well penetrations, each of the well penetrations providing fluid communication between the interior of the drinking vessel and the dispensing well. 
   
   
       9 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , further comprising a splash guard descending from the raised lid portion toward the interior of the drinking vessel and surrounding the dispensing well. 
   
   
       10 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one fluid baffle positioned underneath the dispensing well and configured to deflect beverage splashing from the interior of the drinking vessel and requiring the beverage to move through a convoluted path when flowing from the interior of the drinking vessel to the dispensing well. 
   
   
       11 . The one-piece lid of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one fluid baffle comprises a hinged flap, said hinged flap being rotatable about a living hinge. 
   
   
       12 . The one-piece lid of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one fluid baffle comprises a hinge flap and a stop ridge, said hinge flap being rotatable about a living hinge and configured for engaging with said stop ridge. 
   
   
       13 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing well is formed by an intersection between a downward sloping section of the raised lid portion and a raised drinking rim. 
   
   
       14 . The one-piece lid of  claim 13 , wherein the well penetration is formed by a hinged flap formed in an inner wall of the raised drinking rim. 
   
   
       15 . The one-piece lid of  claim 13 , wherein said downward sloping section comprises a split, convex bubble, and wherein said well penetration is created by depressing a first portion of said split, convex bubble into a concave configuration thereby creating an opening between said first concave bubble portion and an adjacent second convex bubble portion. 
   
   
       16 . The disposable lid of  claim 15 , wherein a reinforcing structure is provided such said second convex bubble portion is resistant to depression compared to said first concave bubble portion. 
   
   
       17 . The disposable lid of  claim 15 , wherein said first portion of said split, convex bubble is depressible by a lip of a user while drinking from said dispensing well. 
   
   
       18 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , further comprising a vent hole providing air communication between the interior of the drinking vessel and air exterior to the lid. 
   
   
       19 . The one-piece lid of  claim 18 , further comprising a vent well cooperative with the vent hole and configured for collection of escaped beverage and allowing said escaped beverage to flow back into the interior of the drinking vessel. 
   
   
       20 . The one-piece lid of  claim 18 , wherein the vent hole is configured to inhibit straight-line paths from the interior of the drinking vessel through the vent hole. 
   
   
       21 . The one-piece lid of  claim 18 , further comprising a plurality of sealed vent holes, said sealed vent holes being openable for regulating beverage flow from the dispensing well. 
   
   
       22 . The one-piece lid of  claim 21 , wherein said plurality of sealed vent holes includes a plurality of vent hole sizes. 
   
   
       23 . The one-piece lid of  claim 18 , wherein the vent hole is located proximal to the dispensing well for allowing blockage of the vent hole by beverage when the drinking vessel is tipped to a near horizontal orientation, thereby inhibiting beverage flow from the dispensing well. 
   
   
       24 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein at least one surface of the lid includes at least one of a texture and a protruding structure configured to influence flow of beverage across said at least one surface. 
   
   
       25 . The one piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein said lid is constructed from at least one of paper, plastic, thermoplastic resin, foam, a laminated material, a compostable resin, and a biodegradable material. 
   
   
       26 . The one piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein said lid is manufactured by one of thermoforming, injection molding, compression molding, vacuum forming, pressure forming, and hydro forming. 
   
   
       27 . The one piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein said lid is injection molded from a suitable grade of polypropylene resin. 
   
   
       28 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein said lid is disposable. 
   
   
       29 . The one piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein said well penetration is in the form of an opening disposed in a plane approximately parallel to an upright axis of the cup. 
   
   
       30 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1  further comprising a drink-through opening in said raised lid portion. 
   
   
       31 . The one-piece lid of  claim 30 , wherein said drink-through opening is one of circular, rectangular, oval, and semi-circular. 
   
   
       32 . The one-piece lid of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing well and well penetration are configured to inhibit entry of solid particulates from the drinking vessel into the dispensing well. 
   
   
       33 . The disposable lid of  claim 1 , wherein said beverage is a drinkable fluid including one of tea, coffee, soup, shake, juice, and milk. 
   
   
       34 . A splash resistant lid for a drink cup comprising:
 a peripheral rim adapted for engaging with said drink cup;   a raised portion extending upwardly from said peripheral rim; and   a dispensing well disposed in said raised portion, said dispensing well comprising a drink-through opening, a bottom wall and a peripheral sidewall connected to said bottom wall,   said dispensing well featuring at least one inlet opening disposed proximate to an edge of said bottom wall, said inlet opening being adapted for receiving a beverage from said drink cup and transferring it to said drink-through opening, said dispensing well being adapted for drinking said beverage therethrough, and said inlet opening being disposed in a plane substantially orthogonal to said drink-through opening and thereby inhibiting straight line paths between an interior of said drink cup and said drink-through opening.   
   
   
       35 . The splash resistant lid according to  claim 34 , wherein said bottom wall comprises at least one inclined section, said inclined section having an underside, said underside being adapted to deflect any splashes and block them from entering said drink-through opening. 
   
   
       36 . The splash resistant lid according to  claim 34 , wherein said bottom wall comprises at least one inclined section, said inclined section having a topside, said topside being adapted to drain back any splashes to said interior of said drink cup through said inlet opening. 
   
   
       37 . The splash resistant lid according to  claim 34 , wherein said lid is injection molded. 
   
   
       38 . The splash resistant lid according to  claim 34 , wherein said lid is made from polypropylene resin. 
   
   
       39 . The splash resistant lid according to  claim 34 , wherein said raised portion comprises a drinking spout and forms a one piece construction. 
   
   
       40 . The splash resistant lid according to  claim 34 , further comprising at least one splash guard descending from said raised portion towards the interior of said drink cup. 
   
   
       41 . The splash resistant lid according to  claim 34 , further comprising a fluid baffle positioned underneath said dispensing well. 
   
   
       42 . The splash resistant lid according to  claim 41 , wherein said fluid baffle is rotatable about a living hinge.