Lid assemblies for hot beverage drinking vessels and hot beverage drinking vessels including the same

Abstract

A drinking vessel with a lid assembly for holding a hot beverage is disclosed. The drinking vessel has an annular rim at its top edge to which the lid assembly is releasably secured. The lid assembly includes a lid, a slider and a sealing member. The sealing member is coupled to the slider. The lid includes a top wall having a port configured for communication with the interior of the vessel. The slider is configured to be slid into any one of three states, e.g., a closed state, an opened state, and a removal state. In the closed state the slider is connected to the top wall and the sealing member seals the port. In the opened state, the slider is connected to the top wall but the sealing member exposes the port. In the removal state the slider is disconnected from the top wall so that it can be removed from the lid assembly.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A lid assembly for releasable mounting on a drinking vessel having a hollow body bounding an internal cavity configured for receipt of a beverage to enable a user to drink or pour the beverage through the said assembly, the hollow body having an annular rim at a top edge thereof, said lid assembly comprising:
 a) a lid comprising a top wall and a peripheral sidewall extending about said top wall, said top wall including a port configured for communication with the internal cavity when said lid assembly is mounted on the vessel;   b) a sealing member; and   c) a slider coupled to said sealing member, said slider being located at said top wall and slidably connected thereto, said slider being configured to be in any one of a closed state, an opened state, and a removal state, said slider when in said closed state being slidably connected to said top wall with said sealing member sealing said port, said slider when in said opened state being slidably connected to said top wall with said sealing member exposing said port, said slider being slidable between said closed state and said opened state, and vice versa, said slider being movable to said removal state whereupon said slider is disconnected from said top wall so that said slider can be removed from said lid.   
     
     
         2 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said top wall slopes downward toward said port, and wherein said peripheral sidewall has a top edge located above said top wall, said downwardly sloped top wall providing a path for any beverage that may become located on said top wall to flow into said port. 
     
     
         3 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lid assembly is configured to releasably secure said slider in said opened and closed positions. 
     
     
         4 . The lid assembly of  claim 3  wherein said lid assembly includes engagement surfaces to releasably secure said slider in said opened and closed positions. 
     
     
         5 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lid assembly comprises a detent mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lid comprises a vent hole and wherein said lid assembly additionally comprises a vent seal configured to seal said vent hole when said slider is in said closed state and to expose said vent hole when said slider is in said opened state. 
     
     
         7 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said sealing member comprises an elastomeric member. 
     
     
         8 . The lid assembly of  claim 7  wherein said sealing member comprises a portion of said slider. 
     
     
         9 . The lid assembly of  claim 8  wherein said top wall includes a top surface and wherein said sealing member is configured to engage said top surface of said top wall contiguous with said port. 
     
     
         10 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lid includes an elongated recess directed towards said port, said recess having a surface forming a track, and wherein said slider includes at least one projection for slidable receipt within said recess to enable said slider to be slid along said track from said closed state to said opened state, and vice versa. 
     
     
         11 . The lid assembly of  claim 10  wherein said track includes a ramped portion to pull said sealing member into tight engagement with said port when said slider is in said closed state. 
     
     
         12 . The lid assembly of  claim 11  wherein said track includes a recessed portion into which said at least one projection snap-fits when said slider is in said closed state, and wherein said slider includes an actuator, said actuator being configured when actuated to move said at least one projection out of said recessed portion. 
     
     
         13 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein slider comprises said sealing member and a movable switch, said switch being selectively movable to any one of a first, second, and third positions, said switch when in said first position enabling said slider to be in said closed state, and when in said second position enabling said slider to be in said opened state, and when in said third position enabling said slider to be in said removal state. 
     
     
         14 . The lid assembly of  claim 13 , wherein said switch is configured to be slid through a path across a portion of said top wall to assume said first, second and third positions. 
     
     
         15 . The lid assembly of  claim 14  wherein said switch includes a pivot pin coupled to a recess in said lid to enable said switch to be pivoted in said recess about a pivot axis, whereupon said switch can be pivoted to any of said first, second and third positions. 
     
     
         16 . The lid assembly of  claim 7  wherein said top wall includes a bottom surface and wherein said sealing member is configured to engage said bottom surface of said top wall contiguous with said port. 
     
     
         17 . The lid assembly of  claim 16  additionally comprising a sealing beam coupled to said slider and with said sealing member being located on an upper surface of said sealing beam, said sealing beam being located below said top wall of said lid and being configured to move said sealing member into engagement with said bottom surface of said top wall contiguous with said port when said slider is in said closed state. 
     
     
         18 . The lid assembly of  claim 17  wherein said lid assembly additionally comprises a detent mechanism, said detent mechanism being configured to hold said slider in said closed and opened states. 
     
     
         19 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said peripheral sidewall has a top edge located above said top wall, said top edge being of a thickness in the range of approximately 0.06 inch to 0.10 inch to facilitate drinking of the liquid through the lid assembly. 
     
     
         20 . A drinking vessel comprising the lid assembly of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         21 . The drinking vessel of  claim 20 , wherein said drinking vessel comprises a doubled walled tumbler for holding hot liquids therein, said tumbler comprising an outer vessel and an inner vessel, said inner vessel comprising a sidewall in the form of a body of revolution extending about a central longitudinal axis, said sidewall of said inner vessel comprising a thin top rim from which an upper section extends downward to an intermediate point along said axis, where said upper section merges with a lower section, said top rim and a portion of said upper section of said inner vessel being co-molded to the remainder of said inner vessel to form an integral unit having a radially inwardly projecting undercut ledge, said outer vessel comprising a sidewall in the form of a body of revolution extending about said central longitudinal axis and having a top edge from which an outwardly bowed bulbous upper section extends downward to an intermediate point along said axis, where said bulbous upper section of said outer vessel merges with an undercut lower section of said outer vessel, the maximum outer diameter of said lower section of said outer vessel being less than the maximum outer diameter of said bulbous upper section of said outer vessel, said undercut ledge of said inner vessel being disposed on said upper edge of said outer vessel and welded thereto, whereupon an insulating spaced is created between portions of said inner vessel and said outer vessel and wherein said thin top rim of said inner vessel forms the top rim of said tumbler. 
     
     
         22 . The drinking vessel of  claim 20 , wherein said upper section of said inner vessel constitutes an outwardly bowed bulbous upper section, and wherein said lower section of said outer vessel has a maximum outer diameter less than the maximum outer diameter of said bulbous upper section of said outer vessel. 
     
     
         23 . The drinking vessel of  claim 21  additionally comprising a decorative sleeve located within said insulating space.