Beverage Container Cover

Abstract

A lid for an open top beverage container such as a paper cup with a is formed as a generally disk shaped body with curved slot opening in the body and an air inlet hole in the body. The peripheral edge of the disk has a plurality of annular abutment sealing rings at axially spaced locations along the axis with all of the things including an uppermost ring and typically two lower rings all lying on an imaginary generally conical surface surrounding the axis so that the rings in use engage the generally conical inside surface of the beverage container at a position thereon spaced downwardly from an upper edge of the beverage container for sealing against the inside surface so that the lid slides down into the container and creates a seal inside the container allowing the beverage container to be taken mobile.

1 . A lid for a beverage container comprising:
 a generally disk shaped body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a peripheral edge surrounding a center axis of the body;   a discharge opening in the body through which a beverage in the container is free to pass;   an air inlet hole in the body through which replacement air is free to pass;   the peripheral edge having a plurality of annular abutment sealing rings at axially spaced locations along the axis;   the rings being arranged to lie on an imaginary generally conical surface surrounding the axis so that the rings in use engage a generally conical inside surface of the beverage container at a position thereon spaced downwardly from an upper edge of the beverage container for sealing against the inside surface;   whereby the lid slides down into the container and creates a seal inside the container allowing the beverage container to be taken mobile.   
     
     
         2 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein the sealing rings are formed of a flexible material. 
     
     
         3 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein the sealing rings and the disk body are molded from a flexible material. 
     
     
         4 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein the flexible material conforms to the contour of the container making a stopper seal. 
     
     
         5 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein the rings are each spaced from the next by an intervening annular valley. 
     
     
         6 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein no part of the body lies radially outward of the imaginary surface so that the whole of the body slides inside the container to a position below the upper rim of the container. 
     
     
         7 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein there are three rings. 
     
     
         8 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein the top ring is thicker than lower rings. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein the discharge opening forms a slotted hole which is curved around the axis. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The lid according to  claim 11  wherein the slotted hole has an upper surface lying in a plane of the top surface of the body so that there is no upwardly extending spout. 
     
     
         14 . The lid according to  claim 11  wherein the slotted hole has a width which is ergonomically designed for liquid exiting the slotted hole across the width thereof acts to target a wider palate on the tongue to optimize the enjoyment of a user of the beverage as well as to allow aroma to escape before the user drinks from the container. 
     
     
         15 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein the two angles of the sealing rings in the conical surface and the interior wall reference the conical draft angles of typical paper coffee cups as and many ceramic coffee mugs to allow the lid to slide down inside many standard container openings where the lid slides down until it is compressed tight to the tapered sides of the container which then creates a seal. 
     
     
         16 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein there is provided a pull tab which extends out as part of the rim to provide a piece of material of the body to grab in order to pull the lid out of the container. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein at least two lower sealing rings form fins which compress against the side of the containers walls to seal the container from leaking while the lid is inside. 
     
     
         19 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein the fins have an upwardly inclined lower edge toward an apex to ensure the lid is seated in a friction fit inside the container. 
     
     
         20 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein there is provide a rim run-off channel which is set close to the wall of the lid so as to mimic the experience of drinking from a glass or ceramic mug rather than directly from the lid itself particularly when the lid is set deeper inside the container the liquid will flow down the wall of the container. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein the top surface of a central area is recessed from a top ring so as to allow room for the nose and upper lip of the user while drinking from the lid. 
     
     
         23 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein the bottom surface recessed upwardly from the bottom ring to maximize the capacity below the lid within the container while in use. 
     
     
         24 . The lid according to  claim 1  wherein a central area of the body contains a stiffening disk. 
     
     
         25 . A combination of a beverage container having a conical inside surface and a lid according to  claim 1  where the lid slides down into the container such that all of the plurality of annular abutment sealing rings of the peripheral edge are in engagement with the conical inside surface.