Cup Lid Ice Container Apparatus and Methods of Using the Same

Abstract

Cup lid ice container apparatuses configured to be cup lids and/or covers for beverage containers such as cups and/or single serve beverages with such cup lid ice container apparatuses have at least one compartment configured for containing an ingestible material, such as, for example, ice. The ingestible material in the cup lid ice container may be made from at least one ingestible liquid, which may be contained within the compartment and provided from the cup lid ice container as one or more pieces of ice and/or in an unfrozen or semi-frozen state. The cup lid ice container apparatus is configured for the ice to be frozen within the cup lid ice container apparatus and removed and/or released from the at least one compartment into a beverage container when the cup lid ice container is placed over and/or onto a beverage container.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A cup lid apparatus comprising:
 a cup lid comprising a first compartment formed within the cup lid and wherein the first compartment holds a first ingestible material; and   a first seal, wherein the first seal is configured to seal the first ingestible material in the first compartment, and wherein the first seal is configured to be removed or broken to remove the first ingestible material from the compartment,   wherein the cup lid is configured to be securely positioned onto the top opening of a beverage container.   
     
     
         2 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first ingestible material is a first liquid when at room temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the first liquid is frozen or semi-frozen, wherein the frozen or semi-frozen liquid is configured to be released from the first compartment into the beverage container by pressing down on the cup lid. 
     
     
         4 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first compartment is configured to be a distance of at least 2 millimeters from the inside edge of a beverage container. 
     
     
         5 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cup lid is thermoformed, vacuum formed, pressure formed, or injection molded. 
     
     
         6 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cup lid is formed from a flexible material. 
     
     
         7 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the flexible material is an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         8 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cup lid is formed from a BPA-free material. 
     
     
         9 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a thermal insulating material in at least a portion of the first compartment. 
 
     
     
         10 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first ingestible material is a piece of ice made from frozen water. 
     
     
         11 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a second compartment formed within the cup lid, 
 wherein the second compartment holds the first ingestible material or a second ingestible material, 
 wherein the cup lid is configured to release the first ingestible material from the first compartment when a user pushes down on a back or top of the first compartment, and 
 further wherein the cup lid is configured to release the first ingestible material or the second ingestible material from the second compartment when the user pushes down on a back or top of the second compartment. 
 
     
     
         12 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the second ingestible material is a second liquid when at room temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the second liquid is frozen or semi-frozen. 
     
     
         14 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first compartment comprises a first section and a second section and a wall separating the first section and the second section. 
     
     
         15 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first and second sections comprises a piece of ice made from frozen water. 
     
     
         16 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first ingestible material comprises a fluid in a frozen or semi-frozen state, wherein the frozen or semi-frozen fluid is configured to be released from the first compartment by pressing down on the cup lid. 
     
     
         17 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1  comprising a thermal or injection molded material in at least one portion of the first compartment. 
     
     
         18 . The cup lid apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first seal is dissolvable or meltable. 
     
     
         19 . A method of using a cup lid apparatus comprising the steps of:
 providing a cup lid comprising a first compartment formed within the cup lid and wherein the first compartment holds a first ingestible material; and a first seal, wherein the first seal is configured to seal the first ingestible material in the first compartment, and wherein the first seal is configured to be removed or broken to remove the first ingestible material from the compartment, wherein the cup lid is configured to be securely positioned onto the top opening of a beverage container;   placing the cup lid securely onto the beverage container;   pushing the ingestible material from the first compartment into the beverage container by pressing on a top of the cup lid.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the first ingestible material is a frozen or semi-frozen liquid.