Lid for a beverage cup, cup assembly, and method for manufacturing a lid

Abstract

A lid made from a paper material or a paper-like material for a beverage cup, which lid is constructed from a lid-plate element and a wall element and which offers below a lid plate which is formed by the lid-plate element a space for receiving components of a beverage which protrude beyond the cup.

Claims

1. A lid for a beverage cup, made from a paper material or a paper-like material, having a lid-plate element and a wall element; wherein the lid-plate element includes a lid plate, and the wall element includes an encircling wall; wherein the lid has a receptacle encircling a central axis, for a rolled lip rim of the beverage cup; wherein the lid plate and the encircling wall are interconnected in such a manner that the lid plate is kept at a spacing above a first end of the receptacle, the first end of the receptacle being positioned closer to the lid plate than a second end of the receptacle; wherein the receptacle is configured as a corrugation in the wall element; and wherein the wall element is folded at a lower end thereof such that a folded portion of the wall element is located at an inside of the wall element, the folded portion extending upward through and beyond the corrugation such that the wall element for an entire area of the corrugation is embodied having two layers, the two layers being arranged immediately adjacent each other for an entire area of the corrugation such that the two layers abut each other for the entire area of the corrugation wherein the lip plate is spaced from a top end of the folded portion of the wall element, with the top end of the folded portion of the wall element being located between the corrugation and the lid plate.

2. The lid according to claim 1, wherein the spacing is between 5 mm and 20 mm.

3. The lid according to claim 1, wherein the wall element is inwardly folded below the receptacle, so as to enable latching of the rolled lip rim of the beverage cup by way of a folded portion.

4. The lid according to claim 1, wherein the lid-plate element laterally to the lid plate configures a collar which is upwardly curved and is encompassed by a border of the wall element.

5. The lid according to claim 1, wherein the encircling wall at least outside the receptacle assumes a constant angle in relation to the central axis.

6. A cup assembly, having a beverage cup which has a rolled lip rim, and having the lid according to claim 1, and wherein a part of the receptacle of the lid, which sits on the rolled lip rim, has a width of at least half of the width of the rolled lip rim.

7. A method for manufacturing a lid from a paper material or a paper-like material, according to claim 1, the method comprising the following steps: providing a lid-plate element; providing a wall element; connecting the lid plate to the wall element; folding the wall element at a lower end thereof such that a folded portion of the wall element is located at an inside of the wall element and forms a corrugation in the wall element, the folded portion extending upward through and beyond the corrugation such that the wall element at least in a region of the corrugation is embodied having two layers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be described hereunder by means of a plurality of exemplary embodiments illustrated in the figures. In principle, the respective features of the individual exemplary embodiments may be mutually combined as desired. In the drawings:

(2) FIGS. 1a to 1d show a cup assembly having a lid according to a first exemplary embodiment;

(3) FIGS. 2a to 2d show a cup assembly having a lid according to a second exemplary embodiment;

(4) FIGS. 3a to 3d show a cup assembly having a lid according to a third exemplary embodiment;

(5) FIGS. 4a to 4d show a cup assembly having a lid according to a fourth exemplary embodiment;

(6) FIGS. 5a to 5d show a cup assembly having a lid according to a fifth exemplary embodiment;

(7) FIGS. 6a to 6c show a cup assembly having a lid according to a sixth exemplary embodiment;

(8) FIGS. 7a to 7d show a cup assembly having a lid according to a seventh exemplary embodiment;

(9) FIGS. 8a to 8d show a cup assembly having a lid according to an eighth exemplary embodiment;

(10) FIGS. 9a to 9d show a cup assembly having a lid according to a ninth exemplary embodiment;

(11) FIGS. 10a to 10d show a cup assembly having a lid according to a tenth exemplary embodiment;

(12) FIGS. 11a to 11d show a cup assembly having a lid according to an eleventh exemplary embodiment;

(13) FIGS. 12a to 12d show a cup assembly having a lid according to a twelfth exemplary embodiment; and

(14) FIG. 13 shows a lid according to a thirteenth exemplary embodiment.

(15) In the figures which are referred to using the letter a, in each case one cup assembly 5 having in each case one cup 10 and one lid 20 according to the respective exemplary embodiment is illustrated in a perspective view.

(16) In the figures which are referred to using the letter b, the respective cup assembly 5 is illustrated in a sectional view, a respective central axis 22 being additionally included in the drawing. The central axis 22 is in each case a central axis for both the lid 20 as well as the cup 10. Furthermore, in the figures which are in each case referred to using the letter b, in each case one detail which in the figure which is in each case referred to using the letter c is illustrated in more detail is included in the drawing. This only does not apply to the sixth exemplary embodiment.

(17) In the figures which are in each case referred to using the letter d, in each case one first lid 20 and one second lid 20a which are stacked on top of one another are shown. Again, the sixth exemplary embodiment is an exception to this rule, such an illustration being shown in FIG. 6c. Here, the central axis 22 is again respectively included in the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(18) There now first follows a description of features which are present in all exemplary embodiments. The respective particular features of the exemplary embodiments will then be separately discussed.

(19) The cup assemblies 5 according to the invention have in each case one cup 10 which on its upper periphery has an encircling rolled lip rim 12. The rolled lip rim 12 is configured in that a sleeve of the cup 10 is outwardly rolled. For the consumer enjoying a beverage which is contained in the cup 10 without the lid 20, this results in a pleasant sensation when drinking.

(20) The respective lid 20 is attached onto the cup 10. The lid 20 has in each case one receptacle 24 which is configured so as to bear on the rolled lip rim 12 of the cup 10. This serves to provide stable retention of the lid 20 on the cup 10. The lid 20 is provided with a first large hole 31 through which the beverage may be imbibed or through which a drinking straw may be inserted. A further small hole 33 in the lid 20 serves for ventilation and, if and when required, for returning liquid from the lid 20 into the cup 10.

(21) The respective lid 20 has in each case one wall element 40. This forms an encircling wall 41, that is to say an outer sleeve of the lid 20, which is rotationally symmetrical.

(22) The lid 20 furthermore has in each case one lid-plate element 30 which is connected to the wall element 40 by way of adhesive bonding. The lid-plate element 30 forms a lid plate 32 which in particular is planar. The term planar is to be understood in particular to mean that the lid plate 32, when observed in the usual manner, appears to be smooth. This does not exclude the possibility that said lid plate 32 may be inclined in relation to the central axis 22. A hole 31 for imbibing is configured in the respective lid-plate element 30.

(23) In the case of the first exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 1a to 1d, the receptacle 24 has been implemented by a corrugation 43 which is configured in the wall 41. As is shown, said corrugation 43 is outwardly curved and thus enables the rolled lip rim 12 of the cup 10 to be received. On account of the embodiment shown, in which the wall 41 below the rolled lip rim 12 is again slightly inclined in an inward manner, a certain latching effect of the rolled lip rim 12 is also achieved. This avoids the lid 20 being inadvertently removed from the cup 10.

(24) Outside the corrugation 43, an angle of the side wall in relation to the central axis 22 is constant. This applies to portions of the wall 41 which are above as well as below the corrugation 43.

(25) At the lower end thereof, the wall element 40 is folded, such that a folded portion 42 of the wall element 40 lying on the inside is present, which extends somewhat beyond the corrugation 43. The wall element 40 is thus configured in two layers, in particular in the region of the corrugation 43. This enhances the stability of the wall element 40 in the region of the corrugation 43.

(26) At the upper end thereof, the wall element 40 is likewise folded inwards such that a further folded portion 44 lying on the inside is configured. The lid-plate element 30 at the outer end thereof simultaneously forms a collar 34 which points upwards. The collar 34 is received in the folded wall element 40 in such a manner that said collar 44 is contacted on the inside by the further folded portion 44 of the wall element 40. Such a design of the wall element 40 is also referred to as the border 45.

(27) An angle of the encircling wall 41 in relation to the central axis 22 in the lid 20 according to the first exemplary embodiment is constant outside the corrugation 43.

(28) Two stacked lids 20, 20a are illustrated in FIG. 1d. The lower periphery of the upper lid 20a bears on the corrugation 43 of the lower lid 20.

(29) The lid 20 according to the second exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 2a to 2d, differs from the lid 20 according to the first exemplary embodiment only in that the angle of the encircling wall 41 deviates in the region of the border 45. Specifically, the encircling wall 41 in the region of the border 45 is configured so as to be parallel with the central axis 22.

(30) The lid 20 according to the third exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 3a to 3d, differs from the lid 20 according to the first exemplary embodiment in that the wall element 41 in a lower end region deviates from the angle otherwise present and is configured so as to be parallel with the central axis 22. This likewise applies to the lower portion 42. Furthermore, the corrugation 43 is more prominent than in the lid 20 according to the first exemplary embodiment.

(31) The lid 20 according to the fourth exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 4a to 4d, differs from the lid 20 according to the third exemplary embodiment in that the angle of the encircling wall 41 in relation to the central axis 22 deviates from the angle lying directly therebelow also in the region of the border 45. The wall element 40 in the region of the border 45 is configured so as to be parallel with the central axis 22, as is also the case in the second exemplary embodiment.

(32) The lid 20 according to the fifth exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 5a to 5d, differs from the lid 20 according to the second exemplary embodiment in that the lid plate 32 is placed so as to be oblique in relation to the central axis 22. This makes it possible to ensure that liquid on the lid plate 32 is exposed to a slope and thus accumulates at a defined position. In this way, the liquid may be more easily removed, for example wiped, from the lid plate 32. This here typically is liquid which makes its way onto the lid plate 32 and remains thereon when, for example, the cup 10 having the lid 20 is tilted forward for imbibing and tilted back thereafter.

(33) FIG. 5d shows two stacked lids 20, 20a. The lid plate 32 of the upper lid 20a, by way of its lowest point, bears on the upper edge of the border 45 of the lower lid 20.

(34) The lid 20 according to the sixth exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 6a to 6c, differs from the lid 20 according to the fourth exemplary embodiment in that the lid plate 32 is placed so as to be oblique in relation to the central axis 22. In this way, the same advantages are achieved as have been described with reference to the fifth exemplary embodiment. The lower periphery of the lid 20 is designed as in the case of the third exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3a to 3d.

(35) In the lid 20 according to the seventh exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 7a to 7d, the receptacle 24 is configured differently from those in the first to the sixth exemplary embodiments. The lid-plate element 30 is bent downwards, so as to configure a bead 36 which bears on the rolled lip rim 12 of the lid 10. The bead 36 here is shaped by way of suitable bending of the lid-plate element 30. The lid-plate element 30, above the bead 36, configures a region 38 having two layers, which is adhesively bonded to the wall element 40. This leads to particularly high stability in this region 38.

(36) In order to enable latching of the rolled lip rim 12, a comparatively small corrugation 47, which partially encompasses the rolled lip rim 12 of the cup 10 from below, is configured in the wall element 40, below the rolled lip rim 12.

(37) FIG. 7d shows two stacked lids 20, 20a. The bead 36 of the upper lid 20a bears on the upper periphery of the border 45 of the lower lid 20.

(38) The lid 20 according to the eighth exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 8a to 8d, differs from the lid 20 according to the seventh exemplary embodiment in that the lower latching feature is not configured by a small corrugation 47 but by a portion 48 of the wall element 40, which is folded by 180. This also enables defined latching of the rolled lip rim 12, since the folded portion 48 terminates below the rolled lip rim 12. Inadvertent removal of the lid 20 from the cup 10 is thus avoided.

(39) In the lid 20 according to the ninth exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 9a to 9d, the receptacle 24 is again configured in a different manner. The receptacle 24 here is embodied by means of a number of inwardly pointing indentations 46 which are configured along the encircling wall 41. Said indentations 46 are in each case embodied such that at the bottom thereof they offer a bearing face for the rolled lip rim 12 of the cup 10. The indentations 46 may also be referred to as cams, for example.

(40) A portion 48 of the wall element 40, which is inwardly folded by 180 and which enables latching of the rolled lip rim 12 of the cup 10 from below, is again located below the rolled lip rim 12. Above the lid plate 32, the wall element 40 furthermore widens towards the outside, such that said wall element 40 below the rolled lip rim 12 has the shape of a truncated cone.

(41) FIG. 9d shows two stacked lids 20, 20a. The upper lid 20a, by way of the bearing faces of the indentations 46, bears on the upper periphery of the border 45 of the lower lid 20.

(42) In the lid 20 according to the tenth exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 10a to 10d, the receptacle 24 is again configured by an encircling corrugation which, however, is configured so as to be shallower as compared to the corrugations 43 of the first to sixth exemplary embodiments. Below the rolled lip rim 12, said rolled lip rim 12 is again latched by way of a folded portion 48 of the wall element 40.

(43) In contrast to the previous exemplary embodiments, the lid-plate element 30 is not retained in a border 45 of the wall element 40 but on its periphery is rolled up towards the outside and thus forms a further rolled lip rim 50. The lid-plate element 30 is fastened to the wall element 40 at an upper portion of the wall element 40 where the wall element 40 and the lid-plate element 30 run parallel with one another. The further rolled lip rim 50 which is configured on the outside offers the consumer a sensation which is very similar to the sensation in the case where the consumer consumes the beverage which is contained in the cup 10 without the lid 20. In that case, the rolled lip rim 12 of the lid 10 would be immediately next to the consumer's mouth. The further rolled lip rim 50 of the lid 20 imitates that sensation.

(44) FIG. 10d shows two stacked lids 20, 20a. The upper lid 20a by way of the corrugation 43 thereof bears on the further rolled lip rim 50 of the lower lid 20.

(45) In the lid 20 according to the eleventh exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 11a to 11d, the receptacle 24 is configured by indentations 46, as is also the case in the ninth exemplary embodiment. Moreover, a further rolled lip rim 50 is configured, as is also the case in the tenth exemplary embodiment. In terms of the details thereof, reference is made to the corresponding descriptions of the ninth and tenth exemplary embodiments, respectively.

(46) In the lid 20 according to the twelfth exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 12a to 12d, the receptacle 24 is configured by an encircling corrugation 43, as in the tenth exemplary embodiment. By contrast to the tenth exemplary embodiment, however, no further rolled lip rim 50 is configured, but the lid-plate element 30 and the wall element 40 are interconnected by means of a border 45, as is also the case in the first exemplary embodiment, for example. By contrast, however, the border 45 in the twelfth exemplary embodiment is inwardly inclined.

(47) It may be identified in particular in FIG. 12c that a part of the receptacle 24 of the lid 20, which sits on the rolled lip rim 12, has a width of about half of the width of the rolled lip rim 12. In this way, advantageous stability may be achieved. Half of the width of the rolled lip rim 12 here is marked by X. Furthermore, the spacing of the lid plate 32 above the rolled lip rim 12 is marked by Y.

(48) FIG. 12d shows two stacked lids 20, 20a. A radially inwardly projecting edge 52 of the upper lid 20a bears on the outer side 34 of the border 45 of the lower lid 20. Since the outer side 34 is inwardly directed in an oblique manner, the upper lid 20a assumes a defined position on the lower lid 20.

(49) In the thirteenth exemplary embodiment, which is shown in FIG. 13, the lid 20, as opposed to the previous embodiments, is configured so as not to be round but rectangular. The enables adaptation to corresponding rectangular cup shapes.

(50) All exemplary embodiments have in common that the lid plate 32 is arranged above the rolled lip rim 12 of the cup 10, having a significant spacing therefrom. The enables components of beverages which protrude beyond the rolled lip rim 12, for example milk foam in the case of a cappuccino, to be received in the space below the lid plate 32 which is defined by the encircling wall 41.