Removable Sanitary Film for Disposable Cup Lids

Abstract

A removable annular food safe barrier film with anterior oriented pull-tab and posterior oriented tab adapted to sealingly engage, conform and adhere to the top wall surface of a disposable molded plastic cup lid when properly placed thereon by means of a low cohesive or repositionable food safe adhesive. The primary purpose of this barrier film invention is to prevent or minimize bacterial or pathogen cross contamination of the top wall surface of disposable cup lids of the drink through type by means of direct contact with unprotected, contaminated, unclean or unsanitary human hands. Cross contamination is most likely to occur during the process of affixing a disposable cup lid to a disposable cup by commercial retail foodservice personnel.

Claims

1. A removable annular food safe barrier film with anterior oriented pull tab of sufficient length so as to be readily grasped adapted to sealingly engage and conform to top wall surface of a disposable molded plastic cup lid of the drink through type when properly placed thereon.

2: The barrier film of claim 1 wherein the film is made from a food safe film.

3: The barrier film of claim 1 wherein the film exhibits a variety of properties including transparent, translucent, holographic, printable, and/or thermochromic.

4: The barrier film of claim 1 wherein the film is consists of a main annular body with an anterior oriented pull-tab of sufficient length to facilitate removal of the barrier film.

5: The barrier film of claim 1 wherein the film is consists of a main annular body with a posterior oriented pull-tab to adhere to the vertical surface wall of a disposable cup lid of the drink through type.

6: The barrier film of claim 1 wherein the film is sealingly engaged, conforms and adheres to the top wall surface of by the means of a low cohesive or repositionable, food safe adhesive.

7: The barrier film of claim 1 wherein the film is made from a biodegradable food safe film.

8: The barrier film of claim 1 wherein the film is made from a compostable food safe film.

9: The barrier film of claim 1 wherein the film is made from a degradable food safe film.

10: The barrier film of claim 1 wherein the film is made from a plant based food safe film.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 is a top view perspective of prior art of a drink-through type disposable plastic cup lid.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a top view perspective view of the removable, annular food safe barrier film with anterior oriented pull-tab and posterior oriented tab prior to affixing to the top wall surface of cup lid.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the removable, annular food safe barrier film with anterior oriented pull-tab affixed to the top wall surface of a cup lid illustrating how it prevents contact with top wall surface of a disposable molded plastic cup lid and human hand.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the removable, annular food safe barrier film with anterior oriented pull-tab affixed to the top wall surface of a cup lid illustrating removal of removable, annular barrier film with pull-tab by human hand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail several specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered merely an exemplification of the principles of the invention and the application is limited only to the appended claims.

[0017] Referring now to FIG. 1, is an example of a prior art disposable molded plastic cup lid of the drink through type for disposable beverage cups. Such lids are typically a one-piece thermoplastic structure made from a thin sheet of polystyrene or any other suitable thermoformable organic material. They includes an annular rim portion adapted to sealingly engage and conform to the lip of the cup when properly placed thereon with an annular sidewall extending upwardly from the mounting portion and a top wall having a drink through aperture formed in it. In the preferred embodiment, the top wall of the lid has a recess formed in it adjacent to the. Examples of disposable molded plastic cup lids of the drink through type for disposable beverage cups are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,589,569, 5,398,843, 7,591,393 and 6,929,143, the entirety of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0018] Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, one embodiment of a removable, annular food safe barrier film with anterior oriented pull-tab, generally designated by the numeral 1, is shown having a main body 1, with anterior oriented pull tab 3 and a posterior oriented tab 5 to adhere to the vertical side wall. The removable, annular food safe barrier film with anterior oriented pull-tab 1 sealingly engages with the top wall surfaces of a disposable molded plastic cup lid of the drink through type for disposable beverage cups 2 effectively forming a barrier across the annular top wall surface and the drink through aperture 4. The removable, food safe barrier film with pull-tab 1 for cup lids may be made from a number of materials that promote food safety, including, but not limited to plastic. The removable, food safe barrier film with pull-tab can adhere to the top wall surface of a disposable cup lid by means of a repositionable food safe adhesive 6. The removable, annular food safe barrier film with anterior oriented pull-tab 1 prevents contact by human hands 7 with the top wall surfaces of a disposable molded plastic cup lid of the drink through type for disposable beverage cups 3 during the process of affixing a disposable lid to the rim of a disposable cup 8. To remove the annular food safe barrier film with anterior oriented pull-tab 1 customers grasp the anterior oriented pull tab with thumb and forefinger of their hand 7 and pull upwards. This causes the removable, annular food safe barrier film 1 to disengage and separate from the top wall surface of the cup lid 2 whereupon customers can drink directly through the uncontaminated drink through aperture 4. After the removable, annular food safe barrier film with anterior oriented pull-tab is completely removed, it can be disposed of.