Airflow cooling lid

Abstract

In the field of lids for beverage containers, an airflow cooling lid for hot beverage containers that enables the user to cool down the beverage in the container by blowing outside air across the surface of the beverage without removal of the lid. The airflow cooling lid comprises a circular cover snuggly placed over a hot beverage container having a mounting rim, a surface portion, a drinking opening in form of an opening for consuming the beverage and an exhaust opening to be used as either the intake or exhaust portal for the air drawn over the surface of the beverage. Either or both the drinking opening or the exhaust opening may be angled outward to allow the exhaust air to flow away from the face when blowing through either portal.

Claims

1. A lid for a drinking cup, comprising a substantially planar cover portion conforming in shape to an opened end of said drinking cup; a first portion defining a drinking opening in an upper surface of the first portion, the drinking opening being adjacent a periphery of the lid to enable drinking from the cup without removal of the lid; and a second portion extending from a topmost surface of the lid and defining an exhaust opening in fluid communication with the drinking opening, wherein the openings are positioned to enable a consumer, without removing said lid from said drinking cup, to drink or sip liquid contents through either of the openings, or blow air through either of the openings, and wherein the exhaust opening is defined in a side surface of the second portion, such that the exhaust opening is positioned at an angle away from the drinking opening for directing exhaust air away from said consumer's face when blowing through said drinking opening.

2. A lid in accordance with claim 1, further including an annular side wall depending from said planar cover about a periphery of said planar cover.

3. A lid in accordance with claim 1, further including a flap over said exhaust opening, said flap arranged to open when a predetermined air pressure is applied to the drinking opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1: Isometric rear view of dome lid showing the exhaust opening of the lid on a disclaimed cup. No steam visible.

(2) FIG. 2: Side view of dome lid showing a consumer (who is drawn in dashed line) blowing into the drinking opening, with steam exiting the exhaust opening, away from the consumer.

(3) FIG. 3: Section side view, showing air circulating from the drinking opening turbulently over the horizontal surface of the liquid, 5, and out the exhaust opening away from the consumer. The cup and lid are horizontal.

(4) FIG. 4: Copy of FIG. 3, but the cup is tilted, showing the fluid in the cup being consumed via the drinking opening, and a small amount of steam, 6, being directed away from the consumer (who is drawn in dashed line). This is normal steam, not driven steam.

(5) FIG. 5: Isometric side view of the flat lid showing the exhaust opening with disclaimed cup under lid.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(6) Referring to FIG. 1-5.

(7) Cup, 9, is shows for exemplary purposes and is disclaimed.

(8) One exemplary mode of carrying out the embodiment, though not exclusively, is manufacture of the lid, substantially as depicted in FIG. 1. At present I believe that this embodiment operates most efficiently, but other embodiments are also satisfactory.

(9) With lids having sidewalls, 3 of FIG. 1, the exhaust opening, 1, may be placed on the sidewall or onto the upper surface of the lid diagonally opposite to the drinking opening, 2, or in any convenient location to achieve the result. With lids having no sidewalls, FIG. 5, the exhaust opening, 1, is placed onto the upper surface of the lid diagonally opposite to the drinking opening or in any convenient location to achieve the result.

(10) One variation is to angle either or both openings so as to direct the driven exhaust, 4, away from the face of the consumer, as depicted in FIG. 2 AND FIG. 3.

(11) As noted, depending on the embodiment, either opening may be used for drinking or blowing. Another variation is to have neither opening angled.

(12) It is not necessary that the two openings be of the same shape and size.

(13) In some exemplary embodiments of a lid having no sidewall, FIG. 5, a perforated flap, 8, is peeled back to reveal exhaust opening, 1, substantially as drinking opening, 2, in common flat lids, is revealed by peeling back perforated flap, 7.

(14) In some exemplarily embodiments, the airflow opening comprises a plurality of pin-sized perforations. Each pin-sized perforation may be comparable in size with the standard vent opening in widespread use, or larger as needed to allow for sufficient throughput, and are best if small enough so that the liquid does not spill out in significant quantities if the container tilts or tips over. The plurality of the perforations combined together allows airflow sufficient to enable the humidity displacement at normal blowing pressure. The actual configuration of the plurality of holes can vary to any number and at any angle relative to the drinking opening.

(15) In some exemplarily embodiments, the airflow opening comprises a slit aperture. The slit aperture is closed when no air is blowing through it; thus, ensuring that no excessive spillage occurs. The slit may be perforated so it remains sealed until the perforation is broken. Applying pressure to break the perforations unseals the slit aperture; once the slit aperture is unsealed, the airflow passes through it when the user blows in through the drinking opening. A variation is when the user ceases blowing, the slit closes.

(16) In some exemplarily embodiments, the exhaust opening includes a flap to reduce likelihood of spillage.

(17) In some exemplarily embodiments, the flap opening comprises a spring means for holding the flap closed. Blowing air causes the flap to open, and the spring means causes it to close when the airflow ceases.

(18) Yet in other exemplarily embodiments, the flap opening comprises a rubber or plastic plug with rubber edges or a rubber grommet and a spring means. Blowing air in causes the plug to open, and the spring means causes it to close when the airflow ceases.

(19) The forgoing embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the precise forms disclosed and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain principles and practical application to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(20) Typical manufacture of the lid is in plastic, on an automatic thin-gauge thermoforming machine with cast aluminum molds.

(21) The lid can be made of any other sufficiently rigid material, including, but not limited to, molded plastic, biodegradable material, metals, ceramics, and the like.

(22) The embodiment is ideal for licensing to existing manufacturers who may add this variation to their product line by the mere construction of an additional mold for each variation.

(23) Quality control of the lid will include the exhaust-flow test, squeeze test, put-on test, stack test and the upside down test. The exhaust-flow test is to ensure that the exhaust is directed at a sufficient angle so as not to blow in the consumers face when the consumer blows from either opening if that variation is used. The squeeze test is to ensure the lid does not pop off easily when affixed to the beverage container and the beverage container is squeezed in accordance with the way consumers may squeeze the cup. The put-on test is to ensure that the lid can be affixed to the beverage container without undue difficultly. The stack test is to ensure the lid will stack evenly and without displacement irrespective of the planar orientation of the openings. The upside down test is to ensure the lid does not disengage when the beverage is turned upside down.

(24) The forgoing industrial applicability discussions have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the precise forms disclosed and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. They were chosen and described in order to best explain principles and practical application to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.