Drinking cup and lid

Abstract

Disclosed is a lid for a drinking cup, and a nestable drinking cup. The lid has a top wall, an annular side wall depending from the top wall and an annular mounting portion at the bottom of the side wall for sealingly engaging a brim portion of the drinking cup. A first recessed portion is provided in the top wall. A drinking opening is located in the first recesses portion to enable drinking of a beverage from the drinking cup without removal of the lid. The side recess wall in the first recesses portion includes a convexly curved portion near the drinking opening defining a chute-like structure that directs the beverage from the drinking opening to a user's mouth. The nestable drinking cup is made of rigid, injection-molded plastic and includes an upper ribbed portion having a band of vertically-oriented, outwardly extending ribs about the periphery of the drinking cup, wherein the upper ribbed portion reduces heat transfer from hot contents in the cup to a user's hand.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A nestable drinking cup made of rigid, injection-molded plastic, comprising: 
 (a) a cup body having a generally circular periphery and a side wall, and comprising a brim portion, an upper ribbed portion, a lower portion and a bottom of smaller diameter than the brim portion;    (b) the upper ribbed portion having a band of vertically-oriented, outwardly extending ribs about the periphery of the drinking cup,    wherein the upper ribbed portion reduces heat transfer from hot contents in the cup to a user's hand.    
     
     
         2 . The drinking cup of  claim 1 , wherein the ribs are solid.  
     
     
         3 . The drinking cup of  claim 1 , wherein the upper ribbed portion comprises about one-third the total height of the cup body.  
     
     
         4 . The drinking cup of  claim 1 , wherein the side wall of the lower portion is tapered at an angle relative to vertical.  
     
     
         5 . The drinking cup of  claim 1 , wherein the upper ribbed portion comprises a lower inwardly curved section that can be used by the user to grasp and hold the cup.  
     
     
         6 . The drinking cup of  claim 1 , wherein the ribs are generally triangular in shape in cross section.  
     
     
         7 . The drinking cup of  claim 1 , wherein the ribs have a depth and two ends, and the depth decreases at the ends.  
     
     
         8 . A lid for a drinking cup, the lid comprising: 
 (a) a top wall having a generally circular periphery;    (b) an annular side wall depending from the top wall about its periphery and an annular mounting portion at the bottom of said side wall for sealingly engaging a brim portion of the drinking cup;    (c) a first recessed portion in the top wall comprising a bottom recess wall and a side recess wall, wherein the side recess wall is adjacent the periphery of the top wall;    (d) a drinking opening in the bottom recess wall proximate the side recess wall to enable drinking of a beverage from the drinking cup without removal of the lid; and    (e) a convexly curved portion disposed on the side recess wall and near the drinking opening defining a chute-like structure that directs the beverage from the drinking opening to a user's mouth.    
     
     
         9 . The lid of  claim 8 , wherein the convexly curved portion extends from the bottom recess wall to an upper end of the side recess wall.  
     
     
         10 . The lid of  claim 8 , wherein the first recessed portion accommodates an upper lip of the user's mouth.  
     
     
         11 . The lid of  claim 10 , wherein the first recessed portion is generally oval in shape.  
     
     
         12 . The lid of  claim 8 , further comprising a second recessed portion defined by a bottom surface, wherein the second recessed portion has a depth less than the depth of the first recessed portion.  
     
     
         13 . The lid of  claim 12 , wherein the bottom surface is sloped towards the recessed portion causing any liquid in the second recessed portion to flow to the first recessed portion.  
     
     
         14 . The lid of  claim 12 , wherein the second recessed portion is dimensioned to provide an area on which a bottom of a second cup may rest, allowing the second cup to stack onto a first cup and the lid.  
     
     
         15 . In combination, a lid of  claim 8  sealingly engaged to a drinking cup of  claim 1.