Coffee cup lid

Abstract

A lid for a cup for reducing or preventing spills. The lid includes a top wall for covering the cup and a rim for securing the lid to the cup and providing a seal around the lip of the cup. A spout in the lid enables drinking without removal of the lid. Generally, the spout is raised above the top wall of the lid, and includes at least one sunken portion with a hole in a side of the sunken portion such that a beverage in the cup can enter the sunken portion through the hole.

1 . A lid for a cup having a lip, the lid comprising:
 a top wall for covering the cup;   a rim for securing the lid to the lip of the cup and for providing a seal around the lip; and   a spout for enabling drinking from the cup,   wherein the spout comprises:
 a front surface extending upward relative to the rim, for receiving a bottom lip of a person drinking from the cup; 
 at least one opening at a top portion of the spout; 
 a flange extending downward from the at least one opening; and 
 a hole or slot in a side of the flange for allowing a beverage to flow from inside the cup through the hole into the flange and out the at least one opening. 
   
   
   
       2 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the top wall comprises a recessed portion for receiving a top lip of the person drinking from the cup. 
   
   
       3 . The lid of  claim 2 , further comprising another recessed portion in the top wall for receiving a nose of the person drinking from the cup when the person tips the cup. 
   
   
       4 . The lid of  claim 2 , further comprising second and third recessed portions in the side wall on either side of the spout, for receiving sides of a mouth of the person drinking from the cup. 
   
   
       5 . The lid of  claim 4 , further comprising a fourth recessed portion in the top wall for receiving a nose of the person drinking from the cup when the person tips the cup. 
   
   
       6 . The lid of  claim 1 , further comprising an air vent hole separate from the spout, for allowing air to enter the cup during drinking. 
   
   
       7 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the flange has a generally cylindrical shape. 
   
   
       8 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the flange has a generally tapered shape. 
   
   
       9 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein a profile of a top surface of the lid generally conforms to a profile of a bottom surface of the lid, such that a plurality of the lids can be closely stacked. 
   
   
       10 . The lid according to  claim 1 , manufactured by vacuum forming or injection molding. 
   
   
       11 . A lid for a cup, comprising:
 a seal around a periphery of the lid for generally sealing the lid to the cup;   a top wall for covering the cup;   a spout comprising a raised portion raised above the seal;   at least one sunken portion on the raised portion; and   a hole or slot in a side of the at least one sunken portion such that a beverage in the cup can enter the sunken portion through the hole.   
   
   
       12 . The lid according to  claim 11 , wherein the hole in the side of the at least one sunken portion faces away from a central region of the lid. 
   
   
       13 . The lid according to  claim 11 , wherein the top wall comprises another sunken portion for accommodating a user's nose when the cup is tipped toward the user's face during drinking. 
   
   
       14 . The lid according to  claim 11 , manufactured by vacuum forming or injection molding.