Straw-Receptive Drink-Through Cup Lid

Abstract

A beverage cup lid is disclosed. Such a lid may include a central cover portion and a raised spout portion extending from the central cover portion. The raised spout portion may define a drinking opening therethrough. The drinking opening may have a circular perimeter. The raised spout portion may be adapted to allow liquid to flow through the drinking opening in response to a sucking force applied to the raised spout portion, and to receive a drinking straw through the drinking opening. The raised spout portion may define a plurality of flaps disposed about the perimeter of the drinking opening. The flaps may be defined between respective pairs of slots that extend from the perimeter of the drinking opening.

1 . A beverage cup lid, comprising:
 a central cover portion;   a skirt peripheral to the central cover portion, the skirt configured to engage a drinking cup; and   a raised spout portion extending from the central cover portion, the spout portion defining a plurality of flaps disposed about a drinking opening,   wherein the flaps define a perimeter of the drinking opening and are configured to deflect in response to a force applied by a straw inserted into the drinking opening.   
     
     
         2 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the spout portion defines a plurality of slots extending from the perimeter of the drinking opening. 
     
     
         3 . The lid of  claim 2 , wherein each of the slots is defined between a respective pair of flaps. 
     
     
         4 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the drinking opening is adapted to allow liquid to flow therethrough in response to a sucking force applied to the spout portion. 
     
     
         5 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the skirt is adapted to matingly engage an upper peripheral edge of the drinking cup so as to removably maintain the lid in a covering relationship on the cup. 
     
     
         6 . The lid of  claim 5 , further comprising an annular groove adapted to retainably engage the upper peripheral edge of a drinking cup. 
     
     
         7 . The lid of  claim 6 , wherein the groove is continuous around a periphery of the skirt. 
     
     
         8 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the lid is a single-piece lid made of a thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         9 . The lid of  claim 1 , further comprising a semi-annular ridge extending from the central cover portion, wherein the raised spout portion extends from the semi-annular ridge. 
     
     
         10 . A beverage cup lid, comprising:
 a central cover portion;   a skirt peripheral to the central cover portion, the skirt configured to engage a drinking cup; and   a raised spout portion extending from the central cover portion, the raised spout portion defining a drinking opening and first and second slots extending from a perimeter of the drinking opening, the first and second slots defining a flap therebetween,   wherein the flap is configured to deflect in response to a force applied by a straw inserted into the drinking opening.   
     
     
         11 . The beverage cup lid of  claim 10 , wherein the flap is configured to deflect in response to a sucking force applied to the spout portion. 
     
     
         12 . The beverage cup lid of  claim 10 , wherein the drinking opening allows liquid to flow therethrough in response to a sucking force applied to the raised spout portion. 
     
     
         13 . The beverage cup lid of  claim 10 , wherein the lid is adapted to matingly engage the upper peripheral edge of a drinking cup so as to selectively maintain the lid in a covering relationship on the cup. 
     
     
         14 . The beverage cup lid of  claim 10 , wherein the lid is a single-piece lid formed of a thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         15 . The beverage cup lid of  claim 10 , further comprising a semi-annular ridge extending from the central cover portion, wherein the raised spout portion extends from the semi-annular ridge. 
     
     
         16 . A beverage cup lid, comprising:
 a central cover portion; and   a raised spout portion extending from the central cover portion, the raised spout portion defining a drinking opening therethrough,   wherein the raised spout portion is adapted to allow liquid to flow through the drinking opening in response to a sucking force applied to the raised spout portion, and to receive a drinking straw through the drinking opening.   
     
     
         17 . The beverage cup lid of  claim 16 , wherein the raised spout portion defines a plurality of flaps disposed about a perimeter of the drinking opening. 
     
     
         18 . The beverage cup lid of  claim 17 , wherein the flaps are configured to deflect in response to a force applied by the drinking straw as it is received into the drinking opening, and in response to the sucking force applied to the spout portion. 
     
     
         19 . The beverage cup lid of  claim 18 , wherein the flaps are defined between respective pairs of slots that extend from the perimeter of the drinking opening. 
     
     
         20 . The beverage cup lid of  claim 19 , wherein the drinking opening is circular.