Reusable cup with removable sealing lid

Abstract

A container assembly includes a cup having an open end surrounded by a peripheral lip. and a lid that is configured to be removably seated on the open end of the cup so as to engage the lip. The lip is elongated in the longitudinal dimension from a first or upper periphery at the open end of the cup to a second or lower periphery longitudinally spaced from the first or upper periphery, whereby the lip tapers from a first outside diameter at the first or upper periphery to a second outside diameter greater than the first outside diameter at the second or lower periphery, thereby defining a radially outward tapered lip surface. The lid has a peripheral rim with an inner surface that is configured to seat against the tapered lip surface so as to provide a seal between the rim and the lip.

1 . A container assembly comprising:
 a cup with an open end and a peripheral lip around the open end; and   a lid configured to be removably seated on the open end of the cup so as to engage the lip;   wherein the lip is elongated in the longitudinal dimension from a first periphery at the open end of the cup to a second periphery longitudinally spaced from the first periphery, whereby the lip tapers from a first outside diameter at the first periphery to a second outside diameter greater than the first outside diameter at the second periphery, thereby defining a radially outward tapered lip surface.   
     
     
         2 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lid has a peripheral rim with an inner surface configured to engage the tapered lip surface so as to provide a seal between the rim and the lip. 
     
     
         3 . The container assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the second periphery of the lip defines a substantially annular shoulder around an exterior surface of the cup, and wherein the inner surface of the peripheral rim of the lid includes an annular, inwardly-extending bead configured to seat against the shoulder. 
     
     
         4 . The container assembly of  claim 3 , wherein, during installation of the lid on the cup and removal of the lid from the cup, abrading contact of the inner surface of the rim with the tapered lip surface is substantially limited to the bead. 
     
     
         5 . The container assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the inner surface of the peripheral rim has a tapered configuration that conforms to the tapered lip surface.