Lid assemblies for drinking vessels and drinking vessels including the same

Abstract

A lid assembly for a hollow drinking vessel for holding a hot beverage is disclosed. The lid assembly includes a body having a top wall, a port in the top wall, a cover, a peripheral sidewall, and a vent. The cover is slidable with respect to the port to either close or open it. Portions of the peripheral sidewall and the top wall merge to form a crevice providing a path for the beverage to flow into the port. The port includes an elastomeric seal to form a fluid-tight interface when the cover is closed. The peripheral sidewall includes a ramp like projection to enable the user to apply upward pressure thereto to facilitate the removal of the lid assembly from the vessel. The vent is configured to enable steam within the vessel to exit the ambient atmosphere to thereby reduce the build-up of pressure within the vessel, which could result in hot liquid sputtering out of the port when the slidable cover is opened.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A lid assembly for releasable mounting on a drinking vessel having a hollow body bounding an internal cavity configured for receipt of a beverage to enable a user to drink or pour the beverage through said lid assembly, the hollow body having an annular rim at a top edge thereof, said lid assembly comprising a generally convex crowned top wall, a peripheral sidewall extending about said top wall, and an annular recess, said crowned top wall including a port configured for communication with said internal cavity when said lid assembly is mounted on the vessel, said crowned top wall including a slidable cover configured to be slid between a closed position and an open position and vice versa, said slidable cover when in said closed position sealing said port and when in said open position exposing said port, said peripheral sidewall having a top edge located above said crowned top wall and an inner surface tapering downward from said top edge to said crowned top wall, said inner surface merging with said crowned top wall to form a crevice providing a path for any beverage that may become located on said crowned top wall to flow into said port, said annular recess being configured for receipt of the annular rim of the vessel to releasably mount said lid assembly on the vessel. 
     
     
         2 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said annular recess comprises an elastomeric member configured for engaging said annular rim to result in a fluid-tight interface between said lid assembly and said the vessel. 
     
     
         3 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said port has a periphery and comprises an elastomeric seal about said periphery of said port, said elastomeric seal being configured to be engaged by said cover to form a fluid-tight interface therebetween when said cover is in said closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The lid assembly of  claim 2  wherein said port has a periphery and comprises an elastomeric seal about said periphery of said port, said elastomeric seal being configured to be engaged by said cover to form a fluid-tight interface therebetween when said cover is in said closed position, said elastomeric member for frictionally engaging said annular ring and said elastomeric seal extending about said periphery of said port being an integral unit. 
     
     
         5 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said peripheral sidewall includes a pouring channel located therein between a portion of said top edge and said port to enable a beverage in the vessel to be poured out of the vessel through said port. 
     
     
         6 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said peripheral sidewall additionally comprises an undercut lip portion configured to be engaged by a user to enable the user to drink from the vessel when said lid assembly is releasably secured to the vessel and said cover is in said open position. 
     
     
         7 . The lid assembly of  claim 5  wherein said peripheral sidewall additionally comprises an undercut lip portion configured to be engaged by a user to enable the user to drink from the vessel when said lid assembly is releasably secured to the vessel and said cover is in said open position, said undercut lip portion being located adjacent said pouring channel. 
     
     
         8 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lid assembly comprises a ramp-like projection extending out from said peripheral sidewall, said ramp-like projection being configured to be engaged by a user to apply upward pressure to said projection to facilitate the removal of said lid assembly from the vessel. 
     
     
         9 . The lid assembly of  claim 8  wherein said ramp-like projection includes at least one elastomeric member configured for engagement by a user to facilitate the removal of said lid assembly from the vessel. 
     
     
         10 . The lid assembly of  claim 4  wherein said lid assembly comprises a ramp-like projection extending out from said peripheral sidewall, said ramp-like projection including at least one elastomeric member, said at least one elastomeric member forming a portion of said integral unit and being configured to be engaged by a user to apply upward pressure to said projection to facilitate the removal of said lid assembly from the vessel. 
     
     
         11 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said cover includes an outer surface having at least one elastomeric member configured for engagement by a user to facilitate the sliding of said cover between said closed and open positions. 
     
     
         12 . The lid assembly of  claim 1  wherein said top wall includes a concave undersurface to provide additional volume for said internal cavity when said lid assembly is mounted on the vessel. 
     
     
         13 . A lid assembly for releasable mounting on a drinking vessel having a hollow body bounding an internal cavity configured for receipt of a hot beverage to enable a user to drink or pour the beverage through said lid assembly, the hollow body having an annular rim at a top edge thereof, said lid assembly comprising top wall, a vent, a peripheral sidewall extending about said top wall, and an annular recess, said top wall including a port and a slidable cover, said slidable cover being configured to be slid between a closed position and an open position and vice versa, said slidable cover when in said closed position sealing said port and when in said open position exposing said to port, said port being located adjacent a portion of said peripheral sidewall, said annular recess being configured for receipt of the annular rim of the vessel to releasably mount said lid assembly on the vessel, said vent being configured to direct any steam from a hot beverage within the internal cavity away from said portion of said peripheral sidewall to which said port is adjacent. 
     
     
         14 . The lid assembly of  claim 13  wherein said vent comprises at least one channel located in said slidable cover, said at least one channel terminating in an open end directed away from said port. 
     
     
         15 . The lid assembly of  claim 13  wherein said cover includes at least one downwardly projecting tab and wherein said top wall includes at least one slot in which said tab is located, said tab being configured to hold said cover on said top wall while enabling said cover to be slid between said open and closed positions, said at least one channel of said cover being in communication with said at least one slot of said top wall whereby any steam within said internal cavity can flow through a portion of said slot and into said at least one channel of said cover. 
     
     
         16 . The lid assembly of  claim 13  wherein said vent is located in said top wall and remote from said port. 
     
     
         17 . The lid assembly of  claim 16  wherein said vent comprises a slot and wherein said lid assembly additionally comprises a baffle located below said top wall and under said at least one slot to direct any steam within the internal cavity out through said at least one slot and away from said portion of said peripheral sidewall to which said port is adjacent. 
     
     
         18 . The lid assembly of  claim 17  wherein said vent comprises a plurality of undulating shaped slots. 
     
     
         19 . In combination a lid assembly and a vessel, said vessel comprising a drinking vessel having a hollow body bounding an internal cavity, said hollow body having an annular rim at a top edge thereof, said lid assembly being configured to enable a user to drink or pour the beverage through said lid assembly, said lid assembly comprising a generally convex crowned top wall, a peripheral sidewall extending about said crowned top wall, and an annular recess, said crowned top wall including a port configured for communication with said internal cavity when said lid assembly is mounted on said vessel, said crowned top wall including a slidable cover, said slidable cover being configured to be slid between a closed position and an open position and vice versa, said slidable cover when in said closed position sealing said port and when in said open position exposing said port, said peripheral sidewall having a top edge located above said crowned top wall and an inner surface tapering downward from said top edge to said crowned top wall, said inner surface merging with said crowned top wall to form a crevice providing a path for liquid therein to flow into said port, said annular recess being configured for receipt of said annular rim of the vessel to releasably mount said lid assembly on the vessel. 
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 19  wherein said vessel comprises a double walled insulated vessel. 
     
     
         21 . The combination of  claim 19  wherein said annular recess comprises an elastomeric member configured for engaging said annular rim to result in a fluid-tight interface between said lid assembly and said the vessel. 
     
     
         22 . The combination of  claim 19  wherein said port has a periphery and comprises an elastomeric seal about said periphery of said port, said elastomeric seal being configured to be engaged by said cover to form a fluid-tight interface therebetween when said cover is in said closed position. 
     
     
         23 . The combination of  claim 19  wherein said lid assembly comprises a ramp-like projection extending out from said peripheral sidewall, said ramp-like projection being configured to be engaged by a user to apply upward pressure to said projection to facilitate the removal of said lid assembly from the vessel. 
     
     
         24 . The combination of  claim 23  wherein said ramp-like projection includes at least one elastomeric member configured for engagement by a user to facilitate the removal of said lid assembly from the vessel. 
     
     
         25 . The combination of  claim 19  wherein said cover includes an outer surface having at least one elastomeric member configured for engagement by a user to facilitate the sliding of said cover between said closed and open positions. 
     
     
         26 . The combination of  claim 19  wherein said top wall includes a concave undersurface to provide additional volume for said internal cavity when said lid assembly is mounted on the vessel. 
     
     
         27 . In combination a lid assembly and a drinking vessel, said drinking vessel having a hollow body bounding an internal cavity configured for receipt of a hot beverage, said hollow body having an annular rim at a top edge thereof, said lid assembly being configured to enable a user to drink or pour the beverage through said lid assembly and comprising top wall, a vent, a peripheral sidewall extending about said top wall, and an annular recess, said top wall including a port and a slidable cover, said slidable cover being configured to be slid between a closed position and an open position and vice versa, said slidable cover when in said closed position sealing said port and when in said open position exposing said port, said annular recess being configured for receipt of the annular rim of the vessel to releasably mount said lid assembly on said vessel, said vent being configured to direct any steam from a hot beverage within said internal cavity away from said portion of said peripheral sidewall to which said port is adjacent. 
     
     
         28 . The combination of  claim 27  wherein said vent comprises at least one channel located in said slidable cover, said at least one channel terminating in an open end directed away from said port. 
     
     
         29 . The combination of  claim 27  wherein said cover includes at least one downwardly projecting tab and wherein said top wall includes at least one slot in which said tab is located, said tab being configured to hold said cover on said top wall while enabling said cover to be slid between said open and closed positions, said at least one channel of said cover being in communication with said at least one slot of said top wall whereby any steam within said internal cavity can flow through a portion of said slot and into said at least one channel of said cover. 
     
     
         30 . The combination of  claim 27  wherein said vent is located in said top wall and remote from said port. 
     
     
         31 . The combination of  claim 30  wherein said vent comprises a slot and wherein said lid assembly additionally comprises a baffle located below said top wall and under said at least one slot to direct any steam within said internal cavity out through said at least one slot and away from the face of the user when the user drinks the hot beverage from said vessel. 
     
     
         32 . The combination of  claim 31  wherein said vent comprises a plurality of undulating shaped slots.