Drink lid tactile spout locator

Abstract

The system of the preferred embodiments is a drink container lid, including: at least one of a permanent and a removable interface designed to attach the drink container lid to a drink container; a bulkhead attached to the at least one of a permanent and removable interface, and designed to keep liquid in the drink container; an opening in the top of the bulkhead adapted to allow fluid to flow into a user's mouth; at least one of a protrusion, a bump, a groove, an indentation, and a rough textured area on a generally vertical surface of the drink container lid, adjacent to the opening and aligned with the positioning of the opening, where the at least one of a protrusion, a bump, a groove, an indentation, and a rough textured area is capable of creating a tactile sensation on a user's lip. The drink container lid is preferably designed to allow a user to locate the opening in the drink container lid using their sense of feel with their bottom lip, allowing a user to drink liquid from a drink container with a lid more easily and potentially without having to look at the drink container, while at the same time allowing the user to properly align the opening in the drink container lid with their mouth to avoid spilling any of the contents of the container. The drink container lid may, however, be used for any suitable purpose.

I claim: 
     
         1 ) A drink container lid comprising: at least one of a permanent and a removable interface adapted to attach the drink container lid to a drink container; a bulkhead attached to the at least one of a permanent and removable interface and adapted to keep liquid in the drink container; an opening in the top of the bulkhead adapted to allow fluid to flow into a user's mouth; at least one of a protrusion, a bump, a groove, an indentation, and a rough textured area on a generally vertical surface of the drink container lid adjacent to the opening and aligned with the positioning of the opening, wherein the at least one of a protrusion, a bump, a groove, an indentation, and a rough textured area is capable of creating a tactile sensation on a user's lip. 
     
     
         2 ) The drink container lid of  claim 1 , wherein the tactile sensation created by the at least one of a protrusion, a bump, an indent, and a rough textured area allows a user to locate the opening in the drink container lid without looking at the lid. 
     
     
         3 ) The drink container lid of  claim 1 , wherein a plastic molding process is used to manufacture the at least one of a protrusion, a bump, an indent, and a rough textured area. 
     
     
         4 ) The drink container lid of  claim 2 , wherein a plastic molding process is used to manufacture the at least one of a protrusion, a bump, an indent, and a rough textured area. 
     
     
         5 ) The drink container lid of  claim 1 , wherein a stamping process is used to manufacture the at least one of a protrusion, a bump, an indent, and a rough textured area. 
     
     
         6 ) The drink container lid of  claim 2 , wherein a stamping process is used to manufacture the at least one of a protrusion, a bump, an indent, and a rough textured area. 
     
     
         7 ) The drink container lid of  claim 1 , wherein the drink container lid comprises a polymer material and is adapted to fit onto a disposable drink cup. 
     
     
         8 ) The drink container lid of  claim 1 , wherein the drink container is a non-disposable mug and the drink container lid is a component of a drinking mug system. 
     
     
         9 ) The drink container lid of  claim 2 , wherein the drink container lid comprises a polymer material and is adapted to fit onto a disposable drink cup. 
     
     
         10 ) The drink container lid of  claim 2 , wherein the drink container is a non-disposable mug and the drink container lid is a component of a drinking mug system. 
     
     
         11 ) The drink container lid of  claim 4 , wherein the drink container lid comprises a polymer material and is adapted to fit onto a disposable drink cup. 
     
     
         12 ) The drink container lid of  claim 4 , wherein the drink container is a non-disposable mug and the drink container lid is a component of a drinking mug system. 
     
     
         13 ) The drink container lid of  claim 5 , wherein the drink container lid comprises a polymer material and is adapted to fit onto a disposable drink cup. 
     
     
         14 ) The drink container lid of  claim 5 , wherein the drink container is a non-disposable mug and the drink container lid is a component of a drinking mug system.