Drink-Through Beverage Container Lids With Spill Resistant Tabs

Abstract

A drink-through lid with spill resistant tab for use on a beverage container. The lid provides a drink outlet that allows liquid to fill a drink well base, from which a consumer may sip a beverage similar to using a cup. The lid is provided with a spill resistant tab. The tab may include a blade portion which fits through a slit in the drink-through lid. The blade extends outward to a distal blade edge adjacent an interior wall of the beverage container. The blade has a width W 2 as wide or wider than the effective outlet width W 1 of the drink outlet. The lid may be provided with a generally V-shaped groove having a slit at the bottom thereof for passage of the blade therethrough. In an embodiment, the tab may include a Z-shaped connector portion sized and shaped for interlocking mating engagement with the V-shaped grove.

1 . A spill resistant tab for use with a drink-through lid having a drink outlet with effective opening width W 1 , comprising:
 a blade portion, a handle portion, and a connector portion between said blade portion and said handle portion, said blade portion having a width W 2  and a length of L B  sufficiently long to situate said blade portion under a drink outlet when secured to a drink-through lid having a drink outlet.   
     
     
         2 . A spill resistant tab as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said connector portion has a Z-shaped profile, as examined in vertical cross-section, between said blade portion and said handle portion. 
     
     
         3 . A spill resistant tab for use with a drink-through lid for a beverage cup having an interior wall, the lid having a drink outlet with effective opening width W 1 , said spill resistant tab comprising:
 a blade portion, and a connector portion, the connector portion sized and shaped for attachment to a drink-through lid, said blade portion having a width W 2  and a length of L B  sufficiently long to situate said blade portion under a drink outlet in a drink-through lid when said spill resistant tab is attached to a drink-through lid, and wherein said blade portion comprises a distally located blade edge sized and shaped for close fitting engagement against or near but spaced apart from an interior wall of a beverage cup.   
     
     
         4 . A spill resistant tab as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein said connector portion has a Z-shaped profile, as examined in vertical cross-section, between said blade portion and said handle portion. 
     
     
         5 . A drink-through lid for a beverage cup having an open end, comprising:
 a base comprising a rim having a bottom edge, and an interior bead sealing portion, said base sized and shaped to sealingly engage the open end of the beverage cup;   a raised lip portion having an exterior portion extending upwardly from said base, an outer lip portion, and an interior portion sloping downwardly from said outer lip portion to lower end portions;   a drink well base having a floor extending from a peripheral side adjacent said lower end portions, the drink well base located downward from said outer lip portion, said drink well having an underside;   at least one drink outlet, said at least one drink outlet defined by a first edgewall extending upward into said interior portion of said raised lip portion and by an elongated second edgewall of effective opening width W 1  extending along an outlet portion of said drink well base, said at least one drink outlet oriented at least in part as if along a first surface extending from said elongated second edgewall substantially at an angle alpha (α) in the range of from about forty-five degrees (45°) to about ninety degrees (90°), so that said at least one drink outlet is substantially vertically oriented;   a downwardly extending valley shaped wall, said valley shaped wall comprising first and second sidewalls extending across at least a portion of said lid, and a slit of length LS between said first and second sidewalls;   a spill resistant tab, said spill resistant tab comprising a blade portion, a handle portion, and a connector portion between said blade portion and said handle portion, said blade portion sized and shaped to fit through said slit, said blade portion secured in a working position below said underside of said drink well adjacent said at least one drink outlet, said blade portion having a width W 2  sufficient to resist movement of liquid outward through said at least one drink outlet;   wherein said blade portion is sized, shaped, and positioned to resist splash of liquid from inside the beverage cup toward said at least one drink outlet, while allowing liquid to flow around said blade portion to said at least one drink outlet before escaping to said drink well base; and   wherein said connector portion has a Z-shaped profile, as examined in vertical cross-section, between said blade portion and said handle portion.