Plug for beverage cup lid

Abstract

A plug member for plugging a sipping hole formed in a lid is provided. The plug member includes an elongated strip having a first end, an opposite second end, an inner surface and an opposite outer surface. The first end for attachment to a support structure and the second end having a protruding stopper formed along and protruding from the inner surface and configured to sealingly plug the sipping hole. The elongated strip has at least one fold line that partitions the elongated strip into a plurality of segments.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A plug member for plugging a sipping hole formed in a lid comprising:
 an elongated strip having a first end, an opposite second end, an inner surface and an opposite outer surface, the first end for attachment to a support structure, the second end having a protruding stopper formed along and protruding from the inner surface and configured to sealingly plug the sipping hole, the elongated strip having at least one fold line that partitions the elongated strip into a plurality of segments that can fold relative to one another.   
     
     
         2 . The plug member of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated strip has at least two fold lines to partition the elongated strip into a proximal segment, an intermediate segment, and a distal segment. 
     
     
         3 . The plug member of  claim 2 , wherein the stopper is formed along the inner surface of the distal segment. 
     
     
         4 . The plug member of  claim 1 , wherein the entire plug member is formed of a biodegradable material. 
     
     
         5 . The plug member of  claim 4 , wherein the entire plug is formed from a paper material. 
     
     
         6 . The plug member of  claim 1 , wherein the stopper has an oblong shape. 
     
     
         7 . The plug member of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated strip includes at least one temporary attachment point formed of an amount of temporary adhesive for temporarily attaching the elongated strip to the support structure or to an element that is coupled to the support structure. 
     
     
         8 . The plug member of  claim 7 , wherein the temporary adhesive comprises glue. 
     
     
         9 . A sleeve for placement about a beverage cup comprising:
 a sleeve body; and   a plug member for plugging a sipping hole formed in a lid for placement on the beverage cup, the plug member including:   an elongated strip having a first end, an opposite second end, an inner surface and an opposite outer surface, the first end being attached to an outer surface of the sleeve, the second end having a protruding stopper formed along and protruding from the inner surface and configured to sealingly plug the sipping hole, the elongated strip having at least one fold line that partitions the elongated strip into a plurality of segments that can fold relative to one another.   
     
     
         10 . The sleeve of  claim 9 , wherein the sleeve body comprises a cardboard sleeve that is configured to be disposed and held about the beverage cup. 
     
     
         11 . The sleeve of  claim 9 , wherein the first end is permanently attached to the outer surface of the sleeve and the second end includes a temporary attachment point formed of an amount of temporary adhesive for temporarily attaching the second end to one of the sleeve and the beverage cup. 
     
     
         12 . The sleeve of  claim 11 , wherein the first end is permanently attached to the sleeve at or proximate a top edge of the sleeve. 
     
     
         13 . The sleeve of  claim 9 , wherein the elongated strip has at least two fold lines to partition the elongated strip into a proximal segment, an intermediate segment, and a distal segment, with the proximal segment being permanently attached to the sleeve. 
     
     
         14 . The sleeve of  claim 13 , wherein the elongated strip includes a first temporary attachment point formed of a temporary adhesive and a second temporary attachment point formed of the temporary adhesive. 
     
     
         15 . The sleeve of  claim 14 , wherein the first temporary attachment point is located within the distal segment for temporarily attaching the distal segment to one of the sleeve and beverage cup and the second temporary attachment point located for temporarily attaching the intermediate segment to the proximal segment. 
     
     
         16 . The sleeve of  claim 13 , wherein the stopper is formed along the inner surface of the distal segment. 
     
     
         17 . The sleeve of  claim 9 , wherein the entire plug member is formed of a biodegradable material. 
     
     
         18 . The sleeve of  claim 17 , wherein the entire plug is formed from a paper material. 
     
     
         19 . The plug member of  claim 14 , wherein the temporary adhesive comprises glue. 
     
     
         20 . A beverage cup comprising:
 a cup body having an open top end;   a lid for attachment to the open top end, the lid having a sipping hole formed therein;   optionally a sleeve that is disposed about the cup body;   a plug member for plugging the sipping hole formed in the lid, the plug member including:   an elongated strip having a first end, an opposite second end, an inner surface and an opposite outer surface, the first end being attached to an outer surface of the cup body or an outer surface of the sleeve, the second end having a protruding stopper formed along and protruding from the inner surface and configured to sealingly plug the sipping hole, the elongated strip having at least one fold line that partitions the elongated strip into a plurality of segments and permits the plug member to move between a collapsed state for storing the plug member along the cup body or sleeve and an extended state to permit the stopper to sealingly plug the sipping hole.