Reclosable container lid with sliding element
View Patent ↗A reclosable lid ( 10 ) for a container holding a flowable substance has a cover ( 12 ) having an opening ( 28 ) and a moveable element ( 850 ) connected to the cover ( 12 ). The moveable element ( 850 ) is moveable between at least one open position, wherein the flowable substance may flow through the opening, and at least one closed position, wherein the opening is obstructed. In some embodiments, the lid ( 10 ) may include an overlay ( 250 ) moveable between at least one open position and at least one closed position.
1. A lid assembly for use with a cup, the assembly comprising:
a lid having a mounting portion with a skirt configured to mount to the cup, a top wall, and a side wall extending downward from the top wall to the mounting portion, the top wall having a recessed central portion, a raised edge portion having a curvilinear rail defined at least partially therein, an inner side wall extending downward from the raised edge portion to the recessed central portion, and a drink opening in the raised edge portion, wherein the curvilinear rail comprises a top surface having the drink opening defined therein, a curvilinear outer edge connected to the side wall, a curvilinear inner edge connected to the inner side wall and a pair of opposed channels including a first curvilinear channel located in the side wall and a second curvilinear channel located in the inner side wall; and
a moveable element slidingly mounted to the curvilinear rail, the moveable element moveable between a first position obstructing the drink opening to define a closed position and a second position spaced from the drink opening to define an open position, the moveable element comprising a base having a curvilinear inner edge and a curvilinear outer edge, a first leg depending from the outer edge of the base and having a first ridge, and a second leg depending from the inner edge of the base and having a second ridge,
wherein the moveable element is mounted to the curvilinear rail so that the base confronts the top surface of the curvilinear rail, the first leg confronts the side wall of the lid so that the first ridge is received within the first channel, and the second leg confronts the inner side wall of the lid so that the second ridge is received in the second channel, and
wherein the base has a length that is smaller than a length of the curvilinear rail, the inner edge of the base is curved similarly to the inner edge of the curvilinear rail, the outer edge of the base is curved similarly to the outer edge of the curvilinear rail, the first leg is contoured similarly to the side wall of the lid, and the second leg is contoured similarly to the inner side wall of the lid, to allow the moveable element to slide along the curvilinear rail between the first position and the second position.
2. The lid assembly of claim 1 wherein the raised edge portion of the top wall has an offset portion to define the curvilinear rail such that the curvilinear rail is recessed with respect to adjacent portions of the raised edge portion, and wherein the curvilinear rail has a first stop and a second stop at opposed ends thereof.
3. The lid assembly of claim 2 wherein a first end of the base of the movable element abuts the first stop when in the first position and a second, opposed end of the base of the moveable element abuts the second stop when in the second position.
4. The lid assembly of claim 1 wherein the movable element has a bump, the bump received by the drink opening when in the first position.
5. The lid assembly of claim 1 wherein the moveable element has a tab extending from the base.
6. The lid assembly of claim 1 wherein the curvilinear rail extends around a portion of a periphery of the lid.
7. The lid assembly of claim 6 wherein the curvilinear rail is defined by a first stop at a first end of the curvilinear rail and a second stop at a second end of the curvilinear rail.
8. A lid assembly for use with a cup, the assembly comprising:
a lid having a mounting portion configured to mount to the cup, a top wall, and a side wall extending downward from an outer edge of the top wall to the mounting portion, the top wall having a raised edge portion, a recessed central portion, and an inner side wall extending downward from an inner edge of the raised edge portion to the recessed central portion, the having a curvilinear rail extending around a portion of a periphery of the raised edge portion, and a drink opening in a top surface of the curvilinear rail, wherein the top surface of the curvilinear rail is recessed with respect to adjacent portions of the raised edge portion, such that the curvilinear rail is defined by a first end wall extending upward from the top surface to a first adjacent portion of the raised edge portion at a first end of the curvilinear rail and a second end wall extending upward from the top surface to a second adjacent portion of the raised edge portion at a second, opposed end of the curvilinear rail, the first end wall forming a first stop at the first end of the curvilinear rail and the second end wall forming a second stop at the second end of the curvilinear rail, the curvilinear rail further including a channel in one of the side wall and the inner side wall; and
a moveable element comprising a base having a curvilinear inner edge and a curvilinear outer edge, a first leg depending from the outer edge of the base, a second leg depending from the inner edge of the base, and a ridge located on one of the first leg and the second leg, the moveable element slidingly mounted to the curvilinear rail, such that the base confronts the top surface of the curvilinear rail, the first leg is positioned along the side wall, the second leg is positioned along the inner side wall, and the ridge is received in the channel,
wherein the moveable element is moveable between a first position obstructing the drink opening to define a closed position and a second position spaced from the drink opening to define an open position, wherein the moveable element abuts one of the first end wall and the second end wall when the moveable element is in the first position, and the ridge slides along the channel as the moveable element is moved from the first position to the second position.
9. The lid assembly of claim 8 wherein a first end of the base of the movable element abuts the first stop when in the first position and a second, opposed end of the base of the moveable element abuts the second stop when in the second position.
10. The lid assembly of claim 8 wherein the curvilinear rail further comprises a second channel located in the other of the side wall and the inner side wall and the moveable element has a second ridge located in the other of the first leg and the second leg, wherein the second ridge is received by the second channel and slides along the channel as the moveable element is moved between the first and second positions.
11. A lid assembly for use with a cup, the assembly comprising:
a lid having a top wall having a raised edge portion defined by a curvilinear outer edge and a curvilinear inner edge, an outer side wall depending from an outer periphery of the top wall and having a first channel therein, an inner side wall depending from the inner edge of the raised edge portion and having a second channel therein, and a mounting portion connected to the outer side wall and configured to mount to the cup, the lid further having a drink opening in the raised edge portion; and
a moveable element having a base, a first leg and a second leg depending from opposite sides of the base, a first ridge located on the first leg, and a second ridge located on the second leg, the moveable element being slidingly mounted to the lid wherein the first ridge is received in the first channel, the second ridge is received in the second channel, and the moveable element contacts an outer surface of the raised edge portion of the top wall, the inner side wall, and the outer side wall of the lid, the moveable element being moveable between a first position obstructing the drink opening to define a closed position and a second position spaced from the drink opening to define an open position, wherein the base is defined by a first end, a second end, an inner curvilinear edge, and an outer curvilinear edge, and the first leg and the second leg each have a curvilinear contour, giving the moveable element a partially annular shape.
12. The lid assembly of claim 11 wherein the raised edge portion is annular and extends around an entire periphery of the lid.
13. The lid assembly of claim 11 wherein the raised edge portion further comprises a partially annular recessed surface defined by a first stop defined by a first end wall at a first end of the recessed surface and a second stop defined by a second end wall at a second end of the recessed surface, and wherein the moveable element contacts the recessed surface throughout a range of motion of the moveable element.
14. The lid assembly of claim 11 wherein the lid has a first stop and a second stop defining a range of movement of the moveable element between the first position and the second position.
15. A lid assembly for use with a cup, the assembly comprising:
a lid having a mounting portion configured to mount to the cup, a top wall, and a side wall extending downward from an outer edge of the top wall to the mounting portion, the top wall having a raised edge portion, a recessed central portion, and an inner side wall extending downward from an inner edge of the raised edge portion to the recessed central portion, the lid having a curvilinear rail comprising a recessed surface on the raised edge portion, the recessed surface defined between the inner edge of the raised edge portion, the outer edge of the top wall, a first end wall extending upward from a first end of the recessed surface to a first adjacent area of the raised edge portion, and a second end wall extending upward from a second, opposed end of the recessed surface to a second adjacent area of the raised edge portion, wherein the outer edge of the top wall and the inner edge of the raised edge portion are curvilinear to give the recessed surface a partially annular shape, the curvilinear rail further comprising a channel defined in one of the inner side wall and the outer side wall, the lid further comprising a drink opening in the recessed surface; and
a moveable element comprising a base having a curvilinear inner edge and a curvilinear outer edge, a first leg depending from the outer edge of the base, a second leg depending from the inner edge of the base, and a ridge located on one of the first leg and the second leg, the moveable element slidingly mounted to the curvilinear rail, such that the base confronts the top surface of the curvilinear rail, the first leg is positioned along the side wall, the second leg is positioned along the inner side wall, and the ridge is received in the channel,
wherein the moveable element is moveable within a range of movement between a first position obstructing the drink opening to define a closed position and a second position spaced from the drink opening to define an open position, and wherein the range of movement of the moveable element is limited such that no portion of the moveable element extends circumferentially beyond the first end wall or the second end wall of the recessed surface at any point within the range of movement.
16. The lid assembly of claim 15 , wherein the recessed central portion of the lid further comprises a lip recess.
17. The lid assembly of claim 15 wherein the curvilinear rail extends around a portion of a periphery of the top wall.
18. The lid assembly of claim 17 wherein the curvilinear rail is defined by a first stop defined by the first end wall and a second stop defined by the second end wall.
19. The lid assembly of claim 15 , wherein the curvilinear rail further comprises a second channel, and the moveable element has a second ridge, wherein the second ridge is received in the second channel when the moveable element is mounted to the lid.
20. The lid assembly of claim 15 wherein the lid has a first stop and a second stop defining the range of movement of the moveable element between the first position and the second position.