AU2014202007A1 - Augmented Beverage Container Lid - Google Patents

Abstract

An augmented beverage container lid for a disposable beverage container; said lid provided at a periphery of said lid with an integrally formed projecting tab. Fig. I

Description

1 AUGMENTED BEVERAGE CONTAINER LID TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to lids for disposable beverage containers and, more particularly, to devices which provide additional benefits to a consumer. BACKGROUND [00023 The takeaway, throw away beverage container, typically of a paper or polymer construction, and its disposable polymer clip-on lid have become a ubiquitous convenience of modern life. [00031 Some have adapted the lid at least as a vehicle for advertising indicia. This generally only allows for a transient impact of the indicia as the lid is disposed of having become wetted by the beverage in use. Thus the lid itself is an unsuitable vehicle for special offers for example which would require either the tendering of the lid to some sponsoring entity or at least a later action by the user wishing to take advantage of the offer, or refer to instructions or other relevant information provided. [00041 It is an object of the present invention to address or at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages. Notes [00053 The term "comprising" (and grammatical variations thereof) is used in this specification in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including", and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of". [0006] The above discussion of the prior art in the Background of the invention, is not an admission that any information discussed therein is citable prior art or 2 part of the common general knowledge of persons skilled in the art in any country. SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0007] Accordingly, in first broad form of the invention, there is provided an augmented beverage container lid for a disposable beverage container; said lid provided at a periphery of said lid with an integrally formed projecting tab. [0008] Preferably, said tab projects outwardly from said periphery; said tab lying substantially in a plane defined by said periphery. [0009] Preferably, said tab is a break-away tab; said tab detachable from said periphery of said lid by provision of a weakened junction line between said lid and said tab at said periphery. [00010] Preferably, said junction line is formed with a cross section of thinner material relative said lid and said tab. [00011] Preferably, said junction line comprises a line of perforations extending along said periphery. [00012] Preferably, said tab extends along a portion of said periphery; said tab subtending an angle at the centre of said lid between 15 and 30 degrees. [00013] Preferably, wherein said tab is provided with indicia.

3 [00014] Preferably, said indicia comprises information regarding bonus offers available to a purchaser or drinker of a beverage provided in said beverage container with said lid. [00015] Preferably, said indicia comprises advertising material related to beverage contents provided in said beverage container with said lid. [000163 Preferably, said indicia comprises advertising material related to products. [00017] Preferably, said tab comprises a coupon for redemption of a service or product. [00018] Preferably, said tab comprises a coupon for accessing a discount on a service or product. [00019] Preferably, wherein said lid and said tab are provided with indicia. [00020] In another broad form of the invention, there is provided a method of including an integral tab at a periphery of a lid for a beverage container; said method including the steps of: [00021] thermoforming said lid from a sheet of polymer over a mould surface, [00022] applying a cutting die to said lid to cut a periphery of said lid and integral tab. [00023] Preferably, wherein application of said cutting die includes forming a junction line of thinner cross section between said lid and said integral tab.

4 [00024] Preferably, said integral tab is provided with indicia; application of said indicia comprising any one of screen printing, ink jet printing, offset printing. [000251 Preferably, thermoforming of said lid and said tab includes forming a raised pattern in either one or both of said lid and said tab. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [00026] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an augmented beverage container lid according to the invention applied to a disposable beverage container, Figure 2 is a side cross sectioned view of the beverage container lid of Figure 1. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS [00027] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, and augmented beverage container lid 10 for a disposable beverage container 12 is comprised of a lid portion 14 provided at a periphery 16 of the lid portion with an integrally formed projecting tab 18. Preferably, though not necessarily, the tab 18 projects outwardly from the periphery 16 with the tab lying substantially in a plane defined by the periphery 16, as best seen in Figure 2. [00028] The tab 18 is a break-away tab, detachable from the periphery 16 of the lid portion 14 by provision 5 of a weakened junction line 20 between the lid portion and the tab 18 at the periphery 16. [00029] As best seen in Figure 2, junction line 20 is formed with a cross section of thinner material relative the lid portion 14 and the tab 18. In an alternative preferred arrangement, the junction line 20 may comprise a line of perforations extending along the periphery 16 between the tab 18 and lid portion 14. [00030] Preferably, the tab extends along the periphery 16 of the lid portion 14 so as to subtend and angle at the centre of the lid portion between 15 and 30 degrees. [00031] The break-away tab 18 is provided with indicia 22 on at least its upper surface. The indicia may comprise advertising material related to the beverage contents provided in the beverage container 12, or may be in the form of a decorative pattern, but more preferably will relate to some offer of benefit to the consumer of the beverage provided in the beverage container 12. Alternatively, the indicia may comprise advertising material relating to products. [000321 The tab 18, by virtue of its being detachable from the lid portion 14, the tab may be retained by the consumer for tendering to a sponsoring entity for example, for redemption of the benefit indicated by the indicia on the tab. [00033] As well known in the industry, beverage container lids for disposable beverage containers are thermoformed of a thin polymer material. To form the lid portion 14 into the typical shape as shown in the cross section view of Figure 2, an initially flat sheet of a suitable polymer material is laid over a male mould conforming to the internal surfaces of the lid portion. The application of heat (the thermoforming process) then 6 causes the polymer material to soften and form onto the mould. After cooling, a cutting die is applied to cut the periphery of the lid, separating the formed lid from the polymer sheet. [00034] For the augmented beverage container lid of the invention, the process is identical except that in this instance the cutting die includes provision for the outwardly projecting tab 18 and an arcuate element to form the weakened junction line 20 between the tab and the lid portion. [00035] The provision of indicia 22 on the tab 18 may be any technique common in the art of printing indicia on polymer substrate, and may include any one of screen printing, ink jet printing or offset printing. [00036] In at least one preferred form of the augmented beverage container lid of the invention, portions of both the lid portion 14 and the tab 18 may be provided with indicia. [00037] In still another preferred form, the tab 18 need not be flat or be bounded by the geometric edges as shown in Figure 1, but may take the outline and shape of a celebrity or other well know figure for example. In this case the male thermoforming mould will include a raised patterned portion defining the underside surface of the tab. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY [00038] Aside from the tab 18 providing a vehicle for indicia, it can materially assist in the removal of the lid portion 14 from the container 12. Many users of take away beverages prefer to drink from the lip of the beverage cup rather than through the orifice 24 in the rim 26 of the lid. This is sometimes awkward to do from a 7 container full of hot liquid and the tab 18 provides a useful grasping portion to manage removal of the lid. [00039] The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (18)

1. An augmented beverage container lid for a disposable beverage container; said lid provided at a periphery of said lid with an integrally formed projecting tab.

2. The lid of claim I wherein said tab projects outwardly from said periphery; said tab lying substantially in a plane defined by said periphery.

3. The lid of claim 1 or 2 wherein said tab is a break-away tab; said tab detachable from said periphery of said lid by provision of a weakened junction line between said lid and said tab at said periphery.

4. The lid of claim 3 wherein said junction line is formed with a cross section of thinner material relative said lid and said tab.

5. The lid of claim 3 wherein said junction line comprises a line of perforations extending along said periphery.

6. The lid of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said tab extends along a portion of said periphery; said tab subtending an angle at the centre of said lid between 15 and 30 degrees.

7. The lid of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said tab is provided with indicia. 9

8. The lid of claim 7 wherein said indicia comprises information regarding bonus offers available to a purchaser or drinker of a beverage provided in said beverage container with said lid.

9. The lid of claim 7 wherein said indicia comprises advertising material related to beverage contents provided in said beverage container with said lid.

10. The lid of claim 7 wherein said indicia comprises advertising material related to products.

11. The lid of claim 7 wherein said tab comprises a coupon for redemption of a service or product.

12. The lid of claim 7 wherein said tab comprises a coupon for accessing a discount on a service or product.

13. The lid of any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein said lid and said tab are provided with indicia.

14. A method of including an integral tab at a periphery of a lid for a beverage container; said method including the steps of: (a) thermoforming said lid from a sheet of polymer over a mould surface, (b) applying a cutting die to said lid to cut a periphery of said lid and integral tab.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein application of said cutting die includes forming a junction line of thinner cross section between said lid and said integral tab. 10

16. The method of claim 14 or 15 wherein said integral tab is provided with indicia; application of said indicia comprising any one of screen printing, ink jet printing, offset printing.

17. The method of any one of claims 14 to 16 wherein thermoforming of said lid and said tab includes forming a raised pattern in either one or both of said lid and said tab.

18. An indicia supporting tab of a disposable beverage container lid as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.