US20110068113A1

US20110068113A1 - Sanitary Cup Lids

Info

Publication number: US20110068113A1
Application number: US12/669,948
Authority: US
Inventors: Stanley Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-04-21
Filing date: 2009-04-21
Publication date: 2011-03-24
Also published as: WO2009132049A3; WO2009132049A2

Abstract

A disposable cup lid including a cover portion for protecting a drinking surface of the lid from contamination and a base portion for covering a container.

Description

This application claims the benefit of priority from the following U.S. patent applications: U.S. Patent Application No. 61/124,958, which was filed on Apr. 21, 2008 and entitled “Sanitary Anti-Spill Disposable Cup Lid;” U.S. Patent Application No. 61/125,574, which was filed on Apr. 25, 2008 and entitled “Sanitary Spill Resistant Cup Lid;” and U.S. Patent Application No. 61/125,906, which was filed on Apr. 29, 2008 and entitled “Sanitary Cup Lid.” Each of the foregoing applications is incorporated by reference into the present application in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

It is common to dispense hot coffee and tea in a disposable paper or plastic styrofoam cup and to cover the cup with a plastic lid. A primary concern in designing cup lids is to prevent spillage of hot liquids from the cup, to prevent burn injuries. However, when handling disposable cups and lids it is important to keep the lids from becoming contaminated. When a coffee shop employee places a lid on a cup filled with a hot beverage, the cup lid is picked up by hand and placed on the cup. During this procedure, it is inevitable that the hand of the employee touches the cup lid. The area of the cup lid to be contacted with the lip of a coffee drinker can in this way become contaminated with germs transmitted by the hand of the coffee shop employee, which may be a serious public health problem.

SUMMARY

It is desirable for a disposable cup lid to have both sanitary and spill resistant functions. The present cup lids assist in preventing cup lid contamination by hand, avoid the spillage of cup contents, and are easy to manufacture.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a hand closing a cup with a cup lid.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present disposable cup lid in a closed mode.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cup lid of FIG. 2 in an open mode.

FIG. 4 is the top plan view of the cup lid of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cup lid of FIG. 4 along line A-A.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present disposable cup lid with its aperture closed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cup lid of FIG. 6 with its aperture opened after the moveable cover has been rotated away by thumb.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the base portion (main cup lid) of the cup lid of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the cover portion of the cup lid of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the main cup lid of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the cover portion shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of another embodiment of a cover portion for the cup lid of FIG. 6.

FIG. 13 is a side view of the main cup lid of FIG. 8.

FIG. 14 is a side view of the cover portion of FIG. 9.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the main cup lid shown in FIG. 10 along line B-B.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the cover portion of FIG. 11 along line C-C placed on top of the cross-section of the main cup lid as shown in FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 shows the thumb of a user of the present cup lid positioned to detach the cover from the main cup lid.

FIG. 18 shows the cover detached from the main cup lid by a user's thumb.

FIG. 19 shows the cover pressed by a thumb over the main cup lid to reattach the cover to the main cup lid.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a hand capping a cup with a cup lid of the prior art.

FIG. 21 is a perspective elevated front view of another embodiment of the present cup lid.

FIG. 22 is a perspective elevated side view of the cup lid of FIG. 20.

FIG. 23 is another embodiment of the present cup lid.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the cup lid of FIG. 21 with ornamentation.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a hand closing the cup and cup lid of FIG. 21 with the palm.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a hand closing the cup and cup lid of FIG. 21 with the fingers.

FIG. 27 is a top view of the cup lid of FIG. 21.

FIG. 28 is a front view of the cup lid of FIG. 21.

FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view of the cup lid of FIG. 27 along line D-D.

FIG. 30 is a top view of the cup lid with ornamentation of FIG. 24.

FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view of the cup lid of FIG. 30 along line E-E.

FIG. 32 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present cup lid with a cover in place.

FIG. 33 is a perspective view of the cup lid of FIG. 32 with the cover lifted.

FIG. 34 is a top view of the cup lid of FIG. 32 without the cover.

FIG. 35 is a top view of the cover of the cup lid of FIG. 32.

FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view of the cup lid of FIG. 34 at the line F-F.

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present cup lid with a closed gate.

FIG. 38 is a perspective view of the cup lid of FIG. 37 with the gate opened.

FIG. 39 is a top view of the sanitary cup lid with a gate of FIG. 37.

FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view of the cup lid of FIG. 39 along line G-G.

DESCRIPTION

Sanitary Cup Lid

In a first embodiment, the present disposable cup lid comprises two separate components attached and fitted together, a main cup lid (base portion) 16 and a covering apron (cover portion) 15. The base portion 16 includes a generally horizontal surface 42 for covering the upper opening of a container 12 and a vertical wall 44 extending downward (when positioned on the container 12 in normal use) from the periphery of the horizontal surface 42 to a point below the upper rim of the container 12, in order to contain a liquid or other flowable material within the container 12. The base portion 16 also includes a lower surface 43 for engaging the rim of a container 12 on which the present cup lid 14 can be placed. Preferably, the lower surface 43 engages the rim of the container 12 so as to form a friction fit with the container 12, although other means of securing the base portion 16 to the rim of a container 12 known to those of skill in the art can also be employed. The covering apron covers the area of the main cup lid where a user's lip generally touches when drinking a beverage. The two components can be made separately or in a single injection molding process.
FIG. 1 shows how a disposable cup lid can be contaminated by a hand. When a cup 12 filled with a beverage is capped, a disposable cup lid of the prior art 13 is held by a hand 11 and placed on the rim of a cup 12. The disposable cup lid 13 is then pressed by the hand 13 to fit and seal it to the cup 12. It is inevitable for parts of the hand 13, usually the palm and fingers, to touch the upper surface of the disposable cup lid 13, and sometimes the area of the disposable cup lid 13 contacted by the hand 13 during this procedure involves the place where the lips of a user will touch the cup lid 13 when drinking a beverage. This can be a serious public health threat if the hands of the beverage handler harbor dangerous germs.
FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 illustrate one embodiment of a sanitary disposable cup lid 14 when it is covered and open, respectively. The cover portion 15 includes both an anterior moveable portion 25 and a posterior portion 21, which can be integrally formed, such as through injection molding. The anterior moveable portion 25 of the cover portion 15 is long and wide enough to cover the area where the lips of a beverage drinker touch when drinking from the lid 14. Preferably, the surface area of the vertically extending portion 36 of the anterior moveable portion 25 is between about 3 square centimeters (3 centimeters×1 centimeter), appropriate for a child, and 8 square centimeters (4 centimeters×2 centimeters) for an adult, in order to cover the mouth-touching area of the main cup lid 16.
In order to cover the area of the main cup lid 16 generally contacted by a user's mouth, the anterior moveable portion 25 comprises both a horizontally extending portion 26 and a vertically extending portion 36. The horizontally extending portion 26 is secured at a proximal end 27 to the posterior portion 21, and is connected to a proximal end of 37 of the vertically extending portion 36 at a distal end 28 of the horizontally extending portion 26. When the cover portion 15 is covering an aperture 19 of the main cup lid 16 through which a user drinks a liquid in the container 12, as shown in FIG. 2, the horizontally extending portion 26 is positioned approximately parallel to the horizontal surface 42 (upper surface) of the main cup lid 16 and extends from the hinge 20 to a point at or just beyond the periphery of the horizontal surface 42. The horizontally extending portion 26 is sized so as to cover both the aperture 19 as well as a portion of the upper surface of the horizontal surface 42 around the periphery of the aperture 19. From this distal end 28 of the horizontally extending portion 26, the vertically extending portion 36 extends approximately parallel to the vertical wall 44 of the main cup lid, i.e. generally downwardly, to a point at or below the lower vertical extent of the vertical wall 44. The distal end 38 of the vertically extending portion 36 can include a projection or handle 22 which extends away from the side wall of the container 12, in order to facilitate moving the cover portion 15 so as to expose the aperture 19, i.e. to open the cover portion 15.
The aperture cover 17 preferably comprises a downwardly-disposed indentation or stopper in the main cup lid 16 and is sized to fit within the aperture 19. Preferably, the lower surface 35 of the aperture cover 17 contacts all or substantially all of the interior periphery of the aperture 19, and more preferably can form a friction fit with the interior periphery of the aperture 19, in order to close and seal the aperture 19.
The posterior portion 21 of the cover portion 15 is secured to the main cup lid 16, such as by a friction fit between the lower surface 33 of the cover portion 15 and the upper surface 41 of the main cup lid 16, although these two components can also be physically attached or secured in other manners, such as with an adhesive. The posterior portion 21 is preferably semi-circular in shape and tightly fits onto the reciprocally shaped portion 23 of the main cup lid 16. In between and connecting the anterior moveable and posterior fixed portions of the cover portion 15 is a hinge 20 that allows the anterior moveable portion to move with respect to the posterior portion 16.
In use, a beverage drinker grasps the handle 22 of the cover portion 15 using the fingers, and then lifts it to expose the aperture 19 of the main cup lid 16. The cover portion 15 preferably includes an aperture cover 17 reciprocally molded to fit within the aperture 19. Once the cover portion 15 is lifted up, it can be rotated around the hinge and placed upside down, i.e. with the lower surface facing upward, and can be immobilized by buttoning the aperture cover 17 onto a protuberance 18 of the main cup lid 16.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the cup lid 14. FIG. 5 shows the two separate components. The main cup lid 16 that caps the cup, and the cover portion 15 that in turn covers the main cup lid by fitting its posterior fixed portion onto the reciprocally depressed portion 23 of the main cup lid. The two components can be manufactured by a single injection molding process, in which the posterior fixed portion of the cover portion 15 and its reciprocally depressed portion 23 of the main cup lid 16 become one body.

Rotatable Sanitary Cup Lid

FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the present sanitary spill-resistant cup lid in a closed position, with FIG. 7 illustrating this cup lid in an open position. As shown in FIGS. 7-9, in this embodiment the cup lid consists of two parts, a main cup lid (base portion) 120 and a moveable cover 121. The main cup lid 120 includes a circumferential rim 124, an aperture 132 preferably located on the rim 124, a side wall 127 extending downwardly from the outer periphery of the rim 124, and a peripheral groove 128 to seal the cup. In addition, the main cup lid 120 has an upwardly projecting center post 122 protruding from the center of the rim 124. The center post 122 includes an upwardly projecting side wall or walls 118 and at least a base portion 119 of the side wall 118 that has a cross section which is circular or approximately circular. A center post 122 which is not circular in cross section but which allow rotation of the moveable cover 121 can also be use, for example a center post 122 with a series of flat walls which together approximate a circle in shape.
In between the center post 122 and the rim 124 is an upper surface 115, which in the illustrated embodiment comprises a recess 125 that accommodates a disk 130 of the moveable cover 121. A ventilation hole 123 can be placed in the center top of the post 122.
The moveable cover 121 is placed over the main cup lid 120, and has three basic sub-components: the disk 130, a sanitary overlay 133 and the apron 134. The size of the disk 130 can be large enough to tightly fit the recess 125 of the main cup lid 120 as shown in the FIG. 11. In this embodiment, the recess 125 of the moveable cover 121 includes upwardly extending walls 116 around the periphery 117 of the recess 125, and at least a portion of the periphery 138 of the disk engages the upwardly extending walls 116 around the periphery 117 of the recess 125 with a friction fit. Alternatively or in addition, the disk 130 can have a smaller center hole (central opening) 131 as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 12. The smaller center hole 131 of the embodiment of FIG. 12 will tightly fit the center post 122 of the main cup lid 120. If the disk 130 does not tightly fit and remain attached to the main cup lid 120, the moveable cover 121 can be displaced easily from the desirable location that protects the mouth-contacting area.
The overlay 133 is designed to cover the circular upper surface of the rim 124 of the main cup lid 120, and is wide enough to cover the mouth-contacting area. It preferably also has an aperture stopper 132 to fit and seal the aperture 126 in order to make the cup lid spill resistant, in the manner described above for the aperture cover 17. The overlay 133 comprises both a horizontally extending portion 141 and a vertically extending portion 145. The horizontally extending portion 141 is secured at a proximal end to the disk 130, and is connected to a proximal end of the vertically extending portion 145 at a distal end of the horizontally extending portion 131. The vertically extending portion 145 extends approximately parallel to the vertical wall of the main cup lid, i.e. generally downwardly, preferably to a point at or below the lower vertical extent of the vertical wall.
The apron 134 comprises a surface attached to the distal end of the vertically extending portion 145 of the overlay 133 and extends outwardly (i.e., away from the container when the lid is attached to a container) from the overlay 133 in order to further cover the mouth contacting area of the main cup lid 120, especially the area likely to contact a user's lower lip. At the distal end of the moveable cover 121 is a serrated edge or handle 136. By rotating the serrated handle 136 around the axis of the center post 122 by thumb as shown in FIG. 7, the cup lid can be opened for drinking. When rotating the moveable cover 121, the position of the thumb does not need to be displaced much by pushing aside the serrated handle 136 repetitively. Once a tooth of the serrated handle 136 is pushed aside, another tooth will be ready to be pushed away as the moveable cover 121 rotates. Therefore, the cup lid can be open by using only one hand. In addition, as shown in the FIGS. 17-19, by using the thumb only, the apron 134 and the overlay 133 can be slightly lifted for easy rotation of the moveable cover 121, by extending an upward force against the lower surface or outer edge of the serrated handle 136, and can be pressed to seal the aperture 132.
FIGS. 10 and 11 are top views of the main cup lid 120 and the moveable cover 121 respectively. FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment of the moveable cover 121. In FIG. 11, the diameter of the disk 130 is large enough to reach and fit the recess 125 of the main cup lid 120. By extending the outer edge of the disk 125 all the way to the inner side wall 137 (upwardly extending walls 116) of the rim 124 of the main cup lid 120, the disk 130 can be secured and prevented from easy displacement, particularly if the side wall 137 includes an indentation for receiving the outer edge (periphery 117) of the disk 130.
In FIG. 12, the diameter of the disk 130 is not enough to reach the side wall 137. In this embodiment, however, the side of the center hole 131 of the disk 130 is small enough to tightly fit the post 122 of the main cup lid 120 to prevent easy displacement. In a similar manner, an indentation can be created on the side wall of the post 122 to retain the inner edge of the disk 130 and to thereby further reinforce the secure placement of the disk 130. When the disk size is small, another indentation on the side wall of the post 122 can be the only feature to secure the disk 130 to the main cup lid 120.
FIGS. 13 and 14 are side views of FIGS. 8 and 9 respectively. FIG. 15 shows a cross-sectional view of the main cup lid 120 along line B-B of FIG. 10. It is a cut view at the exact middle of the main cup lid 120 and illustrates the center post 122 with the ventilation hole 123, the rim 124, the recess 125, the indentation 137, the aperture 126, the side wall 127, the annular groove 129, and the peripheral groove 128. The unique features of this main cup lid 120 include the center post 123 around which the moveable cover 121 rotates to open and close the cup lid, and the indentation 137 which keeps the disk 130 from lifting. In a similar manner, the indentation 137 can be made in the bottom wall of the center post 122 to accommodate the periphery of the central opening of the disk 130 in order to reinforce the security of the disk 130. The another indentation can help the smaller sized disk 130 of FIG. 12 from being displaced. Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited only in this preferred embodiment, but can be applied to other possible embodiments.
FIG. 16 is the cross-sectional view of the moveable cover 121 at the line C-C of FIG. 11 when placed on the main cup lid 120. It is colored in black. It illustrates how the components of the moveable cover 121 reciprocally engage to the counterparts of the main cup lid 120. The disk 130 is placed on top of the recess 125 with the peripheral edge of the disk extending all the way to the indentation 137. The center hole 131 surrounds and moves around the center post 122. The overlay 133 protects the mouth touching area of the rim 124 of the main cup lid 120. The aperture stopper reciprocally closes the aperture 126 when the overlay 133 is pressed on the rim 124. The fold 135 between the overlay 133 and the apron 134 fits into the annular groove 129 of the main cup lid 120 helping to secure the moveable cover 121. The outer edge of apron 134 can comprise a serrated handle 136 that is pushed aside repetitively by thumb to rotate the moveable cover 121.

Further Sanitary Cup Lids

FIG. 20 shows a hand touching the lid of a prior art disposable cup 232. It is inevitable that an individual attaching such a lid to a cup will touch the aperture 231 and also the area nearby likely to be contacted by the mouth of a user. In another embodiment of the present disposable cup lid, shown in FIGS. 21, 22, 25 and 26, the aperture 231 and the mouth piece 239 are recessed and thus protected from being directly touched by the hand of a user, so that the chance of a hand touching those areas is substantially reduced. The mouth piece 239 is located behind the arms 234 of the cup lid. When the cup lid is picked up, the hands will touch the outer surface of the arms 234 as shown in FIG. 26. When the cup lid needs to be pressed onto the cup 232 to seal it to the cup 232, the user's palm will touch the horizontal upper surface 233 of the cup lid as shown in FIG. 25. Therefore, the chance of contamination by hands is minimized.
FIG. 23 shows an embodiment of the cup lid of FIGS. 21, 22, 25 and 26 having elevated arms 240 guarding the aperture 231 and the mouth piece 239. This can further protect the mouth piece 239 and aperture 231. By creating ornamental figures on the upper surface 233, as shown in FIG. 24, drinking coffee or tea can be made more fun, i.e. through the addition of upward ornamental projections 241 (for eyes) and 242 (for a nose) and/or ornamental grooves 243 (FIG. 30). The embodiments shown in FIGS. 21-26, the present lid comprises a horizontal upper surface 233, and an outer vertical side wall 235 extending downwardly from an outer periphery 251 of the horizontal upper surface 233. The side wall 235 has a first vertical side end 260 connected to (preferably directly connected to) a first vertical end wall 270 and a second vertical side end 266 connected to (preferably directly connected to) a second vertical end wall 280.
The first vertical end wall 270 has a proximal edge 271, a distal edge 272 adjacent the outer periphery of the lid, an upper edge 273, and a lower edge 274. The second vertical end wall 280 likewise a proximal edge 281, a distal edge 282 adjacent the outer periphery of the lid, an upper edge 283, and a lower edge 284. A lower wall 290 extends between and connects the lower edge 274 of the first vertical end wall 270 and the lower edge 284 of the second vertical end wall 280, thereby forming a recess for protecting the aperture from contamination. When the upper edges of each of the first and second vertical end walls are vertically higher than the horizontal upper surface 233, elevated arms 240 can be formed, as described above.
Horizontally between and/or behind this recess is the aperture 231, which is positioned below the upper surface 233. Preferably the aperture 231 is located between the first vertical end wall 270 and the second vertical end wall 280, i.e. a line extending horizontally from the axial center of the lid radially outwardly that passes through the aperture will be between the first vertical end wall 270 and the second vertical end wall 280. The aperture 231 is also preferably located centrally of the distal edge of at least one of the first and second vertical end walls. The mouth piece 239 comprises an aperture surface 290 where the aperture 231 is located. The mouth piece 239 and aperture surface 290 are preferably positioned vertically higher than the lower wall 290.
FIGS. 32-36 show another embodiment of the present cup lid which combine the recessed aperture feature of the embodiments of FIGS. 21-26 and the cover portion of the embodiments of FIGS. 2-5. In this embodiment, a cover includes a base portion 247 and an apron portion 245 which protects the aperture 231 and the mouth piece 239. The cover can lifted as shown in FIG. 33, preferably by actuating a handle 246 to rotate the cover around a hinge 248 attached to the upper surface of the lid. The cover can also be closed to recover the lid. FIG. 33 further illustrates a downwardly-disposed indentation or stopper 244 located on the underside of the cover for sealing liquid in the container, in the manner described previously for indentation 17 in FIGS. 2-5. FIG. 34 shows the top view of the lid portion only, and FIG. 35 the cover portion only. FIG. 36 illustrates the reciprocal relationship of the cover and the lid.
FIG. 37 is another embodiment of the present cup lid having a gate 250 protecting the aperture 231 and the mouth piece 239. The gate portion 250 can be formed as a thin rectangular band by an injection molding process, after which it would need to be cut horizontally at the lower edge and vertically at the middle so as to allow the gate to open. This process can be done at the time the cup lid is manufactured. The gate 250 comprises a proximal edge connected to the distal edge of the first and/or the second vertical end wall and a sheet of material extending distally from the proximal edge.
As used herein, the term “comprise” and variations of the term, such as “comprising” and “comprises,” are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” and similar referents used herein are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural unless their usage in context indicates otherwise.
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments are possible. The steps disclosed for the present methods, for example, are not intended to be limiting nor are they intended to indicate that each step is necessarily essential to the method, but instead are exemplary steps only. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of preferred embodiments contained in this disclosure. The drawings are also provided for illustration purposes only, and are not necessarily to scale. All references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Claims

1. A lid for a container holding a liquid, the lid comprising:

(a) a base portion comprising:

(i) a circumferential rim having an aperture which allows a flow of liquid therethrough;

(ii) a side wall extending downwardly from the outer periphery of the circumferential rim;

(iii) an upper surface extending inwardly from the circumferential rim; and

(iv) a center post projecting upwardly from the upper surface, the center post having a side wall; and

(b) a movable cover portion positioned on an upper surface of the base portion, comprising:

(i) a disk having a central opening sized to accommodate the center post of the base portion;

(ii) a sanitary overlay comprising a horizontally extending portion secured at a proximal end to the disk and a vertically extending portion connected to a distal end of the horizontally extending portion and extending downwardly therefrom; and

(iii) an outwardly extending surface connected to a distal end of the vertically extending portion of the overlay and extending outwardly therefrom,

wherein the moveable cover portion is rotatable around the center post of the base portion.

2. The lid of claim 1, wherein at least a base portion of the side wall has a circular cross section.

3. The lid of claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the base portion comprises a recess and upwardly extending walls around the periphery of the recess, and wherein the periphery of the disk engages the upwardly extending walls around the periphery of the recess.

4. The lid of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the outwardly extending surface comprises a serrated edge.

5. The lid of claim 1, further comprising an inner side wall extending upwardly from the upper surface to the rim, the inner side wall comprising an indentation for receiving an outer edge of the disk.

6. The lid of claim 1, wherein a base portion of the side wall of the center post includes an indentation for accommodating the periphery of the central opening.

7. A lid for a container holding a liquid, the lid comprising:

a horizontal upper surface;

an outer vertical wall extending downwardly from an outer periphery of the horizontal upper surface and having a first vertical side end and a second vertical side end;

a first vertical end wall connected to the first vertical side end of the outer vertical wall, the first vertical end wall having a distal edge adjacent the outer periphery of the lid, an upper edge, and a lower edge;

a second vertical end wall connected to the second vertical side end of the outer vertical wall, the second vertical end wall having a distal edge adjacent the outer periphery of the lid, an upper edge, and a lower edge;

a lower wall extending between the lower edge of the first vertical end wall and the lower edge of the second vertical end wall; and

an aperture positioned below the horizontal upper surface, between the first vertical end wall and the second vertical end wall, and central of the distal edge of at least one of the first and second vertical end walls,

wherein the first vertical end wall, second vertical end wall, and lower wall form a recess for protecting the aperture from contamination.

8. The lid of claim 7, wherein the first and second vertical end walls each comprise a proximal edge, and wherein the aperture is positioned centrally with respect to the proximal edge of at least one of the first and second vertical end walls.

9. The lid of claim 7, wherein the aperture is located in an aperture surface, the aperture surface being positioned vertically higher than the lower wall.

10. The lid of claim 7, wherein the upper edge of each of the first and second vertical end walls is vertically higher than the horizontal upper surface.

11. The lid of claim 7, further comprising a first sheet of material attached to the distal edge of the first vertical end wall and a second sheet of material attached to the second vertical end wall, wherein the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material form gates to protect the aperture from contamination.

12. A lid for a container holding a liquid, the lid comprising:

(a) a cover portion comprising:

(i) a posterior portion;

(ii) an anterior moveable portion having a horizontally extending portion and a vertically extending portion, wherein the horizontally extending portion is secured at a proximal end to the posterior portion and at a distal end to the vertically extending portion; and

(iii) a hinge connecting the anterior moveable portion and the posterior portion; and

(b) a base portion comprising a horizontal surface and a vertical wall and having a lower surface for engaging an upper rim of the container, the base portion further comprising an aperture allowing a flow of liquid therethrough,

wherein the horizontally extending portion of the anterior moveable portion of the cover portion covers the aperture, and wherein the vertically extending portion extends to a lower vertical extent of the vertical wall of the base portion.

13. The lid of claim 12, wherein the aperture is in the horizontal surface of the base portion, and wherein the cover portion further comprises a downwardly-disposed indentation sized to fit within the aperture.

14. The lid of claim 12, further comprising a projection at the distal end of the vertically extending portion.

15. The lid of claim 12, wherein the anterior moveable portion, hinge, and posterior portion are integrally formed.