Drink Lids are indeed great innovation but their earliest forms were nothing like the ones we have now. These days, when you swing by a convenience store to grab a soda, you find them already there ready to affixed to the top of your cup. All you have to do is poke a straw through the hole and you’ll be drinking your soda.
The whole process takes seconds and barely registers in the average human’s mind. For those who prefer coffee, drink lids can be elegant additions that will allow you to drink your hot coffee without scalding yourself.
The earliest drink lids were thought to have been created as a solution to drinks spilling while getting moved around. Historians believe that it was not until 1934 that the first drink through lid patent was filed.
By 1975, another was filed to solve the problem of the drinker needing to use an extra straw to create a hole in the lid. In the 1980s, over 20 new patents were filed for all sorts of improvements, including comfort, fit, splash reduction, and one-handed use.
The extra holes in drink lids are one example of the improvements. The holes are tiny and usually located opposite the hole you sip through.
The holes are there to make sure you don’t get hurt while drinking. Without extra holes, air will only be able to get into the container via the same hole the liquid comes out of.
When the flow of liquid stops for a short moment, it is because the liquid was forced so that air can enter the container.
If such a lid is used while drinking coffee, it would cause bubbles and splashes that are sure to hurt the drinker. With the extra hole, drinking is much safer because the tiny hole let’s air in while liquid flows out the second hole.
The extra hole also allows the exit of steam, aiding cool down and lessening the chances of the plastic melting.
