Patent Application
20250178796
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The disclosure relates to a container lid and more particularly pertains to a new container lid for a container, such as a disposable container, that allows easier opening and closing of the container.
In the container industry, it is not uncommon for containers to have lids that are connected to the container by a groove connection that engages about the entire outer edge or lip or circumference of the container. Although these lids can provide a strong connection and sealing effect, the lids can be difficult to both connect and disconnect. They also require the entire lid to be removed to access any of the contents in the container. For example, disposable containers or pans, made of aluminum or plastic, are commonly used for making and storing food such as cakes, frozen desserts, hot meats and vegetables, and many other foods. These aluminum containers are relatively rigid but with some deformability, especially those made of thin aluminum material. They come in various shapes and sizes, such as, for example, 13×9 inch rectangular pans, 9×9 inch square pans, or 12-inch circular pans. Such pans are often sold in conjunction with raised plastic lids. The edge of the lid matches the outer edge or lip of the container. The lid usually connects in a snap fit connection about or along the entire circumference or perimeter edge of the container. As any person who has used such a container knows, these snap-fit connections can be challenging to both connect and disconnect due to the complete connection across the entire periphery. Further, if the container is deformed in some manner, such as by manufacture or by use, the connection is even more difficult to make because the groove connection cannot be made completely, which causes the lid to fall off or not connect at all. In contrast, if the container and the lid match very well, the snap-fit connection can be very strong due to the complete engagement about the perimeter edge, thereby making it very difficult to connect or disconnect the lid. In such situations, additional force is required to connect or disconnect the lid, which could lead to spillage or damage to the contents of the container.
In addition, such lids must be completely removed every time a user wishes to access the contents of the container. So, for example, if a user wishes to cut a single piece of cake or retrieve a single serving of hot food from such a container, or if the user wants to take a single item out of a plastic storage tub, the user must remove the entire lid and expose all of the contents of the container. Then, if the user wishes to close the container, the user must reconnect the entire lid. If the groove connection is particularly strong or has minimal tolerances that promote a tight fit, this disconnection and reconnection can be quite difficult, which effort is disproportionate and seemingly unnecessary if the user only wants to retrieve a portion of the contents of the container.
The prior art relates to a container lid for a disposable container, such as plastic cartons for eggs and fruit or for takeout food. These container lids do not provide the ability to partially open or close the container and are not usable with different types of containers, such as aluminum trays or pans. In addition, these container lids generally have a groove connection that engages about the entire outer edge or lip or circumference of the container, which can make attachment and removal difficult.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a container lid comprising a hinge portion disposed to divide the lid in two sections. In addition, the container lid comprises a plurality of projections that engage with the edge or lip of a container to lock the lid on the container. The projections are spaced apart to provide locking engagement but with less engagement force than a groove connection that engages about the entire outer edge or lip or circumference of the container. The projections in combination with the hinged design also permit partial opening of the lid by allowing one section to be disconnected from the container and pivoted away from the container while another section is still connected to the container.
The container lid is suitable for use with most any container but is particularly suitable for larger containers that typically have lids connected by a groove connection that engages about the entire outer edge or lip or circumference of the container. Such containers can be aluminum or plastic food containers, large heavy duty plastic tubs or containers, or other such containers that typically utilize a complete groove connection. The container lid is useful in situations where the container is to be opened multiple times by multiple users, such as when serving food at a party or gathering.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
With reference to
The lip 15 comprises a first lip portion 25 having a first width and a second lip portion 26 having a second width that is less than the first width. The width of the lip 15 can taper and gradually become smaller in size from the first lip portion 25, along the second lip portion 26, and terminating at the hinge portion 13. The width of the lip 15 is greater at the first lip portion 25 to provide a greater overlap and locking effect with the edge of a container. The width of the lip 15 tapers along the second lip portion 26 to decrease the overlap and thus decrease the locking effect with the edge of a container. Consequently, once a user lifts and overcomes the greater locking effect at the first lip portion 25, the further opening of a container is made easier due to the lesser locking effect at or along the second lip portion 26. In this manner, the connection between the lid 10 and a container is lessened because the connection is not a complete perimeter connection that must be overcome essentially all at once with substantial force. The locking tabs 20 assist in providing a connecting or gripping force at not only the first lip portion 25, but also at the second lip portion 26 where the locking force provided by the lip 15 is less.
This tapered design of the lip 15 on each of the sections 11, 12 to the hinge portion 13 provides two important functions or uses. With reference to
The space between the locking tabs 20 and the lip 15 of the lid 10 can be selected to match or substantially match the distance from the outer edge 32 of the container 30 to an inner wall 35 of the container 30, which distance may be similar or essentially equivalent to the width of the contact surface 33. In at least one possible embodiment, the distance is less or slightly less than the distance from the outer edge 32 of the container 30 to an inner wall 35 of the container 30 to increase the frictional engagement and gripping or holding or clamping force. The locking tabs 20 can cooperate with the lip 15 of the lid 10 to grip or frictionally engage the outer edge 32 and the inner wall 35 of the container 30.
In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the lip 15 is not tapered but has a consistent width or overlap with the outer edge 32 of the container 30. This width is relatively small or minimized to promote ease of disconnection and partial or complete opening. In this possible embodiment, the holding or locking force is primarily or entirely provided by the locking tabs 20.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
