Product Lid Dispensing System

Abstract

A product lid dispensing system includes a number of lid members. The number of lid members are all of the same size, shape and construction. Thus, the number of lid members are placeable into a stacked configuration. Each lid member includes a protrusion that extends upward relative to the base of the lid member. The protrusion may be grasped by a user. When the protrusion of a target lid member is grasped by the user, pressure is applied to the underlying protrusion to assist the user in removing the target lid member from the remaining lid members.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a food or beverage lid device. More specifically, the present invention provides a simple, cost-effective solution to the problems of disposable food or beverage lids being difficult to remove from each other, and of being susceptible to numerous pathways of contamination, when used in a current lid dispensing system.

Prior art plastic beverage container lids are usually dispensed via the user attempting to grasp the outer rim of the lid and pulling outward. Lid dispensing systems are typically arranged in a tightly spaced, stacked orientation to optimize space and cost. Because of this, the exposed surface area on the outer diameter of the lid, which user must grab to extract the lid, is very small. Additionally, since the grabbing surface is at the outer extremity (outer rim) of the lid, and because the lids are made of thin, flexible material, it can be difficult for the user to consistently extract an individual lid. Often, when trying to remove the uppermost lid, one or more underlying lids will adhere to it during extraction and/or be dropped on dispensing station counters.

The underlying surfaces of these dropped lids have high probability of becoming contaminated by contact with exposed countertops or dispensing station surfaces, airborne transmission, droplet transmission, or from touching and handling by other users. After being potentially contaminated, these inadvertently extracted and dropped lids are sometimes reinserted into the stack and used by future consumers, thereby exposing the consumers to accrued contaminants; or the dropped lids are discarded, resulting in waste and increased costs. Additionally, the dropped lids are often left where they fell for some time, which results in cluttered and unkempt dispensing stations and degrades impressions of cleanliness.

An alternative method of extracting the target lid on prior art lid dispensing systems is for the users to place his or her finger behind the underlying surface of the target lid; pinch the lid body between the finger and thumb; and pull to remove. However, by touching the underlying surface of the target lid, the user can spread germs, microbes, bacteria, viruses, chemical or biological agents, or other contaminants directly from their fingers to the underlying surface of the container lid. Since the user extracting the lid may not be the individual consuming the product, a very direct pathway for person to person spread of disease or contamination exists in this scenario.

Any contamination on the underlying surface of a food or beverage container lid is likely to contact and mix with the contained product which will soon be ingested by consumer, allowing for a very quick and direct route for any pathogens or other contaminants to be ingested by the consumers.

Several mechanical and ratcheting style lid dispensing systems exist in prior art, but they are expensive; they require additional equipment and renovations to dispensing stations and countertops; they can be challenging to adjust, operate, and maintain; they can be difficult to properly clean and sanitize; and they often exhibit the same problems of excessive waste and potential for contamination as the simpler stacked style lid dispensing systems.

For the reasons explained above, there is a need for a system or method that will allow users to easily and reliably remove a single lid from a stack of lids at a lid dispensing station, in such a way that the chances of spreading germs, microbes, bacteria, viruses, chemical or biological agents, or other contaminants to the contained product are reduced.

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of food or beverage container lid dispensing systems that are currently available in the prior art, the present invention provides a system wherein the shape of the lid itself when stacked upon identical underlying lids provides an easily implemented, cost-effective, method to easily and consistently dispense a single lid at a time from the stack, with a reduced likelihood of dropped or wasted lids or contamination of the underlying surface of the lids.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The presented lid dispensing system comprises a stack of similarly formed lid members in any one of many possible stack orientations typically utilized in lid dispensing stations. This explanation is based on a vertically oriented stack, with the top lid as the target lid being extracted from the stack, but other embodiments can satisfy different stack arrangements.

Each individual lid member is typically formed with a raised protrusion on the top of the lid. The protrusion will be shaped and sized to allow the user to grasp and squeeze opposing sides of the protrusion with fingers and thumb. The lids will be nested in a stack such that the bottom surface of the top lid is nearly touching the top surface of the successive lid in the stack. Because of the angle of the protrusions, when the user pinches the protrusion by squeezing opposite walls of the protrusion inwards towards one another, opposing force vectors are exerted between the top lid and the successive lids which cause the top lid (or target lid) to slide outward, and the successive lid, and those under it, to slide inward, allowing for simple, distinct separation and extraction of the target lid from the stack.

In addition to the opposing forces induced on the raised protrusions, in some embodiments of the present invention, another feature is integrated which may aid in separating the top lid from the successive lids in the stack. As the two sides of the raised protrusion of the top lid are pinched inwards, the diameter of the lid will be reduced slightly along the axis of the pinching action. This reduction of the diameter can cause or assist the outer rim of the top lid to slide over and away from the outer rim of the successive lid in the stack. This will aid in overcoming any natural or static adhesion, frictional pairing, or intentionally designed geometric detents. In some embodiments, the lids may be purposefully designed with geometric detents or other frictional elements to help adhere the top lid to the successive lid until being pinched for extraction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the product lid dispensing system.

FIG. 2 shows a demonstrative view of an embodiment of the product lid dispensing system.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the product lid dispensing system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the product lid dispensing system. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the product lid dispensing system. The product lid dispensing system 10 comprises a plurality of lid members 11a, 11b. Each lid member 11a, 11b of the plurality of lid members is identical in shape and in construction. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b are circular. The plurality of lid members 11a, 11b, as shown, are disposed in a stacked configuration. The stacked configuration is defined where the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b are placed into contact with one another. The plurality of lid members 11a, 11b may be placed into contact with one another in a vertical arrangement, a horizontal arrangement or any additional suitable arrangement. In some embodiments, the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b may be placed into a dispensing station to provide sanitary cover to the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b. The lid members 11a, 11b are of any suitable material for providing protection to a food or beverage container. Ideally, the lid plurality of lid members 11a, 11b are made of a thin, impermeable material, such as plastic or paper. Furthermore, the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b may be made of a recyclable material or a reusable material. The plurality of lid members 11a, 11b may be produced by any suitable manufacturing process or mechanism, such as by thermoforming the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b, by vacuum-forming the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b or by pressure forming the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b.

Each lid member 11a, 11b comprises a protrusion 12a, 12b. The protrusion 12a, 12b extends upward from a base 13 of each lid member 11. The protrusion 12a, 12b is of any suitable shape for allowing an individual to engage the protrusion with their hand, as shown. The protrusion 12a, 12b may be of an ovular or conical shape, as well as defining tapered sides or curved sides, as well as having a flat or domed surface. The protrusion 12a, 12b (as shown in FIG. 2) defines an external surface 14 opposite of an internal surface. In use, the protrusion 12a, 12b is configured to assist with the removal of a target lid member 11a from the remaining lid members 11b. This is because pressure applied to the protrusion 12a of the target lid member 11a is applied against the protrusion of the underlying lid member 12b. The protrusion 12a, 12b is of any suitable configuration, size or shape to enable the user to apply pressure to the underlying protrusion 12b from the protrusion 12a of the target lid member 11a. In the illustrated embodiment, the protrusion 12a, 12b defines a blunted cone. In some embodiments, the protrusion 12a, 12b defines an interior angle between 5 degrees and 90 degrees. In a preferred embodiment, the protrusion 12a, 12b defines an inner angle between 30 degrees and 60 degrees. In some embodiments, the protrusion 12a, 12b may comprise at least one bump, ring, or other friction-enhancing surface, or may utilize convex or concave curvatures to aid in pinching, and in holding the lid once extracted, while transferring and securing to the intended container.

Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, each lid member of the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b comprises a lip 15. The lip 15 extends downward from the base 13 of the lid member around the entire perimeter of the lid member. When pressure is applied to the protrusion 12a, 12b, the diameter of the lip 15 is reduced, assisting the individual in the removal of the target lid member 11a from the underlying lid members 11b. This is because as the diameter of the lip 15 is reduced, pressure is applied to the lip of the underlying lid member 11b. The plurality of lid members 11a, 11b may comprise any means of connecting to applicable containers, depending on the type of material used, the temperature of the contents of the container, or any other factor considered relevant in standard industry practices.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a demonstrative view of an embodiment of the product lid dispensing system. In use, when the protrusion 12a of the target lid member 11a is grasped by the user and is pinched inwards, lateral pressure 24 is applied from the interior surface of the protrusion 12a of the target lid member 11a to the exterior surface of the protrusion 12b of the underlying lid member 11b. In addition to creating a downward force 22 to be applied to the protrusion 12b of the underlying lid member 11b, an upward force 23 is applied to the protrusion 12a of the target lid member 11a, assisting the user in pulling the target lid member 11a from the underlying lid member 11b and any other remaining lid members in the stacked configuration. Additionally, in some embodiments, as the protrusion 12a of the target lid member 11a is grasped by user and pinched inwards, the diameter of the target lid member 11a is reduced along the axis of the pinching action, pulling the lip 15a inwards and assisting the lip 15a of the target lid member 11a in sliding over the lip 15b of the underlying lid member 11b and assisting in separation and removal of the target lid member 11a from the underlying lid member 11b.

Additionally, in the shown embodiment, the lid member 11a, 11b comprises a detent 21. The detent 21 extends upward from the perimeter of the lid member 11a, 11b, before extending downward such as to form a seal with the container upon which the lid member 11a, 11b is placed. In the illustrated embodiment, the detent 21 is configured to secure to a container having a rounded rim, however, in alternate embodiments, the detent 21 is of any suitable structure for securing the lid member 11a, 11b to the container.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the product lid dispensing system. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b are stored in a dispensing station 31. The dispensing station 31, in the illustrated embodiment, is substantially tubular such as to maintain the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b in a stacked configuration.

In the illustrated embodiment, each lid member 11a, 11b comprises a flange 32 thereon. The flange 32 is defined on each lid member 11a, 11b such as to assist in securing the lid member 11a, 11b to a container. The flange 32 is of any suitable design for assisting in securing the lid member 11a, 11b to the container. Specifically, in the shown embodiment, the flange 32 is defined on the lip 15 of the lid member 11a, 11b, such as to secure the lid member 11a, 11b more effectively to a container.

In some embodiments, each lid member of the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b comprises at least one perforation therethrough. The at least one perforation may comprise a straw hole 33. The straw hole 33 is a cross-shaped perforation designed to allow for a straw to penetrate the lid member 11a, 11b. In another embodiment, the at least one perforation my comprise a pour hole 34. The pour hole 34 is designed to allow for a large flow of material from the container to pass through the lid member 11a, 11b.

In another embodiment, each lid member of the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b comprises a plurality of actuatable indicators 35. The plurality of actuatable indicators 35 are configured to assist the individual in identifying the contents of the container upon which the lid member 11a, 11b is installed. In a further embodiment, each lid member of the plurality of lid members 11a, 11b comprises a tab 36. In the specific embodiment, the tab 36 extends laterally from the outer edge of the lip 15 of each lid member 11a, 11b, such as to assist the user in moving and manipulating the lid member 11a, 11b or removing the lid member 11a, 11b from the container.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, 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 the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention 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 invention.

Claims

1) A product lid dispensing system, comprising: a plurality of lid members;each member of the plurality of lid members being identical in shape and construction;the plurality of lid members being disposed in a stacked configuration;each lid member comprising a protrusion;the protrusion defining an interior surface and an exterior surface and extending outward from a base of the lid member;the protrusion configured to assist in the removal of a target lid member from a remainder of the plurality of lid members as pressure exerted on the protrusion of the target lid member is applied against the protrusion of a underlying lid member.

2) The product lid dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lid members is stored in a dispensing station when in a stacked configuration.

3) The product lid dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lid members comprises a lip extending downward around the perimeter of the base, wherein pressure applied to the protrusion reduces a diameter of the lip, assisting in removal.

4) The product lid dispensing system of claim 1, wherein each lid member of the plurality of lid members further comprises at least one detent thereon.

5) The product lid dispensing system of claim 1, wherein each lid member of the plurality of lid members further comprises a flange extending around the perimeter of the base.

6) The product lid dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the protrusion defines an inner angle between 5 degrees and 90 degrees.

7) The product lid dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the protrusion defines an inner angle between 30 degrees and 60 degrees.

8) The product lid dispensing system of claim 1, wherein each lid member of the plurality of lid members comprises at least one perforation therethrough.

9) The product lid dispending system of claim 1, wherein each lid member comprises a plurality of actuatable indicators.

10) The product lid dispensing system of claim 1, further comprising a tab extending laterally from each lid member.

11) The product lid dispensing system of claim 1, wherein each lid member is composed of a thin, impermeable material.

12) The product lid dispensing system of claim 1, wherein each lid member is composed of a paper material.