Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
TWO-PIECE CONTAINER LID
BACKGROUND
[0001] This invention relates generally to a two-piece lid for a
product container, and more specifically a lid with a base attachable to the
container and a cover covering the base for retail packaging.
[0002] Containers fabricated from plastic, paperboard, and/or
corrugated paperboard material are often used to package and display goods
for retail marketing. Product containers are important to marketing, storage,
and dispensing of product. At least some known containers are recloseable,
such that a consumer may remove product and securely maintain the
remaining products in the container, However, at least some such containers
include opening(s) which may limit consumer access if the size and
orientation of the opening(s) are not properly designed. Sometimes a
consumer may want to dispense a product one at a time and at other times
may want to dispense multiple products at a time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0003] In one aspect, a two-piece lid for a product container is
provided and includes a base attachable to the container, wherein the base
having a corner portion, wherein the base defines a first opening and a
second opening having a smaller size than the first opening, and the second
opening having a depression at the corner portion, and a single cover having
a major portion for removably covering the first opening and a minor portion
for removably covering the second portion, wherein the cover has a bottom
surface and the minor portion of the cover has a skirt portion on the bottom
surface of the cover, and the skirt portion is sized to fit the depression on
the
base.
[0003a] Thus, in accordance with one aspect, the present
application provides a two-piece lid for a product container comprising a base
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attachable to the container, wherein the base has a corner portion, wherein
the base
defines a first opening for dispensing product, and a second opening having a
smaller
size than the first opening, wherein the corner portion at the second opening
has a
depression to facilitate dispensing of product from the second opening; and a
single
cover having a major portion for removably covering the first opening and a
minor
portion for removably covering the second opening, wherein the cover has a
bottom
surface and the minor portion of the cover has a skirt portion on the bottom
surface of
the cover, and the skirt portion is sized to fit in the depression on the
base.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of an example
embodiment of a two-piece lid with the cover in an open configuration.
[0005] Fig. 2 is top perspective view of an example
embodiment of a two-piece lid with the cover in a closed configuration from
the lid shown in Fig. 1.
[0006] Fig. 3 is a top perspective view of the example
embodiment of Fig.2, wherein the cover is removed from the base of the lid.
[0007] Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the example
embodiment of Fig. 2, wherein the cover is removed from the base of the lid.
[0008] Fig. 5 is a side plan view of the example embodiment of
Fig. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0009] Provided herein are embodiments for a two-piece lid for
a product container with a base and a single cover covering the base.
[0010] The lid for a product container herein overcomes the
limitations of known lids. The two-piece lid includes a base that is
attachable
to a product container and a single cover covering the base. The base has a
first opening and a second opening having a smaller size than the first
opening. Having two openings on the base enables consumers to choose
whether they want to dispense one product at a time through the second
opening or several products at time through the first opening. The base also
has a corner portion at the second opening. Having a corner portion on the
second opening helps to guide product pieces in a targeted manner when the
product piece is being dispensed.
[0011] With particular reference to Fig. 1 and 2, in certain
embodiments, lid 10 is fabricated from a plastic material. The plastic
material
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can be polypropylene, polyethylene, and any number of appropriate plastic
materials that can be molded. In alternative embodiments, lid 1 0 is
fabricated
from any suitable material, and therefore is not limited to a specific type of
material. For example, in alternative embodiments, lid 10 is fabricated from
at
least one of metal, paperboard, cardboard, fiberboard, foamboard, corrugated
paper, and any other suitable material known to those skilled in the art and
guided by the teachings herein provided. As shown in Fig. 1, lid 10 has a
base 102 and a cover 104 that covers the base. The cover 104 and base 102
may be transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque and may be colored or not.
In certain embodiments, portions of the cover 104 include printed graphics,
branding, or nutritional information that are printed on or on a sticker. A
product container for a two-piece lid of the present invention may have an
overwrap for tamper evidence or to increase shelf-life.
[0012] The lid 10 has a rounded square perimeter but it can be
understood that the shape of the perimeter may be a rounded rectangle, or
any other shape that would have at least one corner portion. Having a lid with
a rounded square or rectangular perimeter and a product container with a
similar shape would maximize space for a container and at the same time
minimize the material.
[0013] The base 102 has a first opening 106 and a second
opening 108. The first opening 106 may be bigger than the second opening
108 or in other words the second opening 108 may be smaller than the first
opening 106 of the base. The second opening 108 may be substantially
triangular in shape. As well, the second opening 108 also includes a
depression 110 which may be at a corner portion 112. The depression 110 at
a corner portion 112 helps in dispensing product pieces from a container. At
the depression 110, a groove 144 may be positioned at the bottom of the
depression to better guide product pieces to dispense out from a container.
Product pieces that can be dispensed from a lid of this invention include
confectionery products like chewing gum, mints, hard candies, chewy
candies, gummies. chocolates, or caramels. Products that are to be
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dispensed from a lid of this invention can be of any suitable size and shape.
Examples of such shapes include pill, block, flat stick, pillow, round,
rectangular, triangular, and any combination of same.
[0014] Additionally, the first opening 106 of the base 102 may
also have a second corner portion 114. At the perimeter of the base, there
may be a ledge 138 that is configured to fit the cover 104. The ledge 138 and
the cover 104 may be configured so that the lid 10 has a flat top profile to
provide a clean look for a consumer. As well, having a flat top profile also
aids
in stacking multiple containers on top of one another for easier fit and
storage
in bigger cases that would hold multiple containers.
[0015] The cover 104 has a major portion 116 and a minor
portion 118. The major portion 116 removeably covers the first opening 106
and the minor portion 118 of the cover removeably covers the second opening
108. The cover 104 has a bottom surface and a top surface. On the bottom
surface of the cover, the minor portion 118 has a skirt portion 120 on the
bottom surface of the cover 104. The skirt portion 120 is sized to fit the
depression 110 of the base 102. In another embodiment, the skirt portion 120
may also have a side wall 128 on both sides of the skirt portion 120. The side
wall 128 may further have a protrusion 126 so that the cover 104 may better
engage the base 102. The side wall 128 would frictionally engage with the
base 102 to keep the lid 10 in a closed configuration. On the major portion
116 of the cover, a ridge 124 may be on the bottom surface of the cover 104
to frictionally engage the base 102 so that the cover 104 would remain closed.
There may be protrusions or flanges on the ridge 124 to better engage the
base 102.
[0016] In the illustrated embodiment, the cover 104 has a tab
122 on the major portion 116 and a second tab 123 on the minor portion 118.
The tabs provide a place for the consumer to easily open the cover 104. The
tabs may protrude slightly outside the perimeter of the base 102 so to provide
easy access for opening the lid 10. In an embodiment, the cover 104 has a
hinge connection 130. The hinge connection 130 works to join the major
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portion 116 and the minor portion 118 of the cover. Furthermore, the hinge
connection 130 is configured to allow the cover 104 to pivot along a first
hinge
134 and a second hinge 136. The first hinge 134 pivots the major portion 116
and the second hinge 136 pivots the minor portion 118 so that the lid 10 can
be in an open or closed configuration.
[0017] Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the first
opening 106 of the base and the major portion 116 of the cover are oriented in
a way to provide a first dispensing direction for product pieces. The second
opening 108 and the minor portion 118 are oriented in a way to provide a
second dispensing direction which is substantially opposite of the first
dispensing direction. In alternative embodiments, the dispensing direction
may be in the same direction, perpendicular to each other, or any other
direction to one another. It will be appreciated that any number and size of
openings and corresponding cover may be present in the lid 10 of the present
invention.
[0018] With particular reference to Fig. 3 and 4, in the example
embodiment where the cover 104 is removed from the base 102, a better view
of the detailed aspects of the lid 10 are shown. The cover 104 can be
connected to the base 102 by at least one snap-fit connection. Specifically, a
snap-fit connection can be made by having a bar 142 on the base 102 with
one or more holes 140 which can fit a peg 132 in the hole. The peg(s) 132
disposed on the bottom surface of the cover 104. There can be one peg, two
pegs, or three or more pegs to each snap-fit into a hole on the base 102. The
bar 102 may align to the hinge connection 130 part of the cover.
Alternatively,
the cover 104 can be connected to the base 102 by at least one welded
connection. A welded connection can be made between the cover 104 and
base 102 by using adhesive or heat to join the two pieces together.
[0019] In an embodiment, the lid 10 is configured to have a
snap-fit connection with a container. In the illustrated embodiment, the base
102 has a rim 146 at the bottom edge 152 of the base. The rim 146 has a
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perimeter that is slightly smaller than the bottom edge 152 of the base. The
rim 146 can also have one or more flanges 148. The flanges 148 are
protrusion from the rim 146 that can connect to a container by a snap-fit
connection. A flange 148 can be on the corner portion 112 of the base 102.
Alternatively, a flange 148 can be on straight portions of the base 102. There
may be one, two, or even up to 8 flanges on the rim 102.
[0020] With reference to Fig. 5, the depression 110 has a
depth Di measured from the top edge 150 of the base and the bottom edge
154 of the depression. The base 102 has a depth D2 measured from the top
edge 150 of the base and the bottom edge 152 of the base. In an
embodiment, Di may be more than 1/4 (one fourth) of D2. In another
embodiment, Di may be more than 1/2 (one half) of D2. In another
embodiment, Di may be more than 2/3 (two thirds) of D2. The depth of the
depression Di can in relation to the depth of the base D2 can be configured so
that a consumer will have an easier time dispensing product pieces. The
bigger the opening, the easier it is to dispense product pieces but the
opening
cannot be too big when the purpose of an opening for a consumer is to
dispense one or a few pieces of product. A base 102 having a depression 110
allows for smoother dispensing but still allows only one or a few pieces of
product out of the container.
[0021] Example embodiments of a two-piece product container
lid are described above in detail. The lids are not limited to the specific
embodiments described herein, but rather, components of systems and/or
steps of the methods may be utilized independently and separately from other
components and/or steps described herein. Although specific features of
various embodiments of the disclosure may be shown in some drawings and
not in others, this is for convenience only. In accordance with the principles
of
the disclosure, any feature of a drawing may be referenced and/or claimed in
combination with any feature of any other drawing.
[0022] This written description uses examples to illustrate the
disclosure, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the
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disclosure, including making and using any devices or systems and
performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the
disclosure is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that
occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be
within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not
differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent
structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language
of
the claims.
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