Suspended containers

A support for a predetermined wide mouth container having a rim at its top opening, the support comprising a structure having a supporting ring constructed to interfit with the rim of the container, wherein a suspending element flexible along its length is integrated with the structure, the suspender being deflectable from its formed position to an upstanding position in which it is capable of carrying weight of the container.

A container support comprising an elongated flexible suspender for the container constructed and arranged to provide lift offset to impart a substantial tilt to the container when the container is supported by the suspender.

9 The support of claim 1, 2 or 3 in which suspender lies parallel with and along or between limiting planes of said supporting ring.

A free-ended finger suspender associated with a support ring for a container, the finger suspender having an axis of elongation and comprising at least a flexible root region of relatively short extent along said axis of elongation, a main body of substantially greater extent along said axis, and a terminal end shaped to receive a supporting finger.

A suspending structure for a container comprising a supporting ring having an axis of symmetry and an elongated, flexible suspender joined to said ring asymmetrically with respect to said ring in manner to cause the container supported by said ring to hang at an angle.

A support for a container comprising two flexible finger suspenders integrated with an overcap, the ends of the suspenders having a range of movement that enables them to be engaged and supported together by a finger.

The support of any of the foregoing claims, in which the lid or supporting ring is constructed to have a snap fit relationship to the container.

The support of any of the foregoing claims adapted to be interfit with another support of like construction, each suspender being free-ended and having a head defining an opening, the head of one of said suspenders constructed to be threaded through the opening of the other of said suspenders to enable containers carrying said supports to be strung together.

The support of any of the foregoing claims in which the lid or supporting ring has an opening in its center region for viewing the contents of the container.

The support of any of the foregoing claims including a heat shrunk band of plastic engaged about the exterior of the joint between the lid or supporting ring and the container.

The support of any of the foregoing claims associated with a clear film, foil or opaque cover arranged to seal the container.

The support of any of the foregoing claims in which the lid or supporting ring includes a preformed closure element insert (C1, C2, FIGS. 8, 9).

In combination, a package comprising:

• a container of greater than 5 cm (two inches) minimum horizontal dimension at its mouth which is closed at least in part by a removable lid or a supporting ring, the container having an upstanding wall, extending from a bottom to a wide mouth at the top of the container, the mouth being about as wide as the maximum horizontal cross-section of the container, the wide mouth defined by a relatively thick rim formation, and the lid or supporting ring having a rim portion extending over and removably engaged with the rim formation to form at least part of an attachment of the lid or supporting ring to the container, said lid or supporting ring of the container and its attachment being constructed to support the container and its contents;
• and
• a flexible suspender extending from the lid or supporting ring and arranged to be engaged by a support element such as a rod or hook of a product display, the suspender having a length of about 2 inches or more, such that when engaged by said support element, the container having a tilt angle.

The support or package of any of the preceding claims in which the container is of molded plastic resin or resinous foam with integral sidewalls and bottom or of paper stock such as drinking cup paper stock, for instance, coffee cup paper stock.

The support or package of any of the foregoing claims wherein a rim member of the lid or the supporting ring has a depending skirt that is heat-shrunk about the rim region of a container to form an exterior seal.