Stackable hinged container lid having detents
AssigneeDouble "H" Plastics, Inc.
InventorCharles R. Helms
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lid and a container using the lid are disclosed, the lid having a central panel of paperboard with a resilient plastic skirt joined about its perimeter. A metal foil membrane having heat activated adhesive layers is attached to the lid and the rim of the container by inductive heating. Detents project from an inside surface of the skirt and cooperate with the rim on the container to hold the lid in an open position. A stacking lip extends from the skirt and interfits within an identical lid to allow the lids to be stacked for shipment. A hinge extends transversely across the central panel and divides the lid into movable and fixed portions. Weakened regions on the skirt separate when the lid is opened and provide evidence of potential tampering.
Claims19
A lid for a container having a sidewall with a rim defining an opening into the container, said lid being engageable with the rim to close the opening, said lid being stackable with another substantially identical lid, said lid comprising:
- a central panel having an outer perimeter;
- a hinge extending transversely across said central panel and dividing said lid into two lid portions, one lid portion being pivotably movable about said hinge relatively to the other said lid portion;
- a resilient, flexible skirt joined to said perimeter and extending substantially perpendicularly to the plane of said central panel, said skirt having an inside surface positionable to face the container sidewall adjacent to the rim and a pair of weakened regions arranged on opposite sides of said lid, said weakened regions being aligned with said hinge and subject to failure to facilitate separation of said skirt at said hinge when said one lid portion is pivoted relatively to the other said lid portion;
- a detent positioned adjacent to one of said weakened regions and projecting substantially perpendicularly from said inside surface of said skirt on said one lid portion, said detent being resiliently biasable into engagement with the rim by said skirt and, when said lid is engaged with the rim, said detent cooperating with the rim to hold said one lid portion in a pivoted position relatively to the other said lid portion thereby exposing the opening in the container;
- and
- a stacking lip joined to said perimeter of said central panel and extending substantially perpendicularly to the plane of said central panel away from said skirt, said lip being engageable with the inside surface of the skirt on the other substantially identical lid for stacking a plurality of lids one atop another, said lid having a notch aligned with said hinge and sized to receive a detent on the other substantially identical lid.
A container comprising:
- a sidewall defining an interior space and an opening providing access to said space;
- a rim surrounding said opening;
- a lid engaged with said rim in overlying registration with said opening, said lid comprising:
- a central panel having an outer perimeter;
- a hinge extending transversely across said central panel and dividing said lid into two lid portions, one lid portion being pivotably movable about said hinge relatively to the other lid portion into an open position away from said opening;
- a resilient, flexible skirt joined to said perimeter and extending substantially perpendicularly to the plane of said central panel, said skirt having an inside surface positioned facing said sidewall adjacent to said rim and a pair of weakened regions arranged on opposite sides of said lid, said weakened regions being aligned with said hinge and subject to failure to facilitate separation of said skirt at said hinge when said one lid portion is pivoted relatively to the other lid portion, said weakened regions providing a readily visible indication of potential tampering with said container;
- a detent positioned adjacent to one of said weakened regions and projecting substantially perpendicularly from said inside surface of said skirt on said one lid portion, said detent being resiliently biased into engagement with said rim by said skirt when said one lid portion is pivoted into said open position, said detent cooperating with said rim to hold said one lid portion in said open position;
- and
- a stacking lip joined to said perimeter of said central panel and extending substantially perpendicularly to the plane of said central panel away from said skirt, said lip being engageable with an inside surface of a skirt on another substantially identical lid for stacking lids one atop another, said lid having a notch aligned with said hinge and sized to receive a detent on another substantially identical lid.
A lid for a container having a sidewall with a rim defining an opening into the container, said lid being engageable with the rim to close said opening, the lid comprising:
- a central panel having an outer perimeter;
- a hinge extending transversely across said central panel and dividing said lid into two lid portions, one lid portion being pivotably movable about said hinge relatively to the other said lid portion;
- a resilient, flexible skirt joined to said perimeter and extending substantially perpendicularly to the plane of said central panel, said skirt having an inside surface positionable to face the container sidewall adjacent to the rim and a pair of weakened regions arranged on opposite sides of said lid, said weakened regions being aligned with said hinge and subject to failure to facilitate separation of said skirt at said hinge when said one lid portion is pivoted relatively to the other said lid portion, two elongated cuts through said central panel being positioned coincident with and along said hinge, each of said cuts being positioned adjacent to a respective weakened region for facilitating pivoting of said one lid portion;
- and
- a detent projecting substantially perpendicularly from said inside surface of said skirt on one lid portion, said detent being resiliently biasable into engagement with the rim by said skirt and, when said lid is engaged with the rim, said detent cooperating with said rim to hold said one lid portion in a pivoted position relatively to the other said lid portion thereby exposing the opening in the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.