Container lid formed as a laminate having a built-in opening feature, container incorporating same, and method of making same

A lid for sealing a container, the lid comprising:

• a disk-shaped flexible laminate comprising an upper layer and a lower layer, the laminate having an outer peripheral edge, a line of weakness comprising a closed loop being formed in the lower layer spaced radially inward of the outer peripheral edge, an annular region being defined between the line of weakness and the outer peripheral edge, wherein a pressure-sensitive adhesive is disposed between the upper and lower layers in the annular region such that the upper and lower layers in the annular region are readily separated by exerting a peel force on the upper layer, and wherein the upper and lower layers outside the annular region are laminated together with a laminating adhesive having a greater peel strength than that of the pressure-sensitive adhesive in the annular region.

A container comprising:

• a container body comprising a side wall having a top edge encircling an opening of the container body, the side wall having an inner surface;
• a lid formed of a flexible laminate comprising an upper layer and a lower layer, the lid comprising a central panel that is generally disk-shaped and a generally cylindrical skirt joined to an outer periphery of the central panel and extending upwardly therefrom such that the lower layer of the skirt faces radially outwardly, the skirt being bonded to the inner surface of the container body, an outer line of weakness being formed in the upper layer of the skirt and an inner line of weakness being formed in the lower layer of the skirt at a position spaced below the outer line of weakness, an annular region being defined between the outer and inner lines of weakness, wherein a pressure-sensitive adhesive is disposed between the upper and lower layers in the annular region of the skirt such that the upper and lower layers in the annular region are readily separated by exerting a peel force on the upper layer, and wherein the upper and lower layers outside the annular region are laminated together with a laminating adhesive having a greater peel strength than that of the pressure-sensitive adhesive in the annular region.

A container comprising:

• a container body comprising a side wall having a top edge encircling an opening of the container body, the side wall having an inner surface;
• a lid formed of a flexible laminate comprising an upper layer and a lower layer, the lid comprising a central panel that is generally disk-shaped and a generally cylindrical skirt joined to an outer periphery of the central panel and extending upwardly therefrom such that the lower layer of the skirt faces radially outwardly, the skirt being bonded to the inner surface of the container body, an outer line of weakness being formed in the upper layer of the skirt and an inner line of weakness being formed in the lower layer of the skirt at a position spaced below the outer line of weakness, wherein the upper and lower layers in an annular region of the skirt between the lines of weakness are readily separated by exerting a peel force on the upper layer, and wherein the upper and lower layers outside the annular region are laminated together with an adhesive providing a bond with a greater peel strength than the peel force required to separate the layers in the annular region, wherein a portion of the skirt below the inner line of weakness is bonded to the inner surface of the container.