CN115298106A

CN115298106A - Reclosable lid for a container

Info

Publication number: CN115298106A
Application number: CN202180020285.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: L·费内奇; S·拉马莫尔希
Original assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands LLC
Current assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands LLC
Priority date: 2020-04-08
Filing date: 2021-03-23
Publication date: 2022-11-04
Also published as: MX2022011998A; WO2021206899A1; JP2024138087A; US20230143861A1; JP2023518817A; EP4132863A1

Abstract

A reclosable lid for a container includes a base and a lid assembly connected relative to each other by a hinge and movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. In the closed configuration, the access opening of the base is at least partially covered by the access opening of the lid assembly. The lid assembly includes a lid that is movable about a hinge from a closed position blocking an access opening of the lid assembly and an open position exposing the access opening of the lid assembly. Tamper-evident features in the form of one or more frangible connections between the lid and the remainder of the lid assembly are broken upon initial movement of the lid from the closed position to the open position.

Description

Reclosable lid for a container

Technical Field

A reclosable lid for a container is described herein, and in particular, a reclosable lid for a container configured with a lid that is movable from an initial closed position to an open position upon breaking of one or more frangible connections.

Background

One form of package for food comprises a container having an open top end closed by a lid. A shrink wrap film may surround the lid and at least an upper portion of the container to secure the lid to the container and provide a tamper evident seal if the lid should be removed before intended removal by a consumer. In some cases, the lid may have a hinge member that can be moved to expose an opening in the lid and thus provide access to the contents of the container without removing the lid from the container. A shrink wrap film may be provided that blocks the opening of the hinge member to provide a tamper seal prior to intended removal by the consumer. In both examples, removal of the shrink wrap may advantageously result in one or more pieces of material that are separate from the package and require separate disposal.

Instead of shrink wrap films, some packages contain a lid with a tear strip that must be removed prior to opening the hinge component, such as a flap. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,744 discloses a cap for a container having a tear-away strip. The strip is configured to initially latch the plurality of flaps, but upon removal of the strip, the flaps may be opened. Similar to the shrink wrap films previously described, tearing the tape can disadvantageously result in one or more pieces of material that separate from the package and require separate disposal.

Disclosure of Invention

A reclosable lid for a container includes a base having an access opening and a lid assembly pivotally connected relative to the base by a base hinge. The cover assembly is provided with a cover assembly opening; a lid periphery disposed at least partially around the lid assembly opening; and a lid pivotably connected relative to a lid periphery by a lid hinge and movable between a closed position blocking the lid assembly opening and an open position allowing access to the lid assembly opening. The cover has a closed configuration wherein the lid assembly is disposed on the base such that the access opening is at least partially below the lid assembly opening. One or more frangible connections extend between the lid and the lid periphery when the lid is in the closed position and prior to initial movement from the closed position to the open position of the lid. The one or more frangible connections may advantageously provide a tamper seal prior to the initial desired opening of the lid, while also not creating one or more additional pieces of material that need to be disposed of. Optionally, the lid may advantageously form a seal with the access opening to limit the ingress of moisture and the egress of gases and aromas, as will be further described herein.

The lid may also have an open configuration in which the lid assembly is spaced from the base by a base hinge. The lid assembly may be attached to the base at one or more locations spaced from the lid hinge when the lid is in the closed configuration. To this end, means may be provided for securing the lid assembly to the base when the lid is in the closed configuration. The securing means may be in the form of one or more lugs that engage with the aperture, such as in a snap-fit arrangement.

In one aspect, the lid periphery may have a notch opposite the lid assembly hinge. This notch may provide access to the edge of the lid, which may enable one-handed opening of the lid and thus access to the interior of the container. An optional tab portion of the lid may be disposed in a notch in the periphery of the lid to facilitate opening and closing of the lid when the lid is in the closed position.

In another aspect, the lid and base may include means for releasably securing the lid to the base when the lid assembly is in the closed configuration and the lid is in the closed position. Such means for releasably securing may include, for example, a protruding structure that mates with a recess or the like.

In another aspect, the base includes a skirt configured for attachment to a container. The skirt may contain lugs or recesses that cooperate with corresponding recesses or lugs of the neck of the container to secure the base to the container. Securing may advantageously make initial attachment of the base to the container easier than subsequent removal of the base (and thus, the cover) from the container. The cap may be attached to the container, for example, using a snap fit or threads.

In another aspect, the lid may include a depending skirt or protrusion that extends into the base opening when the lid is in the closed position. Advantageously, the depending skirt may engage the periphery of the base opening with an interference fit to form a seal that acts as a plug-type seal. While not necessarily of a liquid impermeable nature, the seal may be sufficient to limit the ingress and egress of moisture and other gases or aromas, which may be particularly beneficial if the contents of the container to which the cover is attached are susceptible to degradation or odours, such as chewing gum tablets or pellets. Optionally, the depending skirt has a rearward portion that is closer to the lid hinge than a forward portion opposite the rearward portion, the rearward portion of the depending skirt having a greater height than the forward portion. The purpose of such a height difference is that the higher part of the skirt can engage with the periphery of the base opening faster than if the lid were to be guided shorter in alignment with the access opening for insertion of the flock into the access opening. This is particularly useful if the lid is hinged, which means that it has more than one axis about which pivoting of the lid relative to the lid periphery can occur.

A space may extend between the lid and the lid periphery, and a portion of the base is located below the space when the lid is in the closed position and the lid assembly is in the closed configuration. The space may be a span of one or more frangible connections.

When the lid assembly is in the closed configuration and the lid is in the closed position, the lid may be opened by pivoting the lid about the lid hinge relative to the lid assembly and away from the lid assembly opening, and if present, breaking one or more frangible connections between the lid and the lid periphery.

To assemble the cover, the cover assembly can be moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration, and the cover assembly is secured to the base when the cover is in the closed configuration.

In another aspect, a one-piece reclosable lid for a container is provided. The cover may have a unitary cover movable between a closed position blocking an access opening in the cover and an open position exposing the access opening. The lid may have a depending skirt or plug having an interference fit with the periphery of the access opening when the lid is in the closed position. One or more frangible connections extend between the lid and adjacent portions of the lid body, the one or more frangible connections being ruptured to provide evidence of tampering upon initial movement of the lid from the closed position to the open position.

In a further aspect, an access opening is provided in the base, and the lid assembly is pivotably connected relative to the base by a base hinge. The cap assembly may include: a cap assembly opening; a lid periphery disposed at least partially around the lid assembly opening; and a lid hinge pivotally connecting the lid periphery relative to the lid such that the lid is movable between a closed position blocking the lid assembly opening and an open position allowing access to the lid assembly opening. The one or more frangible connections extend between the lid and the lid periphery. The cover has a closed configuration wherein the lid assembly is disposed on the base such that the access opening is at least partially below the lid assembly opening.

In any of the embodiments described herein, the cap may be provided as a unitary component, such as an injection molded one-piece component.

In any of the embodiments described herein, a lid may be provided that is attached to the container, and optionally, the container may contain a food, such as chewing gum or candy.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pair of containers each having a reclosable lid attached to the upper end thereof; showing the pair of containers joined together;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of one of the pair of containers of FIG. 1 and a reclosable lid attached to the one of the pair of containers;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the container of FIG. 2, including the reclosable lid attached, showing a connecting element for connecting one container of a pair of containers to the other container of the pair of containers;

FIG. 4 is an exploded front perspective view of the container of FIG. 2, showing the reclosable lid and the opening of the container;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cover of FIG. 2, showing a lid assembly of the cover in an open configuration relative to a base of the cover;

FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a portion of the cover as shown in FIG. 5 with the cover assembly of the cover in an open configuration relative to the base of the cover and showing structure for attaching the cover assembly to the base when the cover assembly is moved to a closed position relative to the base of the cover;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the cover as shown in FIG. 5 with the cover assembly of the cover in an open configuration relative to the base of the cover;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cover of FIG. 2, showing the cover assembly of the cover in an intermediate position between the open and closed configurations relative to the base of the cover;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the cover of FIG. 2, showing a cover assembly of the cover in a closed configuration relative to a base of the cover;

FIG. 10 is a detailed view of a portion of the cover as shown in FIG. 9 with the cover assembly of the cover in a closed configuration relative to the base of the cover and showing the frangible connection between the cover of the cover assembly and the remainder of the cover assembly, and with the cover in a closed position;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the lid of FIG. 2, showing the lid assembly of the lid in a closed configuration relative to the base of the lid, showing the lid in a closed position and with the frangible connections unbroken;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the lid assembly of the lid of FIG. 2 in a closed configuration relative to the base of the lid, taken along line XII-XII of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional longitudinal view of the container and the reclosable lid of FIG. 2 taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 2;

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the reclosable lid of FIG. 2, showing the lid assembly of the lid in an open position relative to the base of the lid; and is

Fig. 15 is a front perspective view of the reclosable cover of fig. 2 in an open configuration relative to the base of the cover.

Detailed Description

Reclosable lids for containers are described herein and shown in fig. 1 to 15. The cover includes a base and a lid assembly connected relative to each other by a hinge and is movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. In the closed configuration, the access opening of the base is at least partially covered by the access opening of the lid assembly. The lid assembly includes a lid that is movable about a hinge from a closed position blocking the access opening of the lid assembly and an open position exposing the access opening of the lid assembly. Tamper-evident features in the form of one or more frangible connections between the lid and the remainder of the lid assembly are ruptured upon initial movement of the lid from the closed position to the open position. Advantageously, and as will be discussed further herein, in a preferred embodiment, the cap is configured to enable a one-handed, tamper-evident opening without creating a separate piece that requires disposal. In addition, the cap may optionally be formed as a unitary, one-piece molded component using injection molding techniques. Also optionally, the lid may be configured to form a seal with the perimeter of the access opening, which may advantageously limit the ingress of moisture and/or the egress of odors and gases.

The lid 10 includes a base 16 and a lid assembly 12 connected relative to each other by a hinge 24, as shown in fig. 3, and is movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration during assembly of the lid 10. In the closed configuration, the access opening 39 of the base 16 as shown in fig. 5 is at least partially covered by the access opening 17 (see also fig. 15) of the cover assembly 12. The lid assembly 12 includes a lid 14 and a lid periphery 15. The lid 14 is movable about a hinge 20 from a closed position blocking the access opening 17 of the lid assembly 12 and an open position exposing the access opening 17 of the lid assembly 12.

Tamper-evident features in the form of one or more frangible connections 25 between the lid 14 and the lid periphery 15 are ruptured upon initial movement of the lid 14 from the closed position to the open position. Breaking the frangible connection 25 and opening of the lid 14 allows initial access to the contents of the container 18. For example, one may initially open the lid 14 of the cover 10, thereby breaking the frangible connection 25, and tilt the container assembly 11 to allow the contents to exit the container assembly 11. More specifically, fig. 4 illustrates an access opening 34 of the container 18, wherein items stored in the container 18 may exit the container 18 via the opening 17 of the lid assembly 12. Advantageously, the use of the frangible connection 25 means that no separate piece of material is created upon initial opening of the lid 14 of the lid body 10. This is in contrast to separate pieces of material produced by prior packages as described above, such as a removed shrink wrap film or tear strip associated with the lid.

Referring to fig. 5-7, the cover 10 is shown in an open configuration. The cap 10 may be advantageously formed from a single mold in such a configuration using injection molding techniques. More specifically, the lid periphery 15 has four protruding locking lugs 36 on the underside 33 of the lid periphery 15. Each protruding locking lug 36 may be cylindrical in shape. Other possible locking lug shapes are possible and contemplated. The lug 36 may also have a pair of slits extending longitudinally along the length of the lug. The slit creates two lug walls opposite each other, allowing for flexing of the lugs 36. The lid assembly 12 is movable relative to the base 15 by the hinge 24 and as the lid assembly 12 moves towards the base 16 it will pass through an intermediate configuration as shown in figure 8.

The base 16 has a skirt 22 and a recessed platform 35. The skirt 22 matches the shape of the container 16 to provide a continuous outer surface wall 57 (see fig. 1) of the container assembly 11. The recessed platform 35 has four receiving holes 38 for receiving the protruding locking lugs 36. The recessed platform 35 is surrounded by a discontinuous raised rim 45 to accommodate the shape of the lid assembly 12 when the lid 10 is in the closed configuration. More specifically, when the lid assembly 12 is closed (i.e., attached to the base 16), the two walls of each lug 36 may flex inwardly toward one another to pass through the aperture 38. The lugs snap-fit into place as a lip of each lug wall latch to the underside of the recessed platform. In addition, edge 45 has a notch 52 to receive tab 40 of lid 14 when lid 14 is in the closed configuration, as shown in the figures. The rim 45 also has a second notch 47, as shown in fig. 7 and 8, to receive a rear end 49 of the lid assembly 14 when the lid assembly 14 is in the closed configuration.

The cap 14 also has an annular projection or depending skirt 46 with an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the base opening 39 so that when the cap 14 is attached to the base 16, the annular projection fits concentrically within the opening 39, but preferably has a friction fit. More specifically, and as shown in fig. 12, as the cap assembly 12 is moved toward the base 16 and into the closed position, the extension 56 of the annular protrusion 46 has an outer wall 67 that slides along the first inner surface 59 of the access opening 39 of the base 16 to guide the annular protrusion 46 into alignment with the access opening 39 to facilitate insertion, which may be particularly beneficial when an interference fit is desired. The hinge 20 may have multiple pivot axes to help align the cover 14 with the access opening 39 during insertion. When the lid assembly 12 is latched to the base 16 and in the fully closed position, a portion of the outer wall 62 of the annular protrusion 46 sits flush with the remainder of the inner surface 59 of the access opening 39, preferably with an interference fit in a plug-type arrangement. Such a plug-type arrangement may limit the ingress of moisture, which may be particularly beneficial when the cover is intended for use with a container having contents that may degrade when exposed to moisture and/or release odors or gases.

The tab 40 of the lid 14 has a rib 42 projecting to form the underside 54 of the tab 40. The rib 40 has a lip 43 that slides over the flange 48 and into the recess 50, thus latching the lid 14 of the lid assembly 12 to the base 16 and further securing the lid 14 to the base 16 when the lid 14 is in the closed position.

Fig. 9-11 show the reclosable lid 10 in a closed configuration. In the closed configuration, the lid assembly 12 is secured to the base 16 with the protruding locking lugs 36 and ribs 42. The frangible connections 25 are spaced along the length of the inner wall 41 of the lid periphery 15. The frangible connections 25 may have a trapezoidal shape, although they may have any other shape, such as a square shape or a rectangular shape.

For complete assembly of the container assembly 11, the reclosable lid 10 is press-fitted to the container 18. More specifically and with reference to fig. 12 and 13, the base 16 has an annular recess 58 for receiving an upper edge 71 of the base 16. In addition, base 16 has an inner surface 70 with evenly spaced flexible tabs 60 extending therefrom. Each tab 60 has a flange 63, a shallow angled wall 64 and a deeper angled wall 66. As the upper rim 71 of the container 18 enters the annular recess 58, the curved annular rib 72 of the upper rim 71 slides along the shallow angled wall 64 of the tongue 60 and over the flange 63. The curved surface of rib 72 of edge 71 allows rib 72 to slide over flange 63 of tongue 60 and the clip below flange 63. The bottom surface 74 of the base 16 is then placed on the seat 73 of the container 18.

Fig. 14 and 15 show the lid 14 of the reclosable lid 10 in an open configuration. To initially extract the contents of container assembly 11, lid 14 may be opened by pushing, which may be accomplished with sufficient force on tab 40 of lid 14 with one hand, to unlock rib 42 of tab 40 from flange 48 of base 16 and break the connection of lid 14 to frangible connection 25. The lid 14 pivots about the hinge 20 as the lid 14 moves between the open and closed configurations.

After initial movement of the lid 14 from the closed position to the open position thereby breaking the connection of the frangible connection 25 to the lid 14, the lid 14 can be repeatedly opened and closed by latching and unlatching the rib 42 to the base 16.

The size, ergonomic shape, and position of the lid 14 of the container assembly 11 allow a consumer to open and close the container assembly 11 by grasping the container assembly 11 and stretching the lid 14 with his thumb or fingers. To facilitate such opening, which may be one-handed, the edge of the lid 14 is preferably exposed relative to the lid assembly 12, such as through a notch in the lid assembly 12. The lid 14 may also be opened with fingers from a hand not gripping the container assembly 11.

The lid 10 may be made of a plastic material or any other semi-rigid material as may the container 18. Both may be injection molded, although the container 18 may be formed using alternative methods such as blow molding. The lid 10 may be attached to the container 18, preferably by a snap-fit connection, to form a packaged assembly or container assembly 11. The snap-fit connection does not require screwing the lid 10 to the container 18 or any additional steps (such as welding) to secure the lid 10 to the container 18. Preferably, the snap-fit connection between the cap 10 and the container 18 occurs more easily than a rupture. In other words, snapping the lid 10 onto the container 18 is easier than removing the lid 10 from the container 18. With the cap 10 attached to the container 18, the container assembly 11 assumes an ergonomic shape that can fit in a consumer's hand, allowing for carrying and easy access to the contents within the container assembly 11. In addition, the container assembly 11 has rounded edges to provide a comfortable grip for the consumer.

When the lid 14 is in the closed position, the container assembly 11 may securely store contents, such as candy or chewing gum. For example, the container assembly 11 is sized and shaped to allow easy portability such that consumers may place the container assembly 11 in a pocket on their person. The secure closure of the lid prevents the contents from spilling out of the container assembly 11 and into the pocket. The securable cover 14 also allows the contents of the container assembly 11 to be used or consumed in multiple portions. For example, if the container assembly 11 contains chewing gum, the consumer may open the lid 14, extract a piece of chewing gum, and securely close the lid 14 to maintain the freshness of the chewing gum or other items remaining in the container assembly 11 that may be extracted at a later time.

Furthermore, once all of the original contents of the container assembly have been consumed (or simply extracted), the container assembly 11 may be filled with a different item. For example, if the container assembly 11 contains chewing gum and the consumer consumes all of the chewing gum therein, the consumer may wish to reuse the container assembly 11 to store other items, such as other edible items. This feature allows the consumer to extend the useful life of the container assembly 11 by storing new contents after the original contents have been removed.

The container 18 of the container assembly 11 has a base 19 that allows the container assembly 11 to stand upright when placed on a flat horizontal surface. This is advantageous in case the lid 14 is accidentally opened. The container 18 may be made of a plastic material or any other semi-rigid material, such as the material used for the cover 10. Furthermore, semi-rigid materials may be recyclable, thereby reducing carbon emissions; this is a feature desired by many consumers. The semi-rigid material also provides durability. For example, if a consumer loses their grip on the container assembly 11, it may not break when it hits the ground or other surface, thereby protecting the contents therein. In another example, a consumer may store the container assembly 11 in a bag, such as a backpack, that may contain sharp objects that would otherwise puncture a less rigid material.

Referring to fig. 1, an example of two of the container assemblies 11 attached to each other is shown. So configured, two container assemblies 11 are connected together to form a single container assembly 11A, allowing for increased storage capacity. The connected container assembly 11A remains compact and ergonomic while also providing additional storage. The two container assemblies 11 may store different items. For example, one container assembly may contain chewing gum and another container assembly may contain candy. This may be advantageous if, for example, a parent wants to transport a single composite component 11A, which is then split into two to give them their children. For example, if one child wants chewing gum and another child wants candy, the parent may separate the individual combination assemblies 11A and each child gives one container 11. Other scenarios and stored items are possible and contemplated, such as different flavors of candy and chewing gum in each container assembly.

To connect the two container assemblies 11, a snap-fit connection may be utilized. More specifically, and as shown in fig. 3, each container assembly 11 has a face 26 and two

longitudinal projections

28, 30 projecting outwardly from the face 26. The

projections

28, 30 are shown as slight curvatures in the longitudinal direction, but other shapes (such as linear) may also be used. The projection 30 also has an access opening 32. The two container assemblies 11 may be sandwiched together by aligning the faces 26 of the container assemblies 11 and press fitting them together. More specifically, the tab 28 of each of the container assemblies 11 will fit securely into the access opening 32 of the tab 30 of the opposing container assembly 11.

With the two container assemblies 19 symmetrically merged together, the base 19 forms a single larger base 19A that allows the container assembly 11A to be balanced in a vertical position when placed on a flat horizontal surface. As with the single container assembly 11 of fig. 1, the container assembly 11A configuration is advantageous in the event that the lid 14 (or both lids) is accidentally opened.

Claims

1. A reclosable lid for a container, the lid comprising:

a base having an access opening; and

a lid assembly pivotably connected relative to the base by a base hinge, the lid assembly having a lid assembly opening; a lid periphery disposed at least partially around the lid assembly opening; and a lid pivotably connected relative to the lid periphery by a lid hinge and movable between a closed position blocking the lid assembly opening and an open position allowing access to the lid assembly opening, wherein one or more frangible connections extend between the lid and the lid periphery when the lid is in the closed position and before moving from the closed position to the open position of the lid;

wherein the cover has a closed configuration wherein the lid assembly is disposed on the base such that the access opening is at least partially below the lid assembly opening.

2. The reclosable lid of claim 1, wherein the lid has an open configuration in which the lid assembly is spaced from the base by the base hinge.

3. The reclosable lid of claim 1, wherein the lid assembly is attached to the base at one or more locations spaced from the lid hinge when the lid is in the closed configuration.

4. The reclosable lid of claim 1, further comprising means for securing the lid assembly to the base when the lid is in the closed configuration.

5. The reclosable lid of claim 1, wherein the lid periphery has a notch opposite a lid assembly hinge.

6. The reclosable lid of claim 5 wherein a tab portion of said lid is disposed in said indentation in the periphery of said lid when said lid is in said closed position.

7. The reclosable lid of claim 6, wherein the lid and the base include means for releasably securing the lid to the base when the lid assembly is in the closed configuration and the lid is in the closed position.

8. The reclosable cap of any of claims 1-7, wherein the base comprises a skirt configured for attachment to a container.

9. The reclosable lid of any of claims 1-8, wherein the lid comprises a depending skirt that extends into the base opening when the lid is in the closed position and engages a periphery of the base opening with an interference fit to form a seal.

10. The reclosable lid of claim 9, wherein said depending skirt has a rearward portion that is closer to said lid hinge than a forward portion opposite said rearward portion, said rearward portion of said depending skirt having a greater height than said forward portion.

11. The reclosable lid of any of claims 1-10, wherein the base hinge comprises a pair of hinges spaced apart from one another.

12. The reclosable lid of any of claims 1-11, wherein a space extends between the lid and the lid periphery, and a portion of the base is located below the space when the lid is in the closed position and the lid assembly is in the closed configuration.

13. A method of opening the lid of any one of claims 1 to 12 when the lid assembly is in a closed configuration and the lid is in a closed position, the method comprising pivoting the lid relative to the lid assembly and away from the lid assembly opening about a lid hinge and breaking the one or more frangible connections between the lid and the lid periphery.

14. A method of assembling a cover as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, the method comprising moving a lid assembly from an open configuration to a closed configuration and securing the lid assembly to a base when the cover is in the closed configuration.

15. The reclosable lid of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the lid is attached to a container.

16. A one-piece reclosable lid for a container, the lid having a unitary cap movable between a closed position blocking an access opening in the lid and an open position exposing the access opening, the cap having a depending plug having an interference fit with a perimeter of the access opening when the cap is in the closed position, and wherein one or more frangible connections extend between the cap and adjacent portions of the lid, the one or more frangible connections being ruptured upon initial movement of the cap from the closed position to the open position.

17. The reclosable lid of claim 16, wherein the access opening is provided in a base, and wherein a lid assembly is pivotably connected with respect to the base by a base hinge, the lid assembly having a lid assembly opening; a lid periphery disposed at least partially around the lid assembly opening; and the lid is pivotably connected relative to the lid periphery by a lid hinge and movable between the closed position blocking the lid assembly opening and the open position allowing access to the lid assembly opening, and wherein the one or more frangible connections extend between the lid and the lid periphery, and wherein the lid has a closed configuration in which the lid assembly is disposed on the base such that the access opening is at least partially below the lid assembly opening.