JP2010511574A - Container closure - Google Patents

Abstract

  A lid or closure (10) for the container (11) and a lid or closure assembly (30) formed therefrom. The assembly (30) includes a cavity (21) having a substantially flat base (13) therein surrounded by a raised peripheral rim (12) for securing the lid (10) to the container (11). A lid (10) is provided. The base (13) of the lid has thereon a grid of interconnecting ribs (14-19) that rise above the base (13) and form a support for the item (20) received in the cavity (21). . The assembly (30) is covered by a removable seal (22) that is secured to the rim (12).

Description

  The present invention relates to lids or closures used for drinking cups or other lidless containers, which closures have compartments for holding products such as premiums such as digital media discs and / or advertising materials. provide.

  Drinking container closures are known which contain compartments for storing various items, for example media discs. US 474827 shows a closure formed from an upper member and a lower member between which are formed cavities for holding various products. EP 1123245 shows another such closure with an upper member and a lower member that snap together by an outer peripheral rim that can be engaged with each other. The compartment formed between the members contains the media disk, the bottom of which is higher than the outer rim, so that the bottom of the compartment is located above the level of any liquid in the container. EP 1673287 shows yet another closure, further comprising two members connected by a rim of the member, the compartment being formed with an inclined bottom. US Pat. No. 7,100,877 discloses a media disk having a plurality of raised spacers that hold a prize above the base so that the lid is formed with a base and allows cooling air to flow between the lid and the prize. Still other closures for storing other prizes are shown.

  All of the above closures comprise at least two separable components that must be adapted to cooperate with each other to form compartments between them or to hold the product against the lid, And assembly is relatively expensive.

  The present invention provides a closure having a simple structure capable of accommodating a prize.

  In accordance with the present invention, a container lid or closure having a substantially flat base surrounded by a raised peripheral rim for securing the lid to a container, typically a cup. Having a grid of interconnecting ribs on which the base of the lid rises above the base and forms a support for the items contained in the cavity, the cavity being secured to the rim when in use A lid or closure is provided that is covered by a removable seal.

  Preferably, the lid is circular and the ribs can comprise interconnected circumferential and radial ribs. The radial ribs and the circumferential ribs may have different heights, preferably the circumferential ribs are higher than the radial ribs.

  The lid may include an upstanding central protrusion dimensioned to receive an opening formed in the disk when the media disk is received in the cavity when in use. The central protrusion is substantially the same height as the upper surface of the peripheral rim.

  The central projection can comprise a beverage dispensing opening, preferably in the form of intersecting slits.

  The peripheral rim can be inclined radially outwards on its outer part, which can help place the lid on the container in use and can also grip the mouth of the container to hold the lid in place. With a flexible skirt.

  The lid can be formed from a suitable plastic material such as polystyrene, PET, etc. by any suitable manner, for example thermoforming, vacuum forming or injection molding, and has a thickness of about 0.2 mm.

  A second aspect of the present invention is a lid or closure assembly for a container comprising a lid having a cavity therein, a product contained in the cavity, and a removable seal that closes the cavity, wherein the cavity is a lid Having a substantially flat base surrounded by a raised peripheral rim for securing the container to a container, typically a cup, with the base of the lid raised thereon and supporting the product A lid or closure assembly is provided having a grid of interconnecting ribs to form and a seal secured to the rim.

  The seal is a thin seal, may be formed from a film or film composite that is aluminum foil or paper, for example wax impregnated paper, may be opaque or transparent as required, and / or information, advertising or other Indications can be included.

  The giveaway is preferably substantially two dimensional, for example a card, media disc or advertisement.

  The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an isometric view of a lid according to the present invention viewed from above. FIG. It is a top view of the lid | cover shown by FIG. It is sectional drawing in line III-III of FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a region C surrounded by a circle in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2 showing the lid assembly on the mouth of the container in place.

  1-4, there is shown a circular lid or closure 10 about 55 mm in diameter for a container 11 (see FIG. 5), which is generally a cup. Referring to FIG. 5, the figure shows a lid assembly 110 that includes the lid of FIGS. The lid 10 has a substantially flat base 13 surrounded by a raised peripheral rim 12 for securing the closure to the container 11 and forming a shallow cavity 21 inside the rim. The lid is formed from a thin plastic material having a thickness of about 0.2 mm. The flat base 13 of the lid has thereon a grid of interconnecting ribs 14-19 that rise above the base so as to form a support for the item 20 received in the cavity 21.

  The interconnect rib can comprise circumferential ribs 14, 15 and four radial ribs 16-19 arranged at four equiangular intervals. In this embodiment, there are two circumferential ribs and four radial ribs, but other numbers of ribs can be formed depending on the dimensions of the lid. The height of the radial ribs 16-19 and the circumferential ribs 14, 15 can be different, preferably any product 20 located on the circular ribs 14, 15 is spaced from the radial ribs. As such, the circumferential ribs are higher than the radial ribs. In use, the lid 10 forms part of a closure assembly 30 in which the product 20 is received in a cavity 21 and is generally secured to the rim 12 by welding or adhesive, such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), The cavity 21 is covered by a removable thin seal 22 such as a film or film composite 22 such as aluminum foil, paper, wax paper or the like.

  In the present invention, the cavity 21 is used to accommodate the digital media disk 20 therein. The lid 10 can include an upstanding central protrusion 23 sized to receive an opening 31 formed in the center of the disk 20. The central protrusion 23 has a substantially flat top surface that is substantially level with the top surface of the peripheral rim 12. In this case, the seal 22 can be glued or welded to the upper surface of the protrusion 22 if necessary.

  The central protrusion 23 can be provided with a beverage dispensing opening 24, preferably in the form of a crossed slit, so that a drinking straw can be inserted. The protrusion can further comprise a resilient detent 25 (shown only in FIG. 3) that holds the media disk on the circumferential rib while allowing easy release of the disk.

  The peripheral rim 12 is provided with a flexible skirt 26 which is inclined radially outwardly on its outer part. The skirt 26 assists in placing the lid at the mouth of the container 11 when in use and grips the container to hold the lid in place. The lid can be formed by any suitable plastic processing method such as thermoforming, vacuum forming, injection molding, matched die molding, and the like.

Claims (10)

  A lid or closure for a container, the lid having a cavity with a substantially flat base surrounded by a raised peripheral rim for securing the lid to the container, the base of the lid being On top of that, there is a grid of interconnecting ribs that bulge above the base and form a support for the items contained in the cavity, the cavity being fixed to the rim in use A lid or closure covered by a possible seal.   The lid of claim 1, wherein the lid is circular and comprises circumferential and radial ribs to which the ribs are interconnected.   The lid according to claim 1 or 2, wherein some of the ribs have a different height from the others of the ribs.   The lid according to claim 3, wherein the circumferential rib is higher than the radial rib.   The lid according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the lid comprises an upright central protrusion.   6. The lid of claim 5, wherein the central protrusion is substantially level with an upper surface of the peripheral rim.   7. Lid according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the central protrusion comprises a beverage dispensing opening, preferably in the form of intersecting slits.   9. Lid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the peripheral rim comprises a skirt on its outer part that radially slopes outward to help place the lid on the container.   An assembly of a lid or closure for a container comprising a lid having a cavity therein, a product contained in the cavity, and a removable seal that closes the cavity, the cavity securing the lid to the container A grid of interconnecting ribs having a substantially flat base surrounded by a raised peripheral rim for the top of the lid to rise above the base and form a support for the product A lid or closure assembly having and wherein the seal is secured to the rim.   10. A lid according to claim 9, wherein the film or film composite may be opaque, colored, transparent or light as desired and / or may contain information, advertisements or other indicia.

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