Lid for a container

Abstract

A lid for a container is provided. The lid includes a perimeter sidewall having a lower inwardly turned flange and a bottom panel secured to the inwardly turned flange. The lid has a frustoconical shape created by a taper angle of the perimeter sidewall. The perimeter sidewall may have at taper angle that is equal to, greater than, or less than a taper angle of the container into which the lid is inserted. The lid may create an interference fit between the perimeter sidewall of the lid and the sidewall of the container along all or a portion of the height of the perimeter sidewall to secure the lid to the container after the lid is inserted into the upper end opening of the container.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62 / 889,279, filed on Aug. 20, 2019, to Fredrick Betzen et al., entitled “Lid for a Container,” currently pending, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Disposable or single-use cups and containers suitable for holding drink and / or food items are well known in the food and beverage packaging industry. Such cups and containers are commonly constructed from a paperboard material, particularly a coated paperboard material that facilitates moisture resistance and prolongs the life of the container once a drink or food item is inserted therein. Such cups and containers are also often manufactured to be biodegradable and compostable in order to be environmentally-friendly.[0003]The lids commonly utilized on connection with disposable or single-use containers are traditionally made from a plastic material....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent is for a lid that can be put on a container. The lid can be sure it's tightly closed and can be easily gripped. It has a hole for drinking and can be used with different sizes of containers. The lid is made of a bottom panel and a sidewall that goes up from the bottom panel. The sidewall has a flange that dries up and engages with the bottom panel, and it also has an upper edge that's easy to grip. The lid can be securely closed and easily removed from the container.

Problems solved by technology

The fit between these conventional plastic lids and paperboard containers is not always consistent and / or secure, which can lead to leakage between the container and the lid and can also result in the lid popping off of the top of the container unexpectedly.

This is particularly the case when the container is intended for use with drink or liquid food contents and the paperboard container loses rigidity or stiffness over time.

In addition to having inconsistent securement to the top of a conventional cup or container, many national and local laws, rules and regulations are being enacted that prohibit, restrict, and / or disfavor the use of plastic lids for disposable or single use containers or in the quick-service restaurant industry because, among other reasons, such plastic lids are not made from biodegradable or compostable materials and therefore can result in greater harm to the environment.

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