Storage lids for containers

• US 5,725,122 A
• Filed: 02/21/1996
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Plastican Incorporated (Mauser Packaging Solutions)
• Original Assignee: Plastican Incorporated (Mauser Packaging Solutions)
• Inventors: Murphy, Joseph B., Blanchette, Henry J., Smagala, Richard P.
• Primary Examiner(s): CRONIN, STEPHEN K
• Application Number:
  US08/604,454
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 220/212, 220/501, 220/502, 220/521, 220/524, 220/527, 220/254, 220/284, 220/285, 220/286, 220/782, 220/784, 220/790, 220/791, 220/793, 220/795, 220/601, 206/508
• US Class Current: 220/521
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0018 of the 43-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0081 of the 43-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00092 circular
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00231 made of several pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00296 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00407 radial
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00509 Cup
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00537 on the outside, or a part turned to the outside of the mouth of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00555 on both the inside and the outside
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00629 Massive bead
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00685 Totality
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/0074 Massive bead
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00805 Segments
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00842 outside of the lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00888 by applying lever forces
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00972 Collars or rings
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0212 only on the outside, or a part turned to the outside, of the mouth B65D43/0206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/121 Stoppers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/18 Arrangements of closures with protective outer cap-like covers or of two or more co-operating closures B65D51/247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/247 located between an inner and an outer closure

Abstract

A lid assembly is provided for a pail which is characterized by a receptacle portion that is closed of by a secondary lid. The receptacle portion is provided for storing and displaying items related to the contents of the pail, e.g., small tools or instructions. The lid assembly may also have a pouring spout, either within or outside of the receptacle portion, so that the contents of the pail may be emptied without removing the entire lid assembly.

Claims

1. A removable molded plastic lid for closing off the open end of a plastic pail, said lid comprising, in combination:

a circular rim having means for releasably locking said lid to the open end of a pail;

a circular crown formed integral with and extending inwardly from said rim, at least a portion of said crown being located below said rim so as to define a well into which the bottom end of a second pail may be placed for stacking purposes, said crown having an opening; and

a receptacle formed integral with and depending from said crown at said opening, said receptacle having an open top end that is substantially flush with said crown and a closed bottom end, said receptacle being sized and shaped so as to extend downwardly into a pail when said lid is locked to said pail in closing off relation with the open end of the pail.

2. A lid according to claim 1 including an auxiliary lid removably attached to said first-mentioned lid adjacent said crown in position so as to close off the open top end of said receptacle.

3. A lid according to claim 1 further including an opening located so as to permit the contents of a pail to which said lid is mounted to be poured out of the pail without removing the lid from the pail.

4. A lid according to claim 3 wherein said opening is formed in said crown to the side of said receptacle.

5. A removable plastic lid assembly for a plastic pail comprising a primary lid and a secondary lid;

said primary lid being a molded plastic product comprising a crown portion defining an opening, an annular rim portion formed integral with and surrounding said crown portion, said rim portion having means for releasably locking said primary lid to a pail, and a receptacle portion formed integral with and depending from said crown portion inwardly from said rim portion, said receptacle portion having an open upper end aligned with and formed integral with said crown at said opening, said receptacle portion comprising a tubular side wall that is integral with and extends below said crown portion and a bottom wall closing off the bottom end of said tubular side wall, and substantially all of said receptacle portion being located below said crown portion, whereby when said lid assembly is attached to the open upper end of a pail, said receptacle portion will extend down into the interior space of the pail; and

said secondary lid being removably disposed in said opening and being sized so as to close off the upper end of said receptacle.

6. A removable lid assembly according to claim 5 further including a second opening in said crown portion located to the side of said receptacle portion for providing access to the contents of a pail to which said primary lid is attached without need for detaching said lid assembly from said pail.

7. A lid according to claim 5 in combination with a plastic pail having an open upper end, said lid being attached to said pail by a snap-fit connection between said rim portion and said upper end of said pail.

8. In combination with a pail having a top end with an opening at said top end for introducing material to and removing material from said pail, a lid assembly removably attached to said top end of said pail so as to close off said opening;

said lid assembly including a primary lid and a secondary lid;

said primary lid being molded of a plastic material and comprising a crown portion, a circular rim portion formed integral with and surrounding said crown portion, said rim portion having lid-locking means for releasably locking said primary lid to said top end of said pail, and a receptacle portion formed integral with and depending from said crown portion, substantially all of said receptacle portion being located below said crown portion, said receptacle portion having an open upper end and being sized so that it extends down into the interior of said pail; and

said secondary lid being disposed so as to close off the upper end of said receptacle portion.

9. A lid-pail combination according to claim 8 wherein said lid assembly has an opening communicating with the interior of said pail, said opening being located so that the contents of said pail may be poured out of said pail without first removing said primary lid from said pail.

10. A lid-pail combination according to claim 8 wherein said crown portion has an opening located to the side of said receptacle portion for communicating with the interior of said pail, and further including removable closure means for closing off said opening, said opening being located so that on removal of said closure means the contents of said pail may be removed without removing said primary lid from said pail.

11. A lid-pail combination according to claim 8 wherein said lid-locking means is in the form of a plurality of ribs on said rim adapted to make a snap fit with complementary elements on said pail.

12. A lid-pail combination according to claim 8 wherein at least part of said secondary lid is transparent.

13. A removable one-piece lid for a circular plastic container, said lid being molded of a thermoplastic polymer and comprising:

a crown having a top surface, a bottom surface, and an opening therethrough;

a circular rim surrounding said crown at said outer edge, said rim having an inner wall section that is formed integral with and supports said crown and an outer wall section that surrounds said inner wall section, said outer wall section being spaced from said inner wall section so as to define a channel therebetween for receiving the upper end of a plastic container, said outer wall section having an inner surface with means for interlocking with the upper end of a plastic container disposed in said channel, and said inner wall section projecting above the level of said top surface of said crown and said outer wall section extending below the level of said bottom surface of said crown; and

a receptacle formed integral with and depending from said crown at said opening, said receptacle having an open upper end surrounded by said crown; and

means for locking an auxiliary lid in closing relation with said upper end of said receptacle.

14. A lid according to claim 13 wherein said means for interlocking on said inner surface of said outer wall section comprises a plurality of ribs for making a snap connection with a mating flange on the upper end of a container.

15. A lid according to claim 13 wherein said crown has another opening therethrough located eccentric to said receptacle through which material can be removed from a container to which said lid is attached without having to remove said lid from said container, and further including a removable closure for said opening.

16. A plastic container with a circular cross-sectional configuration and a removable molded plastic lid for said container;

said lid comprising a crown having an opening therethrough, a circular rim formed integral with and surrounding said crown, and a receptacle formed integral with and depending from said crown;

said crown having a top surface and a bottom surface;

said having an inner wall section that is formed integral with and supports said crown and an outer wall section that surrounds said inner wall section, said outer wall section being spaced from said inner wall section so as to define a channel therebetween for receiving the upper end of said container, said outer wall section having an inner surface with first locking means for locking said lid to said container, and said inner wall section projecting above the level of said top surface of said crown and said outer wall section extending below the level of said bottom surface of said crown; and

said receptacle having a tubular side wail formed integral with said crown, a bottom wall, and an open upper end, with said open upper end surrounded by said crown and aligned with said opening, said receptacle also having means for retaining an auxiliary lid in closing relation with said open upper end of said receptacle;

said container comprising a side wall terminating in an open top end that extends into said channel, said side wall having an exterior surface and second locking means on said exterior surface at said open top end for making a locking connection with said first locking means so as to secure said lid to the top end of said side wall; and

said receptacle extending down into the interior of said container.

17. A container and lid combination according to claim 16 wherein said first locking means on said inner surface of said outer wall section comprises a plurality of ribs, and said second locking means is a mating flange on the upper end of said container.

18. A container and lid combination according to claim 17 wherein said crown has an opening eccentric to said receptacle through which material can be removed from said container without having to remove said lid from said container, and further including a removable closure for said opening.

19. In combination with a pail having a top end with an opening at said top end for introducing material to and removing material from said pail, a lid assembly removably attached to said top end of said pail so as to close off said opening;

said lid assembly including a primary lid and a secondary lid;

said primary lid being molded of a plastic material and comprising a crown portion, a rim portion formed integral with and surrounding said crown portion, said rim portion having lid-locking means for releasably locking said primary lid to said top end of said pail, and a receptacle portion formed integral with and depending from said crown portion, said receptacle portion having an open upper end and being sized so that it extends down into the interior of said pail; and

said secondary lid being disposed so make a snap fit with a groove in the upper end of said receptacle portion and so as to close off the upper end of said receptacle portion.

20. In combination with a pail having a top end with an opening at said top end for introducing material to and removing material from said pail, a lid assembly removably attached to said top end of said pail so as to close off said opening;

said lid assembly including a primary lid and a secondary lid;

said primary lid being molded of a plastic material and comprising an annular crown portion, an annular rim portion formed integral with and surrounding said crown portion, said rim portion having lid-locking means for releasably locking said primary lid to said top end of said pail, and a receptacle portion formed integral with and depending from said crown portion, and said secondary lid being disposed so as to close off the upper end of said receptacle portion;

said crown portion having an opening located outside of said receptacle portion that communicates with the interior of said pail, whereby the contents of said pail may be removed via said opening without removing said primary or secondary lids from said pail.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20 further including removable closure means for closing off said opening.