IDENTIFICATION LID WRAP

Abstract

An identification lid wrap for a FIFO-style dispensing container having a fill cap. The identification lid wrap includes a visible indicia that identifies or suggests the identity of the contents inside the container. The lid wrap has a flat top wall, and an annular, vertical sidewall depending from the periphery of the top wall. The indicia identifying the contents inside the container can be a color having a character that suggests to the user the flavor or type of product in the bottle., or can be mark on the lid wrap. The identification lid wrap is made of an elastomeric material that is configured to attach releasably over the fill cap of the container. The identification lid wrap can also have a tab on the edge to facility removal.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 62/151461, filed Apr. 23, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is in the field of product dispensing containers in the food service industry.

BACKGROUND

In the food service industry, “First In/First Out” (FIFO) squeeze bottles are emerging as the dispensing container of choice for meting out portions of a viscous or thickened liquid or gel composition, including salad and sandwich dressings, sauces, and condiments. A FIFO-style bottle is in great demand because it facilitates proper rotation of product and prevents dirt, debris, and other contaminants from accessing the dispensed product.

Briefly, a FIFO-style bottle is a thermoplastic cylindrical bottle having a threaded upper opening for filling the bottle with a liquid, and a threaded lower opening for dispensing the liquid. A bottom dispensing cap is threaded to the lower opening, and a top closure cap is threaded to the upper opening. The top closure or “fill” cap is a plain bottle cap having a closed top end, and a threaded skirt extending from the annular edge of the top end. To fill the bottle with a liquid, the fill cap is threaded off to expose the top opening. After a quantity of the liquid is poured in through the top opening, the fill cap is threaded back onto the threaded opening to seal. The liquid in the bottle is dispensed through a closable port in the bottom dispensing cap, which also includes an extending annular support, such as a skirt or legs, so that the bottle can be stood upright on the annular support, with the dispensing port facing downward out of the bottle. The dispensing port can include a restriction device that limits or prevents the liquid from exiting the dispensing port by gravity unless the bottle is squeezed to pressuring the interior of the bottle.

As FIFO-style squeeze bottles have become more popular, a wider variety of dressings, sauces, and condiments have become increasingly prominent in the food service industry as well. However, even with a wider variety of options, customers nonetheless demand their food to be fixed just as accurately and quickly as it had previously. Additionally, customers are developing a heightened sensitivity to the sanitary conditions in which food is prepared. Consequently it is necessary to provide both customers and food preparers with reliable, consistent, attractive, and sanitary labeling of these bottles so they can be rapidly and precisely identified.

The only options for designating and labeling with flavor or type of liquid is contained in the bottle that are currently available and in use in the food service industry include adhesive stickers or adhesive tapes such as masking tape or electrical tape. All of these options are capable of harboring bacteria and may flake of into the food when the food preparer handles the bottles. Furthermore, these types of labeling systems at least partially inhibit visual identification and inspection of the product inside the squeeze bottle. The primary label currently being used is a round printed label with an adhesive on the under surface that is placed onto the upper surface of the “fill” cap of the FIFO-style bottle. However, these adhesive labels do not adhere well to the fill cap in the commercial food service environment. Daily use and cleaning of the fill caps with chemical cleansers and hot water quickly causes these conventional labels to fade, scratch, wear and tear. When the adhesive labels need replacing because of their poor appearance, the label adhesive is very difficult to remove, often forcing the retailer to purchase new caps after numerous label changes and adhesive buildup. These pre-printed adhesive labels are offered in various options, though typically with less than 30 choices of sauces and flavors, though there are thousands of possible flavors and varieties.

Currently, there are no non-adhesive, sanitary labeling systems being offered for the bottom dispensing caps on the FIFO-style bottles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a molded, food-grade elastomeric identification lid wrap that is configured to be placed around and over a fill cap of a first in/first out (FIFO) style squeeze bottle, used in food service and other industry. The identification lid wrap includes an indicia molded into, applied, or printed onto the lid wrap, for suggesting the flavor or identity of the liquid product or for a clear, understandable and accurate indication of the liquid product, contained within the FIFO-style squeeze bottle. Once as lid wrap is selected that suggests or identifies the contents of the bottle, it can be attached releasably, though snugly, to the fill cap of the FIFO-style bottle.

The present invention provides an identification lid wrap that attaches to a cylindrical cap of a dispensing container that contains an edible liquid or gel composition having a flavor, the identification lid wrap comprising: a) a cylindrical, closed-ended body made of a resilient elastomeric material and including a flat end wall that defines a closed top end, the end wall having an outer surface that defines an upper surface of the identification lid wrap, and an annular sidewall extending from the periphery of flat end wall, the sidewall having a lower edge that defines a bottom opening through which the cylindrical cap of the dispensing container extends when the identification lid wrap is attached to the cylindrical cap, the sidewall including an inner surface that frictionally engages the cylindrical cap when attached to the cylindrical cap, and an outer surface that defines a side surface of the identification lid wrap; and b) at least one indicia disposed on at least one of the side surface and the upper surface of the identification lid wrap, the at least one indicia having a character that suggests to a user the flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition.

In an aspect of the invention, the at least one indicia on the outer surface of the identification lid wrap includes a color that suggests to the user the flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition.

A further aspect of the invention includes a set of a plurality of identification lid wraps, each of the identification lid wraps of the set having a distinctive color that suggests to the user the flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition contained in the respective one of the plurality of dispensing containers.

Another aspect of the invention provides that the color uniformly covers the entire area of the side surface and the upper surface of the identification lid wrap.

In a further aspect of the invention, the at least one identifying indicia includes, or further includes in addition to color, a mark. Non-limiting examples of a mark can include, but not be limited to, a text, a word, a message, a picture, an image, a design, and a logo.

In another aspect of the invention, the identification lid wrap is molded from a food-grade silicone. In as further aspect of the invention, the food-grade silicone includes a colorant or pigment, or mixtures thereof, in an amount sufficient to provide a color.

A further aspect of the invention is a tab extending radially from the lower edge of the sidewall.

Another aspect of the invention is an upper surface of the end wall having an angled surface relative to the bottom opening of the sidewall, to aid viewing.

The present invention also provides a method for identifying a flavor of an edible liquid or gel composition that is contained in a dispensing container, or in a set of dispensing containers, comprising the steps of: a) providing a plurality of dispensing containers, each dispensing container having an upper fill cap and a bottom dispensing port; b) providing a plurality of distinctive identification lid wraps, each distinctive identification lid wrap including at least one indicia disposed on an outer surface of the identification lid wrap that has a character that suggests to a user a flavor of an edible liquid or gel composition; c) fining each of the plurality of dispensing containers with a different edible liquid or gel composition; d) attaching one of the plurality of identification lid wraps over the fill cap of each of the plurality of dispensing containers, containing the edible liquid or gel composition suggested by the at least one indicia of the identification lid wrap; e) positioning the plurality of filled dispensing containers with the attached identification lid wrap into a staging area, and f) selecting by a user a desired one of the filled dispensing containers by observing the at least one indicia of the identification lid wrap of the selected dispensing container suggestive of the desired flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition.

In an aspect of the method invention, the at least one indicia on the outer surface of the identification lid wrap includes a color that suggests to the user the flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a First In/First Out (FIFO)style bottle of the prior art including attachable fill cap and dispensing cap.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top perspective view of an identification lid wrap of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the identification lid wrap illustrating the underside of the top portion.

FIG. 4 illustrates the identification lid wrap associable with the fill cap of the FIFO-style bottle.

FIG. 5 illustrates the identification lid wrap attached to the fill cap of the FIFO-style bottle.

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the identification lid wrap of FIG. 5 through line 6-6.

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an identification lid wrap with an angled upper surface.

FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of the identification lid wrap of FIG. 7 through line 8-8.

FIG. 9 illustrates the identification lid wrap of FIG. 7 attached to the fill cap of the FIFO-style bottle.

FIG. 10 illustrates a further embodiment of an identification lid wrap with an angled upper surface.

FIG. 11 shows a number of FIFO-style bottles, each having a distinct identification lid wrap having its own color and mark that suggests the flavor of the contents within the FIFO-style bottle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While some preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below, the following description should not limit the scope of the present invention, as other embodiments may be devised within the spirit and scope of the present invention by one skilled in the art. The object of this disclosure is to present a device adapted to wrap around and conform to the cap of a container or bottle to provide quick and accurate identification of a product contained within the container or bottle.

In an embodiment of the invention, the identification lid wrap is configured to releasably fit snugly and in frictional engagement with the outer annular surface of a fill cap of a First in/First Out (FIFO)-style squeeze bottle. A FIFO-style squeeze bottle 10 according to the prior art is illustrated in FIG. 1. Bottle 10 includes a fill cap 15 thready attachable to cover and seal a top open end 11 of the bottle 10, and a dispensing cap 18 threadedly attachable to cover and seal a bottom open end 13 of the bottle 10. The fill cap 15 has an outer wall surface 16 and an inner wall surface that includes a helical thread 17 configured to engage a mating helical thread 12 on the outer surface of the top open end 11. The dispensing cap 18 has an inner wall surface that includes a helical thread 19 configured to engage a mating helical thread 14 on the outer surface of the bottom open end 13.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the identification lid wrap 20 according to the present invention. The lid wrap 20 has a circular cylindrical body 21 including a flat end wall 22 that defines a closed top end 23 and an annular sidewall 25 extending downward from the periphery of the flat end wall 22. The flat end wall 22 has an outer surface 24 that is visible when the identification lid wrap 20 is attached to the fill cap 15. The sidewall 25 has a lower edge 26 that defines a bottom opening 27, an inner surface 28, and an outer surface 29 that is visible when the identification lid wrap 20 is attached to the fill cap 15. The inner surface 28 of the sidewall 25 engages frictionally the outer wall surface 16 of the fill cap 15 to maintain attachment of the identification lid wrap 20 to the fill cap 15. The height of the sidewall 25 is at least sufficient to cover the corresponding height of the outer wall surface 16 of the fill cap 15.

The identification lid wrap 20 also includes at least one visual identifier, also referred to as an indicia, that can indicate to a user the liquid product contents inside the FIFO-style bottle 10. The at least one indicia can include a characteristic that suggests to the user the flavor of the liquid product contents,

The at least one indicia can be disposed on at least one of the outer side surface 29 of the sidewall 25, or the outer surface 24 of closed to end wall 22, or on both the outer side surface 29 and the outer surface 24. The at least one indicia can be disposed on only a portion of or on the entire surface of, the outer side surface 29 of the sidewall 25 and/or the outer surface 24 of closed to end wall 72.

The at least one indicia can be a color 30, the color having a color character that suggests to the user the flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition that is placed into the FIFO-style bottle. While the identification lid wrap 20 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is illustrated as uncolored (or white), the color 30 can be any color, including white, black and others. If the certain edible liquid or gel composition has or can be associated with a particular color, or a pattern of color, where when a human who sees the color is given a suggestion of the actual flavor or identity of the edible liquid or gel composition, then that color has a color character of that flavor. The identification lid wrap 20 can have a portion of the area that has the color, or the entire surface area can have a single color of uniform hue and intensity. The identification lid wrap 20 can also have a colored portion that a color of the same hue but with a varying intensity across the outer surface. Colors can be coded to conform to an industry standard or can be tailored to any user preference.

Non-limiting examples of a color that is suggestive of the flavor or type of edible liquid or gel composition that is placed into the FIFO-style bottle can include; a deep blue color that suggests “mayonnaise”; a bright yellow color that suggests mustard; a bright red color that suggest catsup; and an orange-red color that suggest hot sauce.

The identification lid wrap 20 can be made of any suitable food-grade, molded elastomeric material. In one aspect of the invention, the molded elastomeric material is a silicone material. Using an elastomeric material such as silicone provides the user with an enhanced grip when twisting the fill cap 15 off of the FIFO-style squeeze bottle 10 to refill the bottle without having to remove the identification lid wrap 20. A suitable pigment or colorant can be mixed with the resin for molding the device with the desired and appropriate color.

FIGS. 2 and 3 further illustrate that the at least one indicia can be a mark 35, including any one of, but not limited to, a text, a word, a message, a picture, an image, a design, and a logo, disposed on the at least one of the outer side surface 29 of the sidewall 25, or the outer surface 24 of closed to end wall 22, or on both the outer side surface 29 and the outer surface 24. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the mark can be printed, formed, laminated or attached in any location on the outer surface of the identification lid wrap 20. The mark 35 can be molded into to extend outward from the outer side surface 29 or the outer surface 24, to provide a raised gripping surface. In a non-limiting example, the mark 30 can include the name, identity or code for the edible liquid or gel composition, or the name or identity of the flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition. By non-limiting example, the mark can be “Mayo”, “Honey”, or “Dijon Mustard” to identify the edible liquid or gel composition by a name; or can be “Lemon”, “Vinegar” or “Mint” to identify the edible liquid or gel composition by a flavor; or can be “”, or “Mild” or “Spicy” to identify the edible liquid or gel composition by a characteristic. A plurality of the mark can be placed along and around the periphery of the outer side surface 29 of the sidewall 25.

In an additional embodiment of the invention, the identification lid wrap 20 can include at least one tab 40 extending outwardly from the peripheral lower edge 26, as a means for grasping the identification lid wrap 20, to assist in lifting or peeling the identification lid wrap 20 to remove it from over the fill cap 12. The tab 40 can be particularly advantageous when the lid wrap 20 is wet and slippery, or if the user has limited dexterity (wearing gloves or has a dexterity limitation) that makes grasping and removing the identification lid wrap 20 difficult or challenging. The tab 40 can be in-molded with the sidewall 25, or can be a separate element that is adhered, welded or fastened to the identification lid wrap 20. While the tab 40 is shown extending, typically normally, from only a portion of the periphery, it can be understood that the tab can extend from larger portion of the periphery, including an annular tab that extends around the entire periphery.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate attaching releasably the identification lid, wrap 20 to the fill cap 15 of FIFO-style bottle 10. FIG. 5 illustrates the sidewall 25 of the identification lid wrap 20 stretched outward and around the outer wall surface 16 of the fill cap 15. Typically the size and dimension of the fill caps 15 used with FIFO-style bottles 10 are standard, with minimal size variance in the diameter of the outer wall surface 16. The inside diameter or dimension of the sidewall 25 of the identification lid wrap 20 is configured to be slightly smaller than the outside diameter or dimension of the outer wall sort 16 of the fill cap 15, so that when the resilient lid wrap 20 is stretched and placed around the sidewall 25, the inside surface 28 frictionally engages the outer wall surface 16 of the fill cap 15, to maintain its attachment to the fill cap 15, and prevent it from inadvertently coming of during normal use or washing. An adhesive is not necessary to fit and secure the lid wrap 20 over the fill cap 15.

In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 6, end wall 22 of the fill cap 15 can have one or more holes 45 therethrough, to allow air to flow through the end wall 22 of the fill cap 15. The hole 45 can prevent a vacuum forming between the inside surface of the end wall 22 and the top surface of the fill cap 15, or when squeezing the bottle 10 to dispense the liquid contents within.

In another alternate embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7-9, an identification lid wrap 130 has a closed top end 123 including a slanted end wall 122, and as sidewall having a varying height around the periphery to accommodate the slanted end wall 122. The slanted end wall 122 improves the viewability of the mark 35 disposed on the upper surface 124 in the direction 100 toward a user, for identifying the flavor of the liquid composition within the bottle 10. The angle of the slanted end wall 122 typically ranges between 10 and 30 degrees, though larger and smaller angles can be used.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of an identification lid wrap 230 with a slanted end wall 222 with an outer surface 224 on which a mark (not shown) can be placed. The lid wrap 220 has a sidewall 225 having an annular, vertical wall that depends downward from the periphery of the slanted end wall 222. As illustrated, the sidewall 225, the higher side of the slanted end wall 222 includes a lower wall portion 222 and an upper wall portion 224 that defines an inwardly-extending ledge or overhang 238 of the identification lid wrap 230. When the lid wrap 220 is placed over a fill cap 15, the inwardly-extending ledge or overhang 238 rests upon the peripheral edge of the fill cap 15, to maintain the vertical orientation of the sidewall 225 and the posture of the identification lid wrap 230 upon the fill cap 15.

FIG. 11 shows further embodiment of the invention, of a set 1 having a number of FIFO-style bottles 10, illustrated as six bottles but which can include from two or more bottles, each bottle 10 having a distinct identification lid wrap 20 (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, and 20f) that has its own distinctive and suggestive color 30 (30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e, and 30f) and/or its own mark 35 (35a, 35b, 35c, 35d 35e, and 35f) that identifies or suggests the flavor of the contents within the FIFO-style bottle. The user places the six FIFO-style bottles before her, and can identify and distinguish quickly each of the six distinctive flavors and/or liquid compositions in the bottles by glancing at and recognizing the color 30 and/or mark 35 as suggesting such flavor or product.

Although the identification lid wrap has been described in a preferred embodiment for use in conjunction with a FIFO-style bottle, it is not intended, that this description limit the use of the lid wrap to only FIFO-style bottles only. It should be understood that those skilled in the art could adapt the lid, wrap for use on other containers with similarly closed, top-ended caps.

Claims

1. An identification lid wrap that attaches to a cylindrical cap of a dispensing container that contains an edible liquid or gel composition having a flavor, the identification lid wrap comprising:

a) a cylindrical, closed-ended body made of a resilient, elastomeric material and including a flat end wall that defines a closed to end, the end wall having an outer surface that defines an upper surface of the identification lid wrap, and an annular sidewall extending from the periphery of hat end wall, the sidewall having, a lower edge that defines a bottom opening through which the cylindrical cap of the dispensing container extends when the identification lid wrap is attached to the cylindrical cap, the sidewall including an inner surface that frictionally engages the cylindrical cap when attached to the cylindrical cap, and an outer surface that defines a side surface of the identification lid wrap and

b) at least one indicia disposed on at least one of the side surface and the upper surface of the identification lid wrap, the at least one identifying indicia having a character that suggests to a user the flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition.

2. The identification lid wrap according to claim 2, wherein the at least one indicia on the outer surface of the identification lid wrap includes a color that suggests to the user the flavor of the edible liquid, or gel composition.

3. The identification lid wrap according to claim 2, wherein the color uniformly covers the entire area of the side surface and the upper surface of the identification lid wrap.

4. The identification lid wrap according to claim 3, wherein the at least one identifying indicia further includes a printed text.

5. The identification lid wrap according to claim 1, wherein the identification lid wrap is molded from a food-grade silicone.

6. The identification lid wrap according to claim 5, wherein the identification lid wrap further includes a tab extending radially from the lower edge of the sidewall.

7. The identification lid wrap according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the end wail is angled relative to the bottom opening of the sidewall.

8. A set of a plurality of identification lid wraps according to claim 2, each of the identification lid wraps of the set having a distinctive color that suggest to the user the flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition contained in the respective plurality of dispensing containers.

9. A method for identifying a flavor of an edible liquid or gel composition that is contained in a dispensing container, or in a set of dispensing containers, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a plurality of dispensing containers, each dispensing container having an upper fill cap and a bottom dispensing port;

b) providing a plurality of distinctive identification lid wraps, each distinctive identification lid wrap including at least one indicia disposed on an outer surface of the identification lid wrap that has a character that suggests to a user a flavor of an edible liquid or gel composition;

c) filling each of the plurality of dispensing containers with a different edible liquid or gel composition;

d) attaching one of the plurality of identification lid wraps over the fill cap of each of the plurality of dispensing containers, containing the edible liquid or gel composition suggested by the at least one indicia of the identification lid wrap;

e) positioning the plurality of filled dispensing containers with the attached identification lid wrap into a staging area, and

f) selecting by a user a desired one of the filled dispensing containers by observing the at least one indicia of the identification lid wrap of the selected dispensing container suggestive of the desired flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition.

10. The method according to claim 9, where the at least one indicia on the outer surface of the identification lid wrap includes a color that suggests to the user the flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition.