Container Closure with Integral Utensil

Abstract

A container closure includes a utensil and a flexible sleeve adapted for bidirectional movement along a closure axis to collapse the closure to a sealable position, or to extend the closure to an extended position, wherein the sleeve moves with the utensil.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/932,259 filed Feb. 16, 2018 which claimed priority to U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 62/600,254 filed Feb. 16, 2017 both of which are hereby incorporated by this reference as if fully set forth herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to the field of container closures; more particularly, it relates to container closures that include integrated utensils.

BACKGROUND

It is commonplace to reseal and store unused food in containers for later use. Unused portions of food sold in cans, for example, are typically resealed and stored in a refrigerator for later use. A utensil is typically used and soiled each time a portion of food is removed from the can. Washing multiple soiled utensils is an inconvenience and can result in waste of food that is adhering to the utensil when it is washed. Some varieties of food such as canned pet food, for example, may also produce unwanted odors in a cleaning area when a utensil is washed.

Resealable container closures that have utensils attached in some way and which may be stored in full or in part in a container have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,488 to Darflinger discloses a utensil that is attached to the underside of a container lid. The utensil is designed to be removed for use, and the use-end of the utensil remains in a fixed location relative to the lid when attached to the lid. U.S. Pat. No. 7,644,832 to Tsengas et al. discloses a lid with a flexible opening, or aperture, for gripping a removable utensil. The flexible aperture allows a user to alter the distance of a selected utensil's use-end from the lid by sliding the utensil's handle one direction or the other within the aperture. The utensil is a separate element and is not included as an integral part of the lid.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,725 to Delman et al. discloses a container closure with an integrated utensil in the form of a scoop, with one embodiment showing a “nesting” of several scoop components of diminishing size and which permits the scoop to form various “expanded” or “collapsed” states. These scoop components are a structure of discreet elements that may be easily separated, though they provide for a handle element that remains outside of a container when the container is sealed.

A need still exists for a container lid with an attached utensil that is integrated to function as a single device, with a means of forming a handle that is exterior to a container for operation of the utensil, a use end that may be stored inside a container, and a capacity to easily change the location of the utensil's use end relative to the lid to “collapse” the device to permit storage of the use-end inside the container or “expand” the device for improved access to food within the container. In addition, the integrated device should provide an airtight seal to help preserve, prevent spillage, and contain the odor of any unused contents within the container when attached to a container.

DISCLOSURE

A new type of container closure device, or lid, for food containers is disclosed. The device has an integral utensil with a use end (the scoop or tines, for example) that may be stored inside a container when the lid is attached. The utensil's handle projects upward from the top of the lid and remains outside of the container when the container is sealed. The utensil is desirably part of an expandable and collapsible feature or sleeve or sheath of the lid. When the sleeve is in a collapsed state, the utensil's use end is at a distance that is relatively closer to the lid. This allows the device to be used to reseal a food container with the utensil's use end stored inside the container. When the feature is in an expanded state the utensil's use end extends away from the lid, increasing the relative distance between the use end and the lid for a wider range of maneuverability of the utensil and provides a user with better utensil access to food within the container.

One embodiment of the disclosed container closure has an integral, optionally non-removable, utensil and a flexible sleeve adapted for bidirectional movement along a closure axis to collapse the closure to a sealable position, or to extend the closure to an extended position, wherein the sleeve moves with the utensil. The utensil has a use end adapted to be stored inside the container. Desirably, the utensil is not readily removable or separable from the closure. This advantageously eliminates utensil/closure sealing problems, as well as possible loss or misplacement of the utensil.

The use end of the utensil is extended away from the closure when the closure is off the container and the sleeve is in the extended position. The sleeve is likewise desirably integrated with the rest of the closure, and in particular the ‘lid’ and ‘rim’ aspects of the closure. This is partly for ease of manufacture and user convenience, and also to enhance sealability of the closure on the container.

The sleeve is optionally a flexible generally half spherical structure. It need not be fully hemispherical, as a partial hemisphere will serve as well. The hemisphere and its material serve to induce and facilitate the bidirectional motion disclosed as desirable. The sleeve is desirably a reversibly expandable structure with a series of relatively thin collapse zones to facilitate ease of motion and reversibility.

When the disclosed closure has a utensil with a utensil handle end, the handle end is desirably disposed on an exterior side (an outside, a side not facing the container) of the closure. The handle end and the use end of the utensil need not be made of the same material, nor be fashioned or made at the same time, but the two ends are advantageously joined into a single integrated unit that is, as above, integral with the closure.

The disclosed lid system optionally includes both container and closure, and as an system of cooperating elements, functions in all the ways disclosed above.

In one embodiment, a closure has a rim and an axis and is sized for sealable engagement with a particular sized and shaped container that has its own a rim and axis. The closure axis is adapted to be substantially congruent with the container axis when the closure is sealed upon the container. The closure has a utensil integrated with and passing through the closure and sleeve and the utensil in usage is generally aligned along the closure axis. The sleeve is adapted for bi-directional movement generally along the closure axis to collapse the closure to a sealable position, or to extend the closure to an extended position. The utensil is operably attached to the sleeve and a use end of the utensil extends from the closure when the closure is in the extended position, and is contained within the closure when the closure is in the sealable position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of the apparatus in a collapsed state, from top and bottom, respectively.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of the apparatus in an expanded state, from top and bottom, respectively.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are side and perspective views of the apparatus in an expanded state.

FIGS. 4A-4C are top perspective views of the expanded state detail of the apparatus in alternate shapes, including round, square and rectangular.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the expanding and collapsing detail of the apparatus shown in collapsed (utensil retracted) state.

FIG. 6 shows the same embodiment as FIG. 5 but with the apparatus in expanded (utensil extended) state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Advantageously, the disclosed container closure with integral utensil includes a circular (or other shape to mate with alternate container shapes) structure or lid with a rim for gripping the container's rim, an expandable sleeve or sheath that is axially and bidirectionally movable with the utensil integral thereto or operably attached to, and desirably therethrough, in such a way as to have the utensil sealably engaged within the sleeve. With axial motion of the utensil, the sleeve expands away from the lid from a collapsed and relatively compact state that encloses a use end of the utensil to an expanded state with the use end of the utensil extended away from the lid for use. It is desirable that the utensil move with the material of the sleeve to which it is attached or engaged, rather than to pass through or slide through the material of the sleeve.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 the closure is shown in alternative collapsed and expanded states of sleeve or sheath 2. FIGS. 1A, 1B and 5 show sleeve 2 in a collapsed state (having moved or been placed into that state in the direction of arrow 21), and FIG. 2A, 2B and 3A, 3B and 6 show sleeve 2 in an expanded state (having moved or been placed into that state in the direction of arrow 20). Sleeve 2 is axially and bidirectionally movable from a collapsed state (FIG. 1, FIG. 5), with utensil use end 10 withdrawn and or enclosed by sleeve 2, to an expanded state (FIG. 2, FIG. 6), with utensil use end 10 extended out of sleeve 2 for use.

Sleeve 2 is attached to lid 4 that has rim 6 for gripping the container rim and thereby sealing the container with utensil use end 10 enclosed within the container. FIGS. 1 and 2 have alternative multiple closure rims 6 for fitting two different sizes of cans; additional closure sizes (such as non-round-see FIG. 4) for alternate can-sizes and alternate can shapes are contemplated.

The attached or integral utensil has use end 10 and handle end 12. When the device is in a collapsed state, use end 10 is at a distance that is relatively closer to lid 4 (FIG. 1, FIG. 5). This allows the device to be used to reseal a food container with use end 10 stored inside the container. When the device is in an expanded state the use end 10 extends away from lid 4, increasing the relative distance between use end 10 and lid 4 (FIG. 2, FIG. 6). This allows for a wider range of maneuverability of the utensil and provides a user with better utensil access to food within the container.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 sleeve 2 moves bidirectionally from a collapsed state (arrow 21) to an expanded state (arrow 20). FIG. 5 shows the device in a collapsed state from a side view and FIG. 6 shows the device in an expanded state from a side view, with sleeve 2 expanded in an outward (sometime downward) direction to expose and extend use end 10 of the utensil. Advantages of this design include allowing use end 10 to rest above the food when the closure is in a collapsed (sealable) state and attached to a container. While FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the utensil integral with sleeve 2 (integrally formed into a joint, single-piece unit), such that movement of the utensil expands or collapses sleeve 2 without relative movement between the utensil and sleeve, FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an alternative utensil/sleeve mating feature. Grommet 3 can be any type of sealing and gripping feature that allows the utensil to be sealably installed in a relatively fixed position within sleeve 2 so that the utensil thereafter, when pulled or moved, brings sleeve 2 along with it. In order to effect installation of some utensils within grommet 3, it may be necessary at time of manufacture (or possibly by the user) to assemble 2 or more parts of the utensil through grommet 3, such as by snapping or screwing together use end 10 and handle 12 through grommet 3, for example. In any event it is desirable that the utensil assembly via grommet 3 effect the same kind of attachment to sleeve 2 that an integral utensil would have (such that movement of the utensil expands or collapses sleeve 2 without relative movement between the utensil and sleeve).

Sleeve 2 can employ a radiused form (FIGS. 5, 6) resembling or approximating a half-sphere, with the half-sphere capable of moving between two different, and opposite, half-spherical shapes. Sleeve 2 alternatively integrates stepped collapse zones 5 (FIG. 3, FIG. 4) so that the sleeve can compress to a relatively flat configuration within the closure (FIG. 1B).

Other embodiments of the disclosed container closure with integrated utensil include, but are not limited to, the following variations:

The utensil may fold flat against the lid. For example, the utensil may be compressed downward in a way that leverages the resiliency of the sleeve to maintain a constant seal, in both upright and stored positions. The utensil's handle end may snap or clip onto the circular structure to hold the utensil in a stored position.

To aid in folding and creating a more compact form, the utensil may have a hinge or pivot in one or more places. For example, the use-end and/or the handle-end of the utensil may pivot on a hinge to lay flat against the lid.

The closure may be manufactured from multiple materials or they may be manufactured from a single, relatively flexible material.

The utensil may optionally be integrated with the sleeve in a way that allows the utensil to be removed from the sleeve and closure. For example, the sleeve and or grommet may be designed to compress, and seat, onto a specific area of the utensil, such as around a grooved ring, or depression, located in the middle of the utensil, so that when the utensil is properly seated, it and the sleeve may be moved easily into expanded or collapsed states and still maintain an airtight seal when the closure is attached to the container.

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, since the means and construction shown comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims, appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

1. A container closure comprising a utensil and a flexible sleeve adapted for bidirectional movement along a closure axis to collapse the closure to a sealable position, or to extend the closure to an extended position, wherein the sleeve moves with the utensil.

2. The closure of claim 1 wherein the utensil is integral with the sleeve.

3. The closure of claim 1 further comprising a utensil handle end, wherein the handle end is disposed on an exterior side of the closure.

4. The closure of claim 1 wherein a use end of the utensil is extended away from the closure when the closure is off the container and the sleeve is in the extended position.

5. The closure of claim 1 wherein the sleeve is a flexible half-sphere.

6. The closure of claim 1 wherein the sleeve is comprised of at least one flexible collapse zone.

7. The closure of claim 1 further comprising a grommet in the sleeve with which to engage the utensil.

8. A container and closure system, comprising a utensil and a sleeve adapted for bidirectional movement along a closure axis to collapse the closure to a sealable position, or to extend the closure to an extended position, wherein the sleeve moves with the utensil.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the utensil is integral with the sleeve.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising a utensil handle end, wherein the handle end is disposed on an exterior side of the closure.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein a use end of the utensil is extended away from the closure when the closure is off the container and the sleeve is in the extended position.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the sleeve is a flexible half-sphere.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the sleeve is comprised of at least one flexible collapse zone.

14. The system of claim 8 further comprising a grommet in the sleeve with which to engage the utensil.

15. A closure for a container, the container having a rim and an axis, the closure having an axis adapted to be substantially congruent with the container axis when the closure is sealed upon the container, the closure further comprising:

a utensil aligned along the closure axis;

a rim operably sized for sealable engagement with the container rim;

a sleeve adapted for bi-directional movement generally along the closure axis with the utensil to collapse the sleeve to a sealable position, or to extend the sleeve to an extended position such that a use end of the utensil extends from the closure when the sleeve is in the extended position.

16. The closure of claim 15 wherein the utensil is integral with the sleeve.

17. The closure of claim 15 further comprising a utensil handle end, wherein the handle end is disposed on an exterior side of the closure.

18. The closure of claim 15 wherein the sleeve is a flexible half-sphere.

19. The closure of claim 15 wherein the sleeve is comprised of at least one flexible collapse zone.

20. The closure of claim 15 further comprising a grommet in the sleeve with which to engage the utensil.