Product Lid Dispensing System

A product lid dispensing system includes a number of lid members. The number of lid members are all of the same size, shape and construction. Thus, the number of lid members are placeable into a stacked configuration. Each lid member includes a protrusion that extends upward relative to the base of the lid member. The protrusion may be grasped by a user. When the protrusion of a target lid member is grasped by the user, pressure is applied to the underlying protrusion to assist the user in removing the target lid member from the remaining lid members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a food or beverage lid device. More specifically, the present invention provides a simple, cost-effective solution to the problems of disposable food or beverage lids being difficult to remove from each other, and of being susceptible to numerous pathways of contamination, when used in a current lid dispensing system.

Prior art plastic beverage container lids are usually dispensed via the user attempting to grasp the outer rim of the lid and pulling outward. Lid dispensing systems are typically arranged in a tightly spaced, stacked orientation to optimize space and cost. Because of this, the exposed surface area on the outer diameter of the lid, which user must grab to extract the lid, is very small. Additionally, since the grabbing surface is at the outer extremity (outer rim) of the lid, and because the lids are made of thin, flexible material, it can be difficult for the user to consistently extract an individual lid. Often, when trying to remove the uppermost lid, one or more underlying lids will adhere to it during extraction and/or be dropped on dispensing station counters.

The underlying surfaces of these dropped lids have high probability of becoming contaminated by contact with exposed countertops or dispensing station surfaces, airborne transmission, droplet transmission, or from touching and handling by other users. After being potentially contaminated, these inadvertently extracted and dropped lids are sometimes reinserted into the stack and used by future consumers, thereby exposing the consumers to accrued contaminants; or the dropped lids are discarded, resulting in waste and increased costs. Additionally, the dropped lids are often left where they fell for some time, which results in cluttered and unkempt dispensing stations and degrades impressions of cleanliness.

An alternative method of extracting the target lid on prior art lid dispensing systems is for the users to place his or her finger behind the underlying surface of the target lid; pinch the lid body between the finger and thumb; and pull to remove. However, by touching the underlying surface of the target lid, the user can spread germs, microbes, bacteria, viruses, chemical or biological agents, or other contaminants directly from their fingers to the underlying surface of the container lid. Since the user extracting the lid may not be the individual consuming the product, a very direct pathway for person to person spread of disease or contamination exists in this scenario.

Any contamination on the underlying surface of a food or beverage container lid is likely to contact and mix with the contained product which will soon be ingested by consumer, allowing for a very quick and direct route for any pathogens or other contaminants to be ingested by the consumers.

Several mechanical and ratcheting style lid dispensing systems exist in prior art, but they are expensive; they require additional equipment and renovations to dispensing stations and countertops; they can be challenging to adjust, operate, and maintain; they can be difficult to properly clean and sanitize; and they often exhibit the same problems of excessive waste and potential for contamination as the simpler stacked style lid dispensing systems.

For the reasons explained above, there is a need for a system or method that will allow users to easily and reliably remove a single lid from a stack of lids at a lid dispensing station, in such a way that the chances of spreading germs, microbes, bacteria, viruses, chemical or biological agents, or other contaminants to the contained product are reduced.

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of food or beverage container lid dispensing systems that are currently available in the prior art, the present invention provides a system wherein the shape of the lid itself when stacked upon identical underlying lids provides an easily implemented, cost-effective, method to easily and consistently dispense a single lid at a time from the stack, with a reduced likelihood of dropped or wasted lids or contamination of the underlying surface of the lids.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The presented lid dispensing system comprises a stack of similarly formed lid members in any one of many possible stack orientations typically utilized in lid dispensing stations. This explanation is based on a vertically oriented stack, with the top lid as the target lid being extracted from the stack, but other embodiments can satisfy different stack arrangements.

Each individual lid member is typically formed with a raised protrusion on the top of the lid. The protrusion will be shaped and sized to allow the user to grasp and squeeze opposing sides of the protrusion with fingers and thumb. The lids will be nested in a stack such that the bottom surface of the top lid is nearly touching the top surface of the successive lid in the stack. Because of the angle of the protrusions, when the user pinches the protrusion by squeezing opposite walls of the protrusion inwards towards one another, opposing force vectors are exerted between the top lid and the successive lids which cause the top lid (or target lid) to slide outward, and the successive lid, and those under it, to slide inward, allowing for simple, distinct separation and extraction of the target lid from the stack.

In addition to the opposing forces induced on the raised protrusions, in some embodiments of the present invention, another feature is integrated which may aid in separating the top lid from the successive lids in the stack. As the two sides of the raised protrusion of the top lid are pinched inwards, the diameter of the lid will be reduced slightly along the axis of the pinching action. This reduction of the diameter can cause or assist the outer rim of the top lid to slide over and away from the outer rim of the successive lid in the stack. This will aid in overcoming any natural or static adhesion, frictional pairing, or intentionally designed geometric detents. In some embodiments, the lids may be purposefully designed with geometric detents or other frictional elements to help adhere the top lid to the successive lid until being pinched for extraction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now toFIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the product lid dispensing system. The product lid dispensing system10comprises a plurality of lid members11a,11b. Each lid member11a,11bof the plurality of lid members is identical in shape and in construction. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of lid members11a,11bare circular. The plurality of lid members11a,11b, as shown, are disposed in a stacked configuration. The stacked configuration is defined where the plurality of lid members11a,11bare placed into contact with one another. The plurality of lid members11a,11bmay be placed into contact with one another in a vertical arrangement, a horizontal arrangement or any additional suitable arrangement. In some embodiments, the plurality of lid members11a,11bmay be placed into a dispensing station to provide sanitary cover to the plurality of lid members11a,11b. The lid members11a,11bare of any suitable material for providing protection to a food or beverage container. Ideally, the lid plurality of lid members11a,11bare made of a thin, impermeable material, such as plastic or paper. Furthermore, the plurality of lid members11a,11bmay be made of a recyclable material or a reusable material. The plurality of lid members11a,11bmay be produced by any suitable manufacturing process or mechanism, such as by thermoforming the plurality of lid members11a,11b, by vacuum-forming the plurality of lid members11a,11bor by pressure forming the plurality of lid members11a,11b.

Each lid member11a,11bcomprises a protrusion12a,12b. The protrusion12a,12bextends upward from a base13of each lid member11. The protrusion12a,12bis of any suitable shape for allowing an individual to engage the protrusion with their hand, as shown. The protrusion12a,12bmay be of an ovular or conical shape, as well as defining tapered sides or curved sides, as well as having a flat or domed surface. The protrusion12a,12b(as shown inFIG. 2) defines an external surface14opposite of an internal surface. In use, the protrusion12a,12bis configured to assist with the removal of a target lid member11afrom the remaining lid members11b. This is because pressure applied to the protrusion12aof the target lid member11ais applied against the protrusion of the underlying lid member12b. The protrusion12a,12bis of any suitable configuration, size or shape to enable the user to apply pressure to the underlying protrusion12bfrom the protrusion12aof the target lid member11a. In the illustrated embodiment, the protrusion12a,12bdefines a blunted cone. In some embodiments, the protrusion12a,12bdefines an interior angle between 5 degrees and 90 degrees. In a preferred embodiment, the protrusion12a,12bdefines an inner angle between 30 degrees and 60 degrees. In some embodiments, the protrusion12a,12bmay comprise at least one bump, ring, or other friction-enhancing surface, or may utilize convex or concave curvatures to aid in pinching, and in holding the lid once extracted, while transferring and securing to the intended container.

Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, each lid member of the plurality of lid members11a,11bcomprises a lip15. The lip15extends downward from the base13of the lid member around the entire perimeter of the lid member. When pressure is applied to the protrusion12a,12b, the diameter of the lip15is reduced, assisting the individual in the removal of the target lid member11afrom the underlying lid members11b. This is because as the diameter of the lip15is reduced, pressure is applied to the lip of the underlying lid member11b. The plurality of lid members11a,11bmay comprise any means of connecting to applicable containers, depending on the type of material used, the temperature of the contents of the container, or any other factor considered relevant in standard industry practices.

Referring now toFIG. 2, there is shown a demonstrative view of an embodiment of the product lid dispensing system. In use, when the protrusion12aof the target lid member11ais grasped by the user and is pinched inwards, lateral pressure24is applied from the interior surface of the protrusion12aof the target lid member11ato the exterior surface of the protrusion12bof the underlying lid member11b. In addition to creating a downward force22to be applied to the protrusion12bof the underlying lid member11b, an upward force23is applied to the protrusion12aof the target lid member11a, assisting the user in pulling the target lid member11afrom the underlying lid member11band any other remaining lid members in the stacked configuration. Additionally, in some embodiments, as the protrusion12aof the target lid member11ais grasped by user and pinched inwards, the diameter of the target lid member11ais reduced along the axis of the pinching action, pulling the lip15ainwards and assisting the lip15aof the target lid member11ain sliding over the lip15bof the underlying lid member11band assisting in separation and removal of the target lid member11afrom the underlying lid member11b.

Additionally, in the shown embodiment, the lid member11a,11bcomprises a detent21. The detent21extends upward from the perimeter of the lid member11a,11b, before extending downward such as to form a seal with the container upon which the lid member11a,11bis placed. In the illustrated embodiment, the detent21is configured to secure to a container having a rounded rim, however, in alternate embodiments, the detent21is of any suitable structure for securing the lid member11a,11bto the container.

Referring now toFIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the product lid dispensing system. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of lid members11a,11bare stored in a dispensing station31. The dispensing station31, in the illustrated embodiment, is substantially tubular such as to maintain the plurality of lid members11a,11bin a stacked configuration.

In the illustrated embodiment, each lid member11a,11bcomprises a flange32thereon. The flange32is defined on each lid member11a,11bsuch as to assist in securing the lid member11a,11bto a container. The flange32is of any suitable design for assisting in securing the lid member11a,11bto the container. Specifically, in the shown embodiment, the flange32is defined on the lip15of the lid member11a,11b, such as to secure the lid member11a,11bmore effectively to a container.

In some embodiments, each lid member of the plurality of lid members11a,11bcomprises at least one perforation therethrough. The at least one perforation may comprise a straw hole33. The straw hole33is a cross-shaped perforation designed to allow for a straw to penetrate the lid member11a,11b. In another embodiment, the at least one perforation my comprise a pour hole34. The pour hole34is designed to allow for a large flow of material from the container to pass through the lid member11a,11b.

In another embodiment, each lid member of the plurality of lid members11a,11bcomprises a plurality of actuatable indicators35. The plurality of actuatable indicators35are configured to assist the individual in identifying the contents of the container upon which the lid member11a,11bis installed. In a further embodiment, each lid member of the plurality of lid members11a,11bcomprises a tab36. In the specific embodiment, the tab36extends laterally from the outer edge of the lip15of each lid member11a,11b, such as to assist the user in moving and manipulating the lid member11a,11bor removing the lid member11a,11bfrom the container.