Patent Publication Number: US-2020290782-A1

Title: Wide-lipped container lid.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority back to U.S. Provisional No. 62/816,308, entitled “Wide-topped container lid”, with a filing date of Mar. 11, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated by reference into this utility patent application. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     This invention was not federally sponsored. 
     INVENTOR 
     Jordan Thompson, citizen of USA and resident of Manhattan Beach, Calif., USA. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the general field of container lids, and more specifically, to a wide-lipped container lid and a unique orifice stopper/retainer assembly. 
     Brief Description of Invention 
     The invention has a base component that screws into existing threads of a bottle. The base component is hingeably attached to a lid component. The hinge can be a solid piece connecting the base to the lid, or it can be a traditional hinge with knuckles and pins. In either case, the lid can be rotated up and down, to open and close the container. The lid is basically an upside-down partial cone that has a distinctive flange that extends from the top of the base outward to the cap ring that encircles the top of the lid. The flange allows for a user of the invention to quickly and easily “snap open” the lid without using two hands, but rather, by merely positioning the cap ring over an object and pulling down on the bottle or even flicking up on the flange with a thumb. To removably retain the lid and the base, the base has a projecting “orifice ridge” extending vertically around the orifice, which mates with an orifice stopper that is embedded into the underside of the lid. This allows a user of the invention to retain the contents of the bottle within the bottle, but to open (and close) the lid using only one hand. The user can do this by either tapping the flange section on a table top, chair, desk or any other structure, or by flicking the lid open with a thumb. The unique structure also allows the user to close the lid without allowing any contaminants from the outside to infect the opening from which the contents are expelled. 
     Description of the Problem Solved by this Invention 
     Lids for bottles are well known in the prior art. However, most lids are either “screw on” or have a fairly vertical face on the lid. With both versions, the user of the invention needs two hands to open the bottle. This is not convenient if the user has the use of only one hand, as is the case when the user is holding food in one hand, holding a child or a pet in one arm, or even using one arm to perform an activity such as driving a car. 
     Thus, there has existed a long-felt need for a container lid that can be opened, easily, using only the hand that is holding the bottle, and which will not open at other times when the user of the invention wants to keep the lid secured. 
     The current invention provides just such a solution by having a container lid with a Base and a hingeably-connected lid, where the Base that screws onto the threads of an existing bottle. The lid has sides that extend out (we refer to this as a “flange” in the application, but it is meant to apply to any conical shape where, in this case of this invention, the bottom diameter is smaller than the top diameter) that provide a convenient place for a user to open the lid using only one hand. The user need merely position the lid over an object such as the edge of a table and use it to apply pressure on the “flange”, or pull down on the bottle, or even flick up on the flange with a thumb to effectively open the container with only one hand. To removably restrain the lid from popping open at undesired times, an orifice ridge on the top of the Base removably mates with an orifice stopper on the underside of the lid. To close the lid, the user only has to tap the lid against an object or flick it back down with his/her thumb. Because the flange extends the cap rim, or circumference, of the lid outward from the base, should any contaminants get on the cap rim during the closure, these contaminants will not be transmitted to the drinking or pouring hole in the cap. 
     Objects of the Invention 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a lid for a bottle or other container that can be opened easily and quickly using only one hand. 
     A further object of the invention is to allow a user to open the cap with only one hand by tapping the lid on a nearby horizontal object in an easy and efficient manner. 
     Another object of the invention includes having a means to selectively restrain the lid on top of the base until the user of the invention desires to open the lid. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to ensure that any contaminants that are placed on the rim cap during closure are physically separated by the flange from the drinking and pouring opening. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. The features listed herein and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     It should be understood that while the preferred embodiments of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       Two preferred forms of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a top, perspective view of the hinge version of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the hinge version of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is back view of the hinge version of the invention showing the hinge. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the hinge version of the invention showing a side view of the hinge. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the hinge version of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the hinge version of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the hinge version of the invention in an open position. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional, cutaway, perspective view of the hinge version of the invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a top, perspective view of the connector version of the invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a front view of the connector version of the invention. 
         FIG. 11  is back view of the connector version of the invention showing the connector. 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of the connector version of the invention showing a side view of the connector. 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of the connector version of the invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a bottom view of the connector version of the invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a top view of the connector version of the invention in an open position. 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional, cutaway, perspective view of the connector version of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with references made to the drawings below. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the components of the present invention. Moreover, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts through the several views in the drawings. Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention are not limited in their application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments of the invention are capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. In particular, the material out of which this lid is made could be any material suitable for molding, including a variety of plastics. 
       FIG. 1  is a top, perspective view of the hinge version of the invention. The invention comprises two basic parts: a Lid  2  and a Base  1 , connected by a Hinge  4 . The Base  1  is roughly cylindrical in shape, with Threads  6  molded into the bottom such that it can be screwed on an existing container. The width and spacing of the Threads  6  can be changed to accommodate bottles with different sized openings and different thread patterns. The Base  1  is hingeably connected by the Lid  2  by a Hinge  4 . The Hinge  4  has the traditional pins and knuckles of a hinge, and allows the Base  1  to rotate freely away from the Lid  2 . The Lid  2  has a Flange  3  which tapers out at an exaggerated angle, culminating in a Cap Ring  5  that is significantly larger in diameter than the Base  1 . The term flange here is not intended to be limiting, but rather to refer to any “upside down” conical shape where the bottom diameter is smaller than the top diameter). This allows a user of the invention to, with only one hand, position the bottle over an object, such as a table, and tap down on the surface or pull down along an edge, thereby engaging the Flange  3  such that the lid pops open. This allows the user of the invention to open a bottle when one of his/her hands is engaged in another activity such as holding food, holding a pet or child, operating a machine, or even driving. To close the lid, the user has merely to tap upward against an outside object. Because the flange extends the rim cap well beyond the base, should any contaminants get into the rim cap, they will not get “inside” the base such that they contaminate the drinking/pouring hole. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the hinge version of the invention. This figure shows the pronounced nature of the Flange  3 , and shows how easy it would be for a user to “hang” the Flange  3  over an edge and pull down to open the lid. The Lid Upper Surface  11  is flat and culminates in a Cap Ring  5 . The Lid Lower Surface  12  has a significantly smaller diameter that that of the Lid Upper Surface  11 , thereby creating the Flange  3 . The Flange  3  can be straight or concave. If can also be more concave than is shown in this figure to present a “flatter” profile against which a user of the invention can push down upon to release the lid. 
       FIG. 3  is back view of the hinge version of the invention showing the hinge  4 . 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the hinge version of the invention showing a side view of the hinge  4 .  FIG. 4  also illustrates an embodiment where the flange has two distinct portions, a flange outer portion  15  and a flange inner portion  16 . Both of these flange portions have different degrees of curvature, with the flange outer portion  15  having a more “flat” curve (with a longer radius), and the flange inner portion  16 , having a less “flat” curve (with a short radius), such that the flange lower portion provides distance between the top of the base and the cap ring, and the flange lower portion provides a flatter surface upon which the user can press the lid to remove it easily, and with less chance that the invention will merely be moved laterally without the lid opening, rather than the lid catching on the projection, causing the lid to pop open. Concavity can be measured in concave radius, which is the radius of a circle which matches the curvature of that particular section. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the concave radius of the flange outer portion is larger than the concave radius of the flange inner portion by a factor of at least 1.2 to 1. It is also contemplated that the flange outer portion will have a flange outer portion circumference, and the flange inner portion will have a flange inner portion circumference, and the flange outer portion circumference is at least 10% greater than the flange inner portion circumference. 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the hinge version of the invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the hinge version of the invention. Note how much larger the Cap Ring  5  is in this case when compared to the Base  1 , thereby giving the user of the invention leverage and a significantly larger surface to “aim” for the edge of the object over which the user hopes to open the lid. 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of the hinge version of the invention in an open position. 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional, cutaway, perspective view of the hinge version of the invention. The Base  1  has an Orifice Ridge  8  molded as part of its top. This Orifice Ridge  8  mates with an Orifice Stopper  9  that has been molded into the bottom of the Lid  2 . The outer diameter the Orifice Ridge  8  is only a miniscule amount smaller than the inner diameter of Orifice Stopper  9 , such that once the Lid  2  is closed over the Base  1 , the Lid  2  stays solidly but removably attached to the top of the Base  1 . 
       FIG. 9  is a top, perspective view of the connector version of the invention. This design is very similar to the alternate design taught by  FIG. 1 , except that rather than having an actual hinge with knuckles and a pin, this figure shows a Connector  10 , which is a physical connection between the Base  1  and the Lid  2 . The advantages of this embodiment of the invention over the hinged version is that this version is easier and less expensive to create, as it would require only a single mold. In addition, this embodiment requires no assembly of the hinge. 
       FIG. 10  is a front view of the connector version of the invention. 
       FIG. 11  is back view of the connector version of the invention showing the connector  10 . 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of the connector version of the invention showing a side view of the connector  10 . 
       FIG. 13  is a top view of the connector version of the invention. 
       FIG. 14  is a bottom view of the connector version of the invention. 
       FIG. 15  is a top view of the connector version of the invention in an open position. 
       FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional, cutaway, perspective view of the connector version of the invention. 
     It should be understood that while the preferred embodiments of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention. 
     All of the material in this patent document is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all other copyright rights whatsoever are reserved. 
     REFERENCE NUMBERS USED 
       1 . Base 
       2 . Lid 
       3 . Flange (a term used to refer to any “upside down” conical shape where the bottom diameter is smaller than the top diameter such that the sides “taper out” from the bottom to the top) 
       4 . Hinge 
       5 . Cap ring 
       6 . Threads 
       7 . Orifice 
       8 . Orifice ridge
   9 . Orifice stopper
 
       10 . Connector 
       11 . Lid upper surface
   12 . Lid lower surface
   13 . Base upper surface
   14 . Base lower surface
   15 . Flange outer portion.
   16 . Flange inner portion.