Patent Publication Number: US-6708735-B1

Title: Dispensing lid closure for confections and methods of making and using the closure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to lid closures for containers and methods of making and using the lid closures, and more particularly to a molded plastic lid closure having a compartment for holding solid or particulate confections to be dispensed by gravity into the container by a consumer and methods of making and using the same. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Plastic lid closures for sealing beverage containers, such as containers purchased by consumers at so-called “fast-food” restaurants and “convenience” stores are well known in the art. It has also been heretofore proposed to provide pockets or compartments in molded plastic lid closures that contain solid and liquid materials for use by a consumer to dispense into a container of a beverage to which the lid closure is secured. The solid materials that are dispensed into the container are typically granular materials, such as powdered cream or sugar for a coffee or tea beverage. One such proposed lid closure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,363 to Bennett et at. The lid closure described in the Bennett et al. patent is molded of a polystyrene plastic material with a generally U-shaped annular skirt for engaging the rim of a paper or plastic container. The molded lid is provided with a plurality of pockets containing granular materials that are closed and sealed on the underside of the lid by a circular sealing sheet of a tearable metal foil or plastic film. The lid is further provided with a pair of triangular bottom wall sections that are designed to tear the circular sealing sheet on the underside of the lid when pressure is applied by a consumer to the top of the lid at one of the pockets thereby releasing the granular material into the container. 
     A number of other dispensing lid closure proposals for beverage containers have been heretofore made, as exemplified by the lid closures disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,813 to Kurland; U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,931 to Weiret al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,276 to Lialin; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,179 to Hanson. Typically, the prior art lid closures of these patents involve the application of pressure by the consumer to a pocket or compartment in the lid to release an ingredient or material into the container to which the lid is attached. In the case of the patents to Weir et al. and Lialin, the lid closures are formed or provided with plungers or piercing devices for rupturing a foil or membrane forming the bottom wall of the compartments in the lid. 
     Other prior art lid dispensing proposals include containers for dispensing larger solid components, such as tablets, into a beverage or other liquid. Examples of such dispensing lid proposals are described in U.S. Patent No. 3,743,520 to Croner and U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,760 to Mollstam et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,022 to Husted discloses a lid with a built-in dispensing scoop for dry foodstuffs. 
     None of the aforementioned prior art proposals provides a dispensing lid especially adapted for dispensing confections, such as individual pieces of candy, into a container containing a beverage. In the case of soft or frangible confections, such as the popular Butterfinger® and M&amp;M® brand candies, application of manual pressure to the lid for the purpose of puncturing or rupturing a sealing layer to dispense the confections from lid compartments is particularly undesirable because of the potential to mar or crush the confections and make them difficult to dispense as well as unsightly to the consumer. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a dispensing lid closure for dispensing from a sealed lid compartment any type of solid or liquid material contents, but particularly confections and especially crushable candies, that does not involve the application of manual pressure to the lid or puncturing the lid to dispense the contents of the lid compartment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art dispensing lid closures by providing a simple, two-part molded, thermoformed or vacuum-formed plastic lid closure for a container. The first molded part of the lid closure has a central opening formed by a generally cylindrical sleeve that may be vertical or slightly inwardly tapered from top to bottom. The height of the first molded part may be varied to increase or decrease the dispensable volume of the lid closure. The opening is surrounded by an annular section or compartment with an annular skirt at its outermost periphery for sealingly engaging the rim of a container. A sealing layer is sealingly secured to a narrow annular surface on the bottom of the first molded lid part to form a closed annular compartment adapted to contain the material or confection to be dispensed. The sealing layer is perforated or weakened radially inwardly of the narrow annular surface of the first lid part along a circular perforation or weakened line. 
     The second molded lid part comprises a twist-off-pull-out, generally cylindrical but slightly tapered cap adapted to removably fit into and mate with the inwardly tapered central sleeve in the first lid part. Preferably, the second lid part is molded with two oppositely disposed semi-cylindrical pockets sized so that a consumer can insert the tips of a thumb and forefinger for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The second lid part is securely affixed at its lowermost end or bottom to the sealing layer radially inwardly of the circular perforation in the sealing layer. 
     The two lid closure parts are preferably molded or vacuum-formed of a natural polystyrene plastic material of the type conventionally used to manufacture lid closures for beverage containers. A transparent plastic material may also be used so that the consumer may view the confection or material contained in the dispensing lid closure. Moldable or vacuum-formable plastic materials other than polystyrene may also be used to manufacture the lid closure parts, such as polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or expanded polyethylene (EPE). An especially preferred material for making the lid closure parts is a coextruded polystyrene/polyethylene sheet material, which is heat sealable, or any other coextruded combination of a vacuum-formable lid material with a heat sealable exterior layer that is disposed on the underside of the lid closure parts. 
     Preferably, the sealing layer comprises a metal foil or polymeric layer having a circular shape although other shapes are possible. A preferred material for the sealing layer is aluminum foil that is adhesively affixed to the annular sealing surface on the underside of the first part of the lid closure and is also adhesively affixed to the underside or bottom of the second lid part or twist-off-pull-out cap. The foil may have an adhesive layer applied over the entire area of one of its surfaces or in a pattern only to those areas of the foil that contact the sealing surfaces on the underside of the first and second lid parts. Alternatively, the first and second lid parts may have an adhesive layer applied to their underside surfaces as described hereinafter. The adhesive layer may be any suitable adhesive used in the food packaging industry, such as linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). Other polymeric materials may also be used for the adhesive layer, such as ethylene acrylic acid (EAA), polyethylene, low density polyethylene (LDPE), Surlyn®, a polymeric resin made by du Pont, ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) or Barex®, an acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate copolymer made by BP Amoco, polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) film, such as Saran® made by Dow Chemical Company, or any other suitable copolymer or homopolymer. 
     The second lid part is preferably sealingly secured in the central sleeve or opening of the first lid part by an adhesive label or decal. The label or decal covers the top of the second lid part or cup and extends radially beyond the cup so as to seal to an annular sealing surface located on the top of the first lid part surrounding the central sleeve or opening. Alternatively, the second lid part may be provided with an annular rim with a low-tack adhesive applied to the underside thereof for sealing to a mating annular surface on the top of the first lid part. When the first and second lid parts are assembled together as described, the annular compartment of the lid closure is ready for filling. 
     The annular compartment of the dispensing lid closure of the invention is preferably filled with a confection, candy or other material by inverting the lid closure so that the annular compartment is upwardly open, and then charging a predetermined quantity or volume of confection, candy or other material into the compartment, typically a volume of 46 cubic inches. The sealing layer is then adhesively or heat sealingly bonded to the annular sealing surface of the first lid part and to the bottom surface of the second lid part when the lid closure is in its inverted filling position to seal the confection, candy or other material in the compartment. It is also contemplated that the first lid part can be filled with confection and sealed with the sealing layer before the first and second lid parts are assembled together. Thereafter, the second lid part is inserted into the central sleeve of the first lid part and affixed to the sealing layer. An especially preferred combination of materials for the lid closure parts and the sealing layer is a single sheet aluminum foil sealing layer and a lid closure made of the above-mentioned coextruded polystyrene/polyethylene vacuum-formable sheet material wherein the polyethylene layer of the lid closure parts is heat sealable. 
     The completed dispensing lid closures may then be packaged in packages of single or multiple lids for wholesale or retail distribution, or for use in the “fast food” industry or the “convenience store” industry. In that regard, during the lid molding or forming process, trademarks, logos, instructions for use and other indicia may be molded into the plastic material of the lid closure parts. In addition, the label or decal sealed over the twist-off-pull-out cap, when used, may be printed with trademarks, logos, instructions for use and other indicia. 
     One preferred form of packaging comprises a cylindrical dispensing sleeve made of cardboard, plastic or other suitable material that contains a plurality of charged or filled lid closures stacked one above the other with a means to dispense individual lid closures from one end of the sleeve. The sleeve may be mounted to a vertical wall surface, e.g., in a “fast food” establishment or a “convenience” store, with the longitudinal axis of the sleeve oriented vertically. Alternatively, the sleeve may be a disposable element inserted in a permanent, wall-mounted dispenser. 
     To use an assembled dispensing lid closure of the invention, the annular skirt of the first lid part is attached to the rim of a container or cup containing a beverage or other refreshment, such as a milk shake for example. The confection or candy is enclosed in the annular compartment by the sealing layer and is disposed over the container. If it is desired to dispense the contents of the lid closure compartment into the container, the label or decal is first peeled away from the top of the lid closure to expose the pockets in the twist-off-pull-out cap. The consumer then places a thumb and forefinger in a respective pocket and manually twists the cap clockwise or counterclockwise until the sealing layer tears along the circular perforation or weakened line. As the cap is rotated to tear the sealing layer, the cap and the torn-away portion of the sealing layer located radially inside the circular perforation or weakened line are also pulled out of or withdrawn from the central opening or sleeve in the first lid part. At the same time, the confection or candy in the annular compartment of the first lid part is dispensed by gravity into the beverage or refreshment, e.g., a milk shake, in the container to which the lid closure is attached. The twist-off-pull-out cap and attached sealing layer portion are then discarded. 
     The present invention is useful in a number of applications some, but not all, of which are described herein. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the various possible applications of the dispensing lid closure of the invention. In a preferred application, the dispensing lid closure of the invention is used to contain a confection for dispensing into a semi-solid refreshment, such as a milk shake, but may be used to dispense confections, such as the aforementioned Butterfinger® and M&amp;M® brand candies, Smarties®, chocolate or rainbow “sprinkles” or “jimmies,” nuts, energy, dietary and sports supplements and vitamins, as well as liquid, powdered or granular flavorants or other additives for a cold or hot beverage. 
     The invention has several objects, namely: 
     (1) to achieve a simpler design of a confection-dispensing lid closure; 
     (2) to decrease costs by replacing complex, multi-part lid designs with a plastic molded lid closure; 
     (3) to provide a dispensing lid closure design that is especially suitable for mass production; 
     (4) to provide a dispensing lid closure designed especially for use in the “fast food” and “convenience store” industries to add confections to semi-solid beverages; and 
     (5) to provide a novel product that integrates the confection industry with the ice cream, health and sports drink and juice industries. 
    
    
     With these and other objects, advantages and features of the invention that may become hereinafter apparent, the nature of the invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, the appended claims and to the several drawings attached herein. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the dispensing lid of the invention shown attached to a beverage container; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of the dispensing lid of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the dispensing lid of the invention showing the perforation in the sealing layer; 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the dispensing lid of the invention showing the label or decal sealed over the twist-off-pull-out cap; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the dispensing lid of the invention taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail  6 — 6  of the dispensing lid of FIG. 5 showing the attachment of the sealing layer to the first lid part; 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail  7 — 7  of the dispensing lid of FIG. 5 showing the attachment of the sealing layer to the second lid part; 
     FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the dispensing lid of the invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a fragmentary detail  9 — 9  of the dispensing lid of FIG. 8 showing the attachment of the second lid part to the first lid part with a low-tack adhesive; 
     FIG. 10 is a fragmentary detail  10 — 10  of the dispensing lid of FIG. 8 showing the attachment of the sealing layer to the twist-off-pull-out cap; 
     FIG. 11 is a partly broken perspective view of the dispensing lid of the invention showing the operation of the twist-off-pull-out cap for discharging a confection into a container; and 
     FIG. 12 is a partly broken perspective view of the dispensing lid of the invention showing the twist-off-pull-out cap and sealing layer portion removed from the first lid part. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention in the form of a dispensing lid closure  10  for a beverage container C, which may be of any size. Lid closure  10  is preferably molded or formed by a conventional manufacturing process, such as vacuum forming, from a thin sheet of plastic material, such as polystyrene. 
     As seen in FIG. 2, the lid  10  is formed in two parts, a first lid part  12  and a second lid part  14 , which are preferably separately formed and may have different wall thicknesses. First lid part  12  is provided with an annular skirt or lip  16  adapted to sealingly engage the upper rim R of the beverage container C in a conventional manner. Elevated above the skirt  16  is a raised annular section or compartment  18  with a central bore or sleeve  20  (FIG.  2 ). Annular compartment  18  may be provided on its inner and outer circumferential walls  13 ,  15  with stiffening ribs  22 ,  24 , respectively. Second lid part  14  comprises a generally cylindrical cap with a pair of integrally formed semi-cylindrical pockets  26 ,  28  of a size suitable to receive the tips of the thumb and forefinger of a consumer. Second lid part  14  is also provided with a peripheral annular flange  30  that engages an annular shoulder  17  on the first lid part  12 . 
     Annular surfaces  19  on the first lid part  12  may be provided with indicia, such as trademarks, logos and the like to identify the contents of the dispensing lid, the supplier of the dispensing lid and other marketing information. Preferably, the indicia is formed directly into the lid when it is molded or vacuum formed, but it may also be applied after molding or forming by printing, adhesive labeling or by any other suitable method. 
     After annular section or compartment  18  has been charged with a confection or other material, a circular sealing layer  32 , made of metal foil, such as aluminum foil, or other single or multilayer sheet material, is sealingly affixed to sealing surfaces (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the first and second lid parts to seal the confection or other material in the annular compartment  18 . Preferably, the sealing layer  32  is heat sealed to the sealing surfaces that are formed by a heat sealable layer of a coextruded lid closure material, such as a polystyrene/polyethylene coextrusion. Alternatively, the sealing layer  32  may have an adhesive applied to the entire upper surface  34  thereof or the adhesive may be applied in a predetermined pattern to selected portions of the upper surface. If the entire upper surface of the sealing layer  32  has an adhesive applied thereto, it is important to avoid bonding the inner circumferential wall  13  to the sealing layer. Accordingly, circumferential wall  13  is preferably spaced above the sealing layer as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, for example. 
     The sealing layer  32  is perforated or weakened along a circular tear line  36  located radially inwardly of the outer circumferential wall  15  of the annular section  18 . This tear line  36  is preferably formed by a tool or process that does not completely penetrate the sealing layer so that no minute openings are formed in the sealing layer that would prevent the sealing layer from forming a hermetic seal of the compartment containing the confection or other material. In the case of a sealing layer made of aluminum foil, a tool that coins the foil along the tear line to significantly reduce the foil thickness and tensile strength at the tear line is one suitable method of forming the tear line. Other suitable methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the teachings herein. 
     While the arrangement of the above-described preferred embodiment provides for one sealed compartment containing a confection, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to a one compartment dispensing lid closure. For instance, the annular compartment  18  may be divided into a plurality of smaller compartments adapted to contain different confections. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the bottom and top views respectively of the dispensing lid  10 . Referring to FIG. 3, the circular sealing layer  32  is sealed to the first lid part  12  in the annular region  38  radially outwardly from the tear line  36 . The sealing layer  32  is also attached, preferably adhesively, to the bottom of the second lid part  14  in the central circular region  40 . Referring to FIG. 4, the second lid part  14  shown in dashed lines is sealed in the central sleeve of the first lid part  12  by an adhesive-backed label or decal  42  with a tear tab  44  extending from the periphery thereof. The label or decal  42  is made of paper, foil or a paper/foil laminate and may be provided with printed indicia, such as trademarks, logos, instructions for use or the like. 
     Markings may also be provided on the annular surfaces  19 ,  30  of the first and/or second lid parts  12 ,  14  to instruct the consumer how to operate the dispensing lid closure, e.g., to indicate the angular extent the second lid part  14  should be rotated with respect to the first lid part  12  and the angular position at which the second lid part  14  should be pulled from the first lid part  12 . Such markings will insure that the second lid part  14  is rotated sufficiently to permit tearing of the circular sealing layer  32  along the tear line  36 . 
     FIGS. 5-7 show in cross-section the completed assembly of one embodiment of the first and second lid parts  12 ,  14 , the sealing layer  32  and the label  42 . As shown, the second lid part  14  is disposed in the central opening or sleeve  20  of the first lid part  12  with flange  30  bearing on shoulder  17  and is peripherally engaged with the ribs  24 , or with the inner circumferential wall  13  if the ribs  24  are not provided. The outer annular portion of sealing layer  32  is adhesively affixed or heat sealed at seal  46  to the annular surface  48  of the first lid part  12  with the perforated tear line  36  disposed radially inwardly of the annular surface  48 . Preferably, the tear line  36  is located closely adjacent the outer circumferential wall  15  of the annular compartment  18  to avoid forming a horizontal annular “shelf” that may inhibit dispensing of the entire contents of the compartment  18 . Central portion  40  of the sealing layer  32  is also adhesively affixed or heat-sealed at seal  50  to the bottom of second lid part  14 . Decal or label  42  is adhesively secured to inner annular surface  19  over the second lid part  14  to seal the upper side of the dispensing lid  10  and secure the second lid part  14  in place until a consumer uses the dispensing lid  10 . Annular compartment  18  is filled with a confection (not shown in FIGS. 5-7) or other material that is to be dispensed from the lid  10  in the manner to be described in connection with FIGS. 11-12. 
     FIGS. 8-10 illustrate another embodiment of the dispensing lid of the invention. In this embodiment, the dispensing lid  60  has a first lid part  62  with an annular skirt  63  and a second lid part  64  with an annular flange  65 . The first lid part  62  is provided with a larger diameter central opening or sleeve  66  than the first embodiment and the annular compartment  67  has a smaller volume than the volume of the annular compartment  18  of the first embodiment. This embodiment is especially useful for dispensing small, granular confections, such as “jimmies” or “sprinkles,” onto the top of milk shakes, ice cream and other semi-solid refreshments. The larger diameter central opening  66  also facilitates the use of a spoon or drinking straw for consuming the contents of a container or cup to which the dispensing lid  60  is attached. 
     Sealing layer  68  is adhesively affixed or heat sealed at seal  70  to annular shoulder  72  of the first lid part  62  with a circular perforation or tear line  74  disposed radially inwardly of the seal  70 . In this embodiment, no label or decal is necessary because the flange  65  of the second lid part  64  is adhesively bonded with a low-tack adhesive  76  to annular surface  78  of the first lid part  62  (FIG. 9) before or after the first lid part has been filled with a confection. Sealing layer  68  is also securely bonded by an adhesive  80  to the bottom of the second lid part  64  (FIG.  10 ). 
     In an alternative embodiment, instead of using the decal or label  42  or the low-tack adhesive  76  to seal the second lid part  14  to the first lid part  12 , the lowermost end of the inner circumferential wall  13  (FIGS. 5 and 7) or the lowermost end of sleeve  66  (FIGS. 8 and 10) may extend downwardly to the sealing layer  32 ,  68  and a low-tack adhesive similar to low-tack adhesive  76  may be applied to the lowermost end of the wall  13  or sleeve  66  to form a seal which is broken by the consumer when the second lid part  14  is twisted as described below. 
     The operation and use of the dispensing lid closure  10  (or  60 ) of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12. To use the lid closure  10  (or  60 ) containing a confection B, the lid closure is first attached to the rim R of a container, such as container C, containing a refreshment, such as a milk shake or other semi-solid drink, by means of the annular skirt  16  and the label or decal (if present) is peeled off the top of the second lid part  14  (or  64 ). To dispense the confection B from the annular compartment  18  (or  67 ), the consumer places the tips of a thumb and forefinger into the pockets  26 ,  28  and twists the second lid part clockwise and/or counterclockwise as shown by the arrows in FIG. 11 to tear the sealing layer  32  (or  68 ) along the circular tear line  36  (or  74 ). At the same time the second lid part is twisted to tear the sealing layer, the second lid part  14  is pulled upwardly and outwardly as shown in FIG. 12 to separate the second lid part and that portion of the sealing layer  32  adhered to the second lid part from the first lid part  12 . Since the confections B in the compartment  18  are no longer supported by the sealing layer  32 ,  68 , they are dispensed by gravity from the compartment  18  into the refreshment contained in container C. As the sealing layer  32 ,  68  passes the lowermost end of the wall  13  or sleeve  66 , any confections B that may tend to adhere to the sealing layer will be scraped therefrom by lowermost end of the wall  13  or sleeve  66 . 
     In another alternative embodiment, instead of the perforated tear line  36 , the outer uppermost annular edge of the sealing layer  32 ,  68  may be provided with a low-tack adhesive similar to low-tack adhesive  76  for sealing the outer edge of the sealing layer to the first lid part  12 ,  62  at seal  46 ,  70 . When the consumer twists the second lid part  14 ,  64 , the low-tack adhesive at seal  46 ,  70  separates from the first lid part and dispenses the confections B into the refreshment contained in container C. 
     After the confection B is dispensed into the container C, the user/consumer may insert a spoon or drinking straw into the container through the central opening  20  (or  66 ) and consume the refreshment now containing the confection B. Non-limiting examples of the applications for the dispensing lid closure of the invention include: adding solid candies, “jimmies,” “sprinkles” or the like to a liquid or semi-solid refreshment; adding a liquid or solid flavorant to a cold soft drink beverage; adding a flavorant and/or sweetener and cream to a hot beverage, such as tea or coffee; and adding a granular or powdered confection to a hot or cold beverage. 
     Although certain presently preferred embodiments of the present invention have been specifically described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains that variations and modifications of the various embodiments shown and described herein may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only to the extent required by the appended claims and the applicable rules of law.