Patent ID: 7717284

Claim:
A lid hingedly mounted in proximity to an open top of a laboratory vessel, the lid having a top wall configured for closing the open top in the vessel, first and second tabs projecting outwardly from said top wall for receiving digital pressure for hingedly rotating said lid relative to the vessel, a hinge for defining an axis of rotation for said lid, and an outer wall depending downwardly from said top wall located between said top wall and said tabs, a portion of said outer wall substantially aligned with said tabs defining a shield, said shield being dimensioned and configured with sufficient length extending downwardly from said top wall for preventing digital contact with portions of the vessel adjacent the open top during hinged rotation of said lid relative to the vessel, said shield terminating at an edge, a lower face extending from said edge, said lower face facing downwardly, said lower face being exposed with the lid closing the open top in the vessel, said tabs projecting outwardly from said outer wall to each define a free surface disposed transversely to said shield for receiving digital pressure, said first and second tabs each having a center at a position offset from, and not collinearly aligned with, a line passing through said hinge perpendicular to said axis of rotation, said centers of said first and second tabs being on opposite sides of said line and in alignment with said shield, wherein portions of said outer wall spaced from said shield and said hinge projecting a shorter distance from said top wall than portions of said outer wall that define said shield.