Closure for a container and utensil therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10513377-B2
Application number	US-201515326151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2015
Priority date	Aug 7, 2014
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

A closure ( 100, 100 A, 100 B, 100 C, 100 D, 100 F, 100 G, 100 H, 100 I) having a base ( 112, 112 A, 112 B, 112 C, 112 D, 112 F, 112 G, 112 H, 112 I), a lid ( 116, 116 A, 116 B, 116 D, 116 F, 116 I), and a utensil ( 124, 124 A, 124 B, 124 E, 124 F, 124 G, 124 I) is provided for a container ( 104 ). One of the base ( 112, 112 A, 112 B, 112 C, 112 D, 112 F, 112 G, 112 H, 112 I) and the lid ( 116, 116 A, 116 B, 116 D, 116 F, 116 I) includes a raised platform region ( 198, 198 A) for releasably holding the utensil ( 124, 124 A, 124 B, 124 E, 124 F, 124 G, 124 I) and includes a recessed region ( 194, 194 A) such that a handle portion ( 172, 172 B, 172 E, 172 F, 172 G, 172 I) of the utensil ( 124, 124 A, 124 B, 124 E, 124 F, 124 G, 124 I) projects beyond the platform region ( 198, 198 A) over the recessed region ( 194, 194 A).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A closure for (1) a system having an opening to the interior of the system wherein contents may be stored, and (2) retaining a utensil having a handle portion of predetermined length, said closure comprising:
(A) a base for being located at the system opening, said base having an access passage through said base for permitting access to the system interior; and
(B) a lid that is movable between a closed position for occluding said access passage and an open position to expose said access passage, wherein one of said lid and base has an interior surface that
(a) is exposed to a user when said lid is in said open position, and
(b) said interior surface includes
i. a raised platform region,
ii. a recessed region that is recessed relative to said raised platform region, and
iii. a retainer on said raised platform region for releasably retaining the utensil so as to locate part of the length of the utensil handle portion spaced away from said recessed region beyond said raised platform region to accommodate a user's finger engaging the utensil handle portion located beyond said raised platform region to facilitate the user grasping the utensil handle portion; and wherein said retainer having at least a first wall that

i. projects from said interior surface,
ii. defines an engaging surface for engaging the utensil when the utensil is retained in said retainer,
iii. is deflectable to accommodate receipt and release of the utensil, and
iv. defines a pressable region at a location that is further from said interior surface than is said engaging surface whereby said pressable region can be pressed by a user's finger to deflect said first wall to accommodate release of the utensil.

2. The closure in accordance with claim 1 in which said retainer also includes a second wall that is spaced from said first wall and that can engage the utensil.

Assignees

• Aptargroup Inc

Inventors

• Lenz Franz
• Deringer Nils
• Mazurkiewicz Timothy

Classifications

• B65D2401/50

  Tamper-band co-operating with intermediate ring connected to the container · CPC title

• B65D2401/25

  Non-metallic tear-off strips · CPC title

• B65D41/465

  with integral internal sealing means (B65D41/47 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D43/169

  the lid, the hinge and the element connecting them to the container being made of one piece · CPC title

• B65D51/246 Primary

  provided with eating utensils or spatulas (applicator rods or brushes B65D51/32) · CPC title