Lid and knob configured for stacking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE50150-E
Application number	US-202318113739-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2023
Priority date	Aug 21, 2018
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A pot or pan lid is configured for stacking with identical or differently sized lids that have an identical handle or knob with a dimple on the upper surface. The side of the lid opposite the handle has a complimentary protrusion configured to stably engage the dimple. The edge of the knob may extend laterally to correspond with the lid curvature to also support a similar lid on the knob perimeter that is distal from the dimple. The engaged central dimple and more distal perimeter of the knob provide for stable stacking of a plurality of lids in a level arrangement that avoids one or more lids tipping over.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lid stacking system, the system comprising:
two or more stackable lids, wherein each lid comprises:
a cover comprising an expanse of covering material adapted to cover an interior volume defined by a cooking vessel, wherein the covering material extends from a central portion of the cover to an outer rim;
an upper stacking platform comprising:
a knob extending from an upper surface of the cover at the central portion, and a dimple centrally disposed in the knob between an upper knob surface that extends around a periphery of the knob; and

a lower stacking platform comprising:
a protrusion extending from a lower surface of the cover at the central portion,

wherein the upper stacking platform of each of the lids is complementary to the lower stacking platforms of the other lids such that lower stacking platforms may be stacked with upper stacking platforms to stably stack the lids, wherein, when stably stacked, the protrusion of a first lower stacking platform of a first lid partially fills the dimple of a second upper stacking platform of a second lid, and wherein an adjacent surface to the protrusion along the lower surface of the cover of the first lid supportingly engages the upper knob surface along a periphery of the knob of the second lid when the first and second lid are stably stacked, and wherein, when received within the dimple, sidewalls of the protrusion define an outer width that is less than an interior width defined between adjacent sidewalls of the dimple such that the protrusion may position within the dimple when the first and second lid are stably stacked without contact between corresponding sidewalls.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the engagement between the adjacent surface and upper knob surface provide vertical support for the stable stacking of the first lid and second lid, and where the corresponding sidewalls of the protrusion of the first lid and the dimple of the second lid engage when the protrusion is offset from a center of the dimple when positioned within the dimple to prevent the stacked lids from laterally offsetting.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein a sidewall surface of the protrusion of first lid supportingly engages a sidewall surface of the dimple of the second lid when the protrusion is offset from a center of the dimple when positioned within the dimple to prevent lateral offsetting of the stacked lids.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the knob of the second lid supportingly engages the adjacent surface of the first lid along an annular engagement path.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the upper surface of the cover of each lid is convex and the lower surface of the cover of each lid is concave.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the expanse of covering material is semi-spherical.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the covers of the first and second lids have comparable radius of curvatures.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion of the first lid fills at least 80% of the dimple of the second lid when the first and second lids are stably stacked.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the two or more stackable lids comprise at least three lids, and wherein the upper stacking platforms and lower stacking platforms are substantially the same such that the lids may be stacked in any order.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the knob and protrusion of each lid are connected to each respective cover through a hole in a central apex of the cover.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the knob of each of the stackable lids further comprise a semi-annular handle that pivotable upward from a storage position in which it lies against a flat expanse of the covering material.

12. A stacking platform for a lid stacking system, the stacking platform comprising:
a first upper stacking platform comprising a knob extending from an upper surface of a cover of a first lid and having an upper knob surface and a centrally disposed dimple, the cover adapted for covering a container or vessel; a first lower stacking platform comprising a protrusion extending from a lower surface of the cover; wherein the first upper stacking platform is configured to stably stack with a lower stacking platform of a second stacking platform of a second lid when the dimple receives a protrusion of the lower stacking platform of the second stacking platform having substantially same dimensions as the protrusion of the first lower stacking platform, wherein the first lower stacking platform is configured to stably stack an upper stacking platform of a third stacking platform of a third lid when the protrusion is received within a dimple disposed in a knob of the upper stacking platform of the third stacking platform having substantially same dimensions as the dimple and knob of the first upper stacking platform, wherein an adjacent surface to the protrusion along the lower surface of the cover supportingly engages an upper knob surface along a periphery of the knob of the upper stacking platform of the third stacking platform when the protrusion is received therein, and wherein, when received within the respective dimples, sidewalls of the respective protrusions define an outer width that is less than an interior width defined between adjacent sidewalls of the respective dimples when the lids are stably stacked such that the protrusions may position within the dimples when stably stacked without contact between corresponding sidewalls.

13. The stacking platform of claim 12 , wherein the adjacent surface supportingly engages the upper knob surface along the periphery of the knob of the upper stacking platform of the third stacking platform along an annular engagement path.

14. The stacking platform of claim 13 , wherein the expanse of covering material is semi-spherical and the adjacent surface is concave.

15. The stacking platform of claim 12 , wherein covers of the first, second, and third lids have comparable radius of curvatures.

16. A lid for covering a container or vessel that comprises:
(a) a cover comprising a semi-spherical expanse of a covering material having a circular outer rim and a central apex, (b) a knob extending from the central apex to protrude from an upper convex surface of the cover, the knob having an upper surface with a centrally disposed dimple a defined between sidewalls and a base, and wherein the sidewalls define an interior width of the dimple, and the base, together with the upper surface, define a length of the dimple; (c) a protrusion having sidewalls defining an outer width and extending from the central apex to protrude a length from a lower concave surface of the cover, the lower concave surface having an annular portion that extends along the lower concave surface, around the protrusion, wherein the length of the protrusion is less than the length of the dimple and the outer width of the protrusion is less than the interior width of the dimple along corresponding lengths such that, if the lid is stacked on a same second lid, with the circular periphery along the upper surface of the knob of the second lid engaged with the annular portion along the lower concave surface to provide vertical support, the protrusion may partially fill the dimple of the second lid without contacting the base or sidewalls of the dimple of the second lid but the sidewalls of the protrusion engage with the sidewalls of the dimple of the second lid when the protrusion is offset from a center of the dimple of the second lid to prevent the stacked lids from laterally offsetting.

17. A set of sta

Assignees

• Meyer Intellectual Properties Ltd

Inventors

• Truong Jacquelyn Maitram
• Cheung Hin Hang Homer
• Lee Kwong Wah

Classifications

• B65D2543/00027

  Stackable lids or covers · CPC title

• B65D21/0217 Primary

  Containers with a closure presenting stacking elements (B65D21/064 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47J45/063 Primary

  Knobs, e.g. for lids (A47J45/07 takes precedence) · CPC title