LID ASSEMBLY WITH LATCH

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0001]The present invention relates to containers for packaging and dispensing of products, in particular powdered products such as infant nutrition or milk formula. The invention relates in particular to a lid structure for such containers having a re-closable lid. The invention further relates to a stackable set of such containers.

Description of the Related Art

[0002]Containers for packaging and dispensing of powdered products such as infant nutrition or milk formula are known from the prior art. These containers are usually made of metal or plastic material in a form of a can with a re-closable lid. The containers typically have cylindrical shape with a circular base. Consequently, such containers are rather difficult to stack on a pallet or on a shelf as they cannot be tightly packed due to their shape.

[0003]Stack displays of such containers in shops, for example, may be particularly difficult to assemble. This is especially the case with stacking pyramids wherein the containers are positioned such that a container stacked in a layer above is placed on top of a multiple containers of a layer beneath. However, due to the circular base of these containers, gaps are formed in between adjacent containers forming the layer.

[0004]When assembling a next layer of containers on top of the previous one, caution must be exercised as an incorrectly positioned container in the layer may cause collapse of the whole assembly. Even after the assembly, the stack display may easily collapse if, for example, a customer tries to remove a container from the assembly that is supporting one or more other containers stacked on top of it.

[0005]To facilitate stacking, some containers are provided with stacking means. U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,910 discloses a refuse container and corresponding lid for storing and transporting goods, wherein the lid is slightly domed and provided with raised rim portion and the bottom of the container is shaped to correspond to the lid to allow for vertical stacking and to limit the lateral motion of the stacked containers. However, one such container only allows for stacking containers directly on top of each other. However, resulting stacking assembly can sustain only a few stacked containers placed on top of each other, before collapsing. Furthermore, such containers cannot be placed over multiple containers and as such are not suitable for assembling stacking displays and pyramids.

[0006]U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,945 discloses a container which includes a bottom having a pair of circular recesses and a lid having a pair of circular projections in alignment with the circular recesses so that the container may stack with similar containers. However, such a solution is not particularly useful for powdered products as the product can be stuck between the recesses, impeding the complete discharge of the product. Nor is this solution suitable for containers having a circular base due to the gaps formed in between the adjacent containers upon arranging them in a layer.

[0007]An additional requirement is that such containers must be easy to open and close, preferably with a single hand. This may be important e.g. while one hand is otherwise occupied. The closure should not interfere with stacking of containers and should be possible to secure against undesired access prior to use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008]According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a lid structure for a container comprising: a collar for connecting the lid structure to the container, the collar having an opening providing access to an interior of the container, and a lid configured to cover the opening, the lid comprising a top surface and a downwardly extending peripheral surface, the lid and the collar being connected together by a first living hinge, providing pivotable motion thereabout between an open position of the lid and a closed position of the lid, wherein the lid comprises a first lid portion and a second lid portion connected together by a second living hinge which traverses the top surface of the lid and is preferably parallel to the first living hinge, wherein the first lid portion covers the opening, the second lid portion comprises a mating element and the collar comprises a complementary mating element, the mating element and the complementary mating element being configured to engage together to latch the lid to the collar in the closed position of the lid, whereby latching and unlatching of the lid structure is provided by a pivotable motion of the second lid portion about the second living hinge. Further advantageous embodiments are provided according to the appended dependent claims.

[0009]As a consequence of the position of the second living hinge on the lid, the kinematics of the latching operation is improved and a user can easily perform the operation with a single hand. For opening the container, a force can be placed downwards on the first lid portion to keep the container from moving, while a thumb can disengage the mating element and raise the second lid portion. On closing the lid, operation can proceed in reverse. By moving the second living hinge onto the top surface of the lid, the distance from the second living hinge to the complementary engaging element is increased and a more positive latching action may be experienced, especially with the possibility of haptic feedback in the form of a positive click.

[0010]Preferably, the first lid portion completely covers the opening. The lid may comprise an inner flange extending downwardly from a lower surface of the first lid portion configured to form an inner seal around the opening of the collar when the lid is in the closed position. The second lid portion may thus only perform a latching function, in addition to forming part of the lid for visual, aesthetic and stacking purposes. In an embodiment, the second lid portion may also comprises a portion of the top surface, configured to allow stacking of a further container at least partially on the second lid portion.

[0011]The lid may have a circumferential ridge on its top surface, located near to but spaced from the peripheral surface, whereby a further container having a first base diameter can stack at an outside of the circumferential ridge. The circumferential ridge may have at least two interruptions dividing the circumferential ridge into at least two ridge portions whereby at least two further containers having the first base diameter can stack partially on the lid.

[0012]The invention further relates to a combination comprising the lid structure and a container comprising a body with a base. Preferably, the body is cylindrical with a circular base at a first end and an open mouth at a second end of the body, bounding the interior of the container. The base may be bounded by a lower rim having a base diameter. In a preferred embodiment, a diameter of the mouth may correspond to the base diameter. The lower rim may extend downwardly from the base by a lower rim height. The collar may be annular and connected to the body around the mouth such that the opening of the lid structure is aligned with the mouth in order to provide access to the interior of the container. An inner diameter of the annular collar may correspond to the diameter of the mouth in order to easily connect the lid structure to the container. The body and the annular collar may be connected by a connection means in a form of mating protrusions, snap-fit locks, an adhesive, tight-fit connections, and/or similar means configured to form a stable connection between the lid structure and the container.

[0013]The circumferential ridge may have an inner ridge diameter and an outer ridge diameter. In an embodiment, the outer ridge diameter may correspond to the first base diameter. In such an embodiment, a further container having the first base diameter may be vertically stacked on top of the lid structure as the sliding of the further container from the lid structure is prevented by the circumferential ridge. The circumferential ridge locks the further container in place and suppresses any lateral movement of the further container. Advantageously, the lid structure according to the present invention enables formation of stable vertically stacked assemblies, for example, when packing the containers into a box, onto a shelf or a pellet for storing, selling, and/or transporting purposes. Additionally, the circumferential ridge provides a visual identification of an area for placement of the further container. A worker in a packaging line can, thus, quickly identify this area and place the further container when packing containers increasing the overall speed of the packaging process.

[0014]The ridge extends from the top surface by a circumferential ridge height. In an embodiment, the circumferential ridge height may be in a range between 0.5 mm and 5 mm, preferably around 1 mm. The skilled person understands that the circumferential ridge may have other circumferential ridge heights and the upper limit of the range is determined by the lower rim height. Additionally, a thickness of the circumferential ridge may be around 1 mm. However, other thicknesses are envisaged as well. There are no structural constrictions that would limit the thickness of the circumferential ridge. Nonetheless, the circumferential ridge according to this embodiment is preferred as it is discrete and does not influence the aesthetics of the lid. It is easy to manufacture with a minimal additional material used. Nevertheless, the circumferential ridge is strong enough to hold in place at least one further container filled with a product stack on top of it.

[0015]Preferably, the circumferential ridge is an integral part of the first lid portion. The circumferential ridge may be made from the same material as the lid structure, for example, plastic material.

[0016]The lid structure has an opened configuration and a closed configuration. In the closed configuration, the lid is placed over the opening and blocks access to the interior of the container connected to the lid structure. In the opened configuration, the lid is displaced from the opening allowing access to the interior.

[0017]In an embodiment, the peripheral surface of the lid may have a diameter that corresponds to an outer diameter of the collar. Additionally, the lid and the collar may be arranged to form an insect-tight seal upon closing the lid structure. In this context, insect-tight is intended to denote a seal that has no gap larger than 70 microns in size.

[0018]The lid may be substantially circular and the interruptions of the ridge may be arranged radially around a central axis of the lid. The interruptions may be oriented radially, or substantially radially, to the lid. The circumferential ridge may comprise any number of interruptions such as two interruptions, three interruptions, four interruptions and so on. In an embodiment, one of the at least two interruptions is located around the second lid portion.

[0019]The interruptions are arranged to facilitate pyramidal stacking of the containers having the lid structure according to the present invention. Stacking pyramids are formed of vertically stacked container layers, wherein the containers in each layer are arranged in a side-by-side configuration. Each upper layer container belonging to a vertically higher layer is contemporaneously stacked over a plurality of lower layer containers lying directly under the upper layer. In the 2D stacking pyramids, each layer comprises a row of side-by-side arranged containers, wherein each upper layer container is contemporaneously stacked over two lower layer containers. Such stacking configurations are frequently used for shop displaces. However, they are also preferred for any other stacking assembly comprising large number of container layers. Vertically stacked containers, formed by stacking the upper layer container fully on top of the container laying directly under it, are easier to assemble but such assemblies are not particularly stable and collapse with only a few containers vertically stacked on top of each other. The stacking pyramids, on the other hand, are more difficult to assemble but allow forming much more container layers before collapsing.

[0020]The interruptions are configured to divide the circumferential ridge of the lid into ridge portions, wherein each ridge portion is configured to fit within the lower rim of a further container partially stacked on top of the lid in order to lock the further container in place when pyramidally stacked. In other words, to pyramidally stack the containers having the lid structures according to the present invention, the lower rim of the upper layer container may be placed over a plurality of ridge portions belonging to a plurality of lower layer containers. A number of ridge portions may correspond to a number of the lower layer containers being used to stack the upper layer container. For example, the upper layer container may be stacked on top of three lower layer containers by placing the lower rim of the upper layer container over three ridge portions belonging to lid structures of the three lower layer containers. In this example, the circumferential edge may have three interruptions and three ridge portions. In another example, the upper layer container may be stacked on top of four lower layer containers by placing the lower rim of the upper layer container over four ridge portions belonging to lid structures of the four lower layer containers. In this example, the circumferential ridge has four interruptions and four ridge portions. In the same example, the upper layer container may be 2D pyramidally stacked on top of two lower layer containers by placing the lower rim of the upper layer container over two ridge portions of each of the lid structures of the lower layer containers. Advantageously, the lid structure according to the present invention facilitates pyramidal stacking of the containers, simplifies assembly of stack displays, and packing and storing of the containers on pallets and/or shelfs.

[0021]A length of the ridge portion is defined as a total length of the ridge portion measured between distal ends of the ridge portion. If the ridge portion is a curve, the ridge portion is an arc length. In an embodiment, the lid structure comprises the ridge portions, wherein the length of each ridge portion is configured such that the distal ends of the ridge portion abut the lower rim of the further container upon partially stacking the further container on top of the lid structure. In this manner, there is no or almost no free-play space between the ridge portion and the lower rim when the further container is pyramidally stacked resulting in a stable assembly with a very limited or without lateral movement.

[0022]In a preferred embodiment, the circumferential ridge has exactly two interruptions dividing the circumferential ridge into two ridge portions. This embodiment is particularly suitable for forming 2D stacking assemblies. Additionally, the lengths of the two ridge portions may be equal and correspond to a third of a base circumference of the further container. This length is chosen based on the geometries of the bases and allows stable stacking of the further container on top of two lower layer containers without formation of a significant free-play space.

[0023]The collar may comprise a top edge and at a lower side, a fixation skirt. The fixation skirt may be in the form of an inwardly extending inner ring configured to form a snap-fit connection with an outwardly protruding upper rim of the container. The fixation skirt prevents removal of the lid structure from the container without damaging the fixation skirt and protects the content of the container from tampering.

[0024]In an embodiment, the lid comprises an inner flange extending downwardly from a lower surface of the first lid portion configured to form an inner seal around the opening of the collar when the lid is in the closed position. In this manner, the first lid portion with its depending inner flange forms a seal around the opening of the collar that is independent of the second lid portion and whether the mating element and the complementary mating element are engaged or not. Most preferably, the inner flange forms a continuous seal all around the complete opening, to achieve the above-mentioned insect-tight seal. To this end, the opening may be defined by an inner wall of the collar, which extends inwardly from a top edge of the collar in order to form the insect-tight seal with the inner flange. The flange may also be flexible and biased against the inner wall of the collar during closing of the lid.

[0025]In an embodiment, the peripheral surface comprises a rounded transition with the top surface whereby a collar of a further lid structure can be stacked. Advantageously, a stack of lid structures according to the present invention may be formed using the rounded transition when, for example, the lid structures are packed for storing, shipment, or in a production line before attaching the lid structures to the containers. Optionally, the fixation skirt of the further lid structure may be used to grip the rounded transition in order to provide additional support when stacking the lid structures and to allow more lid structures to be stably stacked.

[0026]In an embodiment, the base diameter of the container may be in a range between 100 mm and 150 mm, preferably around 125 mm r. The diameter of the lid structure, measured at the peripheral surface may be in a range between 105 mm and 155 mm, preferably around 130 mm, and may correspond to an outer diameter of the annular collar.

[0027]The lower surface of the lid may comprise a scoop holder and optionally, the scoop holder may be an integral part of the lid. The scoop holder may be in the form of at least one clamping element configured to hold a scoop attached to the lid.

[0028]Latching and unlatching may be achieved in various ways as will be understood by the skilled person, whereby the second lid portion effectively acts as a closure element. In one embodiment, the mating element is in the form of a slot and the complementary mating element is in the form of a barb configured to fit within the slot when the lid is in the closed position or vice-versa. The slot may extend horizontally in the circumferential direction and a length of the slot and the engaging section of the barb will determine the strength of the connection.

[0029]The lid structure may additionally comprise a tamper evident closure configured to block functioning of the latching arrangement and prevent opening of the lid structure. The tamper evident closure may thus prevent disengagement of the mating element and the complementary mating element prior to use. The tamper evident closure may comprise a tab connected to the collar by a frangible connection. In particular, the tab may be positioned over the mating element thereby preventing its movement away from the complementary mating element before breaking of the frangible connection on first opening of the lid structure.

[0030]In preferred embodiments, the top surface of the lid is substantially planar, except for the above discussed ridge. The second living hinge may traverse the planar top surface of the lid, dividing it into the first and second lid portions. The skilled person will recognise that there will be various configurations for the second living hinge and it is not excluded that there may also be further living hinges connecting the first lid portion to further lid portions. Nevertheless, in a preferred embodiment, there is only a second living hinge and the second living hinge is parallel to the first living hinge.

[0031]In the case that the lid is circular, the second living hinge may lie on a chord of the circle, preferably being a straight hinge. The chord may be relatively close to the peripheral surface, whereby the second lid portion is much smaller than the first lid portion. The second living hinge may have a central section that is distanced from the peripheral surface by between 5 mm and 40 mm, preferably between 8 mm and 20 mm. The second lid portion may be smaller than 30% of the first lid portion, preferably smaller than 20% or smaller than 10% of the first lid portion. It will be understood that the first lid portion overlies the opening and its size will thus determine the size of the opening and the accessibility of the contents. The second living hinge may terminate at cuts, corresponding to a position where the top surface of the lid is non-planar. The cuts may turn radially and extend through the peripheral surface to facilitate rotation of the second lid portion with respect to the first lid portion.

[0032]It will be understood that non-straight living hinges are known, which may serve to bias the hinge in one direction or another. At least the first living hinge may be a butterfly hinge i.e. a hinge having a natural bias. In this context, butterfly hinge is intended to include bi-stable hinges or hinges that may have two or more stable positions.

[0033]In a still further embodiment, the lid may comprise an outer flange extending downwardly from a lower surface of the first lid portion configured to form an outer seal with a groove provided in a top edge of the collar when the lid is in the closed position. This outer seal can also achieve or assist in achieving suitable closure of the lid. Since the outer flange is attached to the first lid portion, it forms a seal irrespective of the position of the second lid portion.

[0034]In particular, a central section of the outer flange may be arranged to run parallel and adjacent to the second living hinge. Most preferably, the lid comprises both an inner flange and an outer flange, which together engage the top edge of the collar to achieve insect-tight closure, in particular when the lid is only closed but not latched.

[0035]In addition to a central section, the outer flange may have end sections that extend radially outwards. In this context, radially outwards is not intended to require that they are radially aligned but merely that they extend from a radially inward position to a more radially outward position with respect to a central axis of the container. The outer flange may thus extend further from the inner seal, increasing the length of the seal. The groove may also have end sections that turn radially towards the outer circumference of the collar. This can assist in allowing any material falling into the groove to be wiped away outwardly of the container.

[0036]The outer flange preferably extends to join the peripheral surface of the lid. The outer flange together with the peripheral surface may thus form a continuous outer seal around the top edge of the collar. In the case that there is both an inner flange and an outer flange, inner and outer seals may be formed completely around the periphery of the opening, with the top edge or at least a part of the top edge of the collar being received between the inner flange and the outer flange.

[0037]In an embodiment, the collar has a top edge that extends fully around the opening and a raised portion of the top edge underlying the second living hinge in the closed position of the lid, is elevated with respect to the remainder of the top edge. In this manner is avoided that an opening to the seal is exposed when the part of the peripheral surface carried by the second lid portion is lifted. The raised portion may extend into contact with the lower surface of the lid, whereas the remainder of the top edge may be spaced from the lower surface of the lid even in the closed condition of the lid. The raised portion may be elevated by at least 3 mm, preferably at least 5 mm, with respect to the remainder of the top edge. The remainder of the top edge may be planar. Preferably, there is a smooth transition between the raised portion and the remainder of the top edge.

[0038]As noted previously, the top edge may be provided with a groove for receiving an outer flange of the lid. The groove may thus be formed in the raised portion, further improving the seal of the package, especially when the lid has not been fully latched closed.

[0039]According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a package, comprising a lid structure according to the first aspect of the present invention applied to a container. The container has a circumferential sidewall, extending from a mouth to a base and the lid structure is attached to the container by engagement of the collar with the mouth.

[0040]The base has a base diameter and may be bound by a lower rim. The diameter of the mouth may correspond to the diameter of the base.

[0041]A volume of the container may be in a range between 0.5 l and 4 l, preferably between 1 l and 2.5 l such as around 2 l.

[0042]The container may further comprise a sealing membrane sealingly closing the package prior to opening.

[0043]The lid structure may further comprise a scoop holder on a lower surface of the lid. The package may further comprise a scoop, wherein the scoop is placed in a lid space arranged between the lid and the sealing membrane. The scoop may be attached to the scoop holder. The scoop may be used for discharging a product from the container. Additionally, the scoop may be protected by a foil wrap placed around the scoop to prevent contamination of the scoop. The scoop has a bowl with a depth in a range between 12 mm and 20 mm, preferably around 16 mm and a volume in a range between 5 ml and 15 ml, preferably between 8 ml and 11.5 ml such as around 10 ml. A height of the lid space may be in a range between 13 mm and 21 mm, preferably around 17 mm

[0044]In an embodiment, the container may be a metal can. In a further embodiment, the container may be a three piece can and the base may be connected to the sidewall at a seam. Optionally, the seam may form a downwardly extending lower rim. The base diameter may be defined by an inner diameter of the lower rim. A height of the lower rim may be in a range between 1 mm and 8 mm, preferably around 5 mm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045]The features and advantages of the invention will be appreciated upon reference to the following drawings of a number of exemplary embodiments, in which:

[0046]FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of a lid structure according to the present invention with closed lid;

[0047]FIG. 1B shows a top view of the lid structure of FIG. 1A;

[0048]FIG. 1C shows a perspective view of the lid structure of FIG. 1A with opened lid;

[0049]FIG. 1D shows a cross-section through the lid structure of FIG. 1B along a central line C;

[0050]FIG. 2 shows a plurality of lid structures of FIG. 1C stacked on top of each other;

[0051]FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of a package having a container and the lid structure of FIG. 1A;

[0052]FIG. 3B shows a cross-section through the package of FIG. 3B along line IIIB;

[0053]FIG. 4A shows in a front view vertical stacking of the packages using the lid structure according to the present invention;

[0054]FIG. 4B shows in enlarged view the area IVB of FIG. 4A;

[0055]FIG. 5A shows in a front view pyramid stacked packages according to the present invention;

[0056]FIG. 5B shows in plan view pyramid stacked packages according to the present invention;

[0057]FIGS. 6A, 6B show views of part of the collar of FIG. 1C

[0058]FIGS. 7A, 7B show views of part of the underside of the lid of FIG. 1C;

[0059]FIG. 8 shows a partial perspective view of the lid with the second lid portion partially raised;

[0060]FIGS. 9A, 9B show a cross-section through the lid structure during latching of the lid structure; and

[0061]FIG. 10 shows a cross-section corresponding to FIG. 9 during closure of the container prior to use.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0062]The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to drawings in which illustrative embodiments thereof are shown. The drawings are intended exclusively for illustrative purposes and not as a restriction of the inventive concept which is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the present invention. The scope of the invention is only limited by the definitions presented in the appended claims.

[0063]In the drawings, like numerals designate like elements. Multiple instances of an element may each include separate letters appended to the reference number. For example, two instances of a particular element “48” may be labelled as “48A” and “48B”. The reference number may be used without an appended letters (e.g. “48”) to generally refer to an unspecified instance or to all instances of that element. Further, multiple instances of an embodiment of the present invention plotted in the same figure may include one or more apostrophes appended to the reference number to distinguish them. For example, two instances of a particular embodiment “100” may be labelled as “100′” and “100″” in the same figure. Further, feature belonging to different embodiments may have letters and/or apostrophes. For example, an element “48A′” may belong to the embodiment “100′” while an element “48B″” may belong to the embodiment “100″”.

[0064]FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate in a perspective and a top view, respectively, a lid structure 10 according to the present invention. The lid structure 10 includes a lid 12 and an annular collar 14. The lid structure 10 is shown in a closed configuration with the lid 12 placed over the annular collar 14. The lid 12 comprises a first lid portion 12A and a second lid portion 12B. The first lid portion 12A is connected to the annular collar 14 by a first living hinge 24 and the second lid portion 12B is connected to the first lid portion 12A by a second living hinge 25. The second lid portion 12B comprises a latch 32 for opening and closing of the lid structure 10. The collar 14 is provided with a tamper evident closure tab 37 indicative of the first opening of the lid structure 10. The lid 12 is circular having a top surface 18 bounded by a peripheral surface 16. A circumferential ridge 20 extends from the top surface 18 parallel to, but at a distance d from, the peripheral surface 16. The circumferential ridge 20 is not continuous but has two interruptions 22A, 22B dividing the circumferential ridge 20 into a first ridge portion 20A and a second ridge portion 20B. Arc lengths, or hereafter simply, lengths L of the two ridge portions 20A, 20B are equal. A rear interruption 22A is located in a proximity of the first living hinge 24 while a frontal interruption 22B is located around the second lid portion 12B. The lid structure 10 is symmetric with respect to a central line C passing between the first living hinge 24 and the latch 32. The interruptions 22A, 22B are used for stacking functionality of the lid structure 10 as will be evident from the description further below. The circumferential ridge 20 is placed at a distance d from the peripheral surface 16 and has a ridge thickness of around 1 mm. The entire lid structure is made of plastic material.

[0065]FIGS. 1C and 1D illustrate a perspective view of the lid structure 10 with opened lid 12 and a cross-section through the lid structure 10 along the central line C shown in FIG. 1B, respectively. The annular collar 14 bounds an opening 15 of the lid structure 10 and has an outer annular collar wall 38. The opening and closing of the lid structure 10 is achieved by rotating the lid 12 about the first living hinge 24. A lid diameter dl is equal to a collar diameter dc to tightly close the lid 12 to the annular collar 14 upon closing the lid structure 10. The lid 12 has a downwardly extending inner flange 26 depending from a lower surface 17 of the first lid portion 12A, which forms an inner seal with an inner wall 36 of the annular collar 14 on closing. The inner wall 36 extends from a top edge 46 of the collar 14 to an abutment surface 48. The inner wall 36 is arranged to engage with the downwardly extending inner flange 26 and form an inner seal upon closing the lid 16. The lower surface 17 further includes a scoop holder 28 for holding a scoop 30 for dispending of the contents of the container. The scoop 30 has a bowl 31 and a scoop handle 33. The outer annular collar wall 38 has a fixation skirt 39 extending along an opposite end of the annular collar distant to the first living hinge 24. Further, the ridge 20 has an inner ridge diameter di and an outer ridge diameter do. The difference between the two diameters is equal to twice the ridge thickness. In the given embodiment, the thickness of the ridge 20 is small and the two diameters are almost equal. Nonetheless, the thickness of the circumferential ridge 20 may be much larger such as 5 mm or even 10 mm. Consequently, the two diameters may differ more. Additionally, a circumferential ridge height h is around 1 mm, but as with the thickness, the circumferential ridge height may be larger in alternative embodiments.

[0066]FIG. 2 shows stacking capabilities of the lid structures 10. The figure shows three lid structures 10, 10′, 10″ vertically stacked on top of each other. The peripheral surface 16 has a rounded transition 42 with the top surface 18, allowing the outer annular collar wall 38′ of a further lid structure 10′ to be placed over it to form a stack. The outer annular collar wall 38′ is made of elastic material and bends outwardly upon applying a vertical force F in a direction perpendicular to the top surface 18 forming a grip to the lid 12. The grip is further enhanced by a pleated surface of the fixation skirt 39′. Under the vertical force F, the pleated surface of the fixation skirt 39′ deforms and increases a contact area with the rounded transition 42 thereby enhancing the grip.

[0067]FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a package 100 having a container 50 and the lid structure 10 according to the present invention. The container 50 has the form of a can. A sidewall 52 of the container 50 is connected by a longitudinal seam 54 enclosing an interior 56 of the container 50. The container 50 has a base 60 connected to the sidewall 52 by a second seam 58 forming a downwardly extending lower rim 62. The lower rim 62 elevates the base 60 by a lower rim height hr. A base diameter dr is defined across the inside of the lower rim 62. The container 50 further includes an outwardly protruding upper rim 66 and an open mouth 64 located at an opposite end of the container 50 with respect to the base 60. The mouth 64 is bounded by an annular flange 68. The collar 14 of the lid structure 10 is placed over the mouth 64 and fixed to the container 50 by a snap-fit connection formed between the fixation skirt 39 and the outwardly protruding upper rim 66. Additionally, the fixation skirt 39 is arranged to prevent removal of the lid structure 10 from the container 50 without damaging the fixation skirt 39 in order to prevent tampering with the product placed within the container 50. The abutment surface 48 of the collar 14 is placed over the annular flange 68 to further fix the collar 14 to the container 50. The snap-fit connection thus formed is insect-tight. The package 100 also includes a membrane seal 70 placed over the mouth 64 and connected to the annular flange 68 by welding. The membrane seal 70 prevents degradation of the product placed in the interior 56 due to environmental influences. The scoop 30 is placed within a lid space 72 formed in between the lid 12 and the membrane seal 70. A bowl height hb is chosen to coincide with a lid space height hl for optimal use of the lid space 72 and to maximize use of the interior 56 for the product.

[0068]FIG. 4A depicts vertical stacking of two identical packages 100, 100′. A further package 100′ is stacked on top of the package 100 by placing the lower rim 62′ of the further package 100′ at the outside of the circumferential ridge 20 (not shown).

[0069]This is schematically illustrated in FIG. 4B, showing an enlarged view of the area marked by rectangle IVB in FIG. 4A. The base 60′ of the further package 100′ is elevated from the top surface 18 of the lid 12 by the lower rim height hr and the circumferential ridge 20 is placed at an inside of the lower rim 62′ of the further package 100′. The base diameter dr′ of the further package 100′ is arranged to correspond with the outer ridge diameter do in order to form a stable stacking assembly upon vertically stacking the packages 100, 100′.

[0070]FIG. 5A shows a two-dimensional (2D) pyramidal stack of three identical packages 100, 100′, 100″ according to the present invention. Each package 100 is generally cylindrical but the sidewall 52 of the container 50 is contoured in shape and has a face 104 that is intended to be displayed. In the 2D pyramidal stack, the packages are assembled in vertically stacked rows of side-by-side aligned packages with all of the faces 104, 104′, 104″ oriented in the same direction. Each package 100″ in a row above is placed over two further packages 100, 100′ from a row below. The two further packages 100, 100′ are placed on a horizontal surface H such that a first package 100 is placed adjacent to and abutting a second package 100′. The lid structures 10, 10′ of the two further packages 100, 100′ are aligned and oriented parallelly, i.e. by parallelly aligning central lines C of the two further lid structures 10, 10′. A third package 100″ is then partially stacked over the two further packages 100, 100′.

[0071]The 2D pyramidal stack is further schematically shown in FIG. 5B. FIG. 5B shows in a top view the two further lid structures 10, 10′ and a position of the lower rim 62″ of the third package 100″ upon stacking the three packages 100, 100′, 100″ together. The third package 100″ is positioned such that the lower rim 62″ is contemporaneously placed over the second ridge portion 20B of the first package 100 and the first ridge portion 20A′ of the second package 100″. When 2D pyramidally stacked, first ridge ends 74B, 74A′ and second ridge ends 76B, 76A′ of each of the two ridge portions 20A, 20B′ placed under the lower rim 62″ of the third package 100″ approach closely to the lower rim 62″ leaving of about 1 mm of a free-play space df between each ridge end 74B, 74A′, 76B, 76A′ and the lower rim 62″. The faces 104, 104′ must thus be oriented in the same direction towards a front side 112 of the stack. The 2D pyramidal stack formed in this manner is particularly stable, allowing tilting of the stack by an angle of around 45° with respect to the horizontal surface H before collapse of the assembly which is much more inclined compared to a standard lid with the ridges 20 indicating a better stability to movement when stacked.

[0072]FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B show partial views of part of the front of the collar 14 in perspective and plan view respectively. In these views, the outer annular collar wall 38 and the top edge 46 of the collar 14 are visible. Also visible is the tamper evident closure tab 37, attached to the collar 14 by frangible bridges 41 prior to first opening of lid structure 10. A barb 84 is provided on the collar 14 behind the tab 37.

[0073]The top edge 46 in this section of the collar 14 has a raised portion 47 that extends by about 5 mm higher than the remainder of the top edge 46. A groove 43 is formed in the raised portion 47 and has a straight central section 43A and end section 43B that turn radially outwards.

[0074]FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B show partial views of part of the underside of the lid 12 in perspective and plan view respectively. In these views, the peripheral surface 16, the inner flange 26 extending downwardly from the lower surface 17 of the first lid portion 12A and the second lid portion 12B can be appreciated. The second living hinge 25 is not visible from the underside but its position is indicated by a broken line. The second living hinge 25 lies on a chord of a circle defined by the planar top surface 18 of the lid 12. The second living hinge 25 terminates at cuts 88 that extend radially through the peripheral surface 16. Latch 32 extends downwards beneath the second lid portion 12B and comprises a slot 80.

[0075]Between the inner flange 26 and the second living hinge 25 there is provided an outer flange 86 that also extends downwardly from the lower surface 17 of the first lid portion 12A but to a lesser extent. The outer flange 86 has a central section 86A that is parallel to the second living hinge 25 and two end sections 86B that extend radially outwards to join the peripheral surface 16. The end sections 86B run parallel and adjacent to the cuts 88. The inner flange 26 may extend downwards by between 8 mm and 16 mm, while the outer flange central section 86A may extend between 1 mm and 5 mm from the lower surface 17. The outer flange end sections 86B may increase in height as they approach the peripheral surface 16.

[0076]FIG. 8 illustrates the lid structure 10 with the second lid portion 12B partially raised during use. A finger gap 90 is formed between the peripheral surface 16 and the outer annular collar wall 38 at the location of the latch 32, allowing a user to easily raise the second lid portion 12B. The tamper evident closure tab 37 shown in FIG. 1A has been removed leaving only part of the frangible bridges 41. This is the position in which the first lid portion 12A has closed and sealed the opening 15 but prior to latching of the latch 32 taking place. In this position, the slot 80 provided on the latch 32 is out of engagement with the barb 84 provided on the collar 14.

[0077]FIG. 9A is a cross-section on the central line C, through the lid structure 10 in the position of FIG. 8. As can be seen, the slot 80 is spaced slightly from the barb 84 and the inner flange 26 is in sealing engagement with the inner wall 36 of the annular collar 14. Even though the second lid portion 12B is partially raised, the outer flange 86 fully inserted in the groove 43. It is thus ensured that even when the latch 32 has not been fully closed, double sealing of the lid 12 is achieved ensuring good insect tightness.

[0078]In FIG. 9B, a force downwards has been applied to the second lid portion 12B, causing it to rotate in a clockwise direction about the second living hinge 25. The barb 84 enters into the slot 80 with a positive click, giving tactile and audible feedback that latching has taken place. The second lid portion 12B has rotated completely about the second living hinge 25 and is coplanar with the first lid portion 12A. The top surface 18 of the lid 12 is essentially flat or planar, whereby further containers may be stacked onto the lid should this so be required.

[0079]FIG. 10 shows a cross-section corresponding to the views of FIG. 9 but during closure of the lid structure 10 prior to use e.g. during a production process. In this condition, the tamper evident closure tab 37 is still in position, covering the barb 84. The tamper evident closure tab 37 is sufficiently flexible that the lid 12 can be pressed downwards to cause the slot 80 on the latch 32 of the second lid portion 12B to enter into engagement with the barb 84 provided on the collar 14. During this movement, the tamper evident closure tab 37 flexes radially outwardly but does not break. It flexes back to its original position, trapping the latch 32 by engagement of the barb 84 within the slot 80. In this condition, the lid 12 can only be opened by breaking away the tamper evident closure tab 37 at the frangible bridges 41.

[0080]The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive to the inventive concept. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that alternative and equivalent embodiments of the invention can be conceived and reduced to practice. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular configuration or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof.

[0081]All modifications which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.