US4218010A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Container lid convertible into spoon
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1979-06-11
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Granted: 1980-08-19
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Expires: 1999-06-11
Abstract
Abstract A container lid convertible into a spoon constitutes a one piece water-impermeable sheet of a thermoplastic resin including a flat peripheral ring having a circular outer circumference defining an inner area of three-dimensional configuration including a diametral trough the front end of which flares outwardly and terminates in the plane of the ring. Wings extend laterally outwardly from the side edges of the trough. The front ends of the wings are located at the front end of said side edges. The side edges are weakened whereby as opposite points of the periphery of the lid are squeezed together the rear portions of the wings and of the trough collapse upon one another to form a spoon handle and the front portion of the trough is narrowed and deepened to form a spoon bowl.
Inventors
- 👤 Stanley L. Ruff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:16
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D81/00; B65D81/36; A; A47; A47G; A47G21/00; A47G21/04; B65D51/00; B65D51/24; B65D51/246; B65D77/00; B65D77/10; B65D77/20; B65D77/2004; B65D77/2016; A47G2021/002; B65D2577/00; B65D2577/10; B65D2577/20; B65D2577/2041; B65D2577/205
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A container lid adapted to be converted into a scooptype spoon, said lid being formed of a single piece of waterimpermable thermoplastic material and having a flat peripheral ring with a circular outer circumference defining an inner area of three-dimensional configuration in the shape of an embryonic scooptype spoon which includes a shallow trough extending diametrically between opposed zones of the inner circumference of the ring, said trough having a wide front end and a narrow rear end, the front end flaring outwardly and terminating in the plane of the ring, said inner area further including wings that extend outwardly to the inner circumference of the rim from the side edges of the trough and terminate at their front ends at the terminations of the front ends of the side edges of the trough at the inner circumference of this rim whereby when the periphery of the run is squeezed by finger pressure at the wings the rear ends of the trough and the wings collapse upon one another to form a spoon handle and the front portion of the trough is narrowed and deepened to form a spoon bowl.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
A container lid adapted to be converted into a scooptype spoon, said lid being formed of a single piece of waterimpermable thermoplastic material and having a flat peripheral ring with a circular outer circumference defining an inner area of three-dimensional configuration in the shape of an embryonic scooptype spoon which includes a shallow trough extending diametrically between opposed zones of the inner circumference of the ring, said trough having a wide front end and a narrow rear end, the front end flaring outwardly and terminating in the plane of the ring, said inner area further including wings that extend outwardly to the inner circumference of the rim from the side edges of the trough and terminate at their front ends at the terminations of the front ends of the side edges of the trough at the inner circumference of this rim whereby when the periphery of the run is squeezed by finger pressure at the wings the rear ends of the trough and the wings collapse upon one another to form a spoon handle and the front portion of the trough is narrowed and deepened to form a spoon bowl.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A lid as set forth in claim 1 wherein the side edges of the trough constitute weakened zones to expedite folding of the lid at said edges upon the application of finger pressure to the periphery of the lid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A lid as set forth in claim 2 wherein the weakened zones are fold-conditioned to ensure proper folding such that the sides of the trough become steeper upon the application of finger pressure as aforesaid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A lid as set forth in claim 3 wherein the weakened fold-conditioned zones constitute grooves of the undersurface of the lid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A lid as set forth in claim 1 wherein the front portion of the trough is subdivided by fold lines into a base and side walls.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A lid as set forth in claim 1 in which the wings are coplanar and unbrokenly continuous with the inner circumference of the rim.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
A lid as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ring is narrow.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A lid as set forth in claim 7 wherein the width of the ring is between about one-fifth and one-tenth of the diameter of the lid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
In combination with a lid as set forth in claim 1 a sanitizing film overlying the entire upper surface of the lid and strippably adhered thereto.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
US1907737A
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US2453393A
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US3458107A
Cited
US3828999A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-08-19 | 1984-02-18 | 1984-08-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-08-19 | 1988-02-18 | 1988-08-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-08-19 | 1992-02-18 | 1992-08-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |