Combination drip pan and container lid

Claim 2

A combination drip pan and container lid, comprising: a container lid adapted to fit over the top or bottom of a container to form a seal therewith, the container lid having a base, a side wall integrally connected to the base around the periphery thereof, and a flange extending normally outwardly from a central portion of the base, and a drip pan having a bottom wall, a side wall integrally connected to bottom wall and extending vertically outwardly therefrom, and means defining a groove in an upper surface of the bottom wall, the groove being adapted to receive and reversibly seat the flange of the lid so as to reversibly retain the lid in fixed relationship relative to the drip pan when the flange is received and seated in the groove.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flange and the groove have a generally circular cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 which further comprises alignment means on the bottom wall of the drip pan for fascilitating alignment of the flange and the groove.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 which further comprises more than one alignment means on the bottom wall, each alignment means being operable for facilitating alignment of the flange of a different size lid with the groove of the drip pan.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 or 4 wherein the alignment means comprises a series of nodes on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the drip pan, the nodes of the series being oriented on the bottom wall so as to cause alignment of the flange and the groove when the sidewall of the lid is placed in simultaneous abutting engagement with each of the nodes of the series.

Claim 7

A combination drip pan and container lid, comprising: a container lid adapted to fit over the top or bottom of a container to form a seal therewith, the container lid having a base, a side wall integrally connected to the base around the periphery thereof, and a flange extending normally outwardly from a central portion of the base, and a drip pan having a bottom wall, a side wall integrally connected to bottom wall and extending vertically outwardly therefrom, and means defining a groove in an upper surface of the bottom wall, the groove being adapted to receive and reversibly seat the flange of the lid so as to reversibly retain the lid in fixed relationship relative to the drip pan when the flange is received and seated in the groove; wherein said means defining a groove in an upper surface of the bottom wall comprise a centrally located integrally formed raised portion of the bottom wall and integrally formed rib means positioned in annular relationship about said bottom wall raised portion said bottom wall raised portion and rib means comprising opposed parallel side surfaces, wherein said flange is formed in a configuration having a wall thickness corresponding to the distance between said opposed parallel side surfaces of said bottom wall raised portion and said rib means.

Claim 8

A combination drip pan and container lid, comprising: a container lid adapted to fit over the top or bottom of a container to form a seal therewith, the container lid having a base, a side wall integrally connected to the base around the periphery thereof, and a flange extending normally outwardly from a central portion of the base, and a drip pan having a bottom wall, a side wall integrally connected to bottom wall and extending vertically outwardly therefrom, and means defining a groove in an upper surface of the bottom wall, the groove being adapted to receive and reversibly seat the flange of the lid so as to reversibly retain the lid in fixed relationship relative to the drip pan when the flange is received and seated in the groove; wherein said means defining a groove in an upper surface of the bottom wall comprise a centrally located integrally formed raised portion of the bottom wall and integrally formed rib means positioned in annular relationship about said bottom wall raised portion said bottom wall raised portion and rib means comprising opposed parallel side surfaces, wherein said flange is formed in a configuration having a wall thickness corresponding to the distance between said opposed parallel side surfaces of said bottom wall raised portion and said rib means.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the flange and the groove have a generally circular cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 which further comprises alignment means on the bottom wall of the drip pan for fascilitating alignment of the flange and the groove.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 which further comprises more than one alignment means on the bottom wall, each alignment means being operable for facilitating alignment of the flange of a different size lid with the groove of the drip pan.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 or 9 wherein the alignment means comprises a series of nodes on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the drip pan, the nodes of the series being oriented on the bottom wall so as to cause alignment of the flange and the groove when the sidewall of the lid is placed in simultaneous abutting engagement with each of the nodes of the series.