Foldable locking lid for a container

Claim 2

A closure for a container, the closure comprising an elongated arcuate strip of substantially planar material having opposed ends and elongated parallel edges, the opposed ends being joinable in a mutual overlapping relation; one of said elongated edges has a border having a first crease line extending substantially parallel to said edges, a plurality of crease lines extending perpendicular thereto and extending to the one of said elongated edges defining a plurality of adjoining panels, each of said adjoining panels having an oblique crease line extending from the first crease line and one of the perpendicularly extending crease lines, parting off a triangular edge element, said border has a second crease line extending substantially parallel to said first crease line defining a narrow inner band adjoining said panels, said second crease line defines a reinforced lip about a mouth of said container when said border is folded inwardly and outwardly about said second and first crease lines, respectively, said panels being recessed from said mouth and foldable and unfoldable simultaneously over each other between an open condition, wherein like containers an nestable, and a closed condition, wherein said panels, upon being pressed inwardly, collectively lock in place.

Claim 3

The closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said triangular edge element has an apex angle which exceeds a neutral, stress-free closure angle.

Claim 4

The closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure has N panels, wherein N is an integer number, and said triangular edge element has an apex angle of 360/(2N)+X, wherein X is in the range of about 2° to 5°.

Claim 5

The closure as claimed in claim 3 wherein said border has a pull tab extending from the one edge of the strip to facilitate opening of the closure.

Claim 6

The closure as claimed in claim 3 wherein said border has an aperture for receiving a straw.

Claim 7

The closure as claimed in claim 3 wherein N is between 6 and 12, inclusive.

Claim 8

The closure as claimed in claim 6 hereto X is 2°.

Claim 9

The closure as claimed in claim 3 wherein said panels are sized such that when said panels are folded to said closed condition, a central aperture is presented.

Claim 10

The closure as claimed in claim 8 wherein said panels are sized such that when said panels are infolded to said closed condition, said container is substantially sealed.

Claim 11

A container comprising an elongated arcuate strip of substantially planar material having opposed ends and elongated parallel edges, the opposed ends being joinable in a mutual overlapping relation, one of said elongated edges engaging a sealing closure, an opposite one of said elongated edges having a border having a first crease line extending substantially parallel to said edges, a plurality of crease lines extending perpendicular thereto and extending to the one of said elongated edges defining a plurality of adjoining panels, each of said adjoining panels having an oblique crease line extending from the first crease line and one of the perpendicularly extending crease lines, parting off a triangular edge element, said border has a second crease line extending substantially parallel to said first crease line defining a narrow inner band adjoining said panels, said second crease line defines a reinforced lip about a mouth of said container when said border is folded inwardly and outwardly about said second and first crease lines, respectively, said panels being recessed from said mouth and foldable simultaneously over each other and unfoldable between an open condition, wherein like containers are nestable, and a closed condition, wherein said panels, upon being pressed inwardly, collectively lock in place.

Claim 12

A container comprising an elongated arcuate strip of substantially planar material having opposed ends and elongated parallel edges, the opposed ends being joinable in a mutual overlapping relation, one of said elongated edges engaging a sealing closure, an opposite one of said elongated edges having a border having a first crease line extending substantially parallel to said edges, a plurality of crease lines extending perpendicular thereto and extending to the one of said elongated edges defining a plurality of adjoining panels, each of said adjoining panels having an oblique crease line extending from the first crease line and one of the perpendicularly extending crease lines, parting off a triangular edge element, said border has a second crease line extending substantially parallel to said first crease line defining a narrow inner band adjoining said panels, said second crease line defines a reinforced lip about a mouth of said container when said border is folded inwardly and outwardly about said second and first crease lines, respectively, said panels being recessed from said mouth and foldable simultaneously over each other and unfoldable between an open condition, wherein like containers are nestable, and a closed condition, wherein said panels, upon being pressed inwardly, collectively lock in place.

Claim 13

The container as claimed in claim 10 wherein said container has N panels, wherein N is an integer number, and said triangular edge clement has an apex angle of 360/(2N)+X, wherein X is in the range of about 2° to 5°.

Claim 14

The container as claimed in claim 11 wherein said border has a pull tab extending from the one edge of the strip to facilitate opening of the closure.

Claim 15

The container as claimed in claim 11 wherein said border has an aperture for receiving a straw.

Claim 16

The container as claimed in claim 11 wherein N is between 6 and 12, inclusive.

Claim 17

The container as claimed in claim 14 wherein X is 2°.

Claim 18

The container as claimed in claim 15 wherein said panels are sized such that when said panels are infolded to said closed condition, a central aperture is presented.

Claim 19

The container as claimed in claim 15 wherein said panels are sized such that when said panels are infolded to said closed condition, said container is substantially sealed.

Claim 20

A container comprising an elongated strip of substantially planar material having opposed ends and elongated parallel edges, the opposed ends being joinable in a mutual overlapping relation; one of said elongated edges engaging a sealing closure and an opposite one of said elongated edges has a border having a first crease line extending substantially parallel to said edges, a plurality of crease lines extending perpendicular thereto and extending to the one of said elongated edges defining a plurality of adjoining panels, each of said adjoining panels having an oblique crease line extending from the first crease line and one of the perpendicularly extending crease lines, parting off a triangular edge element, said border has a second crease line extending substantially parallel to said first crease line defining a narrow inner band adjoining said panels, said second crease line defines a reinforced lip about a mouth of said container when said border is folded inwardly and outwardly about said second and first crease lines, respectively, said panels being recessed from said mouth and foldable and unfoldable simultaneously over each other between an open condition and a closed condition, wherein said panels, upon being pressed inwardly, collectively lock in place.

Claim 21

A container comprising an elongated strip of substantially planar material having opposed ends and elongated parallel edges, the opposed ends being joinable in a mutual overlapping relation; one of said elongated edges engaging a sealing closure and an opposite one of said elongated edges has a border having a first crease line extending substantially parallel to said edges, a plurality of crease lines extending perpendicular thereto and extending to the one of said elongated edges defining a plurality of adjoining panels, each of said adjoining panels having an oblique crease line extending from the first crease line and one of the perpendicularly extending crease lines, parting off a triangular edge element, said border has a second crease line extending substantially parallel to said first crease line defining a narrow inner band adjoining said panels, said second crease line defines a reinforced lip about a mouth of said container when said border is folded inwardly and outwardly about said second and first crease lines, respectively, said panels being recessed from said mouth and foldable and unfoldable simultaneously over each other between an open condition and a closed condition, wherein said panels, upon being pressed inwardly, collectively lock in place.

Claim 22

The container as claimed in claim 18 wherein said container has N panels, wherein N is an integer number, and said triangular edge element has an apex angle of 360/(2N)+X, wherein X is in the range of about 2° to 5°.

Claim 23

The container as claimed in claim 19 wherein N is between 6 and 12, inclusive.

Claim 24

The container as claimed in claim 20 wherein X is 2°.

Claim 25

The container as claimed in claim 18 wherein said panels are sized such that when said panels are folded to said closed condition, a central aperture is presented.

Claim 26

The container as claimed in claim 18 wherein said panels are sized such that when said panels are infolded to said closed condition, said container is substantially sealed.

Claim 27

The container as claimed in claim 18 wherein said border has a pull tab extending from the one edge of the strip to facilitate opening of the closure.