Closure with secondary compartment

Abstract

A closure for a container includes a body portion and a lid portion that is hingedly attached to the body portion for sealing and unsealing an orifice that is defined in the body portion for opening and closing the container. A removable cover is advantageously attached to the lid portion so as to define a supplemental compartment between the lid portion and the removable cover. The coverage is preferably substantially transparent, and a graphic element may be placed within the supplemental compartment so that it will be viewable by a consumer. Alternatively, product such as a lip balm could be situated within the supplemental compartment. In one embodiment, the removable cover is completely removable from the rest of the closure, while in a second embodiment it is hingedly mounted to the lid portion.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A closure for a container, comprising: 
 a body portion, said body portion comprising securing means for securing the closure to a container, said body portion further defining an orifice through which material may flow during dispensing from the container;    a lid portion hingedly attached to said body portion, said lid portion being movable between a first, closed position in which said the portion seals said orifice and a second, open position; and    a removable cover that is attached to said lid portion, said removable cover defining a supplemental compartment between said removable cover and said lid portion.    
     
     
         2 . A closure according to  claim 1 , wherein said removable cover is substantially transparent, and further comprising a graphic element that is positioned within said supplemental compartment.  
     
     
         3 . A closure according to  claim 1 , further comprising a product that is situated within said supplemental compartment.  
     
     
         4 . A closure according to  claim 1 , wherein said removable cover is releasably attached to said lid portion so that a consumer may completely removed said removable cover from said closure.  
     
     
         5 . A closure according to  claim 4 , wherein said removable cover is releasably attached to said lid portion by an interference fit.  
     
     
         6 . A closure according to  claim 1 , wherein said removable cover is hingedly attached to said lid portion.  
     
     
         7 . A closure according to  claim 6 , wherein said closure includes a first hinge mechanism between said body portion and said lid portion and a second hinge mechanism between said lid portion and said removable cover, and wherein said second hinge mechanism is positioned on an opposite side of said lid portion from said first hinge mechanism.  
     
     
         8 . A closure according to  claim 1 , wherein said body portion and said lid portion are fabricated from a plastic material.  
     
     
         9 . A closure according to  claim 8 , wherein said plastic material comprises a polypropylene homopolymer.  
     
     
         10 . A closure according to  claim 1 , wherein said removable cover is fabricated from a plastic material.  
     
     
         11 . A closure according to  claim 10 , wherein said plastic material comprises polypropylene.  
     
     
         12 . A closure according to  claim 1 , wherein said securing means comprises at least one internal thread.  
     
     
         13 . A consumer product, comprising: 
 a container having a first product therein;    a closure mounted on said container, said closure including a body portion, a lid portion, and a removable cover that is attached to said lid portion, said removable cover defining a supplemental compartment between said removable cover and said lid portion; and    a second product that is situated in said supplemental compartment.    
     
     
         14 . A closure according to  claim 13 , wherein said removable cover is releasably attached to said lid portion so that a consumer may completely removed said removable cover from said closure.  
     
     
         15 . A closure according to  claim 14 , wherein said removable coverage is releasably attached to said lid portion by an interference fit.  
     
     
         16 . A closure according to  claim 13 , wherein said removable cover is hingedly attached to said lid portion.  
     
     
         17 . A closure according to  claim 16 , wherein said closure includes a first hinge mechanism between said body portion and said lid portion and a second hinge mechanism between said lid portion and said removable cover, and wherein said second hinge mechanism is positioned on an opposite side of said lid portion from said first hinge mechanism.  
     
     
         18 . A closure according to  claim 13 , wherein said body portion and said lid portion are fabricated from a plastic material.  
     
     
         19 . A closure according to  claim 18 , wherein said plastic material comprises a polypropylene homopolymer.