Lid having integral one-piece eating utensil

Abstract

A lid is disclosed that is configured to be mounted on a food container having a rim bounding an opening of the food container. The lid has a top cover wall with a through opening and an outer periphery, a one-piece eating utensil being located in the opening of the top cover wall and connected to the top cover wall by a plurality of discrete, spaced apart, frangible connecting elements. The one-piece utensil has a food engaging portion and an integral handle portion, the handle portion being configured to be gripped by a hand of a user. The length of the one-piece eating utensil, measured from an end of the food engaging portion to an opposite end of the handle portion, is less than a distance between opposite sides of the periphery of the top cover wall such that the one-piece eating utensil fits entirely within the periphery of the top cover wall. A side wall extends downwardly from the periphery of the top cover wall and is configured to engage the rim portion of the food container.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A lid configured to be mounted on a food container having a rim bounding an opening of the food container, the lid comprising: 
 a) a top cover wall having a generally planar configuration, the top cover wall having an opening therethrough and an outer periphery;    b) a one-piece eating utensil located in the opening of the top cover wall, the one-piece utensil having a food engaging portion and an integral handle portion extending therefrom, the handle portion being configured to be gripped by a hand of a user, the one-piece eating utensil being removably connected to the top cover wall solely by a plurality of discrete, spaced apart, frangible connecting elements, a length of the one-piece eating utensil from an end of the food engaging portion to an end of the handle portion being less than a distance between opposite sides of the periphery of the top cover wall; and,    c) a side wall extending downwardly from the periphery of the top cover wall and configured to engage the rim portion of the food container.    
     
     
         2 . The lid of  claim 1  wherein the side wall comprises: 
 a) a first wall portion extending from the periphery of the top cover wall;  
 b) a second wall portion having a lateral dimension measured between opposite sides thereof greater than a corresponding dimension of the first wall portion; and,  
 c) a step portion connecting the first and second wall portions together.  
 
     
     
         3 . The lid of  claim 2  wherein the second wall portion of one lid is configured to accept therein the first wall portion of another lid so as to enable a plurality of lids to be stacked in nested fashion.  
     
     
         4 . The lid of  claim 1  wherein the food engaging portion comprises a spoon.  
     
     
         5 . The lid of  claim 1  wherein the food engaging portion comprises a fork.  
     
     
         6 . The lid of  claim 1  wherein the food engaging portion comprises a knife.  
     
     
         7 . The lid of  claim 1  further comprising a protective sheet attached to the top cover wall and covering at least the one-piece eating utensil.  
     
     
         8 . The lid of  claim 7  wherein the protective sheet is removably attached to the top cover wall.  
     
     
         9 . A lid configured to be mounted on a food container having a rim bounding an opening of the food container, the lid comprising: 
 a) a top cover wall having a generally planar configuration, the top cover wall having an opening therethrough and an outer periphery;    b) a side wall extending downwardly from the periphery of the top cover wall and configured to engage the rim portion of the food container, the side wall having: a first wall portion extending from the periphery of the top cover wall with a first lateral dimension measured between opposite sides thereof; a second wall portion having a second lateral dimension measured between opposite sides thereof, the second lateral dimension being greater than the first lateral dimension; and step portion connecting the first and second wall portions together; and,    c) a one-piece eating utensil located in the opening of the top cover wall, the one-piece eating utensil having an integral handle configured to be gripped by a hand of a user, the one-piece eating utensil being removably connected to the top cover wall solely by a plurality of discrete, spaced apart, frangible connecting elements.    
     
     
         10 . The lid of  claim 9  wherein the second wall portion is configured to accept therein the first wall portion of another lid so as to enable a plurality of lids to be stacked in nested fashion.  
     
     
         11 . The lid of  claim 9  wherein the food engaging portion comprises a spoon.  
     
     
         12 . The lid of  claim 9  wherein the food engaging portion comprises a fork.  
     
     
         13 . The lid of  claim 9  wherein the food engaging portion comprises a knife.  
     
     
         14 . The lid of  claim 9  further comprising a protective sheet attached to the top cover wall and covering at least the one-piece eating utensil.  
     
     
         15 . The lid of  claim 14  wherein the protective sheet is removably attached to the top cover wall.