Resealable container lid and method

Abstract

A container construction is provided and includes a lid and receptacle. The lid is attachable to the receptacle in an area between lips extending from outer perimeters of the lid and receptacle using a bonding element that is permanently attached to one of the lips and heat sealed to the other of the lips. The lid includes a plug that fits within a mouth allowing resealing of the receptacle. Only one lid element is required to seal the receptacle.

1 . A method of making a container said method including: 
 forming a receptacle with a product storage chamber and a mouth portion, the    receptacle also having a generally outwardly extending peripheral first lop with a first surface;    forming a lid having a generally outwardly extending second lip with a second surface and having a plug portion sized and shaped to be received within the mouth portion;    depositing product into the chamber in a first time period;    mounting the lid to the receptacle after the depositing, with said plug being positioned within the mouth portion and the first and second surfaces facing one another; and    bonding a portion of the first lip to a portion of the second lip in a second time period and thereby sealing the product in the container, said first lip being severable from the second lip for opening the lid, the second time period being less than about  1  second.    
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  including forming a rib as part of one of the first and second lips and having a free edge engageable with the other of the first and second lips.  
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 2  including bonding the free edge of the rib to the other of the first and second lips by heat sealing.  
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 3  including forming a tab on the second lip.  
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 4  including forming an unbonded area between the first and second lips extending inwardly from an outer perimeter of the lips to the heat seal at least adjacent the tab.  
     
     
         6 . The method as set forth in  claim 5  including forming cooperatively interengageable elements on the receptacle and lid in a mouth region of the receptacle.  
     
     
         7 . The method as set forth in  claim 6  including forming the second lip with a bonding element to engage the free edge of the rib for heat sealing thereto, said second time period being less than about 0.7 seconds.  
     
     
         8 . A resealable container comprising: 
 a receptacle defining a product storage chamber and having a sidewall portion with a free end portion defining an opening providing access to the chamber and having a generally outwardly extending peripheral first lip with a generally upwardly facing first surface, said sidewall having a mouth portion adjacent the free end portion and first lip;    a lid having a generally outwardly extending peripheral second lip with a generally downwardly facing second surface overlying a portion of the first surface at least one of the first and second surfaces having a rib projecting therefrom and secured to a portion of the other of the first and second surfaces, said lid having a plug portion depending from the second lip and positioned in the mouth portion and having a hinge member extending across a portion of the plug portion and separating said lid into first and second lid portions with said first lid portion being selectively movable about a portion of the hinge member relative to the second lid portion, said lid being secured to the receptacle at the first and second lips.    
     
     
         9 . A resealable container as set forth in  claim 8  at least one of the first and second lips including a bonding element securing the lid to the receptacle in an area between the first and second lips at said bonding element said rib being bonded to at least one of said receptacle and lid.  
     
     
         10 . The resealable container as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said bonding element including a ply laminated to a lip portion of one of the lid and receptacle.  
     
     
         11 . The resealable container as set forth in  claim 8  including a tab member associated with the second lip.  
     
     
         12 . The resealable container as set forth in  claim 11  wherein at least a portion of the first and second lips each having an outer edge, at least a portion of the first and second lips being unbonded in an area therebetween and extending inwardly of the outer edges.  
     
     
         13 . The resealable container as set forth in  claim 12  wherein the unbonded area being at least adjacent said tab.  
     
     
         14 . The resealable container of  claim 13  including cooperatively interengagable elements associated with the lid and the receptacle to permit selectively maintaining the lid in a closed condition after the lid has been moved to an open position.  
     
     
         15 . The resealable container of  claim 13  wherein the plug portion including a sidewall with a discontinuity at each end of the hinge member permitting flexing of a living hinge portion of the hinge member.  
     
     
         16 . The resealable container of  claim 8  wherein the plug portion including a sidewall with a discontinuity at each end of the hinge member permitting flexing of a living hinge portion of the hinge member.  
     
     
         17 . The resealable container of  claim 16  wherein the hinge member including a pair of walls extending from a bottom wall of the plug portion and having the living hinge portion therebetween.  
     
     
         18 . The resealable container of  claim 17  wherein the pair of walls defining a groove therebetween.  
     
     
         19 . The resealable container of  claim 18  wherein the groove opening into said chamber.  
     
     
         20 . The resealable container of  claim 8  including cooperatively interengagable elements associated with the lid and an upper portion of the receptacle to permit selectively maintaining the lid in a closed condition after the lid has been moved to an open position.  
     
     
         21 . The resealable container of  claim 20  wherein at least one of the interengagable elements including a rib.