Container having foldable lid

Abstract

A storage container having a lid that can be removed from a corresponding container body, folded, and then placed within a cavity of the container body during storage of the storage container is provided. The lid of such a storage container may include one or more foldable portions that extend across a central portion. The foldable portions may include a hinge and/or a flexible material. The storage container may also be stackable. For example, a foldable lid may be placed in a first container body, when the foldable lid is in a folded configuration, and a second container body may be received by the first container body, such that the folded lid fits in a space defined between a base of the first container body and a base of a second container body.

1 . A storage container comprising:
 a container body comprising:   a base;   a sidewall extending up from the base to a rim;   an opening into the container body defined by said rim;   a cavity defined by said base, said sidewall, and said opening; and   a lid for covering said container body opening, said lid comprising:   a central portion;   an outer perimeter extending from said central portion; and   a foldable portion extending across the central portion,   wherein (i) the outer perimeter of the lid is adapted to mate with the rim of the container body, to thereby hold the lid on the container body, (ii) the lid is adapted to fold about the foldable portion to form a folded lid, and (iii) the folded lid is adapted to fit through the opening and into said cavity of the container body to be stored within the container body.   
   
   
       2 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein (i) said cavity further comprises a major dimension and a minor dimension, and (ii) said folded lid comprises at least one dimension that is less than said minor dimension of said cavity, thereby allowing said folded lid to fit within said cavity. 
   
   
       3 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein (i) said cavity further comprises a major dimension and a minor dimension, (ii) said lid further comprises more than one foldable portion, (iii) said number of foldable portions is determined to ensure that at least one dimension of said folded lid is less than said minor dimension of said cavity. 
   
   
       4 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein said foldable portion comprises a hinge. 
   
   
       5 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein said foldable portion comprises at least two living hinges. 
   
   
       6 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein said foldable portion comprises a single living hinge. 
   
   
       7 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein said foldable portion comprises at least two mechanical hinges. 
   
   
       8 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein said foldable portion comprises a single mechanical hinge. 
   
   
       9 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein said foldable portion comprises a flexible material. 
   
   
       10 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein (i) said lid further comprises a second foldable portion extending across said central portion, and (ii) said lid is adapted to fold about said foldable portion and said second foldable portion. 
   
   
       11 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein said rim of said container body defines one or more of: a rectangle-shaped opening, a circular opening, and an elliptical-shaped opening. 
   
   
       12 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein (i) said lid further comprises a skirt extending down from a bottom surface of said lid, proximate to said outer perimeter of said lid, and (ii) said skirt abuts said sidewall of said container body when said lid is covering said opening of said container body. 
   
   
       13 . The storage container of  claim 12 , wherein said skirt exerts an outward pressure on said container sidewall when said lid is covering said opening of said container body. 
   
   
       14 . The storage container of  claim 12 , further comprising a protrusion and a corresponding recess, wherein said protrusion mates with said corresponding recess when said lid is covering said opening of said container body. 
   
   
       15 . The storage container of  claim 14 , wherein (i) said skirt includes the protrusion, (ii) said container sidewall includes the corresponding recess. 
   
   
       16 . The storage container of  claim 12 , wherein (i) said container sidewall comprises a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a third sidewall, and a fourth sidewall, (ii) said second sidewall is opposite said first sidewall, (iii) said fourth sidewall is opposite said third sidewall, (iv) said skirt comprises a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, (v) said second side of said skirt is opposite said first side of said skirt and said fourth side of said skirt is opposite said third side of said skirt, (vi) said first sidewall includes a first recess, (vii) said second sidewall includes a second recess, (viii) said first side of said skirt includes a first protrusion, (ix) said second side of said skirt includes a second protrusion, and (x) said first protrusion mates with said first recess, and said second protrusion mates with said second recess when said lid is covering said opening of said container body. 
   
   
       17 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein (i) said lid further comprises a latch and (ii) said latch is adapted to hold said lid onto said container body. 
   
   
       18 . The storage container of  claim 17 , wherein said latch is located at each end of said foldable portion of said lid. 
   
   
       19 . The storage container of  claim 17 , wherein (i) said latch comprises a protrusion, (ii) said rim of said container body includes a bottom surface, and (iii) said protrusion is adapted to abut said bottom surface of said rim to securely fasten said lid to said container body. 
   
   
       20 . The storage container of  claim 1 , wherein (i) the outer perimeter of said lid smoothly merges with said rim of said container body when said lid is covering said opening of said container body, such that said outer perimeter does not protrude beyond said rim. 
   
   
       21 . A lid for covering an opening of a respective container body, said lid comprising:
 a central portion;   an outer perimeter extending around said central portion;   an unfolded major dimension and an unfolded minor dimension; and   a foldable portion extending transversely across the major dimension and dividing said central portion into two or more segments;   wherein (i) said lid is adapted to fold along said foldable portion to form a folded lid having a folded major dimension and a folded minor dimension, and (ii) said folded minor dimension is less than said unfolded minor dimension.   
   
   
       22 . The lid of  claim 21 , wherein said folded lid is adapted to attach to said respective container body. 
   
   
       23 . The lid of  claim 21 , wherein, (i) said respective container body comprises a base, a sidewall extending up from said base to a rim, and an opening into said container body defined by said rim, (ii) a cavity is defined by said base, said sidewall, and said opening, and (iii) said folded lid fits through the opening and into said cavity of the container body to be stored within the container body. 
   
   
       24 . The lid of  claim 21 , wherein said foldable portion comprises a hinge. 
   
   
       25 . The lid of  claim 21 , wherein said foldable portion comprises at least two living hinges. 
   
   
       26 . The lid of  claim 21 , wherein the foldable portion comprises a flexible material. 
   
   
       27 . The lid of  claim 21 , wherein (i) said lid further comprises a second foldable portion extending transversely across said major dimension, and (ii) said lid is adapted to fold about said foldable portion and said second foldable portion. 
   
   
       28 . The lid of  claim 21 , wherein said outer perimeter of said lid defines one or more of: a rectangle-shape, a circular-shape and an elliptical-shape. 
   
   
       29 . The lid of  claim 21 , further comprising a skirt extending down from a bottom surface, proximate to said outer perimeter. 
   
   
       30 . The lid of  claim 29 , further comprising a protrusion extending out from said skirt, wherein said protrusion is adapted to mate with a corresponding recess formed in a container body. 
   
   
       31 . The lid of  claim 21 , further comprising a writable portion disposed on said central portion. 
   
   
       32 . The lid of  claim 21 , further comprising a latch located at each end of said foldable portion. 
   
   
       33 . A storage container system comprising multiple stackable containers for efficient storage of multiple containers, the storage container system comprising:
 a first container body having a first base, and a first sidewall extending up from the first base, the first sidewall having a rim defining a first opening into the first container body;   a foldable lid adapted to cover the opening of the first container body when the foldable lid is in an unfolded configuration; and   at least a second container body having a second base, and a second sidewall extending up from the second base, the second sidewall having a second rim defining a second opening into the second container body,   wherein (i) the first container body is adapted to receive the second container body such that the second container body is stacked on top of the first container body and a space is formed between the first base of the first container body and the second base of the second container body, and (ii) the foldable lid is adapted to fit within the space when the foldable lid is in a folded configuration.   
   
   
       34 . The storage container system of  claim 33 , wherein the first sidewall extends up from the first base at an angle. 
   
   
       35 . The storage container system of  claim 33 , further comprising a second foldable lid adapted to cover the opening of the second container body in an unfolded configuration and to fit within the second container body in a folded configuration.