Temperature-conserving containers

Abstract

A lid may be for a temperature-conserving container and may include a bottom wall, a side wall formed around a perimeter of the bottom wall, and a top wall connected to the side wall. An insulative cavity may be between the top wall and the bottom wall, and the insulative cavity may be configured to reduce heat transfer through the lid. A lip may be formed around at least a portion of an outer surface of the side wall or the top wall. The lid may be configured to be slidably received in an opening of the temperature-conserving container such that at least a portion of the lip engages a top rim of the opening and forms a seal between the outer surface of the side wall and the inner surface of the opening, thereby sealing the temperature-conserving container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lid for a temperature-conserving container having an opening defining an inner surface of the opening and a top rim, the lid comprising:
 a bottom wall;   a side wall formed around a perimeter of the bottom wall;   a top wall connected to the side wall;   an insulative cavity between the top wall and the bottom wall, the insulative cavity configured to reduce heat transfer through the lid;   a lip formed around at least a portion of an outer surface of the side wall or the top wall; and   wherein the lid is configured to be slidably received in the opening of the temperature-conserving container such that at least a portion of the lip engages the top rim and forming a seal between the outer surface of the side wall and the inner surface of the opening.   
     
     
         2 . The lid according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall is part of a unitary bottom portion of the lid and the top wall is part of a unitary top portion of the lid. 
     
     
         3 . The lid according to  claim 2 , wherein the insulative cavity is sealed at a joint between the unitary bottom portion and the unitary top portion. 
     
     
         4 . The lid according to  claim 3 , wherein the joint between the unitary bottom portion and the unitary top portion is in the side wall. 
     
     
         5 . The lid according to  claim 3 , wherein the unitary bottom portion comprises the side wall and the joint is between the side wall and the top wall. 
     
     
         6 . The lid according to  claim 3 , wherein the unitary bottom portion comprises a lift tab projecting outward from the side wall, wherein the lift tab is configured to be grasped to remove the lid from the temperature-conserving container. 
     
     
         7 . The lid according to  claim 3 , wherein the unitary top portion is secured to the unitary bottom portion by a press-fit connection; and 
 wherein the side wall includes a gasket configured to form the seal between the outer surface of the side wall and the inner surface of the opening.   
     
     
         8 . The lid according to  claim 7 , wherein the side wall includes a channel extending around the outer surface, and wherein the gasket is received in the channel. 
     
     
         9 . The lid according to  claim 1 , wherein the side wall is integrally formed with the bottom wall and the top wall is seated on a recessed lip formed at or near a top of the side wall. 
     
     
         10 . The lid according to  claim 9 , further comprising a gasket which forms a seal between the top wall and the recessed lip. 
     
     
         11 . The lid according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one reinforcing rib formed on at least one of a lower surface of the top wall and an upper surface of the bottom wall. 
     
     
         12 . The lid according to  claim 1 , wherein the insulative cavity is an insulative air gap. 
     
     
         13 . The lid according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature-conserving container is a bowl and wherein the lid is configured to cover the opening of the bowl. 
     
     
         14 . A temperature-conserving bowl system comprising:
 a bowl comprising an opening defining an inner surface of the opening and a top rim; and   a lid configured to be removably received within the opening of the bowl, the lid comprising:
 a bottom wall; 
 a side wall formed around a perimeter of the bottom wall; 
 a top wall connected to the side wall; 
 an insulative cavity between the top wall and the bottom wall, the insulative cavity configured to reduce heat transfer through the lid; 
 a lip formed around at least a portion of an outer surface of the side wall or the top wall; 
   wherein the lid is configured to be slidably received in the opening of the bowl such that at least a portion of the lip engages the top rim and an outer surface of the side wall forms a seal against the inner surface of the opening of the bowl.   
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the bottom wall is part of a unitary bottom portion of the lid and the top wall is part of a unitary top portion of the lid; and
 wherein the insulative cavity is sealed at a joint between the unitary bottom portion and the unitary top portion.   
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the unitary bottom portion comprises a lift tab configured to be grasped to remove the lid from the bowl. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the bowl is a double-wall insulated metal bowl and the bottom wall, side wall, and top wall of the lid are formed of rigid plastic. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein an upper surface of the top wall is flush with an upper edge of the side wall and an upper surface of the lip. 
     
     
         19 . A temperature-conserving bowl system comprising:
 a bowl comprising an opening; and   a lid configured to be removably received within the opening of the bowl, the lid comprising:
 a unitary bottom portion comprising a bottom wall; 
 a top portion comprising a top wall spaced vertically apart from the bottom wall; 
 a side wall formed around a perimeter of the top wall and a perimeter of the bottom wall and extending between the top wall and bottom wall, wherein at least a portion of the side wall is part of the unitary bottom portion; 
 an insulative cavity between the top wall and the bottom wall, the insulative cavity configured to reduce heat transfer through the lid; and 
   wherein an outer surface of the side wall forms a seal against an inner surface of the opening of the bowl.   
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the unitary bottom portion further comprises a lift tab is projecting outward from the side wall, wherein the lift tab is configured to be grasped to remove the lid from the bowl. 
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the unitary bottom portion further comprises a lip formed around at least a portion of an outer surface of the side wall or the top wall, wherein the lid is configured to be slidably received in the opening of the bowl such that at least a portion of the lip engages a top rim of the opening.