Container Lid

Abstract

A container lid for covering a container includes a hinge to permit partial opening of a section of the container lid. The container lid also includes locking tabs or projections that are designed to contact and engage with an inner surface of a container to produce a holding or gripping force to at least assist in holding the container lid on the container.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A container lid comprising:
 a lip portion disposed about the perimeter edge of the container lid;   said lip portion being configured to overlap and engage with a lip of a container in a releasable locking engagement;   a first section comprising a top cover portion and a side wall portion extending transverse to said top cover portion to said lip portion;   a second section comprising a top cover portion and a side wall portion extending transverse to said top cover portion to said lip portion;   a hinge portion connecting said first section and said second section;   said hinge portion being integral with said lip portion; and   said hinge portion being flexible to permit relative pivoting of said first section and said second section with respect to one another and thereby permit partial opening of a container by disconnection and pivoting of either said first section or said second section.   
     
     
         2 . The container lid according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said lip portion comprises a first lip portion and a second lip portion disposed between said first lip portion and said hinge portion; and   said first lip portion having a first width and said second lip portion having a second width that is less than said first width.   
     
     
         3 . The container lid according to  claim 2 , wherein the width of said second lip portion tapers from said first lip portion to said hinge portion. 
     
     
         4 . The container lid according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 said first section comprises a plurality of projections disposed to project inwardly from an interior surface of said top cover portion and adjacent but spaced apart from said side wall portion;   said second section comprises a plurality of projections disposed to project inwardly from an interior surface of said top cover portion and adjacent but spaced apart from said side wall portion; and   each of said projections is configured to contact and engage with an inner surface of a container to produce a holding or gripping force to at least assist in holding said container lid on the container.   
     
     
         5 . The container lid according to  claim 4 , wherein the distance between each of said projections and said lip portion is substantially equivalent or essentially equivalent to a distance between an outer edge and an inner surface of a container to which the container lid is to be removably connected. 
     
     
         6 . The container lid according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 each of said first section and said second section comprises at least one reinforcing structure comprising at least one of a convex or concave indentation; and   each of said first section and said second section comprises a finger tab configured to provide a gripping point for a user to manually connect or disconnect the lid.   
     
     
         7 . The container lid according to  claim 6 , in combination with a container to which the container lid is removably connected. 
     
     
         8 . The container lid according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first section comprises a plurality of projections disposed to project inwardly from an interior surface of said top cover portion and adjacent but spaced apart from said side wall portion;   said second section comprises a plurality of projections disposed to project inwardly from an interior surface of said top cover portion and adjacent but spaced apart from said side wall portion; and   each of said projections is configured to contact and engage with an inner surface of a container to produce a holding or gripping force to at least assist in holding said container lid on the container.   
     
     
         9 . The container lid according to  claim 8 , wherein the distance between each of said projections and said lip portion is substantially equivalent or essentially equivalent to a distance between an outer edge and an inner surface of a container to which the container lid is to be removably connected. 
     
     
         10 . The container lid according to  claim 9 , in combination with a container to which the container lid is removably connected. 
     
     
         11 . The container lid according to  claim 1 , in combination with a container to which the container lid is removably connected. 
     
     
         12 . A method of opening and closing a container, said method comprising the steps of:
 placing a container lid over a container;   aligning a lip portion of said container lid disposed about the perimeter edge of said container lid with a lip portion disposed about the perimeter edge of said container;   pressing said lip portion of said container lid into overlapping locking engagement with said lip of said container in a releasable locking engagement; and   at least one of (A) and (B):   (A) partially opening said container by manually disconnecting a first section of said container lid from said container and pivoting said first section at a hinge portion of said container lid connecting said first section with a second section of said container lid connected to said container;   (B) completely opening said container by manually disconnecting a first section of said container lid from said container and pivoting said first section at a hinge portion of said container lid connecting said first section with a second section of said container lid connected to said container; and   manually disconnecting said second section and removing said container lid from said container.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 said lip portion comprises a first lip portion and a second lip portion disposed between said first lip portion and said hinge portion;   said first lip portion having a first width and said second lip portion having a second width that is less than said first width; and   said step of manually disconnecting said first section or said second section comprises exerting a greater force to disconnect said first lip portion than said second lip portion.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the width of said second lip portion tapers from said first lip portion to said hinge portion; and   said step of manually disconnecting said first section or said second section comprises exerting a force that decreases proportional to said tapering.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein said method further comprises:
 aligning a plurality of projections disposed to project inwardly from an interior surface of a top cover portion of said lid and adjacent but spaced apart from a side wall portion of said lid with an inner surface of said container; and   pressing each of said projections into contact with said inner surface of said container to produce a holding or gripping force to at least assist in holding said container lid on said container.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the distance between each of said projections and said lip portion is substantially equivalent or essentially equivalent to a distance between an outer edge and said inner surface of a container to which the container lid is to be removably connected; and   said method further comprises gripping a portion of said container with both said projections and said lip portion.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said method further comprises:
 aligning a plurality of projections disposed to project inwardly from an interior surface of a top cover portion of said lid and adjacent but spaced apart from a side wall portion of said lid with an inner surface of said container; and   pressing each of said projections into contact with said inner surface of said container to produce a holding or gripping force to at least assist in holding said container lid on said container.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the distance between each of said projections and said lip portion is substantially equivalent or essentially equivalent to a distance between an outer edge and said inner surface of a container to which the container lid is to be removably connected; and   said method further comprises gripping a portion of said container with both said projections and said lip portion.