Utensils Within Lids

Abstract

Planar utensil elements 700, 1701 for, e.g., foodstuffs. The utensil elements 700, 1701 fit within lids 1702 of, e.g., food containers. The utensil elements can be elongated as for a spoon 1701, generally circular as for a measuring scoop 700, or have some other shape.

1 . Apparatus comprising:
 a lid having a flat portion and a raised portion surrounding the flat portion;   a groove formed in the raised portion in the vicinity of the intersection of the flat portion with the raised portion; and   a utensil made of a paper-based material and having first and second ends, each end fitting snugly in the groove.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the flat portion of the lid has a generally circular shape. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the flat portion of the lid has a generally rectangular shape. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the utensil lies flat against the flat portion of the lid. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the utensil is bowed into an arcuate shape with respect to the flat portion of the lid, whereby the utensil is held in place in the groove via tension. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the utensil comprises a pair of generally symmetrical curving scores positioned around a longitudinal midline of the utensil, each of said scores having a section that is convex with respect to the longitudinal midline. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the utensil comprises a pair of generally symmetrical curving scores positioned around a longitudinal midline of the utensil, each of said scores having a section that is concave with respect to the longitudinal midline. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus comprising:
 a lid having a generally circular flat portion and a raised portion surrounding the flat portion; and   a generally circular utensil element made of a paperboard-like material and fitting into the lid.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the utensil element has three generally linear scores, each score converging at a midpoint of the utensil element and extending to an outer edge of the utensil element, whereby folding the utensil element about the scores forms a generally conically shaped object.