Receptacles – Compartmented container – Compartment in closure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-15
2001-03-06
Newhouse, Nathan J. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Compartmented container
Compartment in closure
C220S709000, C220S023860, C206S217000, C206S307000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196411
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to closures for merchandise containers and in particular to closures for drink cups and the like.
II. Description of the Related Art
Closures for merchandise containers such as soft drink cups are well known. In some cases, it is desirable to provide the closure with a compartment for holding a prize, game token, premium or the like. As such, after purchasing a soft drink or the like, the purchaser then opens the closure to reveal the contents therein, perhaps winning a prize.
Problems however arise with the closures that have been provided with compartments, particularly when the closures are used for drink cups or other containers containing beverages. Typically, the closure is configured with an opening, such as a pair of cris-crossed slits, for receiving a straw. When a straw is inserted through the slits, liquid can seep through the slits and into the compartment thereby damaging the contents therein, perhaps rendering the contents unusable. Indeed, seepage through the slits is virtually inevitable if the portion of the closure in which the slits is formed is disposed near the level of the beverage. In such a case, downward displacement of the closure as a result of the initial insertion of the straw through the slits typically submerges the slits within the beverage causing substantial seepage through the slits. In cases where the closure compartment is at or below the level of the cup lip, the volume of this compartment actually displaces the interior volume of the cup and thus upon attachment of the closure would cause substantial spillage in a fully filled beverage. Moreover, customers at quick service restaurants and the like usually prefer beverages to be filled to the brim. With the beverage filled to the brim, substantial seepage or spillage can occur upon insertion of the straw or attachment of the closure itself causing considerable annoyance to the customer and extra work for the restaurant staff mopping up the spilled beverages. To avoid this problem, beverage cups are often filled only to a specified level well below the brim of the cup. In restaurants where the cup is automatically filled, automatic filling devices therefore need to be properly set and monitored to ensure that the beverage does not exceed the specified level. If the cup is manually filled by the staff, the staff therefore needs to constantly remember to fill the cup only to the specified level. Furthermore, in many quick service restaurants, the customers fill their own beverage cups, thereby permitting re-fills by the customer. The customers are often not aware that filling the cup to the brim will cause subsequent spillage and, hence, the customers typically overfill the cups resulting in frequent and substantial spillage in the vicinity of the beverage dispensers.
Moreover, even if no seepage or spillage through the slits occurs, the closure itself which is typically formed of plastic may have cracks or other deformities which can also result in seepage into the compartment. Such cracks may occur during manufacturing or perhaps as a result of mishandling of the closure prior to mounting the closure to the drink container. If cracks are present within portions of the closure forming the compartment, then liquid may seep through the cracks and into the compartment damaging the contents therein. Seepage through cracks is virtually inevitable if the portion of the closure forming the bottom of the compartment has such cracks and that portion is disposed near or below the level of the liquid. Buckling of the closure as a result of the downward insertion of the straw through the slits may expand or create such cracks.
In general, a substantial risk of seepage or spillage occurs if either the cris-crossed slits of the closure or the compartment itself are positioned such that, when the closure is mounted to the drink container, the slits or the bottom of the compartment are positioned at or below the top perimeter edge of the drink container. Unfortunately, prior art compartment closures for drink containers are typically configured to position both the cris-crossed slits and the bottom of the compartment well below the top perimeter edge of the drink container.
It would be desirable to provide a merchandise container closure, particularly a closure for use with drink containers, with a compartment wherein the closure is configured to avoid the aforementioned problems and it is to that end that the invention of the parent application was primarily directed.
The present application is directed to providing additional embodiments of a merchandise container closure, particularly a closure for use with conventional drink containers of the type employed within quick service restaurants.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a hinged closure with compartment is provided for a drink container. The closure includes an inner member having an opening formed therein for receiving a straw and having a peripheral portion for snap-on mounting to a drink container. The closure additionally includes an outer member configured to be fitted to the inner member forming a compartment therebetween. The outer member has an opening which is aligned with the opening of the inner member while the outer member is fitted to the inner member. The aligned openings permit penetration of a straw therethrough. The closure additionally includes a hinge pivotally connecting the inner and outer members along peripheral portions thereof. By connecting the inner and outer members with a hinge, the entire closure can be conveniently and inexpensively formed from a single blank which is then folded or bent along the hinge to attach the outer member to the inner member forming the compartment therebetween.
In an exemplary embodiment, the inner and outer members form a completely enclosed compartment shaped to closely receive a disk containing digital media with the openings of the inner and outer members aligned with a center of the compartment to permit a straw penetrating the openings to pass through a center hole within a digital media disk contained therein. In an alternative embodiment, the inner and outer members form an open-sided compartment leaving a portion of the digital media disk exposed.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, a closure with a digital media disk retaining mechanism is provided for use with a drink container. The closure includes a lid having an opening formed therein for receiving a straw and having a flat, top circular surface for supporting a digital media disk and a peripheral portion for snap-on mounting to the drink container. A retaining mechanism is provided for retaining the digital media disk against the top circular surface of the lid.
In one embodiment, the retaining mechanism is an upwardly projecting peripheral rim formed on the lid and having a plurality of inwardly extending resilient tabs for engaging outer peripheral portions of the digital media disk. In one example, three of the resilient tabs are provided equally spaced around the periphery of the lid. In another example, a greater plurality of resilient tabs are provided along with a notch to facilitate easy removal of the disk. In yet another embodiment, the retaining mechanism includes an upwardly projecting pedestal formed in the center of the lid having an outwardly extending rim for engaging portions of an inner periphery of the central opening of the digital media disk. A separate retaining disk is provided for mounting around the central pedestal between a top surface of the digital media disk and a bottom edge of the outwardly projecting rim. The retaining disk may include a pull tab or other mechanism for facilitating removal of the retaining disk to permit easy removal of the digital media disk. In still another embodiment, the retaining mechanism includes a pair of diametrically opposed upwardly projecting rim portions formed on a periphery of the lid and a restraining band mounted arou
Farnsworth Donald
Lyons John
Nava John
East End, Inc.
Henricks Slavin & Holmes LLP
Newhouse Nathan J.
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