Many types of conventional containers, such as cans and tins, are not easily resealed after being opened. Generally, opening a sealed container such as a can or tin physically separates a lid portion from a body portion in such a way that it is not typically possible to replace the lid portion to reseal the interior of the container. Many other types of containers, such as bowls, cups, etc., do not typically include a means for sealing the container.
Techniques have been developed to address this difficulty. In one example, a lid formed from a flexible material such as plastic is used to seal off the opening of an open container. However, containers come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, with the result that a wide range of replacement lids are also required. Even if a lid fits onto a container, gripping the lid during installation or removal may be difficult, and continued use of the lid may degrade the structure of the lid over time.
To address the need for a wide range of size and shape lids, lids have been developed that are configured to seal multiple different size openings. In one such example, an under-side of a flexible lid includes multiple concentric grooves sized to sealingly fit over multiple sizes of openings. While the flexibility of such a lid enables the concentric grooves to seal cans of different sizes, it also can make gripping the lid during installation and removal from a container difficult. Gripping an under-side of the lid to remove the lid from the can may cause the lid to gradually stretch or deform over time, and may lead to the user's hand coming into contact with the contents of the can. Therefore, a lid that is not only is configured to seal containers of different sizes, but also that is adapted to interaction with a user's hand for installation and removal would be beneficial.
Additionally, many of the types of goods generally stored in containers may be difficult to remove without the aid of a utensil. For example, wet foods such as pet food, baby food, etc., may partially adhere to the container, with the result that some of the goods remains in the container and is wasted. Generally, a utensil to assist with removing such wet goods would be separate from the container. Further, conventional utensils are not optimized for removing such wet goods from inside containers. Therefore, a utensil optimized for removing goods from a can, and a technique for storing such a utensil with the can would also be beneficial.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds