Convertible tray/cover

Abstract

A container lid having flaps along its perimeter. The flaps are hingedly attached to the lid and have elastic coupling therebetween. When at least one of the flaps placed in an upward position, the rest of the flaps are urged upward by the elastic coupling, and thus form a bounded tray on top of the container. When at least one flap is placed in a downward position, the elastic coupling urges the rest of the flaps downward, forming a cover with improved sealing for the container.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover, comprising: 
 a plurality of flaps hingedly coupled to said lid and adapted to be positioned in at least a downwardly extending and an upwardly extending position;    an elastic coupling coupled between a first and an adjacent of said flaps;    wherein said elastic coupling being adapted to urge said adjacent flap to an upward position if said first flap is hinged into an upward position, and to urge said adjacent flap to a downward position if said first flap is hinged into a downward position.    
     
     
         2 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lid is substantially completely surrounded by said flaps when the flaps are in said upwards position, and wherein each of said flaps is elastically coupled to an adjacent flap.  
     
     
         3 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one side of said lid is hingedly coupled to the container.  
     
     
         4 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein when said flaps are in said downward position, the elastic coupling causes the flaps to exert pressure against at least one wall of a container.  
     
     
         5 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said flaps is made of resiliently elastic material.  
     
     
         6 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lid and the flaps are made of plastic material and the flaps are hingedly coupled to said lid by a sufficiently thin material between the flaps and the lid, to allow rotation of the flaps about the lid edge.  
     
     
         7 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said elastic coupling comprises an elastic band anchored to each of two adjacent flaps.  
     
     
         8 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said elastic coupling comprises a loop formed elastic band, said loop formed elastic band being twisted to form two crossing segments between two adjacent flaps.  
     
     
         9 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said elastic coupling comprises an elastic ribbon positioned between two adjacent flaps, and anchored thereto.  
     
     
         10 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said elastic coupling comprises elastic material that forms an integral portion of at least two adjacent flaps.  
     
     
         11 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said flaps are resiliently elastic.  
     
     
         12 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said flaps are rigid.  
     
     
         13 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lid comprises at least one chamber, and each of said flaps comprise at least one chamber, and further comprising stiffeners at least partially disposed within said chambers.  
     
     
         14 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lid is coupled hingedly to a container along one of the lid edges.  
     
     
         15 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lid is substantially circular in shape.  
     
     
         16 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lid is substantially polygonal in shape.  
     
     
         17 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of flaps is elastically coupled to any adjacent flap.  
     
     
         18 . A container lid convertible to a tray or a cover as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein when in the upward position, said flaps completely encircle said lid.  
     
     
         19 . A method of converting a container lid into a tray, the method comprising the steps of: p 1  urging a first flap, hingedly coupled to said lid, into an upward position; 
 via an elastic coupling, having said first flap impart a force unto an adjacent flap, urging said adjacent flap into an upward position, to form a tray.  
 
     
     
         20 . A method of converting a container lid into a container cover, the method comprising the steps of: 
 urging a first flap, hingedly coupled to said lid, into a downward position;    via an elastic coupling, having said first flap impart a force unto an adjacent flap, urging said adjacent flap into a downward position, said flaps forming a cover for said container.