Lid featuring ease of use and improved release from a tray or container

Abstract

A method for releasing a lid from a base without disturbing contents and without undue lid stress includes flexing two graspable members at separated locations about the lid periphery, thereby providing two distinct initial disengagement locations and overcoming any tendency of the lid to reactively grip the tray when disengagement is initiated. The separated locations are not directly opposite to each other, and can be separations of between 20 and 60 degrees or between 25 and 50 degrees. The lid is then easily removed by lifting the lid upward. The method can include simultaneous and/or sequential flexing of the graspable members by one or both of a user's hands. The graspable members can include lift tabs and/or indentations. In embodiments where the lid further includes press locations, the method includes pressing on the press locations while flexing the graspable members.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for using and opening a container assembly, said method comprising the steps of:
 engaging a lid with a container base by cooperatively locking a lid engagement feature provided in the lid proximal to a peripheral boundary of the lid, with a base engagement feature provided in the container base proximal to a peripheral boundary of the container base, said lid including a first graspable member and a second graspable member proximal to the peripheral boundary of the lid in locations that are not directly opposite to each other, each of said graspable members extending beyond the peripheral boundary of the container base;   flexing the first graspable member manually via a user's first hand, thereby rotating the first graspable member upward and disengaging a first portion of the lid engagement feature from a corresponding first portion of the base engagement feature, creating a first region of disengagement therebetween;   flexing the second graspable member manually via the user's second hand, thereby rotating the second graspable member upward and disengaging a second portion of the lid engagement feature from a corresponding second portion of the base engagement feature, creating a second region of disengagement therebetween; and   removing the lid from the container base by lifting said lid away from said container base.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second regions of disengagement extend peripherally in both directions from the corresponding graspable members. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second regions of disengagement merge to form a single region of disengagement that extends at least from the first graspable member to the second graspable member. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said lid and container base engagement features are substantially round. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lid further includes a first press location cooperative with the first graspable member and a second press location cooperative with the second graspable member. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the lid includes visible indications associated with the first and second press locations suggesting that pressure be applied to the first and second press locations, and visible indications associated with the first and second graspable members suggesting that the first and second graspable members be lifted. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of flexing the first graspable member manually via a user's first hand is accompanied by pressing on the first press location to facilitate disengagement at said first region; and
 the step of flexing the second graspable member manually via user's second hand is accompanied by pressing on the second press location to facilitate disengagement at said second region.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes visible indications associated with the first and second graspable members suggesting that the first and second graspable members be lifted. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graspable members are lift tabs. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said lid is dome shaped. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said graspable members are sequentially flexed by at least one of a user's hands. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first graspable member is flexed by a first hand of the user and the second graspable member is concurrently flexed by a second hand of the user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graspable members are located at an angular separation of between 20 degrees and 60 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graspable members are located at an angular separation of between 25 degrees and 50 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the graspable members is located at a vertex of the peripheral boundary of the lid. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second graspable members are located adjacent to either side of a vertex of the peripheral boundary of the lid. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material of construction of the lid is one of: polypropylene (PP), oriented polystyrene (OPS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), styrene butadiene copolymer, and rubber modified styrene. 
     
     
         18 . A method for releasing a lid from engagement with a container base comprising the steps of:
 providing a container assembly that includes said lid engaged with said container base, the lid including a lid engagement feature proximal to a peripheral boundary of the lid, said lid engagement feature being engaged in mutual cooperation with a base engagement feature provided in the container base, a first graspable member and a second graspable member being attached to the lid proximal to the peripheral boundary of the lid in locations that are not directly opposite to each other, each of said graspable members extending beyond the peripheral boundary of the container base, a first press location being cooperative with the first graspable member and a second press location being cooperative with the second graspable member;   flexing the first graspable member while pressing on the first press location, said flexing and pressing being performed manually via a user's first hand, thereby rotating the first graspable member upward and disengaging a first portion of the lid engagement feature from a corresponding first portion of the base engagement feature, creating a first region of disengagement therebetween;   flexing the second graspable member while pressing on the second press location, said flexing and pressing being performed manually via the user's second hand, thereby rotating the second graspable member upward and disengaging a second portion of the lid engagement feature from a corresponding second portion of the base engagement feature, creating a second region of disengagement therebetween; and   removing the lid from the container base by lifting said lid away from said container base.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the lid further includes:
 a visible indication associated with the first press location suggesting that pressure be applied to the first press location;   a visible indication associated with the first graspable member suggesting that the first graspable member be lifted;   
       a visible indication associated with the second press location suggesting that pressure be applied to the second press location; and
 a visible indication associated with the second graspable member suggesting that the second graspable member be lifted. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the steps of flexing the first graspable member and flexing the second graspable member are conducted concurrently. 
     
     
         21 . A method for using and opening a container assembly, said method comprising the steps of:
 engaging a lid with a container base by cooperatively locking a lid engagement feature provided in the lid proximal to a peripheral boundary of the lid, with a base engagement feature provided in the container base proximal to a peripheral boundary of the container base, a first graspable member and a second graspable member being attached to the lid proximal to the peripheral boundary of the lid in locations that are not directly opposite to each other, each of said graspable members extending beyond the peripheral boundary of the container base;   flexing the first graspable member manually via a user's first hand, thereby rotating the first graspable member upward and disengaging a first portion of the lid engagement feature from a corresponding first portion of the base engagement feature, creating a first region of disengagement therebetween;   flexing the second graspable member manually via the user's second hand, thereby rotating the second graspable member upward and disengaging a second portion of the lid engagement feature from a corresponding second portion of the base engagement feature, creating a second region of initial disengagement therebetween; the step of flexing the second graspable member being performed concurrently with the step of flexing first graspable member; and   removing the lid from the container base by lifting the lid away from said container base.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 pressing on a first press area of the lid with said first hand while concurrently flexing said first graspable member; and   pressing on a second press area of the lid with said second hand while concurrently flexing said second graspable member.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said first and second press areas are located inwardly from said lid engagement feature proximal to said peripheral boundary of the lid.