Identification lid wrap

Abstract

An identification lid wrap for a FIFO-style dispensing container having a fill cap. The identification lid wrap includes a visible indicia that identifies or suggests the identity of the contents inside the container. The lid wrap has a flat top wall, and an annular, vertical sidewall depending from the periphery of the top wall. The indicia identifying the contents inside the container can be a color having a character that suggests to the user the flavor or type of product in the bottle., or can be mark on the lid wrap. The identification lid wrap is made of an elastomeric material that is configured to attach releasably over the fill cap of the container. The identification lid wrap can also have a tab on the edge to facility removal.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An identification lid wrap that attaches to a cylindrical cap of a dispensing container that contains an edible liquid or gel composition having a flavor, the identification lid wrap comprising:
 a) a cylindrical, closed-ended body made of a resilient, elastomeric material and including a flat end wall that defines a closed to end, the end wall having an outer surface that defines an upper surface of the identification lid wrap, and an annular sidewall extending from the periphery of hat end wall, the sidewall having, a lower edge that defines a bottom opening through which the cylindrical cap of the dispensing container extends when the identification lid wrap is attached to the cylindrical cap, the sidewall including an inner surface that frictionally engages the cylindrical cap when attached to the cylindrical cap, and an outer surface that defines a side surface of the identification lid wrap and   b) at least one indicia disposed on at least one of the side surface and the upper surface of the identification lid wrap, the at least one identifying indicia having a character that suggests to a user the flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition.   
     
     
         2 . The identification lid wrap according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one indicia on the outer surface of the identification lid wrap includes a color that suggests to the user the flavor of the edible liquid, or gel composition. 
     
     
         3 . The identification lid wrap according to  claim 2 , wherein the color uniformly covers the entire area of the side surface and the upper surface of the identification lid wrap. 
     
     
         4 . The identification lid wrap according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one identifying indicia further includes a printed text. 
     
     
         5 . The identification lid wrap according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification lid wrap is molded from a food-grade silicone. 
     
     
         6 . The identification lid wrap according to  claim 5 , wherein the identification lid wrap further includes a tab extending radially from the lower edge of the sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . The identification lid wrap according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the end wail is angled relative to the bottom opening of the sidewall. 
     
     
         8 . A set of a plurality of identification lid wraps according to  claim 2 , each of the identification lid wraps of the set having a distinctive color that suggest to the user the flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition contained in the respective plurality of dispensing containers. 
     
     
         9 . A method for identifying a flavor of an edible liquid or gel composition that is contained in a dispensing container, or in a set of dispensing containers, comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a plurality of dispensing containers, each dispensing container having an upper fill cap and a bottom dispensing port;   b) providing a plurality of distinctive identification lid wraps, each distinctive identification lid wrap including at least one indicia disposed on an outer surface of the identification lid wrap that has a character that suggests to a user a flavor of an edible liquid or gel composition;   c) filling each of the plurality of dispensing containers with a different edible liquid or gel composition;   d) attaching one of the plurality of identification lid wraps over the fill cap of each of the plurality of dispensing containers, containing the edible liquid or gel composition suggested by the at least one indicia of the identification lid wrap;   e) positioning the plurality of filled dispensing containers with the attached identification lid wrap into a staging area, and   f) selecting by a user a desired one of the filled dispensing containers by observing the at least one indicia of the identification lid wrap of the selected dispensing container suggestive of the desired flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , where the at least one indicia on the outer surface of the identification lid wrap includes a color that suggests to the user the flavor of the edible liquid or gel composition.