Container lid with impact absorbing zones

Abstract

A lid for a container assembly is disclosed. The lid includes a central panel and a peripheral member. The lid further includes impact absorbing zones disposed within an annular lid space formed between the peripheral member and an intermediate wall that interconnects the peripheral member to the central panel. In some embodiments the impact absorbing zones are rigid impact absorbing zones that redirect and redistribute inwardly directed forces that are applied to the lid away from the central panel. In some embodiments, the impact absorbing zones include a plurality of protuberances that extend from the intermediate wall into the annular lid space that are arranged in an alternating pattern with indentation regions that extend inwardly from the intermediate wall. When the forces applied to the lid of the container meet or exceed a predetermined threshold deforming force, at least some of the protuberances may deform thereby further absorbing some of the impact force.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lid for a container, comprising:
 a central panel;   a peripheral member extending about the central panel, the peripheral member including an inner wall portion and an outer skirt; and   an intermediate wall portion interconnecting the inner wall portion of the peripheral member to a perimeter of the central panel;   wherein the central panel, the peripheral member and the intermediate wall portion are cooperatively configured such that:
 a first annular lid space is defined between the intermediate wall portion and the inner wall portion of the peripheral member; and 
 a second annular lid space is defined between the inner wall portion of the peripheral member and the outer skirt, wherein the second annular lid space is configured for engaging with an upper rim of a container; 
 the lid further comprising:
 lid impact absorbing zones disposed within the first annular lid space, the lid impact absorbing zones resisting deformation in response to inwardly directed forces applied to the outer skirt that are less than a predetermined threshold deforming force, the lid impact absorbing zones including: 
 a plurality of protuberances formed within and extending from the intermediate wall portion and into the first annular lid space; 
 each protuberance sloping outwardly and downwardly away from the perimeter of the central panel and merging with a lower end portion of the inner wall portion of the peripheral member. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The lid as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein:   while the lid is disposed on a container such that the container is disposed in a closed condition and the lid is free from inwardly directed impact forces applied to at least a portion of the outer skirt:
 the inner wall portion of the peripheral member is disposed in a first position relative to the perimeter of the central panel; 
   and   while the lid is disposed on a container such that the container is disposed in a closed condition and inwardly directed impact forces that are less than the predetermined threshold deforming force are applied to at least a portion of the outer skirt:
 the inner wall portion of the peripheral member is disposed in a second position that is more inwardly disposed, relative to the perimeter of the central panel, than the first position; and 
 further inwards deflection of the inner wall portion of the peripheral member such that the inner wall portion becomes more inwardly disposed relative to the perimeter of the central panel than the second position is resisted by interference between the inner wall portion with at least some of the plurality of protuberances. 
   
     
     
         3 . The lid as claimed in  claim 2 ;
 wherein:   each protuberance of the plurality of protuberances, independently, includes a bumper surface on at least a portion of an outermost surface of the protuberance that is disposed opposite to at least a portion of the inner wall portion of the peripheral member, the bumper surface resisting the further inwards deflection of the inner wall portion of the peripheral member.   
     
     
         4 . The lid as claimed in  claim 2 ;
 wherein:
 while the lid is disposed on a container such that the container is disposed in a closed condition and inwardly directed impact forces that are greater than the predetermined threshold deforming force are applied to at least a portion of the outer skirt: 
 the at least some of the plurality of protuberances are deformed such that the inwardly directed impact forces are directed away from the central panel. 
   
     
     
         5 . The lid as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein:   the plurality of protuberances are spaced apart from each other within the first annular lid space about the perimeter of the central panel by indentation regions formed within the intermediate wall such that an indentation region is disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of protuberances with effect that the plurality of protuberances and the indentation regions are disposed in an alternating arrangement about the perimeter of the central panel.   
     
     
         6 . The lid as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein:
 the plurality of protuberances are configured such that adjacent ones of the plurality of protuberances are disposed next to each other such that there is an absence of a gap or space between the adjacent ones of the plurality of protuberances. 
   
     
     
         7 . The lid as claimed in  claim 5 ;
 wherein:   each indentation region, independently, extends inwardly relative to the perimeter of the central panel such that each indentation region, independently, has an opposite disposition to that of the plurality of protuberances.   
     
     
         8 . The lid as claimed in  claim 7 ;
 wherein:   the plurality of protuberances and the plurality of indentation regions are cooperatively configured such that the intermediate wall portion has an undulated form.   
     
     
         9 . The lid as claimed in  claim 7 ;
 wherein:   the plurality of protuberances and the plurality of indentation regions are cooperatively configured such that the intermediate wall portion is comprised of an alternating series of crests and troughs.   
     
     
         10 . The lid as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein:   each protuberance of the plurality of protuberances, independently, is a bulge-like protuberance that includes a dome-shaped surface defining portion.   
     
     
         11 . The lid as claimed in  claim 10 ;
 wherein:   each protuberance of the plurality of protuberances, independently, includes a planar region that is merged with and extends from the central panel, the dome-shaped surface defining portion sloping outwardly and downwardly away from the planar region and a first boundary region that merges with the perimeter of the central panel towards a second boundary region that merges with the lower end of the inner wall portion of the peripheral.   
     
     
         12 . The lid as claimed in  claim 11 ;
 wherein:   the lid defines an outer side and an under side; and   each protuberance of the plurality of protuberances, independently, defines a corresponding cavity region on the underside of the lid.   
     
     
         13 . The lid as claimed in  claim 11 ;
 wherein:   each indentation region of the plurality of indentation regions, independently defines a corresponding protuberance on the underside of the lid.   
     
     
         14 . The lid as claims in  claim 1 ;
 wherein:   the lid is comprises a plastic material.   
     
     
         15 . The lid as claimed in  claim 14 ;
 wherein:   the lid is formed via injection molding.   
     
     
         16 . A container assembly, comprising:
 a container having:
 a bottom wall; 
 a container wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall and terminating at an upper rim that defines an open top end of the container, the container wall and the bottom wall together defining an open interior space; 
   and
 a lid configured for removable engagement with at least the upper rim of the container for enclosing the open interior space such that the container is disposed in a closed condition, wherein the lid includes:
 a central panel; 
 a peripheral member extending about the central panel, the peripheral member including an inner wall portion and an outer skirt; and 
 an intermediate wall portion interconnecting the inner wall portion of the peripheral member to a perimeter of the central panel; 
 
 wherein the central panel, the peripheral member and the intermediate wall portion are cooperatively configured such that:
 a first annular lid space is defined between the intermediate wall portion and the inner wall portion of the peripheral member; and 
 a second annular lid space is defined between the inner wall portion of the peripheral member and the outer skirt, wherein the second annular lid space is configured for engaging with an upper rim of a container; 
 
 the lid further comprising:
 lid impact absorbing zones disposed within the first annular lid space, the lid impact absorbing zones resisting deformation in response to inwardly directed forces applied to the outer skirt that are less than a predetermined threshold deforming force, the lid impact absorbing zones including: 
 a plurality of protuberances formed within and extending from the intermediate wall portion and into the first annular lid space; 
 each protuberance sloping outwardly and downwardly away from the perimeter of the central panel and merging with a lower end portion of the inner wall portion of the peripheral member. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The container assembly as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the lid is configured such that, while the lid is disposed on the container such that the container is disposed in a closed condition and the lid is free from inwardly directed impact forces applied to at least a portion of the outer skirt:
 the inner wall portion of the peripheral member is disposed in a first position relative to the perimeter of the central panel; and   while the lid is disposed on a container such that the container is disposed in a closed condition and inwardly directed impact forces that are less than the predetermined threshold deforming force are applied to at least a portion of the outer skirt:   the inner wall portion of the peripheral member is disposed in a second position that is more inwardly disposed, relative to the perimeter of the central panel, than the first position; and   further inwards deflection of the inner wall portion of the peripheral member such that the inner wall portion becomes more inwardly disposed relative to the perimeter of the central panel than the second position is resisted by interference between the inner wall portion with at least some of the plurality of protuberances.   
     
     
         18 . The container assembly as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein:
 each protuberance of the plurality of protuberances, independently, includes a bumper surface on at least a portion of an outermost surface of the protuberance that is disposed opposite to at least a portion of the inner wall portion of the peripheral member, the bumper surface resisting the further inwards deflection of the inner wall portion of the peripheral member.   
     
     
         19 . The container assembly as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein:
 the lid is configured such that the plurality of protuberances are spaced apart from each other within the first annular lid space about the perimeter of the central panel by indentation regions formed within the intermediate wall such that an indentation region is disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of protuberances with effect that the plurality of protuberances and the indentation regions are disposed in an alternating arrangement about the perimeter of the central panel.   
     
     
         20 . The container assembly as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein:
 the lid is configured such that the plurality of protuberances are configured such that adjacent ones of the plurality of protuberances are disposed next to each other such that there is an absence of a gap or space between the adjacent ones of the plurality of protuberances.