Closure and Lid and Method of Forming Closure and Lid

Abstract

An example lid assembly can include a lid and a slider. The lid can include a wall defining a recess. The slider can be configured to slide in the recess and canbe configured to move between a closed position where the slider covers an opening to aid in preventing spilling of contents of the container, and an opened position where the slider uncovers the opening such that the contents may be poured from the container. The slider can be configured to be removable from the lid and can be replaced back on the lid. Additionally, the slider can be formed from upper and lower sled elements 130,136 that are magnetically coupled to one another. In some examples, the lower sled of the slider may include an air vent with rounded entry portions, and the lid assembly may include engaging members with ramped surfaces.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A lid assembly comprising:
 a rim for engaging an opening of a container, the rim defining a top wall;   a sidewall defining a groove for placement of a gasket;   a middle wall extending below the rim, a top surface of the middle wall defining a recess, the recess having a first opening and a second opening, and a bottom surface; and   a slider mechanism configured to be manually slid to selectively provide a closed position by covering both the first opening and the second opening, and an open position, the slider mechanism comprising:
 an upper sled configured to be positioned within the recess on the top surface of the middle wall, and having an upper sled magnet encapsulated therein; 
 a lower sled configured to be positioned proximate the bottom surface of the middle wall, the lower sled further comprising:
 a lower sled magnet encapsulated within the lower sled; 
 a knob extending from an outer surface, the knob having a lower surface; 
 a seal surface opposite the lower surface; 
 a knob air vent that extends from the seal surface to the lower surface, wherein the knob air vent includes a first vent opening at the lower surface, a second vent opening at the seal surface, a vent inner surface between the first vent opening and the second vent opening, a first rounded entry portion extending from the first vent opening to the vent inner surface, and a second rounded entry portion from the second vent opening to the vent inner surface;
 the first vent opening having a first diameter; 
 the second vent opening having a second diameter; 
 wherein the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter; and 
 
 
 wherein magnetic attraction between the upper sled magnet and the lower sled magnet magnetically couples the upper sled to the lower sled. 
   
     
     
         2 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the first diameter to the second diameter is within a range of 0.70:1 and 0.90:1. 
     
     
         3 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a first radius of the first rounded entry portion is smaller than a second radius of the second rounded entry portion. 
     
     
         4 . The lid assembly of  claim 3 , wherein a ratio of the first radius of the first rounded entry portion to the second radius of the second rounded entry portion is within a range of 0.7:1 and 0.8:1. 
     
     
         5 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the vent inner surface has a portion with a conical shape. 
     
     
         6 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the recess includes a tapered surface between the first opening and the second opening, wherein a first depth of the recess adjacent the first opening is greater than a second depth adjacent the second opening. 
     
     
         7 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the recess includes a first engaging member with a first ramped surface and a second ramped surface arranged adjacent each other. 
     
     
         8 . The lid assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first engaging member is received within a first channel arranged on a lower surface of the upper sled. 
     
     
         9 . The lid assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first channel includes a first channel engaging member with a first channel ramped surface, wherein when the slider mechanism is in the open position the first channel ramped surface faces the first ramped surface of the first engaging member. 
     
     
         10 . A lid assembly comprising:
 a rim for engaging an opening of a container, the rim defining a top wall;   a sidewall defining a groove for placement of a gasket;   a middle wall extending below the rim, a top surface of the middle wall defining a recess, the recess having a first opening and a second opening, and a bottom surface;
 wherein an upper surface of the recess includes a first engaging member with a first ramped surface and a second ramped surface arranged adjacent each other; and 
   a slider mechanism configured to be manually slid to selectively provide a closed position by covering both the first opening and the second opening, and an open position, the slider mechanism comprising:
 an upper sled configured to be positioned within the recess on the top surface of the middle wall, the upper sled comprising: 
 an upper sled magnet encapsulated therein, 
 a first channel extending along a lower surface of the upper sled, 
 a second channel extending along the lower surface of the upper sled, wherein the first channel is spaced from and substantially parallel to the first channel, and 
 a lower sled configured to be positioned proximate the bottom surface of the middle wall, the lower sled further comprising:
 a lower sled magnet encapsulated within the lower sled; 
 wherein the first engaging member is received within a first channel of the upper sled; and 
 wherein magnetic attraction between the upper sled magnet and the lower sled magnet magnetically couples the upper sled to the lower sled. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The lid assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first channel and the second channel extend through a rear surface of the upper sled. 
     
     
         12 . The lid assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first channel includes a first channel engaging member with a first channel ramped surface; and
 wherein when the slider mechanism is in the open position, the first channel ramped surface faces the first ramped surface of the first engaging member.   
     
     
         13 . The lid assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first channel engaging member further comprises a second channel ramped surface; and
 wherein when the slider mechanism is in the closed position, the second channel ramped surface faces the second ramped surface of the first engaging member.   
     
     
         14 . The lid assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the upper surface of the recess includes a second engaging member spaced from the first engaging member, and wherein the second engaging member is received within the second channel of the upper sled. 
     
     
         15 . The lid assembly of  claim 10 , wherein a majority of the first engaging member is positioned rearward of the second opening. 
     
     
         16 . The lid assembly of  claim 10 , wherein a first angle of the upper surface to the first ramped surface is greater than a second angle of the upper surface to the second ramped surface. 
     
     
         17 . The lid assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the recess includes a tapered surface between the first opening and the second opening, and wherein a first depth of the recess near adjacent the first opening is greater than a second depth adjacent the second opening. 
     
     
         18 . The lid assembly of  claim 17 , wherein when moving the sliding mechanism from an open to a closed position, a front portion of the upper sled is configured to tilt downward causing a rear portion of the upper sled to be moved away from the upper surface of the recess. 
     
     
         19 . A lid assembly comprising:
 a rim for engaging an opening of a container, the rim defining a top wall;   a sidewall defining a groove for placement of a gasket;   a middle wall extending below the rim, a top surface of the middle wall defining a recess, the recess having a first opening and a second opening, and a bottom surface, wherein the recess includes a tapered surface between the first opening and the second opening, wherein a first depth of the recess near adjacent the first opening is greater than a second depth adjacent the second opening; and
 wherein an upper surface of the recess includes a first engaging member with a first ramped surface and a second ramped surface arranged adjacent each the first ramped surface, wherein a majority of the first engaging member is positioned rearward of the second opening; and 
   a slider mechanism configured to be manually slid to selectively provide a closed position by covering both the first opening and the second opening, and an open position, the slider mechanism comprising:
 an upper sled configured to be positioned within the recess on the top surface of the middle wall, the upper sled comprising: 
 an upper sled magnet encapsulated therein; 
 a first channel extending along a lower surface of the upper sled, wherein the first channel includes a first channel engaging member with a first channel ramped surface; and 
 a lower sled configured to be positioned proximate the bottom surface of the middle wall, the lower sled further comprising:
 a lower sled magnet encapsulated within the lower sled; 
 
 wherein magnetic attraction between the upper sled magnet and the lower sled magnet magnetically couples the upper sled to the lower sled; and 
 wherein when the slider mechanism is in the closed position, the first channel engaging member is forward of the first engaging member, and when the slider mechanism is in the open position, the first channel engaging member is rearward of the first engaging member. 
   
     
     
         20 . The lid assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the lower sled further comprises:
 a knob extending from an outer surface, the knob having a lower surface;   a seal surface opposite the lower surface; and   a knob air vent that extends from the seal surface to the lower surface, wherein the knob air vent includes a first vent opening at the lower surface, a second vent opening at the seal surface, a vent inner surface between the first vent opening and the second vent opening, a first rounded entry portion extending from the first vent opening to the vent inner surface, and a second rounded entry portion from the second vent opening to the vent inner surface;
 the first vent opening having a first diameter; 
 the second vent opening having a second diameter; and wherein the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter.