An improved container closure is provided, and a manufacturing process therefor.

A lid device for a beverage cup. The lid is a multi-component annular structure with an outer ring of rigid material that attaches to the cup. Inside the outer ring is an inner flexible material, often with a rigid or flexible central structure with an opening for a drinking straw. In an absence of applied force, this opening (and the straw) will be held substantially perpendicular to the top of the central structure and lid. The inner flexible material is selected to deform easily under mild hand pressure (e.g. 5 Newtons or less), and thus when the user applies force to the straw, the inner flexible material distorts and bends allowing the user to more easily move the straw around and mix the contents of the drink.

An insert construction or formation is attachable to a basic lid construction for outfitting a hot beverage or liquid container assembly for enabling a user to enhance heat transfer from a relatively hot assembly-contained beverage or liquid prior to consumption. The insert construction or formation provides a damming structure located in adjacency to the primary liquid outlet of the basic lid construction for selectively transferring liquid intermediate a liquid-containing compartment and at least one beverage-cooling channel made part of the damming structure. Each beverage-cooling channel or formation directs liquid therethrough and transfers heat therefrom before the liquid exits the primary liquid outlet. The primary dam structure or insert construction thereby enables the user to redirect liquid movement via the basic lid construction for delaying liquid delivery via the primary beverage outlet and transferring heat therefrom prior to liquid consumption. Certain packaging methodology of the complex lid construction is further contemplated.

A container closure with an integrated utensil. The closure is sized for sealable engagement with the container rim and has a flexible component that can move from a collapsed and relatively compact state to an expanded and relatively enlarged state. The utensil is operably attached to the flexible component.

An expandable and collapsible lid system and method thereof. The system includes at least one container including an opening and at least one corresponding lid. The lid may be operable between an expanded state, a middle state and a collapsed state. The lid includes a flange having a circumscribing lip for releasably sealing the opening of the container and concentric segments. Each concentric segment may be flexibly coupled to an adjacent concentric segment, inner-diameter to outer-diameter, a diameter of the concentric segments decreasing inversely with the distance of the concentric segment from the flange, a concentric segment having a largest diameter being flexibly coupled to the flange. When positioned atop the container, the lid increases a storage volume of the at least one container in the expanded state and forms a pool within the container for nesting of a further container when in the collapsed state.

A sheet metal lid has a rim portion removably secured and sealed to a container and the lid includes a vent button having a top wall portion surrounded by a side wall portion and an outwardly projecting flange portion. The flange portion of the button has a short arcuate score or shear line extending substantially into the sheet metal, and additional score lines extend into the flange portion at lesser depths to protect a coating on the inner surface of the lid. A resilient sealant material may be bonded to the inner surface of the vent button, and the opposing sheet metal portions of the score line form a small gap for releasing a vacuum or pressure from the container in response to a controlled downward pressure on the top wall portion of the vent button.

A lid device for a beverage cup. The lid is a multi-component annular structure with an outer ring of rigid material that attaches to the cup. Inside the outer ring is an inner flexible material, often with a rigid or flexible central structure with an opening for a drinking straw. In an absence of applied force, this opening (and the straw) will be held substantially perpendicular to the top of the central structure and lid. The inner flexible material is selected to deform easily under mild hand pressure (e.g. 5 Newtons or less), and thus when the user applies force to the straw, the inner flexible material distorts and bends allowing the user to more easily move the straw around and mix the contents of the drink.

A cover includes a bistable flap mechanism made of a plastic with at least two material components. The cover can be produced in one piece in a multi-component injection molding technique. At a transitional area between a front wall and an edge portion, the plastic is sufficiently stiff (preferably due to greater material thickness) to ensure that an angle enclosed in the transitional area from the side wall to the edge portion remains constant in both bistable states. Expansion portions provided in the edge portion ensure that the outer circumference of the edge portion can increase/decrease from one bistable state to the other bistable state. A closing system including the cover is also provided.

The present disclosure relates to an automated assay system adapted to receive consumables in the conduct of an assay. The assay system includes at least one of a loading cart, a door support system, a waste storage unit, and a robotic subsystem. The loading cart is configured to organize and transport consumables necessary for the performance of the assay system. The door support system is configured to maintain stability of doors of the automated assay system. The waste storage unit is configured to provide convenient disposal of consumables associated with the automated assay system. The robotic subsystem is configured to transport consumables within the automated assay system.

A flexible lid for containers provides a secure and leak-proof seal. The lid includes a top wall and a cylindrical flange forming a valve closure portion. A central plug extends from an underside of the top wall, wherein an annular channel is formed between the plug and the flange. The plug is deformable and can form a tight seal with a bottle when received within the annular channel. The flexible lid includes threads on the inner surface of the side wall for cooperating with the thread on the neck of the bottle, which is rotated to engage the threads and secure the lid to the bottle. The lid can be easily removed by unthreading from the neck and disengaging the plug to unseal the lid. In some embodiments, the plug is separable from the flange and replaced with a nipple that is inserted through an aperture in the top wall.