초록 ▼

A support for a predetermined container having a rim e.g. at its top opening, the support comprising a lid or a supporting ring, constructed to interfit e.g. with the rim of the container, wherein there is a suspender, formed with the lid or supporting ring and deflectable from an as-formed positio

A support for a predetermined container having a rim e.g. at its top opening, the support comprising a lid or a supporting ring, constructed to interfit e.g. with the rim of the container, wherein there is a suspender, formed with the lid or supporting ring and deflectable from an as-formed position to an upstanding position in which it is capable of carrying weight of the container. In most cases suspenders extend inwardly of a rim of the lid or supporting ring. Free-ended flexible finger suspenders of synthetic resin, are shown, formed integrally with the lid or supporting ring as a molded unit. The lids or rings are associated with closure surfaces, such as closure portions molded with the lid or ring, closure inserts, or closure films or foils on the container itself. The suspenders are useful to the consumer in enabling improved carrying of the merchandise with other items or in intertwined fusion with the like items, and to the storekeeper in suspending merchandise. Combinations of the lids or supporting rings with containers containing prepackaged food, tennis balls and other contents, are displayed by storekeepers from hooks and racks, in many cases hanging at a substantial tilt angle for better visibility and utilization of stocking space.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A support constructed to be connected with a predetermined container of the type having an upper formation extending about a top portion that is open or constructed to be opened, the support comprising: a surrounding structure-constructed to surround and interfit with the upp

What is claimed is: 1. A support constructed to be connected with a predetermined container of the type having an upper formation extending about a top portion that is open or constructed to be opened, the support comprising: a surrounding structure-constructed to surround and interfit with the upper formation of the container to suspend the container with its contents, the surrounding structure being shallow, having an axial dimension substantially less than its lateral dimensions and at least one flexible suspending element that is integrated with the surrounding structure and constructed and arranged to suspend the surrounding structure and, thereby, the container, the suspending element having an as-formed position in which the suspending element lies generally within the surrounding structure, extending from at least one root that either directly or indirectly is in supporting relation with the surrounding structure, to a free portion, the free portion of the suspending element arranged to be lifted from the as-formed position to a raised operating position for engagement by a carrier, thereby to suspend the container by its upper formation in a position below the carrier for display or transport, the at least one suspending element and the surrounding structure being so cooperatively related that lifting the free portion of the at least one suspending element relative to the surrounding structure to raised operating position and applying container-suspending force to the raised portion does not disturb the connection of the surrounding structure of the support with the upper formation of the predetermined container with its contents. 2. The support of claim 1 in which the at least one suspending element extends as an elongated cantilever from its at least one root to a free terminal end. 3. The support of claim 2 in which there is a single suspending element, the suspending element is a finger suspender having an axis of elongation and comprising at least one flexible root extending along said axis of elongation, a main body of substantially greater extent than the root along said axis, and a free terminal end shaped to receive a supporting finger. 4. The support of claim 3, in which said main body comprises an elongated leg portion, the free terminal end comprising a head defining a finger engageable formation. 5. The support of claim 4, in which said leg portion is of lesser lateral extent than said head. 6. The support of claim 3, the finger suspender being of sheet form and said finger engageable formation comprising an opening in the free terminal end of said finger suspender sized to receive a finger. 7. The support of claim 2 in which the suspending element defines at least two finger engageable formations, a first of said formations being spaced closer to the at least one root of the suspending element than a second of said formations. 8. The support of claim 2 in which said cantilever suspending element is at least two inches long. 9. The support of claim 2 in which the suspending element has a length exceeding one half a lateral dimension of the surrounding structure. 10. The support of claim 1 combined with a predetermined container, in which the surrounding structure of the support is constructed to interfit with an upper formation of the container that extends about a top portion that is open or constructed to be opened. 11. The combination of claim 10, the container having an upstanding wall extending from a bottom to an upper formation defining a wide mouth at the top of the container, the mouth being about as wide as the maximum horizontal cross-section of the container and greater than 5 cm (two inches) minimum dimension surrounding structure of the support extending over and removably engaged with the upper formation of the container. 12. The combination of claim 11 wherein the upper formation of the container is engaged by the surrounding structure of the support by snap fit, and the-at least one suspending element being constructed and arranged to enable the container to be suspended for display and transport by the finger of a hand. 13. The combination of claim 10 forming a package which includes contents comprising food in the form of one of dried soup, cereal, spice, grains, legumes, dried fruits, cookies, crackers, coffee in bean or ground form, nuts, snacks, popcorn, candy, yogurt, ice cream, butter, frozen juice concentrate, cheese dip and condiment. 14. The combination of claim 10 forming a package which includes contents comprising tennis balls. 15. The combination of claim 10 forming a package which includes contents comprising wrapped chocolate truffles. 16. The combination of claim 10 forming a package, wherein the container is of thermally insulated construction, the package including hot or cold contents in the form of one of hot soup, hot coffee, cold drink, ready-to-eat food, ice cream or yogurt in single serving or a larger quantity. 17. The combination of claim 10 forming a package which includes contents comprising hardware supplies or light bulbs. 18. The combination of claim 10 forming a package which includes contents and including a tamper-evident feature. 19. The package of claim 18 wherein said tamper-evident feature is a portion of heat shrunk film disposed about said-surrounding structure of the support and the-upper formation of the container. 20. The package of claim 18 in which the support is constructed to permit visibility of a mouth defined by the upper formation of the container and a tamper-evident feature is a closure of the mouth of the container visible through the support. 21. The combination of claim 10 forming a package wherein the support is constructed to permit vision of contents through a mouth defined by the upper formation of the container. 22. The combination of claim 10 forming a package containing contents, in combination with a display device, the package being suspended by its at least one suspending element on the display device. 23. The combination of claim 10 forming a package in combination with a display device, wherein the display device is disposed at an elevated location relative to a customer location, the package being constructed to hang from the display device by a said suspending element of the support at a tilt angle, said package hanging by the suspending element at said tilt angle from the elevated location relative to the customer location such that the tilt angle so situates the side of the container that it face the customer location for notice or reading of print on the side of the package. 24. The combination of claim 10 forming a package containing contents, in combination with a display device, wherein the display device is disposed at a location below eye level relative to a customer location, the package being constructed to hang from the display device by a said suspending element of the support at a tilt angle, said package hanging by the suspending element at said tilt angle at the location below eye level relative to the customer location, such that the tilt angle tilts the top of the container toward-the customer location for notice or reading of print on the top of the package. 25. The combination of claim 10 in which the container has an upstanding wall of a packaging material selected from the group consisting of molded plastic resin, resinous foam, and paper. 26. The combination of claim 10 wherein the support has a depending skirt that is heat-shrunk about the upper formation of the container to form an exterior seal. 27. The combination of claim 10 wherein there is a clear plastic film member that extends across the container to define a viewing window, the film member having a skirt that depends past, and is heat sealed in the region of the upper formation of the container. 28. The support of claim 1 comprising a molded unit. 29. The support of claim 1 wherein the at least one root is joined directly to-the surrounding structure. 30. The-support of claim 1 in which the suspending element is constructed and arranged to provide container-suspending force that is off center to the surrounding structure to impart a substantial tilt to the container when the container is supported by the suspending element. 31. The support of claim 1 in which the suspending element is molded monolithically with the surrounding structure. 32. The support of claim 1 in which the surrounding structure is part of an overcap or lid for the predetermined container. 33. The support of claim 1 in which the suspending element is joined directly, asymmetrically to said surrounding structure. 34. The support of claim 33, in which said suspending element is a finger suspender joined to said surrounding structure at a single root. 35. The support of claim 33 in which said suspending element is joined to said surrounding structure at a plurality of spaced apart roots. 36. The support of claim 35 in which said suspending element is a finger suspender. 37. The support of claim 35 in which said suspending element is a flexible bail joined asymmetrically to said supporting structure. 38. The support of claim 1 comprising two of said flexible suspending elements, the suspending elements joined at respective roots to the supporting structure, the free portions of the suspending elements comprising formations that have a range of movement that enables them to be engaged and supported together by a finger. 39. The support of claim 38 wherein, in their as-formed position, the flexible suspending elements are substantially planar finger suspenders that lie in nested relationship. 40. The support of claim 1 in which the surrounding structure is constructed to have a snap fit relationship with the upper formation of the container. 41. The support of claim 1 in which the surrounding structure is constructed to have a friction fit with the upper formation of the container. 42. The support of claim 1 in which the suspending element is constructed and adapted to be interfit with another suspending element of like construction, the suspending element having a free terminal end in the form of a head defining an opening, the head of said suspending element of a size that can be threaded through the opening of said suspending element to enable containers having said supports of like construction to be strung together. 43. The support of claim 42, in which the opening in the head includes a head-passage slot. 44. The support of claim 1 in which the surrounding structure has an opening in its center region for viewing the contents of the container. 45. The support of claim 44 combined with a clear plastic film or sheet sized and constructed to extend across the upper formation of the predetermined container. 46. The support of claim 1 combined with a said predetermined container, in which the surrounding structure of the support is connected with the upper formation of the container at a connected region and a heat shrunk band of plastic is engaged about the exterior of the connected region, engaging upon both the surrounding structure of the support and the container. 47. The support of claim 1 in combination with a clear film, foil or opaque closure element constructed to seal an opening within the upper formation of the predetermined container. 48. The support of claim 1 in which a preformed closure element insert is supported by the surrounding structure of the support, forming a lid or overcap for the predetermined container. 49. The support of claim 48 combined with a said predetermined container, the container having a mouth opening within its upper formation, and in which said closure element insert is larger than the opening of the mouth of the container and arranged to be compressed against an outer edge of the upper formation of the container to form a seal. 50. The support of claim 48 in which said closure element insert is joined to an underside of said surrounding structure. 51. The support of claim 50 in which said closure element insert is adhesively joined to said underside of said surrounding structure. 52. The support of claim 48 in which said closure element is snap fit with respect to a support flange molded on the inside of the surrounding structure. 53. The support of claim 1 in the form of an overcap or lid in which the suspending element within the surrounding structure lies over a central closure portion supported by the structure, the support comprising a pre-formed insert, the supporting structure molded about and bonded to a peripheral portion of the insert as the result of insert injection molding, a part of said support within the surrounding structure being a monolithic molded extension of the molded structure, and a part of said support within the surrounding structure being defined by the pre-formed insert, a selected surface portion of the insert bearing a release varnish preventing bonding of the free portion of the suspending element to the central closure portion that lies below the suspending element. 54. A support constructed to be connected with a predetermined container of the type having an upper rim formation surrounding a top portion, the support comprising a ring portion constructed to extend over and connect with the upper rim formation of the container to suspend the container with its contents, the ring portion being shallow, having an axial dimension substantially less than its diameter, and a flexible suspending element constructed and arranged to support the ring portion and, thereby, the container, the suspending element having an as-formed position in which the suspending element extends inwardly of, and generally within, the ring portion from a flexible proximal region that is joined to the ring portion to a free distal portion, the free distal portion arranged to be lifted by flexing of the suspending element from the as-formed position to a raised operating position for engagement by a carrier, thereby to suspend the container by its upper rim formation in a position below the carrier for display or transport, the suspending element and the ring portion being so cooperatively related that lifting the distal portion of the suspending element relative to the ring portion to raised operating position and applying container-suspending force to the raised distal portion does not disturb the connection of the shallow ring portion of the support with the upper rim formation of the predetermined container with its contents. 55. A support constructed to be connected with a predetermined container having a generally upstanding upper rim formation of at least 5 cm (two inches) diameter, the support comprising a ring portion of at least 5 cm (two inches) diameter, constructed to extend over and connect with snap fit about the rim formation to suspend the container with its contents, the ring portion being shallow, having an axial dimension substantially less than its diameter, and a single flexible suspending element constructed and arranged to support the ring portion and, thereby, the container, the suspending element having length greater than half the distance across the ring portion, the suspending element having an as-formed, lower position in which the suspending element extends from a flexible proximal region that is joined to the ring portion to a free distal portion, the free distal portion arranged to be lifted by flexing of the suspending element from the as-formed position to a raised operating position for engagement by a carrier, thereby to suspend the container by its upper rim formation in a tilted position below the carrier for display or transport, the suspending element and the ring portion being so cooperatively related that lifting the distal portion of the suspending element relative to the ring portion to raised operating position and applying container-suspending force to the raised distal portion does not disturb the connection of the shallow ring portion of the support with the upper rim formation of the predetermined container with its contents, the suspending element being of the same material as that of the ring portion, the ring portion and suspending element being of monolithic, molded form. 56. The support of claim 55, in which the suspending element in its as-formed position, lies outside of the supporting ring portion. 57. The support of claim 56 in which the free distal portion suspending element is a free terminal end of the element which defines an opening sized to receive a finger. 58. The support of claim 1, 2 or 10 in which the at least one suspending element is of sheet form. 59. The support of claim 1, 2 or 10 in which the surrounding structure has an axis and at least one suspending element in its formed position lies parallel with and along or between parallel planes that are perpendicular to the axis and projected through upper and lower outer surfaces of said surrounding structure. 60. The support of claims 38 or 39 in which each of the suspending elements extends to a free terminal end defining a finger-engageable portion, the suspending elements having axes of extension that are curved, the finger engageable formations of the suspending elements being aligned on a first line and respective roots of said suspending elements being aligned with respect to a second line that forms a substantial angle with the first line. 61. The support of claims 48 or 49 in which the surrounding structure is a molded formation and in which said closure element insert is joined with the surrounding structure as a result of the surrounding structure being molded about a peripheral portion of the insert.