Expandable and collapsible lid system and method
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.
1 . An expandable and collapsible lid system comprising at least one lid, wherein:
a) said lid is operable between one of an expanded state, a middle state and a collapsed state;
b) said lid includes a flange having a semi-rigid circumscribing lip to engage a rim of a container for releasably sealing an opening of a container, and a plurality of concentric segments each concentric segment being 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, wherein the flange and circumscribing lip define a flexible periphery corresponding to a periphery of the opening of a container;
c) said lid increases storage volume of the container when positioned atop the container in an expanded state; and
d) said lid does not include an additional aperture located in a central section of said lid.
2 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein said lid is formed of at least one of silicon, plastic or any combination thereof.
3 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein said lid is resistant to heat.
4 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein said lid is resistant to cold.
5 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein said lid comprises tabs extending from said lip for assisting in securing the lid to said container and removing said lid from said container.
6 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein said opening in said container is one of round, square, rectangular, oval and triangular and said corresponding lid is one of round, square, rectangular, oval and triangular.
7 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein said container is a waste receptacle.
8 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of concentric segments are foldably coupled together.
9 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises at least one container including an opening on one side thereof.
10 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein in said expanded state, said concentric segments of said lid are displaced relative to each other to extend from the flange in a direction opposite the lip, said lid in said expanded state increasing a volume of a container on which it is releasably sealed.
11 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein in said collapsed state, said concentric segments of said lid are displaced relative to each other to extend from the flange in a same direction as the lip, said lid in said collapsed state being received within said container being releasably sealed by said lid forming a pool for receiving a further container and lid pair for storage of said expandable and collapsible lid system.
12 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein in a middle state, said concentric segments of said lid are aligned in a plane with said flange.
13 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein said lid is formed of a single material and said concentric segments are formed by folds in the single material.
14 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of concentric segments are formed from a single piece of material and said concentric segments are formed from folds in said single piece of material.
15 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein said lid may be operable in any position between said expanded state, said middle state and said collapsed state.
16 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein said lid container is a food storage container.
17 . The expandable and collapsible lid system of claim 1 , wherein items fill a container above the container opening and enclosed within said lid in an expanded state positioned atop the container.