REINFORCING STRUCTURE FOR PLASTIC LID

1 . In combination:

elongate, lid-stiffening member; and

a plastic lid for a storage tray, said plastic lid having a length dimension and a shorter width dimension and being constructed and arranged with an elongate rib defining an interior channel, said interior channel being constructed and arranged for receiving said lid-stiffening member.

2 . The combination of claim 1 wherein said plastic lid including a tray-facing surface and opposite thereto an outer surface, said elongate rib being constructed and arranged in a raised configuration so as to extend above an adjacent portion of said outer surface.

3 . The combination of claim 2 wherein said lid-stiffening member is generally cylindrical and said interior channel is part-cylindrical.

4 . The combination of claim 3 wherein said interior channel includes a channel opening that is defined by a pair of spaced-apart, facing rib edges.

5 . The combination of claim 4 wherein said generally cylindrical, lid-stiffening member includes a diameter dimension and said facing rib edges have a distance of separation that is smaller than said diameter dimension.

6 . The combination of claim 5 wherein said generally cylindrical, lid-stiffening member is a metal tube.

7 . The combination of claim 4 wherein said channel opening opens in a downward direction adjacent said tray-facing surface.

8 . The combination of claim 4 wherein said channel opening opens in an upward direction away from said outer surface.

9 . The combination of claim 1 wherein said plastic lid includes a tray-facing surface and opposite thereto an outer surface, said elongate rib being constructed and arranged in a raised configuration so as to extend beyond an adjacent portion of said tray-facing surface.

10 . The combination of claim 9 wherein said lid-stiffening member is generally cylindrical and said interior channel is part-cylindrical.

11 . The combination of claim 10 wherein said interior channel includes a channel opening that is defined by a pair of spaced-apart, facing rib edges.

12 . The combination of claim 11 wherein said generally cylindrical, lid-stiffening member includes a diameter dimension and said facing rib edges have a distance of separation that is smaller than said diameter dimension.

13 . The combination of claim 12 wherein said generally cylindrical, lid-stiffening member is a metal tube.

14 . The combination of claim 1 wherein said elongate rib extends in a direction that is generally parallel to said length dimension.

15 . The combination of claim 14 which further includes:

second, elongate, lid-stiffening member; and

a second, elongate rib that is spaced-apart from said first elongate rib, said second elongate rib defining an interior channel that is constructed and arranged for receiving said second, elongate, lid-stiffening member.

16 . The combination of claim 15 wherein said first and second elongate ribs are substantially parallel to each other.

17 . The combination of claim 16 wherein said first and second lid-stiffening member are each generally cylindrical and wherein each interior channel is part-cylindrical.

18 . The combination of claim 17 wherein each interior channel includes a channel opening that is defined by a pair of spaced-apart, facing rib edges.

19 . The combination of claim 18 wherein said each lid-stiffening member includes a diameter dimension and each pair of facing rib edges have a distance of separation that is smaller than each of said diameter dimensions.

20 . In combination:

an insertable, lid-stiffening component; and

a plastic lid for a storage tray, said plastic lid being constructed and arranged with a plurality of rib sections, said plurality of rib sections being positioned in different locations on said lid and extending in different directions, at least one rib section of said plurality of rib sections defining an interior channel and said lid-stiffening component being constructed and arranged to be manually inserted into the interior channel of said at least one rib section for adding stiffening to said plastic lid.

21 . The combination of claim 20 wherein said plastic lid includes a tray-facing surface and opposite thereto an outer surface, said at least one rib section being constructed and arranged in a raised configuration so as to extend above an adjacent portion of said outer surface.

22 . The combination of claim 21 wherein said lid-stiffening component is generally cylindrical and said interior channel is part-cylindrical.

23 . The combination of claim 22 wherein said interior channel includes a channel opening that is defined by a pair of spaced-apart, facing rib edges.

24 . The combination of claim 23 wherein said lid-stiffening component includes a diameter dimension and said facing rib edges have a distance of separation that is smaller than said diameter dimension.

25 . The combination of claim 20 wherein said plastic lid having a length dimension and a shorter width dimension and wherein said at least one rib section extends in a direction that is generally parallel to said length dimension.

26 . The combination of claim 25 which further includes:

a second, insertable, lid-stiffening component; and

a second rib section that is spaced-apart from said at least one rib section, said second rib section defining an interior channel that is constructed and arranged for receiving said second, insertable, lid-stiffening component.

27 . The combination of claim 26 wherein said at least one rib section and second rib section are substantially parallel to each other.

28 . A lid assembly for a storage tray comprising:

a plastic lid body having a length dimension and a shorter width dimension; and

a lid-stiffening component that is insert-molded into said lid body.

29 . The lid assembly of claim 28 wherein said lid-stiffening component is constructed and arranged so as to extend in a direction that is substantially parallel with said length dimension.

30 . The lid assembly of claim 29 wherein a second lid-stiffening component is insert-molded into said lid body.

31 . The lid assembly of claim 30 wherein said second lid-stiffening component is substantially parallel with said first lid-stiffening component.

32 . The lid assembly of claim 31 wherein each lid-stiffening component is a metal tube.