DISPOSABLE CONTAINER AND LID MATCHING SYSTEM AND METHODS

1 . A disposable container and lid arrangement comprising:

(a) a container having a bottom and a surrounding wall extending from the bottom;

(i) the bottom and wall defining a container volume;

(ii) the wall having an end remote from the bottom; the end defining a lid-receiving rim;

(iii) the wall having at least a first wall section and a second opposing wall section;

(A) a first graphic arbitrary symbol defined on the first wall section; the first graphic arbitrary symbol having a purpose exclusively for use in a matching system and being otherwise uninformative;

(B) a second graphic arbitrary symbol defined on the second wall section; the second graphic symbol being the same as the first graphic symbol; the second graphic arbitrary symbol having a purpose exclusively for use in a matching system and being otherwise uninformative; and

(b) a lid sized to releasably fit on the rim and provide a cover to the container volume;

(i) a third graphic arbitrary symbol defined on the lid; the third graphic symbol being the same as the first and second graphic symbols; the third graphic arbitrary symbol having a purpose exclusively for use in a matching system and being otherwise uninformative.

2 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) a straight line through the container volume between the first graphic symbol and second graphic symbol is non-perpendicular to the first wall section and the second wall section.

3 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 2 wherein:

(a) the surrounding wall forms a circular shape.

4 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 2 wherein:

(a) the surrounding wall forms a rectangular shape including the opposing first and second wall sections, and opposing third and fourth wall sections between the first and second wall sections.

5 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the surrounding wall forms a rectangular shape including the opposing first wall section and second wall section, and a third wall section and opposing fourth wall section between the first and second wall sections;

(b) the first graphic symbol is located off-center on the first wall section; and

(c) the second graphic symbol is located off-center on the second wall section.

6 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 5 wherein:

(a) the first graphic symbol is located closer to the third wall section than the fourth wall section; and

(b) the second graphic symbol is located closer to the fourth wall section than the third wall section.

7 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 6 wherein:

(a) the container has a central vertical axis; and

(b) the first and second graphic symbols overlap with each other as the container is rotated 180° about the central vertical axis.

8 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 6 wherein:

(a) the lid has a center with imaginary first and second intersecting perpendicular lines dividing the lid into four quadrants; and

(b) the third graphic symbol is on the lid off-center and in only one of the four quadrants; wherein when the lid is operably on the rim of the container, the third graphic symbol is at one of two positions:

(i) closer to the first wall section and third wall section than the second wall section and fourth wall section; and

(ii) closer to the second wall section and fourth wall section than the first wall section and third wall section.

9 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the container has a central vertical axis; and

(b) the first and second graphic symbols overlap with each other as the container is rotated 180° about the central vertical axis.

10 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 9 wherein:

(a) the surrounding wall forms one of a circular shape and a rectangular shape.

11 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 9 wherein:

(a) the first, second, and third graphic symbols are non-numeric and non-alphabetic.

12 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the first, second, and third graphic symbols each have a size with a height greater than 0.5 inch and width greater than 0.5 inch.

13 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the first, second, and third graphic symbols each have a size with a height no greater than 5 inches and width no greater than 3 inches.

14 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the first, second, and third graphic symbols each have a size within 25% of each other.

15 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the lid has a center; and

(b) the third graphic symbol is off-center on the lid.

16 . A method of putting a lid on a disposable container; the method comprising:

(a) providing a container having a bottom and a surrounding wall extending from the bottom;

(i) the bottom and wall defining a container volume;

(ii) the wall having an end remote from the bottom; the end defining a lid-receiving rim;

(iii) the wall having at least a first wall section and a second opposing wall section;

(A) a first graphic arbitrary symbol defined on the first wall section; the first graphic arbitrary symbol having a purpose exclusively for use in a matching system and being otherwise uninformative;

(B) a second graphic arbitrary symbol defined on the second wall section; the second graphic symbol being the same as the first graphic symbol; the second graphic arbitrary symbol having a purpose exclusively for use in a matching system and being otherwise uninformative;

(b) viewing the container to see at least one of the first and second graphic symbols;

(c) locating a lid sized to fit the rim of the container by looking for a lid having a third graphic arbitrary symbol on the lid; the third graphic symbol being the same as the first and second graphic symbols; the third graphic arbitrary symbol having a purpose exclusively for use in a matching system and being otherwise uninformative; and

(d) operably placing the lid on the rim of the container to cover the container volume.

17 . A method according to claim 16 wherein:

(a) the step of viewing the container to see at least one of the first and second graphic symbols includes seeing a non-numeric and non-alphabetic graphic symbol.

18 . A method according to claim 16 wherein:

(a) the step of providing a container includes providing a container having a central vertical axis; and wherein the first and second graphic symbols overlap with each other as the container is rotated 180° about the central vertical axis.

19 . A disposable container and lid arrangement comprising:

(a) a container having a bottom and a surrounding wall extending from the bottom;

(i) the bottom and wall defining a container volume;

(ii) the wall having an end remote from the bottom; the end defining a lid-receiving rim;

(iii) the wall having at least a first wall section and a second opposing wall section;

(A) a first graphic arbitrary symbol defined on the first wall section; the first graphic arbitrary symbol having a purpose exclusively for use in a matching system and being otherwise uninformative;

(B) a second graphic arbitrary symbol defined on the second wall section; the second graphic symbol being the same as the first graphic symbol; the second graphic arbitrary symbol having a purpose exclusively for use in a matching system and being otherwise uninformative;

(1) a straight line through the container volume between the first graphic symbol and second graphic symbol is non-perpendicular to the first wall section and the second wall section; and

(b) a lid sized to releasably fit on the rim and provide a cover to the container volume; the lid having a body extending over the container volume when the lid is operably fit on the rim;

(i) a third graphic arbitrary symbol defined on the body of the lid; the third graphic symbol being the same as the first and second graphic symbols; the third graphic arbitrary symbol having a purpose exclusively for use in a matching system and being otherwise uninformative;

(ii) the body of the lid has a center, and the third graphic symbol is off-center on the body of the lid.

20 . A container and lid arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the lid has a body extending over the container volume when the lid is operably fit on the rim; and

(b) the third graphic arbitrary symbol is defined on the body of the lid.