Lid

For other uses, seeLid (disambiguation).

Alidorcoveris part of acontainer,and serves as theclosureorseal,usually one that completely closes the object. Lids can be placed on small containers such astubsas well as larger lids for open-headpailsanddrums.Some lids have a security strip or atamper-evident bandto hold the lid on securely until opening is desired or authorized. These are usually irreversible to indicate that the container has been opened. They can be made of varying materials ranging from plastic to metal.

A metal lid

History

Lids have been found onpotterydating back as far as3100 BC.Ancient Egyptiancanopic jarswith lids held the organs of mummified bodies as early as 2686 BC.The coffee lid market is valued at roughly $180 million. An estimated 14 billion lids were sold in 2009 in the United States.Some containers such as tubs or jars now have aplastic filmheat sealed onto the container: this is often called alidding film.

Examples

• 
  Home storage containers with latched lids
• 
  Lid for a plastic can of paint
• 
  Lid of aTic Tacmint case
• 
  Lid on tubs of wood filler. Break-away tab releases lid from security band

Cultural references

The word is used metaphorically, as in "keeping the lid on the secret" and "flipped his lid". Other meanings or usages include:

• A well-known myth concernsPandoraopening the lid ofPandora's boxand unleashing terrible evils into the world.
• An old saying that you never have to put a lid on a bucket of crabs (because when one gets near the top, another will inevitably pull it down) is often used as a metaphor for group situations where an individual feels held back by others.
• An oldYiddishsaying, that "every pot will find its lid" refers to people finding an appropriate match in marriage.
• The term "lid" is commonly used slang as a synonym for an ounce of herbalcannabis.
• Lids are referred to in theBible,in theBook of Numbers:

  Every open vessel with its lid unfastened will beunclean

  — Numbers 19:15

See also

• Closure (container)

References

Sources

• Soroka, W, "Fundamentals of Packaging Technology", IoPP, 2002,ISBN1-930268-25-4
• Yam, K. L., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 2009,ISBN978-0-470-08704-6