POPCORN BOX WITH FLOSS STICKS

Abstract

The popcorn box with floss sticks provides a popcorn container with sanitary removable floss sticks as used to improve the user's ability to remove popcorn bits and kernels from his or her teeth quickly and discretely without having to leave the movie theater. These floss sticks can be used at the user's discretion to eliminate tooth and gum discomfort while watching a movie in a theater, thereby easily dislodging food particles. The floss sticks are covered in a protective covering, such as a film or a plastic film bag, so that the floss sticks remain sanitary before use, and can be disposed of in a sanitary fashion by being put back in their protective covering.

Claims

1. A popcorn box with floss sticks comprising: a. a popcorn box; b. at least one floss stick; c. at least one floss stick cover, where there is one floss stick cover for each floss stick, wherein the floss stick cover operably connects the floss stick to the popcorn box, and wherein the floss stick cover maintains a sanitary barrier around the floss stick until the floss stick cover is removed.

2. The popcorn box with floss sticks according to claim 1, wherein there are four floss sticks and four floss stick covers.

3. The popcorn box with floss sticks according to claim 1, wherein the at least one floss stick cover is formed of a pealable film or film-like material, and wherein the at least one floss stick cover is operably connected to an outside surface of the popcorn box by an adhesive material so that the at least one floss stick is sandwiched between the outside surface of the popcorn box and the at least one floss stick cover.

4. The popcorn box with floss sticks according to claim 1, wherein the at least one floss stick cover is formed of a plastic film bag with a zip-like re-sealable opening at a top end of the plastic film bag, and wherein the at least one floss stick is enclosed within the at least one plastic film bag.

5. The popcorn box with floss sticks according to claim 3, wherein there are four floss sticks and four floss stick covers.

6. The popcorn box with floss sticks according to claim 4, wherein there are four floss sticks and four floss stick covers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The figures that accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, a popcorn box with floss sticks, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view illustrating a popcorn box with floss sticks according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a popcorn box with floss sticks according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to a snack box and more particularly to a popcorn container with floss sticks as used to improve the user's ability to remove popcorn bits and kernels from his or her teeth quickly and discretely without having to leave the movie theater.

[0015] Generally speaking, the presently claimed invention is a popcorn box similar in size and shape to standard movie popcorn boxes and including one or more floss sticks on the outside of the box. Preferably, the popcorn box includes four floss sticks. The floss sticks have a film-type cover that keeps them sanitary by preventing any outside objects or substances from coming into contact with the floss sticks until they are used.

[0016] A floss stick is a popular device used for flossing teeth. A floss stick includes a generally Y-shaped portion formed from a rigid material such as plastic or wood, with a piece of floss tensioned between the short tips of the Y. A user can hold the long end of the Y-shaped portion and push the tensioned piece of floss in between two teeth without having to touch his or her mouth or the piece of floss.

[0017] Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference there is shown in FIGS. 1-2, a popcorn box 1 has one or more floss sticks 2 attached thereon. The popcorn box 1 has may come in a variety of standard sizes for popcorn, and is preferably made of a thin cardboard or cardboard-like material. The popcorn box 1 may have a pattern printed on the outside, and may have a plastic coating on the outside to prevent grease from soaking through the popcorn box 1 to a user's hands. Preferably, the popcorn box 1 has two floss sticks 2 on one side and two floss sticks 2 on an opposing side or an adjacent side, for a total of four floss sticks 2. However, the popcorn box 1 could have one floss stick 2 per side, or four floss sticks 2 on one side.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the floss stick 2 may be adhered to the popcorn box 1 by a cover 3 formed by a film or film-type material. This cover 3 encloses the floss stick 2, sealing the floss stick 2 to the outside of the popcorn box 1 and thereby providing a sanitary barrier between the floss stick 2 and possible contaminents. The floss stick cover 3 is adhered to the outside of the popcorn box 1 with a removable adhesive. The user may peel the cover 3 off the popcorn box 1, thereby exposing the floss stick 2 and allowing the floss stick 2 to be removed so the user can floss his or her teeth in a quick, convenient, and efficient manner Once flossing is complete, the user may simply discard the floss stick 2 into the popcorn box 1, if the popcorn box 1 is empty, or tuck the floss stick 2 back into the film-type cover 3 so the floss stick can be disposed of at the same time as the popcorn box 1 without a user or another person coming into contact with a used floss stick 2.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the floss stick may alternately be enclosed in plastic film bag 4 with a zip-like re-sealable opening 5 at one end. The plastic film bag 4 is adhered to the outside of the popcorn box 1 with an adhesive. The adhesive is optionally a removable adhesive, to allow the user to remove the entire plastic film bag 4 from the popcorn box 1 if he or she wishes to do so. The floss stick 2 is completely contained within the plastic film bag 4, and does not come into contact with the popcorn box 1, in order to keep the floss stick 2 sanitary prior to use. The user may open the zip-like re-sealable opening 5 and remove the floss stick 2 so the user can floss his or her teeth in a quick, convenient, and efficient manner Once flossing is complete, the user may simply discard the floss stick 2 into the popcorn box 1, if the popcorn box 1 is empty, or tuck the floss stick 2 back into the plastic film bag 4 so the floss stick can be disposed of at the same time as the popcorn box 1 without a user or another person coming into contact with a used floss stick 2.

[0020] The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.