Milk Jug and Method

Abstract

A milk jug includes a pitcher body, a handle, a blade retainer, and an expiration tag retainer. The milk jug is useful for containing and dispensing milk packaged in bags while retaining necessary accessories on the pitcher. The milk jug improves the utility and convenience of using milk bags by preventing the loss of the blade and expiration tag commonly used with milk bags.

Claims

1) A milk jug, the milk jug comprising: a pitcher body having an inner cylindrical surface, an outer cylindrical surface, an upper edge, a base, and a spout including a U-shaped aperture and a raised skirt; b) a handle attached to said pitcher body having a junction member and a grasping member; c) a blade embedded into said spout of said pitcher body having a blade flat and an edge; and d) an expiration tag retainer attached to said pitcher body having a tag enclosure, a tag retaining lip, and a tag insertion slot; e) wherein the handle is attached to the pitcher body for the purpose of providing a grasping means for lifting the milk jug; f) wherein said spout of said pitcher body comprises said raised skirt extending upward at the front of said pitcher body directly opposite of said handle, having a sufficiently steep angle to support the full height of a milk bag when said pitcher body is tilted; g) wherein said milk jug is configured to store, support, and dispense milk from a said milk bag; and h) wherein said pitcher body, said handle, said blade, and said expiration tag retainer are in functional combination.

2) The milk jug of claim 1, wherein said pitcher body, said handle, said blade, and said expiration tag retainer comprise a rigid unit containing an interior volume.

3) The milk jug of claim 1, wherein said pitcher body is structured and arranged to house said milk bag containing milk after said milk bag has been opened.

4) The milk jug of claim 1, wherein said upper edge of said pitcher body comprises a substantially circular opening for receiving said milk bag within said pitcher body.

5) The milk jug of claim 1, wherein said inner surface of said pitcher body is sufficiently tapered to permit easy removal of said milk bag when full and to improve flow of milk from said milk bag when tilted, said inner surface of said pitcher body being of a larger diameter at said upper edge of said pitcher body, and of a smaller diameter at said base of said pitcher body.

6) The milk jug of claim 1, wherein said spout of said pitcher body is structured and arranged to sufficiently support the corner of said milk bag when said pitcher body is tilted for the purpose of preventing spillage when dispensing milk through a severed corner of said milk bag.

7) The milk jug of claim 1, wherein said upper edge of said pitcher body is pitched relative to said base of said pitcher body, said upper edge of said pitcher body being highest relative to said base of said pitcher body above said spout of said pitcher body, and lowest above said junction member of said handle.

8) (canceled)

9) The milk jug of claim 1, wherein said U-shaped aperture of said spout of said pitcher body comprises a trough in said upper edge of said pitcher body for the purpose of providing flow direction for dispensed milk when said pitcher body is tilted, said U-shaped aperture of said spout of said pitcher body being located near a peak of said spout of said pitcher body.

10) A milk jug, the milk jug comprising: a) a pitcher body having an inner cylindrical surface, an outer cylindrical surface, an upper edge, a base, and a spout including a U-shaped aperture; b) a handle attached to said pitcher body having a junction member and a grasping member; c) a blade embedded into said spout of said pitcher body having a blade flat and an edge; and d) an expiration tag retainer attached to said pitcher body having a tag enclosure, a tag retaining lip, and a tag insertion slot; e) wherein the handle is attached to the pitcher body for the purpose of providing a grasping means for lifting the milk jug; f) wherein said blade is embedded in said U-shaped aperture of said spout of said pitcher body at an obtuse angle relative to the vertical wall of said U-shaped aperture of said spout of said pitcher body configured for providing a fixed cutting edge for severing a corner of said milk bag resting in said pitcher body; g) wherein said milk jug is configured to store, support, and dispense milk from a said milk bag; and h) wherein said pitcher body, said handle, said blade, and said expiration tag retainer are in functional combination.

11) The milk jug of claim 1, wherein said U-shaped aperture of said spout of said pitcher body forms a fixed outlet configured for dispensing milk from a severed corner of said milk bag when said pitcher body is tilted.

12) The milk jug of claim 1, wherein said base of said pitcher body provides a standing structure configured for supporting said pitcher body on a flat surface while containing said milk bag.

13) The milk jug of claim 1, wherein said expiration tag retainer is affixed to said outer cylindrical surface of said pitcher body in a location visible to a user.

14) The milk jug of claim 1, wherein said expiration tag retainer is structured and arranged to receive and display a bread tag from said milk bag bearing expiration date indicia for the purpose of notifying a user of said milk bag's expiration date.

15) A milk jug, the milk jug comprising: a) a pitcher body having an inner cylindrical surface, an outer cylindrical surface, an upper edge, a base, and a spout including a U-shaped aperture; b) a handle attached to said pitcher body having a junction member and a grasping member; c) a blade embedded into said spout of said pitcher body having a blade flat and an edge; and d) an expiration tag retainer attached to said pitcher body having a tag enclosure, a tag retaining lip, and a tag insertion slot; e) wherein the handle is attached to the pitcher body for the purpose of providing a grasping means for lifting the milk jug; f) wherein said tag enclosure of said expiration tag retainer, said tag retaining lip of said expiration tag retainer, said tag insertion slot of said expiration tag retainer, and said pitcher body enclose an inner volume having an open face opposite of said pitcher body for displaying indicia, and having a gap on one side of said expiration tag retainer comprising said tag insertion slot for slidably receiving said bread tag; g) wherein said milk jug is configured to store, support, and dispense milk from a said milk bag; and h) wherein said pitcher body, said handle, said blade, and said expiration tag retainer are in functional combination.

16) The milk jug of claim 1, wherein said junction member of said handle forms a rigid joint between said grasping member of said handle and said pitcher body in such a way that said grasping member is approximately parallel to said pitcher body adapted to provide an ergonomic handgrip useful for tilting said milk jug.

17) A milk bag pitcher, the milk bag pitcher comprising: a pitcher body having an inner cylindrical surface, an outer cylindrical surface, an upper edge, a base, and a spout including a U-shaped aperture; a handle attached to said pitcher body having a junction member and a grasping member; a blade embedded into said spout of said pitcher body having a blade flat and an edge; and an expiration tag retainer attached to said pitcher body having a tag enclosure, a tag retaining lip, and a tag insertion slot; wherein the handle is attached to the pitcher body for the purpose of providing a grasping means for lifting the milk jug; wherein said milk jug is configured to store, support, and dispense milk from a milk bag; wherein said pitcher body, said handle, said blade, and said expiration tag retainer are in functional combination; wherein said pitcher body, said handle, said blade, and said expiration tag retainer comprise a rigid unit containing an interior volume; wherein said pitcher body is structured and arranged to house said milk bag containing milk after said milk bag has been opened; wherein said upper edge of said pitcher body comprises a substantially circular opening for receiving said milk bag within said pitcher body; wherein said inner surface of said pitcher body is sufficiently tapered to permit easy removal of said milk bag when full and to improve flow of milk from said milk bag when tilted, said inner surface of said pitcher body being of a larger diameter at said upper edge of said pitcher body, and of a smaller diameter at said base of said pitcher body; wherein said spout of said pitcher body is structured and arranged to sufficiently support the corner of said milk bag when said pitcher body is tilted for preventing spillage when dispensing milk through a severed corner of said milk bag; wherein said upper edge of said pitcher body is pitched relative to said base of said pitcher body, said upper edge of said pitcher body being highest relative to said base of said pitcher body above said spout of said pitcher body, and lowest above said junction member of said handle; wherein said spout of said pitcher body comprises a raised skirt extending upward at the front of said pitcher body directly opposite of said handle, having a sufficiently steep angle to support the full height of said milk bag when said pitcher body is tilted; wherein said U-shaped aperture of said spout of said pitcher body comprises a trough in said upper edge of said pitcher body for the purpose of providing flow direction for dispensed milk when said pitcher body is tilted, said U-shaped aperture of said spout of said pitcher body being located near a peak of said spout of said pitcher body; wherein said blade is embedded in said U-shaped aperture of said spout of said pitcher body at an obtuse angle relative to the vertical wall of said U-shaped aperture of said spout of said pitcher body configured for providing a fixed cutting edge for severing a corner of said milk bag resting in said pitcher body; wherein said U-shaped aperture of said spout of said pitcher body forms a fixed outlet configured for dispensing milk from a severed corner of said milk bag when said pitcher body is tilted; wherein said base of said pitcher body provides a standing structure configured for supporting said pitcher body on a flat surface while containing said milk bag; wherein said expiration tag retainer is affixed to said outer cylindrical surface of said pitcher body in a location visible to a user; wherein said expiration tag retainer is structured and arranged to receive and display a bread tag from said milk bag bearing expiration date indicia for the purpose of notifying a user of said milk bag's expiration date; wherein said tag enclosure of said expiration tag retainer, said tag retaining lip of said expiration tag retainer, said tag insertion slot of said expiration tag retainer, and said pitcher body enclose an inner volume having an open face opposite of said pitcher body for displaying indicia, and having a gap on one side of said expiration tag retainer comprising said tag insertion slot for slidably receiving said bread tag; wherein said junction member of said handle forms a rigid joint between said grasping member of said handle and said pitcher body in such a way that said grasping member is approximately parallel to said pitcher body adapted to provide an ergonomic handgrip useful for tilting said milk jug.

18) The milk jug of claim 17, further comprising set of instructions; and wherein the milk jug is arranged as a kit.

19) A method of serving milk, the method using the milk jug of claim 17 and comprising the steps of: inserting a milk bag into said pitcher body, pulling a corner of said milk bag through a spout, severing said corner of said milk bag on said blade, and dispensing milk from said milk bag by tilting said pitcher body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a milk jug, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the milk jug during an in-use condition, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a profile view of the milk jug of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blade of the milk jug of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the expiration tag retainer of the milk jug of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of use of serving milk, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] 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

[0021] As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a beverage containers and more particularly to a milk jug as used to improve the dispensing of milk from a milk bag.

[0022] Generally, the milk jug is useful for storing an opened milk bag and dispensing milk. The pitcher body is defined by a hollow, tapered cylindrical structure with a base at the bottom and an opening at the top for allowing a milk bag to be inserted. A handle extends outwardly from the pitcher body, providing a means for lifting and tilting the milk jug. The milk jug's integral blade is contained within the bottom of the open spout of the pitcher for safely and precisely cutting off the corner of a milk bag contained within the pitcher for creating an opening in the milk bag to pour milk from. The expiration tag retainer attached to the side of the pitcher accepts a bread clip or bread tag bearing expiration indicia from the milk bag's original packaging. The retainer surrounds the bread tag on three sides so that it may be slid in from one direction. A lip holds 3 edges of the face of the tag against the outside of the pitcher for retention. The face of the bread tag bearing an expiration date is visible between the boundaries of the retainer.

[0023] In using the disclosed milk jug, a user may place a milk bag into the pitcher and slide the corresponding bread tag into the expiration tag retainer displaying the expiration indicia outwardly in a visible manner. A user may then pull a corner of the milk bag through the slotted spout of the pitcher and pull downward, severing the corner in a controlled manner against the embedded blade. The milk is then ready to be poured through the opened corner of the milk bag and out the spout of the pitcher.

[0024] Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in FIGS. 1-4, various views of a milk jug 100. FIG. 1 shows a milk jug 100 during an in-use condition 150, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Here, the milk jug 100 may be beneficial for use by a user 140 dispensing milk from a milk bag 142. According to one embodiment, the milk jug 100 may be arranged as a kit 105. In particular, the milk jug 100 may further include a set of instructions 155. The instructions 155 may detail functional relationships in relation to the structure of the milk jug 100 (such that the milk jug 100 can be used, maintained, or the like, in a preferred manner).

[0025] FIG. 2 shows the milk jug of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As above, the milk jug 100 may include pitcher body 110 having inner cylindrical surface 114, outer cylindrical surface 112, upper edge 116, base 119, and spout 117 including U-shaped aperture 118; handle 120 attached to pitcher body 110 including junction member 122 and grasping member 124; blade 126 embedded into spout 117 of pitcher body 110 having blade flat 128 and edge 130; and expiration tag retainer 132 attached to pitcher body 110 having tag enclosure 134, tag retaining lip 136, and tag insertion slot 138.

[0026] Handle 120 is attached to pitcher body 110 for the purpose of providing a grasping means for lifting milk jug 100; wherein milk jug 100 is configured to store, support, and dispense milk from milk bag 142. Pitcher body 110, handle 120, blade 126, and expiration tag retainer 132 are in functional combination. Pitcher body 110, handle 120, blade 126, and expiration tag retainer 132 comprise a rigid unit containing an interior volume. Pitcher body 110 is structured and arranged to house milk bag 142 containing milk after milk bag 142 has been opened.

[0027] Upper edge 116 of pitcher body 110 comprises a substantially circular opening for receiving milk bag 142 within pitcher body 110. Inner cylindrical surface 114 of pitcher body 110 is sufficiently tapered to permit easy removal of milk bag 142 when full and to improve flow of milk from milk bag 142 when tilted, inner cylindrical surface 114 of pitcher body 110 being of a larger diameter at upper edge 116 of pitcher body 110, and of a smaller diameter at base 119 of pitcher body 110. Spout 117 of pitcher body 110 is structured and arranged to sufficiently support corner of milk bag 142 when pitcher body 110 is tilted for purpose of preventing spillage when dispensing milk through a severed corner of milk bag 142. Upper edge 116 of pitcher body 110 is pitched relative to base 119 of pitcher body 110; upper edge 116 of pitcher body 110 being highest relative to base 119 of pitcher body 110 above spout 117 of pitcher body 110, and lowest above junction member 122 of handle 120.

[0028] Spout 117 of pitcher body 110 comprises a raised skirt extending upward at front of pitcher body 110 directly opposite of handle 120, having a sufficiently steep angle to support full height of milk bag 142 when pitcher body 110 is tilted. U-shaped aperture 118 of spout 117 of pitcher body 110 comprises a trough in upper edge 116 of pitcher body 110 for the purpose of providing flow direction for dispensed milk when pitcher body 110 is tilted; U-shaped aperture 118 of spout 117 of pitcher body 110 being located near a peak of spout 117 of pitcher body 110. Base 119 of pitcher body 110 provides a standing structure configured for supporting pitcher body 110 on a flat surface while containing milk bag 142. Junction member 122 of handle 120 forms a rigid joint between grasping member 124 of handle 120 and pitcher body 110 in such a way that grasping member 124 is approximately parallel to pitcher body 110 adapted to provide an ergonomic handgrip useful for tilting milk jug 142.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a type view of the milk jug of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Blade 126 is embedded in U-shaped aperture 118 of spout 117 of pitcher body 110 at an obtuse angle relative to vertical wall of U-shaped aperture 118 of spout 117 of pitcher body 110 configured for providing a fixed cutting edge for severing a corner of milk bag 142 resting in pitcher body 110. U-shaped aperture 118 of spout 117 of pitcher body 110 forms a fixed outlet configured for dispensing milk from a severed corner of milk bag 142 when pitcher body 110 is tilted.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a type view of the milk jug of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Expiration tag retainer 132 is affixed to outer cylindrical surface 112 of pitcher body 110 in a location visible to user 140. Expiration tag retainer 132 is structured and arranged to receive and display a bread tag from milk bag 142 bearing expiration date indicia for the purpose of notifying user 140 of expiration date of milk bag 142. Tag enclosure 134 of expiration tag retainer 132, tag retaining lip 136 of expiration tag retainer 132, tag insertion slot 138 of expiration tag retainer 132, and pitcher body 110 enclose an inner volume having an open face opposite of pitcher body 110 for displaying indicia, and having a gap on one side of expiration tag retainer 132 comprising tag insertion slot 138 for slidably receiving bread tag 144.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 500 for dispensing of milk from a milk bag, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, the method 500 for dispensing of milk from a milk bag may include one or more components or features of the milk jug 100 as described above. As illustrated, the method for use 500 may include the steps of: step one 501, inserting a milk bag; step two 502, pulling a corner of the milk bag through the spout; step three 503, severing the corner of the milk bag on the blade; step three 504 dispensing milk from the milk bag by tilting the pitcher.

[0032] It should also be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. The use of step of should not be interpreted as step for, in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112(f). It should also be noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods for dispensing of milk from a milk bag (e.g., different step orders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc.), are taught herein.

[0033] 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.