Abstract
Disclosed are dual-purpose dispensing containers and utensils for dispensing measured amounts of beverage or food ingredients, useful for the preparation and consumption of the beverages and foods. A dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil comprises a handle having a functional part at first end thereof, the functional part configured for preparing and/or consuming a beverage or foodstuff, at least two compartments extending from a lower surface of the handle and along a longitudinal length of the handle from a second end of the handle opposite the first end. Each two neighbor compartments are spaced apart a pre-selected distance from each other. A cover is attached to the handle along a perimeter of a top opening of each one of the compartments on an upper surface of the handle. Each compartment is configured to contain ingredient for dispensing into a liquid beverage or solid foodstuff for preparing the liquid beverage or solid foodstuff.
Claims
1. A dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil comprising: a handle having three apertures each defining an aperture periphery; a functional part at a first end of said handle, said functional part configured for preparing and/or consuming a beverage or foodstuff; three neighbor compartments extending downward from a respective one of the aperture peripheries at a lower surface of said handle and along a longitudinal length of said handle from a second end of said handle opposite said first end, said three neighbor compartments are spaced apart a pre-selected distance from each other, such that the three neighbor compartments extend along the longitudinal length of said handle, said three compartments attached to said lower surface of said handle by melt-fusion; a plurality of covers attached to an upper surface of said handle over the apertures and along a perimeter of a top opening of a respective one of said compartments, each said cover comprising a tab or pull-tab for removing said cover from said handle, the tab or pull-tab extending transversely to the longitudinal length of said handle, wherein each one of said three compartments is configured to contain ingredient for dispensing into a liquid beverage or solid foodstuff for preparing said liquid beverage or solid foodstuff, wherein said compartments are made from a material different from a material of said handle, and wherein each compartment is defined by its own independent walls, base and top without interfacing with its neighbor compartments.
2. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein each one of said compartments is configured to contain measured amount of said ingredient.
3. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, further comprising a hole in said handle, said hole is configured for hanging said container and utensil from a hook and packing a plurality of said dual-purpose dispensing containers and utensils in close packing.
4. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein each said cover comprises cross-shaped lines of weakening extending away from a center of said cover and along a diameter, height or diagonal of said cover, said lines of weakening do not reach the edges of the cover, wherein said compartments are made from a flexible material, said lines of weakening are configured to tear upon application of sufficient pressure applied on said cover.
5. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 4, wherein each one of said compartments further comprises an internal compartment, said internal compartment is configured to be pushed up towards said cover upon application of said pressure on said compartment, said lines of weakening are configured to tear upon pressure contact with said internal compartment.
6. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein each said cover is attached to each said top opening handle along a perimeter of said opening with an adhesive.
7. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 6, wherein said adhesive is configured to remain on each said cover upon removal of said cover off of said top opening of each said compartment.
8. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 6, wherein said adhesive is insoluble in aqueous medium.
9. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 6, wherein said adhesive is digestible and/or removable from the alimentary tract of a user consuming said beverage or food.
10. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein each said cover is attached to said handle by heat melting along said perimeter surrounding said top opening of a compartment.
11. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein each said cover is configured to be only partially tearable from said upper surface of said handle.
12. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein said functional part is selected from a spoon bowl, a tea spoon bowl, a knife blade and fork teeth configured for preparing and consuming beverages or foods.
13. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein said ingredients are selected from sugar, coffee powder, tea leaves, spices, cream, butter dressings and mayonnaise.
14. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein said dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil is made of polymeric materials selected from styrene polymers, particularly polystyrene (PS), olefin polymers, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terphthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC) and trifluoroethylene polymer, wherein said polymeric materials are configured to be chemically inert and physically durable when brought in contact with consumable liquids or foods.
15. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein said dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil is made of polymeric materials selected from styrene polymers, particularly polystyrene (PS), olefin polymers, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terphthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC) and trifluoroethylene polymer, wherein said polymeric materials are configured to be durable at high temperatures of consumable liquid beverages or solid foods.
16. A kit comprising at least two dual-purpose dispensing containers and utensils as claimed in claim 1, wherein each one of said dual-purpose dispensing containers and utensils comprises ingredients contained in said compartments of said dual-purpose dispensing containers and utensils for introducing into a beverage or food.
17. The kit according to claim 16, wherein said ingredients are distributed among said compartments of said dual-purpose dispensing containers and utensils.
18. The kit according to claim 17, wherein said dual-purpose dispensing containers and utensils comprise functional parts selected from a spoon bowl, a tea spoon bowl, a knife blade and fork teeth configured for preparing and consuming beverages or foods.
19. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein the compartments are integrated within the handle.
20. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein each of the covers is removable off of the opening separately and independently form the covers closing the top openings of other compartments.
21. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein the cover is attached to the surface of the handle via soldering or welding.
22. The dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil according to claim 1, wherein the compartments comprise measured amounts of ingredients.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate one particular example of the dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil.
(2) FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate a second particular example of the dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil.
(3) FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate a third particular example of the dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil.
(4) FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate a fourth particular example of the dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil.
(5) FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate a fifth particular example of the dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil.
(6) FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate a sixth particular example of the dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil.
(7) FIGS. 7A-7E illustrate one particular example of a covering and ingredient compartment.
(8) FIGS. 8A-8C illustrate a second particular example of a covering and ingredient compartment.
(9) FIGS. 9A-9F illustrate a third particular example of a covering and ingredient compartment.
(10) FIGS. 10A-10D demonstrate a particular application of the dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil of the present invention.
(11) FIGS. 11A-11D illustrate particular dimensions of the dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil of the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6C.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(12) FIGS. 1A-1C through 6A-6C illustrate different example designs of a dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil. Although the shapes of the different parts of these designs are different from each other they comprise the same major parts as described in the following:
(13) Dual-purpose dispensing container and utensils (1)-(5) comprise at least two compartments (11) aligned in along the longitudinal length of handle (13), the handle being connected to a functional part (14) of the utensils (1)-(5). As is clearly seen in all of the designs, the compartments (11) are spaced apart from each other, the volume of each one of them being defined by separate side walls, bottom base and top cover (12). The particular designs in FIGS. 1-6 illustrate particular utensils (1)-(6) having a spoon bowl as the functional part (14). However, the functional part (14) may be selected from a variety of functional parts of any type of tableware independently of all other parts of the utensil. It is clearly seen that the integration of a functional part in the utensil does not adversely affect the functionality of all other parts. Specifically, the handle (13) and compartments (11) including the cover (12) on the compartments are not affected by the replacement of the functional part (14). Therefore part (14) of the utensil can be replaced with any functional part of tableware, available or customized according to specific needs. Specifically, the part (14) can be selected from conventional tableware such as spoon bowl, tea spoon bowl, knife blade and fork teeth.
(14) Some of the designs comprise a hole (15), which may be used to hang them from a hook. This provides a conveniently way for storing and packing a plurality of such utensils in a single packaging when hanged from a single hook. The utensils (1) may then be distributed or taken one after the other off the hook. The hole may further be extended and relocated to a different place of the handle (13) as is illustrated in the design in FIGS. 3A-3C.
(15) FIGS. 1C, 2C, 3C, 4C, 5C and 6C illustrate the interior volume (16) of the compartments (11). It is clear that the shape of a compartment (11) defines the shape of its interior volume (16). However the shape of the internal volume (16) does not affect the functional use of the compartment (11). In any one of the designs, the compartments (11) may be used for filling any one of the ingredients elected or required for preparing a certain beverage or food. Therefore, the parameter that determines the functionality of the compartment (11) is its volume rather than its shape. Generally, the designs in FIGS. 1-6 illustrate cubic, cylindrical and trapezoid compartment (11), which are acceptable shapes for filling it with ingredients. Further, the shapes of the compartments also should not affect the application of hermetic sealing with a cover (12) over the opening of the compartment (11). Rather the perimeter around a compartment (11) determines the possibility of such hermetic sealing. The cover (12) is further equipped with a tab (17), which is used to pull the cover (12) away from the opening of the compartment (11). Such tab (17) may be present as an extension of the opening beyond the borders of the handle. As will be described in the following, the tab may be replaced by another configuration for exposing the content inside the volume (16) of the compartment (11). Such alternative configuration is illustrated in FIGS. 7A-7E. The particulars of the tab (17) configuration are illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9F and will also be described in the following.
(16) FIGS. 9A-9F illustrate the design (9) and application of a pull-tab in the opening of a cover (12) attached to the top opening of a compartment (11). FIGS. 9A and 9B show the opening of the compartment (11) with and without the cover on its top opening, respectively. This enables showing the placement of the tab (17) relative to the borders of the compartment (11) and handle. FIG. 9B exposes the line of weakening (18) of tab (17 in FIG. 1B) at the interface between the tab border and cover (12). Extension (22) is actually a local side extension of handle (13 in FIG. 1A) that carries an extension of the cover (12) on it. Fracturing the connection of the extension (22) at the line of weakening (18) until complete release from the connection with the handle (13 in FIG. 1A), enables to pull the tab (17 in FIG. 1B) up and away from the utensil (1 in FIG. 1A). Since the cover (12) has a continuous extension (17 in FIG. 1B) over the upper surface of the extension (22), pulling of the extension (22) will also remove the cover (12) off from the opening of the compartment (11) and expose the ingredients contained in the volume (16) therein. This configuration is illustrated in FIGS. 9D through 9F. Lastly, FIG. 9C shows a particular mode of attachment of extension (22) to handle (13 in FIG. 1B) from a bottom perspective. The tab (22) is shown to be connected to the handle (13) only at the extremities. Such connection is sufficient to hold the extension (22) in place until use and easily break upon exposure of the compartment (11 in FIG. 1A) volume (16) and ingredients therein.
(17) FIGS. 7A-7E and FIGS. 8A-8C show alternative designs of opening a cover (12). The design (7) in FIGS. 7A-7E is cross-shaped lines of weakening (18) at the center of the cover (12). These lines extend away from a center point of the cover (12) and only to a limited length along a diameter, height or diagonal of the cover (12) without reaching the cover edges. The lines of weakening (18) surrender to pressure applied on the side walls and bottom of compartment (11). The compartment (11) in this case is made of a flexible material, which can be squeezed towards the center of the compartment (11), exerting pressure on the ingredients contained within it. In turn, the pressure on the content of compartment (11) creates force on the cover (12), making it to tear and open at its weakest places, namely the cross-shaped lines of weakening (18). FIG. 7B shows a cross section view of the compartment (11 in FIG. 1A), cover (12) and lines of weakening (18). FIGS. 7C-7E show the compartment (11) and cover (12) in full opening state, where the cross-shaped lines of weakening (18) tore the cover (12) to four even triangular shape pieces (12a). Particularly, these Figures show a further addition to the basic cross-shape design by adding an internal compartment (19) within the compartment (12). Compartment (19) is forced up upon application of pressure on the bottom and side walls of compartment (11). This causes the top margins (21) of the internal compartment (19) to be lifted away from top margins (20) of compartment (11). Both top margins (20) and (21) surround the perimeter of their respective compartments (12) and (19), respectively, in the form of rails placed one within the other. When pushed outwardly, compartment (19) causes rail (21) also to distance itself from rail (20) attached to compartment (11).
(18) FIGS. 8A-8C illustrate a third alternative of a mechanism (8) for pulling a cover (12) away from a compartment (11) top opening. A ring-shape tab (17) forms an extension to the cover (12). The cover (12) extends beyond the perimeter of the compartment opening towards the border of the handle (13) at the arc that connects with the ring-shape tab (17) as shown in FIG. 8A. The hole of the ring-shape tab (17) is sufficient for efficiently holding the tab using two fingers, particularly thumb and index finger, in order to pull the tab (17) away. Performing such action causes the parts of the cover (12) to gradually detach first from the surface of the handle (13) and then from the perimeter surrounding the top opening of compartment (11). The tab (17) hangs away from the borders of handle (13) and is not attached to it in any way. FIG. 8B shows a bottom view of this design of tab. FIG. 8C illustrates the two situations of a cover (12) and tab (17) closing on the top opening of compartment (11) and the exposed volume (16) of compartment (11) after complete removal of the cover (12) and tab (17).
(19) FIGS. 10A-10D demonstrate how a dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil (1) with a functional part of a spoon or tea spoon bowl (14) is used from different perspectives. The use is actually the same as that of ordinary spoon. However the handle is thicker due to the compartments aligned along its length. The compartments are shown to be closed by the cover, but of course the covers may be left open or completely removed after emptying the content in any one of the compartments into the cup (23). These Figures also show that the lower portion of the handle may enter the space enclosed by the cup (23) and as a result come in contact with a liquid in the cup (23). This does not pose any functional or other problem on the use of the utensil (1), due to its chemical and physical durability, particularly at high temperatures in case of a hot liquid or its chemically inert response to the materials in the liquid.
(20) FIGS. 11A-11D define particular dimensions of the design of the dual-purpose dispensing container and utensil (6) illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6C. The different perspectives in FIGS. 11A-11D show the absolute sizes of different parts of the utensil (6) also demonstrating the relations between these sizes. Particularly, the width of a compartment (11) is shown relative to the length of the handle (13) the entire row of compartments occupies. The compartments (11) are spaced apart a distance from each other that can be calculated from the accumulated width of the compartments (11) and the entire end-to-end length that the take from the handle (13). The remaining length of the handle (13), including the functional part (14), i.e. the spoon bowl, is long enough for convenient use such as mixing the ingredients in the compartment (11) in a cup. The height of the compartments (11) is seen longer than the depth of the spoon bowl (14), as may be usually the case. However, this is not a functional or structural requirement of the utensil. It may well be within the scope of the present invention that the ratio between the compartment height and spoon bowl depth is reversed. Particular non-limiting examples are contemplated where only small amounts of ingredients are required for a particular serving or beverage, obviously reducing the size of the compartment. Alternatively, a deeper spoon bowl may be required for serving particular amounts of food such as mush or formula to an infant, resulting in a depth of the bowl larger than height of the compartment.
(21) The length of the cover extension (17) (which is overlaid on the extension (22) of the handle (13), not shown) is small relating to the length of the cover (12) as is shown in FIG. 11D. However, the length of both cover and handle extensions, (17) and (22), respectively, is sufficient for manual disconnecting the handle extension from the handle (13) and removing the cover (12) off from the opening of compartment (11).
(22) Although selected embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments. Instead, it is to be appreciated that changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof.
