U.S. patent application number 09/854048 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-29 for single-use food package with handle dispenser and applicator.
Invention is credited to Selker, Edwin Joseph.
Application Number | 20010045374 09/854048 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26899876 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010045374 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Selker, Edwin Joseph |
November 29, 2001 |
Single-use food package with handle dispenser and applicator
Abstract
A disposable sealed package with dual distinct functions of
containing a consumable product and dispensing it through a
knife-like handle. The package allows an individual to consume the
product from the container or to dispense and apply it using the
knife-like handle. The package seal is lifted from the
handle-portion only to use the package as a dispenser and
applicator. The package seal is lifted from the containment-portion
only to use the package to hold the product for consumption.
Inventors: |
Selker, Edwin Joseph;
(Arlington, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Barbara J. Luther
1 Knollwood Ln
Cold Spring
NY
10516
US
|
Family ID: |
26899876 |
Appl. No.: |
09/854048 |
Filed: |
May 11, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60204887 |
May 17, 2000 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/542 ;
206/229; 206/553; 206/572 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 77/245 20130101;
A61J 7/0023 20130101; A61J 1/067 20130101; B65D 77/2032 20130101;
A61J 7/0046 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/542 ;
206/572; 206/229; 206/553 |
International
Class: |
B65D 069/00; B65D
071/00; A45C 011/20; B65D 001/34; B65D 006/04 |
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A sealed package assembly for use in consuming a comestible
comprising: a semi-rigid container holding a comestible and having
side walls connected with a continuous planar peripheral flange
around its opening, said container further comprising a reservoir
region for holding said comestible terminating in an elongated
handle region having a hollow portion in communication with said
reservoir region; a sheet of flexible protective material sealed to
said flange of said container to serve as a closure for said
package assembly; said sheet having a portion thereof that extends
out beyond said peripheral flange of said container in said handle
region to allow said sheet to be partially removed from said
container in said handle region to permit said comestible to be
dispensed when said reservoir region is squeezed.
2. A package assembly as in claim 1 further characterized by: said
sheet having a portion thereof that extends out beyond said
peripheral flange of said container in said reservoir region to
permit said sheet to be removed from said container in said
reservoir region to gain access to said comestible, to allow items
to be dipped into said comestible in said reservoir region.
3. A package assembly as in claim 1 or 2 wherein said peripheral
flange of said container in said handle region is serrated to allow
said comestible to be spread.
4. A sealed package assembly for use in consuming a comestible
comprising: a semi-rigid container holding a comestible and having
side walls, said container further comprising a reservoir region
for holding said comestible terminating in an elongated handle
region having a hollow portion in communication with said reservoir
region; a sheet of flexible protective material sealed to the top
of said side walls of said container to serve as a closure for said
package assembly; said sheet having a portion thereof that extends
out beyond said side walls of said container in said handle region
to allow said sheet to be partially removed from said container in
said handle region to permit said comestible to be dispensed when
said reservoir region is squeezed.
5. A package assembly as in claim 4 further characterized by: said
sheet having a portion thereof that extends out beyond said side
walls of said container in said reservoir region to permit said
sheet to be removed from said container in said reservoir region to
gain access to said comestible, to allow items to be dipped into
said comestible in said reservoir region.
6. A package assembly as in claim 4 or 5 wherein said side walls of
said container in said handle region are connected with a planar
peripheral serrated flange to allow said comestible to be spread.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from the US provisional
patent application entitled "Single-use Food Package with Handle
Dispenser and Applicator", Ser. No. 60/204,887, filed May 17,
2000.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
[0003] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In recent years, the fast food and convenience food
industries have seen tremendous growth. Single-dose packaging of
medicines has also been increasing. With this growth comes the
growth of disposable convenience packaging for condiments and other
liquid or semi-liquid foods or medicines. These substances are
dispensed and applied from single-use hermetically sealed packages.
These are typically formed from plastic or plastic coated materials
and are either heat sealed or hermetically sealed with a separate
lid.
[0005] A difficulty with prior-art containers is that the
dispensing of the contents is awkward. For instance, when a
disposable ketchup container is squeezed to dispense its contents,
it is apt to dispense its contents variably, and not in the desired
locations. Spreading the ketchup to the desired locations requires
either a separate knife-utensil or use of the unsanitary package
surfaces themselves to spread the ketchup.
[0006] The single-use containers and utensils used in the fast food
industry are not typically recycled. This causes an additional
environmental concern. It is desirable to reduce the number of
containers and utensils used.
[0007] The present invention relates to a single-use condiment
package with dual distinct functions of containing the condiment
and dispensing it evenly and neatly using a handle. The handle is
also a sanitary spreader. The package is formed from a plastic or
plastic-coated squeezable material and has a separate hermetically
sealed lid. The package seal is lifted from the handle-portion only
to use the package as a dispenser and sanitary applicator. The
package seal is lifted from the containment-portion only to use the
package to hold the food product for consumption. In its function
as a dispenser and spreader, the seal is lifted from the handle and
the containment portion is gently squeezed to deliver the contents.
The handle surface below the seal is sanitary and is used to spread
the contents to the desired locations. In its second separate
function, the seal is lifted from the containment-portion into
which french fries or other food products can thereafter be dipped.
The disclosed package can be used for contents as thin as pancake
or cough syrup or as thick as peanut butter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0008] Disposable plastic-formed food-product containers with a
separate hermetically sealed lid are well known. Combination spoon,
straw utensils are also known. A dispensing spoon for brewing a
beverage when the spoon is immersed in a liquid is known. No prior
art known to the applicant describes a disposable package with dual
distinct functions of containment and dispensing that uses the
handle of a hermetically sealed container to function as a
dispenser and sanitary spreader for a food product or medicine.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention discloses a single-use sealed package
assembly for food products and medicines with dual distinct
functions of containing a substance, and dispensing and applying it
evenly, neatly, and sanitarily using a handle. The package has a
container with a handle portion formed from plastic or
plastic-coated materials and has a separate lid sealed to the
container. For food products and medicines it is desirable that the
seal be hermetic. The seal is lifted from the containment-portion
only for the package to function as a container. The seal is lifted
from the handle portion only for the package to function as a
dispenser and sanitary applicator. The containment-portion is then
squeezed to dispense the substance and the previously sealed edge
of the handle is used to apply the substance.
[0010] In a second embodiment, the handle of the package assembly
has a serrated edge to serve as a knife. The lid of the package
assembly has easy-opening tabs in a third embodiment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The following is a brief description of each of the several
drawings:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a view of the filled and hermetically sealed
package.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a top view of the unsealed container.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a side view of the filled container with the seal
removed from the containment portion.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a side view of the filled container with the seal
removed from the handle portion.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a top view of the unsealed container showing a
serrated edge along the handle.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a top view of the lid with easy-opening tabs.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a dual-function package assembly 100 that has a
base 102 and a lid 104. The base 102 has a containment region 106
and a handle region 108. The base 102 is constructed of any of a
number of known semi-rigid plastic materials suitable for use with
comestibles, such as polyethylene terephthalate(PET) or
polypropylene, and is formed by a conventional process such as
injection molding. A flange 110 runs along the top exterior
circumference of the base 102. The lid 104 is constructed from any
of a number of known flexible and peelable plastic or plastic
composite materials suitable for use with comestibles, such as
mylar or polyester, and is formed by conventional processes. The
lid material could be an evaporated aluminum film laminated with a
plastic, the evaporated aluminum film protecting the comestible
from reaction with the plastic. Typically a label would be printed
on the exterior of the lid 104. The package assembly 100 is formed
when the base 102 is sealed with the lid 104 using a conventional
adhesive 112 deposited on the flange 110. During assembly, the
adhesive 112 is applied to either the exterior circumferential
flange 110 or the lid 104. A consumable product 114 is placed in
the containment region 106, and the lid 104 is pressed against the
base 102 and, if desired, heated to activate the adhesive 112.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a top view of the base 102 of the package assembly
100. It shows the flange 110, the containment region 106, and the
handle region 108. The handle region 108 has a hollow trough 116 in
communication with the containment region 106.
[0020] FIGS. 3 shows the package assembly 100 in use as a container
of the consumable product 114. To use the package assembly 100 as a
container, the user grips the base 102 and the lid 104 in the
containment region 106 and peels the lid 104 apart from the base
102 towards the handle region 108 but stopping before reaching the
handle region 108. The user may then dip an external food, such as
a french fry, or an item, such as a knife, into the consumable
product 114 in the containment region 106, or pour or squeeze the
consumable product 114 out of the containment region 106.
[0021] FIG. 4 shows the package assembly 100 in use as a dispenser
and applicator. To use the package assembly 100 as a dispenser and
applicator, the user grips the base 102 in the containment region
106 and the lid 104 in the handle region 108 and peels the lid 104
apart from the base 102 towards the containment region 106 but
stopping before reaching the containment region 106. The user then
squeezes the containment region 106, forcing the consumable product
114 into the hollow trough 116 and onto an external surface, using
the handle region 108 to aid in applying or spreading the
consumable product 114. Both the shape of the containment region
106 and the flexibility of the containment region 106 material
contribute to the ease with which the consumable product 114 can be
squeezed out of the containment region 106. For a thick or
semi-solid consumable product, such as relish or peanut butter, the
hollow trough 116 will be wider than that required for more liquid
contents such as syrups or liquid cough medicine. For a consumable
product 114, such as a liquid cough medicine, a measured individual
dosage of the consumable product 114 can be placed into the
containment region 106.
[0022] FIG. 5 is atop view of the base 102 of the package assembly
100 in a second embodiment where the handle region 108 has a
serrated edge 118 so that the handle region 108 can be used as a
knife.
[0023] FIG. 6 is atop view of the lid 104 of the package assembly
100 in a third embodiment where the lid 104 has tabs 120 and 122 to
aid the user in opening the package assembly 100. The user grips
tab 120 when using the package assembly 100 as a dispenser and
applicator. The user grips tab 122 when using the package assembly
100 as a container.
* * * * *