U.S. patent application number 11/084983 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-21 for cereal bowl.
Invention is credited to Bruce W. Copeland.
Application Number | 20060207993 11/084983 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37009236 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060207993 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Copeland; Bruce W. |
September 21, 2006 |
Cereal bowl
Abstract
A container for retaining food products for consumption is
provided. The container includes a bowl and a covering which may be
removably coupled to the bowl to form a substantially liquid-tight
seal between the bowl and covering. The covering includes an
opening providing access to the food products. The covering is
configured to complement the bowl such that if the container is
rotated about a horizontal axis a portion of food products are
retained in the container.
Inventors: |
Copeland; Bruce W.; (Stone
Mountain, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BARNES & THORNBURG
11 SOUTH MERIDIAN
INDIANAPOLIS
IN
46204
US
|
Family ID: |
37009236 |
Appl. No.: |
11/084983 |
Filed: |
March 21, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/574 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 19/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/574 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/00 20060101
A47G019/00 |
Claims
1. A combination comprising a bowl having a first volume of space
in which food is placed, and a covering coupleable to the bowl, the
covering having an opening through which food in the bowl is
accessible when the bowl is in an upright position, the covering
being shaped to define a second volume of space around the opening
and between the covering and bowl, the covering and bowl being
configured so that as the bowl is flipped over to an upside down
position, at least a majority of the food in the first volume of
space in the bowl moves into the second volume of space.
2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the covering further
comprises a handle.
3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the food in the combination
is visible through the cover.
4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the bowl has multiple
portions with each portion having a different shape.
5. The combination of claim 4 wherein the bowl includes a bottom, a
first portion extending vertically from the bottom and a second
portion extending vertically from the first portion, the diameter
of the second portion increasing as the second portion extends
vertically.
6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the bowl is resiliently
pliable.
7. A covering for a storage container, the covering comprising: a
peripheral edge, an engagement channel adjacent to the peripheral
edge along the entire perimeter of the covering configured to
engage the storage container to provide a substantially
liquid-tight seal with the storage container, an inverted concave
channel adjacent to the engagement channel and about the periphery,
the concave channel configured such that when the storage container
is rotated about a horizontal axis, the volume of the space between
the covering and a sidewall of the storage container has a volume
substantially equal to a liquid volume of the container body, an
opening inboard of the concave channel through the covering sized
to provide access to contents of the storage container.
8. The covering of claim 7 wherein the covering is resiliently
pliable.
9. The covering of claim 7 wherein the channel is arch shaped.
10. The covering of claim 7 wherein the covering is
transparent.
11. The covering of claim 7 further comprising a handle.
12. A container for holding food during consumption, the container
comprising: a bowl having a bottom, an annular shaped sidewall
extending vertically from the bottom, a sealing surface about the
sidewall; and an annular covering removably coupled to the bowl,
the covering having an engagement surface configured to mate to the
sealing surface of the bowl to form a substantially water-tight
seal, an annular channel adjacent the engagement surface, and an
opening through the center of the covering.
13. The container of claim 12 wherein the annular channel of the
annular covering is configured such that when the container is
rotated about a horizontal axis, the annular covering and the
sidewall of the bowl form a volume substantially equal to the
volume of the contents stored in the container.
14. The container of claim 12 wherein the covering further
comprises a handle.
15. The container of claim 12 wherein the bowl includes two
portions including a first portion with a sidewall extending
substantially vertically from the bottom and a second portion
including a sidewall extending vertically from the first portion
with an increasing sidewall diameter as the sidewall of the second
portion extends vertically.
16. The container of claim 12 wherein the contents of the container
are visible through the covering.
17. The container of claim 12 wherein the covering is resiliently
pliable.
18. The container of claim 12 wherein when the covering is coupled
to the bowl the sealing surface forms a plane and the opening in
the covering lies in a plane spaced vertically below the sealing
surface.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present disclosure relates to bowls used to hold food
products during consumption. More particularly, the present
disclosure relates to bowls with coverings to reduce spillage in
the event the bowl is turned upside down.
[0002] Bowls are well known and widely used. Coverings having a
sealing interface with a storage container such as a bowl are also
well known. During use, bowls are typically supported by a table or
other stable surface in a horizontal position. When a conventional
bowl such as a cereal bowl is turned upside down, the contents of
the bowl will spill out.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention comprises one or more of the features
recited in the appended claims and/or the following features which,
alone or in any combination, may comprise patentable subject
matter:
[0004] A container may comprise a bowl and a covering removably
coupleable to the bowl. The covering may include an opening which
provides access to contents of the container by a person using an
eating utensil, such as a spoon, for example, to consume the
contents. The container may be configured to retain contents of the
bowl if the bowl is tipped or flipped over.
[0005] The bowl may have a bottom and an annular side wall. The
side wall may have an increasing diameter as the sidewall
progresses away from the bottom. However, the sidewall of the bowl
may have any desired shape including frustoconical, concave, or
convex, as well as combinations of these. The radii of curvature of
the convex and concave portions of the sidewall may vary from
portion to portion of the sidewall. In some embodiments, the bowl
may not have a uniform shape about a central axis. For example, the
bowl may have a polygonal shape such as a square, hexagon, or
octagon when the bowl is viewed along a central axis. In some
embodiments, the bottom may be omitted and the sidewall may form a
uniform shape such as a hemispherical shape, for example, with feet
or similar supports coupled to the sidewall to support the bowl
when resting on a surface. In some embodiments, the bottom may form
a substantially planar surface which provides support to the bowl
when the bowl is placed on a flat, level surface.
[0006] The sidewall surrounds an interior region of the bowl. An
upper edge of the sidewall of the bowl defines an opening through
which the interior region is accessed. The upper edge of the
sidewall of the bowl may have a flange. The flange may have a
substantially planar horizontal engagement surface and a
substantially cylindrical vertical engagement surface.
[0007] The covering may engage the top of the bowl so as to form a
substantially liquid-tight seal at the connection of the covering
and the bowl. The covering may be shaped such that portions of the
covering complement portions of the bowl so as to form a volume
between the covering and the bowl. The opening in the center of the
covering may be surrounded by a channel. The channel may have
various shapes with the bowl sidewall having any of a number of
complementary profiles to the channel. When the covering is coupled
to the bowl, the covering channel may complement the bowl sidewall
to form a volume to retain contents of the container in the event
the container is flipped over.
[0008] In one illustrative embodiment, the covering may have an
annular shape about a central axis that is common to the central
axis of the bowl when the covering is coupled to the bowl. The
opening in the covering may be centered on the central axis.
[0009] The covering may also include an engagement portion about
the periphery of the covering, the engagement portion comprising a
locking flange, a lip, and a sealing flange. The sealing flange may
engage the horizontal engagement surface of the bowl flange to form
a substantially liquid-tight seal. The covering may be removably
coupled to the bowl by the locking flange, wherein the lip extends
vertically downward from the sealing flange of the covering and
engages the vertical engagement surface of the bowl and the locking
flange engages a lower edge of the vertical engagement surface of
the bowl to provide a friction fit between the locking flange and
the edge to retain the covering on the bowl. While the illustrative
embodiment shows the coupling features described herein, it should
be understood that a number of methods are known for locking a
covering to a bowl to form a substantially liquid-tight seal and
that any of those methods may be employed within the scope of the
invention disclosed herein.
[0010] Inboard from the engagement portion of the covering toward
the central axis, the covering may have an arch-shaped
cross-section so as to form a continuous channel about the central
axis, the channel opening downwardly toward the interior region of
the bowl. The shape of the channel in the covering may be such that
the covering may complement the sidewall of the bowl so that the
covering and sidewall form a volume therebetween that is of
sufficient size to contain a volume equal to or greater than a
volume of the interior region of the bowl. The channel may be
formed by an arching surface profile as the covering progresses
inwardly from the sealing flange of the engagement portion toward
the central axis with the arching surface terminating at a lower
edge which is below the top of the sidewall of the bowl. The
opening through which a person can access the contents of the
container is formed by the lower edge of the arching surface. In
the illustrative embodiment, the channel is arch shaped. It should
be understood that any of a number of shapes which complement the
various shapes of the sidewall of the bowl may be used to form the
channel and, thereby, the volume between the covering and the
bowl.
[0011] The arching surface of the channel portion may be shaped to
provide sufficient clearance to allow a person using a spoon to
access contents of the container in a near horizontal orientation
providing for the contents of the container being removed with the
spoon without spilling during removal of the spoon from the
opening. The opening may be sized to complement the shape of the
arching surface on the top of the covering to facilitate spooning
contents from the container.
[0012] The covering may be made of a pliable thermoplastic which
has sufficient flexibility to allow the lip of the covering to slip
past the vertical engagement surface of the bowl to retain the
covering on the bowl. In some embodiments, the covering may
comprise a transparent or translucent material such that the
contents of the container are visible through the covering.
Similarly, the bowl may be made of a pliable and resilient
thermoplastic material to provide flexibility of the bowl while the
covering is removably coupled to the bowl.
[0013] The covering may have a substantially continuous thickness
throughout, such that a downwardly facing surface of the covering
and an upwardly facing surface of the covering are substantially
parallel. The covering may have an integrated handle or tab which
extends from the periphery of the covering to provide a grip for
the container and to provide leverage for disengagement of the
covering from the bowl during removal of the covering from the
bowl.
[0014] Additional features, which alone or in combination with any
other feature(s), including those listed above and those listed in
the claims, may comprise patentable subject matter and will become
apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the
following detailed description of illustrative embodiments
exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as
presently perceived.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The detailed description particularly refers to the
accompanying figures in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container having a
covering removably coupled to a bowl such that the covering and
bowl form a substantially liquid-tight seal, the covering having an
opening through which food may be accessed by an eating
utensil;
[0017] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the container of
FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 3-3 of
FIG. 1, showing contents in the bowl;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 3
rotated ninety degrees about a horizontal axis showing the position
of contents in the bowl; and
[0020] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 3
rotated one-hundred eighty degrees about a horizontal axis showing
the position of contents in the bowl.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] A container 10 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a bowl 12 and a
covering 14. Covering 14 has an opening 30 sized to allow an eating
utensil such as a spoon 16, for example, to be used to access
contents 38 of the container 10. In use, the container 10 holds
contents 38 (best seen in FIGS. 3-5) such as food products, for
example. The contents 38 are accessible by a person to eat and the
container 10 is configured to reduce or eliminate spills of the
food products if the container 10 is moved abruptly or tipped
over.
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 3-5, bowl 12 comprises a bottom 36, and a
side wall 26 which extends upwardly from bottom 36 and is generally
annular in shape about a central vertical axis 50. Bottom 36 of
bowl 12 is generally planar providing a lower surface 52 on which
bowl 12 rests for support. When container 10 is placed on a
generally flat horizontal surface such as a table, for example,
lower surface 52 supports container 10 and contents 38. Bottom 36
and sidewall 26 of bowl 12 may have a substantially uniform
thickness. In some embodiments, the thickness of bottom 36 and
sidewall 26 may vary to lower the center of gravity of the
container and thereby reduce the potential for the container 10 to
be inadvertently flipped over.
[0023] In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 3, sidewall 26
is shaped to form a lower portion 32 and an upper portion 34 each
of which are generally annularly shaped with sidewall 26 in lower
portion 32 having a slightly increasing diameter as sidewall 26
progresses upwardly. Upper portion 34 begins at a transition 58
with upper portion having an increasing diameter as the bowl 12
sidewall 26 extends upwardly with the rate of change in the
diameter decreasing as the sidewall 26 progresses upwardly. The
resulting structure of bowl 12 appears as if a larger bowl is
sitting on a smaller bowl. The smaller lower portion 32 results in
the gathering of contents 38 in the lower portion 32 near axis 50
as some of the contents 38 are removed, thereby making access to
the remaining contents 38 through the opening 30 easier.
[0024] At the top of sidewall 26 a flange 20 extends outwardly from
axis 50 to form a horizontal engagement surface 44. A vertical
engagement surface 24 extends downwardly a short distance from
surface 44 and has a size which is approximately half the width of
surface 44. Surface 44 and surface 24 are configured to be engaged
by the covering 14 to form a substantially liquid-tight seal.
[0025] Covering 14 has an annular shape about axis 50 with opening
30 centered on axis 50 and sized to permit access to the contents
of container 10 through opening 30. A downward facing concave
channel 40 is formed in covering 14 circumscribing opening 30 and
cooperates with a portion of sidewall 26 of bowl 12 to form a
volume which retains contents of container 10 if container 10 is
flipped over.
[0026] Covering 14 has an engagement portion 18 which includes a
sealing flange 58 configured to engage surface 44 of bowl 12.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the covering 14 is positioned engage bowl
12 along axis 50 such that covering 14 may removably coupled to
bowl 12 to form container 10. Referring again to FIGS. 3-5, an
engagement lip 22 extends down vertically from sealing flange 58
and is configured to engage the surface 24 of bowl 12. A locking
flange 48 extends inwardly from the engagement lip 22 and is
configured to hold the covering 14 by engaging an edge 46 at the
bottom of surface 24 about the periphery of bowl 12. An engagement
plane 42 is defined at interface between sealing flange 58 and
surface 44.
[0027] Covering 14 is monolithic and has a substantially uniform
thickness throughout. Inwardly from engagement portion 18, covering
14 has a curved annular wall 61 shaped to create a concave channel
40. Concave channel 40 is formed as the cross-section of covering
14 follows an arching profile 60 from engagement portion 18 to a
lower edge 62 of covering 14. The arching profile 60 provides the
shape of concave channel 40. The outward radial region of wall 61
is situated above engagement plane 42 and the inward radial region
of wall 61 is below plane 42 such that lower edge 62 is situated
below engagement plane 42. Thus, plane 42 intersects wall 61 of
covering 14. By having the radial inward region of wall 61 below
plane 62, the volume of space which retains the contents of
container 10 when container 10 is flipped over, is increased. In
alternative embodiments, covering 14 is shaped so that lower edge
42 is either substantially coplanar with, or above plane 42, when
container 10 is in the normal, upright position.
[0028] Opening 30 is bounded by lower edge 62 and is centered
relative to axis 50. The arching profile of wall 61 facilitates
access to contents 38 of container 10 with spoon 16 because the
shape of wall 61 blends smoothly toward opening 30 thereby
permitting a person using a spoon 16 to remove some of the contents
38 from container 10 through opening 30 with a scoop portion 17 of
spoon 16 remaining in a substantially horizontal orientation.
[0029] When covering 14 is coupled to bowl 12, the engagement
between sealing flange 58 and engagement surface 44, as well as the
engagement between the engagement lip 22 and engagement surface 24
results in a substantially liquid-tight seal. The engagement of
locking flange 48 to edge 46 retains covering 14 on bowl 12 until
removed by a person. A person may use a tab handle 28 which is
formed in covering 14 to gain leverage to disengage locking flange
48 from edge 46 to remove covering 14 from bowl 12.
[0030] The sealing between covering 14 and bowl 12 is such that as
container 10 is flipped over, contents 38 of the bowl will be
retained without leaking. For example, FIG. 4 shows container 10
rotated in the direction of arrow 64 ninety degrees about a
horizontal axis and illustrates how some of contents 38 are
retained within concave channel 40 of container 10. The
substantially liquid-tight seal of covering 14 to bowl 12 reduces
the potential for contents 38 to leak. If the container 10 is
rotated one-hundred eighty degrees about the horizontal axis,
contents 38 will be distributed such that contents 38 will continue
to be retained in concave channel 40 as shown in FIG. 5.
[0031] While the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 show an
engagement between covering 14 and bowl 12 that requires covering
14 to be snapped over the surfaces 44, 24 and edge 46 of bowl 12,
it should be understood that a number of methods of removably
coupling coverings to bowls exist in the prior art. For example, in
some embodiments, container 10 may comprise a bowl having an
annular flange extending upwardly from an upper flange or edge and
the covering may have a complementary recess which fits over the
flange to form an interference fit between the recess and flange
that is substantially liquid-tight. Also, in some other
embodiments, covering may have a flange circumscribing the
outermost edge of the covering, the flange extending downwardly and
having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the bowl
so as to engage the bowl with an interface fit resulting in a
substantially liquid-tight seal. The scope of this disclosure
should not be limited to the coupling/sealing configuration shown
herein.
[0032] Also, it should be understood that the proportion of sizes
and shapes of covering 14 and bowl 12 may be varied to vary the
resulting size of concave channel 40 and thereby vary the volume of
contents 38 retained. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5 is
illustrative only and the proportions of the components therein may
be varied to achieve any of a number sizes and shapes of concave
channel 40.
[0033] Further, the arching profile of wall 61 reduces the
potential for spilling. The arching wall 61 redirects contents 38
back into the bowl 12 so that contents 38 which are splashed
against the wall 61 have a tendency to fall back down into the bowl
12. Because the wall 61 extends below the plane of engagement at
the sealing point, the potential for spills out of the opening 30
is reduced even further.
[0034] Although certain illustrative embodiments have been
described in detail above, variations and modifications exist
within the scope and spirit of this disclosure as described and as
defined in the following claims.
* * * * *