U.S. patent application number 14/325342 was filed with the patent office on 2016-01-07 for container cover with pour spout and spoon.
The applicant listed for this patent is Dart Industries Inc.. Invention is credited to Jakob Heiberg.
Application Number | 20160001960 14/325342 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53673734 |
Filed Date | 2016-01-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160001960 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Heiberg; Jakob |
January 7, 2016 |
CONTAINER COVER WITH POUR SPOUT AND SPOON
Abstract
A container cover with pour spout and spoon. The cover includes
a rim, and a top wall within the rim. An aperture extends through
the top wall. A slider is mounted to the top wall and moves between
an open and a closed position. In the open position the aperture
may be used as a pour spout. The slider may be removed to use as a
spoon within the aperture.
Inventors: |
Heiberg; Jakob;
(Charlottenlund, DK) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Dart Industries Inc. |
Orlando |
FL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
53673734 |
Appl. No.: |
14/325342 |
Filed: |
July 7, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/212 ;
220/200 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 47/286 20130101;
B65D 43/0214 20130101; B65D 51/246 20130101; B65D 83/06 20130101;
B65D 43/0212 20130101; B65D 43/06 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65D 83/06 20060101
B65D083/06; B65D 51/24 20060101 B65D051/24; B65D 43/06 20060101
B65D043/06 |
Claims
1. A container cover, comprising: a peripheral rim sized and shaped
to be selectively secured to a container base; a top wall within
said rim, with an aperture extending therethrough, said aperture
having parallel sides and spaced ends; and a slider having a main
body with a locking wall extending downwardly therefrom and
received within said aperture, said locking wall having first faces
in close sliding engagement with said aperture sides, said faces
having a length less than that of said aperture sides such that
said slider may be manually moved with respect to said top wall
between open and closed positions, with said main body covering and
closing said aperture in said closed position.
2. A cover as in claim 1, wherein said locking wall further
includes second faces each extending between said first faces at
the longitudinal ends thereof, and wherein said main body is
depressed within a periphery defined by said first and second
faces, such depression in said main body forming a bowl of a spoon,
with said slider being selectively manually removed from said
sliding engagement with said top panel and inserted within said
aperture manually for scooping.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention relates in general to containers
intended to manually dispense powders and granular materials,
especially food.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a container
cover allowing manual dispensing of powders and granular material
from the container.
[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
container cover which includes a manually openable pouring
spout.
[0006] A further object of the present invention is to provide
container cover in which the pour spout is selectively closed by a
cover which may be removed for use as a dispensing spoon.
[0007] These and other objects are achieved by a container cover
with pour spout and spoon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The objects and features of the invention noted above are
explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which
like reference numerals denote like elements, and in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the cover according to
the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded top perspective view thereof;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a top view of a seal according to the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view thereof;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a slider according to
the present invention; and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a detailed cross-sectional view a long line 6-6 of
a FIG. 1; and
[0015] FIG. 7 is a detailed cross-sectional view a long line 7-7 of
a FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] With reference to FIG. 1, a container cover with pour spout
and spoon according to the present invention is generally
designated by reference numeral 10. The cover 10 is mounted to a
container base 12 having a generally concave form such that the
container 12 and cover 10 together define an enclosed volume for
storage. While cover 10 could be permanently secured to container
12, it is preferred that the cover 10 be selectively removable from
and replaceable on the container base 12 to allow easy refilling
for repeated use.
[0017] The cover 10 includes a peripheral rim 14 which surrounds
and supports a top wall 16 which includes a pour aperture 18
extending therethrough. The rim 14 and top wall 16 could be
separate elements, but are preferably formed as a monolithic unit
such as by injection molding. Cover 10 further includes a slider 20
removably secured to the top wall and capable of manual sliding
between a closed position and an open position.
[0018] The rim 14 will secure to the container base 12. When the
cover 10 is intended to be removable and replaceable, the rim may
be formed in a variety of ways known in the art. Most typically,
this would be an inverted U-shaped slot receiving an upper edge of
the container base as is well known in the art.
[0019] The slider 20 includes a planar main body 22 which is
elongated in a direction of movement between the open and closed
positions (referred to herein as the longitudinal direction, with
the lateral direction being perpendicular thereto). Main body 22 is
sized to fit within the rim 14. The main body 22 may be relatively
closely received within the rim 14 in the lateral direction (as
shown). However, the main body 22 must be shorter than the distance
between the rim 14 in the longitudinal direction, so as to allow
the main body 22 to move relative to, and within, the rim 14 as the
main body moves between the closed and open positions. The main
body 22 will also slide upon the top wall 16 (or at least a portion
thereof) during this movement. The main body 22 has a size and a
shape sufficient to fully cover the pour aperture 18.
[0020] The pour aperture 18 is elongated and includes two parallel
sides 26 spaced from each other and extending in the longitudinal
direction, as well as two spaced ends 28 each extending between the
sides 26. The ends may be relatively straight (forming a relatively
rectangular aperture 18, but are preferably curved as shown. The
slider 20 further includes a locking wall 24 extending from the
main body 22 to be received within the aperture 18. The locking
wall preferably has a closed periphery, with parallel first faces
30 spaced so as to be very closely received within the sides 26,
and with second faces 32 extending therebetween and shaped so as to
closely mate with the ends 28. The second faces 32 are spaced from
each other a distance less than the distance between the ends 28.
As such, the slider 20 may move longitudinally from a position when
one of second faces 32 abuts its adjoining end 28 (the closed
position of FIG. 1) to a position when the other of the second
faces 32 abuts against its adjoining end 28 (the open position of
FIG. 6). This movement may be manual and reciprocal, with the first
faces 30 sliding along their adjacent sides 26. The main body 22 is
sized and placed such that it extends beyond the second face 32
closest to the open position a sufficient distance to at least
cover the portion of aperture 18 which is not within the locking
wall 24 when the slider is in the closed position.
[0021] As may be seen, in the closed position main body 22 of the
slider 20 will fully cover and close the aperture 18. In the open
position, the portion of the main body extending beyond the locking
wall 24 will extend over the top wall 16. In this manner the slider
20 may be used to selectivey seal and unseal the aperture 18. When
in the open position, the user may tilt the entire container to
pour contents out of the aperture 18.
[0022] To ensure that the slider 20 remains in position to
operatively seal the aperture 18, at least the first faces 30 (and
preferably all faces) of the locking wall 24 include a groove 34.
The groove 34 may engage with a mating ridge 36 within the aperture
18. The top wall 16 itself may be of a thickness to form the ridge
36, or it may be formed on or by an enlarged periphery of the
aperture 18. It is an important part of the invention that the top
wall 16 and/or slider 20 be sufficiently elastic to allow manual
engagement and removal of the slider 20.
[0023] When the slider 20 is manually removed from the top wall 16
as in FIG. 2, it may be used as a spoon. To achieve this, the
locking wall 24 could be a thin strip (not shown) extending from
the main body 22 such that the slide 20 could be turned over and
the volume within the locking wall 24 and main body 22 would form
the bowl 37 of a spoon. Alternatively, and as shown in the figures,
the main body 22 could be depressed within the periphery of the
locking wall 24, thus forming the bowl 37 of the spoon. As may be
envisioned from FIG. 2, the user could manually remove the slider
20, grasping the portion of the main body 22 extending beyond the
locking wall 34 as a handle, and insert the bowl portion of slider
20 into the aperture 18 to scoop contents from the container
base.
[0024] While not required, it is preferred that the periphery of
the aperture 18 is raised with respect to the remainder of the top
wall 16. This will help to ensure full contact of the main body 22
against the aperture 18 to more fully seal the aperture with in any
position other than open.
[0025] To cause the manual sliding of the slider 20, the user could
insert their finger into the bowl formed by the depression in the
main body 22 (if the spoon is so formed). It is preferred, however,
to elongate the main body 22 further in the longitudinal direction,
and to form a finger catch 38 formed as an aperture therethrough
(or a depression therein). The portion of the top wall 16 could be
depressed beneath the finger catch 38 to allow its free movement
with the slider 20 between the open and closed positions.
Alternatively, an actual closed trench 40 could be formed in the
top wall 16.
[0026] In the most preferred form the finger catch 38 would extend
into the trench 40, with the trench 40 being undercut to form
longitudinal slide ribs 42 which are closely received within slide
grooves 44 in the outer lateral sides of the finger catch 38. Thus,
the finger catch 38 would be guided in a manner similar to the
locking wall 24 within the aperture 18. This would further serve to
ensure the main body 22 remains pressed against and properly seals
the aperture 18. As before, it is preferred that the connection
here be sufficiently elastic to allow the user to manually engage
and disengage the ribs 42 and grooves 44. Alternatively or
additionally, the ribs 42 may end prior to one or both longitudinal
ends of the trench 40 so as to form a widened opening allowing free
entry and exit of the finger catch 38 in the trench 40.
[0027] The sliding connections between the groove 34 and ridge 36
(as well as ribs 42 and groves 44) may be sufficiently tight to
hold the slider 20 in position against unintended movement. It may
be desirable, however, to form one or more protruding stops 46 on
the bottom face of main body 22 positioned to engage against the
inner periphery (or peripheral edge) of the aperture 18 to help
secure the slider 20 in the open position, closed position, an/or
an intermediate position.
[0028] From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is
one well adapted to attain all ends and objects set forth above
together with the other advantages which are inherent within its
structure.
[0029] It will be understood that certain features and
subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without
reference to other features and subcombinations. This is
contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
[0030] Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention
without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood
that all matter herein set forth of shown in the accompanying
drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a
limiting sense.
* * * * *