Dispensing – With plural openings or discharge guides – Hand-manipulable shaker – diverse-type openings
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-23
2001-10-30
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Dispensing
With plural openings or discharge guides
Hand-manipulable shaker, diverse-type openings
C222S565000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308870
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to hand-held plastic containers for storing and dispensing particulate matter. More particularly, it relates to such containers with a cover having a plurality of flaps for enclosing, respectively, a plurality of openings in the cover. More particularly, it relates to containers for foodstuffs having a shaker opening with a plurality of holes and a spooning opening with a large opening adapted to receive a common household spoon.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the field of hand-held plastic containers for storing and dispensing particulate matter, particularly foodstuffs or seasonings such as those displayed and sold in supermarkets, designers have desired to create containers that are easily stackable, having several openings, particularly openings for both shaking and spooning that have flaps to seal these openings, yet are inexpensive to manufacture in large quantities and are inexpensive to assemble.
These containers typically have a diameter of between 20 and 150 millimeters and are especially suitable for cooks who can spoon foodstuffs such as spices from a first opening and can shake the same foodstuffs from a second set of openings. Typically, the matter is spooned from the first opening and deposited into a bowl or other container for mixing food. The spooning opening is adapted to receive any one of a variety of common household spoons used for measuring foodstuffs. A second opening (or more accurately, several openings) on a second side of the cover are provided to allow the foodstuffs to be shaken out of the container. Typically, the shaker side of the container cover is used when the foodstuffs are shaken directly into food that is being served, or food that is being seasoned “to taste” while it is cooking.
Manufacturers of these products must balance several conflicting goals. First, the container must seal tightly to prevent the foodstuffs from oxidizing, to prevent their flavors from evaporating and to prevent them from picking up any of the flavors of the adjacent foods. Second, the container must be inexpensive to manufacture, since the cost of the foodstuffs in the container is typically quite small. Third, the container must similarly be inexpensive to fill and assemble. Fourth, the container must easily and reliably stack on supermarket shelves to a typical height of three to five containers, since supermarket shelves are typically spaced several inches apart, and shelf space is at a premium.
Manufacturers have had mixed results with their designs. In a typical recent example in the prior art, a cover is provided that has two flaps, one flap having a skirt extending down from its lower surface to seal a spooning opening, and another flap having three skirts extending down from its lower surface to seal three shaker openings. The skirts extend at right angles from the lower surface of their respective flaps and are sized to snap fit within their respective openings to secure their respective flaps in a closed position. A drawback of this design is that the flaps are formed separately from the rest of the cover and thus a separate joining process is required. In an alternative prior art design, a two-flap cover having one spooning opening and one shaker opening, avoids the thick skirts of the previous example, and provides slightly rounded bumps on the inner surface of the shaker flap that seal against the corresponding shaker openings. A drawback to this design is the limited sealing ability of the cover with bumps since the bumps do not lock into the holes they cover.
What is needed, therefore, is an improved food products container having a cover formed integrally with a plurality of flaps that provides improved sealing. It is an object of this invention to provide such a cover.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, a cover for a food products container is disclosed including a cylindrical portion having a first and a second end, a means for coupling the cover to a container disposed on an inner surface of the cylindrical portion, a substantially planar and circular top portion coupled to and enclosing the first end of the cylindrical portion and having a plurality of shaker openings disposed on a first side of the top portion and a spooning opening disposed on a second side of the top portion, a shaker flap formed integrally with the top portion and having an outer edge with a downwardly extending skirt and hingably secured to the top portion to rotatingly open about a line adjacent to a diametral line of the top portion and disposed to selectively cover and uncover the plurality of shaker openings, and a spooning flap formed integrally with the top portion and having an outer edge with a downwardly extending skirt and hingably secured to the top portion to rotatingly open about a line adjacent to a diametral line of the top portion and disposed to selectively cover and uncover the spooning openings. The cylindrical portion may have a first recess disposed to receive the skirt extending from the spooning flap or a second recess disposed to receive the skirt extending from the shaker flap. The shaker flap and spooning flap may be recessed within the top portion at an outer edge of the top portion to provide in combination with the outer edge a container supporting surface or may have a raised lip with an outer diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion. The spooning flap skirt when in a closed position may extend both downward with respect to the spooning flap and outward with respect to a central axis of the cover. The raised lip on the shaker flap may be coupled to the shaker flap at a position disposed outwardly from a position at which the shaker flap skirt is coupled to the shaker flap. The raised lip on the spooning flap may be coupled to the spooning flap at a position disposed outwardly from a position at which the spooning flap skirt is coupled to the spooning flap. The top portion may include a raised lip disposed at an edge of the top portion adjacent to the cylindrical portion. The raised lip of the top portion may have substantially the same diameter as the raised lip of the shaker flap and the raised lip of the spooning flap.
In accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, a closed-bottom receptacle with an otherwise open and cylindrical upper end coupled to and enclosed by the cover. The receptacle may have a first annular recess disposed at its upper end to receive the cylindrical portion of the cover. An outer surface of the receptacle may be substantially cylindrical and may have a diameter substantially the same as an outer diameter of the cover. A raised lip may be provided extending from both the shaker flap and the spooning flap, and the receptacle may have a second annular recess disposed at a closed bottom of the receptacle to receive the shaker flap lip and the spooning flap lip. The shaker flap and the spooning flap may be recessed within the top portion at an outer edge of the top portion to provide in combination with the outer edge a container supporting surface. The shaker flap and spooning flap may have a raised lip with a diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion. The top portion may also include a raised lip disposed at an edge of the top portion adjacent to the cylindrical portion. The raised lip of the top portion may have substantially the same diameter as the raised lip of the shaker flap and the raised lip of the spooning flap.
Other principal features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following drawings, the detailed description and the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 181615 (1876-08-01), Albertson
patent: 1773553 (1930-08-01), Taylor et al.
patent: 3018931 (1962-01-01), Westgate
patent: 3140019 (1964-07-01), Barr
patent: 3180537 (1965-04-01), Collins
patent: 3323671 (1967-06-01), Minarik, Jr. et al.
patent: 3372832 (1968-03-01), Yeater et al.
patent: 428
Samz John B.
Vogel William C.
Douglas Steven O.
Foley & Lardner
Gateway Plastics, Inc.
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