Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Packaged or wrapped product – Having nonedible spacer to segregate all units of multiunit...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-29
2003-08-26
Weinstein, Steve (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Packaged or wrapped product
Having nonedible spacer to segregate all units of multiunit...
C426S115000, C426S394000, C426S112000, C206S219000, C206S222000, C215SDIG008, C220S501000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06610339
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a portable container for solid and liquid foods, such as cereal and milk. The present invention accommodates a busy lifestyle by allowing people to take mixable liquid and solid foods with them in a single package, to be mixed and consumed at their convenience.
Various types of containers for holding liquid and solid foods, such as milk and cereal, have previously been developed. For example, Ascone U.S. Re. Pat. No. 35,437 discloses a reusable milk and cereal container having a removable freeze pack adjacent a milk compartment, separate milk and cereal compartments with a valve interposed therebetween, and an optional detachable spoon.
Lenahan U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,394 discloses a container for mixing cereal and milk, where the contents are kept in separate compartments and are mixed by applying hand pressure to the container.
Newarski U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,679 discloses a single use cereal and milk container of plastic or paperboard, wherein the contents are mixed by means of removing a seal from the cereal compartment and opening a valve in the milk compartment. All references cited herein are incorporated by reference.
The present invention provides a more convenient portable edible liquid and edible solid container than the containers already known in the art. The easy-to-transport, portable container of the present invention enables the consumer to easily mix the dry and liquid ingredients, without worrying about spilling the contents, and to subsequently easily eat the mixed components. One embodiment of the container fits automobile cup holders. The container is resealable after opening and preferably includes a spoon.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a portable single container for storing an edible liquid separate from an edible dry component. The present invention permits a user to easily mix the liquid with the dry component without spilling the contents in a readily transportable container.
In one embodiment, the present invention is a portable container for transporting a solid and a liquid and comprises an outer vessel having at least one internal projection; an inner vessel received in the outer vessel, the inner vessel is rotatable within the outer vessel and has a removable top and at least one opening covered by a frangible membrane. A sealing member seals the outer vessel to the inner vessel. When the inner vessel is rotated within the outer vessel the at least one internal projection ruptures the frangible membrane and provides.
The present invention further comprises a method for storing an edible liquid separate from an edible solid in a container and subsequently mixing the liquid with the solid in the container. The present method comprises the steps of: providing a container having an outer vessel and an inner vessel, the outer vessel having at least one internal projection and the inner vessel having a removable top and at least one opening covered by a frangible membrane; placing the inner vessel into the outer vessel to define an inner space between them; placing an edible liquid in the inner space and an edible solid in the inner vessel; sealingly joining the inner vessel to the outer vessel; and rotating the inner vessel within the outer vessel, thereby causing the at least one internal projection to rupture the frangible membrane and permit mixing of the edible liquid with the edible solid.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 4793475 (1988-12-01), Itzel
patent: 4793476 (1988-12-01), Schrupp
patent: 5209348 (1993-05-01), Schafer
patent: 5514394 (1996-05-01), Lenahan
patent: 5540326 (1996-07-01), Arnold et al.
patent: RE35437 (1997-02-01), Ascone
patent: 5706980 (1998-01-01), Dickerson
patent: 5727679 (1998-03-01), Newarski
patent: 2694542 (1994-02-01), None
patent: 2298406 (1996-04-01), None
patent: 06080166 (1994-03-01), None
patent: WO0029305 (2000-05-01), None
Howard & Howard
Kellogg Company
Madsen Robert A.
Weinstein Steve
LandOfFree
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