Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Surface coated – fluid encapsulated – laminated solid... – Having inedible feature
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-16
2001-04-24
Weinstein, Steven L. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Surface coated, fluid encapsulated, laminated solid...
Having inedible feature
C426S090000, C426S104000, C426S110000, C426S115000, C426S120000, C426S103000, C426S134000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06221407
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hand-held confectionary product having a solid, transparent candy mass and a housing therefor including an interior compartment receivable of an object of interest to the intended purchasers of the confection, e.g., a small toy of interest to children. By licking the candy mass, which thus slowly dissolves, the child receives a pleasurable taste. More particularly, the housing is substantially cylindrical and includes a plastic base having a hollow interior compartment accessible at one end of the base for housing the toy and a support and retaining structure for the candy mass at an opposite end of the base, a transparent or opaque cap or cover removably engaging with the base to enclose the candy mass without contact between the cover and the candy mass and a sealing member removably engaging with the base to seal the hollow interior compartment. The cover may be transparent or opaque, possibly includes printed matter thereon, and/or may have the shape of a (well-known) character. The candy mass may be a solid product formed upon solidification of a liquid candy or confectionary material that may have different colors and various flavors. The candy mass is a confectionary product that the child is consuming just the time he or she wishes to “eat” the product, and then he or she is able to place the cover on the product to keep the product clean. The shape of the candy mass may be cylindrical or conical, or it can have any other geometrical shape or even the shape of a (well-known) character.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the prior art, there are several hand-held confectionary products having a solid candy product that dissolves upon being licked by the tongue of the consumer thereby imparting a pleasurable taste to the consumer.
One particular confectionary product of interest is a candy called a PUSH POP™, distributed by, e.g., Topps Ireland. This product has a two-part detachable housing, i.e., a base member onto which a candy mass is mounted and an opaque cap or cover removably engaging with the base for covering the candy mass. The candy mass is solid and mounted on a displaceable member for movement from a storage position in which it is situated substantially within the base to a consumption position in which it extends beyond the base a desired distance as needed for licking by the consumer, the desired distance being determined by the consumer, but it is most often the extreme extended position. The sliding member is moved by inserting a finger of the consumer through an aperture in the bottom of the base to engage with the sliding member. Accordingly, the sliding member must be accessible through the bottom of the base. The cap has a flat upper surface and in light of its opacity, prevents viewing of the candy mass when engaging with the base. A thin, elongate clip is attached to the cap and extends over the base and enables the confectionary product to be attached to, e.g., clothing.
It is a problem with the PUSH POP™ that as the candy mass dissolves, i.e., as it is being licked, some of the dissolved candy may drip onto the sliding member and prevent movement of the sliding member. Also, the continual movement of the candy mass into and out of the base is detrimental to the cleanliness of the candy product, and will make the product less attractive from the commercial standpoint because it causes the child to get dirty or sticky fingers.
Another very significant problem of the prior art confectionary product is that the solid candy bar sticks to the wall of the plastic container during its storage in a warehouse. In spite of the fact that it is provided with a wrapper, the candy gives off moisture, sticks to the plastic walls of the cap and thereby makes consumption of the candy bar nearly impossible. The child is not aware of such deterioration upon purchasing the confectionary product, and will be highly disappointed when after unwrapping the candy, he cannot get it out of the housing.
Other confectionary products similar to the PUSH POP™ include a KISSING™ candy manufactured by Jeong Woo Confectionery Co., Ltd., Korea and a TORPEDO™ candy. Also manufactured in Korea. This product is essentially identical to the PUSH POP™ except that it has a rounded cap and the clip extends further along the base. Nevertheless, the same problems prevalent in the PUSH POP™ are also present in this confectionary product.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new confectionary product in which a solid candy mass is supported and retained in a holder or base which includes an accessible, interior compartment in which a small object such as a toy can be placed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved confectionary product which is more pleasing and attractive to the primary intended consumers of the same, i.e., children.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a hand-held confectionary product which does not have the disadvantages of prior art confectionary products, namely the PUSH POP™, KISSING™ and TORPEDO™ products, in particular, which avoids sticking of the candy to the plastic walls of the cap so that the child will not get dirty or sticky fingers.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved housing for a confectionary product which enables viewing of the contents of the confectionary product situated within the housing without requiring the housing to be opened.
To obtain these objects and others, the confectionary product in accordance with the invention generally comprises a substantially cylindrical housing having an accessible interior compartment and a transparent candy mass supported by the housing. In one basic embodiment, the housing is made of plastic and comprises a base and a cap removably engaging with the base for covering the candy mass. The base has a support and retaining structure at one end thereof, such as a projection extending from a planar surface, connected to the candy mass to firmly retain the candy mass. A sealing member or plastic tap removably engages with an open end of the base to close an opening leading into the interior compartment and thus seals the interior compartment. A small toy of interest to a child may at least initially be placed in the compartment, e.g., for sales purposes. The cap is preferably transparent to enable viewing of the candy mass while engaging with the base and covering the candy mass. The candy mass is preferably a solid, transparent mass having one or more colors and one or more flavors formed by the solidification of a liquid material while the projection on the base is immersed therein to enable the projection to be firmly embedded in the solid candy mass. Adherence increasing means are provided on the projection, such as outwardly extending ridges or indented grooves, in order to increase the adherence and bonding of the candy mass to the projection. The transparent candy mass may have several different colors and/or several different tastes selected to appeal to children.
In certain embodiments, the base comprises a tubular wall and a transverse wall extending across one end of the tubular wall. The projection is arranged on and projects upward from the transverse wall. The projection may comprises a tubular wall having a rounded top extending from an upper edge thereof or, in the alternative, a tubular wall having a flat transverse wall extending from an upper edge thereof.
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Bayes Turull Ramon
Escola Gallart Ramon
Steinberg & Raskin, P.C.
Weinstein Steven L.
Zeta Espacial S.A.
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