AU604770B2

AU604770B2 - Container

Info

Publication number: AU604770B2
Application number: AU80151/87A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Geoffrey Foxcroft
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-10-28
Filing date: 1987-10-26
Publication date: 1991-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2007-10-26
Also published as: AU8015187A

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 604 Form

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: Lodged: 1ls ur"; u (flt contansth amendnmonts made undor Section 4 ad is correct for I prin ini r Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Lapned: Published: Priority: Related Art: TO BE COMPLETED LY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: GEOFFREY FOXCROFT Address of Applicant: 26 Chaffey Avenue, Mildura, Victoria 3500, Australia Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Geoffrey Foxcroft CLEMENT HACK CO., 601 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled:

CONTAINER

The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me:- 2

CONTAINER

This invention relates to a container and in particular, but not exclusively, to a container for yoghurt or like edible substances.

The present invention provides a container, said container having an eating appliance integrally moulded thereto, said eating appliaace being moulded to the outside of the container so that the appliance is completely exterior of the container, said appliance being joined to the container by an integrally moulded bridge portion extending along part of one side of said appliance, said eating appliance being adapted to be broken from said container by fracturing said bridge portion to separate the appliance from the container to aid a user to consume the contents of the container.

3 Preferably, the eating appliance is a spoon.

However, depending on the contents of the container the eating appliance could be a fork or other device for enabli a user to pick up the contents of the container and consume that contents.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a container embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the container of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a detailed view of part of the embodiment of Figure 1; and Figures 4 and 5 are plan views of further embodiments of the invention.

With reference to Figures 1 to 3 a container 10 is shown which may be used to contain yoghurt or like edible substance. The container is adapted to be closed by a foil cover (not shown) which adheres to a flanqe 12 of the container 10. On one side of the container the flange 12 has a spoon 20 integrally moulded thereto. The spoon 20 is moulded to the flange 12 by a plurality of hridge portions 22 which are integral with the flange 12 and spoon In order to use the spoon 20, t. spoon is simply broken from the flange 12 by bending the spoon 20 so that bridge portions 22 fracture. The foil cap of the container can then be removed and the contents of the container consumed with the aid of the spoon In the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5 a double container is shown in which a spoon is integral with each container. The containers can be separated by fracturing the joining portion 30 of the containers and the spoons 20 can be removed in the same manner as described with reference to the earlier embodiment.

4 In other embodiments (not shown) the spoon could be replaced by a fork or other appliance to enable the contents of a package to be consumed.

The provision of an eating appliance such as a spoon or fork which is integral with the container enables a user to consume the contents of a container at any time wi-hout the need to provide a separate appliance or for a vendor to provide a separate spoon or fork. The invention therefore provides a convenient package which is attractive fiom the point of view of a manufacturer as well as an end user since it enables a user to consume the contents of the package as soon as it is purchased without the need for a vendor to supply a separate spoon etc. or for the user to provide his own spoon.

Since modification within the spirit ani scope of the invention may readily be effected by persons skilled within the art, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described by way of example hereinabove.

Claims

1. A container, said container having an eating appliance integrally moulded thereto, said eating appliance being moulded to the outside of the container so that the appliance is completely exterior of the container, said appliance being joined to the container by an integrally moulded bridge portion extending along part of one side of said appliance, said eating appliance being adapted to be broken from said container by fracturing said bridge portion to separate the appliance from the container to aid a user to consume the contents of the container.

2. The container of Claim 1 wherein the eating appliance is a spoon.

3, A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or 4 or 5 of the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS 17TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 1990 GEOFFREY FOXCROFT By His Patent Attorneys: GRIFFITH HACK CO., Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia