GB2180825A - Condiment dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A condiment dispenser such as a combined salt dispenser and peppermill 13 comprises a lower body portion 15 for storing peppercorns for a peppermill (not shown) and an upper body portion 17 defining a reservoir for salt. Holes 19 through which the salt can be dispensed are defined between the top body portion and a lip 21 on a lid 23. This construction is especially suitable when the condiment dispenser is made of plastics material such as acrylic, because it avoids the need to use pins in, for example, an injection mould, the use of which has previously been found to lead to the appearance of disfiguring "weld" lines as injected plastics material flows round the pins in the mould. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Condiment dispenser This invention relates to a condiment dispenser such as a salt shaker or pourer, particularly those made of mouldable plastics material, such as acrylic plastics.

Although metai, wood, glass and ceramics materials have in the past frequently been used for condiment dispensers such as salt pots and peppermills, there has recently been a desirability to manufacture such condiment dispensers from acrylic plastics material.

Acrylic plastics is a currently fashionable material which can be used to make clear or coloured condiment dispensers. These include salt pourers and shakers, peppermills, shakers and pourers for other spices and herbs and flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate.

A particularly popular form of condiment dispenser is a combined salt shaker or pourer and peppermill. Such items are known in the trade as combos. They generally consist of a peppermill-like construction, although possibly somewhat larger than usual, the internal storage chamber of which is divided into two.

The lower portion formed by the division is used to store peppercorns for the mill device, which is located at the bottom of the combo, whereas the upper portion serves as a reservoir for table salt. The salt is dispensed through pouring or shaking holes formed in an upper part of the combo.

In a commercially available combo made of acrylic plastics material, six salt dispensing holes are formed in a top member or lid of the device and are symmetrically distributed about a central axis. The lid is a clear acrylic slightly concave disc, resembling a watch glass, and the holes are of course formed right through it.

It is common to form acrylic members of such devices by injection moulding. A mould is formed from two halves, which when mated together form a cavity corresponding to the shape of the member. Liquid acrylic plastics material is injected through a central sprue and spreads to the periphery of the mould cavity. Pins, corresponding to the intended dispensing holes, are positioned on one or other of the mould halves to extend across the cavity of the mould. As the liquid acrylic material fills up the cavity, the dispensing holes will be left as localised voids, but it is here that a problem arises.

The liquid acrylic material, as it is filling the cavity in the mould, flows around each pin as it meets it and so the flow is temporarily div ided. The divided flow then joins at the other side of the pin. The consequence of this is to leave a small linear irregularity in the finished plastics member extending radially away from the central sprue. These irregularities are known as "weld lines" and are an aesthetically unpleasing feature in the finished product.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to construct a condiment dispenser, of acrylic plastics material or other material, which has holes through which condiment may be dispensed but which is not disfigured by weld lines such as are formed in the conventional injection moulding process.

According to the present invention, there is provided a condiment dispenser having one or more holes through which condiment may be dispensed, the or each hole being defined between two adjacent separately formed members.

By avoiding having the holes formed in a single member, the need for pins in the mould is avoided. Instead, irregularities at the edge of a mould of one or both of the separately formed members (when, for example, they are formed of a plastics material such as acrylic) can cause channels to be defined. When the two separately formed members are subsequently mated together the or each channel will be flanked so as to convert it into a hole through which condiment may be dispensed from the finished articie.

Although this invention is particularly applicable to condiment dispensers having injection moulded members, it may be found useful when working with other materials, as it avoids the need for drilling, punching or otherwise post-forming holes through the dispenser or a member of it. Injection or compression moulded plastics are preferred, especially polycarbonate, styrene acrylonitrile and acrylic plastics.

It will be appreciated that the adjacent separately formed members can be subsequently glued, moulded or joined together in some other appropriate fashion; a device formed by such a method is encompassed within the invention.

A condiment dispenser in accordance with the invention may be a shaker or pourer for salt, pepper, other spices or herbs, flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate, dried powdered vegetables such as onion and garlic, grated cheese such as parmesan, sugar, chocolate (e.g. for making capuccino) or any other suitable (for example powdered or smallgrained food) flavouring or additive.

The dispenser may have at least two holes, for example three. Preferably, the holes (when there are two or more of them) are located close to one another so that the dispenser can be used either as a pourer to build up a small supply of condiment on the side of one's plate or as a shaker to scatter it over food.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the condiment dispenser is a combo, that is to say a combined salt shaker or pourer and peppermill.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how it may be put into effect, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a top plan view of a known acrylic combined salt shaker and peppermill; Figure 2 shows a side elevational view of a combined salt pourer/shaker and peppermill in accordance with the present invention; Figure 3 shows a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 2; and Figure 4 shows a vertical sectional view of the device shown in Figs. 2 and 3, taken along the lines Ill-IV, with parts omitted for clarity.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a top plan view of a known combined salt shaker and peppermill (''combo") 1. The combo 1 is made of clear acrylic plastics material and has a circular clear acrylic top member or lid 3 mounted on top of a body 5. The lid 3 is secured to the body by means of a nut 7, which engages with a central shaft of a peppermill mechanism (not shown). The nut 7 covers a central hole in the lid 3.

Formed in the lid 3 are six holes out of which salt may be shaken. They are distributed symmetrically -around the central hole.

Radiating from each hole 9 away from the centre of the lid is a weld line 11 caused by the injection moulding process used to form the lid 3. During manufacture, liquid acrylic plastics material flowed from a central sprue radially outwardly around pins determining the position of the holes 9. The meeting of the liquid material after its flow had been divided round the pins caused the weld lines 11 to form.

A combo 13 in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The body of the combo 13 is divided into a lower body portion 15 in which peppercorns for a peppermill mechanism (not shown) can be stored. An upper body portion 17 defines a reservoir for salt.

Holes 19 are defined between the top body portion 17 and a lip 21 formed on a lid 23.

More precisely, the holes 19 are each formed initially as channels in the lip 21 which are then flanked in use by the adjacent top body portion 17 to form holes. The- lid 23 is kept firmly adjacent the upper body portion 17 by being secured onto an axially extending shaft of a peppermill mechanism (not shown) which is anchored to a lowermost part of the body of the combo 13.

The lid 23 incorporating the lip 21 is formed as a single injection-moulded member of clear acrylic plastic material. This material is also used to construct the body of the combo 13. Since there are no non-central throughholes in the top lid 23 itself, there is no problem caused by the problem of weld lines during manufacture. The channels that go to form the holes 19 are simply formed by projections on one of the mould halves used in moulding.

Three holes 19 are formed close together so that the device can be used to pour salt or to shake it over food.

Claims (9)

1. A condiment dispenser having one or more holes through which condiment may be dispensed, the or each hole being defined between two adjacent separately formed members.

2. A condiment dispenser as claimed in claim 1, in which the said members are injection moulded.

3. A condiment dispenser as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which each of the said members are formed of a plastics material.

4. A condiment dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein the plastics material is acrylic.

5. A condiment dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the holes are so sized as to make the dispenser suitable for dispensing salt, a spice, a herb, a flavour enhancer, a dried powdered vegetable, grated chees, sugar or chocolate.

6. A condiment dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, which is a combined salt dispenser and peppermill.

7. A condiment dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, having at least two holes.

8. A condiment dispenser as claimed in claim 7, wherein the holes are located close to one another.

9. A condiment dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.