GB2447220A

GB2447220A - Combined food and drink container

Info

Publication number: GB2447220A
Application number: GB0704646A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Schofield
Original assignee: Jackel International Ltd
Current assignee: Jackel International Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-09
Filing date: 2007-03-09
Publication date: 2008-09-10
Also published as: GB0704646D0

Abstract

A container 1 is provided for storing food and/or drink wherein said container 1 comprises first 2 and second 3 compartments and first and second openings, wherein said first opening enables user access to the first compartment 1 and said second opening enables user access to the second compartment. The container 1 further comprises closure means 6, preferably in the form of a lid 6, operable, in a first configuration, to close both of the first and second openings and in a second configuration, to open only the first opening and, in a third configuration, to open only the second opening. The closure means 6 are further operable such that the first and second openings cannot be fully open simultaneously. Preferably there is a conduit 20 in the form of a straw 20 for channeling contents from the second compartment 3 to the second opening. The straw 20 may be folded away when not in use.

Description

iMPROVED CONTAINER This invention relates to a container, in particular

(but not exclusively) a so-called "dual" container having two compartments. It is particularly suitable, but by no means limited, for containing liquid in one compartment and food or some other dry substance in the other compartment.

The problem of how to effectively store and transport food and drink for personal consumption by a user is well recognised. It is possible to transport food or drink in a portable container such as a Thermos (RTM) flask or in a sealable Tupperware (RIM) container. However it will be appreciated that a user may often wish to store and transport food and drink together, without having to use two separate containers for doing so, since two separate containers may create unnecessary weight and bulk. Furthermore, there is a desire for lightweight and simple-to-use containers which can store and transport food and drink. This is particularly the case if the user is an infant or child, or if the user will be moving (e.g. walking or running) when trying to access the container's contents.

Several known containers exist which provide means for storing and accessing food and liquid separately from one another. These containers are used, for example, for storing and transporting food andlor drink for infants and children. They are also used by sportspeople and others for transporting food and drink for consumption during sporting events or other physical activity.

However, there are several problems associated with the containers which are currently available to the public.

One container which is designed for the separate storage of food and liquid in a single container is described in US2004/0000565 (Nicholas). According to

I

US2004/0000565, a container assembly is provided wherein the container is divided into four distinct longitudinal compartments in a quadrant arrangement by two longitudinally extending partition members. The container assembly further comprises a blocking member for covering the opening to all four compartments and sealing food or beverage therein. The assembly also includes a lid having a 900 (one quadrant) opening in its upper surface. When the blocking member is removed from above the four compartments, the lid can be rotated so that the 90 opening is situated above one or two of the compartments, hence allowing the user access to the food or beverage stored therein. It is not possible to access one or more of the compartments in US2004/0000565 without first removing the blocking member which seals all four compartments. Furthermore there is no means for accessing a single one of the compartments mutually exclusively to accessing each of the others.

Other known designs for dual containers include containers having two or more compartments wherein each compartment has its own actuatable lid.

According to such designs, one or both compartments can be accessed at any one time, independently of one another. Other known containers include lids having two separate openings for accessing two respective compartments, wherein a moveable flap on the lid can cover one or other of the openings at any one time.

There is a desire for a container which comprises two or more compartments which are effectively sealed from one another, wherein access to a first compartment is mutually exclusive of access to the/each other compartment(s).

Problems arise in known containers in that it is possible for liquid to escape from a first compartment when the user is trying to only access dry food from another compartment, or vice versa. A further problem arises with known containers in that it is ofien necessary to partially or fully dismantle the container in order to access the contents stored therein, for example by removing a blocking member. In other known containers a problem arises because it is necessary to add additional components in order to access food or liquid stored in a certain compartment; for example because it is necessary to add a straw each time the user wishes to extract liquid from a compartment.

The invention is set out in the claims.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method as defined in Claim 1 of the appended claims. Thus there is provided a container for storing food and/or drink, said container comprising first and second compartments and having first and second openings, wherein said first opening enables user access to said first compartment and said second opening enables user access to said second compartment, the container further comprising closure means operable, in a first configuration, to close both of said first and second openings and, in a second configuration, to open only the first opening and, in a third configuration, to open only the second opening, wherein said closure means are further operable such that said first and second openings cannot be fully open simultaneously.

By providing first and second openings for enabling user access to respective first and second compartments of the container, this advantageously enables a user to store and access different food or drink substances separately in each of the compartments. When the user does not wish to access the contents of the compartments, the closure means of the container are operable to close both the first and second openings in order to seal the contents of the first and second compartments therein. Furthermore, because the closure means are operable such that the first and second openings cannot be fully open simultaneously, this provides the advantage that the user must close the first compartment when he or she wishes to access the contents of the second compartment, and vice versa. This advantageously prevents cross-contamination of the contents of the first and second compartments, and prevents accidental spillage or leakage of the contents of one compartment when the user is accessing the contents of the other compartment. For example, if one compartment contains liquid and the other compartment contains dry food, the container arrangement ensures that liquid will not leak or spill from one compartment when the user is accessing dry food from the other compartment, and vice versa.

Preferable, optional, features are defined in the dependent claims.

Thus, preferably the container further comprises a conduit for channelling contents from the second compartment to the second opening. In a preferred embodiment the conduit comprises a drinking straw that is resiliently flexible along at least a portion of its length. However, the conduit may alternatively include a spout or teat, or some other means by which liquid may be conveyed.

Such a conduit advantageously enables the user to simply and quickly drink liquid stored in the second compartment. There is no need for the user to insert a straw or other conduit means into the second opening in order to drink therefrom.

Preferably the closure means are configured to close a portion of the conduit when the container is in the first or second configuration, and to open said portion of the conduit when the container is in the third configuration.

Particularly preferably the closure means are operable to close the said portion of the conduit by folding and/or compressing it. This provides an efficient and straightforward means of preventing user access to the second compartment via the second opening, without the need for the user to remove or insert any components from or into the container. It also enables the container to be manufactured using a relatively small number of components, keeping manufacturing costs and timescales to a minimum.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a lid for a container having first and second compartments, wherein said lid includes first and second openings to enable user access to said first compartment and said second compartment respectively, the lid further comprising closure means operable, in a first configuration, to close both of said first and second openings and, in a second configuration, to open only the first opening and, in a third configuration, to open only the second opening, wherein said closure means are further operable such that said first and second openings cannot be fully open simultaneously.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a container for storing food or drink, said container including a conduit for enabling user access to the contents of said container in use, said container further including closure means; wherein, in use, said closure means are operable to fold or compress a portion of said conduit to prevent user access to the contents of said container. Because such a container provides a conduit and a closure means which are inter-operable in order to control user access to the contents of the container, this provides a simple and efficient means for storing and accessing food or drink. When the user wishes to access the contents of the container, the conduit provides means for doing so. On the other hand, when the user does not wish to access the contents of the container, and in particular when the user wishes to seal contents inside the container for storage and/or transportation, the closure means is operable to do so.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a container according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates an exploded side view of the container of Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a straw arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the straw and valve arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 5a illustrates a perspective view from above of the container of Figure Figure 5b illustrates a schematic plan view from above of the container of Figure 1; and Figure 6 illustrates the underside of part of the closure means of the container according to an embodiment of the invention.

In the figures, like elements are indicated by like reference numerals throughout.

The present embodiments represent the best ways known to the Applicant of putting the invention into practice. However, they are not the only ways in which this can be achieved.

In overview, a portable, hand-held container includes first and second openings which enable user access to first and second respective compartments of the container. The container further comprises closure means which are operable to close both of the first and second openings, and which are further operable to open each of said first and second openings individually, but such that the first and second openings cannot be fully open at the same time. This enables the user to store and transport food and/or drink contents separately in the first and second respective compartments and to access the contents of the first and second compartments one at a time. Simultaneous user access to the first and second compartments is prevented so as to prevent both crosscontamination of the contents of the respective compartments and spillage of the contents of one compartment when the user is accessing the contents of the other compartment.

Figures 1 and 2 show a portable, hand-held container according to a preferred embodiment. The container 1 includes an upper compartment 2 and a lower compartment 3. The lower compartment 3 comprises a solid base 7, which is preferably circular in cross-section, and a continuous sidewall 8 extending therefrom. According to a preferred embodiment the sidewall 8 extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base 7 until a point "A" at approximately three quarters of the height of the sidewall 8. At point "A" the sidewall slopes outwardly to form an annular flange 13, wherein the diameter of the flange 13 is greater than the diameter of the base 7 of the lower compartment 3. Upward of the flange 13, the sidewall 8 of the lower compartment 3 continues to extend substantially perpendicular to the flange 3.

The portion 18 of the sidewall 8 which extends upwards of the flange 13 preferably comprises screw threads on its outer surface for inter-engaging the lower compartment 3 with the upper compartment 2, as is described in more detail below.

The upper compartment 2 comprises a solid base 4 and a continuous sidewall 5 extending therefrom. Preferably the majority portion of the sidewall 5 extends upwards of the solid base 4 and a smaller projection 11, making up one quarter or less of the total length of the sidewall, projects downwardly of the solid base 4. This projection 11 comprises a screw thread on its inner surface for inter-engagement of the upper compartment 2 with the lower compartment 3.

Preferably, the upper compartment 2 includes a female screw thread on the inside of the projection 11 which inter-engages with a male screw thread on the outer surface of the portion 18 of the lower compartment 3 which extends above the flange 13. The maimer of inter-engagement of the male and female screw thread components described herein will be well known to those skilled in the art, and thus will not be described in any more detail. Moreover, ii will be appreciated that the position of the male and female screw threads may be interchanged, or that alternative inter-engagement means, such as one or more protruding lugs on one compartment engaging in one or more grooves or recesses in the other compartment, may be provided.

It will be appreciated that when the upper 2 and lower 3 compartments are inter-engaged by means of the screw thread components, the base 4 of the upper compartment 2 acts as a cover for the lower compartment 3. The contents of the lower compartment 3 are therefore sealed both from the upper compartment 2 and from the outside of the container 1.

As is seen from Figures 1 and 2, the container I further comprises a lid 6 which is removeably attachable to the upper portion of the upper compartment 2. The lid 6 comprises actuatable means for allowing access to each of the upper 2 and lower 3 compartments via separate holes 60, 61 (most clearly shown in Figure 6). The structure and operation of the lid 6 is described in more detail below.

In a preferred embodiment of the container 1, the lower compartment 3 is suited to contain liquids whereas as the upper compartment 2 is better suited to contain dry food or other snacks. As shown in Figure 1 and in more detail in Figure 2, in order for the user to access liquid in the lower compartment 3, a straw 20 is provided. The straw 20 extends from the lower compartment 3 to the outside of the container I, upwards of the lid 6, via the upper compartment 2 and a hole 61 in the lid 6. In order to enable the straw 20 to pass from the lower compartments into the upper compartment 2, the upper compartment 2 includes a hole 21 in its base 4. The hole 21 is substantially circular in cross-section and is sized to correspond with the outer circumference of the straw 20, as is described in more detail below. In one possible embodiment, the hole 21 in the base 4 of the upper compartment 2 is formed in the shape of 2 overlapping circles in order to accommodate both the straw 20 extending therethrough and a valve 50 (shown in Figure 4) which is provided in the base 4.

Preferably, the straw 20 is made in two pieces 30, 31. The lower section 30 is preferably rigid and extends from the bottom of the lower compartment 3 to the base 4 of the upper compartment 2. The upper section 3 1 of the straw 20 is resiliently flexible and extends from just below the base 4 of the upper compartment 2, through the hole 61 in the lid 6 and has a short protrusion 102, as shown in Figure 5a, above the lid 6, so that the user can suck on the straw 20.

As shown in Figure 3, preferably the rigid lower section 30 of straw 20 fits inside the bottom 32 of the flexible upper section 31 of straw 20, thereby effecting a leak proof seal. A short length 32 of the inner surface of the bottom of the upper section of straw 20 has a slightly larger circumference than the rest of the upper section of straw 20. As a result, the lower section 30 of the straw can only be inserted into the upper section 31 of the straw a short predetermined distance. According to a preferred embodiment, the upper section 31 of the straw is further arranged to seal against the base 4 of the upper compartment 2 as it passes through said base 4, thus preventing liquid in the lower compartment 3 from entering the upper compartment 2. In order to achieve this seal, the outside surface of the bottom of the upper section of straw 31 is moulded to incorporate a thickened section of wall 40 having a circumferential groove 41 or indentation around the mid-height of said thickened section of wall 40. The size of the circumferential groove 41 matches the inner circumference 42 of the hole 21 in the base 4 of the upper compartment 2, so that the straw 20 is exactly located by the groove 41, thus providing a leak-proof seal. The upper section 31 of the straw is prevented from moving up or down or being pulled out of the base 4 by means of the circumferential groove 41 and the thickened section of wall 40, which sandwiches the base 4 of the upper compartment 2, and engages the upper and lower surfaces of said base 4 in the vicinity of the hole 21.

Figure 4 shows the straw 20 and valve 50 arrangement in more detail. It will be appreciated that it is desirable to provide a valve 50 between the upper 2 and lower 3 compartments so that, in use, when a user sucks liquid from the lower compartment 3 using the straw 20, air can pass into the lower compartment 3 in order to prevent a pressure drop from occurring. (If such a pressured drop were to occur in the lower compartment 3, this could prevent the user from being able to suck liquid through the straw 20 from the lower compartment 3.) The valve 50 provided between the upper 2 and lower 3 compartments may be a slit valve or a duck bill valve, as will be known to the skilled person. In order to allow air passage from the upper compartment 2 to the lower compartment 3, the valve 50 is positioned in an opening in the base 4 of the upper compartment 2 of the container 1. In an embodiment as shown in Figure 4, the valve 50 is integrally moulded with the lower part of the upper section 31 of the straw 20.

Specifically, in a side view of the straw 20 as is shown in Figure 4, the thickened section of wall 40 on the outside of the bottom of the upper section 31 of straw 20 extends laterally on one side. The valve 50 is situated in said laterally extended region of the thickened section of wall 40. Outwards of the valve, the thickened section comprises a circumferential groove 41 as is described above in relation to Figure 3.

In plan view, the thickened section 40 at the bottom of the upper section of the straw 20 as shown in Figure 4 has a cross-section in the shape of two overlapping circles, or a figure of eight, wherein the main straw 20 body is located in the first circle and the valve 50 is located in the second circle.

Preferably the upper section 31 of the straw 20 and the valve 50 are moulded and can be installed as a single piece. In order to provide a leak proof seal between the upper 2 and lower 3 compartments according to this embodiment, the hole 21 in the base 4 of the upper compartment 2 is formed in the shape of two overlapping circles or a figure of eight in order to correspond with the cross-sectional shape of the straw 20 and valve 50 arrangement.

An embodiment of the detachable lid 6 is shown in Figures 1, 2, 5a and 5b.

The lid 6 is substantially circular in cross-section, having dimensions which correspond with the circumference of the upper portion of the upper compartment 2 of the container 1. The lid 6 is removably attachable to the upper compartment 2, for example by means of a push fit. Preferably the lid is domed. As is described in more detail below, a pair of moveable covers 70, 71 are pivotally attached to the lid 6. Preferably a central axis, about which the covers 70, 71 move, runs through the centre point 72 of the lid 6.

According to a preferred embodiment, the underside of the lid 6 has a locating means, for example a recess or other suitable profile, that locates with a complimenting locating means at the top of the outer surface of the side wall 5 of the upper compartment 2. The presence of these complimenting locating means ensures that the lid 6 and the upper compartment 2 sit together in a predetermined orientation, thus ensuring that the straw 20 extends vertically along its length, from the lower compartment 3 through the upper compartment 2 and extending upwards of the lid 6. More specifically, the complimenting locating means ensure that hole 61 in the upper surface of the lid 6 is located directly vertically upwards of the hole 21 in the base 4 of the upper compartment 2 through which the straw 20 extends. This ensures that the straw is not stretched or twisted in use, which would impair its operation.

The lid 6 includes a pair of holes 60, 61. The first hole 60 is preferably formed substantially as a sector of a circle, wherein the arc of the sector runs parallel to and inward of the outer circumference of the lid 6 and wherein the straight edges of the sector extend from either end of the arc, having an angular separation of no more than 120 . The straight edges of the sector meet in a rounded formation at a point radially outward of the centre point 72 of the lid 6.

In use, when the first hole 60 is uncovered, it allows user access to the upper compartment 2 of the container 1. Preferably a raised rim is provided around the perimeter of the first hole 60, in the upper surface of the lid 6.

The second hole 61 in the lid 6 comprises a circular opening through which the straw 20 can extend from the upper compartment 2. The inner circumference of the second hole 61 corresponds with the outer circumference of the straw 20 so that the straw can pass comfortably through the hole 61, allowing limited flexion of the straw 20 within the hole 61, whilst maintaining a close fit between the two.

It will be appreciated that when either of the first and second hole is open, the user is enabled full access to the contents of the respective upper or lower compartments of the container, and the contents of the compartments can pass though the respective holes.

The first hole 60 is located within a first 1200 sector 110 of the upper surface of the lid 6. The second hole 61 is located in a second 120 sector 112 of the upper surface of the lid, wherein said first 110 and second 112 sectors are adjacent to one another, meeting at a radial border 116. It follows that there is a third 120 sector 114 of the lid 6 which does not comprise any holes. The first, second and third sectors may be regarded as being first, second and third regions of the lid respectively.

In the second sector 112 of the upper surface of the lid 6, there is provided a recess 101 in addition to the second hole 61. As will be described in more detail below, this recess 101 is shaped and configured for the protrusion 102 of the straw 20 to fold down into. As is further described below, moveable cover 71 is operable to pass over the protrusion 102 of the straw 20 which extends above the second hole 61, thereby folding or compressing the protrusion 102 into the recess 101 and compressing the sides of the protrusion 102 together in order to form a leak-proof seal therein.

As shown most clearly in Figure 5b, the recess 101 is defined by first and second curved edges, each of which runs parallel to and radially inward of the circumference of the lid 6. The radial separation between the first and second curved edges is equal to or preferably just greater than the diameter of the second hole 61. At its proximal end, the recess 101 is separated from the second hole 61 by a ridge 100. The ridge 100 connects the first and second curved edges of the recess 101, and is curved in parallel to the adjacent portion of the circumference of the second hole 61. The ridge 100 is preferably thin relative to the diameter of the Straw 20, and relative to the length of the straw protrusion 102 above the upper surface of the lid 6.

At the distal end of the recess 101, the first and second curved edges meet, preferably in a rounded formation. The distal end of the recess 101 is formed in the second sector 112 of the lid, preferably close to the radial border 116 between the first 110 and second 112 sectors. As will become apparent from the description below, the length of the first and second curved edges of the recess 101 correspond to the length of the straw protrusion 102 above the lid 6, so that the protrusion 102 can fold comfortably into the recess.

The lid 6 includes an upper surface as described above and an annular lip 80 extending downwardly from the upper surface for fixing the lid 6 to the upper compartment 2 of the container 1. The lip 80 includes a tab 74 which extends substantially perpendicularly from the outer surface of the lip 80. The tab 74 is positioned at the border 116 between the first 110 and second 112 sectors of the lid 6. The tab 74 may be approximately semi-circular or rectangular in cross-section. From a side view, the tab 74 is positioned at approximately the mid point of the lip 80, having a thickness of a few millimetres. In use the tab 74 is operable to engage with a pair of moveable covers 70, 71 which are attached to the lid 6, as is described in more detail below.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 5a, the pair of covers 70, 71 are pivotally attached about an axis at the centre point 72 of the lid 6. When viewed from above, each of the first 70 and second 71 covers is shaped as a 120 sector of a circle, wherein each cover 70, 71 is sized to fit closely over the circular lid 6 and to be rotatably moveable about the upper surface of the lid 6. The covers 70, 71 are preferably domed to complement the domed shape of the lid 6. Each cover 70, 71 also includes a downwardly extending portion which is sized to cover the lip 80 of the lid 6.

Each of the first and second covers 70, 71 covers 1200 of the circular upper surfiice of the lid 6. The pair of covers 70, 71 are equidistant above the lid 6, so that they rotate in the same plane and cannot pass over or under one another.

The first cover 70 is rotatably moveable within an arc extending 240 clockwise from the tab 74 on the lip 80 of the lid 6. The other cover 71 is rotatably moveable within an arc extending 240 anti-clockwise from the tab 74. Neither cover 70, 71 can move past the tab 74, as is described in detail below. Moreover, each cover 70, 71 is limited in its direction of rotation by the other cover 71, 70.

Each cover 70, 71 includes a short lateral groove 75, 76 in its downwardly extending portion, at the edge of the cover 70, 71 which comes into contact with the tab 74 on the lip of the lid 6. The length of each groove 75, 76 is equal to half the length of the tab 74 along the surface at which it extends from the lip 80 of the lid 6. The presence of the grooves 75, 76 enable the respective covers 70, 71 to engage the tab 74 from opposite directions and to meet one another at a centre point of the tab 74. It will be appreciated that said centre point of the tab 74 is located in the plane of the border 116 between the first 110 and second 112 sectors of the lid 6. With the covers 70, 71 in this position, the first sector 110 of the lid 6 is fully covered by the first cover 70 and the second sector 112 of the lid 6 is fully covered by the second cover 71. The third sector 114 of the lid 6, which comprises no holes or other access points to either of the compartments, is not covered.

Each of the covers 70, 71 includes a projection (or other such handle means) on the outer surface of its downwardly extending portion. These projections enable the user to more easily grip the respective covers 70, 71 and rotate them about their central axis.

The underside of the first cover 70 preferably incorporates one or moreprotrusions which, when the first cover 70 is moved so as to close the first hole 60, lightly engage past the raised rim around the perimeter of the first hole 60, thereby providing a detent effect to hold the first cover 70 in the closed position when desired. When the first cover 70 is in position to close the first hole 60, the raised rim around the perimeter of the first hole 60 may also serve to impede the passage of fine foodstuffs from passing from the first compartment 2, through the first hole 60, and into the space between the upper surface of the lid 6 and the first cover 70.

The underside of the second cover 71 includes a plurality of protrusions or other profiling features to enhance the interoperation between the second cover 71 and the second sector 112 of the lid 6. Specifically, when the second cover 71 is rotated to cover the second sector 112, the cover 71 acts to fold the protruding portion 102 of the straw 20 to lie in the recess 101 on the upper surface of the lid 6, and in doing so, to seal the straw to prevent liquid from the lower compartment 3 from escaping. In order to achieve this, the lower surface of the second cover 71 preferably includes a plurality of circumferential ribs 109, 111, 107.

According to an embodiment as shown in Figure 6, a first guide rib 109 is provided at the clockwise-most edge of the upper surface of the second cover 71. In use, when the second cover 71 is rotated clockwise from above the third sector 114 of the lid, towards the second sector 112 of the lid 6, the first guide rib 109 comes close to the radially outward-most point of the hole 61 through which the straw 20 protrudes. As the second cover 71 is rotated further, the presence of the cover 71 above the straw 20 compresses it, forcing the protruding portion 102 of the straw 20 to bend. The first guide rib 109 acts to direct said bending of the straw 20 towards the recess 101 in the lid 6.

The first guide rib 109 is aided by a central compression rib 111 which is located so as to pass directly over the protruding portion 102 of the straw as it bends into the recess 101. The central compression rib ill acts to supply downward pressure on the protruding portion 102 of the straw 20, compressing it against the upper surface of the ridge 100 on the lid 6. When the straw is compressed in this manner, its walls are pressed flat against one another which forms a leak proof seal. Preferably, a third circumferential rib 107 is further provided on the inside of the second cover 71. The third circumferential rib 107 runs parallel to and radially inward of the central compression rib 111, and also aids in directing the compressed straw 20 into the recess 101 on the lid 6.

It will be appreciated that, in use, the straw provides a communication path between the lower compartment 3 and the second hole 61. The straw 20 is durable for repeated use but is also soft and flexible enough in order to interact sufficiently with the moveable second cover 71. In use, when the second cover 71 is rotated so as to open the second hole 61, just as the hole 61 is nearly uncovered, the resilient nature of the straw 20 comes into effect and urges the second cover.7l to rotate yet further, to fully open the second hole 61 and to provide user access to the lower compartment 3.

It is desirable to reduce friction between the second cover 71 and the protruding portion 102 of the straw 20 so that the second cover 71 can rotate freely and the straw 20 can seal and unseal without impinging on the second cover 71 or on the lid 6. According to a preferred embodiment, friction is reduced between the straw 20 and the cover/lid by texturing the outer surface of the upper section of the straw 20. In addition, the provision of circumferential ribs on the inner surface of the second cover 71 helps to reduce friction. Either individually or in combination, the circumferential ribs ensure that the second cover 71 passes smoothly over the straw 20 when closing the second cover 71 and that the straw 20 is released easily when the second cover 71 is reopened. It will be appreciated that the number of guided and compression ribs provided on the underside of the second cover 71 can be altered to give the optimum combination of sealing pressure and low friction.

In addition or as an alternative to the circumferential ribs 109, 111, 107, the underside of the second cover 71 preferably also includes a dimple 113. The dimple 113 is formed as a circular indentation in the upper surface of the second cover 71, which projects downwardly as an approximately hemispherical projection from the underside of the second cover 71. When the second cover 71 is positioned so as to fully cover the second sector 112 of the lid 6, the dimple 113 is located directly above the hole 61 through which the straw 20 protrudes. This serves to further compress the straw 20 against the ridge 100 to fortify the leak proof seal formed therein.

As the second cover 71 is moved to cover the second sector 112 of the lid 6 and the protruding portion 102 of the straw 20 is folded, the resilient nature of the folded protruding portion 102 acting against the underside of the second cover 71 provides resistance which prevents undesired movement of the second cover 71.

In use, each of the first and second covers 70, 71 is rotatable to cover a 120 portion of the lid area, between their own respective sector 110, 112 of the lid, and the shared third sector 114 of the lid which comprises no holes or other access means to either of the upper 2 or lower compartments 3 of the container 1. Because the first 70 and second 71 covers occupy the same plane, and cannot pass over or under one another, it is not possible for both covers 70, 71 to occupy the third sector 114 of the lid at the same time. It follows that the first 110 and second 112 sectors of the lid 6 cannot be fully uncovered at the same time.

It will be appreciated that in order for a user to access liquid stored in the lower compartment 3 of the container 1, the straw 20 which extends from the lower compartment 3 needs to be upright and must not be flattened or otherwise compressed. Because the second cover 71 acts to compress the straw 20 as soon as it is rotated over a portion of the second sector 112 in which the straw is located, in order for a user to drink from the lower compartment 3 the second cover 71 must be located fully over the third sector 114 of the lid.

Consequently, the first cover 70 must fully cover the first sector 110 of the lid.

As a result, when the user is accessing liquid from the lower compartment 3 of the lid, the hole 60 which enables access to the upper compartment 2 is fully covered, and hence the user will be denied access to the upper compartment 2, at that time. Similarly, if the user wishes to access the upper compartment 2, he or she must rotate the pair of covers so that the first cover 70 partially or fully occupies the third sector 114 of the lid and therefore the second cover 71 partially or fully covers the second sector 112 of the lid. In this position, wherein the second cover 71 is fully or partially covering the second sector 112 of the lid, the straw 20 will be sufficiently compressed so that no liquid can escape therefrom. Hence the container 1 provides mutually exclusive access to the contents of each of the upper 2 and lower 3 compartments.

The container 1 may be regarded as being in a first configuration when the first cover 70 closes the first hole 60 and the second cover 71 closes the second hole 61, the third sector 114 of the lid being exposed. The container may be regarded as being in a second configuration when only the first hole 60 is open.

the first cover 70 being over the third sector 114 and the second cover 71 being over the second hole 61. The container may be regarded as being in a third configuration when only the second hole 61 is open, the second cover 71 being over the third sector 114 and the first cover 70 being over the first hole 60.

Because access to the upper and lower compartments is mutually exclusive, cross contamination between the two compartments is prevented. That is, when the user is accessing the upper compartment to obtain dry food or other snacks therefrom, there is no risk that liquid will leak from the lower compartment via the straw at that time, which could wet the food and impair its quality, or could cause a spillage. Similarly, when the user wishes to drink from the straw the covers 70, 71 must be oriented so as to fully cover the hole which provides access to the upper compartment 2, so that nothing can escape therefrom. This is useful, for example, if the user tilts the container in order to drink, in which case food could fall out of the upper compartment if it were not sufficiently covered.

The container according to the described embodiments provides an effective cover for each of the upper and lower compartments when they are not in use.

By rotating the first 70 and second 71 covers to adjoin one another in the vicinity of the tab 74, the user can effectively seal the holes 60, 61 which provide access to the upper and lower compartments respectively. When the compartments are sealed in this manner, the container can be transported without risk of its contents spilling or leaking during transportation.

The container according to the described embodiments is straightforward for the user to operate. Because the covers are slideably moveable with respect to the upper surface of the lid, they can be easily actuated by the user without the need for undue manual effort. This is particularly advantageous if the user is an infant or child, or if the user is running or otherwise moving when actuating the lid of the container.

The container components may be moulded from lightweight materials such as plastics, and so the container is easy for any user to carry and use.

The upper and lower compartments can be easily separated from one another and from the lid of the container, for example when the user wishes to fill either or both compartments or when the user wishes to clean the container.

Once the container has been filled with the desired food andlor drink and reassembled thereafter, there is no requirement for the user to add or remove any components in order to operate the container and consume its contents.

Specifically, a reuseable straw is formed integral to the container and therefore there is no need for a straw to be inserted into the container in order to drink liquid therefrom. Furthermore, there is no need to physically remove the cover members from the container in order to access either compartment. Instead, the covers are each rotateable between a compartment covering position and a compartment accessing position.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the straw may be replaced by another suitable conduit. For example, it is possible to provide an integrally moulded channel between the lower compartment and the second hole and to provide a spout or teat upwards of the hole from which the user can drink the contents of the lower compartment. The spout may be hinged at the point of contact with the upper surface of the lid to enable the cover to fold the spout into a recess on the upper surface of the lid when the second hole is to be closed. Alternatively a teat may be foldable in a similar manner to the protruding portion of the straw described above. In a yet further alternative, the upper compartment may be arranged for storing liquid with a spout or teat extending directly therefrom, and a larger channel may be provided to form a communication path between the lower compartment and the first hole, and for enabling the passage of food therebetween.

The upper compartment, lower compartment, lid and covers can be moulded (e.g. by injection moulding) from any suitable plastic or other material.

Preferably the lower section of the straw is formed from a rigid material, for example polypropylene, whereas the upper section of the straw is formed from a more flexible material such as silicon rubber.

It has been described that the upper and lower compartments inter-engage by means of complimentary screw members. However, it will be appreciated that the compartments may alternatively engage by any appropriate means, for example via a snap fit or a push fit which provides the appropriate sealing effect. Similarly it has been described that the lid fits to the upper compartment of the container by means of a push fit. However, a snap fit or inter-engaging screw mechanism may alternatively be used to attach the lid to the upper compartment.

It has also been described that the first and second covers move clockwise and anticlockwise from the tab respectively. However, it will be appreciated that the arrangement and location of the tab and the first/second holes on the lid could be changed so as to reverse the motion of the first and second covers.

The first opening has been described as being shaped as a sector of a circle, however it will be appreciated that any appropriate shape of opening may be used, for example a substantially circular or rectangular opening. It is preferable that the first opening be as large as possible without extending beyond the first section of the lid, so that the user can most easily access the contents of the first compartment, for example by using their fingers or a spoon, or by tipping the container.

The second opening has been described as being circular; however it will be appreciated that any shape of second opening may be used as long as it corresponds to the straw placed therein so that a good fit is achieved between the two. The recess in the upper surface of the lid may be any suitable shape.

In particular, the guide ribs on the under surface of the second cover means may be arranged so as to direct the protrusion of the straw into the desired configuration according to the shape of the recess provided.

Although the container has been described as having two compartments, it will be appreciated that further embodiments of the invention could comprise three or more compartments. It is further possible for each of the compartments to be designed for containing food or drink only, depending on user requirements.

The container described herein is suitable for use by infants, children and adults, and by sportspeople such as runners. It may also be used by people in cinemas, theatres and the like, to enable them to consume food and drink conveniently from a single container whilst minimising the risk of spillage of either the food or the drink. Those skilled in the art will readily be able to envisage many other applications.

Claims

1. A container for storing food andlor drink, said container comprising first and second compartments and having first and second openings, wherein said first opening enables user access to said first compartment and said second opening enables user access to said second compartment, the container further comprising closure means operable, in a first configuration, to close both of said first and second openings and, in a second configuration, to open only the first opening and, in a third configuration, to open only the second opening, wherein said closure means are further operable such that said first and second openings cannot be fully open simultaneously.

2. A container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first compartment is disposed between the second compartment and the first and second openings.

3. A container as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, further comprising a conduit for channelling contents from the second compartment to the second opening.

4. A container as claimed in Claim 3 when dependent on Claim 2, wherein the conduit passes through the first compartment.

5. A container as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the closure means are configured to close a portion of the conduit when the container is in the first or second configuration, and to open said portion of the conduit when the container is in the third configuration.

6. A container as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the closure means are operable to close the said portion of the conduit by folding and/or compressing it.

7. A container as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the conduit comprises a drinking straw.

8. A container as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the conduit includes a spout or teat.

9. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a lid in which the first and second openings are disposed.

10. A container as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the closure means includes first and second cover members which are moveable relative to the lid in order to effect closure of the first and second openings respectively.

11. A container as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the lid comprises a first region in which the first opening is disposed, a second region in which the second opening is disposed, and a third region in which no openings are disposed.

12. A container as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the first cover member is moveable between the first region and the third region, and wherein the second cover member is moveable between the second region and the third region.

13. A container as claimed in Claim 12, further comprising means for preventing the first cover member from moving from the first region to the second region, and for preventing the second cover member from moving from the second region to the first region.

14.A container as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the cover members are arranged such that the first cover member, when in the third region, prevents movement of the second cover member into the third region; and such that the second cover member, when in the third region, prevents movement of the first cover member into the third region.

15.A container as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 14, wherein the first and second cover members each occupies approximately one third of the area of the lid.

16.A container as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the lid is circular and each cover member is shaped substantially as a 1200 sector of a circle.

17.A container as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 16, wherein the first and second cover members are rotatable about a common axis.

18.A container as claimed in Claim 17, wherein the common axis is in the centre of the lid.

19. A container as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 18, wherein the first and second cover members are each provided with handle means to facilitate manipulation of the cover members by a user.

20. A container as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 19 when dependent on Claim 6, wherein the second cover member and the lid incorporate one or more protrusions, recesses or dimples for guiding the compression of a portion of the conduit.

21.A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first compartment includes a base and wherein, in use, the first and second compartments are arranged such that said base of the first compartment functions as a lid for the second compartment.

22. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, further including a valve arranged to enable the passage of air between the first and second compartments.

23.A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second compartment is detachable from the first compartment.

24. A container as claimed in Claim 23, further comprising inter-engaging means for attaching the first compartment to the second compartment.

25. A lid for a container having first and second compartments, wherein said lid includes first and second openings to enable user access to said first compartment and said second compartment respectively, the lid further comprising closure means operable, in a first configuration, to close both of said first and second openings and, in a second configuration, to open only the first opening and, in a third configuration, to open only the second opening, wherein said closure means are further operable such that said first and second openings cannot be fully open simultaneously.

26. A container for storing food or drink, said container including a conduit for enabling user access to the contents of said container in use, said container further including closure means; wherein, in use, said closure means are operable to fold or compress a portion of said conduit to prevent user access to the contents of said container.

27. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any combination of the accompanying drawings.

28. A lid for a container substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any combination of the accompanying drawings.