GB2483901A

GB2483901A - Comestible item, single use condiment container and condiment container dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2483901A
Application number: GB1016069.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Harrison-Griffin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-09-24
Filing date: 2010-09-24
Publication date: 2012-03-28
Also published as: GB201016069D0

Abstract

A comestible item 2 such as a burger bun comprises: one or more passageways (12, figure 1) adapted to permit the passage of a condiment into or through the item. The passageways may be arranged to form a symbol or logo and the comestible item may be a form of bread. A single-use condiment container (22, figure 3) is also described in which the container comprises a receptacle 24 for storing a quantity of a condiment and a dispensing conduit 26 adapted to be received within the passageway of the comestible item. A dispenser (30, figure 4) for the single-use condiment containers comprises a plurality of interconnected single-use condiment containers connected by a dispensing strip (32, figure 4).

Description

A COMESTiBLE ITEM, A SINGLE-USE CONDIMENT CONTAINER, AND A

DISPENSER OF SINGLE-USE CONDIMENT CONTAINERS

The present invention relates to a comestible item, and a single-use condiment container and dispenser of single-use condiment containers for use with the comestible item.

Background

Typically, restaurants supply comestible items, such as burgers, without having applied any condiments to the item and provide the consumer with a selection of condiments, such as ketchup or mayonnaise. These are usually supplied in small, single-serving sachets. The consumer can then choose their preferred condiment and apply the condiment to the item themselves.

Although such single-serving sachets can be messy, they provide a relatively effective solution in a restaurant setting, where the consumer sits at a table with the item on a plate. However, they are less suitable for a fast-food "restaurant" where it is intended that the consumer eats the item "on the move". In these circumstances, it can be difficult to hold the item and apply the condiment, and attempting to do this can often result in the condiment being spilt and/or the item being dropped on the floor. As a result, this approach is not usually adopted by fast-food restaurants.

Furthermore, fast-food restaurants typically serve their food in a foam or cardboard clam-type container which has an upper portion and a lower portion connected by a hinge. For convenience and hygiene, a consumer often chooses to place a top half of a bun in the upper p.rtion, whilst applying a condiment to an item in the lower portion.

However, the hinge between the upper and lower portions of the container is inherently resilient, and therefore the weight of the top half of the bun may not be sufficient to hold the container open. This can make it difficult for the consumer to apply the condiment to the item, even when sat at a table in a fast-food restaurant.

Consequently, it is commonplace for fast-food restaurants and other establishments selling fast-food or prepackaged food, to supply items to a consumer with a condiment already applied to the item. However, this can be unwelcome where the consumer would prefer another condiment or does not want any condiment with the item. In this case, the consumer is forced to remove the condiment from the item, which can be an unpleasant task.

In fast-food restaurants, burgers and other items can be made to order if a consumer does not want any condiments on the item. However, making the item to order takes time and therefore is undesirable for both the restaurant and the consumer.

The present invention seeks to provide a solution to the above identified problems.

Statements of Invention

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a comestible item comprising one or more passageways adapted to permit the passage of a condiment into or through the item.

The passageways may be perpendicular to a surface of the item.

The passageways may be parallel to an axis of the item.

The passageways may be parallel to an axial direction of the item.

The passageways may be arranged to form a character.

The character may be a letter, word, symbol, or logo.

The comestible item may be a bread item.

The bread item may be a bun or roll.

The bread item may be divided into two portions and the passageways may pass through one of the two portions, so as to permit the passage of the condiment into the bread item between the two portions.

The passageways may allow a condiment to be applied to a filling disposed between the two portions without having to remove one of the portions. Consequently, the process of applying a condiment is much quicker, easier and cleaner. The invention may be particularly useful for people with visual impairment as the passageways provide a tactile marker of where a condiment is to be introduced into or through the item.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a condiment container comprising: a receptacle for storing a quantity of a condiment; an elongate dispensing conduit fluidically coupled to the receptacle and adapted to be received within a passageway of a comestible item; and a closure member connected to a distal end of the dispensing conduit.

An outside of the container or receptacle may be shaped so as to replicate well-known condiment containers. This may be used to indicate the manufacturer of the condiment.

For example, the receptacle may be shaped like a Heinz Ketchup bottle or a Colman's Mustard jar.

To aid people with visual impairment the condiment container may be provided with Braille. This may indicate the condiment contained in the container, for example. The Braille may be located on a label or moulded into the container itself The connection between the closure member and the dispensing conduit may be frangible, such that the closure member can be removed to allow the condiment to be dispensed.

The closure member may be removed from the dispensing conduit by twisting the closure member and dispensing conduit relative to one another.

The dispensing conduit may be tapered.

The dispensing conduit may have a length which is greater than or approximately equal to a length of the passageway and/or at least a portion of the dispensing conduit may have a width which is less than or approximately equal to a width of the passageway.

The width of the dispensing conduit at the receptacle may be greater than or approximately equal to a width of the passageway.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a dispenser of condiment containers comprising: a plurality of interconnected single-use condiment containers, as described above.

The plurality of condiment containers may be interconnected by a dispensing strip.

The closure members of the condiment containers may be connected to the dispensing strip.

The dispensing strip may form the closure member for each condiment container.

The receptacle of each condiment container may contain a condiment, and one of the condiment containers may contain a condiment which is different from a condiment contained in another of the condiment containers.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit of parts comprising: a comestible item, as described above; and one or more condiment containers or a dispenser of condiment containers, as described above.

Brief Description of the Drawings

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective cutaway view of a comestible item according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a comestible item according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a single-use condiment container; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a dispenser of single-use condiment containers; and Figure 5 is a perspective cutaway view of the single-use condiment container of Figure 3 being used to apply a condiment to the comestible item of Figure 1.

Detailed Description

Figure 1 shows a comestible item according to an embodiment of the invention. In the present embodiment the comestible item is a burger bun 2. The burger bun 2 is divided along a radial axis of the burger bun 2 to form two portions; a bottom portion 4 and a top portion 6. A filling 8, such as a beef burger and any accompaniments, is disposed between the inner surfaces lOa, lOb of the bottom portion 4 and top portion 6 along which the burger bun 2 is divided.

A plurality of passageways 12 are formed in the top portion 6 of the burger bun 2. The passageways 12 extend along an axial direction from an opening 14 in an outer surface 16 of the top portion 6 to an opening 18 in the inner surface lOa. The passageways 12 thus provide a means of accessing the filling 8 via the top portion 6.

As shown in Figure 2, the openings 14 of the passageways 12 may be arranged to form a character 20 on the outer surface 16 of the top portion 6. The character 20 in the embodiment shown in Figure 2 is an "M" (note the dashed lines are provided for illustrative purposes only), however the character could be any letter, word, symbol, logo, etc., particularly for the purposes of advertising i.e. to indicate the origin of the item.

Although the passageways have been described as extending along an axial direction, they could also be formed such that they are perpendicular to the outer surface 16 of the top portion 6.

With reference to Figure 3, a single-use condiment container 22 according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a receptacle 24 for storing a quantity of a condiment. The term condiment means any substance which imparts flavour to food, such as ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, etc.. The receptacle 24 has a volume which is capable of holding a quantity of the condiment that is sufficient for a single application. The receptacle 24 is made from a flexible material which allows the receptacle 24 to be compressed by hand and thus reduce the volume of the receptacle 24.

An elongate dispensing conduit 26 is fluidically coupled to the receptacle 24. A closure member 28 is connected to a distal end (i.e. remote from the receptacle 24) of the dispensing conduit 26. The connection between the closure member 28 and the dispensing conduit 26 may be weakened and may for example be frangible, such that the closure member 28 can be removed more easily to allow the condiment to be dispensed from an opening 29. For example, the thickness of a side wall of the connection may be reduced relative to the thickness of the dispensing conduit 26. The closure member 28 may be removed from the dispensing conduit by twisting the closure member 28 and dispensing conduit 26 relative to one another.

The dispensing conduit 26 is adapted to be received within the passageways 12 to allow the condiment to be dispensed onto the filling 8. The dispensing conduit 26 tapers from the receptacle 24 to the closure member 28 to allow the dispensing conduit 26 to enter the passageways 12. A width (i.e. diameter) of the dispensing conduit 26 at the receptacle 24 (the wider end) is equal to or greater than a width of the passageways 12 so as to cause the dispensing conduit 26 to plug the opening 14 in the outer surface 16 of the top portion 6 and prevent the condiment from exiting the opening 14. A length of the dispensing conduit 26 may be greater than or equal to a length of the passageways 12 so as to allow the dispensing conduit 26 to reach the filling 8.

With reference to Figure 4, a dispenser 30 of single-use condiment containers 22 according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a plurality of interconnected single-use condiment containers 22.

The plurality of single-use condiment containers 22 are interconnected.by a dispensing strip 32. The dispensing strip 32 forms the closure member 28 for each single-use condiment container 22, so that each single-use condiment container is twisted to separate the dispensing conduit 26 from the dispensing strip 32.

In an alternative embodiment, the closure members 28 of the single-use condiment containers 22 are connected to the dispensing strip 32. This allows the dispenser 30 to be restocked with single-use condiment containers 22.

The single-use condiment containers 22 may contain different condiments or may all contain the same condiment.

The dispenser 30 may be located in a restaurant. A consumer can then remove their chosen condiment from the dispenser 30 to apply to the comestible item 2. Instead, the dispenser 30 may be provided to each consumer with the comestible item.

Alternatively, one or more of the single-use condiment containers 22 may be provided with the comestible item or a selection of single-use condiment containers 22 located in the restaurant.

Once the consumer has selected their preferred condiment and removed the closure member 28, the consumer inserts the dispensing conduit 26 into the opening 14 in the outer surface 16 of the top portion 6. The dispensing conduit 26 is moved through the passageway 12 until it is at or near the filling 8. The receptacle 24 is then compressed by the consumer's hand 34 in order to force a quantity of the condiment from the receptacle 24, down the dispensing conduit 26, out of the opening 29 and onto the filling 8. This process is repeated for the other passageways 12.

The terms "single-use" and "single application" are intended to refer to a quantity which is sufficient for a single comestible item 2, rather than a single passageway 12.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the burger bun 2, it could be used with a variety of comestible items. For example, the invention may be used to apply a condiment to hot-dogs (particularly of the type where the sausage is inserted from one end), sandwiches, panini, toasted-sandwiches, bagels, etc. The invention is particularly useful where the item has a filled portion which is difficult to access.

Furthermore, the invention is not limited to bread items and could also be used with other items. For example, the invention could be used to introduced a condiment to a cavity within a steak or burger. The invention is particularly useful where the item is served hot, since the invention allows a condiment to be applied without touching the item. The invention therefore avoids burning or discomfort from handling the hot item.

Claims

Claims 1. A comestible item comprising one or more passageways adapted to permit the passage of a condiment into or through the item.
2. A comestible item as claimed in claim 1, wherein the passageways are perpendicular to a surface of the item.
3. A comestible item as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the passageways are parallel to an axis of the item.
4. A comestible item as claimed in claim 3, wherein the passageways are parallel to an axial direction of the item.
5. A comestible item as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the passageways are arranged to form a character.
6. A comestible item as claimed in claim 5, wherein the character is a letter, word, symbol, or logo.
7. A comestible item as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the comestible item is a bread item.
8. A comestible item as claimed in claim 7, wherein the bread item is a bun or roll.
9. A comestible item as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the bread item is divided into two portions and the pasge*.ways pass through one of the two portions, so as to permit the passage of the condiment into the bread item between the two portions.
10. A comestible item substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
11. A single-use condiment container comprising: a receptacle for storing a quantity of a condiment, wherein the quantity is sufficient for a single application; an elongate dispensing conduit fluidicatly coupled to the receptacle and adapted to be received within a passageway of a comestible item; and a closure member connected to a distal end of the dispensing conduit.
12. A single-use condiment container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the connection between the closure member and the dispensing conduit is frangible, such that the closure member can be removed to allow the condiment to be dispensed.
13. A single-use condiment container as claimed in claim 12, wherein the closure member is removed from the dispensing conduit by twisting the closure member and dispensing conduit relative to one another.
14. A single-use condiment container as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the dispensing conduit is tapered.
15. A single-use condiment container as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the dispensing conduit has a length which is greater than or approximately equal to a length of the passageway and/or at least a portion of the dispensing conduit has a width which is less than or approximately equal to a width of the passageway.
16. A single-use condiment container as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein the width of the dispensing conduit at the receptacle is greater than or approximately equal to a width of the passageway.
17. A single-use condiment container substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
18. A dispenser of single-use condiment containers comprising: a plurality of interconnected single-use condiment containers as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 17.
19. A dispenser of single-use condiment containers as claimed in claim 18, wherein the plurality of single-use condiment containers are interconnected by a dispensing strip.
20. A dispenser of single-use condiment containers as claimed in claim 19, wherein the closure members of the single-use condiment containers are connected to the dispensing strip.
21. A dispenser of single-use condiment containers as claimed in claim 20, wherein the dispensing strip forms the closure member for each single-use condiment container.
22. A dispenser of single-use condiment containers as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein the receptacle of each single-use condiment container contains a condiment, and wherein one of the single-use condiment containers contains a condiment which is different from a condiment contained in another of the single-use condiment containers.
23. A dispenser of single-use condiment containers substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
24. A kit of parts comprising: a comestible item as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10; and one or more single-use condiment containers as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 17 or a dispenser of single-use condiment containers as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 23.
25. A kit of parts substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.