US20060180483A1

US20060180483A1 - Compact Cereal and Milk Container

Info

Publication number: US20060180483A1
Application number: US10/906,283
Authority: US
Inventors: Cari Sekendur
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-02-11
Filing date: 2005-02-11
Publication date: 2006-08-17

Abstract

The invention discloses a transportable container for transportable storage of at least two components, for example, dry and liquid components. The transportable container allows the dry and liquid components to be stored together without contact until the user wishes to mix the components. The transportable container is composed of two or more compartments side by side of a material such as plastic. The compartments are separated by at least one dividing wall. A material such as a thin sheet of plastic and/or foil adhered to the flange edge of the compartments and top surface of the dividing wall seals the top of the transportable container. Removing the seal can readily open the transportable container. The seal may be pulled back to reveal at least part of the dry component and/or the liquid component. This would allow the compartments to be readily mixed. Alternatively, at least one dividing wall can have a dividing wall seal between the compartments to allow the components to mix once the dividing wall seal is broken. The liquid component could be poured into the dry component or vice versa. One or more utensils can be molded into the transportable container, on the boarder between the dividing walls for example, or alternatively enclosed in the packaging.

Description

The invention is intended to allow easy, fast access to a meal composed of liquid and dry components such as cereal and milk. The transportable container comprising readily mixable liquid and dry component is convenient for those away from the kitchen such as travelers, commuters, children, and people with little time for food preparation. The invention can be used to mix any two or more components.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dry cereal and milk are often combined to make a typical breakfast meal in a kitchen and eaten at a table with a bowl and a spoon. This easy to prepare meal becomes impractical for on-the-go consumers. It is difficult to carry a container of milk, a container of cereal, a container to mix the two, and a spoon. This invention allows easy, compact transportation of cereal and milk or other complementary substances such as granola and yogurt. This invention allows the consumer to transport dry cereal and liquid milk, or other materials, separately but within one transportable container for easy combination on the go, away from the kitchen. Separation of the dry and liquid materials prevents decomposition, sogginess, and rotting.

DESCRIPTION DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a transportable container comprising two removable seals.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a transportable container comprising a single removable seal.
FIG. 3 a is a perspective view of a transportable container comprising a single removable seal and at least one pinch seal.
FIG. 3 b is an enlarged cross sectional view of a pinch seal in the closed position.
FIG. 3 c is an enlarged cross sectional view of a pinch seal in the open position.
FIG. 4 a is a perspective view of a transportable container comprising a single removable seal and two pinch seals on either end of the boarder.
FIG. 4 b is an enlarged perspective view of a pinch seal.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a transportable container with the seal removed to show a single breakable wall separating the compartments.
FIG. 6 a is a perspective view of a portable container comprising the liquid container folded on top of the solid container and at least one folded pinch seal.
FIG. 6 b is a cross sectional view of a folded pinch seal in the closed position.
FIG. 6 c is a cross sectional view of a folded pinch seal in the open position.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a transportable container without a removable seal to show a utensil molded into the boarder.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a transportable container comprising a solid compartment seal extending at least slightly past the spout-like curve.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a transportable container comprising a center seal.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

- 1. transportable container
- 1 a. liquid compartment
- 1 b. solid compartment
- 2 a. liquid compartment wall
- 2 b. solid compartment wall
- 3. boarder
- 4. spout-like curve
- 5. crease
- 6 a. liquid compartment seal
- 6 b. liquid compartment tab
- 6 c. solid compartment seal
- 6 d. solid compartment tab
- 7. utensil
- 7 a. plastic package
- 8. single seal
- 9 a. pinch seal
- 9 b. pinch seal center
- 9 c. inner pinch seal wall
- 9 d. outer pinch seal wall
- 9 e. pinch seal crease
- 9 f. pinch seal flange
- 9 g. flange edge
- 9 h. second pinch seal
- 10. conduit
- 11. single wall
- 12. scores
- 13. folded crease
- 14 a. folded pinch seal
- 14 b. folded pinch seal center
- 14 c. wet pinch seal wall
- 14 d. dry pinch seal wall
- 15. center seal

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a transportable container includes two or more compartments meant to store two or more complementary substances, which may include a wet substance or liquid and a dry substance or solid, such as cereal and milk. The juxtaposed compartments provide a method for easy mixing.
In one embodiment, the transportable container 1 in FIG. 1 has a liquid compartment 1 a and a solid compartment 1 b adjacent to each other. The liquid compartment wall 2 a adjacent to the solid compartment wall 2 b are connected by a boarder 3, which has a spout-like curve 4 on the center top end of the liquid compartment wall pointing toward the solid compartment to allow spill free way of pouring the liquid into the solid compartment by bending the liquid compartment upward along the crease 5. The transportable container further comprises a flange edge 9 g surrounding the transportable container. The liquid compartment is covered by a liquid compartment seal 6 a made from a material such as thin plastic and/or foil adhered to the boarder and the flange edge around the liquid compartment, and further comprising a liquid compartment tab 6 b. The solid compartment is covered by a separate but similar solid compartment seal 6 c adhered to the boarder and the flange edge of the solid compartment, and further comprising a solid compartment tab 6 d. Under the solid compartment seal, a utensil 7 such as a spoon is stored preferably in a plastic package 7 a. To mix the substances, the solid compartment seal covering the solid compartment is at least partially pulled back, exposing an opening adjacent to the spout-like curve and turning the solid compartment into the bowl. The liquid compartment seal over the liquid compartment is then drawn back at least slightly to expose the opening of the spout-like curve. While maintaining the solid compartment in a horizontal position, the liquid compartment is then bent upward along the crease to allow the liquid to pour through the spout-like curve into the solid compartment. The solid compartment seal can now be pulled back further or removed completely. The utensil 7 stored under the solid compartment seal can now be removed for use. The mixture is now readily consumable. This method provides and convenient, simple, no-mess way to eat complementary, mixed foods on the go.
In second embodiment, a single seal 8 in FIG. 2 covers both the solid compartment and the liquid compartment. The single seal is partially removed starting from the far end of the solid compartment and reaching to the liquid compartment to expose the opening of the spout-like curve 4 of the liquid compartment sufficient to allow flow of the liquid into the solid compartment. The liquid compartment is then bent upward along the crease 5 to allow the flow of the liquid into the solid compartment. If desired, the single seal can now be pulled back further or removed completely. The utensil 7 stored under the solid compartment seal can now be removed for use. The mixture is now ready to eat.
In a third embodiment FIG. 3 a, the border 3 between the compartments comprises at least one pinch seal 9 a to allow a conduit for the flow of liquid into the solid compartment. The single seal 8 covers both the compartments and the pinch seal. The pinch seal center 9 b in FIG. 3 b, where the inner pinch seal wall 9 c and the outer pinch seal wall 9 d meet, is concave about one-third the distance toward the pinch seal crease 9 e. The single seal 8 reaches down to the end of the pinch seal center to seal the compartments. To allow the flow of liquid into the solid compartment, the pinch seal is broken by pulling downward and outward on the pinch seal flange 9 f in FIG. 3 c. This action forces the inner pinch seal wall and the outer pinch seal wall to laterally pull away from each other, and further forces the single seal to vertically pull upward away from the pinch seal center 9 b, Thus a conduit 10 in FIG. 3 c is opened between the liquid compartment and the solid compartment to allow the liquid to flow into the solid compartment.
In a fourth embodiment FIG. 4 a, there are two pinch seals, one on either end of the border 3. Pinch seal 9 a will allow liquid to flow into the solid compartment, while a second pinch seal 9 h will allow air to be drawn back into the liquid compartment. A perspective view of one embodiment of a pinch seal is shown in FIG. 4 b.
In a fifth embodiment FIG. 5, there is a single wall 11 separating the adjacent compartments, whereby the single wall is configured so that a force to the single wall will at least partially break it to allow liquid to flow into the solid compartment. For example, a single wall comprising scores 12 is configured so that a downward force to the vertical axis of the single wall will break the single wall at the scores allowing the liquid flow in the solid compartment. Alternatively, the scores can be configured to break when a twisting and/or bending force is applied to the single wall.
In a sixth embodiment FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, the solid compartment and the liquid compartment are folded onto each other to come into contact at the single seal 8 in FIG. 6 a forming a folded crease 13. At the center of the folded crease between the flange edge 9 g and/or on either side, and extending almost to the flange edge on either side, there is at least one folded pinch seal 14 a in FIG. 6 b., which seals the solid compartment and the liquid compartment. The folded pinch seal does not extent to the flange edge. In the folded pinch seal center 14 b in FIG. 6 b, where the wet pinch seal wall 14 c and the dry pinch seal wall 14 d meet to form a tight seal, the single seal 8 reaches about one-third the distance toward the folded crease 13, and is sealed against the wet pinch seal wall and the dry pinch seal wall to seal the compartments. The single seal 8 at the at the flange edges on either side of the folded pinch seal reaches all the way to the folded crease 13 to form a tight seal. When the compartments are unfolded at the folded crease FIG. 6 c, the single seal 8 pulls away from the wet pinch seal wall and the dry pinch seal wall to open a conduit 10 between the compartments thereby allowing liquid to flow from the wet compartment into the dry compartment. The single seal does not pull away from the flange edge, and maintains a tight seal at the flange edges on either side of the folded pinch seal to prevent spillage. Once the dry and liquid components are mixed, the single seal is at least partially removed to expose the mixture. In a milk and cereal embodiment, the mixture is now ready to eat.
In a seventh embodiment, a utensil 7 in FIG. 7 in molded into the boarder 3. The utensil is designed to easily break free from the boarder for convenient use. Alternatively, after the contents of the liquid compartment is poured into the solid compartment, the liquid compartment is broken away form the solid compartment at the crease 5 The utensil is then easily broken free from the boarder for convenient use.
In an eighth embodiment, the solid compartment seal 6 c in FIG. 8 extends toward the liquid compartment sufficiently past at least part of the spout-like curve 4 to allow the contents of the liquid compartment to be poured into the solid compartment without having to remove the liquid compartment seal 6 a, when the solid compartment seal is at least partially removed at the boarder to allow spill free pouring.
In a ninth embodiment, there is a center seal 15 in FIG. 9 over the boarder extending toward the liquid compartment sufficiently past at least part of the spout-like curve 4 to allow the contents of the liquid compartment to be poured into the solid compartment without having to remove the liquid compartment seal 6 a, and further extending sufficiently over the solid compartment to allow the contents of the liquid compartment to be poured into the solid compartment without spilling, and without having to remove the solid compartment seal. The center seal is at least partially removed to allow spill free pouring. The solid compartment seal is at least partially removed after pouring to allow access to the solid compartment.
In a tenth embodiment, there are two or more liquid compartments and/or two or more solid compartments, whereby the two or more liquids are mixable, the two or more solids are mixable, or the two or more liquids and the two or more solids are all mixable in any combinations, such as milk, honey, chocolate syrup, cereal, sugar, cocoa and dried fruit. Other combinations could be liquid plastic or liquid silicone and activator, when mixed becomes solid.
The invention is designed to be used by busy, on the go consumers with little time to prepare food and eat at home. The curved side of the liquid container allows an easy spill free way to mix the two substances. This makes it easy for young children to prepare their own meal. The invention is not limited to just milk and cereal, but can be used for any two or more substances, such as water and soup mix, or any substance A and any substance B. The two or more substances do not have to be consumable, but may need to be mixed for other reasons. For example, water and plaster.

Claims

1. A transportable container, which allows the storage of at least two components comprising:

said transportable container comprising at least two compartments;

said at least two compartments separated by at least one dividing wall;

said transportable container covered by at least one removable seal;

whereby said at least two compartments are selected from the group consisting of a liquid compartment and a solid compartment, any combination of at least one liquid compartment and/or at least one solid compartment, and said at least two compartments;

whereby said at least one dividing wall is selected from the group consisting of a liquid compartment wall, a solid compartment wall, single wall, and said at least one dividing wall;

whereby said at least one removable seal is selected from the group consisting of a liquid compartment seal, a solid compartment seal, a single seal, center seal, and said at least one removable seal;

whereby said at least two components are mixable.

2. Said transportable container according to claim 1 whereby said at least one dividing wall comprises at least one dividing wall seal to allow the components to mix once said dividing wall seal is broken,

whereby said at least one dividing wall seal is selected from the group consisting of at least one removable seal, a pinch seal, a folded pinch seal, and said at least one dividing wall seal.

3. Said transportable container according to claim 2 whereby said at least two components are mixable by at least partially removing said at least one dividing wall seal.

4. Said transportable container according to claim 2 comprising at least one removable utensil selected form the group consisting of said at least one removable utensil molded into said transportable container, said at least one removable utensil stored in said transportable container, said at least one removable utensil stored under said at least one removable seal, said at least one removable utensil stored in a plastic package under at said least one removable seal, and said at least one removable utensil stored in a plastic package in said transportable container.

5. Said transportable container according to claim 2 whereby said at least two compartments are further separated by a boarder between said at least two compartments,

whereby said boarder joins two of said at least one dividing wall.

6. Said transportable container according to claim 5, whereby said boarder comprises a spout-like curve for easy pouring.

7. Said transportable container according to claim 5 comprising at least one removable utensil molded into said boarder.

8. Said transportable container according to claim 2 whereby one of said at least two compartments is configured to bend up to allow its contents to be poured into at least one other of said at least two compartments.

9. Said transportable container according to claim 2, whereby said at least one removable seal comprises at least one tab.

10. Said transportable container according to claim 2 whereby said at least two components are selected from the group consisting of milk and cereal; yogurt and cereal; plaster and water; at least one wet component and at least one dry component; component A and component B; milk, honey, chocolate syrup, cereal, sugar, cocoa and dried fruit; liquid plastic silicone and activator; and liquid silicone and activator.

11. Said transportable container according to claim 2 comprising means for mixing said at least two components selected form the group consisting:

breaking the dividing wall seal;

at least partially removing said at least one dividing wall seal;

at least partially removing said at least one removable seal;

at least partially removing said at least one removable seal and bending up one of said at least two compartments to pour its contents into at least one other of said at least two compartments;

said at least one dividing wall comprising at least one pinch seal to allow the components to mix by breaking said at least one pinch seal;

said at least one dividing wall comprising at least one folded pinch seal to allow the components to mix by breaking said at least one folded pinch seal; and

mixing said at least two components.