MX2007003935A

MX2007003935A - Two-piece nested inverted dome cup.

Info

Publication number: MX2007003935A
Application number: MX2007003935A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Christopher True
Original assignee: Quaker Oats Co
Priority date: 2006-03-31
Filing date: 2007-03-30
Publication date: 2008-11-26
Also published as: EP1840041A1; US20070227919A1; CA2583624A1

Abstract

A multiple cup container device for separately storing two consumables to be later consumed together, has a first cup for storing a first consumable and a second cup for storing a second consumable. Each cup has a flange about its open end. The first cup's flange has a recess therein within which the second cup flange is nested. The nested flanges provide a continuous flat surface there across without any gaps between the flanges. A removable cover seals the container device and removably secures the second cup within the first cup. After removal of the cover, the second cup can be removed from the first cup. The second consumable may then be dispensed within the first cup to allow both consumables to be consumed from the first cup.

Description

TWO PIECE DRAWNED INVEDED DOME VESSEL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a container device that has two containers that separately contain two consumables in it, wherein one container is removable from the other container to allow the supply of its contents. contained within the other container mixing with another consumable and a container is provided later from which consumables can be consumed. It is increasingly common for foods that are purchased in containers of grocery stores, grocery stores and fast food stores in packages that also act as the container from which food is consumed. As a result of this general trend, there is a particular need for containers with multiple compartments that allow the packing of two consumables which are intended to be consumed together, but can not be packaged together in direct contact with each other, because doing so would compromise the freshness, firmness or texture of one or both consumables. There is also a need for a multi-compartment container which is easy to grasp, provides a convenient space for mixing consumables together without spillage, and is convenient for eating from one of the consumables and mixing together. In addition, such a container needs to be relatively compact, attractive, simple and inexpensive to manufacture. An additional need for the multi-compartment container is that it must be capable of efficient filling of each of the separate consumables during mass processing, and is provided later with a reliable and secure seal to close the container. There is a need for a multi-container device wherein the containers are placed together in a manner which does not create any gaps or crevices into which food or foreign products could enter. When this occurs, it results not only in an unpleasant appearance, but also presents the possibility of developing an unhygienic or unhealthy condition. A number of multi-container packages have been described in the prior art, each with its own particular limitations. For example, YoFarm Co., of Naugatuck, CT, has a combination of yogurt and granola contained separately and sold in a package. The package has two separate containers stacked in a supplementary arrangement. The yogurt is filled in a lower plastic container and the granola is packed in a second separate plastic container. The granola container is removably mounted on top of, and outside of the lower yogurt container. Such a container device has at least two disadvantages. First, the complementary arrangement is added to the total height of the container, and thus the container takes up additional space during shipping and storage. Secondly, the lower container, when filled with yogurt may lack a suitable upper space above the yogurt packaged herein to minimize spillage when the granola is supplied by the consumer within the lower container. The possibility of spillage is also a problem when the combination of yogurt and granola is then consumed from the container. Other examples of multiple container packages are US Patent Nos. 2,237,610 and 3,349,941. US Patent No. 2,237,610 discloses a top container for holding cream, with the top container removably mounted inside a larger lower container for holding cream cheese. U.S. Patent No. 3,349,941 discloses a top container suitable for storing fresh fruit and removably mounted within a larger lower container suitable for storing cottage cheese. None of these patents however, provides a lower container which has two distinct compartments in which the lower container has a lower compartment of significantly reduced diameter for the purpose of allowing the container to be conveniently grasped during the consumption of its contents. They also do not provide a container having an upper compartment of increased diameter relative to the lower compartment to receive and conveniently mix the food product from the removed upper container. As well, those container devices do not provide an upper container that nests within the maximum upper surface of the edge of a lower container, with a simple cover that contacts and seals both the lower and upper containers. There is a need for a multi-container device to store two consumables that is convenient for grasping and minimizing spillage when the two consumables are combined and consumed from the container device. The multi-container device also needs to have a removably secured container to the other container in a manner which does not create gaps or crevices in the places that could allow unwanted food or foreign products to accumulate. According to one aspect of the present invention, a container device is provided which has a lower vessel for storing a first consumable and an upper vessel for storing a second consumable. The lower cup has a lower compartment and an upper compartment. The lower compartment of the lower vessel has an outer periphery of a diameter which allows a convenient and secure hold within the hand of a typical consumer. The lower compartment also provides a chamber for storing the first consumable, while the upper compartment provides a space for removable mounting of the upper vessel within the lower vessel. After removal of the upper vessel, the upper compartment provides a space within which the second consumable can be supplied to lie on the first consumable in the lower compartment. The upper compartment is provided with an increased diameter relative to the lower compartment which provides a chamber in which the second consumable can be supplied and conveniently mixed with the first consumable, and which reduces the risk of spillage. Also, the increased diameter of the upper compartment provides a more convenient space from which the mixed consumables can be accessed by the consumer. This also reduces the likelihood of spillage when the contents are eaten with a spoon, since the increased diameter allows the spoon to be removed at a more shallow angle from the lower vessel. In another aspect of the present invention, the lower vessel is provided with a flange edge at its open end which has an annular recess therein, and the upper vessel is provided with an annular flange formed around its open end. The upper beaker flange is positioned within the recess of the lower beaker flange that removably assembles the upper beaker into the lower beaker. The annular flange of the upper beaker is formed of a diameter and a thickness that closely matches the diameter and depth of the annular recess of the lower beaker which provides a continuous flat surface through the upper part of the flanges. This allows for effective mounting of the container cover which seals the lower and upper vessels, while also removably securing the upper vessel within the lower vessel. In addition, by tightly coupling the size and shape of the upper tumbler flange and the lower tumbler flange recess, no voids or cracks occur between the coupling surfaces which could allow food particles to enter them during the filling of a food product by the manufacturer. If this occurred, the food products trapped in the container would probably spill when the upper vessel is removed from the lower container. Such voids and slits, if present, would also increase the opportunity to accommodate foreign particles therein, resulting in an increased possibility so that unhygienic or unhealthy conditions could occur. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the container device, which shows in discontinuous lines the cover of the container device. FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a separate upper vessel and lower vessel. FIGURE 3 is a perspective side view of the lower vessel. FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view of a line 4-4 of FIGURE 3. With reference to FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 2 a container device, indicated generally as 10, has a top or top 12 glass , nested inside a lower vessel 14 or in the lower part. An upper part or cover 16 closes and seals the container device 10. Vessels 12 and 14 can be formed from a variety of known materials and in a number of known ways, but are preferably thermoformed from a plastic material, such as polypropylene, polyester or polystyrene, and cover 16 is formed from preference of a thin flexible plastic material, for example, a lamination of polypropylene or polyester with or without metallization, and a suitable sealable layer with heat.

The lower vessel 14 has a side wall 18 with an integrally formed lower end 20, and an annular flange 22 at its upper end 24. The flange 22 defines the opening 26 providing access to the interior recess of the device 10 of the container. As best seen in Figure 4, the side wall 18 has a lower section 28 of a generally frusto-conical shape, and an upper section 30, is also of a generally frusto-conical shape. The lower section 28 of the side wall 18 passes in an upper section 30 in the support, or flange 32, which extends radially outwardly from the upper end 34 of the lower section 28 of the side wall 18 to the lower end 36 of the section 30 of upper side wall. The upper vessel 12 has a side wall 38 and is closed at the lower end by an integrally formed bottom 40 providing the upper vessel 12 with an inverted dome shape. An annular flange 42 appears at the upper end of the side wall 38. The annular flange 42 of the upper vessel 12 has a generally flat upper surface 44, a generally flat lower surface 46, and an external peripheral edge 48 generally vertical. The flange 22 of lower vessel 14 has an upper surface 50 and a lower surface 52, and formed within the innermost region of the flange 22 is an annular recess 54. As best seen in FIGURE 2, the annular recess 54 has a generally planar lower surface 56 and a generally vertical and generally planar edge wall 58. It is noted that the annular flange 42 of the vessel 12 is formed to have an outer diameter that is approximately the same as the diameter of the recess 54 in the vertical edge 58 of the annular recess 54. Also, the thickness of the upper vessel flange 42 is approximately the same as the thickness of the profanity of the lower vessel flange recess 54. Thus, it can be appreciated that when the upper vessel 12 nests within the lower vessel 14, the outer vertical edge 48 of the upper vessel flange 42 is spliced against the inner vertical edge 48 of the recess 44 in the lower vessel flange 22. . Also, since the thicknesses of the upper cup flange 42 and the lower vessel annular recess 54 are substantially the same, the upper surfaces 44 and 50 of the flanges 42 and 22, respectively, provide a continuous flat surface through the upper surface of the container device 10. Thus, when the vessels 12 and 14 are nested together there are no voids or open spaces along the upper surface of the container device 10 within which food particles could enter the filling or packing processes, especially when they can occur during filling of the upper vessel 12. Further, it is noted that when the vessels 12, 14 are nested, the upper level of upper surfaces 44, 50 of flanges 42 and 50, respectively, is advantageous for attaching and sealing the sealing cover 16 to surfaces 40, 50. The surface Continuous flat also reduces the possibility that the thin cover 16 could be punctured at the joint of flange edges 48, 58 during shipping and handling of the container device 10. Although the container 10 can be used for a variety of applications, it is especially adaptable for the packaging of two separate food products which are to be packaged separately in a single container device 10, and which are intended for combination and final consumption from within of the container 10. For purposes of illustration, the container 10 is described as packaging a yogurt as a first consumable 76 contained in the lower beaker 14, and the granola flakes as a second consumable 78 contained separately in the upper beaker 12. Before further discussing the use of the container 10, it is noted that the container 10 provides, in effect,, three different compartments or cameras. The vessel 14 has a lower compartment 60 defined by the inner surface 62 of the lower side wall section 28, and by the internal surface 64 of the lower end 20. The lower vessel 14 also has an upper compartment 66 defined by the internal surfaces 68 of the upper side wall section 30 and by the internal surface 69 of the annular flange 32. The lower compartment 60 opens at its upper end adjacent to the lower end opening of an upper compartment 66. The upper compartment 66 also opens to the outside through the upper opening 26. A third compartment 70 for the container 10 is provided by the upper vessel 12, and is defined by the inner surface 72 of the upper vessel bottom wall 40 and the inner surfaces 74 of the upper vessel side wall 38. Prior to the attachment of the cover 16, the compartment 70 opens to the outside in the opening 80. In the packaging process, an empty lower vessel 14 is placed in a typical filling station (not shown), as it is known in FIG. The technique. In the station, the lower beaker 14 is filled with yogurt 76 to substantially fill the lower beaker compartment 60. Normally, the yogurt 76 will not be filled to a level which will extend into the upper compartment 66 of the lower vessel. After filling yogurt 76, the upper beaker 12 is placed inside the upper compartment 66 of the lower beaker 14 with the flange 42 nested within the annular recess 54. This can be achieved in the same filling station, or in another station to which the lower vessel 14 has been transported. In any case, when the upper vessel 12 is placed in the lower vessel 14, the upper vessel 12 acts to seal the opening 26 and thus also seals the lower compartment 60 containing the previously filled yogurt 76. At this point, the container device 10 is ready to be filled with a second consumable 78 such as pellets 78 of granola. After filling, the upper cover 16 of aluminum foil is placed on the upper surfaces 42, 50, of flanges 22 and 42, respectively and sealed thereto by any suitable means known in the art, such as, for example, by adhesive . Once positioned, the upper part seals the upper opening 57 of the upper vessel 12 and also acts to further seal the lower vessel opening 26, as well as to removably secure the upper vessel 12 within the lower vessel 14. The filling of upper vessel 12, and securing of cover 16, can take place in separate dedicated stations for those processes, with container device 10 being transported between such stations. In this way, the yogurt 76 and the granola 78 can be packaged separately in a simple container device 10 to hold together the freshness and firmness of those products until final consumption. At the time of consumption, a consumer removes the foil cover 16 by grasping the flap 82, shown in FIGURE 1, to detach the cover 16 away from the flaps 22 and 42. Further ahead, the top flap 12 is removed from the flap. its position inside the lower vessel 14. To assist this procedure, the upper vessel 12 may be provided with a removal device (not shown), which may be for example, a removal tag secured to the upper vessel 12, or a depression or cut-out section formed within the upper vessel side wall 38 to better provide a grasp for removal of the upper vessel 12. Once removed, the consumer dispenses granola 78 into the container 10 through the opening 26 in the upper compartment 66 of the lower beaker 14 to contact the yogurt 76. The novel container 10 of the present invention has been designed with a number of user-friendly features. First, the side wall 28 of the lower section of the lower beaker 14 has a periphery which is of a shape and size which can conveniently be held in the hand of a wide range of consumers. Also, the upper compartment 65 of the lower container 14 is of an increased cross-sectional area relative to the lower compartment 60. While, the outer peripheral size of the lower compartment 66 is designed with the ability to grip in mind, the larger diameter size of the upper compartment 66 is designed for easy distribution of the second consumable 78 within the lower vessel 14, and to provide also an area of increased diameter for consumables 76 and 78 conveniently mixed together by means of a spoon (not shown) or other suitable utensil. In this regard, the increased diameter of the opening 26 for the upper compartment 66, relative to the diameter of the opening 82 for the lower compartment 60, also provides more capacity for the entry of a spoon or other utensil used to consume the food products. . A more convenient space for initially extracting the consumables from the container 10 is also provided. Indicated otherwise, an advantage of the upper compartment 66 of increased diameter is related to the angle at which a spoon is needed which is initially arranged to extract a consumable from the container 10. In general terms, the narrower a container, the more inclined the angle at which a spoon needs to be placed to gain access to the food stored in it. For example, a bowl-shaped container allows a surface angle to extract food therefrom, while at the other end, a container in the form of a narrower "test tube" will require a relatively steep angle. A problem with a steeper angle is that the product extracted by a spoon is more likely to be spilled from the spoon if the user removes the spoon at an inclined angle. A consumer may attempt to compensate for this effect by tilting the container when the consumer extracts the food content from the container. An inclined container, however, is more likely to cause spillage of the contents, especially at the beginning when the container is more completely filled with the food product. The present invention, with a larger diameter increased compartment allows a more shallow angle to initially extract food products. Further, when the volume of the food content is reduced, the consumer can tilt the container to extract the remaining contents from inside the container 10, with the increased empty part of the upper diameter compartment 66 which acts to prevent spillage of the contents from the container 10. Furthermore, the above advantage is achieved without increasing the diameter of the lower section 28 at a point where the ease of grabbing the container would be affected. Another advantage of the container device 10 of the present invention rests on the fact that the upper compartment 66 of increased diameter of the lower vessel 12 provides an illusion of greater volume for the total container. This helps the manufacturer market their product, and helps the dieting conscious consumer by providing a portion that seems larger than the real one. Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with a combination of yogurt and granola, the container can be used with other countless combinations. This can have more than one consumable placed in an individual compartment, either in a stratified or mixed arrangement together, as long as those consumables can be stored compatible together. In addition, the consumable does not need to be limited to edible consumables, and other types of materials can be stored advantageously in the container device 10. As well, other shapes may be used for the vessels instead of the inverted dome shown for the upper vessel 12 and the frusto-conical compartments of the lower vessel 14. In the cases used in the various figures of the drawing, the same numbers designate the same or similar parts. In addition, when the terms "upper", "lower", "first", "second", "upper part", "lower part", "height", "width", "length", "extreme", lateral ", "horizontal", "vertical" and similar terms are used herein, it should be understood that these terms refer only to the structure shown in the drawing and are used only to facilitate the description of the invention. described above without departing from the broad inventive concepts thereof Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments or to the described theoretical description, but is intended to cover all the modifications that are within the spirit and scope of the invention. as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A multi-vessel container device for separately storing two consumables that are consumed together later, characterized in that it comprises: a first vessel for storing a first consumable, the first vessel having a first side wall with an upper end and an opposite lower end with a closed bottom, the first side wall has a first flange formed around the upper end of the first side wall, the first flange defines an opening into the interior of the first glass, the first flange has an upper surface and a recess formed on the upper surface along the inner periphery of the first flange, the recess has a lower surface and an edge wall surface; a second vessel for storing a second consumable, the second vessel has a second side wall with a first end and an opposite end with a closed bottom, the second side wall has a second flange formed around the first end of the second side wall of the second vessel defining an opening to the second vessel, the second flange extends outwardly from the second side wall of the second vessel, and the second flange has an upper surface and an outer peripheral edge, the second flange of the second vessel is removably positioned inside the vessel. recess of the first vessel with the peripheral edge of the second flange by splicing the flange wall surface of the recess of the first flange, a cover for the container device, the cover is removably placed on the first and second flanges to seal the device container and the second vessel is removably secured within the first vessel, the second vessel is removed from the first vessel to allow the second consumable to be supplied from the second vessel into the first vessel for consumption of the first and second consumables from the first vessel. The container device according to claim 1, characterized by the upper surface of the first flange and the upper surface of the second flange providing a continuous flat surface, and the cover is joined to the upper surfaces of the first and second flanges. eyelashes. 3. The container device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first side wall of the first vessel has an internal surface and an external surface, the first side wall has an externally extending support located between the lower end of the first side wall and the upper end of the side wall, the first side wall has an upper section of the first side wall on the support and the lower section of the first side wall below the support, the first glass has an upper compartment and a compartment bottom below the upper compartment, the upper compartment has a first opening at one end to provide the container device opening and a second opening at the other end to provide an opening to the lower compartment, the lower compartment defined at least in part by the bottom of the first cup and the inner surface of the section in of the first side wall, the upper compartment defined at least in part by the internal surface of the upper section of the first side wall, the outer surface of the lower section of the first side wall of the first glass having a circumference which is smaller than the circumference of the outer surface of the upper section of the first side wall, the smaller circumference of the lower section facilitates holding the first vessel and provides a first cross-sectional area for the lower compartment, the larger circumference large of the upper section providing a second cross-sectional area of the upper compartment which is larger than the first cross-sectional area of the lower compartment to facilitate the distribution of the second consumable in the first vessel and to facilitate the removal of the first and second consumables from the first glass during consumption. 4. The container device according to claim 3, characterized in that the second vessel is mounted within the upper compartment of the first vessel. The container device according to claim 4, characterized in that the second vessel acts to seal the first vessel when mounted thereon. The container device according to claim 4, characterized in that the second flange has a thickness which is approximately equal to the depth of the recess formed in the first flange. The container device according to claim 6, characterized in that the first vessel and the second vessel are formed by thermoforming a plastic material. The container device according to claim 7, characterized in that the cover comprises a flexible, relatively thin metallized plastic. The container device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover adheres to the first and second flanges. The container device according to claim 4, characterized in that the upper compartment provides a space in which the second consumable can be supplied after the removal of the second vessel from the first vessel, the increased diameter of the upper chamber acts to reduce the probability of spillage from the first vessel during the mixing of the first and second consumables and during the consumption of the first and second consumables from the first vessel. The container device according to claim 4, characterized in that the first vessel has at least one compartment with a generally frusto-conical shape, and the second vessel has a generally frusto-conical shape. 12. The container device according to claim 11, characterized in that the first vessel and the second vessel are made of a thermoformed plastic material. 13. A container device for at least two separate consumables, characterized in that it comprises: a first vessel for storing a first consumable, the first vessel having an inner hollow and an open upper end; a second vessel for storing a second consumable, the second vessel has a side wall with an upper end and a lower end, a bottom closed at the lower end of the side wall, and an open end at the upper end of the side wall, the side wall has an outer surface and an inner surface forming an interior hollow in the second vessel, the side wall of the second vessel has a lower section and an upper section, the second vessel has a lower compartment for storing the second consumable, the inner compartment is defined at least in part by the internal surface of the lower section of the side wall, the second vessel has an upper compartment, the upper compartment is defined at least in part by the inner surface of the upper section of the side wall , the first vessel is removably mounted inside the upper compartment, the upper compartment has a first sectional area transverse and the lower compartment has a second cross-sectional area which is smaller than the first cross-sectional area, the lower section of the side wall of the second vessel has a periphery around its external surface which allows convenient grasping within on one hand, the first glass mounted in the compartment and removable from it to allow the distribution of the first consumable in the upper compartment for consumption with the second consumable from the second glass, a removable cover to seal the first and second glasses, the cover is also removably secured to the first vessel within the upper compartment of the second vessel. 14. The container device according to claim 13, characterized in that the first vessel has a second side wall with a first flange around the second side wall at the open top end, the flange extends outwardly from the second side wall and has an upper surface and a peripheral edge, the wall side of the second vessel has a second flange adjacent to the open end, the second flange extends outwardly from the side wall and has an upper surface, and a recess appearing on the upper surface of the second flange, the recess has a lower surface and a flange wall, the first flange of the first vessel is mounted in the recess of the second flange of the second vessel. The container device according to claim 14, characterized in that the second peripheral edge of the first flange is spliced against the cavity edge wall of the second flange when the first vessel is mounted within the second vessel. The container device according to claim 15, characterized in that the cover adheres removably to the upper surfaces of the first and second flanges. 17. The container device according to claim 16, characterized in that the first and second top surfaces form a generally flat surface and generally continuous through the upper part of the container. 18. The container device according to claim 14, characterized in that the first vessel has a generally frusto-conical shape, and the second vessel has at least one compartment with a generally frusto-conical shape. 19. The container device according to claim 18, characterized in that the first vessel and the second vessel are made of a thermoformed plastic material.