Container for dispensing comestibles

Abstract

A container for dispensing comestibles, such as a dry cereal dispenser, is provided that is generally designed to be capable of being fully cleaned and sanitized in order to avoid exposing the comestibles to contamination. In this regard, the various components of the container, such as the handle, the lid and the bottom closure, are advantageously mounted to the vessel such that the inner surface of the vessel with which the comestible is in contact is smooth and uninterrupted and, therefore, capable of being thoroughly cleaned. By including a removable bottom closure, the container may capable of being refilled through the bottom, opposite the open top through which the comestible is dispensed, to prevent stagnation of the comestible in lower portions of the container.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 335,678, filed Jan. 2, 2003, which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to containers for dispensing comestibles, such as dry cereal and other foodstuffs, and, more particularly, to containers for dispensing comestibles, such as single-serve or patron-serve containers, that include few, if any, sites at which contaminants can accumulate and which can be readily cleaned to thereby provide more sanitary and sterile conditions for the storage and dispensation of the comestibles. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Containers for dispensing comestibles, such as dry cereal and other foodstuffs, are widely utilized. These containers are provided in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and designs and generally serve to store bulk quantities of a particular foodstuff. Individual portions...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] A container for dispensing comestibles, such as a dry cereal dispenser, is therefore provided according to the present invention that is generally designed to be capable of being fully cleaned and sanitized in order to avoid exposing the comestibles to contamination. In this regard, the various components of the container, such as the handle, the lid and the bottom closure, are advantageously mounted to the vessel such that the inner surface of the vessel with which the comestible is in contact is smooth and uninterrupted and, therefore, capable of being thoroughly cleaned. Additionally, the container of at least one embodiment that includes a removable bottom closure is capable of being refilled through the bottom, opposite the open top through which the comestible is dispensed, to prevent stagnation of the comestible in lower portions of the container.

[0015] In embodiments in which the upstanding vessel defines an open lower end opposite the open upper end that serves as the outlet through which the comestibles are dispensed, the container may also include a removable closure for sealing the lower end of the vessel. The closure is capable of securely engaging the vessel, such as by means of mechanical engagement therewith, to seal the lower end of the vessel. The closure is also capable of being removed to permit access to the interior of the vessel via the open lower end. As such, the closure may be removed in order to clean and / or refill the container. By permitting refilling of the container through the open lower end opposite the outlet through which the comestibles are dispensed, the container of this embodiment avoids the accumulation of stagnant foodstuffs in the lower portion of the container.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, the container includes a lid for covering the outlet defined by the vessel and a hinge assembly connecting the lid to the vessel. The hinge assembly permits the lid to be moved between a closed position in which the lid covers the outlet and an open position in which the lid is at least partially displaced from the outlet to permit comestibles to be dispensed. According to this aspect of the present invention, the hinge assembly connects the lid to the vessel in a manner independent of the inner surface of the vessel. Thus, the hinge assembly may connect the lid to the vessel, such as to the exterior surface of the vessel, without requiring fasteners to extend through the inner surface of the vessel, thereby eliminating a potential site for contamination.

[0018] The hinge assembly may include a tab extending outwardly from the lid and a spring that engages both the tab and the vessel. As a result of its construction, the hinge assembly defines a threshold angle between the lid and an end of the vessel that defines the outlet such that the lid will move to a fully open position if the lid is positioned at an angle greater than the threshold angle, but will return to a fully closed position if the lid is positioned at an angle less than the threshold angle. Thus, the lid cannot be inadvertently left open, thereby further limiting the possibility of contamination of the foodstuffs.

[0019] According to the present invention, a container, such as a dry cereal dispenser, is therefore provided that has few, if any, sites at which contaminants can accumulate and that can be readily sanitized. In this regard, a dry cereal dispenser having both a handle and a hingedly connected lid is provided according to one embodiment of the present invention that is designed such that the inner surface of the vessel is uninterrupted and smooth. To avoid interrupting the inner surface of the vessel, the handle and the lid may be mounted to the vessel without requiring fasteners to extend through the inner surface of the vessel, thereby eliminating a site for contamination that was difficult, if not impossible, to sanitize. As described above, the sanitization of the dry cereal dispenser of this embodiment may also be facilitated by advantageously including a removable closure for sealing the lower end of a vessel, while remaining capable of being removed to permit cleaning and / or refilling of the vessel.

Problems solved by technology

In particular, this type of dry cereal dispenser is difficult, if not impossible, to sanitize; therefore undesirably subjecting the dry cereal to contaminants.

This conventional type of cereal dispenser generally has several features that are difficult, if not impossible, to clean that serve as sites at which contaminants accumulate.

As such, the heads of the fasteners are exposed within the vessel and are difficult, if not impossible, to sanitize.

The heads of these fasteners are also difficult, if not impossible, to sanitize.

In these instances, the corner between the sidewalls and the bottom of the vessel is also difficult, if not impossible, to sanitize and serves as yet an additional site for contamination.

As will be apparent, the exposure of virtually any comestible, including dry cereal, to contaminants is undesirable.

The manner in which this type of dry cereal dispenser is refilled may also pose a problem.

If this practice of refilling is repeated, the upper portions of the dry cereal dispenser may include fresh cereal, but older and, in some instances, undesirable cereal may stagnate in the lower portions of the vessel.

As will be apparent from its relatively complex design, this dispenser may also be somewhat difficult, if not impossible, to completely sanitize and therefore may expose the cereal or other comestibles to contamination.

Additionally, this more complex dispenser is generally more expensive than the dispensers comprised of an upstanding vessel from which the dry cereal or other comestibles may be poured.

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