Food package with an auxiliary pouch for the collection of waste

Abstract

A package apparatus for containing a food item and collecting food waste includes a main pouch which comprises a pair of sheets. The sheets are joined at a bottom edge and a pair of lateral edges of the main pouch. The main pouch defines an interior space between the pair of sheets, and a top rim of the main pouch defines an opening to the interior space. An auxiliary pouch is removably coupled to an outer face of the main pouch. The auxiliary pouch comprises a pair of layers, wherein the layers are joined at a lower edge and a pair of lateral side edges of the auxiliary pouch. The auxiliary pouch defines an interior volume between the pair of layers, and an upper rim of the auxiliary pouch defines an aperture to the interior volume. The auxiliary pouch lies flat against the outer face of the main pouch.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not ApplicableSTATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not ApplicableTHE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

[0003] Not ApplicableINCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

[0004] Not ApplicableSTATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

[0005] Not ApplicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION(1) Field of the Invention

[0006] The disclosure relates to package apparatuses and more particularly pertains to a new package apparatus for containing a food item and collecting food waste.(2) Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.

[0007] The prior art discloses various package apparatuses for storing different food items or components of food items in different compartments. However, the prior art fails to describe such an apparatus which includes pouches attached to and lying flat against each other, including auxiliary pouches which may be used to collect waste from the food item stored in a main pouch of the apparatus.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a main pouch which comprises a pair of sheets. The sheets are joined at a bottom edge and a pair of lateral edges of the main pouch. The main pouch defines an interior space between the pair of sheets, and a top rim of the main pouch defines an opening to the interior space. An auxiliary pouch is removably coupled to an outer face of the main pouch. The auxiliary pouch comprises a pair of layers, wherein the layers are joined at a lower edge and a pair of lateral side edges of the auxiliary pouch. The auxiliary pouch defines an interior volume between the pair of layers, and an upper rim of the auxiliary pouch defines an aperture to the interior volume. The auxiliary pouch lies flat against the outer face of the main pouch.

[0009] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

[0010] The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0011] The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 3 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 6 is an in-use view of the embodiment of the disclosure depicted in FIG. 5.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new package apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0019] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the package apparatus 10 generally comprises a main pouch 12 which includes a pair of sheets 14. The sheets 14 are joined at a bottom edge 16 and a pair of lateral edges 18 of the main pouch 12. The main pouch 12 defines an interior space 20 between the pair of sheets 14, and a top rim 22 of the main pouch 12 defines an opening 24 to the interior space 20. Each sheet 14 of the pair of sheets 14 has a rectangular shape. The main pouch 12 also includes a main closure 28 which is coupled to the pair of sheets 14 adjacent to the top rim 22. The main closure 28 comprises a pair of mating members 30 which couple to each other via a snap fit. One of the mating members 30 may comprise a rail while the other comprises a receiver which defines a channel. The rail may be received into the channel. The main closure 28 may also form an air-impermeable seal when closed. Other closures may be used such as zipper closures, hook-and-loop closures, or the like.

[0020] An auxiliary pouch 32 is removably coupled to an outer face 26 of the main pouch 12. The auxiliary pouch 32 comprises a pair of layers 34, wherein the layers 34 are joined at a lower edge 36 and a pair of lateral side edges 38 of the auxiliary pouch 32. The auxiliary pouch 32 defines an interior volume 40 between the pair of layers 34, and an upper rim 42 of the auxiliary pouch 32 defines an aperture 44 to the interior volume 40. The auxiliary pouch 32 lies flat against the outer face 26 of the main pouch 12. Each layer 34 of the pair of layers 34 has a rectangular shape. The auxiliary pouch 32 may also include a closure which may be a snap fit closure such as the type described for the main closure 28, a zipper closure, a hook-and-loop closure, or the like.

[0021] A plurality of connection strips 46 couples the auxiliary pouch 32 to the main pouch 12. Each lateral side edge 38, the upper rim 42, and the lower edge 36 of the auxiliary pouch 32 are coupled to an associated connection strip 46 of the plurality of connection strips 46. Each connection strip 46 comprises a tearable material such that the auxiliary pouch 32 is removable from the main pouch 12. Each connection strip 46 also defines a perforated path 48 to facilitate removing the auxiliary pouch 32 by tearing along the perforated path 48. The tearable material may be, for example, a plastic, a paper, a foil, or other suitable material. The connection strips 46 may be integrally formed with the auxiliary pouch 32 and may likewise lie flat against the outer face 26 of the main pouch 12. The connection strips 46 may be adhered to the main pouch 12 or may also be integrally formed with the main pouch 12.

[0022] An embodiment is depicted in FIG. 4 in which the auxiliary pouch 32 is one of a plurality of auxiliary pouches 32 arranged in a stack against the main pouch 12. Each auxiliary pouch 32 of the plurality of auxiliary pouches 32 comprises a pair of layers 34, wherein the layers 34 are joined at a lower edge 36 and a pair of lateral side edges 38 of the auxiliary pouch 32. Each auxiliary pouch 32 defines an interior volume 40 between the pair of layers 34, and an upper rim 42 of each auxiliary pouch 32 defines an aperture 44 to the interior volume 40. The stack of auxiliary pouches 32 lies flat against the outer face 26 of the main pouch 12. Each layer 34 of the pair of layers 34 has a rectangular shape. Each auxiliary pouch 32 further comprises an auxiliary closure 50 coupled to the pair of layers 34 adjacent to the upper rim 42. The auxiliary closure 50 of each auxiliary pouch 32 comprises a pair of connecting members 52 which couple to each other via a snap fit.

[0023] Each connection strip 46 couples each auxiliary pouch 32 to the main pouch 12. Each lateral side edge 38, the upper rim 42, and the lower edge 36 of each auxiliary pouch 32 is coupled to an associated connection strip 46 of the plurality of connection strips 46. Each connection strip 46 comprises the tearable material such that each auxiliary pouch 32 is removable from the main pouch 12. Each connection strip 46 defines a plurality of perforated paths 48, wherein each auxiliary pouch 32 is removable from the main pouch 12 by tearing along an associated perforated path 48 of the plurality of perforated paths 48.

[0024] FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment in which the auxiliary pouch 32 further comprises a primary portion 54 and a secondary portion 56. The primary portion 54 extends from the upper rim 42 to the secondary portion 56, and the secondary portion 56 extends from the primary portion 54 to the lower edge 36. The primary portion 54 surrounds the interior volume 40, and the secondary portion 56 defines an internal space 58 therein separate from the interior volume 40. The auxiliary pouch 32 comprises the tearable material such that the primary portion 54 and the secondary portion 56 are separable via tearing. The auxiliary pouch 32 defines an intermediary perforated path 59 between the primary portion 54 and the secondary portion 56 to facilitate separation of the primary portion 54 and the secondary portion 56 via tearing along the intermediary perforated path 59.

[0025] In use, the package apparatus 10 may be used to contain a food item. In particular, a food item which has a portion that is not intended to be consumed may use the one or more auxiliary pouches 32 to collect the unconsumed portion. For example, sunflower seeds 60, pistachios, peanuts, or the like may be kept in the main pouch 12.

[0026] When a user consumes an edible portion of the food item, such as the kernel of a sunflower seed 60, the hull 62 of the sunflower seed 60 may be deposited into the auxiliary pouch 32. In an embodiment such as the one shown in FIG. 4 with multiple auxiliary pouches 32, different users may consume the kernels of the sunflower seeds 60 and deposit the leftover hulls 62 into their own auxiliary pouch 32. Auxiliary pouches 32 may also be used to hold a portion of the food item originally stored in the main pouch 12, which further facilitates sharing the food item between multiple users. In embodiments such as the one depicted in FIG. 5, a condiment or seasoning 64 may be kept in the internal space 58 of the secondary portion 56. Before consuming the food item, the secondary portion 56 may be torn open and the condiment or seasoning 64 may be poured into the interior space 20 of the main pouch 12 or the interior volume 40 of the auxiliary pouch 32 along with the food item in order to flavor the food item.

[0027] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0028] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded.

[0029] A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

1. A package apparatus comprising:a main pouch, the main pouch comprising a pair of sheets, the pair of sheets being joined at a bottom edge and a pair of lateral edges of the main pouch, the main pouch defining an interior space between the pair of sheets, a top rim of the main pouch defining an opening to the interior space; andan auxiliary pouch removably coupled to an outer face of the main pouch, the auxiliary pouch comprising a pair of layers, the pair of layers being joined at a lower edge and a pair of lateral side edges of the auxiliary pouch, the auxiliary pouch defining an interior volume between the pair of layers, an upper rim of the auxiliary pouch defining an aperture to the interior volume, the auxiliary pouch lying flat against the outer face of the main pouch.

2. The package apparatus of claim 1, wherein:each sheet of the pair of sheets of the main pouch has a rectangular shape; andeach layer of the pair of layers of the auxiliary pouch has a rectangular shape.

3. The package apparatus of claim 1, wherein the main pouch further comprises a main closure coupled to the pair of sheets adjacent to the top rim, the main closure comprising a pair of mating members which couple to each other via a snap fit.

4. The package apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of connection strips coupling the auxiliary pouch to the main pouch, each lateral side edge of the pair of lateral side edges of the auxiliary pouch being coupled to an associated connection strip of the plurality of connection strips, each of the upper rim and the lower edge of the auxiliary pouch being coupled to an associated connection strip of the plurality of connection strips, each connection strip of the plurality of connection strips comprising a tearable material such that the auxiliary pouch is removable from the main pouch.

5. The package apparatus of claim 4, wherein each connection strip of the plurality of connection strips defines a perforated path to facilitate removing the auxiliary pouch by tearing along the perforated path.

6. The package apparatus of claim 1, wherein:the auxiliary pouch is one of a plurality of auxiliary pouches arranged in a stack against the main pouch, each auxiliary pouch of the plurality of auxiliary pouches comprising:a pair of layers, the pair of layers being joined at a lower edge and a pair of lateral side edges of the auxiliary pouch, each auxiliary pouch defining an interior volume between the pair of layers, an upper rim of each auxiliary pouch defining an aperture to the interior volume; andthe stack of auxiliary pouches lies flat against the outer face of the main pouch.

7. The package apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of connection strips coupling each auxiliary pouch of the plurality of auxiliary pouches to the main pouch, each lateral side edge of the pair of lateral side edges of each auxiliary pouch being coupled to an associated connection strip of the plurality of connection strips, each of the upper rim and the lower edge of each auxiliary pouch being coupled to an associated connection strip of the plurality of connection strips, each connection strip of the plurality of connection strips comprising the tearable material such that each auxiliary pouch is removable from the main pouch.

8. The package apparatus of claim 7, wherein each connection strip of the plurality of connection strips defining a plurality of perforated paths, each auxiliary pouch of the plurality of auxiliary pouches being removable from the main pouch by tearing along an associated perforated path of the plurality of perforated paths.

9. The package apparatus of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary pouch further comprises an auxiliary closure coupled to the pair of layers adjacent to the upper rim, the auxiliary closure comprising a pair of connecting members which couple to each other via a snap fit.

10. The package apparatus of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary pouch comprises a primary portion and a secondary portion, the primary portion extending from the upper rim to the secondary portion, the secondary portion extending from the primary portion to the lower edge, the primary portion surrounding the interior volume, the secondary portion defining an internal space therein separate from the interior volume, the auxiliary pouch comprising a tearable material such that the primary portion and the secondary portion are separable via tearing.

11. The package apparatus of claim 10, wherein the auxiliary pouch defines an intermediary perforated path between the primary portion and the secondary portion to facilitate separation of the primary portion and the secondary portion via tearing along the intermediary perforated path.

12. A package apparatus comprising:a main pouch, the main pouch comprising a pair of sheets, the pair of sheets being joined at a bottom edge and a pair of lateral edges of the main pouch, the main pouch defining an interior space between the pair of sheets, a top rim of the main pouch defining an opening to the interior space, each sheet of the pair of sheets having a rectangular shape, the main pouch further comprising a main closure coupled to the pair of sheets adjacent to the top rim, the main closure comprising a pair of mating members which couple to each other via a snap fit;an auxiliary pouch removably coupled to an outer face of the main pouch, the auxiliary pouch comprising a pair of layers, the pair of layers being joined at a lower edge and a pair of lateral side edges of the auxiliary pouch, the auxiliary pouch defining an interior volume between the pair of layers, an upper rim of the auxiliary pouch defining an aperture to the interior volume, the auxiliary pouch lying flat against the outer face of the main pouch, each layer of the pair of layers having a rectangular shape;a plurality of connection strips coupling the auxiliary pouch to the main pouch, each lateral side edge of the pair of lateral side edges of the auxiliary pouch being coupled to an associated connection strip of the plurality of connection strips, each of the upper rim and the lower edge of the auxiliary pouch being coupled to an associated connection strip of the plurality of connection strips, each connection strip of the plurality of connection strips comprising a tearable material such that the auxiliary pouch is removable from the main pouch, each connection strip of the plurality of connection strips defining a perforated path to facilitate removing the auxiliary pouch by tearing along the perforated path; and13. The package apparatus of claim 12, wherein:the auxiliary pouch is one of a plurality of auxiliary pouches arranged in a stack against the main pouch, each auxiliary pouch of the plurality of auxiliary pouches comprising:a pair of layers, the pair of layers being joined at a lower edge and a pair of lateral side edges of the auxiliary pouch, each auxiliary pouch defining an interior volume between the pair of layers, an upper rim of each auxiliary pouch defining an aperture to the interior volume, each layer of the pair of layers having a rectangular shape; andan auxiliary closure coupled to the pair of layers adjacent to the upper rim, the auxiliary closure comprising a pair of connecting members which couple to each other via a snap fit;the stack of auxiliary pouches lies flat against the outer face of the main pouch; andeach connection strip of the plurality of connection strips couples each auxiliary pouch of the plurality of auxiliary pouches to the main pouch, each lateral side edge of the pair of lateral side edges of each auxiliary pouch being coupled to an associated connection strip of the plurality of connection strips, each of the upper rim and the lower edge of each auxiliary pouch being coupled to an associated connection strip of the plurality of connection strips, each connection strip of the plurality of connection strips comprising the tearable material such that each auxiliary pouch is removable from the main pouch, each connection strip of the plurality of connection strips defining a plurality of perforated paths, each auxiliary pouch of the plurality of auxiliary pouches being removable from the main pouch by tearing along an associated perforated path of the plurality of perforated paths.

14. The package apparatus of claim 12, wherein the auxiliary pouch comprises a primary portion and a secondary portion, the primary portion extending from the upper rim to the secondary portion, the secondary portion extending from the primary portion to the lower edge, the primary portion surrounding the interior volume, the secondary portion defining an internal space therein separate from the interior volume, the auxiliary pouch comprising the tearable material such that the primary portion and the secondary portion are separable via tearing, the auxiliary pouch defining an intermediary perforated path between the primary portion and the secondary portion to facilitate separation of the primary portion and the secondary portion via tearing along the intermediary perforated path.

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