Patent Application
20160001960
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates in general to containers intended to manually dispense powders and granular materials, especially food.
An object of the present invention is to provide a container cover allowing manual dispensing of powders and granular material from the container.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a container cover which includes a manually openable pouring spout.
A further object of the present invention is to provide container cover in which the pour spout is selectively closed by a cover which may be removed for use as a dispensing spoon.
These and other objects are achieved by a container cover with pour spout and spoon.
The objects and features of the invention noted above are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and in which:
With reference to
The cover 10 includes a peripheral rim 14 which surrounds and supports a top wall 16 which includes a pour aperture 18 extending therethrough. The rim 14 and top wall 16 could be separate elements, but are preferably formed as a monolithic unit such as by injection molding. Cover 10 further includes a slider 20 removably secured to the top wall and capable of manual sliding between a closed position and an open position.
The rim 14 will secure to the container base 12. When the cover 10 is intended to be removable and replaceable, the rim may be formed in a variety of ways known in the art. Most typically, this would be an inverted U-shaped slot receiving an upper edge of the container base as is well known in the art.
The slider 20 includes a planar main body 22 which is elongated in a direction of movement between the open and closed positions (referred to herein as the longitudinal direction, with the lateral direction being perpendicular thereto). Main body 22 is sized to fit within the rim 14. The main body 22 may be relatively closely received within the rim 14 in the lateral direction (as shown). However, the main body 22 must be shorter than the distance between the rim 14 in the longitudinal direction, so as to allow the main body 22 to move relative to, and within, the rim 14 as the main body moves between the closed and open positions. The main body 22 will also slide upon the top wall 16 (or at least a portion thereof) during this movement. The main body 22 has a size and a shape sufficient to fully cover the pour aperture 18.
The pour aperture 18 is elongated and includes two parallel sides 26 spaced from each other and extending in the longitudinal direction, as well as two spaced ends 28 each extending between the sides 26. The ends may be relatively straight (forming a relatively rectangular aperture 18, but are preferably curved as shown. The slider 20 further includes a locking wall 24 extending from the main body 22 to be received within the aperture 18. The locking wall preferably has a closed periphery, with parallel first faces 30 spaced so as to be very closely received within the sides 26, and with second faces 32 extending therebetween and shaped so as to closely mate with the ends 28. The second faces 32 are spaced from each other a distance less than the distance between the ends 28. As such, the slider 20 may move longitudinally from a position when one of second faces 32 abuts its adjoining end 28 (the closed position of
As may be seen, in the closed position main body 22 of the slider 20 will fully cover and close the aperture 18. In the open position, the portion of the main body extending beyond the locking wall 24 will extend over the top wall 16. In this manner the slider 20 may be used to selectivey seal and unseal the aperture 18. When in the open position, the user may tilt the entire container to pour contents out of the aperture 18.
To ensure that the slider 20 remains in position to operatively seal the aperture 18, at least the first faces 30 (and preferably all faces) of the locking wall 24 include a groove 34. The groove 34 may engage with a mating ridge 36 within the aperture 18. The top wall 16 itself may be of a thickness to form the ridge 36, or it may be formed on or by an enlarged periphery of the aperture 18. It is an important part of the invention that the top wall 16 and/or slider 20 be sufficiently elastic to allow manual engagement and removal of the slider 20.
When the slider 20 is manually removed from the top wall 16 as in
While not required, it is preferred that the periphery of the aperture 18 is raised with respect to the remainder of the top wall 16. This will help to ensure full contact of the main body 22 against the aperture 18 to more fully seal the aperture with in any position other than open.
To cause the manual sliding of the slider 20, the user could insert their finger into the bowl formed by the depression in the main body 22 (if the spoon is so formed). It is preferred, however, to elongate the main body 22 further in the longitudinal direction, and to form a finger catch 38 formed as an aperture therethrough (or a depression therein). The portion of the top wall 16 could be depressed beneath the finger catch 38 to allow its free movement with the slider 20 between the open and closed positions. Alternatively, an actual closed trench 40 could be formed in the top wall 16.
In the most preferred form the finger catch 38 would extend into the trench 40, with the trench 40 being undercut to form longitudinal slide ribs 42 which are closely received within slide grooves 44 in the outer lateral sides of the finger catch 38. Thus, the finger catch 38 would be guided in a manner similar to the locking wall 24 within the aperture 18. This would further serve to ensure the main body 22 remains pressed against and properly seals the aperture 18. As before, it is preferred that the connection here be sufficiently elastic to allow the user to manually engage and disengage the ribs 42 and grooves 44. Alternatively or additionally, the ribs 42 may end prior to one or both longitudinal ends of the trench 40 so as to form a widened opening allowing free entry and exit of the finger catch 38 in the trench 40.
The sliding connections between the groove 34 and ridge 36 (as well as ribs 42 and groves 44) may be sufficiently tight to hold the slider 20 in position against unintended movement. It may be desirable, however, to form one or more protruding stops 46 on the bottom face of main body 22 positioned to engage against the inner periphery (or peripheral edge) of the aperture 18 to help secure the slider 20 in the open position, closed position, an/or an intermediate position.
From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objects set forth above together with the other advantages which are inherent within its structure.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth of shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.
