Patent Application
20180296011
The present invention pertains to the field of spice jars, and more specifically to the field of spice jars equipped with a twist-top measuring mechanism enabling the cook to choose the desired amount of spice, and then dispense that amount of spice, neatly and without overflow and without the need for measuring spoons.
If variety is the spice of life, then surely spices are the variety in cooking. Every supermarket in America features a large selection of spices from around the world, and virtually every household has one or more spice-shelves in their kitchen cupboards. And every time the cook goes to add a spice to a dish-in-progress, she goes first to a drawer for the measuring spoons. This is just another step in the cooking, and another utensil to wash, of course, but what if this step could be eliminated? If would be desirable if the spice jar itself, with a simple, quick movement on the part of the cook, could measure-out and dispense the spice.
The prior art has put forth several designs for dispensing devices. Among these are:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,734 to William G. Smith describes a measuring and dispensing device having a container cap securely fastened to a container by screw threads or other suitable means; two piece rotatable metering drum connected to the cap by a rotatable, snap-action ring; and an exit spout on the opposite end of the metering drum attached to the drum by a rotatable, snap-action ring. An objective in the development of the present device was to reduce the height of the metering drum which is achieved by splitting the metering drum along a parting line, and then permanently joining the two parts by a non-rotatable locking snap-action ring so that the entrance and exiting openings to the metering drum are approximately ⅜ inch in diameter while the interior of the metering drum chambers vary in size to accommodate the ¼, ½, and 1 teaspoon measurement amounts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,871 to Edward S. Robbins III describes a dispensing cap which incorporates a volumetric space to thereby permit precisely measured amounts of contents to be poured from the dispensing cap. The cap in this exemplary embodiment is constructed of a transparent plastic material and is provided with volume indicators to assist the user in measuring precisely desired amounts as the contents are transferred from the jar into a volumetric space provided in the dispensing cap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,213 to Jennifer J. Daniello describes a container lid with quantity measures for the selective dispensing of different predetermined quantities of material from a container to which the lid is removably attached. The lid includes a central body portion having a plurality of differently sized volumes therein, each of which is selectively openable and closable relative to the container to which the lid is secured. A rotatable top portion is turned to select the desired specific quantity, which action also turns the closure plate below the main body portion. The container lid is used by inverting the container and attached lid, rotating the top portion to a position other than the quantity selected in order to move the closure plate from that selected volume, rotating the top portion to the selected quantity to close the selected volume, and dispensing the selected quantity from a dispenser in the top portion. The configuration of the main body portion also allows the closure plate or valve to be bypassed, to a low continuous pouring or shaking of material from the container as desired. The present container lid is particularly adapted for use in the dispensing of specific quantities of spices, condiments, and the like for cooking and food preparation, but may be used to dispense virtually any dry granulated or powdered material, and may even be adapted for use with certain liquids.
None of these prior art references describe the present invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a spice jar equipped with a twist-top measuring mechanism enabling the cook to choose the desired amount of spice, and then dispense that amount of spice, neatly and without overflow and without the need for measuring spoons.
The present invention is a Measuring Spice Dispenser providing a spice container equipped with one or two twist-top measuring mechanisms enabling the cook to simply choose the desired amount of spice, and then, in a couple of quick and easy moves, dispense that amount of spice, neatly and without overflow and without the need for measuring spoons.
Please refer to the drawings.
The Measuring Spice Dispenser of the present invention is preferably fabricated in injection-molded, food-grade thermoplastic, and can be produced in a variety of sizes. The size of the Dispenser can be any suitable size for the desired purpose. Regardless of size, the Measuring Spice Dispenser is a cylindrical container having three primary elements. The lower element is primary storage portion 18. Primary storage portion 18, shown in
The second primary element is the rotatable partitioned chamber 30. It is contemplated that one or more rotatable partitioned chambers can be utilized. Rotatable partitioned chamber 30 is positioned immediately above and in direct contact with primary storage portion 18. Rotatable partitioned chamber 30 has an aperture 34 and is in contact with storage chamber 18. Aperture 34 allows spice to pass from the storage container 18 through aperture 24 on cover 22 into the partitioned chamber 30. This contact can be any suitable means of contact as is known in the art such as snap on twist top having circumferential tongue and groove to allow for rotation alone or in combination with threaded communication. Rotatable partitioned chamber comprises a multiplicity of wells.
Above the storage portion 18 of the Spice Dispenser 10 is the measured cylindrical dispensing device comprising a rotatable partitioned chamber 30, shown in
Rotatable bifunctional hinged lid 40 is shown in
In an alternative embodiment,
The present invention provides a quick, precise, waste-free, and easy spice dispenser that minimizes spills and eliminates the need to wash
In the Spice Dispenser, cooks have a quick and easy means of accurately and neatly measuring and dispensing spices. Whether in the household kitchen or the kitchen of a restaurant, the Spice Dispenser saves cooks time and trouble, ensure the precise, desired amount of spice every time, and make it as quick to add a ¼- or ½-Teaspoon as it is to add a “pinch” or “dash.” Clearly, by eliminating the need for the measuring spoons, the Spice Dispenser makes spicing things up a lot easier, and give cooks one less utensil to clean up. And while the end-users of the Spice Dispenser are household users and restaurants, this multi-functional measuring spice jar will appeal very strongly to the big names within the spice industry, who win customers and increase their market share by offering their spices in the Spice Dispenser.
Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and various modifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
This patent application claims priority under 35 USC 119 (e) (1) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/484,909 filed Apr. 13, 2017, of common inventorship herewith entitled, “EZ SPICE,” which is incorporated herein by reference as though the same were set forth in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62484909 | Apr 2017 | US |
