The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
The present invention relates generally to the field of beverage containers of existing art and more specifically relates to a milk jug.
A beverage container is a container designed to hold a fixed portion of liquid such as carbonated soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, teas, herbal teas, energy drinks, etc. Beverage containers are necessary for storing and dispensing edible fluids for everyday consumption, especially for refrigerated drinks. Reusable beverage containers may be necessary for beverages which are bought in bulk sizes and consumed in smaller servings. Additionally, many beverage containers contain means for dispensing beverages in individual portions more conveniently than commercial packaging. Containers may be constructed of glass, metal, ceramic, or plastic materials, and may be shaped in a variety of volumes and dispensing configurations. Certain beverages may necessitate specific features based on serving temperature, desired serving sizes, or other factors.
However, beverage containers have certain limitations. For example, users may experience difficulty in identifying beverages or obtaining beverage information about a fluid in a reusable container. Most beverage containers lack labeling information or customizable indicia for a variety of beverages. In particular, expiration dates may be unobtainable for a perishable drink. Additionally, users may experience difficulty in transferring fluids from a commercial package to a reusable beverage container. A suitable solution is desired.
Improved beverage containers are known in prior art. U.S. Pub. No. 2011/0109453 to Chia-Wen Chen relates to an apparatus for warning of an expiration date. The described apparatus for warning of an expiration date includes a casing, a processing unit located in the casing, and an attachment unit connected to the casing. U.S. Pub. No. 2011/0122120 to Guy Feuilloley relates to a container bearing an electronic label with a screen. The disclosure describes a container equipped with a body containing a product, on which is affixed a flexible electronic label adaptable to the contours of the container, the label comprising an electronic screen for displaying information relating to the product and visible to a user, a micro-controller linked to the screen for controlling the display of information on said screen and the updating of said information, and a power source linked to the micro-controller. U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0108755 to Zack Fuerstenberg et al describes a beverage holder apparatus including a chip unit attached to a beverage holder and adapted to communicate with a chip unit reader to perform a payment transaction to purchase the beverage.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known beverage container art, the present disclosure provides a novel milk jug. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a milk jug useful for containing a dispensable milk from a milk bag and for retaining an integral cutting blade and expiration tag retainer, as well as a method by which to dispense milk from a milk bag using the milk jug.
A milk jug is disclosed herein. The milk jug includes a pitcher body, a handle, a blade, and an expiration tag retainer. The milk bag pitcher is defined by a pitcher body having an inner cylindrical surface, an outer cylindrical surface, an upper edge, a base, and a spout including a U-shaped aperture; a handle attached to said pitcher body having a junction member and a grasping member; a blade embedded into said spout of said pitcher body having a blade flat and an edge; and an expiration tag retainer attached to said pitcher body having a tag enclosure, a tag retaining lip, and a tag insertion slot. Tag can be moved anywhere as desired. Knife can also be moved.
The handle is attached to the pitcher body for the purpose of providing a grasping means for lifting the milk jug. The milk jug is configured to store, support, and dispense milk from a milk bag; the pitcher body, the handle, the blade, and the expiration tag retainer being in functional combination. The components of the milk jug form a rigid unit containing an interior volume which is arranged to house a milk bag containing milk after the bag has been opened. The upper edge of the pitcher body is circular, being open for inserting the milk bag into the pitcher body. The inside surface tapered, which facilitates easy removal of a milk bag when full and also improves the flow of milk when tilted; the cylindrical body being of a larger diameter at the top and of a smaller diameter at the bottom.
The spout of the device is structured to support the corner of the milk bag when the pitcher is tilted to preventing spillage when dispensing milk through an open corner of the milk bag. The top of the pitcher is angled so that the spout projects upwardly from the top of the pitcher, forming a supporting region for the milk to flow through when the weight (mass) of the milk bag rests against the spout. This design prevents the amorphous milk bag from falling out of the pitcher, pressing the open corner in undesirable directions, or spilling milk into the front of the pitcher. The steep angle of the top of the pitcher makes the spout sufficiently long for supporting the milk bag when tilted excessively.
The U-shaped aperture in the spout forms a trough to provide a flow path for dispensed milk when the pitcher is tilted. The blade is embedded in the base of the U-shaped aperture of the spout at an angle, providing a mechanically advantaged cutting edge for easily cutting a corner from a milk bag. The sides of the spout form a protective guard around the blade and aid a user in referencing an appropriate location for the cut. The aperture also forms the outlet for milk to be dispensed from when the pitcher is tilted.
The base of the pitcher provides a standing structure to supporting said pitcher body on a flat surface while containing a milk bag, while expiration tag retainer is affixed to the outside surface of the pitcher body in a manner visible to a user. The retainer slidably receives the bread tag and positions a lateral face outwardly to notify a user of the expiration date of the milk contained within the pitcher. A lip prevents the tag from moving outwardly, and a slot on one vertical side of the rectangular retainer forms an opening to insert or remove the tag.
The junction member of the handle forms a rigid joint between the grasping member and the pitcher in such a way that the grasping member is approximately parallel to the pitcher body, forming a handgrip useful for tilting the milk jug.
For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.
The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a milk jug, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.
The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.
As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a beverage containers and more particularly to a milk jug as used to improve the dispensing of milk from a milk bag.
Generally, the milk jug is useful for storing an opened milk bag and dispensing milk. The pitcher body is defined by a hollow, tapered cylindrical structure with a base at the bottom and an opening at the top for allowing a milk bag to be inserted. A handle extends outwardly from the pitcher body, providing a means for lifting and tilting the milk jug. The milk jug's integral blade is contained within the bottom of the open spout of the pitcher for safely and precisely cutting off the corner of a milk bag contained within the pitcher for creating an opening in the milk bag to pour milk from. The expiration tag retainer attached to the side of the pitcher accepts a bread clip or bread tag bearing expiration indicia from the milk bag's original packaging. The retainer surrounds the bread tag on three sides so that it may be slid in from one direction. A lip holds 3 edges of the face of the tag against the outside of the pitcher for retention. The face of the bread tag bearing an expiration date is visible between the boundaries of the retainer.
In using the disclosed milk jug, a user may place a milk bag into the pitcher and slide the corresponding bread tag into the expiration tag retainer displaying the expiration indicia outwardly in a visible manner. A user may then pull a corner of the milk bag through the slotted spout of the pitcher and pull downward, severing the corner in a controlled manner against the embedded blade. The milk is then ready to be poured through the opened corner of the milk bag and out the spout of the pitcher.
Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in
Handle 120 is attached to pitcher body 110 for the purpose of providing a grasping means for lifting milk jug 100; wherein milk jug 100 is configured to store, support, and dispense milk from milk bag 142. Pitcher body 110, handle 120, blade 126, and expiration tag retainer 132 are in functional combination. Pitcher body 110, handle 120, blade 126, and expiration tag retainer 132 comprise a rigid unit containing an interior volume. Pitcher body 110 is structured and arranged to house milk bag 142 containing milk after milk bag 142 has been opened.
Upper edge 116 of pitcher body 110 comprises a substantially circular opening for receiving milk bag 142 within pitcher body 110. Inner cylindrical surface 114 of pitcher body 110 is sufficiently tapered to permit easy removal of milk bag 142 when full and to improve flow of milk from milk bag 142 when tilted, inner cylindrical surface 114 of pitcher body 110 being of a larger diameter at upper edge 116 of pitcher body 110, and of a smaller diameter at base 119 of pitcher body 110. Spout 117 of pitcher body 110 is structured and arranged to sufficiently support corner of milk bag 142 when pitcher body 110 is tilted for purpose of preventing spillage when dispensing milk through a severed corner of milk bag 142. Upper edge 116 of pitcher body 110 is pitched relative to base 119 of pitcher body 110; upper edge 116 of pitcher body 110 being highest relative to base 119 of pitcher body 110 above spout 117 of pitcher body 110, and lowest above junction member 122 of handle 120.
Spout 117 of pitcher body 110 comprises a raised skirt extending upward at front of pitcher body 110 directly opposite of handle 120, having a sufficiently steep angle to support full height of milk bag 142 when pitcher body 110 is tilted. U-shaped aperture 118 of spout 117 of pitcher body 110 comprises a trough in upper edge 116 of pitcher body 110 for the purpose of providing flow direction for dispensed milk when pitcher body 110 is tilted; U-shaped aperture 118 of spout 117 of pitcher body 110 being located near a peak of spout 117 of pitcher body 110. Base 119 of pitcher body 110 provides a standing structure configured for supporting pitcher body 110 on a flat surface while containing milk bag 142. Junction member 122 of handle 120 forms a rigid joint between grasping member 124 of handle 120 and pitcher body 110 in such a way that grasping member 124 is approximately parallel to pitcher body 110 adapted to provide an ergonomic handgrip useful for tilting milk jug 142.
It should also be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. The use of “step of” should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). It should also be noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods for dispensing of milk from a milk bag (e.g., different step orders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc.), are taught herein.
The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.