Patent Application
20050255201
The invention relates to a reservoir that can contain a food. The invention also relates to a food preparation system using a container that can be filled from a mated reservoir filled with a food. Such a system can be used to prepare a large variety of foods in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The reservoir is adapted for easy and efficient transfer of the food from the reservoir into a container. The food can then be combined in the container with a second food to form a consumable combination food. Typically the container is empty when mated with the reservoir. The combination food of the invention can involve the preparation of a combination food in which a solid, semisolid or substantially solid food is transferred from the reservoir into the container and a second food is added to a solid food in the container to produce a combination food.
Disposable containers for food products have become more and more common. Often dry soups, desserts, yogurts, etc. are prepackaged in disposable plastic containers. In use, a removable closure in the form of a paper, film or foil is used to enclose the food in the container. In use the container can be opened, some optional preparation can occur and the food is then consumed. In one example, in the preparation of soup from dry soup, a lid is removed and hot water is introduced to form a final soup or like product. The packages are typically one-part packages with a single opening that is closed with a removable, flexible seal.
Other packaging containers similarly comprise a single container with a filling that can be consumed immediately or combined with other products. Similar embodiments are shown in, for example, Hanley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,490 involving a cup containing a preformed ice cream part. In use, the Hanley container is opened, the ice cream is released from its internal container and the container is then filled with a carbonated beverage. Blow, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,205 show a cup shaped vessel that is fitted to a beverage can. The container is designed to enable the consumer to add the beverage into the container for ease of consumption. Blow, Jr. et al. indicate that the container can be filled with food that can be consumed prior to consumption of the beverage. The material in Blow, Jr. et al. is not added to the beverage. Lastly, Slangan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,325 show an ice cream sundae making system having the ice cream in a container combined with a second container having heatable syrup or topping.
The prior art shows relatively simple systems for packaging foods. In the need for increased flexibility of food products, a substantial need has existed for the ability to package a typically solid, semisolid or substantially solid food and conveniently combine it with a second food in a container to form a final combination food or combined food product. Such combination foods typically comprise, for example, a combination of a beverage and ice cream, a combination of a dairy product and breakfast cereal, a combination of heated water and a solid coffee beverage mix, a combination of heated water and an oatmeal or other such breakfast preparation, and other materials that require a combination of a solid food and a second food source that can be mixed in a container to prepare a combination food. Such combination foods can also comprise combination of two substantially solid foods such as ice cream or topping and a bakery product, yogurt and cereal, etc.
Such combination foods require an easy, convenient system that can be quickly assembled and then used to serve the food immediately without delay. The convenience of the system is important in today's environment. A substantial need exists for food systems that can obtain a rapid preparation of the food and convenient food consumption.
The invention relates to a unique reservoir shape adapted for transferring a first food into a container. The reservoir has an overall shape adapted to the first food stored within the reservoir. The reservoir can be substantially cylindrical, oval, square, triangular or other geometric shape. A cylindrical reservoir can often be used with frozen materials such as ice cream or frozen entrees. A triangular reservoir can often be used with pies or other desserts. An oval reservoir can be used with salads, finger food, etc. The reservoir is adapted for mechanical joining or mating with the container. The reservoir is sized to contain an amount of food appropriate for the container. The reservoir is structured such that it can be easily opened and the food transferred to the container. A preferred embodiment, a substantially shaped reservoir, adapted to a combination food, is formed having a side wall and substantially opposite ends. Each end comprises an easy opening mechanism that permits rapid transfer of the food to a container. The invention also relates to a food preparation system that can be used to form a combination food in a container by first transferring a first food into the container and then combining the first food with a second food. The system comprises a reservoir containing a food that can be mated to a container with mating means or a mating surface. The food in the reservoir can be transferred to a container and combined with a second food to make a combination food product. The term combination food product is intended to encompass a food that is typically prepared by contacting a first food with a second food. In the practice of the invention, a first food is added to the container followed by the addition of a second food. The first and second foods are then combined in the container. The first and second foods can be mixed if needed, however, some foods require no mixing. The first and second foods can be low viscosity liquids, high viscosity liquids, semisolids, substantially solid materials or solid materials. The term solid foods include particulate foods such as dry soup mixes, dry cereals, freeze-dried (lyophilized) trail foods and other such particulate.
In a preferred embodiment, the reservoir comprises an openable enclosure for the first food with at least two openable surfaces. In one aspect the enclosure has a substantially shaped wall or tapered form and on each end of the cylinder a means to open the reservoir. In application, the reservoir has a joining or mating means or a joining or mating surface that can match a cooperative joint or surface in the container. The container-mating surface having a means to open the reservoir is opened and mated to the container. The second end of the substantially cylindrical reservoir having a second opening means is then opened and the contents of the reservoir can then be fully transferred to the container. Foods that resist transfer such as solids, frozen foods, high viscosity foods, etc., can be cleared from the reservoir using the second opening aided by mechanical transfer means such as a spatula, spoon, fingers or other such tool. The reservoir can either be left in place or removed and a second food can then be added to the container to form the combination product.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the food transferred is a solid food and the food product added to the container comprises a liquid, semisolid or solid food. In another preferred embodiment, the food transferred is a semisolid or particulate food and the second food product added to the container comprises a second semisolid food. In another embodiment, the first food comprises a frozen food and a second food comprises a liquid food. The reservoir can have specialized opening means for use with the various types of food products. A reservoir adapted for a particulate food can have a enclosure adapted for particular transfer while a reservoir adapted for a liquid food can have a simple puncturable enclosure adapted to the transfer of the liquid food. The reservoir can have mating means to secure the reservoir to the container for food preparation.
An aspect of the invention is a reservoir adapted for use with a container for making a combination food. The reservoir typically comprises a container having a mating surface that can obtain a stable connection to the container. The reservoir comprises an enclosure with typically opposing openable surfaces. The openable surfaces comprise means to open the reservoir to promote transfer of the food from the reservoir to the container. In another aspect of the invention, the reservoir enclosure is equipped with a score line and pull-tab structured at one surface. A film, paper or foil adhered to an opening for ease of removal can also be used to seal the enclosure. In one embodiment of the invention, the substantially cylindrical reservoir can have a score line and pull tab structure at one end of the reservoir and an adhered film, foil or paper enclosure at the opposite end. In another aspect, the reservoir comprises a cylinder or other substantially cylindrical body that can be stepped or tapered. The reservoir is typically filled with a first typically solid food. For the purpose of this disclosure, the term “solid” means that the material cannot flow as a liquid with in a relatively short preparation period of time (i.e.) less than 180 seconds. Solids, for the purpose of this disclosure, include frozen materials such as ice cream and other low temperature solids, breakfast cereal, oatmeal mix and other materials that are typically in a solid or solid particulate form. A solid food can also include a particulate food such as a dry mix, a freeze-dried food, a breakfast cereal, a hot cereal mix or other such particulate. Another aspect of the invention is a combination of the reservoir with a container. Typically, the container is empty and is sized and configured to receive the food from the reservoir for later combination with a second food to form the combination food. Still another aspect of the invention is the method for forming a combination food. In the method, a reservoir having a food is opened and mated to the container. A second opening of the reservoir is removed permitting complete transfer of the food from the reservoir into the container. The food in the reservoir is combined with a second food to form a combination food. Optionally, the reservoir can be removed after transfer, if necessary. For the purpose of this disclosure, the term “food” includes any liquid, to make solid, substantially solid or solid substance that can be safely ingested by individuals. Such materials include foods certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Food and Drug Administration, potable water, and other liquid or solid food materials commonly available in retail establishments or available for use in the home.
As discussed above, the invention is embodied in a reservoir that can be mated with a container for the purpose of transferring a food from the reservoir to the container to make a combination food in the container.
The structures and methods of the invention relate to the manufacture of a combination of food. A combination food, for the purpose of this disclosure, typically comprises a combination of a liquid food with a solid food or the combination of two solid foods.
Liquid foods typically comprise any flowable material that can be safely consumed by humans and includes potable water, dairy products such as milk, cream, artificial liquid, cream or products, yogurt, beverages such as coffee or tea, carbonated beverages, syrups, salsa, ketchup, mustard, flowable cheese products, sauces, gravies, and other flowable foods with a measurable liquid viscosity that can be delivered into the container for the purpose of forming the combination food. The minimal requirement for the liquid food of the invention includes safety for the consumer, straightforward introduction into the container and a satisfactory match of flavors between the liquid food and the solid food.
The liquid food added to the container is typically supplied by the consumer and is not typically stored in the container, however, in one embodiment of the invention, the container can be filled or partially filled with the liquid food prior to the addition of the food from the reservoir. In the embodiment that includes an ice cream float, hot cereal, soups, stews, etc., the container is typically empty, initially. Once the (e.g.) ice cream is transferred from the reservoir into the container, the container and ice cream can be combined with a carbonated beverage to substantially fill the container resulting in the ice cream float product. In the instance that the liquid food comprises a yogurt and the solid food from the reservoir comprises a mueslix or other breakfast food product, the container can contain an initial charge of the yogurt comprising a partial or full charge of the material into the container prior to the addition of the particulate food, recognizing that the container cannot be overly filled with the yogurt prior to combination with the particulate breakfast food. Liquid foods include water, milk, coffee, tea, carbonated beverage, vegetable or fruit juices, juice concentrate, soup, alcoholic beverages, and other adjustable liquids. Liquid foods can also include higher viscosity but flowable foods such as cream, sour cream, creamers, syrups, gravy, hot fudge, caramel toppings, butterscotch toppings, molasses, butter flavors, flowable margarine, salsa, ketchup, mustard, horseradish, guacamole, hollandaise, and other flowable sauces or similar preparations.
Substantially solid foods that can be introduced into the reservoir include solid foods such as ice cream, low fat desserts, breakfast cereals, dried oatmeal or dried cream of wheat products, dried or frozen foods that can be reconstituted with hot water or other liquids, chicken wings, Brownies, pie, cookies, salad preparations, potato preparations including mashed potatoes, french fries, potato buds, popcorn, crackers, pasta such as a spaghetti, linguini, rigatoni, elbow macaroni, including a large variety of pasta shapes and sizes.
The reservoir and container of the invention are typically sized for single, dual or more serving portions of the combination food. One important embodiment is the use of the reservoir of the invention in a single serving configuration. Such single serving configurations are useful for applications in a quick service restaurant environment (Subway, Burger King, or McDonald's), or a convenience store setting (Circle K, 7-Eleven, or SuperAmerica stores), or other retail stores adapted for quick and easy food preparation. It can be for either immediate, on-site consumption or consumed later in the home. In certain circumstances, however, it may be efficient or desirable to configure the reservoir or the container, or both, for two, three or more multiple serving portions that can satisfy two, three, four or more individuals with the contents of the container. In the instance that the container is used to make a breakfast food, the portions can be relatively large in proportion to, for example, a snack portion. In the instance that the container is used to make a dinner or supper portion, the proportions used in the container can be relatively larger than the breakfast proportions. The container can be sized and configured to enclose an amount that ranges from about 20 to 100 milliliters of volume through a volume that can reach as much as 1-5 liters. Such a large volume can obviously provide sufficient amounts of food for multiple individuals. Single serving containers can comprise a volume that ranges from about 100 milliliters to 1 liter. In the practice of the invention, typically the container and the reservoir have means permitting the secure mating of the container and the reservoir. In a preferred mode, the container is typically empty prior to introduction of any food material. The container is typically disposable, but with a configuration that lends itself to ease of preparation and consumption of the combination of food. In large part the container will match the overall shape of the reservoir as discussed above. In order to make the reservoir join to the container, at a minimum, the mating or joining surfaces of the reservoir must match the mating or joining surfaces of the container. A preferred embodiment of the container is a substantially upright cylindrical container, that matches the substantially cylindrical reservoir, the container having an upwardly facing opening. The cylindrical container can be tapered from the upwardly facing opening to the base of the container. The mating surface of the container adapted to the mating surface of the reservoir typically comprises a mechanically stable lip or other structure of the container that can be securely mated to a complementary surface on the reservoir. In a preferred mode, the container typically comprises a cup-like structure having a volume from about 50 milliliters to 900 milliliters made from a disposable thermoplastic composition formed into a useful container shape or configuration. The reservoir is mated to an empty container having a volume of at least 250 milliliters. In use, the reservoir is opened at both axial ends, is mated with the empty container and the food product is dispensed into the cup. Once in the cup, the food product is then combined with a liquid food to make a final consumable material. In a preferred mode, both the reservoir and container are substantially cylindrical, but can take the form of tapered cylinders. The reservoir is sealed with axial seals at opposite ends of the cylindrical reservoir. In use, both seals are removed prior to dispensing the food into the container.
A number of combination foods have been identified. Such combination foods include a first solid food in a top reservoir cup combined with a second solid food in the container. Alternatively, a first solid food can be stored in the reservoir and combined with a liquid in the container. In another alternative, a first viscous or semisolid food in the reservoir cup can be combined with a liquid in the container. In a final embodiment, a semisolid liquid or viscous first food can be placed in the reservoir for combination with a solid food in the container. These embodiments are exemplified as follows:
Solid Food in Reservoir Over Solid Food in the Container
This embodiment can include dry spice blend on chicken wings, brownie over ice cream (apply microwave heat to brownie), ice cream toppings (chocolate, fudge, caramel apply microwave heat), cookies on ice cream, ice cream over cake pie over ice cream (apply microwave heat to pie), ice cream over pie dry salad toppings on salads, potato toppings on potatoes (cheese sauce with bacon bits-apply microwave heat), various seasonings on popcorn, cheese, viscous sauce and seasoning blend over pasta (apply microwave heat), candies on popcorn (m & m's, peanut butter and chocolate) and sweet or savory seasonings on crackers.
Solid Food in Reservoir Over Liquid in Container
This embodiment can include ice cream over soda (or carbonated beverages (ice cream float)), ice cream over non-carbonated beverages, chips/crackers over soup, flavored, frozen juice/juice drink concentrate, powdered drink mix over water, frozen alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink mixes, carbonated tablets that fizz, change colors and flavor water for kids, soup bouillon cubes and frozen soup mix to water
Liquid/Viscous in Top Reservoir Cup Over Liquid in Bottom Cup
This embodiment can include coffee flavorings and creamers over coffee, flavored syrups over milk, flavored syrups over carbonated or non-carbonated beverages, shelf stable concentrated coffees and teas over hot water, shelf stable concentrated juices and juice drinks over cold water, shelf stable concentrated energy drinks, herbal supplements, tonics and elixirs, variety of liquid herbs and seasonings over a vegetable soup stock base to create any soup, refrigerated/shelf stable soup mix to water, shelf stable alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink mixes
Liquid/Viscous in Top Reservoir Cup Over Solid in Bottom Cup
This product motif includes milk over cereal, microwave ice cream or frozen dessert toppings (butterscotch, fudge, chocolate) on frozen foods, toppings for french fries (e.g. “cheez whiz”; gravies; chili—apply microwave heat), salad dressings for salad, pasta sauce over pasta (apply microwave heat), and milk shake concentrate over ice cubes—blender action creates a cold shake
The invention involves a reservoir that can be securely mated to a container for the purpose of transferring a food from the reservoir into the container for further preparations. The reservoir typically contains a shape that is configured to cooperate with the container for ease of use. Typically, if the container is an upright cylinder, the reservoir is similarly a cylinder that can securely mate to the container. If the container is triangular, oval, rectangular, square or other geometric shape, the reservoir has a complementary shape providing a secure mating structure. The container typically comprises opposite openable surfaces in the container to permit ease of transfer of a food to the container. In use, a first opening means is removed from a first openable surface, the reservoir is then mated to the container and the food is transferred from the container. Food transfer can be made particularly efficient by providing a second opening means in the container on an opposite surface of the reservoir to the first opening means. The reservoir and the container typically comprise cooperating mating or joining surfaces. These cooperating surfaces often involved one surface that is placed into the second surface to form a sufficiently secure mechanical joint for food transfer. The joint is typically temporary, since in many embodiments of the invention, the reservoir will be removed from the container. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the joining surfaces include a flange that has an extended portion that surrounds the upper portion of the container. In this embodiment, the extended portion grips and forms a temporary but reliable connection to the container. Once the reservoir, with one opened end, is mounted on the container, the second opening means can be removed from the reservoir to transfer the food from the reservoir to the container. Any food that remains within the reservoir can be mechanically transferred into the container. When using certain foods such as ice cream, frozen soups and stews or other materials the entire portion or a substantial portion will remain within the container even after the first opening is removed. Such foods require often substantial mechanical force to ensure transfer of the solid contents of the reservoir into the container. Other foods such as dried soup mixes, dried breakfast cereals and other particulate materials comprise global solids can be easily transferred without difficulty simply by removing the initial opening. However, by removing the second opening, any remaining food can be readily removed from the reservoir to ensure complete transfer.
The reservoir can be sized and configured for a single serving portion of a combination food. Alternatively, the reservoir can be sized and configured for two, three, four or more individual serving portions that can be made in the appropriately sized mating reservoir.
The reservoir, for many of the combination foods of the invention is typically a prepackaged component that is filled and sealed at a factory location and sold in a retail establishment for combination with a container available at the retail establishment. Typically, the reservoir contains one component of a combination food that can be combined with a second food in the container. The second food is typically a food available at the retail location including, as discussed elsewhere in this disclosure, a liquid food such as coffee, carbonated beverage, a dairy product such as milk or yogurt or other food typically used in combination foods.
In one particularly useful embodiment, the reservoir comprises a substantially cylindrical body having a mating surface complementary with the container. The substantially cylindrical body typically comprises opposing ends, each end having opening means. As described above, each opening mean is used in a different part of a method for making the combination food. In a preferred embodiment, differing opening means are used for the container structures. In one embodiment of the invention, the reservoir comprises a cup-like structure having, in the base of the cup, a score line/pull tab opening means formed in the thermoplastic material of the cup. The opposing end of such a reservoir contains a paper, foil, film or composite closure adhered to a surface proximate the mating surface that provides attachment to the container. In the operation of the invention, the paper, film, foil or other composite closure is first removed from the reservoir and secondarily, the pull tab/score line closure is removed from the cup to ensure complete transfer of the food to the container.
In the manufacture of the reservoir, the score line/pull tab opening means can be formed simultaneously with cup manufacture. The score line/pull tab can be an aspect of the cup that is injection molded with the reservoir manufacture. The reservoir can then be filled with the food product and then closed with the foil, paper, film or other combination closure that is adhered to the opening in the reservoir structure.
As discussed above, the invention involves a reservoir for a food combined with a container that can receive the food from the reservoir. The reservoir has certain closure embodiments and is configured to be made into the useful structure of the invention.
In this system the ice cream or other frozen dessert is transferred from the reservoir to the container and is then combined with a carbonated beverage or other second food. This system is exemplary in nature and should not be considered as limiting the invention. Using the system as described can combine many foods. In many embodiments, a first food is placed and maintained in the reservoir and stored under a condition that maintains stability or freshness. That first food then can be combined with a second food in the container. Preferably the second food is a food that is dispensed or served fresh in the commercial location such as a carbonated beverage, a soft serve preparation, a coffee or tea, pizza, bakery products, hot dog, hamburger, sandwich, etc. In this way a freshly prepared food can be combined with a food that is stored in a useful manner.
As discussed elsewhere, the reservoir, e.g. reservoir
Lastly, the remaining figures show the use of the system of the invention in various shapes that can be used with different foods systems.
The foregoing specification, examples and figures provide a description of the invention as it is currently understood. The invention can have a variety of embodiments and aspects. Accordingly, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.
