Abstract: An expansible container is provided for use during the cooking of food in a radiant energy device such as a microwave oven, with the container being configured or otherwise designed to provide entertainment to onlookers as the container expands in size during the relative rapid cooking of food in the container and/or with the fully expanded container of cooked food providing an interesting article, character, figure or configuration that is of novel, interesting or entertaining appearance. The container is formed from relatively flexible materials that define a closed chamber which contains food to be cooked. In its deflated form, the container is collapsed to assume a relatively flat, thin configuration which, in most preferred practice, displays or is configured to provide an entertaining or amusing shape.

Abstract: A process for making and packaging multi serving ice cream products using cryogenic hardening of ice cream in consumer containers before the containers are closed and labeled. A plastic tray container which is stable when disposed horizontally or vertically provides better processing and an improved package for both retailers and consumers.

Abstract: A process for making and packaging multi serving ice cream products using cryogenic hardening of ice cream in consumer containers before the containers are closed and labeled. A plastic tray container which is stable when disposed horizontally or vertically provides better processing and an improved package for both retailers and consumers.

Abstract: A liquid container for a comestible product such as milk or juice includes a base having a substantially planar region, a top surface having a substantially planar region parallel to the substantially planar region of the base and having a pour spout. A sidewall is integrally formed with and extends between the base and top surface, and includes a structural load distributing feature that transfers loads from the top surface to the base. A handle is interposed between the base and top surface and integrally formed with the base, top surface, and sidewall. The containers can be arrayed into units and stacked on top of one another. A first flexible material such as a shrink wrap holds the individual containers together and a second flexible material maintains the stacked array of containers together so that cases that typically hold the containers can be eliminated.

Abstract: A process for making and packaging multi serving ice cream products using cryogenic hardening of ice cream in consumer containers before the containers are closed and labeled. A plastic tray container which is stable when disposed horizontally or vertically provides better processing and an improved package for both retailers and consumers.

Abstract: A liquid container for a comestible product such as milk or juice includes a base having a substantially planar region, a top surface having a substantially planar region parallel to the substantially planar region of the base and having a pour spout. A sidewall is integrally formed with and extends between the base and top surface, and includes a structural load distributing feature that transfers loads from the top surface to the base. A handle is interposed between the base and top surface and integrally formed with the base, top surface, and sidewall. The containers can be arrayed into units and stacked on top of one another.

Abstract: A liquid container for a comestible product such as milk or juice includes a base having a substantially planar region that slopes toward a dispensing opening. A vent opening spaced from the dispensing opening is also dimensioned for filling the container. A handle is integrally formed in the container and serves the dual purpose of a structural load transferring member and for carrying the container. Like containers can be arrayed and stacked on top of one another so that the stacked containers can be wrapped in a flexible material and the use of shipping cases eliminated.

Abstract: A lightweight disposable kitty litter box comprises a container which forms a closed receptacle (110) and fresh kitty litter (20) which is enclosed within the closed receptacle (122). The kitty litter (20) comprises a resilient paper product having a density between 0.01 and 0.10 ounces per cubic inch. The container is convertible between a closed condition in which it forms a closed receptacle (110) and an open condition in which it forms an open receptacle (122). To supply a kitty litter box for a cat, the container is converted into the open condition to form the open receptacle to thereby allow the cat access to the fresh kitty litter (20). The cat may then interact with the fresh kitty litter (20) until it reaches a sanitarily unacceptable state. The sanitarily unacceptable kitty litter is then enclosed in the closed container by converting the container into the closed condition. The container and the sanitarily unacceptable kitty litter enclosed therein may then be disposed as a unit.

Abstract: A battery operated, hand-held fluid dispenser comprises a supply container having a body portion and a narrow neck extending upwardly therefrom. A pump and discharge unit is mounted on the upper end of the neck and comprises a pump diaphragm and pump chamber for pumping liquid from the container to a discharge nozzle. A battery powered pump drive unit is removably mounted on the container and comprises an electric motor having an output shaft coupled with the pump diaphragm to displace the latter through a pump stroke when the motor is energized. The pump drive unit is interconnected with the pump and discharge unit and with the body portion of the container and either alone or together with the neck provides a handle for holding the container during a dispensing operation. Removability of the pump drive unit provides for the latter to be usable with supply containers having different fluids to be dispensed.

Abstract: A manually operable sprayer mountable on a supply container comprises a pump cylinder supporting a cylindrical, rollable pump diaphragm having a closed end coaxial with the cylinder and linearly axially displaceable toward and away from the cylinder by a trigger and pump actuator assembly including a pivotal trigger interconnected with a pump actuator for pivotal displacement of the trigger to be translated into linear axial displacement of the actuator which is connected to the end wall of the pump diaphragm. The component parts are enclosed in a housing defined by a pair of hingedly connected housing members, and a retainer member by which the sprayer is mountable on a supply container by a threaded cap either supports the component parts as a unitary assembly or interengages with the housing to cooperatively support the component parts therewith.

Abstract: A lightweight disposable kitty litter box (10) comprises a container (22) which forms a closed receptacle and fresh kitty litter (20) which is enclosed within the closed receptacle. The kitty litter (20) comprises a resilient paper product having a density between 0.01 and 0.10 ounces per cubic inch. The container (22) is convertible between a closed condition in which it forms said closed receptacle and an open condition in which it forms an open receptacle. To supply a kitty litter box for a cat, the container (22) is converted into the open condition to form the open receptacle to thereby allow the cat access to the fresh kitty litter (20). The cat may then interact with the fresh kitty litter (20) until it reaches a sanitarily unacceptable state. The sanitarily unacceptable kitty litter is then enclosed in the closed receptacle by converting the container (22) into the closed condition. The container (22), and the sanitarily unacceptable kitty litter enclosed therein, may then be disposed as a unit.

Abstract: A plant package for a live plant having a stem, roots and rooting medium surrounding the roots. The package comprises a self-supporting, light transmissive, sealed polymer shell having an internal surface defining a package interior. A shelf is provided on the internal surface, and defines first and second interior compartments for containing the roots and stem, respectively. An inner container is provided for the roots and rooting medium, and an outer container engaged with the internal surface is provided for the inner container. A divider is engaged with the stem and inner container and assists with the maintenance of the roots and rooting medium within the inner container.

Abstract: A toggle-action container dispensing closure is provided for manipulation between a closed, non-dispensing orientation and an open, dispensing orientation. The closure includes an actuator mounted on a body secured to the container. The actuator is tiltable between a closed position and an open position, and the actuator has an engaging tab. A locking ring is mounted on the body for rotation relative to the body and actuator. The ring defines an abutment member for engaging the actuator engaging tab. In one position, the locking ring abutment member lies under the actuator engaging the tab to prevent pivoting of the actuator to the open position. When the locking ring is rotated to another position, the locking ring abutment member clears the actuator engaging tab to permit pivoting of the actuator to the open position.

Abstract: A dispensing closure is provided for a container and includes a base for being mounted to the container over the container opening. An actuator is mounted on the base and is tiltable between a closed position and an open position. A ring is mounted on the base for rotation relative to the base and actuator. The ring and base together cooperatively define a cam drive system for effecting the tilting of the actuator.

Abstract: A plant package [12] for a live plant having a stem [S], roots [R] and rooting medium [D] surrounding the roots. The package comprises a self-supporting, light transmissive, sealed polymer shell [14] having an internal surface [22] defining a package interior [24]. A shelf [16] is provided on the internal surface, and defines first and second interior compartments [18, 20] for containing the roots and stem, respectively. The portion of the shell defining the first interior compartment has a greater thickness than the portion of the shell defining the second interior compartment, and the second compartment is substantially more permeable to oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules than the first compartment. An inner container [60] is provided for the roots and rooting medium, and an outer container [62] engaged with the internal surface is provided for the inner container. Together the containers and first interior compartment form a substantial water vapor barrier.