Multiple spice dispenser device
A holding and dispensing device may include at least one internal cartridge to hold at least one kind of spice, seasoning, salt or the like. The device may include a rotatable cap to select at least one spice to be poured and a rotatable flow selector to select the preferred flow of the selected spice or seasoning.
The present invention relates to devices for holding and dispensing powders or seasonings such as, for example, salt, pepper, spices and the like; other powders or substances may be held.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONDevices for holding and dispensing powders or seasonings such as, for example, salt, pepper, spices and the like are known. However, present devices are not capable of efficiently and easily holding and containing plurality of spices or seasonings in a single device, and allowing simple selection of a single spice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one embodiment of the present invention, a holding and dispensing device may include at least two internal holders or cartridges to hold at least two kinds of spices, seasonings, salt or the like. Powders or materials other than spices may be held. The device may include a rotatable cap or disk to select at least one spice to be poured and a rotatable flow selector to select the preferred flow of the selected spice or seasoning.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects, features and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanied drawings in which:
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONIn the following description, various aspects of the invention will be described. For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without the specific details presented herein. Furthermore, well known features may be omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the invention.
Top portion 12 may include a rotatable cap or rotatable inner cap 13 with an upper disk 14. Upper disk 14 may be fixed to or integral with upper portion or rotatable cap 13 of top portion 12. Device 5 may contain plurality of internal cartridges, reservoirs or sub-containers, shown more clearly in
The plurality of rotatable outer cap openings 16 may correspond to the rotatable inner cap or upper disk 13 opening when move or rotated above inner cap opening (e.g., container selection opening 41 of
Housing 10 may be designed to stabilize or hold the sub-containers such as, for example, half cartridge 20. The matching or connection between half cartridge 20 and base 11 may be performed for example by a sink, slot or slit 21 in half cartridge 20 and/or a corresponding protrusion, bump or bulge in the inner part of base 11 (not shown). The matching or connection between half cartridge 20 and top portion 12 may be done by an indentation or slit 22 in half cartridge 20 and a corresponding protrusion, bump or bulge in the inner part of top portion 12 (not shown).
Such indentations, slits, feet, etc, may allow the cartridge to move with the bottom portion 11 and rotate within the top portion 12, so that when the top portion 12 or a part of top portion 12 is turned, an opening can select a spice or powder to be dispensed. Each cartridge may be attached to or temporarily or permanently fixed to the lower portion or base 11, and may rotate relative a selection cap or disk.
Indentations or slits 22 or 32 may match a protrusion or bump on the inner portion of cap 13 or upper portion 12, such that when upper portion 12 or cap 13 is turned to select a certain container or cartridge, the protrusion or bump connects into slit 22 or 32, to loosely hold the upper portion 12 or cap 13 in place and to indicate to a user that a spice or powder has been selected. In this manner opening 41 may be properly aligned with a cartridge or container.
Device 5 may contain any suitable combination of half cartridges and quarter cartridges, for example, one half cartridge 20 and two quarter cartridges 30. Any other division of device 5 may be used and any other number of internal cartridges or sub-containers may be used. For example, in one embodiment of the invention device 5 may contain sixth, eights or other portions of a circle in any suitable combination.
It should be noted that although a portion of the discussion may relate to holding and dispensing of seasoning and spices, the present invention is not limited in this regard, and embodiments of the present invention may be used to hold and dispense other suitable materials.
While certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents may occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
Claims
1. A dispensing device comprising:
- a housing including at least a base;
- a plurality of internal cartridges;
- a rotatable inner cap having an opening to be placed above an internal cartridge; and
- a rotatable outer cap including at least plurality of openings.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises transparent material and the internal cartridges comprise transparent material.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the rotatable outer cap and the plurality of internal cartridges comprise transparent material.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of outer cap openings correspond to the inner cap opening when rotated above the inner cap opening.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the inner cap and outer cap are rotated around a shared axis.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of outer cap openings comprises a plurality of perforated holes, and at least a second of the plurality of outer cap openings comprises one opening, where the area of the second opening is more than the combined area of the first opening.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the inner cap is fixed to the housing.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the inner cap is turned by turning the housing and wherein the outer cap is turned by turning the outer cap or a handle attached to the outer cap.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the inner cap selects an internal cartridge for dispensing and wherein the outer cap selects a method of dispensing among a plurality of methods.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of methods include at least pour and sift.
11. The device of claim 1, wherein when the inner cap opening is positioned over a first internal cartridge and an outer cap opening is positioned over the inner cap opening, only the first internal cartridge may release material from the dispensing device.
12. The device of claim 1, wherein each cartridge is fixed to the base and may rotate relative to the inner cap.
13. A powder dispensing device for dispensing powder from a selected one of a plurality of internal reservoirs at any one time, the dispensing performed in one of a selected set of modes, the device comprising:
- an outer container;
- a plurality of internal reservoirs;
- a first rotatable selection disk comprising an opening, the opening to select
- a reservoir; and
- a second rotatable selection disk comprising a plurality of openings corresponding to dispensing modes.
14. The device of claim 13, wherein the outer container and the internal reservoirs comprise transparent material.
15. The device of claim 13, wherein the first rotatable selection disk comprises transparent material.
16. The device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of second rotatable selection disk openings correspond to the first rotatable selection disk opening when rotated above the first rotatable selection disk opening.
17. The device of claim 13, wherein the first rotatable selection disk and second rotatable selection disk are rotated around a shared axis.
18. The device of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of second rotatable selection disk openings comprises a plurality of perforated holes, and at least a second of the plurality of outer cap openings comprises one opening, where the area of the second opening is more than the combined area of the first opening.
19. The device of claim 13, wherein the first rotatable selection disk is fixed to the outer container.
20. The device of claim 13, wherein the first rotatable selection disk is turned by turning the outer container and wherein the second rotatable selection disk is turned by turning the second rotatable selection disk or a handle attached to the second rotatable selection disk.
21. The device of claim 13, wherein the first rotatable selection disk selects an internal reservoir for dispensing and wherein the second rotatable selection disk selects a method of dispensing among a plurality of methods.
22. A dispensing device comprising:
- an outer shell;
- a plurality of internal reservoirs attached to a lower portion of the outer shell and moveable within an upper portion of the outer shell;
- a selection disk moveably attached to the upper portion of the outer shell,
- the selection disk comprising a plurality of opening groups.
23. The device of claim 22, comprising a container selection opening disposed on the upper portion of the outer shell, the selection opening aligned with a selected one the opening groups when the selection disk is moved.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 9, 2006
Publication Date: Aug 9, 2007
Inventors: Tal Ben-Shlomo (Ramat-Hasharon), Itamar Burstein (Tel Aviv)
Application Number: 11/350,093
International Classification: A47G 19/00 (20060101);