Jar

Abstract

A new jar has (among other features) at least two chambers separated by a fixed partition. Each chamber is at least as broad as it is deep and has opening through which food that is dipped from the chamber can be removed. The two openings of the chambers face as opposite directions. And a lid covers each opening.

Description

This application is a continuation-in-part (and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §120) of U.S. Ser. No. 12/249,230, filed Oct. 10, 2008.

BACKGROUND

This patent application is about jars to hold salsa and other foods or things to be dipped.

When you use a tortilla chip to dip salsa from the bottom of a jar, it's hard to get the salsa out without smearing it all over your hand or wrist.

You'd think that salsa makers would have figured a way around this mess a long time ago. But they haven't. Check the grocery store salsa department if you doubt this.

Several improvements to jars have been proposed to reduce the mess.

One suggestion was to make jars shallower and stack them (United States patent publication 2008/0011701), and the same idea appeared in United States patent publication 2007/0164021.

In a different approach to neater dipping, the bottom of the jar can be pushed up to make the salsa reachable (United States patent publication 2005/0133511).

A recent article in Newsweek (Jul. 21, 2008) reported on a peanut butter jar that is said to have “straight interior walls and twist-off lids on both ends.”

SUMMARY OF OUR IDEA

We have thought of a simpler, more elegant, easier to make, and fun to use jar for salsa (and lots of other foods).

In broad concept, our new jar has (among other features) at least two chambers separated by a fixed partition. Each, chamber is at least as broad as it is deep and has an opening through which food that is dipped from the chamber can be removed. The openings of the two chambers face in opposite directions. And a lid covers each opening.

In applying this broad concept to actual jars, one or more of the following features can be incorporated. The jar may be round, and made of glass. The two chambers may be identical in shape and size. The jar may have an hourglass shape. Each lid may be metal and may screw on. There may be a label that implies that the jar can be flipped. Or there may be two labels, one for each chamber. Food in each of the chambers may have a consistency to be dipped. The two chambers may contain the same food or different foods. The foods in the two chambers may be paired by taste or use. The lids may have shapes that conform to an hourglass. The lids may have elements to mate with other lids. In some examples, each chamber may be at least twice as broad as it is deep and may hold at least 8 ounces of food. The two chambers and the fixed partition may be formed as an integral body. The two chambers may be parts of separate containers that are connected to form the jar.

Other concepts and features of the new jar will become clear from the following description and the legal claims that follow the description.

FIG. 1 shows a jar viewed from the side.

FIG. 2 shows two stacked jars viewed from the side.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW JAR

As shown in the figures, an example of the new jar 10 has two chambers 12, 14 to hold portions 16, 18 of salsa or other food to be dipped from the chambers when the food is to be eaten or used. The two chambers can hold the same food or different foods. Different foods can be paired to reflect taste or convenience. For example, one chamber could hold salsa that is hot while the other holds mild salsa.

Other foods that could be held in the chambers include hummus, salsa, guacamole, peanut butter, jelly, tapenade, and sun-dried tomato paste. Paired foods could include peanut butter and jelly, hummus and ranch spread, guacamole and salsa, sundried tomato spread and olive spread, and chocolate spread and peanut butter spread. Both savory and dessert foods would be suitable.

The two chambers are shaped as identical bubbles that are round in planes (such as plane 19) that are perpendicular to a central vertical axis 20 of the jar. In the dimension 22 that is along the central vertical axis, each of the bubbles has an opening 24, 29. The chamber can be filled with food through the opening (during manufacture) and the food can later be dipped out of the chamber through the opening to be eaten or used. The two openings face in opposite directions (up and down as shown in FIG. 1).

The sides 26, 28 and bottoms 30, 31 of the chambers have gentle curvatures and are linked by transition regions 33, 34 of sharper curvature. We use the word bottom to refer to the wall of each chamber that is opposite the opening.

The bottom 30, 31 of the two chambers are separated by a flat wall 39 that keeps the foods in the two chambers separate and makes the jar stronger.

The outside surface 38 of the jar, like the inside surfaces of the chambers is round in planes (such as plane 19) that are perpendicular to the central vertical axis of the jar. Along the length of the vertical axis, the outside surface has convex sections 40, 42 linked by a concave section 44. This combination makes the jar stronger and suggests an hourglass, in that way implying that the jar can be flipped over, as an hourglass would be, and used with either end up. The necked-down part 44 of the hourglass also provides a good grip for flipping the jar.

The convex sections of the outside surface incorporate straight segments 43, 45 on which labels 47, 49 can be glued. The labels can bear brand names 48, product names 50, ingredients 58, directions 54, nutritional listings 56, and other information. The text and graphics on each label can have the same orientation as the opening and bottom of the chamber on which it as glued bear to one another. The label on the bottom chamber then appears upside down, adding interest and implying that the jar can be flipped over to dip food from the bottom chamber (which, of coarse, becomes the upper chamber once the jar is flipped). Graphical elements 58, 60 on the labels can reinforce the implication that the jar can be flipped over.

Two identical round metal lids 62, 64 seal the openings of the chambers when food is not being dipped and allow dipping from a chamber when its lid is opened or taken off. The lids have flat tops 66 and sides 67 that continue the curvature of the outer surface of the jar. As shown in FIG. 2, stacking the jars, for example, on a store shelf or in a pantry, creates an attractive continuous curvature of the jars and the lids and enhances the hourglass theme. To make the stack more stable, each lid can include mating ridges and grooves 68, 70. The mating grooves and ridges also strength a stack of jars held inside a shipping box.

Each chamber is shallow enough 72 and broad enough 74 so that the salsa or other food can be dipped easily from all areas of the bottom of die chamber even using typical tortilla chips, without getting salsa on the hands, wrists, arms, or clothes of the user or otherwise creating a disgusting mess. The breadth and depth, of each chamber are chosen so that each chamber holds enough salsa to satisfy at least two people during a sitting and so that the jar is easy and cheap to make, fill, ship, market, and use. In some examples, each chamber is at least as broad as it is deep. For example, each chamber could be 2 inches at its deepest point from the opening along the vertical axis and 4 inches wide at its broadest point and contain 8 ounces of salsa. The wall of the jar could be ⅛ inch thick.

Each lid screws onto its opening using ridges on the inside of the rim of the lid that mate with ridges 80 on the outer surface of the opening. The mating ridges are configured so that the lid can be unscrewed in less (for example, much less) than a full turn and easily removed. This makes the user comfortable that when the jar is flipped over and flipped over again, it will be easy to get to the salsa in either of the chambers and re-close the chambers over and over again.

A user of the jar can dip food from one chamber, close the chamber, flip the jar over, open the other chamber to dip the other food, and repeat the process over and over again. Or all of the food in one chamber can be used before starting on the toed in the other chamber.

The jar provides a new way to package, serve, and eat foods that can be dipped. As much of the food can be packaged and served as in a regular sized deep salsa jar, but it is possible to dip all of the food, even from the bottom of the jar without a mess. Putting one chamber upside down next to the other makes the jar fun and fanciful to look at and use. Because two different foods can be packaged in fire jar, a varied eating experience can be provided. In some cases, by packaging two different foods that are related by taste or use, the jar provides a convenient way to keep the two foods together and easily accessible. All of these advantages and others offer unusual marketing, advertising, and labeling opportunities that can yield higher sales. The unique qualities of the jar can help to establish a special brand image for foods that are packaged in it.

Although we have described one example of the new jar, a very wide variety of alternatives are also within the scope of the legal claims set forth below and other claims to which we may be entitled.

For example, the shapes of the sides of the jar need not imply an hourglass. The sides could be straight, or have other contours. The jar also need not be round, but could be square or triangular or of another geometric shape. Or the shape could be free-form. Artistic and sculptural shapes and surfaces could be used.

The jar need not be made of glass. Crystal, plastic, metal, paper, cardboard, laminates, aggregates, stone, and other materials would be suitable.

Other sizes and proportions could be used. Each chamber could be deeper or broader or both, the ratio of depth in breadth could be different. The size of the opening of each chamber relative to the dimensions and configuration of the chamber could be other than the one described earlier. The two chambers could be different in size, shape, and configuration. The two lids also could have different sizes, shapes, and configurations.

Each lid need not be screw-on, but could be attached in a different way, for example, by pivoting around a bracket mounted on the outside surface of the jar. Or a friction fit could be achieved using a resilient material or configuration. The lid could be attached permanently and have a reusable door or opening through which the food could be dipped. In some cases, the lid could only be usable once, for example as a peel open top. In this case, once the lid is open, it would be smart to use all of the food in that chamber before flipping the jar over.

There could be three or four or even more chambers in a single jar, each with its own opening and lid. For example, four chambers could be arranged at equal intervals around an axis. Of coarse, there are many other possibilities for the number and configurations of jars having more than two chambers.

Any kind of food that can be dipped or scooped can be stored in the chambers. The foods need not have a consistency like salsa but could be harder, softer, thicker or thinner. Dry foods can be stored, such as nuts and candies. The foods can be stored in pairs in the chambers. The pairs can relate by taste, use, style, or consistency.

What is stored in the chambers need not be food at all, but could be any things (or any pair of things) that are to be dipped without leaving a mess on the dipper's hands, wrists, arms, or clothes. These could include building and industrial materials such as glues, patties, lubricants, coatings, and cleaners, domestic materials, such as cleaners, soaps, medicines, and cosmetics.

The labels need not be applied in two different orientations. Other label arrangements could be used. The jar need not have a special shape to accommodate the labels. There could be a single label or more than two.

In some cases, one or more tools to dip the contents of the chamber could be attached to the lid or the jar. Each tool could have a special shape to make dipping easier, easier, or more effective.

The jar can be formed by blowing, molding, or turning a material such as glass to form, an integral body that includes the two chambers. Or the jar could be formed by attaching the bottom of a jar, can, bottle, bin, or other container having a single chamber to the bottom of a second jar, can, bottle, bin, or other container having a single chamber. The bottoms of the containers would then cooperate to form the partition between the chambers. The containers could be attached using glue, epoxy, or other adhesive or by fusing, soldering, molting or otherwise connecting the glass, metal, plastic, or other type of bottoms.

Claims

1. A jar in which, among other features,

there are at least two chambers separated by a fixed partition,

each chamber is at least as broad as it is deep and has an opening through which material that is dipped from, the chamber can be removed; and a lid covering the opening, and

the two openings face in opposite directions.

2. The jar of claim 1 in which the jar is round.

3. The jar of claim 1 in which, among the jar comprises glass.

4. The jar of claim 1 in which the two chambers are identical in shape.

5. The jar of claim 1 in which the two chambers are identical in size.

6. The jar of claim 1 in which the jar has an hourglass shape.

7. The jar of claim 1 in which the lid comprises metal.

8. The jar of claim 1 in which the lid screws on.

9. The jar of claim 1 in which there is a label that implies that the jar can be flipped.

10. The jar of claim 1 in which there are two labels, one for each chamber.

11. The jar of claim 1 in which there is food in each of the chambers.

12. The jar of claim 1 in which the food has a consistency to be dipped.

13. The jar of claim 1 in which the two chambers contain the same food.

14. The jar of claim 1 in which the two chambers contain different food.

15. The jar of claim 1 in which the foods in the two chambers are paired by taste or use.

16. The jar of claim 1 in which the lids have shapes that conform to an hourglass shape.

17. The jar of claim 1 in which the lids have elements to mate with other lids.

18. A glass jar in which, among other features,

there are two essentially identical chambers separated by a fixed glass wall and containing food having a consistency that can be dipped,

each chamber is at least twice as broad as it is deep and holds at least 8 ounces,

each chamber has an opening through which food that is dipped from the chamber can be removed and a lid that covers the opening, and

the two openings face in opposite directions.

19. The jar of claim 1 in which the two chambers and fixed partition are formed as an integral body.

20. The jar of claim 1 in which the two chambers are parts of separate containers that are connected to form the jar.

21. A glass jar of salsa, in which, among other features,

there are two essentially identical chambers separated by a fixed wall, both containing salsa,

each chamber has an opening through which salsa that is dipped from the chamber can be removed, and

the two openings face in opposite directions.