Dispensing Container with Elevating Platform

Abstract

A container that facilitates dispensing food items or other products that may have a liquid component and a solid component even when those contents are mostly depleted. Within the container is a platform which is rotated manually to propel the contents upward.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to containers used to dispense food items or other contents that may have a liquid component and a solid component. It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and effective design for a container that facilitates dispensing contents that are mostly depleted. It is another object to provide a container that dispenses contents upward from the bottom of the container. It is a further object to provide a container that is suitable for viscous contents such as peanut butter, mayonnaise, jellies, and sauces.

Peanut butter, jam, sauces, mayonnaise, and other semi-liquid food products are typically stored the bottom of the container and it is difficult to remove that remaining product. There have been twist dispensers for various products (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,270,495; 7,207,739; 6,918,511; and 5,137,185). These dispensers utilize a threaded post that is rotated to move a cup so as to propel the product to an open end of a tube and are not adapted for viscous semi-liquids in the nature of jams, sauces, butters, or other products. There also exists a dispensing jar which utilizes a circular platform that is supported on a threaded post on the interior of the jar (U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,499). The threaded post may present an obstacle to utilizing a spoon or other kitchen utensil to obtain the product from the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a container that facilitates dispensing food items or other products that may have a liquid component and a solid component even when those contents are mostly depleted. The present invention consists of:

(i) an open topped lower cylindrical body with a threaded inside wall (“Outer Lower Container”), that thread being nonreversible.

Protruding from the floor of the Outer Lower Container is a cylindrical body (“Inner Lower Container”) upon which is situated a circular platform (“Platform”) consisting of a rigid disk whose diameter is equivalent to the diameter of the smooth inner wall of the Upper Container (defined below) allowing the platform to fit snugly against the inner wall of the Upper Container as well as slide snugly against the inner wall of the Upper Container as the Lower Container (defined below) is elevated. The Inner Lower container is sized and weighted to ballast the contents which rest upon the platform The Outer Lower Container and the Inner Lower Container may be collectively referred to as the Lower Container. The Lower Container is approximately 98% of the height of the Upper Container.

(ii) An open topped and open bottomed upper cylindrical body (“Upper Container”), an outside threaded mouth at a top thereof upon which fits an inside threaded screw on cap. The wall of the Upper Container containing a vertical recess continuing up to a point which is approximately 98% of the total height of Upper Container forming a sleeve into which will fit the threaded inside wall of the Outer Lower Container. The innermost recessed wall of the Upper Container is threaded on its inside to permit elevation of the Lower Container through manual rotation pushing the contents of the invention, resting on the Platform, towards the mouth of the Upper Container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross section view of the invention

FIG. 2 is a direct view of the invention

FIG. 3 is a cross section view of the invention as seen from above

FIG. 4 is a cross section view of the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the Drawing, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention presented in cross section, as a jar body consisting of the cylindrical Outer Lower Container (1) and cylindrical Inner Lower Container which is sized and weighted to ballast the contents which rest upon the platform (2) and Platform (3) all formed of a suitable food-grade rigid plastic material, the cylindrical Upper Container (4) formed of a suitable food-grade rigid plastic material with a screw-on cap covering the mouth of the Upper Container (5).

The wall of the Upper Container contains a vertical recess (6) continuing up to a point which is approximately 98% of the total height of Upper Container forming a sleeve into which will fit the threaded inside wall of the Outer Lower Container, the threads of the inner wall of the Outer Lower Container being nonreversible. The innermost recessed wall of the Upper Container is threaded on its inside to permit elevation of the Lower Container through manual rotation pushing the contents of the invention, resting on the Platform, towards the mouth of the Upper Container. As the threads are nonreversible the Lower Container may be elevated upward but not retracted downward. The contents contained in the invention rest upon the Platform, which can be elevated towards the mouth of the Upper Container by rotating the Lower Container by hand.

With reference to the Drawing FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention presented in direct view as a jar body consisting of the Lower Container (1) and the Upper Container (2) (both formed of a suitable food-grade rigid plastic material) with a screw-on cap covering the mouth of the Upper Container (3). The exterior surface of the Lower Container is textured for ease of rotation.

With reference to the Drawing FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention presented in cross section as seen from above consisting of the Lower Container (1) the Upper Container (2) and a screw-on cap (3) which covers the mouth of the Upper Container.

With reference to the Drawing FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention presented in cross section consisting of the Outer Lower Container (1), whose inside wall is threaded with nonreversible threads, The Inner Lower Container (2) upon which is situated the Platform (3) consisting of a rigid disk whose diameter is equivalent to the diameter of the smooth inner wall of the Upper Container The Upper Container (4), the wall of the Upper Container containing a vertical recess continuing up to a point which is approximately 98% of the total height of Upper Container forming a sleeve (5) into which will fit the wall of the Outer Lower Container, an outside threaded mouth at a top thereof upon which fits an inside threaded screw on cap (6)

Claims

1. Container for a food product or other items that are a mixture of solid and liquid components, the container comprising:

(i) an open topped lower cylindrical body with a threaded inside wall (“Outer Lower Container”), that thread being nonreversible

(ii) a cylindrical body (“Inner Lower Container”) protruding from the floor of the Outer Lower Container upon which is situated a circular platform (“Platform”) consisting of a rigid disk whose diameter is equivalent to the diameter of the smooth inner wall of the Upper Container (defined below) allowing the platform to fit snugly against the inner wall of the Upper Container as well as slide snugly against the inner wall of the Upper Container as the Lower Container (defined as collectively The Outer Lower Container and the Inner Lower Container) is elevated. The Inner Lower container is sized and weighted to ballast the contents which rest upon the platform

(iii) an open topped and open bottomed upper cylindrical body (“Upper Container”), an outside threaded mouth at a top thereof, and the wall of which containing a vertical recess continuing up to a point which is approximately 98% of the total height of Upper Container forming a sleeve into which will fit the threaded inside wall of the Outer Lower Container. The innermost recessed wall of the Upper Container is threaded on its inside to permit elevation of the Lower Container through manual rotation pushing the contents of the invention, resting on the Platform, towards the mouth of the Upper Container.

(iv) an inside threaded screw on cap