SNACK FOOD DISPENSER PACKAGING
An elongated container with an elevator to position items near the opening of a container for easy access. The elevator includes a base and a member for engaging and disengaging the inner sidewall of the container depending upon the orientation of the container. Items are stored inside the container, on the base of the elevator. After removal of a portion of the items from the container, the opening of the container is covered, and the container is inverted. With the container in an inverted position, the elevator slides freely within the container and moves the remaining items toward the covered opening of the container. When the container is returned to its upright position, the member engages the inner sidewall of the container, preventing movement of the elevator within the container, such that the remaining items are easily accessible from the opening of the container.
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 61/793,276, filed Mar. 15, 2013; 61/802,701, filed Mar. 17, 2013; 61/804,261, filed Mar. 22, 2013; 61/804,699, filed Mar. 24, 2013; 61/805,116, filed Mar. 25, 2013; 61/807,657, filed Apr. 2, 2013; 61/809,383, filed Apr. 7, 2013; and 61/812,378, filed Apr. 16, 2013, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an apparatus to dispense items, and more specifically, to an apparatus for dispensing snack food stored in containers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSnack foods, such as cookies, potato chips, flavored crackers, etc., come in a variety of packages. Some of these packages are unusual, as is the packaging of Pringles® potato chips. While this design is unusual—packaged in a cardboard tube—it is also non-desirable from the consumer point of view. As the potato chips or other snack are ‘stacked’ in a large pile inside a round cardboard canister, or tube, when several dozen or so of the snack are consumed, it is necessary to either reach in with a hand down the tube to retrieve more or simply pour them out in a dish. This is inconvenient and difficult, and can result in damage to the food. Moreover, as the food is consumed, the food inside the container is replaced with air, which causes the remaining food to become stale.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a movable elevator platform inside a canister, tube or other elongated container to keep the food or other items in an easily accessible position in the container, i.e, near the opening of the container, as the food is consumed. The movable elevator slides within the container in a one-way manner to effectively reduce the volume of the container as the food or other items are consumed, and to move the food or other items toward the opening of the container. In one embodiment, the container has a corrugated liner on the inner wall of the container, and the movable elevator platform has tabs that engage the corrugations of the liner when the container is oriented in an upright position, and disengage the corrugations when the container is in an inverted position. Thus, after food or other items are removed from the container, the user simply covers the container opening and inverts the container, thereby using gravity to move the elevator (and the food or other items resting on the elevator) toward the opening of the container. When the container is returned to an upright position, the elevator remains at the elevated position, and the food or other items resting on the elevator are now easily accessible from the opening of the container. Moreover, the reduced internal storage volume, caused by movement of the elevator, limits the amount of air in the container, and helps to keep food fresh.
In another embodiment, the container has an embossed paper liner, rather than a corrugated line, on the inner wall. Any inner surface with periodic disturbances, such as raised areas or blemishes, will work in conjunction with the elevator of the present invention.
In yet another embodiment, the container has a smooth inner wall, and the elevator has a single or multiple rubber tipped tabs which engage the wall when the container is in an upright position, and disengage the wall when the container is in an inverted position.
In still another embodiment, the elevator is freely movable in the container in both directions, and the container is simply placed in an inverted position to limit the amount of air surrounding the contained food, thereby keep the food fresh during storage.
The elevator of the present invention is preferably provided with a vent hole to assist in equalizing air pressure on it from both sides, when the elevator moves in the container.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention, which refers to the accompanying drawings.
The present invention provides a simple, low cost to reposition items inside an elongated container as the items are consumed, so that the remaining items are easily accessed from the opening of the container.
As illustrated in
The elevator of the present invention may also be used with a container without a corrugated liner, i.e., with a smooth inner surface. In this embodiment, shown in
The elevator of the present invention can also be formed of a single rubber coated tab 21, as shown in
The elevator of the present invention can also be formed of tabs 26 cut into the sidewall 12 and bent downward, as “ears,” shown in
In another embodiment, illustrated in
Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims
Claims
1. A snack food container, comprising:
- a cylindrical body having a closed bottom, an open top, and an inner sidewall,
- a removable cover for the top of the container; and
- an elevator movable in the cylindrical body for supporting a stack of food items stored inside the container and for moving the stack of food items toward the open top of the container upon inversion of the container after food items are removed for consumption, such that the stack of food items in the container remains readily accessible near the top of the container as food items are consumed, the elevator including means for interacting with the inner sidewall of the container to prevent movement of the elevator in the container when the container is in an upright position when the cover is removed from the container and the food items are being consumed, and to allow the elevator to move freely in the container when the container is in an inverted position with the cover placed over the top of the container.
2. The snack food container of claim 1, further comprising a lining disposed on the inner sidewall of the container, the lining having periodic disturbances, and wherein the means for interacting with the inner sidewall of the container comprises tabs or ears extending from the elevator that engage the disturbances of the lining when the container is in an upright position, and that disengage the disturbances of the lining when the container is in an inverted position.
3. The snack food container of claim 2, wherein the lining comprises a plurality of corrugations.
4. (canceled)
5. The snack food container of claim 1, wherein the elevator includes a base provided with at least one air vent hole.
6. The snack food container of claim 1, wherein the elevator includes a base and a sidewall extending from the base.
7. The snack food container of claim 1, wherein the container has a smooth inner sidewall, and the means for interacting with the inner sidewall of the container comprises a least one rubber tipped member pivotally attached to the elevator, wherein, when the container is in the upright position, the rubber tipped member is angled downwardly against the inner sidewall of the container so as to prevent movement of the elevator from the top to the bottom of the container and, when the container is in the inverted position, the rubber tipped member is angled upwardly against the inner sidewall of the container so as to allow free movement of the elevator from the bottom to the top of the container.
8. A snack food container with an open top, a removable cover for the top of the container, and a contractible space inside the container for storing a consumable food product, the container comprising a movable platform that slides freely inside the container beneath the food product in a direction from bottom to top, such that, after consumption of a portion of the food product, inversion of the container with the cover secured over the top causes the food product to move toward the top and the movable platform to rest against the food product remaining in the container and limit the air space surrounding the remaining food product, thereby preserving freshness of the remaining food product.
Type: Application
Filed: May 9, 2013
Publication Date: Sep 18, 2014
Applicant: JLJ, Inc. (Bellbrook, OH)
Inventor: John L. Janning (Bellbrook, OH)
Application Number: 13/890,978
International Classification: B65D 25/06 (20060101);