Dried Foods Box Topper

Abstract

Disclosed is device for sealing boxes of dried food items wherein the device is a rectangular prism with five solid faces; a top face, a front face, a back face, a left-side face, and a right-side face; and one open face on the bottom.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. prov. pat. app. Ser. No. 62/052,258 (filed Sep. 18, 2014) and entitled “Box cover lid will be used to cover many sizes cereal boxes keep food fresh keep foreign objects out other foods products.” This document is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The subject matter of this written description is in the field of died foodstuff storage. In particular, the subject matter of this specification is in the field of toppers that can fit over the lid of a commercial box of a dry food.

2. Background

Cereal in a typical cereal box will remain eatable for approximately four to six months after opening. A number of factors can extend or shorten this time estimate. For example, storing cereal in a cereal box in an area of high humidity will decrease the self-life.

In addition to humidity, cereal's shelf-life can be dramatically cut short if there are pantry pests lurking in the kitchen. Pantry pests, such as the boll weevil, Indian meal moth, saw tooth grain beetle, and cigarette beetle, can readily get into unsealed cereal boxes. Not only do pantry pests eat the cereal, but they may carry unhealthy germs, rendering the cereal unfit for human consumption. In addition to cereal, pantry pests are attracted to dried foods such as flour, pancake mix, rice, and grits.

One way to avoid humidity and pantry pest problems is to properly seal a cereal box, or other box containing a food that attracts bugs. Properly resealing the box will extend shelf-life. One way to seal the box is to use a “chip clip” or the equivalent to close the interior bag inside of the box. Chip clips can be cumbersome to use, particularly for people with arthritis. Additionally, chip clips sometimes will not form a complete seal. Another option to keep cereal or other kinds of dry goods sealed is to transfer the contents to a large Tupperware® container. The disadvantage is that Tupperware® containers are large, and take up a lot of storage space, which may be scarce in a kitchen in a small urban apartment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is an objective of this application to describe a device that can be used to reseal cereal, and other kinds of dry goods boxes, after opening that is easy to use and small enough that it can be stored easily in a small space.

It is an additional objective to create a device that will prevent infestations from ants, boll weevils and other pantry pests.

Other objectives and desires may become apparent to one of skill in the art after reading the below disclosure and viewing the associated figures.

Disclosed is s device for sealing boxes of dried food items wherein the device is a rectangular prism with five solid faces; a top face, a front face, a back face, a left-side face, and a right-side face; and one open face on the bottom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The manner in which these objectives and other desirable characteristics can be obtained is explained in the following description and attached figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a box topper;

FIG. 2 is an environmental view of the box topper of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the box topper; and,

FIG. 4 is an environmental view of the box topper of FIG. 3.

It is to be noted, however, that the appended figures illustrate only typical embodiments of the disclosed assemblies, and therefore, are not to be considered limiting of their scope, for the disclosed assemblies may admit to other equally effective embodiments that will be appreciated by those reasonably skilled in the relevant arts. Also, figures are not necessarily made to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFFERED EMBODIMENTS

In general, disclosed is a device for sealing boxes of dried food items wherein the device is a rectangular prism with five solid faces; a top face, a front face, a back face, a left-side face, and a right-side face; and one open face on the bottom.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a box top 100. The box top 100 is ideally a rectangular prism with five solid faces; a top face, a front face, a back face, a left-side face, and a right side-face. Instead of a bottom face, the bottom of the box top 100 is open so it can fit over top of a box. In the preferred embodiment, the box top 100 is constructed from plastic. In other embodiments, the box top 100 may be made from vinyl, rubber, or another semi-pliable material capable of forming an air tight seal. In the embodiment shown, the box top features grooves 110 on the top face. The grooves 110 assist users with removing the box top 100 from a cereal or other type of dried foods box by making it easier for a user to grip the box topper 100 and remove it from a box. In the preferred embodiment, there are two grooves, but there may be more or less in alternate embodiments.

FIG. 2 is an environmental view of the box topper 100 of FIG. 1 covering a box 200. The box 200 may be a cereal box, a box containing pancake mix, a box containing rice, or a box containing another type of dried food item. Once the box topper 100 is placed on the top of a box, the box topper 100 forms an airtight seal over the box. This seal prevents spoilage due to humid conditions. The box top 100 also keeps pantry pests and other insects from entering the box 200 and eating the contents of the box 200.

FIG. 3 depicts an alternate embodiment of the box top 100, and FIG. 4 shows an environmental view of the box top 100 shown in FIG. 3. In the embodiment shown, the box top 100 features a handle 120. The handle is preferable an elongated thin strip constructed from the same material as the box top 100.

Other features will be understood with reference to the drawings. While various embodiments of the method and apparatus have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not of limitation. Likewise, the various diagrams might depict an example of an architectural or other configuration for the disclosed method and apparatus, which is done to aid in understanding the features and functionality that might be included in the method and apparatus. The disclosed method and apparatus is not restricted to the illustrated example architectures or configurations, but the desired features might be implemented using a variety of alternative architectures and configurations. Indeed, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art how alternative functional, logical, or physical partitioning and configurations might be implemented to implement the desired features of the disclosed method and apparatus. Also, a multitude of different constituent module names other than those depicted herein might be applied to the various partitions. Additionally, with regard to flow diagrams, operational descriptions and method claims, the order in which the steps are presented herein shall not mandate that various embodiments be implemented to perform the recited functionality in the same order unless the context dictates otherwise.

Although the method and apparatus is described above in terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the various features, aspects, and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability to the particular embodiment with which they are described, but instead might be applied, alone or in various combinations, to one or more of the other embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus, whether or not such embodiments are described and whether or not such features are presented as being a part of a described embodiment. Thus the breadth and scope of the claimed invention should not be limited by any of the above-described embodiments.

Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open-ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like, the term “example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof, the terms “a” or “an” should be read as meaning “at least one,” “one or more,” or the like, and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,” “standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that might be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, where this document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass those apparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in the future.

The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases might be absent. The use of the term “module” does not imply that the components or functionality described or claimed as part of the module are all configured in a common package. Indeed, any or all of the various components of a module, whether control logic or other components, might be combined in a single package or separately maintained and might further be distributed across multiple locations.

Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are described in terms of exemplary block diagrams, flow charts, and other illustrations. As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their various alternatives might be implemented without confinement to the illustrated examples. For example, block diagrams and their accompanying description should not be construed as mandating a particular architecture or configuration.

The claims, as originally filed, are hereby incorporated into the specification by reference.

Claims

1. A device for sealing boxes of dried food items wherein the device is a rectangular prism with five solid faces; a top face, a front face, a back face, a left-side face, and a right-side face; and one open face on the bottom.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device features at least one groove in the top face.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the number of grooves is two.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device features a handle.

5. A device according to claim 5 wherein the handle is an elongated thin strip.

6. A device according to claim 1 constructed from plastic.

7. A device according to claim 1 constructed from rubber.

8. A device according to claim 1 constructed from vinyl.

9. A method of sealing a box of dried food comprising:

obtaining a rectangular prism box top with five solid faces and one open face on the bottom;

fitting the bottom of the box top over an open box of dried food;

pushing down on the box top, creating an airtight seal over the box of food.