Multi-Compartment Snack Storage and Dispensing Appliance

Abstract

A food and beverage Appliance enables storage and consumption of a food and beverage meal, such as cereal and milk, in a portable form factor allowing consumption of the meal while in motion or during or after travel. The Appliance stores the food and beverage separately, and dispenses the food and beverage separately and non-simultaneously to preserve the crispiness and freshness, and to allow the user to control the size of each portion dispensed. The Appliance prevents leakage of the beverage out it its compartment, whether during filling, storage, traveling, or dispensing, to prevent getting the food soggy prior to dispensing and to prevent messes. The Appliance enables a revolution in healthy snacking and quick and easy mobile meals. Features make the Appliance either reusable or disposable. It also can create a new revenue category for takeout restaurants, and ideal for pre-packaged retail applications.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to provisional patent application 62/790,466. Claims directed to a multi-compartment snack and storage dispensing appliance have earlier been issued to the present assignee in U.S. Pat. No. 10,421,595, necessitating aspects of the instant patent application and any issued patents thereto, to be subject to a terminal disclaimer where required.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of food and beverage containers and dispensers. In particular the invention describes a container used to store a solid food and beverage separately, and used to dispense both separately during consumption. A favorite and healthy meal in many cultures is cereal with milk, frequently consumed for breakfast, and also consumed as a snack throughout the day. The popularity is highest with children, but also with adults because of the well documented health benefits. When the milk and cereal are mixed together, it must be consumed without delay for a fresh affect, otherwise the cereal becomes soggy and the meal loses its appeal. The popularity of the snack has caused people to devise ways to have the snack away from the home. Containers described in the prior art attempt to mix the milk and cereal together during the act of dispensing or prior to dispensing, or are complex to use, or require two hand operation to dispense. None of these prior art products have been successfully commercialized because of disadvantages such as the cereal becoming soggy from the milk, inability to mix in proper proportions, too complicated to use, and inconvenient, messy spills, or un-safe dispensing. Lifestyles around the world are evolving to be become (1) healthier, and (2) more on-the-go, so there is a huge need for a way to package a cereal meal to meet these evolving lifestyles, and this is a need that has not yet been met.

The mobile snack Appliance described in this invention solves the unmet need for portable storage and on-the-go consumption of a cereal snack while maintaining its freshness and crispiness. The invention specifically accomplishes the following: (1) allows mess-free and safe consumption of the snack during travel and movement, (2) allows storage of the snack for consumption later in the day, (3) prevents the cereal from getting soggy and preserves the freshness and crispiness after placement in the Appliance until the time of consumption, (4) allows mixing of the milk and cereal in the exact proportions desired by the consumer, (5) is easy and uncomplicated to use requiring only one-hand operation when dispensing, and (6) maximizes the convenience. As will be explained, the Appliance in this invention is the only Appliance known that can accomplish these much needed functional attributes.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Appliance in this invention has two separate compartments separated by a wall, in which the cereal and milk are stored in the separated compartments to prevent mixing and in which the cereal and milk are dispensed separately and non-simultaneously without mixing. The beverage compartment of the Appliance is completely sealed by unique functional elements in order to store, transport and dispense the snack without (1) allowing the milk to mix with the cereal which would ruin the snack, and without (2) spillage of milk out of the Appliance which would dirty one's belongings and clothing. Additionally the Appliance allows for (3) easy filling of the milk and cereal without accidental mixing which would ruin the snack, and for (4) easy one hand operation during dispensing and consumption so that the user does not need to concentrate on the task, for example as simple as drinking bottled water, and without blocking the user's vision when in the act of dispensing and using. Even those with visual impairment can enjoy a meal easily by using this Appliance. Unlike other Appliances for cereal snacks which dispense the cereal and milk together, the cereal and milk are dispensed separately and non-simultaneously, thereby maintaining the separation of the two until in the mouth of the user, and therefore importantly maintaining freshness and crispness for as long as desired. When using the invention, the user will dispense a desired portion of fresh crisp cereal into their mouth, then sip a desired amount of fresh, cold milk to mix with the cereal, then chew as required and swallow, and then repeat. The user can dispense the portions in the exact sizes and ratios desired. The experience maximizes the freshness of the snack and the user experiences a maximally fresh effect of the snack. When dispensing a portion of cereal, the Appliance is tilted to pour out the portion of the cereal, however, the milk will not leak when tilted so there is no mess whatsoever. When the milk is dispensed, it is done so with a self-sealing Straw, so the Appliance can be upright without tilting, so that the user doesn't have to perform a tricky or inconvenient maneuver with the Appliance when a portion of cereal is already in his or her mouth. The Straw includes a valve so that milk can only exit when the user actuates the valve. Novel and inventive functional elements, which will be described in the subsequent specification, accomplish the above unique functionality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 describes a hidden line front view of an Appliance of the invention with a nested container configuration.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the Appliance shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the Appliance shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a hidden line front view of an Appliance of the invention that is extra strong and reusable.

FIG. 5 shows an isometric view of an Appliance of the invention with a raised wall between the two compartments that dips slightly at the corners and reduces gradually in height from the corner of the wall to the lowest point of the sealing rim of the milk compartment.

FIG. 6 shows an isometric view of an Appliance of the invention with a raised wall between the two compartments, from corner to corner, and reduces gradually in height from the corner of the wall to the lowest point of the sealing rim of the milk compartment.

FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of an Appliance of the invention with side-by-side folded and sealed box construction.

FIG. 8 shows a cross section view of an alternative to the box construction of FIG. 5 in which a two-compartment box is fabricated from one sheet of laminated paper.

FIG. 9 shows an isometric view of an Appliance of the invention with a folded and sealed box construction with an inner bag.

FIG. 10 shows an isometric view of an Appliance of the invention that is a collapse-able, fillable two-compartment bag construction.

FIGS. 11A and 11B is a hidden line view of the sip valve in Detail A of FIG. 3 when the sip valve is in its resting closed state; FIG. 8A a side view and FIG. 8B a front view.

FIGS. 11C and 11D is a hidden line view of the sip valve in Detail A of FIG. 3 when the sip valve is in its compressed open state; FIG. 8A a side view and FIG. 8B a front view.

FIG. 12 shows a hidden line front view of an Appliance of the invention with an extra strong lid that is reusable, and a disposable bottom.

FIG. 13 shows a front hidden line view of an alternative bottom cup portion of the Appliance in FIG. 4, in which bayonet connector feature is integral to the cup inner skin.

FIG. 14 shows a front hidden line view of an Appliance alternative to that shown in FIG. 4 in which the Lid attaches to the cup with sealing gaskets that seal inside the two compartments.

FIGS. 15a-15f show cross sections of alternative constructions of the bottom cup of the Appliance at section B-B of FIG. 4.

FIG. 16 shows a front cross-sectional view of an alternative Appliance with a double wall construction bottom and a snap attachment of a lid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Described here are inventive features and functional elements of a snack dispensing Appliance, accomplishing the functional benefits, advantages and performance described. FIG. 1 describes a hidden line front view of an embodiment of the invention, in which the Appliance 1 comprises an outer cup 3, and an inner cup 5 that is placed inside the outer cup. Both cups are stackable; cups can be nested together for shipping and storage, in order occupy a small amount of space for a large quantity of cups used. Now, if not configured correctly, the inner and outer cup arrangement will not work correctly. For example, the inner cup will move around in the outer cup, the movement enough such that it will lead to leaking of the inner cup. Or cereal can be caught in the inside corners where the inner cup meets the inside wall of the outer cups. So, in order to make sure this configuration does work correctly, some unique elements are required. First, and better shown in FIG. 2 which is a top view of FIG. 1, the shape of the inner cup is generally semi-circular with a non-circular section 18, and a circular portion 17. The non-circular section meets with the circular section at at least one corner 19. The corner prevents the formation of voids or nooks between the inner and outer cup where that space is either wasted because cereal cannot occupy that space, or where that space traps the cereal because it gets wedged into that area. The corner is rounded so that a matching rounded corner on the lid 4 can be attached to the inner cup, and seal at that corner. Secondly, when the inner cup and inner cup lid 4 are placed inside the outer cup, and subsequently the outer cup lid 2 is attached, the bottom of the outer cup lid is very close to or even touches or presses down on the top of the inner cup lid. This will prevent the inner cup from moving around in the outer cup, and keep the inner cup lid connected with a seal to the inner cup, to prevent leakage. Third, to further help secure the inner cup within the outer cup, the outer cup has a step 8 along its side forming a shelf on the inside of the outer cup, and the inner cup has a matching step 9 in its' side which sits on top of the outer cup step shelf. The inner cup and outer cups are dimensioned so that the outside bottom of the inner cup is very close to the inside bottom of the outer cup, and preferably touching, and that the step of the inner cup rests on the step shelf of the outer cup, and that the bottom surface of the outer cup lid presses down on the top surface of the inner cup lid. Fourth, the angle of the circular section of the inner cup 17 is not less than 180 degrees, and the outside diameter of the inner cup corners 19 hug the inside diameter of the outer cup, which prevents the inner cup from moving away from the wall of the outer cup, and helps keep the inner cup in place rather than moving within the outer cup. These elements described above creates the feeling that once put together, the two cups act as though they were one single cup.

To keep the lids firmly attached to the cups, so that once assembled the assembly remains stable, the inner cup has a lip 7 on the outside of its top which is substantially rigid. The inner cup lid has a curved area or pocket 16 that snaps over the inner cup lip to secure the lid onto the inner cup. Likewise, the outer cup has a substantially rigid lip at the outside of its top, and the outer cup's lid has a curved area or pocket 15 that snaps securely in place over that lip.

Now referring to the additional features of this embodiment, the inner cup lid has a boss 13, and the outer cup lid has a boss 12. In the center area of the two bosses are through holes or slits, or scores in the lid material, through which the straw 10 is inserted. A feature in the cups and/or lids will help align the two bosses so the straw can be inserted easily. The alignment feature may be a rib, a peg, a detent, a non-circular portion, or other features. Optionally, the two bosses can be located in the center of the outer cup lid and the centroid of the inner cup lid where it aligns with the center of the outer cup lids, to make alignment of the two bosses automatic. The diameter of the straw 10 hugs the inner diameter of the bosses, this arrangement helping to seal along the bosses and prevent leaks between the straw and the lids, and preventing milk from leaking out of the inner cup into the cereal compartment or out of the cup assembly. The outer cup lid includes a preformed spout 14, typically raised, used to help channel the cereal into the mouth during dispensing. The included straw includes a pinch valve 11 to make it a sip valve. FIG. 3 shows the Appliance of FIGS. 1 and 2 in an exploded view to make the individual features clearer. The Appliance is used as follows: the inner cup is filled with milk, and the lid snapped on, then the inner cup and lid is placed inside the outer cup. Cereal is poured into the remaining open space in the outer cup, and the outer cup lid snapped on. Then the straw is inserted, and the cereal snack or meal is now ready to consume. The materials are highly recycle-able, or compostable. For example, the cups can be fabricated from paper or vegetable oil-based plastic. The lids can be formed from polyethylene or a vegetable oil-based plastic. This particular Appliance is ideally suited for use at fast-food restaurants, where the components of the Appliance can be stacked to occupy only a small footprint, and the ingredients are delivered to the business in bulk quantity frequently, and the Appliance is filled to order, with multiple choices of cereal and milk available to the consumer. Because consumption is intended to be soon after purchase at this point of sale, the insulation properties of the Appliance are not critical—the meal will be consumed while the contents are at their ideal temperatures. However, alternatively, this highly disposable Appliance can include some insulation features, such as double wall cup construction, sleeves around the outside of the cup, or super-cooling the ingredients prior to selling. There can also be a pocket shaped into one of the inner or outer cups where ice can be provided, to keep the snack cool for a period of time, even in very hot summer temperatures. The cups of this Appliance may be fabricated by blow molding, thermoforming or injection molding, or dip molding. The lids of this Appliance may be fabricated by thermoforming, hot stamping or die-cutting, or injection molding.

Now referring to FIG. 4 an embodiment of the invention is described in which the Appliance 20 may be an extra strong design that can withstand repeated use, harsh temperature conditions, and physical misuse and abuse, over a long period of time, without damage or degradation of performance. The bottom 22 is of two-piece construction; an outer skin 23 made of stainless steel or other metal or special plastic with low heat transfer properties, and an inner skin 24 typically made of plastic, and a space between the inner and other skin. The between space and double wall construction provides excellent thermal insulation, so that a cold beverage inside will remain cold for hours. The space can be present on the bottom between the outside surface of the inner skin and the inside surface of the outer skin with the use of a bump 40 protruding from the outside bottom of the inner skin, in order to make sure the bottom is properly thermally insulated from the outside environment. The Lid 21 is made of high-performance plastic, and itself comprises two primary pieces; an upper piece 25, and a rotatable locking ring 26 rotate-ably affixed to the upper piece, for example with a rib groove attachment 35, 36, so that the ring can rotate relative to the upper piece. The locking ring is used to securely and remove-ably affix the lid to the bottom. This is done by sliding the bayonet slot 27 of the locking ring downward over the bayonet peg 28 protruding out from the side of the bottom 22, and then rotating the ring and slot so that the peg pulls the lid down tight onto the bottom, creating some compression of a sealing gasket 33 that is disposed on the bottom inside of the Lid, which will be further described later. Since the locking ring is rotatable without rotating the upper piece of the lid, the alignment of the sealing gasket in the lid to the sealing features of the bottom, remains intact. The bayonet peg is ideally part of the high-performance plastic inner skin, so the feature can be easily molded. This therefore requires that the top of the inner skin have a collar that wraps over and around the top of the outer skin, and down the other skin a short distance. The peg may be a protrusion from this collar. While a bayonet connection is shown, other connection mechanisms can be used. A snug fit between the lid and bottom can be used. Or a snap ring and groove on the bottom and lid can be used.

The inner skin also includes a wall 29, creating two compartments within the inner skin, one for milk 31 and one for cereal 30. The top of the wall 32 extends above the top of the rest of the rim 34 of the bottom piece, so as to create a barrier to prevent milk from inadvertently spilling into the cereal compartment during filling. The top of the wall 32 blends with the rest of the rim 34 of the top of the milk compartment with a ramp 33, devoid of sharp or abrupt height changes or corners or tight curves which would be difficult to seal, thereby defining a rim of the milk compartment with a relatively flat perimeter, of varied height, but devoid of difficult to seal spots. The lid comprises a matching groove that matches with the rim encircling the milk compartment rim, and within that groove may be a compressible sealing gasket 33. When the lid is attached to the bottom, the rim encircling the milk compartment compresses the sealing gasket, and the milk compartment therefore becomes leak free.

In addition to the features already mentioned, the Appliance 20 may include a cereal dispensing spout 37, typically raised, a self-sealing sip valve 39, a straw 38 attachable to the sip valve, and a bar code 40. The bar code makes the use of the Appliance user friendly and efficient for all stakeholders. This Appliance is intended to be used at café style restaurants. The customer returns with their cleaned and empty Appliance, and using the bar code, orders their choice of cereal and milk, and payment can be made through an account. Inventory, sales and utilization data can be tracked electronically through this bar-coded purchase. Frequent user bonus points can be generated and discounts provided. Customer information can be used for other mercantile purposes.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are isometric views of the top of the bottom portion of the Appliance, showing alternative embodiments from FIG. 4. In FIG. 5 an Appliance 22′ has a milk compartment sealing rim 34′ that has a top of the raised wall 32′ that is generally planar from corner to corner, and transitions to the lowest part of the rim with a gradual ramp 33′. In FIG. 6, the Appliance 22″ has a milk compartment sealing rim 34″ that has a top 32″ that reduces in height from the highest point with a gradual ramp at the two corners where the non-circular section meets the circular section, and transitions to the lowest part of the rim 34″ with a gradual ramp 33″ starting at the corners, to the lowest point of the rim encircling the milk compartment.

In FIG. 7, an isometric view of an additional embodiment of the invention is shown. In this embodiment an Appliance 50 is shown that is comprised of two box-shaped containers 51 and 52 fabricated from paper, at least one of which has an inner surface that is lined or laminated with foil or water proof material or substance. The two box-shaped containers are joined together by adhesive or welding to present the Appliance as a single item to the end user, with one box containing cereal, or a dry snack, and the other box containing milk or other beverage. The cereal container includes a spout 54 protruding from the container that is connected to a hole that is stamped in the container before folding, and with a seal secured in place with a skirt 55 that is glued or welded in place. A removable cap 53 is provided to close the spout, which is preferably raised. The milk container includes a skirt 57 glued or welded to a hole stamped in the container before folding. The skirt includes a hole the size of the straw, and may include a boss 56 around the hole. A foil or film 58 may be attached, glued or welded to cover the hole, which may either be removable to expose the hole, or scored for easy perforation by the straw. The straw 59 is pressed through the hole in the film, or through the hole exposed by removing the film, by the user immediately prior to consumption of the meal, and the boss if included hugs the outside of the straw to contribute to a leak-free straw attachment. This embodiment is ideal for a prepackaged snack or meal, sold in food stores or schools.

Alternatively, the two compartments can be fabricated from a single sheet of multilayer laminated paper, such as shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, a single sheet of laminated paper is used to fabricate a two-compartment box 65. The laminated paper comprises a tough outer layer 67 and a water-proof inner layer 68, and folded as shown to create two compartments that are isolated from each other. Weld or glue areas 69 keep the folded shape in-tact. While the outer material shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is typically a paper it may be other materials. The inner layer is typically a foil type material, however could be a plastic material, or wax-lined paper. Alternatively to the laminated multi-layer paper construction, the two compartment box may be fabricated with a single sheet of plastic, which is folded and welded as required. Also optionally, the two compartment box may be fabricated from molding a paper pulp material. Also optionally, the two compartment box may be fabricated by blow molding a piece of plastic.

In FIG. 9, an alternative embodiment to that shown in FIG. 7 is shown, in which the Appliance 70 may be a single box 71, and a bag 72 may be assembled into the inside of the box either before the folding fabrication process or after by pressing the bag through the hole stamped into the box prior to folding. The bag may be attached to the box with a flange 73 and glued or welded in place to form a seal. The bag is suited for the beverage part of the snack, and the remainder of the space inside the box is suited for the solid food part of the snack.

FIG. 10 is an isometric view of an alternate embodiment in which the Appliance 80 may be an expandable and collapse-able bag 81, with a wall 82 inside the bag separating it into two compartments. The bag may be formed by blow molding, or by a sheet of material that is cut, formed and welded at a seem 83 into a two-compartment bag. This version of the invention is especially useful for travel situations, like hiking, or traveling on a plane, because the Appliance takes up little space when not in use, and also takes up little space in the trash when it is disposed of. The bag material is ideally a compostable material such as a vegetable-based plastic, but can also be a recyclable plastic.

FIGS. 11A-11D show hidden line views of the sip valve 11 of Detail A in FIG. 3. A pinched area 92 is preformed into the sip valve end section 91 to create a seal. FIG. 11B shows a front view of the pinched section of the sip valve, showing the inner walls 93 of the pinch valve touching to form a closure inside the straw, and FIG. 11A, shows the side view showing the wider flattened area of the pinched closure area. FIG. 11C shows the same view of FIG. 11A but with the pinched area 92′ squeezed inward with a force 95 generated by the user, which pops open the pinched area 92′ with a force 94 as seen in FIG. 11D. The pinch valve can be formed into the straw 10 itself, or can be a separate piece attached to the straw.

Now referring to FIG. 12, another embodiment of the invention is shown in which an Appliance 100 has a reusable lid 101 that is designed to receive a disposable bottom cup 112. This embodiment is an alternative to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. The reusable lid includes a raised spout 108, self-sealing sip valve 102 attached with a seal to a through hole in the lid, a top piece 103, a rotate-able locking ring 104 rotate-ably attached to the top piece for example with a channel and groove arrangement, a bar code 109 for e-commerce functions, a sealing gasket groove 105, and sealing gasket 106, and a bayonet connector feature 110. The disposable bottom cup includes a cereal compartment 113, a milk compartment 118, a wall 114 separating the cereal and milk compartment, with a top of the wall 116 elevating above the top of the cereal compartment, a gradual ramp 117 devoid of sharp angles or radii transitioning the milk compartment top rim from the top of the wall 116 to the lowest point of the milk compartment rim, and a straw 114 attachable with a seal to the sip valve, and a bayonet connector feature 111 for connection to the lid bayonet connector feature 110. To use this appliance, the bottom is filled, for example by a merchant at the point of sale, and provided to the purchaser across the counter. The purchaser attaches their reusable lid to the filled bottom, and inserts the straw, step (1); presses the lid down onto the bottom, step (2); then twists the locking ring to secure the lid and bottom together with a seal, step (3). While a ring and bayonet style connection is shown, other connections can be used, such as a tight press fit between the Lid and Bottom, a snap ring and groove, or other connections.

FIG. 13 describes an alternative embodiment of the bottom cup of the invention shown in FIG. 4. The bottom cup 151 has an outer skin 152, an inner skin 153, a wall 154 separating the cup into two compartments, a top portion of the wall 155, and a disk 158 at the bottom of the inner skin 153. A space may exist between the outer skin 152 and the inner skin 153, which may help thermal insulation. The space may be vacuum sealed to enhance the thermal insulation. Preferably the outer skin is constructed of a material with good mechanical properties to withstand repeated use. It may be made of a metal like stainless steel, or a high-performance plastic. The inner skin is preferably a high-performance plastic, and may wrap around the top of the outer skin with a lip 159. The outer skin has a slot 157 and the inner skin has an integral peg 156 as part of the connector to fasten the Lid to the bottom cup. This embodiment facilitates the functional elements required while making the fabrication and assembly process efficient.

Referring to FIG. 14, an alternative to the Appliance of FIG. 4 is shown. In this case the Appliance has a Lid 172, and a Bottom Cup 171. The bottom cup has a dry snack compartment 174 and a beverage compartment 175 separated by a wall 184, and a portion of the wall being a raised portion 173. In this embodiment the Bottom Cup may have two skins, an outer skin 182 and an inner skin 183 which may wrap around the top rim of the inner skin forming a lip 186. The two skins may be sealed at the bottom with a cap 185. The wall 184 may be integral to the inner skin 183, and the outer skin 182 may be a separate piece, joined with the inner skin at the lip 186 and cap 185. The Lid 172 in this embodiment seals with the bottom cup with seals 176 and 177 that seal on the inside of the dry snack compartment and the inside of the beverage compartment respectively, by inserting the lid onto and into the cup with a push, snap or interference fit. The dry snack seal 176 seals around the inside of the top of the dry snack compartment, and the beverage seal 177 seals around the inside of the top of the beverage compartment. The beverage seal 177 may have more interference than the dry food compartment seal 176, since the beverage seal must be a fluidic seal, and the food compartment seal need not be a fluidic seal and can be a seal with a lighter amount of sealing force. The Lid also may include a raised spout to dispense the dry snack once the Lid is engaged with the Bottom Cup, and may include a port 179 to which a straw or valve is engageable to withdraw the beverage from the beverage compartment.

FIGS. 15A-15F show optional constructions of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, at Section B-B, showing the wall of the Bottom Cup. In each case the embodiments have a wall 193 separating the cup into two compartments, a dry snack compartment 191 and a beverage compartment 192. In FIG. 15A, the cup 190a has an outer skin 194 and inner skin 196 within the outer skin 194 that completely encompasses the inside of the outer skin. A wall 193 is integral to the inner skin, and there may be a space 199 in between the inner skin 196 and outer skin 194. The bottom cup of FIG. 15A may also be represented in a front hidden line view in FIG. 13 and in front view cross section in FIG. 14. In FIG. 15B the cup 190b has an outer skin 194 which has a wall 193 integral to the outer skin 194. An inner skin 196 is disposed beverage compartment 192, and there may be a space between the outer skin 194 and the inner skin 196. In FIG. 15C the cup 190c has double skin inner cup within a double skin outer cup with a space 199 between the two cups. The inner cup has an outer and inner skin 197 and 196, with a space between 200. The outer cup has an outer and inner skin 194 and 195 with a space between 198. A wall 193 is integral to the inner cup outer skin and inner skin 197 and 196. FIG. 15D has a bottom cup 190d with an outer double skin with an outer skin 194 and inner skin 195 with a space between 198. Within the inner skin 195 there may be an inner cup with a skin 196, and a space 199 between the inner skin 195 and the inner cup skin 196. A wall 193 is integral to the inner skin 196 which separates the cup 190d into two compartments 191 and 192. FIG. 15E has a bottom cup 190e with an outer cup skin 194, and an inner cup within the outer skin 194, where the inner cup has a double skin with an outer skin 196 and an inner skin 197, and a space 199 between the outer skin 194 and inner cup outer skin 196, and a second space 200 between the inner cup outer skin 196 and inner skin 197. A double wall 193 is integral to the inner cup outer skin and inner skin 196 and 197. In FIG. 15F the bottom cup 190f has an outer skin 194, and an inner skin 196 within the outer skin, where the inner skin encompasses only a portion of the inside of the cup. The wall 193 is integral to the inner skin 196 and there may be a space 199 between the outer and inner skin. The materials of the various skins described in FIGS. 15A-15F may be different combinations of plastic or metal or paper or vegetable-based material.

FIG. 16 shows a front view cross-section an alternative embodiment of the Appliance. The bottom cup 220 of the Appliance, which may be also represented in top view cross-section in FIGS. 15A, 15C and 15D, typically may be a metal piece that has an outer skin 221 that is formed with a bend or fold at the top to create a top lip 224, and creating an inner skin 222. The double skin is capped off at the bottom with a plug 223 which may be metal or plastic. This construction may be vacuum sealed such that the space between the outer and inner skin 221 and 222 has the air drawn out of the space before sealing the cap 223 to the inner and outer skins. A wall 225 separates the cup into two compartments, one for a dry snack and one for a beverage. The wall may have a raised section 226 that rises above the rim of the top of the cup, and the top of the raised section may merge with the top rim with a ramp 227. Near the Lip 224 may be a snap ring 228 on the outside of the cup, at least partially encircling the outside of the cup. The Lid 229 may be adapted to connect securely to the Bottom 220, by the use of a snap groove 230 which engages with the snap ring 228, typically with an interference fit. The Lid side wall may be able to flex over the snap ring with the help of a flex slot 233. The Lid has a sealing gasket 231 in a sealing gasket groove 232. To help remove the Lid from its secure connection to the Bottom, a lift tab 234 may be provided which is pushed up on by the user's finger. As shown in other embodiments, the Lid has the other requisite features of the Appliance, such as the dry snack dispensing spout 235.

Also contemplated in the invention are new and novel business methods or processes facilitated by the device. In a first business model, the Appliance is sold or given to the customer through retail, and because the customer then owns the Appliance, the customer will repeat the use of the Appliance and consume and purchase more cereal (or other dry snack). In a second business model, the Appliance may be available through café style restaurants, where the customer can bring the Appliance to the café repeatedly to purchase a meal to fill the Appliance. In this case the Appliance may include a unique bar code or similar digital code to facilitate digital commerce related to the individual customer, café, and supply chain, to help manage, optimize and expand the commerce involved. The expanded commerce involved may include collateral functions, such as trending, tracking, advertising, logistics, content marketing, diet and health data, micro and macro geographic data, and other functions. In a third business model, the Appliance is sold through fast food style restaurants, where the customer selects the desired ingredients and the Appliance is filled at the point of sale with the ordered ingredients by the restaurant worker. In this case the Appliance is highly disposable and may be eco-friendly disposable. In a fourth business model, the Appliance is pre-filled and made available in locations where food is sold or provided such as, but not limited to, grocery stores, cafeterias, schools, and transit venues. In this case the Appliance may be also highly disposable and may be eco-friendly disposable. In some of the above business models, the beverage may be provided in dry powder form, in which case water may be added to convert the power to a drink, such as adding cold water to dry milk powder, or adding cold water to dry juice powder.

It should be noted that the Appliance can be used for other solid foods and beverages besides cereal and milk. For example, dried fruits and nuts or dry trail mix can be placed in the solid compartment, and juice in the liquid compartment. Typically, the solid food, whether cereal or some other food, is in pieces with a maximum dimension of ½″ to ¾″. Larger food pieces can also be used by simply breaking into smaller pieces prior to placing into the Appliance. The Appliance can be used for a blended beverage such as a “smoothie”, a milk shake or a protein shake, along-side a solid snack, such as trail mix, nuts, dried fruits, dried berries, cereal or granola. The beverage compartment of the Appliance when used for smoothies is typically larger than the dry snack compartment, however, the dry snack spout and spout door still fit within the dry snack compartment due to an overall larger diameter that is typically used for this particular application. In an optional embodiment the beverage can be served in a disposable paper or plastic container that matches the beverage compartment of the Appliance, and the dry solid snack can be served in a pre-packaged plastic bag, disposable cup, or a container that matches the dry food side of the Appliance. The user then places the beverage container into the beverage side, and transfers or places the dry snack into the food side of the Appliance Bottom, then attaches the Lid with Straw and Valve. Optionally the user can serve themselves at a self-serve dry food bar and a blended beverage dispenser, either with or without the plastic container and bag or cup. This embodiment is useful for deployment through take-out restaurants such as a juice shop, coffee shop or health food shop. The shop for example may sell the reusable Appliance which the customer brings back to the shop each time they return, and the shop will then sell the consumable meal when the customer returns. The shop barista need not touch the customer's previously purchased Appliance to maintain the shop's hygiene and cleanliness. In the case of this embodiment, the straw closure mechanism may be the mechanism shown in Figure. Or, the Sip Valve may have larger dimensions to accommodate the relatively thick beverage, typically 5/16″ to ⅜″ effective inner diameter and with a slit 99 of about ¼″ long in the slit's maximum dimension. For adult use, the Appliance in this embodiment typically has a serving size of 28 to 32 ounces, with 18 to 24 ounces for the blended beverage, and 10 to 16 ounces for the solid food. A child size has a serving size of 18 to 22 ounces. It should be noted that the beverage and food containers can be sold separately and pre-filled with a variety of choices, in which case the containers will be sealed, and the user after purchase places the containers into the reusable Appliance, removes the seals, attaches the Appliance Lid, and is then ready to enjoy the snack. It should also be noted that the embodiments have so far described the use of a dry snack with a cold beverage, however, it is understood that the Appliance may also be used with a warm or hot beverage, with the correct alterations and material considerations. For example, if the material of the cup is made of metal or high temperature resistant plastic, for example as shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 15F, the cup will be suitable for hot liquids. Also for example, the straw made of a more heat tolerant material such as polypropylene, or thicker vegetable-based plastic, or a metal. It should be noted that the embodiments have described a self-sealing sip valve of the straw, however the beverage can be withdrawn in other ways. For example, when the appliance is tilted to dispense the dry snack, the bottom of the straw and container can be arranged such that the beverage may be absent at the location of the bottom tip of the straw, in which case the beverage will not enter the straw and leak out the top of the straw. Or, a reusable rubber bite valve can be used. Or, a ball-style valve, or a duck-bill valve can be used. Or, the user can simply pinch the straw when they are tilting the Appliance to dispense the dry snack. The embodiments describe the dry snack dispensing spout being preferably raised, however, the spout need not be raised, for example if the spout is on the very edge of an aspect of the Appliance.

The Appliance is to be available in multiple sizes, typically a child's size, and an adolescent-adult size, of around 19 ounces and 26 ounces total volume respectively. The ratio of milk to cereal is typically in the range of 1.0:1.4 to 1.0:1.6. The child size Appliance is perfect for child's snack or meal, with the milk side of the Appliance accommodating a standard 8 ounce milk carton common at schools, in which case the child can bring the Appliance to school with the cereal side prefilled with cereal, obtain the milk carton at school, pour the cold fresh milk to the milk side of the Appliance, then eat the meal while playing at lunch time or during recess.

In the foregoing descriptions of variations of the invention, it should be noted that functional elements from different embodiments can be combined together in into the Appliance and need not be associated with only the embodiment in which the element is shown. In addition, some embodiments may be absent from a particular appliance, for example and non-limiting, while the dry food dispensing spout is typically described as being raised, it may not be raised, for example, if it is disposed along the edge of the Appliance, most of the main objectives of the Appliance are still met.

The functional elements of the Appliance described in the foregoing have significant advantages over the prior art. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,068 an Appliance is described which is very difficult to refill, and is prone to milk spillage when the Appliance is being transported. Also dispensing the cereal is cumbersome and the user's nose is going to bump against the Appliance. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,913,777 and 7,063,229 Appliances are described which dispense the milk and cereal simultaneously, which is not desirable as it is impractical to control the portions to the liking of the user. Also, the U.S. Pat. No. 7,063,229 Appliance exposes the milk to the outside surface of the cereal container which may be soiled from handling. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,485,378 the Appliance requires mixing of the milk and cereal prior to dispensing the contents into one's mouth, which will make the cereal soggy and ruin its motility and freshness as the consumption of the snack progresses. The Prior Art known as “Hydra Cup” cannot be used for a milk and cereal snack because it lacks means to dispense milk and cereal properly, safely, neatly and ergonomically, and the wall that separates the two compartments, which is configured for moldability, will allow spilling of milk into the cereal compartment as this functional characteristic was not a consideration. The Prior Art “Snackeez” is in a completely different category than the Appliance in the present invention. With Snackeez, (1) the user must dispense the food using one's fingers, (2) the outside of the food cup is handled during preparation which later contacts and contaminates the beverage, (3) the beverage can be overfilled causing a mess when attaching the snack cup, and (4) it must be kept upright to prevent spillage and leakage, thus precluding clean, one-hand, mess-free, safe operation as in the present invention.

FIG. 1: A multi-compartment dry food and beverage storage and dispensing Appliance for separating and preventing the mixing of a dry food and a liquid beverage while stored in the Appliance, and for non-simultaneous dispensing of the dry food and liquid, the Appliance intended for single use, comprising a substantially circular and substantially conical outer cup, a substantially semi-circular inner cup, an outer cup lid, and an inner cup lid, is described wherein (1) the outer cup comprises (a) a step along the cup wall creating a shelf on the inside of the cup, and (b) a lip at the outside of the top of the cup; and wherein (2) the inner cup comprises (a) a circular section of not less than a 180 degrees arc angle and of a diameter generally matching the circle of the outer cup, (b) a conical angle generally matching the conical angle of the outer cup, (c) a non-circular section joining the ends of the circular section, the joining of which is defined by substantially rounded corners, (d) a step along the cup wall circular section generally matching the shelf on the inside of the outer cup, (e) a lip at the outside of the top of the cup; and wherein the (3) the outer cup lid comprises (a) a pocket engage-able with the outer cup lip, (b) a raised spout with a through hole, and (c) a place for a second through hole; and wherein (4) the inner cup lid comprises (a) a pocket engage-able with the inner cup lip, and (b) a through hole align-able with the outer cup lid second through hole; and further wherein (5) the distance between the inside bottom of the outer cup and bottom of the outer cup lid when attached to the outer cup define a first length, and the distance between the outside bottom of the inner cup and the top of the inner cup lid when attached to the inner cup define a second length, wherein the first and second length are substantially equal.

FIGS. 4, 12, 13, 14, 16: A multi-compartment dry food and beverage storage and dispensing Appliance for separating and preventing the mixing of a dry food and a liquid beverage while stored in the Appliance, and for non-simultaneous dispensing of the dry food and liquid is described, the Appliance comprising a bottom cup and a lid engage-able with the cup, wherein the cup comprises (1) an inner skin and (2) an outer skin separated from the inner skin without touching the inner skin in at least a portion of the area of the inner skin, (3) a wall separating the cup into a first and second compartment, the top of the wall extending higher than the perimeter of the top rim of first compartment, and wherein the lid comprises (1) a raised spout with a through hole, a second through hole, and a seal to engage with a seal the complete perimeter of the second compartment, and further wherein when the lid and cup comprise connection features to securely engage the lid to the cup, and when engaged, the spout through hole aligns with the first compartment and the second through hole aligns with the second compartment. The seal may be a gasket adapted to engage the top of the wall and the rim of the top of the second compartment. The Lid may comprise a top section which comprises the spout and second through hole, and a second section rotatably connected to the top section, the rotatable section comprising a first connection means, and the cup comprising a second connection means mated to the first connection means, and wherein the connection means is selected from the group of: a bayonet connection with a peg protruding from the side of the cup and a mating slot in the rotatable section; mating threads; magnets; snap and groove. The lid bottom may comprise a track adapted to be placed inside the rim at the top of the second compartment seal, and the seal is a first gasket encircling the inside of the track, and wherein when attached to the cup the lid seal first gasket provides the secure connection and a fluidic seal around the complete top rim of the second compartment. The cup may comprise a snap ring at the outside top of the cup, and the lid comprises a snap socket at the inside of the lid, the snap socket engageable to the snap ring to make the secure connection. The Appliance may comprise a digital code, the code coded to provide commerce applications such as but not limited to: payment, ordering, tracking, inventory management, predictive algorithms, advertising, logistics.

FIGS. 7, 8: A multi-compartment dry food and beverage storage and dispensing Appliance for separating and preventing the mixing of a dry food and a liquid beverage while stored in the Appliance, and for non-simultaneous dispensing of the dry food and liquid is described, the Appliance comprising a first and second compartment, the two compartments fabricated from at least one sheet of material, the at least one sheet folded and joined into at least one generally box shaped container, and wherein the first compartment includes a spout with a through hole, and a cap that closes the spout through hole, and wherein the second compartment comprises a through hole with a temporary closure, the temporary closure open-able from one of the following: a laminate, a perforate-able cover, a plug, a cap. The Appliance may comprise at least two sheets of material, a first sheet folded and joined to form a first compartment and a second sheet folded and joined to form a second compartment, the first and second compartment joined by one of the following: welded, glued, fused, joined by wrapping. The at least one sheet of material may be folded and joined to form the first and second compartment, the first and second compartments fluidically sealed from each other by one of the following: a weld, glue, fusion. The sheet material may be selected from the group of: paper, a plant-based pulp product, plastic, metal film, a composite comprising one or more of the group of materials. The sheet material may be a multi-layer material, with one outermost layer comprising a liquid-resistant material, and wherein the folding pattern creating the two compartments is configured to place the liquid-resistant material on the inside of the compartment with the second through hole.

FIGS. 9, 10: A dry food and beverage storage and dispensing Appliance for separating and preventing the mixing of a dry food and a liquid beverage while stored in the Appliance, and for non-simultaneous dispensing of the dry food and liquid is described, the Appliance comprising a first and second compartment, the two compartments fabricated by plastic, shaped and glued or welded into a generally box or cupped shaped container with the first and second compartment, and wherein the first compartment includes a spout with a through hole, and a cap that closes the spout through hole, and wherein the second compartment comprises a semi-permanently closed through hole.

A dry food and beverage storage and dispensing Appliance for separating and preventing the mixing of a dry food and a liquid beverage while stored in the Appliance, and for non-simultaneous dispensing of the dry food and liquid is described, and may comprise: (a) A Container with a closed bottom and open top, and comprising: A rim around the open top, part of the rim at a first height, A septum intersecting the Container from bottom to top, defining a first and second compartment separated by the septum, the septum transitioning to a wall raising above the top of the rim of the container, the wall having (1) a left and right corner, and (2) a top between the left and right corners at a second height above the rim first height, A left and right ramp connecting the top of the wall second height to the rim first height of the first compartment, (b) A Lid with a top surface and a bottom surface, and comprising: A seal element on the bottom surface, the seal element adapted to make contiguous contact with the top of the container wall, the left and right ramp, and the rim of the first compartment, A first and second side, the first side defined by the area inside the perimeter of the bottom surface seal element, A food spout defined by an opening in the Lid second side, the perimeter of the opening including a raised rim extending a distance from the Lid the top surface, A moveable Door in the second side on the bottom surface, adapted to close and open the food spout opening, An opening through the first side, (c) A Straw and Valve assembly adapted to pass through the Lid first side opening and extending a distance from the Lid top surface; (d) A connection means to connect the Lid and Container together.

A business process of providing a meal to a consumer is described, the process consisting of: (1) providing to the consumer a container adapted to (a) store and consume a meal consisting of a solid dry food and a beverage, (b) store the solid food and beverage separately, and (c) dispense the solid food and beverage separately and non-simultaneously; (2) providing a beverage; (3) providing a solid dry food; and (4) either (a) filling either the food or the beverage or both into the container before time of purchase or before point of service, or (b) providing the means for filling the container with the beverage or the food or both, at or after or before the time of purchase or point of service. The business process may further consist of providing a readable electronic code on the container that the consumer or business can scan to order and/or pay for the meal, and for the business to manage logistics associated with the customer's order, and to support collateral business function.

Claims

1. A dry food and beverage storage and dispensing appliance for separating and preventing the mixing of a dry food and a liquid beverage while stored in the appliance, and for non-simultaneous dispensing of the dry food and liquid is described, comprising:

1) a container with a closed bottom and open top, and comprising: a) a rim around the open top, part of the rim at a first height, b) a septum intersecting the container from bottom to top, defining a first and second compartment separated by the septum, the septum transitioning to a wall raising above the top of the rim of the container, the wall having (1) a left and right corner, and (2) a top between the left and right corners at a second height above the rim first height, c) a left and right ramp connecting the wall second height at the left and right corner to the rim first height of the first compartment;

2) a lid with a top surface and a bottom surface, and comprising: a) a seal element on the bottom surface, the seal element adapted to make contiguous contact with the top of the container wall, the left and right ramp, and the rim of the first compartment, b) a first and second side, the first side defined by the area inside the perimeter of the bottom surface seal element, c) a food spout defined by an opening in the lid second side, the perimeter of the opening including a raised rim extending a distance from the lid the top surface, d) a moveable door in the second side on the bottom surface, adapted to close and open the food spout opening, e) an opening through the first side;

3) a straw and valve assembly adapted to pass through the lid first side opening and extending a distance from the lid top surface;

4) a connection means to connect the lid and container together.

2. An appliance as in claim 1 wherein the perimeter of the container from the bottom of the container to the top of the container includes at least one portion that comprises an inner wall and an outer wall, and an empty space between the inner and outer walls.

3. An appliance as in claim 1 wherein the food spout is substantially oval shaped, with the long axis of the oval between 1.375 inches to 1.625 inches and the short axis of the oval is between 1.125 inches to 1.375 inches.

4. An appliance as in claim 1 wherein the food spout height is variable, with a top height of 0.5 inches to 0.75 inches and a lowest height of 0.3125 inches to 0.5625 inches.

5. An appliance as in claim 1 wherein the appliance is available in more than one size, with the internal volume of the first compartment plus the second compartment is for a first size 18 to 22 ounces and for a second size 26 to 32 ounces.

6. An appliance as in claim 1 wherein the first and second compartment are in the volumetric ratio range of 1:1.4 respectively to 1:1.6 respectively.

7. An appliance as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the lid or the bottom includes on its outer surface a substantially permanent and indelible electronically readable code substantially unique to each individual appliance sold, the code enabling the appliance to be used in a business process, wherein: a user of the appliance brings the appliance to a business, the business reads the electronic code, the business possesses a database into which the code is read to identify the user, and the database takes care of at least one aspect of serving the customer for having the appliance filled with a food and a beverage, the serving including but not limited to billing information or customer preferences.

8. A dry food and beverage storage and dispensing appliance for separating and preventing the mixing of a dry food and a liquid beverage while stored in the appliance, and for non-simultaneous dispensing of the dry food and liquid is described, comprising: (1) a substantially circular outer cup with a first inner diameter, and a first rim around the top; (2) a substantially semi-circular inner cup, the semi-circle comprising an included angle of more than 180 degrees, and with a first outer diameter substantially matching the first inner diameter and not to exceed the first inner diameter, and with a second rim around the top; (3) a second lid engageable with a seal to the top rim of the inner cup; (4) a first lid engageable with a lock to the top of the outer cup; (5) a raised spout in the first lid aligned with the area in the outer cup that is outside of the area occupied by the inner cup when the inner cup is placed in the outer cup and when the first lid is attached; (6) a first through hole in the first lid and a second through hole in the second lid, the first and second through hole aligned with each other when the cups and lids are attached; and (7) a straw through the through holes.

9. A dry food and beverage storage and dispensing appliance for separating and preventing the mixing of a dry food and a liquid beverage while stored in the appliance, and for non-simultaneous dispensing of the dry food and liquid is described, comprising: (1) a container with a closed bottom and open top comprising, (a) a septum separating the inside of the container into a first compartment and second compartment, (b) a rim around the open top of the first compartment and around the top of the second compartment, and (c) a first connection means; (2) a lid with a top and bottom surface and separated into two sections, and comprising, (a) a seal element on the bottom surface first section adapted to make contact with the rim around the top of the first compartment, (b) a raised spout through the lid in the second section, (c) a hole through the lid in the first section, and (d) a second connection means connectable to the first connection means; and further wherein the container's perimeter in at least a portion of the first compartment comprises an inner wall and an outer wall and a space between the inner and outer wall, and further wherein the appliance includes somewhere on its outer surface an indelible and substantially permanent electronically readable code.