IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0846945
(2010-07-30)
|
등록번호 |
US-8574647
(2013-11-05)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
10 인용 특허 :
11 |
초록
▼
An exemplary device for semi-solid foods includes a separator for insertion in a food container having an optional lid. The separator provides an upper compartment for solid foods and a lower compartment for liquids. The separator has a base, and a ramp extending upwards therefrom. The separator pre
An exemplary device for semi-solid foods includes a separator for insertion in a food container having an optional lid. The separator provides an upper compartment for solid foods and a lower compartment for liquids. The separator has a base, and a ramp extending upwards therefrom. The separator preferably provides a barrier such that liquid in the container does not traverse the intersection between the separator and the container sidewall inner surface. When the container is tilted to dispense the food therein, liquid in the lower compartment flows out through a ramp opening (such as an aperture in the ramp or a separation between the ramp and the container sidewall), without flowing through a base aperture. When the container is returned to a level position, any fluid in the upper compartment may return to the lower compartment via an optional fluid channel in the ramp and through the base aperture.
대표청구항
▼
1. A device for semi-solid foods: a) including a separator configured to fit within a food container, the separator having: 1) a base having a base top surface and an opposing base bottom surface, with a base aperture extending therebetween;2) a ramp: (i) extending upwardly from a ramp bottom end to
1. A device for semi-solid foods: a) including a separator configured to fit within a food container, the separator having: 1) a base having a base top surface and an opposing base bottom surface, with a base aperture extending therebetween;2) a ramp: (i) extending upwardly from a ramp bottom end to a ramp top end, the ramp bottom end being joined to the base; and(ii) having a ramp upper surface and an opposing ramp lower surface;3) a separator opening formed in the separator to allow liquid to pass therethrough; andb) including a food container having: 1) a container sidewall bounding a container interior, the container sidewall extending upwardly from a container floor, the container sidewall making a container sidewall angle with respect to a floor normal angle, the floor normal angle being perpendicular to a plane of the container floor; and2) a container sidewall front side and an opposing container sidewall rear side;c) wherein: 1) when the separator is fitted with the container: (i) the base of the separator extends into the container interior down to a lower compartment, the lower compartment: (a) having a space between the base of the separator and the container floor; and(b) indicating a volume of liquid that may be contained in the container interior without the liquid extending above the base bottom surface when the container floor is level with the horizontal;(ii) the ramp lower surface faces the container sidewall front side;(iii) the ramp makes a ramp angle with respect to the floor normal angle, the ramp angle being substantially greater than the container sidewall angle; and(iv) the ramp is at least partly separated from the container sidewall so as to provide a volumetric space between the ramp and the sidewall;2) when the device is tilted with the ramp lower surface facing downwardly, food is dispensed from the separator over the ramp upper surface; and3) the volumetric space is large enough such that when the lower compartment is filled with liquid and the container is tilted at least substantially ninety degrees towards the container sidewall front side to dispense food therefrom, liquid is received in the volumetric space: (i) without entering the separator through the base aperture of the separator; and(ii) without making substantial contact with the base bottom surface. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the ramp further includes an elongated fluid channel depressed within the ramp upper surface, the fluid channel extending between the ramp top end and the ramp bottom end. 3. The device of claim 2, further including: a) a base right side and an opposing base left side on opposite sides of a base front end and a base rear end; andb) a base support extending between the base right side and the base left side. 4. The device of claim 2, wherein the separator further includes: a) a separator rim; andb) a separator sidewall extending continuously: 1) from the perimeter of a ramp right side to the perimeter of a ramp left side, and2) from the base to the separator rim. 5. The device of claim 4, wherein: a) the separator is at least partially inserted in the container, andb) the separator defines: 1) the lower compartment in the lower portion of the container interior beneath the separator, with liquid within the lower compartment being at least substantially restricted from flow past the separator except through the ramp opening and the base aperture; and2) an upper compartment bounded by the ramp, the base, and the separator sidewall. 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the device is configured such that when the container is tilted in the direction of the container sidewall front side to dispense food, liquid in the lower compartment: a) flows out of the lower compartment through the separator opening; andb) does not flow out of the lower compartment through the base aperture. 7. The device of claim 5, wherein: a) the separator sidewall further includes a separator sidewall front surface facing the ramp upper surface, and an opposing separator sidewall back surface facing the container sidewall inner surface, andb) the device further includes a gripable flange extending out from at least one of the ramp upper surface and the separator sidewall front surface. 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the separator further includes: a) a separator rim; andb) an elongated support member extending at least substantially vertically between separator rim and the base. 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the ramp continuously slopes closer to the container sidewall from the ramp bottom end to the ramp top end. 10. The device of claim 1 wherein: a) the separator extends upwardly from the base to a separator top opening;b) the separator further includes a separator rim situated about the separator top opening; andb) when the separator is fit with the container, the separator rim complementarily fits about the container top opening, with the separator rim remaining at least partly out of the container interior. 11. The device of claim 1 wherein when the separator is fit with the container, the base is at least substantially parallel with the container floor. 12. A device for semi-solid foods: a) including: 1) a food container having a container sidewall, the container sidewall: (i) extending upwardly from a container floor to a container top opening;(ii) bounding a container interior; and(iii) making a container sidewall angle with respect to a floor normal angle, the floor normal angle being perpendicular to a plane of the container floor; and2) a separator sized to at least partially fit within the food container interior, the separator having: (i) a base with a base aperture formed therein;(ii) a ramp: (a) extending upwardly from a ramp bottom end to a ramp top end, the ramp bottom end being joined to the base; and(b) having a ramp left side and an opposing ramp right side; and(iii) a separator opening formed in the separator to allow liquid to pass therethrough from the container interior when the device is tilted to dispense food therefrom;b) whereby the separator, when fit within the container interior, defines a lower compartment in the container interior beneath the separator, the lower compartment: 1) having a space between the base of the separator and the container floor; and2) indicating a volume of liquid that may be contained in the container interior without the liquid extending above the base bottom surface when the container floor is level with the horizontal;c) wherein when the separator is fitted with the container: 1) the ramp makes a ramp angle with respect to the floor normal angle, the ramp angle being substantially greater than the container sidewall angle;2) when the device is tilted with the ramp lower surface facing downwardly, food is dispensed from the separator over the ramp upper surface;3) the ramp is at least partly separated from the container sidewall so as to provide a volumetric space between the ramp and the sidewall; and4) the volumetric space is large enough such that when the lower compartment is filled with liquid and the container is tilted at least substantially ninety degrees to dispense food therefrom, liquid is received in the volumetric space without: (i) entering the separator through the base aperture of the separator; and(ii) making substantial contact with the base bottom surface. 13. The device of claim 12, wherein the ramp further includes an elongated fluid channel depressed within the ramp upper surface, the fluid channel extending between the ramp opening to the base top surface. 14. The device of claim 13: a) further including: 1) a base right side and an opposing base left side on opposite sides of the base front end and the base rear end;2) a ramp support situated above the base top surface, the ramp support extending between the ramp right side and the ramp left side; and3) a base support situated below the ramp support and extending between the base right side and the base left side;b) wherein: 1) the ramp support and the base support are shaped at least substantially complementarily with the container sidewall inner surface, and2) the base rear end complementarily engages the container sidewall inner surface at the container sidewall rear side. 15. The device of claim 12; a) further including: 1) an upper compartment;2) a separator sidewall extending continuously: (i) from a ramp right side to a ramp left side, and(ii) from the base to the separator rim;b) wherein the upper compartment is bounded by the separator sidewall, the ramp upper surface, and the base top surface. 16. The device of claim 15 further including a lid sized to cover the container top opening, wherein: a) the lid is configured to seal the upper compartment, andb) the separator is configured to seal the lower compartment. 17. The device of claim 12 wherein the ramp continuously slopes closer to the container sidewall from the ramp bottom end to the ramp top end. 18. A device for semi-solid foods: a) including: 1) a food container having a container sidewall: (i) extending upwardly from a container floor to a container top opening;(ii) extending laterally between a container sidewall front side and an opposing container sidewall rear side;(iii) having a container sidewall inner surface, and an opposing container sidewall outer surface;(iv) bounding a container interior; and(v) making a container sidewall angle with respect to a floor normal angle, the floor normal angle being perpendicular to a plane of the container floor; and2) a separator inserted within the food container interior, the separator having: (i) a base having: (a) a base top surface and an opposing base bottom surface, with a base aperture extending therebetween; and(b) a base front end and an opposing base rear end on opposite sides of the base top surface and the base bottom surface;(ii) a ramp having: (a) a ramp top end, and an opposing ramp bottom end joined to the base, the ramp bottom end being spaced from the base rear end;(b) a ramp upper surface and an opposing ramp lower surface extending between the ramp top end and ramp bottom end;(c) a ramp left side and an opposing ramp right side on opposite sides of the ramp upper surface and the ramp lower surface, and extending between the ramp top end and the ramp bottom end;(iii) a separator opening formed in the separator to allow liquid to pass therethrough from the container interior when the device is tilted in the direction of the container sidewall front side to dispense food;b) wherein: 1) the separator defines a lower compartment in the container interior below the separator, and an upper compartment in the container interior above the separator, when the separator is fit with the container;2) the ramp is at least partly separated from the container sidewall so as to provide a volumetric space between the ramp and the sidewall;3) the device is configured such that when the container is filled with liquid up to the base lower surface and the container is tilted in the direction of the container sidewall front side, fluid in the lower compartment: (i) does not flow out of the lower compartment through the base aperture; and(ii) is received in the volumetric space without making substantial contact with the base bottom surface;4) when the separator is fit with the container, the ramp makes a ramp angle with respect to the container floor; and5) the ramp angle is greater than the container sidewall angle such that when the device is tilted in the direction of the container sidewall front side to dispense food, food is dispensed from the separator over the ramp upper surface. 19. The device of claim 18: a) further including a separator sidewall further enclosing the upper compartment, the separator sidewall extending up from the base;b) wherein: 1) the separator sidewall: (i) is shaped to complementarily fit against the container sidewall inner surface; and(ii) abuts the container sidewall inner surface;2) the lower compartment is bounded by the container floor, the container sidewall inner surface, the ramp lower surface, and the base bottom surface, and3) the upper compartment is bounded by the ramp upper surface, the separator sidewall, and the base top surface. 20. The device of claim 18 wherein: a) the separator extends upwardly from the base to a separator top opening;b) the separator further includes a separator rim situated about the separator top opening; andb) when the separator is fit with the container, the separator rim complementarily fits about the container top opening, with the separator rim remaining at least partly out of the container interior. 21. The device of claim 18 wherein the separator further includes a separator sidewall extending continuously: a) from a ramp right side to a ramp left side; andb) from the base to a separator rim. 22. The device of claim 18 wherein the ramp continuously slopes closer to the container sidewall from the ramp bottom end to the ramp top end.
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