US20160207692A1 - Dry food dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A dry food dispenser includes a base, a container, and an actuation mechanism. The base supports the dispenser, provides a cradle for receiving a food receptacle, and a trigger for interacting with the actuation mechanism. The container includes a lateral surface formed around an interior volume and a dispensing mechanism with a chute, an outlet, and a portioning mechanism. The dispensing mechanism is activated by the trigger through means of the actuation mechanism. The dispensing mechanism allows for example cereal to flow from the interior volume, through the chute, and out of the outlet. The portioning mechanism controls how much cereal is dispensed each time the trigger is engaged, ensuring a consistent volume of cereal deposited in the food receptacle. The amount of cereal in the container is indicated by measurement markings on a transparent section of the lateral surface.

Description

REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• The current application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 61/725,321 filed on Nov. 12, 2012, and to U.S. Non-provisional application Ser. No. 14/078,192 filed on Nov. 12, 2013, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates generally to dispensers and more particularly, to a dry food personal apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Cereal is a healthy and popular option of breakfast food. Many brands and types of cereal are available in non-re-sealable bags that make it difficult to maintain freshness of the cereal. Freshness is highly important as cereal easily becomes stale and unappealing to consume. Because cereal is often consumed with milk, the cereal can quickly become soggy if not consumed within a short time period once over milk or unappealing to consume as well if too large a quantity is poured with the milk. Additionally, once the cereal has been poured in larger amounts than really wanted by the consumer, the remaining becomes waste, disposing both, milk and cereal. Some conventional cereal dispensers merely dispense an uncontrolled amount of foodstuff requiring several actuations to get the proper amount of cereal into the bowl. The user typically has to let go of the bowl with at least one hand in order to operate the dispenser. During dispensing, the user sometimes lacks sufficient control of the bowl to hold it steady causing splashing from the milk inside. The present invention seeks to address the aforementioned issues of maintaining cereal freshness, avoiding sogginess with cereal poured with milk, avoiding cereal disposal by serving the appropriate portion (controlled portions as needed), and providing control over the bowl during dispensing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a personal apparatus including a container that stores cereal, maintains the freshness of the cereal, and dispenses the cereal under control. The personal apparatus is capable of dispensing the cereal within the container at the direction of the user. A container is attached to a base that holds the container and a receptacle such as a bowl in place. A chute is used to deposit the cereal into a food receptacle after it has been dispensed from the container. The dispensing mechanism is activated by the user engaging a trigger on the base of the personal apparatus. The cereal is dispensed every time the trigger is engaged in, letting a controlled portion of cereal slide down a chute positioned over the bowl. A pair of curved arms surrounds a portion of the bowl and helps keep the bowl in place while the user activates the trigger.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a front view of a dry food dispenser in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a rear view of the dry food dispenser ofFIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 is a right side view of the dry food dispenser ofFIG. 1 with an internal view of an actuation system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 4 is a left side view of the dry food dispenser ofFIG. 1.
• FIG. 5 is a top, left side perspective view of the dry food dispenser ofFIG. 1, with the bowl omitted for sake of illustration.
• FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the actuation system ofFIG. 3 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, with the rest of the container and base omitted for sake of illustration.
• FIG. 6B is a series of side views of the actuation system ofFIG. 6A illustrating trigger and actuation of dispensing in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the dry food dispenser ofFIG. 3.
• FIG. 8A is a block diagram representing connection of the trigger to the dispensing mechanism in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 8B is a diagram representing the engagement of the trigger and actuation mechanism to other components of the present invention.
DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION
• All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
• In general, embodiments disclose a personal food dispensing apparatus (referred to in general as, the “dispenser”), configured for use with dry foods, for example cold cereal. As may be appreciated by aspects disclosed in the following, the dispenser enhances the breakfast experience of pouring cereals by providing control to the user holding the bowl while trigger the dispense of dry food.
• Referring now to the Figures in general, exemplary embodiments of the dispenser comprise abase1, acontainer2, and anactuation mechanism3, with thecontainer2 being connected atop thebase1. Thebase1 comprises acradle11, anindent12, and atrigger13, while thecontainer2 comprises aninterior volume21, alateral surface22, alid23, and adispensing mechanism24. Thedispensing mechanism24 is positioned below theinterior volume21, allowing cereal stored in theinterior volume21 to be dispensed, preferably into a waiting food receptacle4 such as a cereal bowl. Thedispensing mechanism24 is utilized by engaging thetrigger13, which is operatively coupled to thedispensing mechanism24 as shown inFIG. 8B.
• Thebase1, visible inFIG. 1-FIG. 5, serves as a support for thecontainer2 in addition to providing a partial enclosure for securing the food receptacle4. The partial enclosure is provided by thecradle11, which comprises acentral section111, afirst arm112, and asecond arm113 as pictured inFIG. 5. Thefirst arm112 is adjacently connected to one side of thecentral section111, while thesecond arm113 is adjacently connected to a second side of thecentral section111 opposite thefirst arm112. Depicted inFIG. 1,FIG. 3, andFIG. 4, a receiving area is formed between thecentral section111, thefirst arm112, and thesecond arm113, intended for the food receptacle4. Subsequently, the food receptacle4 is positioned adjacent to thecentral section111 and between thefirst arm112 and thesecond arm113. Thefirst arm112 and thesecond arm113 are preferably curved to better match the hemispherical contour of the commonly used cereal bowl. Theindent12 is positioned on the side of thebase1, adjacent to the first leg opposite thecentral section111. In the preferred embodiment asingle indent12 is provided on the left rear of the base1 (FIG. 7), but in other embodiments theindent12 can be positioned on the right side, and potentially twoindents12 can be provided as part of a “one size fits all” solution. Theindent12 forms an ergonomic recess in thebase1, and makes activating thetrigger13 easier and more comfortable for a user. Theindent12 provides a surface for the user fingers to fit and simultaneously press thetrigger13. Thetrigger13 is positioned adjacent to theindent12 and, by means of theactuation mechanism3, allows thedispensing mechanism24 of thecontainer2 to be activated. As may be appreciated, the food receptacle4 may be held firmly within the pair ofcurved arms112 and113 against thecentral section111 by the user encircling the food receptacle4 with his or her thumbs. Simultaneously the user may use his or her fingers grasp the rear of thebase1 and reach thetrigger13. Thus, the food receptacle4 is firmly positioned to receive food stuff from the chute directly above it while the dispenser is activated. This exemplary configuration helps prevent the food receptacle4 from moving during dispensing which may potentially spill fluid contents (for example, milk) held therein. In alternative embodiments where twoindents12 are provided, asecond trigger13 can also be provided, with onetrigger13 for eachindent12.
• Thecontainer2, visible inFIG. 1-FIG. 5, is used to store the cereal as well as dispense the cereal upon request. Theinterior volume21, which is delineated by thelateral surface22, serves to store the cereal. Theinterior volume21 can be accessed and refilled through a top opening. During regular use, theinterior volume21 is covered by thelid23, which is positioned atop theinterior volume21 opposite thebase1. In order to make thelid23 easy to open and close, thelid23 is hingedly connected to a top edge of thelateral surface22. As a result, gaining access to theinterior volume21 is a simple as flipping thelid23 open. Providing an exit for the cereal stored within theinterior volume21 is thedispensing mechanism24. Thedispensing mechanism24 comprises achute241 and anoutlet242. Thechute241 provides a pathway for cereal, terminating at theoutlet242. Preferably, thechute241 is inclined, i.e. diagonal, in reference to thecontainer2. Providing aninclined chute241 minimizes normal force and the resulting friction, such that cereal is better able to slide and less likely to become stuck in thechute241. Theoutlet242 is positioned below theinterior volume21 and above the cereal bowl, such that the force of gravity is sufficient to draw cereal from theinterior volume21 through thechute241 and exiting theoutlet242. In this manner thechute241 provides fluid communication between theinterior volume21 and theoutlet242, useful not only for dispensing of cereals but a number of other foodstuffs. Potentially, in order to prevent cereal from being poured when the present invention is not in use, thedispensing mechanism24 can comprise an outlet cover, useful to prevent insects or debris from entering the interior volume through the outlet. This outlet cover, which is preferably removable and made from a soft plastic, rubber, or similar material, is selectively positioned over theoutlet242, in either a closed configuration or an open configuration. In the open configuration, the outlet cover does not block cereal from flowing through theoutlet242, allowing the present invention to be used to dispense cereal. In the closed configuration, the outlet cover closes off theoutlet242 for when the present invention is not being actively used. To ensure that the cereal does not get stuck in theinterior volume21, the floor of thecontainer2 is funnel-shaped, ensuring that cereal continues to fall towards thechute241 rather than clumping and becoming stuck on the sides of the floor adjacent to thechute241.
• Referring now toFIGS. 6A, 6B, and 7, an exemplary embodiment of theactuation system3 is shown sans the surrounding dispenser structure. Theactuation system3 may include thetrigger13 connected to arack244 andpinion245, which in turn may be coupled to adispensing wheel247 via agear246. Thetrigger13 may be spring loaded. For example, aspring250 may be positioned horizontally within a channel oftrigger body243. The arm112 (FIG. 3) may be hollow and configured to provide clearance for thetrigger body243′s movement along a horizontal axis. In a default (untriggered) position, astop248 on the end of thespring250 abuts a detent on a distal end of a projection of thetrigger body243. Referring toFIG. 6B, in operation, as the user holds botharms112 and113 (FIG. 1) to keep the bowl4 in place under thechute241, the user's left hand may squeeze thetrigger13 toward the user causing an opposing element (not shown for sake of illustration) in the interior of thearm112 to push thestop248 andspring250 into thetrigger body243. Therack244 may cap thetrigger body243. Aspring249 positioned internally of therack244 may bias the rack up toward thepinion245. Horizontal movement of thetrigger body243 may cause teeth of therack244 to engage teeth on thepinion245 creating counter-clockwise rotation in thepinion245. In response, thepinion245 teeth engage the teeth of thegear246 causing thegear246 to rotate clockwise. Foodstuff (not shown) in the arms of thedispensing wheel247 is carried about the axis of rotation until the foodstuff is in alignment with and free to fall out through theoutlet242 down thechute241. Releasing thetrigger13 causes thespring250 to bias thetrigger body243 back to its default position. Theteeth244 will slide down when returning to their original position with the help ofspring250. Thespring249 may compress to allow for vertical movement of therack244 until the teeth of the rack andpinion244;245 are aligned into respective teeth pockets. Thedispensing wheel247 may include paddle arms that are configured to provide a pre-defined volume between adjacent arms so that each squeeze of thetrigger13 meters out a volume (for example, approximately a soup spoon or tablespoon) of foodstuff, for example, cereal that will be projected to remain crunchy while being consumed in a bowl of milk. As will be appreciated, the amount of foodstuff dispensed by operation of the apparatus is easily consumable before it becomes soggy in milk and thus provides for example crunchy cereal enjoyed throughout the consumption of the bowl contents to the enjoyment of the user.
• Thelateral surface22 of thecontainer2 comprises at least onetransparent section221 and a plurality ofmeasurement markings222, both of which are visible inFIG. 3-FIG. 5. These components aid a user in quickly identifying the volume of cereal remaining in theinterior volume21. Thetransparent section221 allows a person to see inside thecontainer2, providing a visual indication of the amount of cereal. In order to provide a more accurate estimate of how much cereal remains, the plurality ofmeasurement markings222 are systematically positioned on thetransparent section221, with each of themeasurement markings222 indicating a volume of cereal. For example,measurement markings222 may be provided at quarter-cup, half-cup, or single cup increments. Potentially, themeasurement markings222 may be provided for different unit standards, such as cups and liters. There is also the possibility of providing additionaltransparent sections221, such that the contents of theinterior volume21 are visible from any angle, instead of only being visible from one side of thecontainer2.
• To enhance the cereal dispensing experience, the present invention comprises apower source5, achipset6, and at least onespeaker7, as represented in FIG.8A. Thepower source5 andchipset6 are provided to operate thespeaker7, with thepower source5 andchipset6 being housed in thebase1. Thepower source5 is electrically connected to thespeaker7 andchipset6, supplying the necessary energy for their operation. Thechipset6 is electronically connected to thespeaker7, allowing thechipset6 to operate thespeaker7. Thespeaker7 is housed and mounted within thecontainer2. In order to allow sound from thespeaker7 to exit thecontainer2, thelateral surface22 comprises at least one grated section223 (FIGS. 3 and 4) which thespeaker7 is positioned adjacent to. Thespeaker7 enhances the cereal dispensing experience by playing a song, message, or any other pleasing aural clip. Such noises are especially enjoyed by children, as it appeals to their sense of sound. Thespeaker7 is actuated, along with thedispensing mechanism24, by thetrigger13. Resultantly, thespeaker7 is only active during the dispensing process, remaining quiet when the present invention is not in use. Potentially, additionalgrated sections223 andspeakers7 could be provided to increase the volume of sounds produced, positioned opposite each other around thelateral surface22.
• Potentially, adisplay screen8 can be mounted onto the front face of thelateral surface22 of thecontainer2, above thecentral section111 of thebase1, which is also represented inFIG. 8A. Similar to thespeaker7, thedisplay screen8 is electrically connected to thepower source5 and electronically connected to thechipset6. Thedisplay screen8 can simply be used to provide information, such as date, time, or even the amount of cereal left in thecontainer2, as measured by a weight sensor. An interface can also be provided for thedisplay screen8, either through a physical interface mounted on thebase1 adjacent to thedisplay screen8 or by making the display screen8 a capacitive touch screen. The interface can be used to control other components of the present invention, such as changing the music played by thespeaker7.
• Different embodiments of the present invention can utilize different variants of the describedactuation mechanism3. For example, in one embodiment theactuation mechanism3 comprises a transmitter and a receiver, each of which is electrically connected to thepower source5. Engaging thetrigger13 causes the transmitter to send a signal to the receiver. The receiver then activates thedispensing mechanism24 by opening thechute241.
• Theactuation mechanism3 does not need to be electrical, and in one embodiment in comprises a lever system. In this embodiment a lever arm connects thetrigger13 with thedispensing mechanism24, such that engaging thetrigger13 causes the lever to pull on thedispensing mechanism24 and open thechute241. In this manner anon-electrical actuation mechanism3 can be provided. Anon-electrical actuation mechanism3 is beneficial compared to anelectrical actuation mechanism3 as it reduces cost, complexity, and power requirements.
• As envisioned by the inventor, the present invention, with one of its principal target audience being children, could potentially be made in versions that will feature the images of cartoon characters, animals, or public figures popular with a young demographic, provided the appropriate licenses can be secured by the manufacturer. Expanding upon the heretofore described components, the present invention may be visually enhanced with aesthetically pleasing markings and accessories oriented towards the aforementioned target demographic. These visual enhancements increase the appeal of the present invention in the eyes of children, for whom a number of themes and designs could be provided. For example, the present invention may be decorated to look like an animal or a character from popular children's media. These enhancements, along with thespeaker7, make the present invention more enjoyable for children and increase marketing potential.
• Overall, the present invention provides an entertaining, simple, and effective personal apparatus for dispensing foodstuff such as cereal into an appropriate receptacle, in addition to storing cereal and sealing the cereal from the exterior environment. This allows the cereal to maintain freshness to a greater degree than a non-re-sealable plastic bag would allow.
• Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
• A phrase such as an “aspect” does not imply that such aspect is essential to the subject technology or that such aspect applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to an aspect may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. An aspect may provide one or more examples. A phrase such as an aspect may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa. A phrase such as an “embodiment” does not imply that such embodiment is essential to the subject technology or that such embodiment applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to an embodiment may apply to all embodiments, or one or more embodiments. An embodiment may provide one or more examples. A phrase such an embodiment may refer to one or more embodiments and vice versa. A phrase such as a “configuration” does not imply that such configuration is essential to the subject technology or that such configuration applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to a configuration may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A configuration may provide one or more examples. A phrase such a configuration may refer to one or more configurations and vice versa.
• The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example or illustration.” Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs.
• All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase “step for.” Furthermore, to the extent that the term “include,” “have,” or the like is used in the description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

Claims (6)

What is claimed is:

1. A dry food dispensing apparatus comprises:

a base including a pair of curved arms projecting from the base configured for receipt of a bowl;

a container connected atop the base, the container comprising an interior volume, a lateral surface, a lid, a chute and an upwardly facing bowl-shaped outlet,

the chute being positioned below and in fluid communication with the interior volume;

the outlet being positioned above the cradle,

the distal ends of the pair of curved arms are positioned beyond an end of the chute; and

a trigger button operatively coupled to a dispensing wheel configured to dispense foodstuff out the chute, the trigger button positioned behind one of the pair of curved arms and on the base.

2. The dry food dispensing apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the trigger is positioned in an indent on a rear of the base.

3. The dry food dispensing apparatus ofclaim 1 further comprising a rack and pinion system coupling the trigger button to the dispensing wheel.

4. The dry food dispensing apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the trigger button is spring-loaded.

5. The dry food dispensing apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the dispensing wheel is a paddle wheel.

6. The personal food dispensing apparatus as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the dispensing wheel includes paddle arms that are configured to provide a pre-defined volume between adjacent arms wherein a squeeze of the trigger button meters out a volume of foodstuff.

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