Abstract:
A first portion and a second portion form a container which can hold objects. The first portion and second portion is connected using screw threads. A lid can be utilized to seal one portion, enabling different objects to be placed in one portion of the container and not be indirect contact with the other portion of the container. A snack food is placed into one portion and a toy in the other portion. A lid handle is folded inward and is utilized to remove the lid and obtain the object in that portion of the container.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the b of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/736,072, filed Nov. 9, 2005, the contents of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     1. Field  
         [0003]     This application relates generally to a toy and snack product, and more particularly, to a container containing both a combination of both a snack and a toy.  
         [0004]     2. General Background  
         [0005]     Small novelty items, toys and snack items are generally sold in containers. A combination of a snack item and a toy or other novelty item is more marketable. By offering two different items, the appeal to children is greater.  
         [0006]     One problem with selling a product containing both a food item and a novelty item is the need for separation of the two items for safety and health concerns. The aim of the present disclosure is to provide an easy and sufficient way to separate the two items.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     In one aspect of the present disclosure, a container comprises a first portion, which can be a half and a second portion which can be a half. The first half and second half can be combined to form a container that is able to hold objects. The first and second half contain a screw thread to enable the halves to be placed together and make the container.  
         [0008]     In another aspect, a lid is placed on the second half sealing the second half from the first half. Consequently, the objects in the second half do not come into contact with the objects in the first half.  
         [0009]     In another aspect, the lid further comprises a lid handle. The lid handle enables the lid to be removed from the second half of the container to enable access to the objects therein.  
         [0010]     Another aspect of the disclosure is to provide both a toy and a snack item in a container by providing a first half of a container with a toy in the first half; providing a second half of a container with a snack item; sealing the second half with a lid; and screwing the first half to the second half utilizing a screw thread to make the container.  
         [0011]     In another aspect of the disclosure, a container can be used to store small objects once the lid has been removed and the container is emptied. 
     
    
     DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  depicts a side view of a container holding both a novelty item and a snack item.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  depicts a side cross view of a container holding both a novelty item and a snack item.  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  depicts a side cross view of a container in an unscrewed position.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  depicts a view of a first half and a second half of the container.  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  depicts a view of the container further comprising a sealed plastic wrap packaging.  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  depicts another embodiment of the container.  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  depicts another embodiment of the container.  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  depicts a bottle embodiment of the container.  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  depicts another bottle embodiment of the container. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]      FIG. 1  depicts one embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, a container  100  is in the shape of a ball.  
         [0022]     The shape of the container  100  may be a cube, cone or any other shape. In an exemplary embodiment, the diameter of the ball container is 2.5 inches. The diameter of the ball is not limited to this size. Other embodiments have a diameter of 5 inches or can be smaller than 2.5 inches. The container can be of any size or shape. There are two or more components to form the container. In particular there can be several components forming the outer surface of the container, and there can be several compartments in the container.  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  depicts a side cross view of a container holding both a novelty item and a snack item. The container  100  comprises a first half  105  and second half  110 . The first half  105  and the second half  110  comprise an open end  115 . In exemplary embodiments, the container is constructed of non-edible material. For example, the container may be constructed with plastic, nylon, metal, or ceramics. Of course other materials are also contemplated to be used in construction of the container.  
         [0024]     In other embodiments, the container is constructed of partially non-edible material. For example, the connecting attachment of two halves may be made of non-edible material, while the remaining half comprise edible material.  
         [0025]     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , in exemplary embodiments, the first half  105  and the second half  110  are connected at the open ends  115  using a screw thread  120 . Use of a screw thread  120  ensures closure of the container and helps maintain freshness of any food snack in the container.  
         [0026]     In some other forms of the disclosure there may not be a screw thread. There is some other positive engaging formations to ensure that the different halves are held together. This can be a clip formation and/or a bayonet type configuration. There can be the same positive and/or inter-engaging and/or interlocking formations, namely where there are 3 or 4 or more parts forming the container. In a closed form the engagement of the parts is positive and/or interactive and/or interlocking to prevent inadvertent separation without human interaction. Preferably some kind of twist action is necessary to effect the desired separation of at least some of the components.  
         [0027]     A particular embodiment of the present disclosure is depicted in  FIG. 4 , comprising a lid  125  sealing the open end  115  of the first half  105  of the container, separating the second half  110  from the first half  105 . The lid  125  may comprise flexible plastic, aluminum, or a specially treated paper layer.  
         [0028]     In particular embodiments, the lid  125  is a flat seal across the open end  115  of the first half  105  of the container. In other embodiments, the lid  125  may include an cup extending into the second half  110 . This will enable a larger object to be placed in the first half  105  of the container.  
         [0029]     The sealed first half  105  contains a food snack. In particular embodiments, the first half  105  contains candies, bubble gums, chocolate, yogurt, cheese, crackers, or other similar items.  
         [0030]     In particular embodiments, the lid  125  further comprises a lid handle  130 . The lid handle  130  is folded inward and is used to pull open the lid  125  enabling access to the first half  105  of the container  100 .  
         [0031]     In an exemplary embodiment, the second half  110  of the container  100  contains a small object like a toy surprise. In other embodiments, unassembled toy and instructions, small gifts, surprises, stickers figurines, souvenirs, or electronic devices may be contained in the second half  110 .  
         [0032]     In  FIG. 5  there is an exemplary embodiment wherein the container is sealed using utilizing a plastic wrap  200 . The plastic wrap  200  secures the inside content of the container  100  to be sure that it has not been tampered with, as well as preventing the first half  105  and second half  110  to be opened by anyone. The plastic wrap  200  may cover the whole container  100  or cover the container  100  partially to seal the connection between the first half  105  and the second half  110 .  
         [0033]     In a particular embodiment, utilization of a plastic wrap  200  also provides space for brand identification, promotion, nutritional information, bar code and other useful information. On one side of the plastic wrap  200 , there is a perforated strip  210  that goes from top to bottom of plastic wrap  200 . On top and bottom of the strip there is a small groove  205  to grab the packaging to tear the entire strip easily, and removing the plastic wrap  200  from the container  100 .  
         [0034]     Another embodiment of the container  100  is depicted in  FIG. 6 . In this embodiment, the container  100  comprises a first half  300  and second half  320 . The first half  300  and the second half  320  are connected using a screw thread attachment. In this embodiment, a separator cup  310  seals the first half  300  from the second half  320 . The separator cup  310  extends into the second half  320 . This enables a larger novelty item  305 , such as a toy, to be placed into the first half  300 .  
         [0035]     The separator cup  310  still allows for a food material  315  to be placed into the second half  320  of the container. In exemplary embodiments, the food material  315  is chocolate and is shaped to fit in line with the separator cup  310 .  
         [0036]     This container material product can be made for instance of plastic, molded stock paper, or cardboard.  
         [0037]     The wrap  200  can be plastic shrink wrap packaging on the outside of the ball so that it is sealed by a plastic shrink wrap. This also provides space for brand identification, promotion, nutritional information, or bar code.  
         [0038]     In  FIG. 7  there is shown another way to separate the food from the toy/object, in which the food/snack is inside a sealed plastic bag  330  that fits the half cup  300 , and the toy/object is inside a sealed plastic bag  335  that fit the half cup  320 .  
         [0039]     The product can apply to a ball shape as well as to any other shape of form imaginable, such as box, cone, bag, pyramid, or bottle.  
         [0040]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 8 &amp; 9  there is a bottle version which is a plastic container in a shape of a bottle. It opens up, by unscrewing the top portion  400  and bottom portion  402  by a quarter of a turn. The easy opening and closing of container  400  and  402  is achieved by an internal screw thread  404  on container  400 , that slides into and with the corresponding external screw thread root  406  of container  402 .  
         [0041]     The top portion  400  is a small bottle container, with a bottle cap  408  and a bottle bottom  410 . The bottle contains liquid such as a soft drink, milk, chocolate milk, drinkable yogurt, smoothies, juice, or water.  
         [0042]     The bottom portion  402  is a non-sealed container that screw on the top part  400 . It contains a small object  412 , or food. There can also be an unassembled toy and assembly instruction, small gift, surprises, stickers, figurines, souvenirs, electronic devices such as small radio, watches, games, soft candies, hard candies, bubble gums, chocolate, yogurt, cheese, gelatin, crackers, lollipops, candies, bubble gum, or mixed nuts. This can provide for different combinations which can be additive to liquid in the other portions.  
         [0043]     The diameter is 2½ inches by 6¼, containing 5 fluid ounces of liquid. The bottle shape can be of any form imaginable.  
         [0044]     As shown in  FIG. 9  there is a seal plastic shrink wrap packaging. The outside of the bottle is sealed by a plastic shrink wrap ( 420 . The plastic packaging wrap secures the inside content of the bottle to be sure that it has not been tampered with. This also prevents or hinders parts  400  and  402  from being opened by anyone in an authorized manner. It also provide space for brand identification, promotion, nutritional information, bar code. On one side of the plastic packaging wrap, there is a perforated strip  422  that goes from top to bottom of the packaging. On top and bottom of the strip there is a small groove  424  to grab the packaging with fingernails in order to tear the entire strip easily with the fingers, and removing the packaging from the bottle.  
         [0045]     While the above description contains many particulars, these should not be consider limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather a demonstration of embodiments thereof. For instance instead of the portions being halves of more or less equal size they can be different relative sizes. The snack item can be differen things including liquids and partial liquids and fresh produce.  
         [0046]     The composition, method for making and uses disclosed herein include any combination of the different species or embodiments disclosed. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the invention in any way be limited by the above description. The various elements of the claims and claims themselves may be combined any combination, in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, which includes the claims.