AN AROMA-PRESERVING CANISTER FOR COFFEE AND OTHER GRANULATED PRODUCTS

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved canister for preserving aroma of coffee or other spices having aroma, comprising; a hollow body of the canister and a cap sealing the body, wherein the improved canister is characterized by having an elastic disk sealing the canister and placed horizontally inside the canister at about 0.5 - 1.5 cm under the cap, the disk having a major stationary portion and a minor movable portion, and the cap, the body of the canister or the movable portion contains means for pressing and bending the disk movable portion downwardly when the canister is sealed and having optionally means for retracting the disk movable portion back to its original horizontal sealing position when the canister is uncapped.

Description: AN AROMA-PRESERVING CANISTER FOR COFFEE AND OTHER GRANULATED PRODUCTS FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved canister useful for preserving aroma of granulated products, especially coffee. A common disadvantage of canisters for coffee and other granulated products is that the products gradually loose their aroma as the canister is opened more and more. The aim of the present invention is to preserve the aroma of canned granulated products despite these multiple openings. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved canister according to the present invention for preserving the aroma of coffee or other granulated fragrant products comprises the hollow body of the canister and a cap sealing said body, and this canister is characterized by having an elastic disk placed horizontally inside said canister at about 0.5 - 1.5 cm under the cap so as the fragrant product is contained in the canister under this disk. The disk seals the canister product when the canister is uncapped, and the disk is "opened" when the canister is capped. The disk consists of two portions: a major stationary portion and a minor movable portion. The cap, or the body of the canister, or the movable portion of the disk includes a means for pressing and bending said movable portion of the disk downwardly when the canister is capped. In the "open" position when the canister is capped and the movable portion of the disk is bent downwardly, there is a space between the side wall of the canister and the edge of the movable portion of the disk, allowing portioning-up the product. The product is portioned by turning the canister upside down and by returning it back into its normal position. When the capped canister is inverted upside down, coffee is poured down through this space. On returning the canister into its normal position, a portion of coffee remains on the stationary part of the disk under the cap while the rest of the coffee pours back into the lower part of the canister through the space formed by the movable portion of the disk oriented downwardly. When the user removes the cap of the canister, the disk movable part is sealing the canister, and this coffee portion can be poured out into the user's cup. The stationary portion of the disk may have a spoon-like concave depression on its side facing the cap of the canister, thus providing a better and exact portioning of the product. In a preferred embodiment, said means for pressing and bending the movable portion downwards is a protrusion located on the internal side of the cap of the canister and directed downwardly, or a protrusion located on the movable portion and directed upwardly. As an alternative, the movable portion of the disk is retracted to its initial horizontal sealing position (when the canister is uncapped) by the elastic force of the material of the disk itself, or by an additional means to make the retraction more efficient, e.g., by a spring fastened by one end to said movable portion and by another end to a specific projection from the stationary portion of the disk. Definitions For purposes of this specification and the accompanying claims the term "canister" refers to a canister having solid walls or any package box for preserving an aroma and/or freshness and hygienic of different products, including for example coffee and other powders or granulated products. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will be described in detail by Figures 1 - 7. This detailed description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, but only to illustrate the preferred embodiments. Fig.l illustrates the capped aroma-preserving coffee canister with a protrusion on the movable portion of the disk, turned upside down for portioning-up coffee. Fig.2 illustrates the capped aroma-preserving coffee canister with a protrusion on the movable portion of the disk in its normal position. Fig.3 illustrates an uncapped aroma-preserving coffee canister with a protrusion on the movable portion of the disk. Fig.4 illustrates an uncapped aroma-preserving coffee canister with a protrusion on the internal part of the cap of the canister. Fig. 5 illustrates a perspective view of an aroma-preserving coffee canister. Fig. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment the present invention with a retracting spring in the position wherein the canister is uncapped. Fig. 7 illustrates the embodiment of Fig. 6 in the position wherein the canister is capped. Figs. 1 - 3 illustrate a preferred embodiment having a protrusion on the movable portion of the disk. Fig. 1 illustrates the capped coffee canister, turned upside down for portioning-up coffee. Cap (2) presses protrusion (6). Movable portion (5) of disk (7) is bent towards the bottom of the canister. Coffee pours down through the space (8) between side wall of canister body (1) and the edge of movable portion (5) of disk (7) and enters the space between cap (2) and stationary portion (3) with depression (4). Fig.2 illustrates the canister body (1), closed by cap (2). Cap (2) presses protrusion (6) of movable portion (5) of disk (7), thus bending movable portion (5) downwards. A portion of coffee is left in depression (4). Fig. 3 illustrates a position when cap (2) is removed from canister body (1) and does not press protrusion (6). Movable portion (5) of disk (7) seals the canister. Depression (4) of stationary portion (3) of disk (7) contains a portion of coffee ready for use. Fig.4 illustrates a preferred embodiment with a protrusion on internal part of the cap of the canister. Cap (2) with protrusion (6) is removed from the canister body (1). Movable portion (5) of disk (7) is in its sealing position. A portion of coffee is left in depression (4) of stationary part (3) of disk (7). In Fig. 5, a capped coffee canister is shown in a perspective view according to Fig. 2. Cap (2), disk (7) and canister body (1) are conditionally separated from each other. Cap (2) presses protrusion (6) and thus bends movable portion (5) of disk (7) downwards so as space (8) forms between the side wall of canister body ( 1 ) and the edge of movable portion (5) of disk (7). A portion of coffee is left in depression (4) of stationary portion (3) of disk (7). Fig. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention with retractive spring (20) in a position wherein the canister is uncapped. Movable portion (15) of disk (17) is equipped with retracting spring (20). Spring (20) extends from protrusion (21) of stationary portion (13) of disk (17) to protrusion (22) of movable portion (15) of disk (17) and is attached to both of these protrusions. When cap (12) is open, it does not press down protrusion (16) of movable portion (15). Due to that, spring (15) is released and presses movable portion (15) upwardly into its sealing position wherein it closes opening (23) of disk (17) and thus seals the canister. Fig. 7 illustrates the embodiment of Fig. 6 in the position wherein the canister is capped. In this position, cap (12) presses down protrusion (16) of movable portion (15) of disk (17) and bends movable portion (15) downwards, pushing it away from opening (23) and thus compressing spring (20). Spring (20) is attached to protrusion (21) of stationary portion (13) of disk (17) and to protrusion (22) of movable portion (15) of the disk. When the coffee canister is capped, a portion of coffee can be poored out through opening (23) into depression (14) by turning the coffee canister upside down.

Claims: Claims 1) An improved canister for preserving aroma of coffee or other spices having aroma, comprising; a hollow body of the canister and a cap sealing said body, wherein said improved canister is characterized by having an elastic disk sealing the canister and placed horizontally inside said canister at about 0.5 - 1.5 cm under the cap, said disk having a major stationary portion and a minor movable portion, and the cap, the body of the canister or the movable portion contains means for pressing and bending said disk movable portion downwardly when the canister is sealed and having optionally means for retracting said disk movable portion back to its original horizontal sealing position when the canister is uncapped. 2) A canister according to claim 1 wherein said means for pressing and bending the movable portion is a protrusion located on the internal side of the cap of the canister and directed downwardly. 3) A canister according to claim 1 wherein said means for pressing and bending the movable portion is a protrusion located on the movable portion of the disk and directed upwardly. 4) A canister according to claims 1 - 3 wherein the stationary portion of the disk has a spoon-like concave depression on its side facing the cap of the canister. 5) A canister according to claims 1 - 5 wherein said movable portion of the disk is retracted back to its original horizontal position by a spring fastened by one end to said movable portion and by another end to a specific projection from the stationary portion of the disk.

Inventors: SHAKI NECHAMA, SHAKI, NECHAMA
Applicants: SHAKI NECHAMA, SHAKI, NECHAMA
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B65D
IPC codes: A47J47, B65D47, B65D51, B65D83, G01F11