Abstract:
The present invention includes an edible container that can hold and contain medium and low viscosity liquids for extended periods of time. One embodiment of the present invention comprises an edible dehydrated food sheet formed into a vessel capable of holding liquid for extended periods of time without leakage and capable of being hand-held, an opening in said container for receiving liquids, and a flat base capable of stabilizing said container in an independent upright position. The dehydrated food sheet may be formed from dehydrated fruit or dehydrated vegetable material.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This present invention relates to containers for holding and containing liquid food products for consumption. More particularly, the present invention relates to an edible cup capable of holding and containing low viscosity liquids, such as water, soda pop, milk, and the like, for extended period of time. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Edible food containers are commonly used to serve solid and highly viscous liquid products. For example, ice cream is commonly served in edible wafer and sugar cones. These edible containers are generally formed by pouring liquid waffle dough into a mold or by forming a single sheet of dough into a cone shape. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,897 to Goldstein et al. (“Goldstein”) discloses another edible food container. This container is formed by wrapping an elongate strip of uncooked bread dough around a conically-shaped mandrel to form a plurality of spiral turns with an overlap between adjacent turns of the spiral. The resultant uncooked dough cone is then baked to form an edible, cone-shaped container of soft bread. After the bread cone is removed from the mandrel, the hollow interior may be filled with a selected filling. 
     One problem with these conventional edible containers is that they cannot hold low viscosity liquids for extended periods of time. That is, conventional edible containers, such as wafer cones and sugar cones, are too porous to contain, and eventually deteriorate when exposed to, a medium or low viscosity liquid. An edible container capable of holding medium and low viscosity liquids for extended periods of time would be ecologically desirable because it could reduce the amount of packaging material entering landfills and because it could reduce the amount of litter left at fairs, concerts, and other large events. Another problem with some conventional edible containers is that they must be continuously supported. That is, a user cannot set the container in an upright position on a flat surface. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for an edible cup made that can hold and contain medium and low viscosity liquids for extended periods of time. In addition, there is also a need for an edible container that can be set upright on a flat surface without support. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides an edible container that can hold and contain low viscosity liquids for extended periods of time. The present invention also provides an edible container that may be set upright on a flat surface without support. One aspect of the present invention is a watertight, edible container. One embodiment of this edible container comprises an edible dehydrated food sheet formed into a vessel capable of holding liquid for extended periods of time without leakage and capable of being hand-held; an opening in said container; and a flat base capable of stabilizing said container in an independent upright position. The dehydrated food sheet may be formed from dehydrated fruit or dehydrated vegetable and may include a handle and a lid. 
     Another aspect of the invention is a method of producing a watertight edible container. One embodiment of this method comprises the act of forming a dehydrated food sheet into a flat-based vessel, said container having an opening and being capable of holding liquid for extended periods of time without leakage. The act of producing a watertight edible container may comprise the acts of forming the flat base from a dehydrated food material, wherein said base has a peripheral edge directed upwards; folding a second sheet of edible dehydrated food, said second sheet having a creased edge and two wing edges; placing said second sheet above said base, with said wing edges of said second sheet in overlapping position on opposite sides of peripheral edge of said base; and creating a watertight interlocking seal by applying pressure and moisture to said wing edges of said second sheet and said peripheral edge of said base. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an edible cup made that can hold and contain low viscosity liquids for extended periods of time. 
     It is also an object of the invention to provide an edible food container that can sit upright on a flat surface without a support means. 
     It is also an object of the invention to provide a method of forming a dehydrated food sheet into a flat-based edible container. 
     It is also an object of the invention to provide a handle and a lid for an edible container. 
     It is also an object of the invention to provide an edible fluid conveyance apparatus capable of transporting low viscosity liquids for extended periods of time. 
     These and other objects, features, and advantages will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side plan view of one edible container embodiment. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of one edible container embodiment having a handle. 
     FIG. 4 is an isometric view of one edible container embodiment having a lid. 
     FIG. 5 is side plan view of one edible straw embodiment. 
     FIG. 6 is a side plan view of an alternate edible container embodiment. 
     FIG. 7 is a side plan view of a seamless edible container embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 is a side plan view of one edible container embodiment  20 . This edible container  20  comprises a generally circular base  22 , tubular side walls  26 , and a circular top opening  28  having a rim  29  that is generally parallel with the bottom surface  23 . The base  22  in this embodiment comprises a flat bottom surface  23  and a raised peripheral edge  24 , and cooperates with the walls  26  to form a cavity  30  (see FIG. 2) that can hold and contain low viscosity fluids, such as milk, soda pop, water, and the like, for extended periods of time. 
     In operation, a user can pour a low viscosity liquid into the cavity  30  through the circular top opening  28 . The container  20  will hold this liquid for an extended period of time without leaking. During this time, the user can set the container  20  down on a flat surface (not shown). The flat bottom surface  23  will hold the container  20  in an independent upright position. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the embodiment in FIG.  1 . This figure shows that the generally tubular side walls  26  comprise a relatively narrow, elongate strip  32  that has been spirally wrapped into a tube-like configuration. The strip  32  in this embodiment has two wing edges  34  and  36 , a central crease  38 , and two ends  40  and  42 . The central crease  38  is generally parallel to both wing edges  32  and  34 . Each end  40  and  42  of the strip  32  is slightly tapered, which aids in starting and stopping the spiral wrappings. 
     The strip  32  in this embodiment is made from a pureed and dehydrated fruit or vegetable product that has been formed into a thin sheet, such as that made by General Mills, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota under the trademark Fruit Roll-ups®. These embodiments are desirable because the dehydrated fruit or vegetable sheet material is water resistant, nutritious, sweet, and flavorful. However, strips  32  made from other water resistant and/or hydrophobic food materials are also within the scope of the present invention. This specifically includes, without being limited to, the food materials described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,840,354 to Baumann et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,098 to Langler; U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,236 to Langler; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,861 to Mazin, which are each herein incorporated by reference. 
     The dehydrated fruit or vegetable material may be formed into the strips  32  in any suitable manner, such as cutting the pre-made sheets of the dehydrated material into appropriately sized and shaped pieces. Alternatively, the pureed fruit or vegetable paste could be extruded in the appropriate size and then dehydrated, or made using the methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,723,163 to Zimmermann et al., which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     One method of forming the container  20  in FIGS. 1 and 2 begins by forming the peripheral edge  24  and the flat bottom surface  23  in the base member  22 . This can accomplished by any suitable method, such as molding or forming processes. Next, the precut strip  32  is folded lengthwise, which brings its wing edges  32 ,  34  into close proximity. The folded strip  32  is then wrapped around the base member  22  such that both wing edges  32 ,  34  slightly overlap the peripheral edge  24  on opposite sides. That is, the peripheral edge  24  is inserted in-between the two wing edges  32 ,  24  while the strip is wrapped around base  22 . A watertight seal is then created between the peripheral edge  24  and the strip  32  by pressing the wing edges  32 ,  24  and the peripheral edge  24  together. 
     After completing the first layer, the manufacturer may continue to spirally wrap the strip  32  around itself, or may begin to spirally wrap additional strips  32 , until the desired height is reached. In either case, the wing edges  32 ,  34  of each upper layer should overlap, on opposite sides, the creased edge  38  of the adjacent lower layer. 
     Various modifications of this basic method are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the wing edges  32 ,  34  and the peripheral edge  24  may be moistened before wrapping. This will soften the dehydrated material, which may help to create the watertight seal. Also, the strip  32  may be wrapped around a removable mandrel or a die (not shown). These embodiments are desirable because the mandrel or die will help to shape the container  20  into a right-cylinder or a right-truncated cone shape. In still other embodiments, the dehydrated fruit or vegetable material may be wrapped inside or around a relatively stiff bread-based material, such as a cookie or cracker, or crystalized sugar-based product. These embodiments may be desirable because the bread or crystalized sugar based material will stiffen the side walls  26  of the edible container  20 . In addition, the walls  26  may comprise several folded rings dehydrated material, rather than strips of dehydrated material. 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of one edible container embodiment having a handle  50 . The handle  50  in this embodiment may be formed by wrapping strips  32  of dehydrated food material around a relatively stiff support member, such as a bread or crystalized sugar-based product. Handles  50  made from other edible and non-edible materials are also within the scope of the present invention. Non-edible handles  50  may be particularly desirable because the user can drink from the cup  20  without having to touch its edible portions. 
     FIG. 4 is an isometric view of one edible container embodiment having a lid  52  made from dehydrated food material. The lid  52  in this embodiment has a structured peripheral rim  54 , a hole  56  located inside the peripheral rim, and a living hinge  56 . In operation, the lid  52  pivots around the living hinge  56  into and out of engagement with a top edge  58  of the side walls  26 . The structured peripheral rim  54  grips the top edge of the side walls  26  and helps to prevent the lid  52  from unexpectedly falling off the container  20 . The hole  56  permits insertion of an straw, such as that shown in FIG. 5, and is desirable because the user can drink the container&#39;s contents while the lid  52  is attached. 
     FIG. 5 is a side plan view of one edible straw embodiment  60 . This edible straw  60  is made from spirally wrapped strips of waterproof food material. This edible straw  60  may be formed using a removable mold and may include a edible stiffener. In other embodiments, the edible straw  60  is made from a seamless, single piece of waterproof food material that has been molded or extruded into the desired shape. 
     FIG. 6 is a side plan view of an alternate edible container embodiment  70 . This embodiment  70  comprises a generally circular base  72  having a raised peripheral edge  73  (partially depicted using hidden lines) and a generally rectangular or trapezoidal wall sheet  74 . The wall sheet  74  in this embodiment is wrapped around a mandrel (not shown) so that its ends  76 ,  77  overlap slightly. The ends  76  and  77  are then sealed together, thereby forming a cylindrical tube with a single, generally vertical seam  78 . The tube of edible food material may then be attached to the base  72  by any suitable method. These embodiments may be desirable because they require a shorter seam than the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     FIG. 7 is a side plan view of another alternate edible container embodiment  80  in which the walls  26  and the base  22  are formed simultaneously from a single piece of waterproof food material using injection molding techniques. That is, the waterproof food material is injected into a mold cavity in liquid form and allowed to solidify into the appropriate shape inside the mold. These embodiments may be desirable because they would not require any seams. 
     The previously described embodiments of the present invention have many advantages over known edible containers. For example, the edible cup  20  can hold low viscosity liquids for extended periods of time and sit upright on a flat surface without outside support means. In addition, the present invention provides its consumer with a sweet and high-energy dessert in addition to its liquid or solid contents. This feature may make the present invention particularly desirable to children and to participants at sporting events. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential spirit or attributes thereof. For example, the dehydrated food material may be coated with a sugar glaze to help stiffen the side walls  26  or with shortening to improve the water resistivity of its side walls  26 . In addition, the edible container may include struts or other stiffening members that will also improve the container&#39;s stiffness, or may be formed into a generally conical shape. Also, the present invention may use an edible adhesive material to help seal together its various components. 
     Those skilled in the art will also recognize that any references to front and back, right and left, top and bottom and upper and lower were intended for convenience of description, not to limit the present invention or its components to any one positional or spacial orientation. Thus, it is desired that the embodiments described herein be considered in all respects as illustrative, not restrictive, and that reference be made to the appended claims for determining the scope of the invention.