Abstract:
The invention is a device that dispenses contents from a squeezable chamber through a passage into an attached spoon. The spoon is hinged so that it folds back against the squeezable chamber for shipping and sales/shelf display, and pivots forward to engage the passage when in use. The spoon also has a flat “rest” which prevents the device from rolling, and keeps the spoon stable and elevated off a potentially germ-laden surface.

Description:
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention is in the area of devices that dispense contents from a squeezable chamber into an attached spoon. 
       2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
       [0002]    The prior art discloses various dispensing devices that comprise a spoon connected to a squeezable food or medicine container. U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,482 to Gilbert; U.S. Published Application 20090108025 by deVirag; U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,895 to Lee; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,222 to Read are examples of such devices. However, none of these prior art devices exhibit the features of the present invention—that is, a dispensing device with a flat “rest” which keeps the spoon stable and elevated off a surface, and a hinged spoon which folds back against the tube for shipping and sales display, but which serves to seal the food passage when in use. 
         [0003]    U.S. Published Application 20080072432 by Teys discloses a hinge—but it is not on the spoon part but rather on the back of the food chamber. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 8,584,366 to Wedderburn discloses a hinged spoon; however, the hinge is constructed differently from the hinge in the invention, which involves a hinge in the food passage. Also, Wedderburn has nothing to do with squeezable feeding, and instead is simply a utensil like any other spoon. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,074 to Emilsson shows a flexible connector between the food tube and the spoon, but not a hinge that opens fully so the spoon can be tucked back against the food tube. In contrast, in the invention the hinged spoon can pivot more than 90 degrees from the straight “in-use” position—indeed, the hinged spoon can pivot almost 180 degrees, when it is tucked back against the squeezable chamber for shipping and sales/shelf display. In sum, Emilsson&#39;s physical structure is very different from that of the invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The invention is a device that dispenses contents from a squeezable chamber through a passage into an attached spoon. The spoon is hinged so that it folds back against the squeezable chamber for shipping and sales/shelf display, and swings forward to engage the passage when in use. The spoon also has a flat “rest” which keeps the spoon stable and elevated off a potentially germ-laden surface. 
         [0007]    The inventive device makes it much easier to give food, medicine, etc. to an infant or disabled person. 
         [0008]    The hinged spoon feature saves shipping space, and shelf display space, by allowing the spoon to be folded back against the squeezable chamber until the product is ready for use. This also prevents damage or breakage that could occur if the spoon were fixed in an extended position. 
         [0009]    Further, with the spoon tucked back out of the way until use, it is easier to apply an effective, hygienic seal to the squeezable container, thus preventing bacteria intrusion and spoilage of the contents. 
         [0010]    The flat “rest” feature prevents the device from rolling away when placed on a surface, and also prevents contamination of the spoon and contents in use. Said another way, the user can set the device down if desired, without it rolling away or becoming dirty and germ-laden. 
         [0011]    The inventive device is easy and low-cost to manufacture, because the hinge can be integrally molded of flexible plastic, in one piece with the spoon and the open end of the squeezable chamber. 
         [0012]    Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a side view of the dispensing device of the invention, showing the squeezable chamber, the hinged spoon folded back against the chamber for shipping and sales/shelf display, and the flat “rest”. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the dispensing device in the “in use” position, with the hinged spoon pivoted into place. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an end-on view of an embodiment of the dispensing device, showing the substantially flat “rest” that prevents rolling. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is another side view of the dispensing device, with the passageway within the spoon portion shown in broken lines. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a detail perspective view of the hinge portion of the dispensing device, showing the end opening in the hinged spoon portion and the end opening in the squeezable chamber portion. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the dispensing device in the “in use” position, showing the outlet opening in the spoon from which the contents of the squeezable chamber flow. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The following provides a list of the reference characters used in the drawings:
         10 . Dispensing device     11 . Squeezable chamber     12 . Measuring scale     13 . Chamber end opening     14 . Cap     15 . Spoon     16 . Hinge     17 . Spoon end opening     18 . Outer lip     19 . Inner lip     20 . Rest     21 . Surface     22 . Passageway     23 . Outlet opening     24 . Contents       
 
         [0035]      FIG. 1  illustrates the dispensing device of the invention, with the hinged spoon folded back against the device. Dispensing device  10  comprises a squeezable chamber  11  which is adapted to contain liquid or semi-solid food, medicine, or other suitable substances. Squeezable chamber  11  is preferably constructed of clear, flexible plastic so that the contents can be seen, and so that the user can squeeze the contents from the chamber by applying hand pressure thereto. However, other suitable materials can be used including non-clear materials. A measuring scale  12  is located along the length of squeezable chamber  11 , to enable the user to see and track how much of the contents have been dispensed, and how much remains in the chamber. 
         [0036]    A substantially round chamber end opening  13  is located at one end of squeezable chamber  11 , so that as the chamber is squeezed, the contents are forced out through chamber end opening  13 . A removable cap  14  covers chamber end opening  13 , to seal the contents against contamination when the device is not in use. 
         [0037]    A spoon  15  is attached by a hinge  16  to squeezable chamber  11 . Hinge  16  is preferably integrally molded with the open end of spoon  15  and the open end of squeezable chamber  11  so as to be of one piece; however, hinge  16  can also be constructed separately and attached to the open end of spoon  15  and the open end of squeezable chamber  11  using any suitable means. Hinge  16  can be constructed of flexible plastic, such that the flexible plastic material itself bends back and forth to provide the hinging action, or it can be constructed of other components that provide a suitable hinging action. Hinge  16  must be able to open sufficiently to allow spoon  15  to be tucked back against squeezable chamber  11  for shipping and sales/shelf display. As can be seen, hinged spoon  15  can pivot more than 90 degrees from the straight “in-use” position—indeed, hinged spoon  15  can pivot almost 180 degrees, when it is tucked back against squeezable chamber  11 . It should be understood that the terms “folded back against” or “tucked back against” do not mean that spoon  15  must be folded back so far that it touches squeezable chamber  11 . Rather, it is sufficient that spoon  15  is folded back so that it is substantially against squeezable chamber  11 , as exemplified by  FIG. 1 . 
         [0038]    Spoon  15  has a passageway within it, through which the contents of squeezable chamber  11  pass, as well as an outlet opening in its serving end, which will be further discussed below. A substantially round spoon end opening  17  is recessed inside the non-serving end of spoon  15 , and is operatively connected to the passageway and outlet opening within spoon  15 . Removable caps may also cover spoon end opening  17  and the outlet opening, to seal them against contamination when the device is not in use. When spoon  15  is pivoted about hinge  16  in the direction of the arrow, spoon end opening  17  mates with chamber end opening  13  to seal chamber end opening  13  and provide allow the contents of squeezable chamber  11  to be squeezed out of the outlet opening in the serving end of spoon  15 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 2  illustrates the dispensing device in the “in use” position, with the hinged spoon pivoted into place. Chamber end opening  13  and spoon end opening  17 , although hidden in this view, are engaged together to form a continuous passageway from squeezable chamber  11  to the outlet opening in the serving end of spoon  15 , so that contents  24  can be dispensed from squeezable chamber  11 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 3  is an end-on view of an embodiment of the dispensing device, wherein a substantially flat rest  20  is located on the bottom of squeezable chamber  11 , which stabilizes dispensing device  10  and prevents rolling when the device is placed on surface  21 . For clarity, spoon  15  and hinge  16  are not shown in this view. Additionally, as can be seen in  FIG. 2 , when dispensing device  10  is resting on surface  21 , rest  20  elevates spoon  15  from surface  21  and prevents contamination of spoon  15  and its contents. Rest  20  can be located on the bottom of the open end of squeezable chamber  11 , or on the bottom of the open (non-serving) end of spoon  15 , or on both of these ends. Further, please note that the size, shape, and location of the rest can vary, as long as it prevents the device from rolling—i.e., it has a substantially flat overall profile which rests against an environmental surface—and elevates the spoon off a surface to prevent contamination. 
         [0041]      FIG. 4  is a view of the dispensing device similar to  FIG. 1 , showing certain hidden elements of the device in broken lines. Specifically, spoon  15  contains a passageway  22  within, which connects spoon end opening  17  to an outlet opening  23  in the serving end of spoon  15 . Thus when the device is in the in-use position shown in  FIG. 2  and the user squeezes the contents out of squeezable chamber  11 , the contents pass through passageway  22  and emerge at outlet opening  23 . It should be noted that the outlet opening can be placed in different locations in the spoon. As one example, the outlet opening can be at the edge of the spoon closest to the squeezable chamber, rather than in the center of the spoon. Said another way, the passageway does not have to extend within the curved serving part of the spoon, but can instead just extend through the “neck” of the spoon. The device can also have multiple outlet openings in the spoon, operatively connected to the passageway. 
         [0042]      FIG. 5  illustrates the hinge portion of the dispensing device in greater detail, including the end opening in the hinged spoon and the end opening in the squeezable chamber. For clarity, the rest of squeezable chamber  11  is not shown in this view. Spoon end opening  17  is recessed inside the non-serving end of spoon  15 , in order to provide the necessary clearance when spoon  15  is pivoted onto squeezable chamber  11 . Spoon end opening  17  also has a slightly larger diameter than chamber end opening  13 , so that when the two openings are brought together by pivoting spoon  15  about hinge  16  in the direction of the arrows, chamber opening  13  nests inside spoon end opening  17 . Chamber end opening has a flexible outer lip  18  around its outer circumference, which engages with a flexible inner lip  19  located around the inner circumference of spoon end opening  17  to secure the two openings together. Other suitable means to secure the two openings together may be employed. 
         [0043]      FIG. 6  further illustrates the dispensing device in the “in use” position, including passageway  22  (in broken lines) and outlet opening  23  in spoon  15 —through which and from which, respectively, the contents of squeezable chamber  11  are dispensed. The nested engagement of spoon opening  17  with chamber opening  13  is also shown in broken lines—this engagement enables the contents to flow from squeezable chamber  11  flow through chamber opening  13 , spoon opening  17 , passageway  22 , and out through outlet opening  23 . 
         [0044]    To use the device, which is preferably delivered filled with contents but which can also be delivered empty and filled by the user, the user removes any seals against contamination and then pivots spoon  15  about hinge  16  in order to bring the non-serving end of spoon  15  and the open end of squeezable chamber  11  together. Once spoon  15  is locked in place against squeezable chamber  11 , the user applies hand pressure or other means to squeeze the contents out of the chamber, through passageway  22  and out into the serving end of spoon  15  through outlet opening  23 . The user can supply just enough pressure to fill spoon  15 , wait for the recipient to consume what is in spoon  15 , and then squeeze more contents into the spoon. 
         [0045]    Alternatively, the user can fill the spoon continuously if the recipient is consuming the contents continuously. 
         [0046]    While the above descriptions contain many specificities, these shall not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplifications of embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
         [0047]    Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.