Abstract:
Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for partitioning food containers, such as cereal bowls. Some embodiments may include a system with a food container, which may be a cereal bowl. The system may also include a flexible membrane having a top surface and a bottom surface. The membrane may partition the food container into a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion may be for holding liquid content. The upper bowl portion may be adapted for holding edible solid content. The membrane may have multiple passageways extending from the membrane bottom surface through the membrane top surface. The multiple passageways may be normally closed and then expand to an open configuration allowing fluid transmission from below the membrane to above the membrane when the membrane is flexed in a first direction normal to a resting plane parallel to the top surface and the bottom surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a non-provisional, and claims the benefit, of commonly assigned U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/202,244, filed Feb. 10, 2009, entitled “Partitioned Cereal Bowl,” the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Embodiments relate to food containers in general and to dishware in particular and more particularly to partitioned food containers, such as partitioned cereal bowls, having a permeable partition for temporarily separating dry and liquid foods. 
         [0003]    A main feature of some types of cereal is the crunch and crispiness. This is underscored by cereal manufacturers as a major selling point and is the subject of numerous commercials associated with fun and enjoyment of food. Yet, cereal is usually prepared for serving by topping it with liquids, typically milk. Thus, the cereal absorbs the liquid and becomes soggy, losing its much sought crispiness and crunch. Such an outcome is unavoidable, regardless of how crunchy the cereal originally is, because soaking a grain product in liquid turns it mushy, considering the inherent qualities of the various ingredients. 
         [0004]    This is especially evident in people who tend to eat slowly, typically children. The longer the cereal is immersed in liquid, the more soggy and unpalatable it becomes. 
         [0005]    It would be desirable to provide a means that may keep the dry food and liquid foods separate until one is ready to eat the food. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Some embodiments may include a partitioned food container system. The partitioned food container system may include a food container. The system may also include a flexible membrane having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the membrane partitions the food container into a lower portion and an upper portion, the lower portion being adapted for holding liquid content, the upper bowl portion being adapted for holding edible solid content, the membrane having a plurality of passageways extending from the membrane bottom surface through the membrane top surface. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments, a partitioned food container system of claim may include a plurality of passageways that are normally closed and expand to an open configuration allowing fluid transmission from below the membrane to above the membrane when the membrane is flexed in a first direction normal to a resting plane parallel to the top surface and the bottom surface. In some embodiments, a partitioned food container system may include a plurality of passageways that remain in a closed configuration hindering fluid transmission from below the membrane to above the membrane when the membrane is flexed in a second direction normal to the resting plane parallel to the top surface and the bottom surface. In some embodiments, a partitioned food container system may include a plurality of passageways that are normally open. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments, a partitioned food container system may include a food container that is a cereal bowl. In some embodiments, a partitioned food container system may include a flexible membrane that is removable from the food container. In some embodiments, a partitioned food container system may include a flexible membrane that is integrated with the food container. 
         [0009]    Some embodiments may include a method for partitioning a food container to separate temporarily a liquid from an edible solid content. The method may include inserting a partition into the food container, wherein the partition may have a top surface and a bottom surface. The partition may partition the food container into a lower portion and an upper portion, the lower portion may be adapted for holding liquid content, the upper bowl portion may be adapted for holding edible solid content. The partition may have multiple passageways extending from the partition bottom surface through the partition top surface. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, a method for partitioning a food container to separate temporarily a liquid from an edible solid content may include a partition that includes multiple passageways that are normally closed and expand to an open configuration allowing fluid transmission from below the partition to above the partition when the partition is flexed in a first direction normal to a resting plane parallel to the top surface and the bottom surface. In some embodiments, a method for partitioning a food container to separate temporarily a liquid from an edible solid content may include a partition with multiple passageways that remain in a closed configuration hindering fluid transmission from below the partition to above the partition when the partition is flexed in a second direction normal to the resting plane parallel to the top surface and the bottom surface. In some embodiments, a method for partitioning a food container to separate temporarily a liquid from an edible solid content may include a partition with multiple passageways that are normally open. 
         [0011]    In some embodiments, a method for partitioning a food container to separate temporarily a liquid from an edible solid content may include a food container that is a cereal bowl. In some embodiments, a method for partitioning a food container to separate temporarily a liquid from an edible solid content may include a partition that is removable from the food container. In some embodiments, a method for partitioning a food container to separate temporarily a liquid from an edible solid content may include a partition that is integrated with the food container. 
         [0012]    Some embodiments may include a food container partition device. The food container partition device may include a membrane having a top surface and a bottom surface. The membrane may partitions a food container into a lower portion and an upper portion. The membrane may have multiple passageways extending from the membrane bottom surface through the membrane top surface. 
         [0013]    In some embodiments, a food container partition device of may include a membrane that is further configured to be removably inserted into the food container. In some embodiments, a food container partition device of claim may include a membrane that is further configured to be utilized with the food container that is a cereal bowl. In some embodiments, the membrane may be permanently inserted into a food container. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments, a food container partition device may include a partition or membrane that includes multiple passageways that are normally closed and expand to an open configuration allowing fluid transmission from below the membrane to above the membrane when the membrane is flexed in a first direction normal to a resting plane parallel to the top surface and the bottom surface. In some embodiments, a food container partition device may include a partition or membrane with multiple passageways that remain in a closed configuration hindering fluid transmission from below the membrane to above the membrane when the membrane is flexed in a second direction normal to the resting plane parallel to the top surface and the bottom surface. In some embodiments, a food container partition device may include a partition or membrane that includes multiple passageways that are normally open. In some embodiments, a food container partition device may include a support structured coupled with the membrane, wherein the support structure is configured to extend over a top edge of the food container. 
         [0015]    In some embodiments, a partitioned cereal bowl may have a partition that keeps solids and liquids separate. Some embodiments may include a disposable partition that can be unitarily constructed with the bowl. In some embodiments, the partition may be separate component, fitting into an existing bowl. The partition may have a lip along peripheral edges to position the partition above the fluid contents of the bowl in some embodiments. A raised knob may allow quick separation of the partition from the bowl extends from the partition. The bowl can be made of various materials. The partition may be made of materials that support a unitarily constructed, flexible, built-in fluid permeable membrane. The membrane may be resiliently flexible, with normally closed micro-passageways so that, under pressure created by a spoon or other utensil, the passageways may open to allow liquid in the bowl to permeate the top side of the membrane, thereby contacting the solid food morsels. The container may be microwavable, disposable, and/or sealed by a peel-off lid. A peel off membrane lid may secure the membrane. In some embodiments, a lid may secure the membrane until microwaving. An air outlet vent may be disposed on the side of the container. 
         [0016]    These and other features of different embodiments will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    A further understanding of the nature and advantages of different embodiments may be realized by reference to the following drawings. In the appended figures, similar components or features may have the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label. 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a partitioned food container or system, such as a partitioned cereal bowl, in accordance with various embodiments. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of a partitioned food container or system, such as the partitioned cereal bowl of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with various embodiments. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a side view in section of a partitioned food container or system, such as the partitioned cereal bowl of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with various embodiments. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a side view in section of a membrane for a partitioned food container or system, such as a partitioned cereal bowl, in accordance with various embodiments. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a side view in section of an alternative embodiment of a membrane for a partitioned food container or system, such as a partitioned cereal bowl, in accordance with various embodiments; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a partial side view in section of a membrane for a partitioned food container or system, such as a partitioned cereal bowl, in accordance with various embodiments, the passages through the membrane being closed. 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a partial side view in section of a membrane for a partitioned food container or system, such as a partitioned cereal bowl, in accordance with various embodiments, the passages through the membrane being open by distension of the membrane to allow the passage of liquid through the membrane. 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a side view in section of an alternative embodiment of a partitioned food container or system, such as a partitioned cereal bowl, in accordance with various embodiments. 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a top view of a partitioned food container or system, such as partitioned cereal bowl of  FIG. 8 , in accordance with various embodiments. 
           [0027]      FIG. 10  is a side view of another alternative embodiment of a partitioned food container or system, such as a partitioned cereal bowl, in accordance with various embodiments. 
           [0028]      FIG. 11  is a partial side view in section view of an alternative embodiment of a closed membrane for a partitioned food container or system, such as a partitioned cereal bowl, in accordance with various embodiments. 
           [0029]      FIG. 12  is a partial side view in section view of an alternative embodiment of an open membrane for a partitioned food container or system, such as a partitioned cereal bowl, in accordance with various embodiments. 
       
    
    
       [0030]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    This description provides example embodiments, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention. Rather, the ensuing description of the embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing embodiments of the invention. Various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
         [0032]    Thus, various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, it should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the methods may be performed in an order different from that described, and that various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Also, features described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of the embodiments may be combined in a similar manner. 
         [0033]    It should also be appreciated that the following may individually or collectively be components of a larger system, wherein other procedures may take precedence over or otherwise modify their application. Also, a number of steps may be required before, after, or concurrently with the following embodiments. 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 , and/or  FIG. 3 , embodiments are shown of partitioned food containers, devices, and/or systems such as a partitioned cereal bowl, merely by way of example. Embodiments of partitioned food containers, devices, and/or systems may keep solids (i.e., cereal) and liquids (i.e., milk) separate until it may be desired to eat the solids, such as a cereal. In some embodiments, partition  20  may be integral to a food container, such as bowl  16 . In some embodiment, partition  20  may be disposable. In some embodiments, partition  20  may be supported by mounting tabs  12 . 
         [0035]    In some embodiments, partition  20  may be separable to retrofit an existing food container, such as an ordinary cereal bowl. Embodiments may include a partition that may have an edge or lip  200  (as shown in  FIG. 10 , merely by way of example) that may allow the partition to sit a predetermined distance above the fluid-containing portion of the food container. In some embodiments, raised knob  18 , which may allow quick separation of the partition from the food container, such as a bowl, extends from partition  20 . 
         [0036]    Food container  16 , which may be a bowl or more particularly a cereal bowl, can be made of various materials. Merely by way of example, food container  16  may be made of materials including, but not limited to, disposable plasticized materials, cardboard, paper, or the like. Partition  20  may be made of different materials, such as stretchable nylon, that can readily accommodate a flexible, built-in membrane  22 , merely by way of example. In some embodiments, membrane  22  may be made of natural and/or synthetic materials. Merely by way of example, membrane  22  may be made of stretchable nylon and/or rubber. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the fluid-containing portion of the food container  16  may be defined by the volume between inner bottom  24  of food container  16  and partition  20  for some embodiments. 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the inside bottom portion of food container  16  may have a substantially concave contour  10  for some embodiments. 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIG. 6  and/or  FIG. 7 , membrane  22  may be flexible with normally closed passages  28  through its upper and lower surfaces for some embodiments. In some embodiments, membrane  22  may include openings that are normally open, such as with a mesh structure, merely by way of example. Membrane  22  may be resilient and flexible, passages  28  opening under pressure caused by a spoon or the like, thus letting liquid seep through the opened passageways. 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIG. 8  and/or  FIG. 9 , embodiments of a partitioned food container, devices, and/or systems such as a partitioned cereal bowl may comprise a microwavable and/or disposable bowl  32 . Some embodiments may include container lid  38 , which may be a peel-off container lid, that may seal the container or bowl  32 , which has upper section  44  holding solid food, such as cereal flakes  14  and lower section  42  capable of holding liquid, bowl  32  being divided by a disposable container partition  34  comprised of flexible membrane  22  and any required membrane supporting structure to define the sections  42  and  44 . In some embodiments, a peel-off membrane lid or release paper  36  may secure membrane  22  until microwaving. Hollow vent  40  on the side of bowl  32  may provide an air outlet. 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIG. 4  and/or  FIG. 5 , some embodiments may include a supporting structure of partition  20  that can be of varying annular thickness, depending upon the particular design of food container and membrane  22 . 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIG. 10 ,  FIG. 11 , and/or  FIG. 12 , some embodiments of food container  100 , such as a bowl, may have permeable membrane  700  with membrane passageways  280  that open in when membrane  700  is pushed in particular directions. In some embodiments, membrane passageways  280  may open in one normal direction, as shown. In some embodiments, spoon  500  or the like may be dipped into the interior of food container  100 , causing membrane flexion  300 , which introduces fluid from fluid holding portion  600  to commingle with a portion of solid food  14 , such as cereal. In some embodiments, membrane partition  700  may have V-shaped passageways  280  that are closed when the membrane  700  is disposed across the bowl at rest, i.e., with no normal flexion applied. When a downward normal force is applied to membrane  700 , V-shaped passageways  280  may be stretched open at the bottom, thereby opening passageways  280  for transmission of fluid between lower and upper membrane surfaces. In some embodiments, when the normal force is applied from the opposite direction, e.g., if the bowl is turned upside down, the apex portion just gets tighter, thereby continuing to seal off the fluid portion of the bowl. 
         [0043]    In some embodiments, the manner of using a partitioned food container, devices, and/or systems, such as a partitioned cereal bowl, may be described as follows. A user may pour some liquid (milk for example) into bowl  16 , which washes off the slanted inner bottom, merely by way of example, creating a reservoir in and around concave bowl portion  10 . Partition  20  may be placed onto upper peripheral portion of bowl  16 . Such placement may occur in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, being snapped in to place, screwed in to place, and/or flexed in to place. Solid food section  44 , such as a cereal flake section, may thus be created at top portion of bowl  16 . In some embodiments, an opening may be provided so that a liquid may be introduced into a lower portion of a food container such that that partition  20  may be in place when the liquid is poured into bowl  16 . In some embodiments, liquid may be poured onto partition  20  and it may pass through to a lower portion of bowl  16 ; in some embodiments, this method may involving flexing partition  20  so that the liquid may pass to the lower portion. 
         [0044]    Solid food section  44 , such as a cereal flake section, may be filled with solid food  14 , such as dry cereal flakes. While taking a spoonful of flakes  14 , merely by way of example, spoon  26  or other like utensil or comparable means (such as using one&#39;s fingers) may be pressed vertically down against flexible membrane  22 , forcing membrane  22  to bend and membrane passageways  30  to open. Spoon  26  or the like, loaded with cereal  14 , may be immersed, possibly briefly, into liquid (milk) reservoir  42  and lifted, possibly immediately, thereby releasing the pressure of membrane  22 , closing passages  30  and keeping the remaining bulk of unused flakes  14  separate from the liquid (milk) section  42 . Hence, in some embodiments, one can repeatedly enjoy numerous spoonfuls of dry and crunchy cereal with liquid (milk) using the same dishware, regardless of whether both ingredients have been placed in it. Using knob  18 , partition  20  can be removed from the bowl  16  and cleaned. 
         [0045]    In some embodiments, disposable microwavable container  32  may operate similarly with peel-off lid  38  and peel-off membrane lid  36 . 
         [0046]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. 
         [0047]    It should also be noted that the methods, systems, and devices discussed above are intended merely to be examples. It must be stressed that various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, it should be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, the methods may be performed in an order different from that described, and that various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Also, features described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of the embodiments may be combined in a similar manner. Also, it should be emphasized that technology evolves and, thus, many of the elements are examples and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention. 
         [0048]    Specific details are given in the description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, processes, structures, and techniques have been shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments. 
         [0049]    Also, it is noted that the embodiments may be described as a process which is depicted as a flow diagram or block diagram. Although each may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be rearranged. A process may have additional steps not included in the figure. 
         [0050]    Having described several embodiments, it will be recognized by those of skill in the art that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the above elements may merely be a component of a larger system, wherein other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of the invention. Also, a number of steps may be undertaken before, during, or after the above elements are considered. Accordingly, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.