Abstract:
A reusable food pouch includes a rigid neck through which food is passed and into a storage reservoir. The rigid neck includes threads onto which either a storage cap or dispensing cap is attached. Resilient, pliable sidewalls form the storage reservoir and are generally bullet shaped when viewed from either the front or rear.

Description:
[0001]    There are no related patent applications. 
         [0002]    The present application was not subject to federal research and/or development funding. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0003]    Generally, the present invention relates to a reusable food pouch that stores puree for feeding infants and small children. More specifically, the reusable food pouch includes a flexible resilient material having a solid neck that accepts both a storage cap and an interchangeable dispensing nozzle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    There are several types of storage containers for use in storing food. For instance, there are glass and metal cans which are vacuum sealed. Other types of storage containers include flexible plastic bags such as sandwich bags or bags which include tracks and rails which mate to one another to create a seal. Still other containers include a foil material or a paper-based substrate. By way of example, the following patents and publications are representative of the state of the art. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,105 discloses a paper container device that consists of a cuboid container body with a round hole made of aluminum foil paper and a sucking pipette having an extending portion with a sharp end. The round hole is disposed at the uppermost middle portion of the right side of the container body. The upper right folded triangle portion on the upper side is folded down and glued to the surface of the right side, the pipette is partly glued between the right folded triangle portion and the surface of the right side. The pipette together with the triangle portion can be torn apart and its sharp end can pierce through the aluminum foil into the container body for sucking out the drink in it. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,261 discloses a collapsible dispensing container for beverages and other products. The body of the container is capable of being completely collapsed in a horizontal plane. The body of the container comprises two flat, parallel, and flexible body members sealed or otherwise positioned together to form a flat, envelope-like pouch. One body member incorporates an access port for introducing product into and withdrawing product from the dispensing container. The configuration access port prevents spills or leaks by narrowly circumscribing access to the product held in the dispensing container. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,968 discloses a flexible pouch formed from a first sheet and second sheet which are in sealing engaged along their side edges. Two gussets are provided at the top and bottom, respectively, of the sheets. The bottom of the&#39;uppermost gusset is recessed such that a pocket is formed at one end of the pouch. A compartment is formed within the pouch by the two sheets and the two gussets. A straw or other suitable instrument can be used to puncture the uppermost gusset in order to remove the contents from the compartment of the pouch. This pocket has a wide mouth and will enable easy insertion of the straw while minimizing or eliminating product spillage. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,845 discloses a container system for dispensing flowable materials and includes a prefilled, disposable bag, a reusable outer support and a reusable cap. The bag fits into the outer support and has a flat top with a collar that is held between the cap and outer support. The cap includes a tube for dispensing the material. The tube punctures the top of the bag when the cap is assembled to the outer support. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. Pub. 2008/0175520 discloses a food storage bag formed from a planar sheet of polymeric material. The bag has two food storage compartments defined therein, each with a closure for items received therein. In one version the bag is formed with two, differently sized compartments integrally secured to each other on a single backing. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. Pub. 2009/0238495 discloses a portable storage container that consists of multiple compartments that are used to separate different components of a stored item. The storage device is made from a plurality of polymeric film sheets that are connected through a perimeter seal that leaves a vacant space within the perimeter seal between the polymeric film sheets for creating multiple compartments. The compartments are separated through frangible sealing structures that are made up of a plurality of individual seals of varying types. When the device is operated, the frangible sealing structure is ruptured, therefore allowing the separated components to mix. Using a sealing structure made up of multiple seals ensures that the compartments remain separated when the storage container is subjected to harsh environmental conditions. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The instant invention is a reusable food pouch having a first end that includes a threaded neck through which food passes into a semi-rigid food storage compartment. The first end is substantially flat when viewed from a front or back end of the pouch. The pliable sides of the food storage compartment may be gently squeezed to remove food stored within the pouch or evacuate air from within when depositing food therein to ensure longevity of the stored food. A storage cap mates with the threaded neck to seal air and air-borne contaminants from spoiling the stored food. The storage cap is removed by twisting it from the threaded neck; thereafter, food may be squeezed from within the pouch. Otherwise, the storage cap may be replaced with a dispensing cap which comprises a straw that passes through the cap and through which food in the pouch may be squeezed. The food pouch and caps may be formed from a food safe material such as a polymer comprising Polyethylene Terephthalate, High Density Polyethylene, Low Density Polyethylene or Polypropylene. In an additional embodiment, a removable, thin, plastic insert is provided in the food pouch storage area. The removable plastic insert may include rigid neck or an elongated neck which extends over the end of the threaded to prevent the insert from being entirely displaced into the storage area. 
         [0012]    In a preferred embodiment, the reusable food pouches are used to dispense pureed food for infants, toddlers, and children. The reusable food pouch may vary in size from one to three ounces or multiples thereof and is formed from a plastic material such as a polymer. The unique shape of the reusable food pouch is absent of sharp edges to prevent injury to the user&#39;s hands as well as scrapes to other parts of the body. 
         [0013]    An object of the invention is to teach a reusable food storage container into which a small portion of food may be deposited for consumption at a later time. 
         [0014]    A further object of the invention is to teach a flexible reusable food storage container that includes flexible resilient sides into which food is deposited and which may be viewed to ensure that stored food is not spoiled. 
         [0015]    An additional object of the invention is to provide a reusable food storage container which is shaped to prevent spillage of food from therein when the container rests on a surface. 
         [0016]    Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned from practicing the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be obtained by means of instrumentalities in combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a front view of the food storage pouch. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a cross section side view of the food storage pouch. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3A  is an enlarged perspective view of a dispensing cap.  FIG. 3B  is an enlarged perspective view of a storage cap. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4A  is a cross section view of an embodiment that includes a disposable inner liner.  FIG. 4B  is a cross section view of a further embodiment including the disposable inner liner. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  shows a plurality of food storage pouches maintained within a tray. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    The embodiments of the invention and the various features and advantageous details thereof are more fully explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments and examples that are described and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and set forth in the following description. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the features of one embodiment may be employed with the other embodiments as the skilled artisan recognizes, even if not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions of well-known components and techniques may be omitted to avoid obscuring the invention. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the invention may be practiced and to further enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Accordingly, the examples and embodiments set forth herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims. Moreover, it is noted that like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are views of the food storage pouch  1  and showing a first end that includes a threaded neck  3  onto which a threaded cap  10 A,  10 B is fitted. Curved sidewalls  2 A,  2 B substantially form a bullet-shape when viewed from the side and include shoulders which taper into the threaded neck. Each sidewall is rounded such that when the pouch is placed on a flat surface on either side, the neck will be maintained above a plane of the flat surface such that the neck does not come into contact with the flat surface. Each sidewall terminates in a second end  4  which is closed and substantially round, when viewed from the side to prevent the user from standing up the pouch on end. This rounded end prevents spillage should the pouch be inadvertently knocked over. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3A  shows a dispensing cap  10 A having a straw  11  that extends through an opening having a diameter substantially equal to an exterior diameter of a cross section of the straw to create a substantially air-tight seal between the opening and exterior of the straw. A dispensing end of the straw  11 A extends above the threaded cap  10 A. An intake end of the straw  11 B extends downward into the interior of a cavity  15  such that food may be squeezed or sucked from within.  FIG. 3B  shows a storage cap  10 B which comprises a solid top and interior threads that mate with the threads on the neck of the storage pouch. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4A  is a cross section view of an embodiment that includes a disposable inner liner  20  that defines a cavity  21 . The inner liner  20  is stuffed into the pouch  1  through the open end of neck  3 . Thereafter, food or fluids may be deposited into the cavity  21 . When the contained food is removed, the inner liner  20  may be withdrawn from within the pouch  1  and discarded. A new inner liner may thereafter be inserted into the pouch  1 . As can be easily understood from  FIGS. 4A and 4B , an open end of the inner liner  20  may be comprise a portion  22  that extends only over the open end of the neck  3  as shown in  FIG. 4A . Otherwise, a portion  23  of the open end of the inner liner  20  may extend across the open end of the neck  3  and onto the threaded exterior of the neck to be secured against the neck via the cap  10 A,  10 B. 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  shows a plurality of food storage pouches  1  maintained within a tray  30 . The tray  30  is helpful in holding the pouches  1  in an upright position when food or fluids are being deposited into the pouches  1 . The tray  30  includes a plurality of docks  31  to receive the pouches  1 . 
         [0027]    It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction illustrated and described above, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. While the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in limiting sense. From the above disclosure of the general principles of the present invention and the preceding detailed description, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which the present invention is susceptible. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.