Patent Publication Number: US-2018044069-A1

Title: Solid and liquid dietary dispensing system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon. 
     The present invention is directed to a solid and liquid dietary dispensing system that simultaneously stores and dispenses a plurality of nutritional edible substances in the form of both a liquid and a solid, while also enabling access to the edible substances by squeezing the container or opening a gate in the cap. 
     The inventor often practices healthy living and eating habits. The inventor especially enjoys consuming nutritional dietary edibles. These were often in liquid and solid forms. However, the inventor recognized that it was often inconvenient to access and consume both liquid and solid edible substances simultaneously. 
     The inventor was aware that there were cups and containers that held both liquids and solid foods. But these combination cups were used for carrying drinks and snack foods were bulky and difficult to hold. Children were especially prone to tipping their drinks and require safeguards to keep liquids and snacks from spilling out on to adjacent surfaces. Further, most cups of this nature were not designed to contain healthy, nutritious edible substances in the form of both liquid and solid. 
     The inventor designed a flexible cup that could be held with one hand and squeezed to discharge a liquid edible substance contained within. The inventor also added a cap to the cup. The cap had a cavity that contained solid edible substances. 
     The inventor recognized a problem in that the solid and liquid edible substances would mix. The inventor added barriers throughout the cap to segregate the cap cavity into multiple compartments, so as to provide each solid or liquid edible component its own compartment. The inventor finally added a hinged gate to the cap to prevent spillage. 
     For the foregoing reasons, there is a solid and liquid dietary dispensing system that simultaneously stores and dispenses a plurality of nutritional edible substances in the form of both a liquid and a solid. The system segregates the solid from the liquid; and further, may segregate multiple solids from each other, and multiple liquids from each other. The system is also adapted to be manipulated with one hand, so as to enable a user to access the nutritional edible substances for consumption while performing other functions. 
     Food storage and delivery systems and methods have been utilized in the past; yet none with the characteristics of the present invention. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,596,491; 8,939,312; and 20150272357. 
     For the foregoing reasons, there is a solid and liquid dietary dispensing system that simultaneously stores and dispenses a plurality of nutritional edible substances in the form of both a liquid and a solid, while also enabling access to the edible substances by squeezing the container or opening a gate in the cap. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention describes a solid and liquid dietary dispensing system that simultaneously stores and dispenses a plurality of nutritional edible substances in the form of both a liquid and a solid. The system segregates the solid from the liquid; and further, may segregate multiple solids from each other, and multiple liquids from each other. The system is also adapted to be manipulated with one hand, so as to enable a user to access the nutritional edible substances for consumption while performing other functions, such as exercising, driving, and talking on the phone. 
     In one embodiment, a solid and liquid dietary dispensing system comprises a generally flattened tubular container. The container is generally elongated. The container is sized and dimensioned to be held with one hand. The container is defined by a container sidewall that forms a container cavity. The container cavity may contain a liquid edible substance, having nutritional value. The container is further defined by a base end and a dispense end. 
     The base end of the container is configured to form a foundation for maintaining the container in a generally upright position. The dispense end of the container comprises a neck having a neck opening. The container is flexible, so as to enable depressing. Depressing along the length of the container forces air, or the liquid edible substance through the neck opening. 
     The system further comprises a cap that detachably attaches to the container. The cap is defined by a continuous cap sidewall that forms a cap cavity. The cap is further defined by a discharge end and a mount end. The mount end comprises a channel that detachably mates with the neck of the container. In this manner, the container cavity and the cap cavity are in fluid communication. 
     In some embodiments, the system may include at least one barrier that is disposed transversely to the cap sidewall. The at least one barrier segregates the cap cavity into a plurality of compartments. Each compartment may contain a solid edible substance or a liquid edible substance, or both. The at least one barrier seals each compartment off from the other, such that the edible substances are hermetically sealed in separate compartments within the cap of the container. 
     In another embodiment, the system comprises at least one gate. The gate is disposed at the discharge end of the cap. The gate is configured to selectively move between an open position and a closed position. The open position enables access to the liquid and solid edible substances. The closed position inhibits access to the liquid and solid edible substances. 
     One objective of the present invention is to provide a dietary dispensing system that simultaneously stores and dispenses a plurality of nutritional edible substances in the form of both a liquid and a solid. 
     Another objective is to provide a hand held container having a plurality of compartments wherein at least one compartment stores a solid edible substance and at least one compartment stores a liquid edible substance. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to depress the container to discharge the liquid edible substance through the neck opening for consumption. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to enable one-handed consumption of both solid and liquid edible substances. 
     Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide fun and easy access to nutritional edible substances. 
     Yet another objective is to inexpensively manufacture a solid and liquid dietary dispensing system. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary solid and liquid dietary dispensing system; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectioned view of the solid and liquid dietary dispensing system, shown in  FIG. 1 , with at least one gate in a closed position; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectioned view of the solid and liquid dietary dispensing system, shown in  FIG. 1 , with at least one gate in an open position; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the container and cap joined together; and 
         FIG. 5  is a sectioned view of the container and cap joined together. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention, referenced in  FIGS. 1-5 , is directed to a solid and liquid dietary dispensing system  100 . The solid and liquid dietary dispensing system  100 , hereafter “system  100 ” provides a user with the balanced option of selecting from a nutritional liquid edible substance from a container  102 , and a nutritional solid edible substance, delivered from a cap  116  that detachably attaches to the container  102 . The solid or liquid edible substances may be hermetically sealed in separate compartments  132   a ,  132   b  within both the cap  116  and the container  102 . 
     As referenced in  FIG. 1 , the system  100  simultaneously stores and dispenses the edible substances in the form of both a liquid and a solid. The system  100  segregates the solid from the liquid edible substances; and further, may segregate multiple solids from each other, and multiple liquids from each other. The system  100  is also adapted to be manipulated with one hand, so as to enable a user to access the liquid and solid edible substances for consumption while performing myriad functions, such as exercising, driving, and talking on the phone. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that most combination cups for carrying drinks and snack foods are bulky and difficult to hold. Children are especially prone to tipping their drinks and require safeguards to keep liquids and snacks from spilling out on to adjacent surfaces. Further, most cups of this nature are not designed to contain healthy, nutritious edible substances in the form of both liquid and solid. 
     In one embodiment, the system  100  comprises a generally flattened tubular container  102 . The container  102  is generally elongated, and sized and dimensioned to fit into one hand. The container  102  may also have an elongated oval shape. The container  102  may be fabricated from a plastic, such as polyurethane, silicone, or other flexible material. The container  102  is also fabricated from an anti-bacterial material. 
     Looking now at  FIG. 2 , the container  102  may be defined by a container sidewall  104  that forms a container cavity  106 . The container cavity  106  is configured to contain a liquid, and specifically a liquid edible substance having nutritional value. In some embodiments, the liquid edible substance may include, without limitation, a health shake, a fruit juice, yogurt, milk, medicine, and mineral water. 
     The container  102  is further defined by a base end  108  and a dispense end  110 . The base end  108  of the container  102  is configured to form a foundation for maintaining the container  102  in a generally upright position. As  FIG. 3  illustrates, the dispense end  110  of the container  102  comprises a neck  112  that extends therefrom. The neck  112  carries the liquid edible substance form the container cavity  106  for consumption. A neck opening  114  forms at the terminus of the neck  112 . The neck opening  114  is the only opening allowed from the container  102 . The container  102  is flexible, so as to enable depressing. In one embodiment, depressing along the length of the container  102  forces air, or the liquid edible substance, through the neck opening  114 . 
     The system  100  further comprises a cap  116  that detachably attaches to the container  102 . The cap  116  is sized and dimensioned to substantially match the length and width of the dispense end  110  of the container  102 . The cap  116  is defined by a continuous cap sidewall  118  that forms a cap cavity  120 . The cap cavity  120  is configured to contain a solid edible substance, a liquid edible substance, or both. In some embodiments, the solid edible substance may include, without limitation, cereal, raisins, nuts, seeds, granola mix, fruit, vegetables, candy, pills, and tablets. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , the cap  116  is further defined by a discharge end  122  and a mount end  124 . The mount end  124  detachably attaches to the dispense end  110  of the container  102  through a friction fit relationship. In one embodiment, a seal forms between the mount end  124  of the cap  116  and the dispense end  110  of the container  102 . Optionally a seal such as a gasket, O-ring, flap or the like, can be deployed to aid in retention of the liquid edible substance in the container  102 . 
     The mount end  124  of the cap  116  comprises a channel  126  that detachably mates with the neck  112  of the container  102 . In one embodiment, the neck opening  114  and the channel  126  may be threaded. In this threaded adaptation, the neck opening  114  is configured to rotatably engage the channel  126 . Though in other embodiments, the channel  126  and the neck  112  have a friction fit relationship. In this manner, the container cavity  106  and the cap cavity  120  are in a sealed fluid communication. 
     In some embodiments, the system  100  may include at least one barrier  130  that is disposed transversely to the cap sidewall  118 . The at least one barrier  130  segregates the cap cavity  120  into a plurality of compartments  132   a ,  132   b . The at least one barrier  130  seals each compartment  132   a ,  132   b  off from the other, such that the edible substances are hermetically sealed in separate compartments  132   a ,  132   b  within the cap  116  of the container  102 . 
     In one embodiment, a first barrier  130  forms a circular perimeter around the neck opening  114 , a second barrier  130  segregates one region of the cap cavity  120 , and a third barrier  130  segregates an opposite region of the cap cavity  120 . Though in other embodiments, any combination or number of compartments may be formed in the cap  116  by the barriers  130 . Each compartment  132   a ,  132   b  may be equally sized and dimensioned, or have different sizes, depending on the types of edible substances contained therein. 
     In one embodiment, each compartment  132   a ,  132   b  may contain a solid edible substance, or a liquid edible substance, or both. In another embodiment, each compartment  132   a ,  132   b  contains a different solid edible substance. In this manner, the user has the option of consuming different types of liquid and solid substances from the same cap  116 . 
     As shown back in  FIG. 1 , the system  100  includes at least one gate  128   a ,  128   b . The gate  128   a ,  128   b  is disposed at the discharge end  122  of the cap  116 . The gate  128   a ,  128   b  is configured to selectively move between an open position and a closed position. The open position enables access to the liquid and solid edible substances ( FIG. 1 ). The closed position inhibits access to the liquid and solid edible substances ( FIG. 2 ). In one embodiment, the gate  128   a ,  128   b  hingedly attaches to the discharge end  122  of the cap  116 . Though in other embodiments, the gate  128   a ,  128   b  may slide between the open and closed positions. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates two differently shaped gates  128   a ,  128   b  in an open position at the discharge end  122  of the cap  116 . A first gate is circular  128   a  and a second gate  128   b  is elongated. The circular gate  128   a  may be more effective for accessing the liquid edible substance, while the elongated gate can be more effective for dispensing solid edible substances. In alternative embodiments, more than two gates may be used. 
     While the inventor&#39;s above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification of several preferred embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example, the compartments in the cap may all contain a liquid edible substance, and the container may include a granule solid edible substance. Accordingly, the scope should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.