Patent Abstract:
A pre-packaged s&#39;more kit containing a plurality of marshmallows, crackers, and flavored wafers shaped to fit inside an elongated container. Preferably, the kit includes a roasting utensil also designed to fit within the elongated container. Once the s&#39;more ingredients are removed, the elongated container can be reused as a storage container, a drinking cup, even a refractory telescope. Advantageously, a s&#39;more connoisseur need only purchase one easily storable and transportable kit Instead of separately purchasing the ingredients in bulk.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a food product for human consumption. More particularly, it relates to a kit for making s&#39;mores. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Campers sitting around a fire and families enjoying backyard barbeques often take pleasure in creating a dessert known as a s&#39;more. A s&#39;more generally includes a toasted marshmallow and a piece of chocolate sandwiched between two graham crackers. To enjoy these treats, however, requires extended preparation and can be quite expensive. A person must separately purchase marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate bars. There are never an equal number of components leading to inconvenient storage and inevitable wasted product. Moreover, the differing shapes and sizes of commercially available graham crackers and chocolate bars are not conducive to forming a s&#39;more. Additionally, the s&#39;more connoisseur must make, purchase, or locate a utensil for roasting the marshmallows. Such may require the use of a knife to sharpen a stick or a pre-fabricated skewer which both pose serious puncture hazards. Moreover, each of these items must be individually transported to the campsite or backyard barbeque, and when consumed require proper disposal of all packaging materials. 
     Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a pre-packaged kit conveniently and inexpensively designed to contain all the materials required to make s&#39;mores including a roasting utensil. The pre-packaged s&#39;more kit would ideally include sufficient quantities of graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate wafers to make a specified number of s&#39;mores without leaving any leftover. Advantageously, the chocolate wafers and the graham crackers would be of similar shape and size. It would also be advantageous to have a pre-packaged s&#39;more kit suitably designed to be easily transportable to a campsite, regardless of the consumer&#39;s mode of transportation. It would be a further advantage to have a pre-packaged s&#39;more kit designed to reduce waste once consumed. 
     SUMMARY 
     The invention is directed to a pre-packaged s&#39;more kit. The kit contains a plurality of marshmallows, crackers, and flavored wafers shaped to fit inside an elongated container. Preferably, the kit includes a safer roasting utensil with generally rounded features also designed to fit within the elongated container. To reduce waste, once the s&#39;more ingredients are removed, the elongated container can be reused as a storage container, a drinking cup, even a refracting telescope. Advantageously, a s&#39;more connoisseur need only purchase one easily storable and transportable kit instead of separately purchasing each ingredient in bulk. Another non-readily apparent advantage is that the components are provided in substantially equal portions to prevent dissatisfaction among participants as to who received the larger s&#39;more. 
     Additional advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of a pre-packaged s&#39;more kit. 
     FIGS. 2A,  2 B, and  2 C are cross sectional views of the elongated container housing crackers, flavored wafers and marshmallows according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a roasting utensil according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a modular roasting utensil according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a pre-packaged s&#39;more kit housing a modular roasting utensil, marshmallows, crackers, and chocolate wafers according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of one version of the roasting utensil; 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a second version of the roasting utensil; 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of one version of the elongated container according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of a second version of the elongated container according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 10A and 10B are schematic representations of the end caps according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 11A and 11B are schematic representations showing the placement of lenses on the end caps according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of a refracting telescope formed by the elongated container according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the invented pre-packaged s&#39;more kit, generally referenced as  10 , includes an elongated container  12  housing a plurality of marshmallows  14 , crackers  16 , and flavored wafers  18 . Preferably, the ratio of marshmallows  14  to crackers  16  to flavored wafers  18  should be 1:2:1. The number of each being limited by the size of elongated container  12 . Flavored wafers  18  may be chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, strawberry, or any other suitable flavor. Marshmallows  14 , crackers  16 , and flavored wafers  18  may also be preserved in resealable plastic bags. 
     Referring to FIG. 2A, in one version, elongated container  12  may be a hollow cylinder such that a cross-sectional view perpendicular to its longitudinal axis reveals a circular perimeter with a first diameter D 1 . Correspondingly, the cross-sectional perimeter of crackers  16  and flavored wafers  18  may also be circular with a second, smaller diameter D 2 . These shapes allow the crackers  16  and flavored wafers  18  to easily slide into and remain secure within elongated container  12 . However, referring now to FIGS. 2B and 2C the cross-sectional perimeters of elongated container  12 , crackers  16 , and flavored wafers  18  could be a polygonal, oval, or any other regular or irregular shape configured to allow crackers  16  and flavored wafers  18  to easily slide into and remain secure within elongated container  12 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, a preferred embodiment includes a roasting utensil  20  allowing a user to safely suspend at least one marshmallow  14  over a heat source such as a fire or hot coals. Roasting utensil  20  includes an elongated handle  22  with a roasting tip  24  securely fastened to one end. In one version, the roasting tip  24  includes a base  26 , first and second supports  28 ,  30 , and a holder  32  configured to receive and hold at least one marshmallow  14 . Advantageously, the joints between supports and holder  32  may be rounded transitions to reduce puncture hazards. 
     Preferably, roasting utensil  20  is configured to fit within elongated container  12 . Consequently, handle  22  may be made up of a plurality of elongated modules  34  and one roasting module  36  as shown in FIG.  4 . Roasting tip  24  may be securely attached to the first end  38  of roasting module  36 . The elongated modules  34  each include a sleeve  40 , the first end  42  of which may be fixed around the first end  44  of elongated module  34  by crimping, gluing, or other suitable method. Furthermore, each sleeve  40  may be configured so that the second end  46  of elongated module  34  and the second end  48  of roasting module  44  can securely, but removeably, slide into the second end  50  of sleeve  40 . The remaining elongated modules  34  and roasting module  36  are similarly joined to form elongated handle  22  with a roasting tip  24  protruding from one end. Preferably, the length of each elongated module  34  with attached sleeve  40  and roasting module  36  with attached roasting tip  24  should be less than the length of the elongated container  12 , thus allowing the unassembled roasting utensil  20  to easily fit within elongated container  12  as illustrated in FIG.  5 . Advantageously, elongated modules  34  may be manufactured from a relatively light duty material which is sufficiently strong to support modules  34  and marshmallow  14  and yet designed to break apart upon improper use. 
     In one version as illustrated in FIG. 6 each sleeve  40  may be a hollow cylindrical ferrule. Each ferrule, also referenced as  40 , may be made of aluminum or other suitable material. The first end  42  of each ferrule  40  may be crimped onto the first end  44  of each elongated module  34 . Second end  50  of each ferrule  40  is configured to receive and securely retain the second end  46  of another elongated module  34 . This may be accomplished by forming at least one dimple  52  on the second end  50  of each ferrule. Dimple  52  protrudes inward from the inside wall of ferrule  40  and grips elongated module  34  as the second end  46  of elongated module  34  is inserted into the second end  50  of ferrule  40 . 
     As shown in FIG. 7, roasting tip  24  may be securely attached to the first end  44  of roasting module  36  by first forming roasting tip  24  from a single piece of moldable material such as copper wire. As above, roasting tip includes first and second supports  28 ,  30 , a holder  32  and a base  26 . However, base  26  includes two horizontal members  52 ,  54  and two vertical members  56 ,  58 . Second, a slot  60  may be formed in the first end  38  of roasting module  44 . The depth of slot  60  may be slightly greater than the length of vertical members  56 ,  58 . Third, the vertical members  56 ,  58  of base  26  may be inserted into slot  60 , and finally a ferrule  40  may be crimped or otherwise secured onto the first end  38  of roasting module  36  around slot  60  locking roasting tip  24  into place. 
     In one version shown in FIG. 8, elongated container  12  includes a hollow body member  62  and first and second end caps  64 ,  66 . End caps  64 ,  66  are each configured to attach to either end of hollow body member  62  securing its contents. In a second version shown in FIG. 9, hollow body member  62  may include first and second hollow portions  68 ,  70 , and inner sleeve  72  each shaped according to the cross-sectional perimeter of the elongated container  12 . The first end  74  of inner sleeve  72  inserts into and fits snuggly within the first end  76  of first hollow portion  68 . The second end  78  of inner sleeve  72  protrudes from the first end  76  of the first hollow portion  68 . The second end  78  of the inner sleeve  72  inserts into and fits snugly within the first end  80  of the second hollow portion  70  joining the first and second hollow portions  68 ,  70 . The first end-cap  64  attaches to the second end  82  of the first hollow portion  68  and the second end-cap  66  attaches to the second end  84  of the second hollow portion  70 . Preferably, first and second end-caps  64 ,  66  are interchangeable, each configured to attach to either end  76 ,  80 ,  82 ,  84  of first or second hollow portions  68 ,  70 . As illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B, end caps  64 ,  66  may be configured to fit securely around hollow body member  62  or to fit securely within hollow body member  62 . 
     The above design allows elongated container  12  to serve multiple functions. Once marshmallows  14 , crackers  16 , and flavored wafers  18  are removed, the elongated container  12  can be used to store other items. Separating the first and second hollow portions  68 ,  70 , leaving the first and second end-caps  64 ,  66  in place creates two drinking cups. Both the first and second end-caps  64 ,  66  can be placed on one of either the first or second hollow portions  68 ,  70  creating a smaller reusable storage container. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 11A and 11B, in one version of the elongated container  12 , first end-cap  64  includes a convex lens  86  affixed over a circular opening  88  centrally located on the first end-cap  64 . Second end-cap  66  includes a concave lens  90  affixed over a circular opening  92  centrally located on the second end-cap  66 . Referring to FIG. 12, first hollow portion  66  has a length L chosen in relation to the focal lengths of convex lens  88  and concave lens  90  such that placing first end-cap  64  on one end  76 ,  80  of first hollow portion  68  and second end-cap  66  on the other end  80 ,  76  of first hollow portion  68  creates a refractory telescope  94 . 
     Finally, pre-packaged s&#39;more kit  10  may also include an educational accessory such as a magnifying glass or a telescope. Properly shaped, the educational accessory may take the place of one marshmallow  14  when packaged within elongated container  12 . S&#39;more kit  10  may also include an educational activity sheet attached around elongated container  12 . The educational activity sheet may provide instructions for assembling and using roasting utensil  20 , and for making s&#39;mores. It may also include instructions for assembling refractory telescope  94  and information such as a star chart or information concerning wild life and plant life. Preferably, elongated container and its contents may be encased in clear shrink-wrap or other material to render the product tamper resistant. 
     While there is shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that this invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0