Abstract:
A batter dispenser and a method of using the batter dispenser are provided. The batter dispenser includes a lower body, an upper body detachably connected to the lower body, and a dispenser member detachably connected to the upper body, the dispenser member including a first nozzle configured to control the flow of batter therethrough. The method includes placing a dry-mix ingredient of a batter into the lower body, adding a liquid ingredient of the batter to the dry-mix ingredients, assembling the batter dispenser by connecting the lower body, the upper body, and the dispensing member, shaking the batter dispenser to mix the dry-mix ingredient and the liquid ingredient to form the batter, and squeezing the upper body to cause batter to flow out of batter dispenser.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention is directed generally to a batter dispenser and method of using the batter dispenser and, more particularly, to a batter dispenser that allows a user to mix the batter in the batter dispenser prior to dispensing and a method for mixing and dispensing the batter in the batter dispenser. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Generally, in order to make pancakes, waffles, or other food products from batter, a large number of utensils are necessary. For example, in order to make pancakes, batter is formed by combining dry-mix ingredients with one or more liquid ingredients into a bowl. The ingredients are then mixed with another utensil until the batter takes on a specific consistency. After the batter is mixed, the batter is then removed from the bowl and added to a dispenser to be poured onto a griddle or other pan for cooking Generally these dispensers are not capable of storing the batter for long periods of time and therefore small amounts are used, thereby requiring constant refilling of the dispensers for large batches of batter. Because making pancakes, waffles, or other food products from batter requires multiple utensils, and may also require transferring batter from one utensil to another, cleanup may take a long time. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    According to principles of this invention, a batter dispenser and a method for measuring, mixing and dispensing a batter for making pancakes, waffles or other similar food products is provided in a single utensil. The single utensil can also be used to make unique custom designed shapes for pancakes, waffles, or other similar food products. 
         [0006]    According to one aspect of the present invention, a batter dispenser is provided. The batter dispenser includes a lower body, an upper body detachably connected to the lower body, and a dispenser member detachably connected to the upper body, the dispenser member including a first nozzle configured to control the flow of batter therethrough. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of using a batter dispenser having a lower body, an upper body detachably connected to the lower body, and a dispenser member detachably connected to the upper body is provided. The method includes placing a dry-mix ingredient of a batter into the lower body, adding a liquid ingredient of the batter to the dry-mix ingredients, assembling the batter dispenser by connecting the lower body, the upper body, and the dispensing member, shaking the batter dispenser to mix the dry-mix ingredient and the liquid ingredient to form the batter, and squeezing the upper body to cause batter to flow out of batter dispenser. 
         [0008]    Further scope of applicability of the present application will become more apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention and wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a batter dispenser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exploded side view of the batter dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a partial side view of the batter dispenser of  FIG. 1  with a secondary nozzle attached to the primary nozzle; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the batter dispenser of  FIG. 1  in use. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    Reference will now be made in detail to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
         [0015]    As used in the specification, the term “substantially” is intended to allow for manufacturing tolerances and other minor deviations. 
         [0016]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a batter dispenser  10  includes a lower body  20 , an upper body  30 , a dispensing member  40 , and a cap  50 . During storage of the batter dispenser  10 , the lower body  20 , the upper body  30 , the dispensing member  40 , and the cap  50  may be assembled together, as show in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the cap  50  can be inserted into the lower body  20  with the upper body  30  and dispensing member  40  attached to the cap  50 , forming a nested arrangement that takes up less space. 
         [0017]    The lower body  20  is a substantially cylindrical body defined by a bottom wall  22  and sidewall  24  extending upward from the bottom wall  24 . The end of the lower body  20  opposite the bottom wall  24  is open. The upper portion of the sidewall  24  includes an internally formed threaded portion  26  that is configured to cooperate with upper body  30 . The lower body  20  may be formed of a rigid plastic material using conventional polymer processing techniques. 
         [0018]    While the exemplary embodiment shows a gradual increase in diameter of the sidewall  24  between the bottom wall  22  and the threaded portion  26 , it is understood that the profile of the sidewall  24  can have a constant diameter or a variable diameter. In addition, the lower body  20  is not limited to substantially cylindrical shapes; however, it may be beneficial to select shapes that do not have sharp corners to ensure better mixing and more even flow of the batter. 
         [0019]    The lower body  20  is configured to receive or hold dry-mix ingredients of a batter that is to be formed in the batter dispenser  10 . Therefore, the lower body  20  may be semi-transparent or completely transparent to more easily identify the amount of dry-mix ingredients in the lower body  20 . In addition, the lower body  20  may also include indicia  28  indicating a particular dry-mix fill line. 
         [0020]    The upper body  30  is a substantially tubular body having two open ends, the upper body being defined by a sidewall  32 . Both the upper portion and lower portion of the sidewall  32  include externally formed threaded portions  34  and  36 , respectively. The lower threaded portion  36  is configured to cooperate with the threaded portion  26  of the lower body  20  to connect the upper body  30  to the lower body  20 . The upper body  30  is formed of a plastic material using conventional polymer processing techniques. 
         [0021]    The diameter of the sidewall  32  may vary between the lower threaded portion  36  and the upper threaded portion  34 . In particular, the profile of the sidewall  32  may include a first neck portion  31  and a second neck portion  33 , which, in combination, provides a suitable gripping portion  38 . It should be understood that the upper body  30  is not limited to substantially tubular shapes; however, it may be beneficial to select shapes that avoid sharp corners to ensure better mixing and more even flow of the batter. 
         [0022]    The upper body  30  may also be formed to be semi-transparent or transparent to allow a user to easily identify how much batter remains in the batter dispenser  10  and whether adequate mixing of the dry-mix ingredients and the other ingredients of the batter has occurred. In addition, the upper body  30  may be formed to be more flexible than the lower body  20  to allow the batter to be squeezed from the batter dispenser  10 . 
         [0023]    The dispensing member  40  includes a base  42  defined by an upper wall  41  and a substantially cylindrical sidewall  43  extending downward from the upper wall  41 . The sidewall  43  includes an internally formed threaded portion (not shown) that cooperates with the upper threaded portion  34  of the upper body  30  to connect the dispensing member  40  to the upper body  30 . A first nozzle  44  extends upward from the upper wall  41  away from the sidewall  43 . 
         [0024]    The first nozzle  44  has a frustoconical shape and is configured to provide a controlled flow of batter from the batter dispenser when pressure is applied to the upper body  30  (e.g., when the upper body  30  is squeezed). A ring-shaped projection  45  is provided on the outside of the first nozzle  44  to hold a second nozzle  46  (best seen in  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0025]    The second nozzle  46  is detachably secured to the first nozzle  44  to modify the flow of batter from the first nozzle  44  to achieve a different effect from that provided by the first nozzle  44 . As such, the second nozzle  46  may be referred to as a detail nozzle because it provides a smaller, more controlled batter flow than the first nozzle  44 . The second nozzle  46  can have variously shaped exit apertures, so that a variety of designs can be made. While the second nozzle  46  has a frustoconical shape so as to fit over the first nozzle  44 , it is understood that the first and second nozzles  44 ,  46  do not have to be frustoconical shapes so long as the nozzles have similar shapes to allow for nesting of the nozzles. 
         [0026]    A retainer  48  is provided to hold the second nozzle  46  when not in use, the retainer  48  extending upward from the base  42  away from the sidewall  43 . A ring-shaped projection  49  is provided on the outside of the retainer  48  to detachably secure the second nozzle  46  to the retainer  48 . Although not shown, a plurality of retainers  48  could be provided on top of the dispensing member  40 , so that a plurality of different shaped or sized second nozzles can be secured. 
         [0027]    The base  42  and the nozzles  44 ,  46  may be formed of plastic material using conventional polymer processing techniques. While the base  42  and first nozzle  44  are shown as being opaque and the second nozzle  46  is shown as being semi-transparent or transparent, it is understood that the transparency of these elements can be varied. The first and second nozzles  44 ,  46  may be made of nylon, which help controls the flow of batter and resists heat up to 450° F. 
         [0028]    The cap  50  is detachably connected to the dispensing member  40  to protect the first and second nozzles  44 ,  46  and to close the batter dispenser  10  during storage and mixing of the batter. The cap  50  may also be in contact with the opening of the first nozzle  44  to seal the first nozzle  44  during mixing. The cap  50  includes a bottom wall  52  and a sidewall  54  extending upward from the bottom  52 . The sidewall  54  is sized to fit over the base  42  of the dispensing member  40  and to provide a pressure fit between the cap  50  and the sidewall  43  of the dispensing member  40 . 
         [0029]    The cap  50  may be formed of plastic using conventional polymer processing techniques. The cap  50  may be semi-transparent or transparent and can be used to measure an amount of any liquid ingredients that are required to be mixed with the dry-mix ingredients to provide a batter to be dispensed from the batter dispenser  10 . To this end, indicia  56  may be provided on the cap  50  to mark various liquid volumes. 
         [0030]    The batter dispenser  10  can be used to measure, mix, and dispense a batter for creation of one or more unique custom designed pancake, waffle, or other similar edible food products. That is, based on the multiple nozzles  44 ,  46  a user can make creative shapes or designs when dispensing the batter into or onto an appropriate cooking device, such as, for example, a griddle, pan, waffle iron, or the like. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the batter dispenser  10  is being used to dispense batter B into a pan P for cooking While not shown, the batter B can be dispensed into different molds for providing different shapes, into a waffle iron, or into other cooking appliances. In addition, the batter dispenser  10  is configured to provide a single utensil for forming the batter B and dispensing the batter B without the need for separate mixing bowls and dispensers. One exemplary method of measuring, mixing, and dispensing of batter B using the batter dispenser  10  is set forth below. 
         [0031]    Generally, a user will follow a recipe for making batter for pancakes, waffles, or other food products that require batter. The recipe calls for various ingredients in the form of dry-mix ingredient(s), one or more liquid ingredient(s), and any other ingredient(s) specifically called for by the recipe. Once these various ingredients are gathered, a user may place the dry-mix ingredient(s) into the lower body  20 , either directly or through the open end of the upper body  30 , if attached to the lower body  20 . The indicia  28  indicating the recommended amount of the dry-mix ingredient(s) may be used to assist in providing the proper amount of the dry-mix ingredient(s). 
         [0032]    Any liquid ingredient(s) may be measured using the indicia  56  on the cap  50  and added into the lower body  20 . Depending on the volumes of the dry-mix ingredient(s) and the liquid ingredient(s), it may be necessary that the upper body  30  be attached to the lower body  20  prior to adding the liquid ingredient(s). Finally, any remaining ingredient(s) specifically called for by the recipe can be added at this time. 
         [0033]    After all of the batter ingredients have been added into the batter dispenser  10 , the dispensing member  40  and cap  50  are secured to the upper body  30 . The batter dispenser  10  may then be shaken to mix the batter ingredients. After the batter is sufficiently mixed, the cap  50  is removed and the batter dispenser  10  is ready to dispense the batter into or onto the appropriate cooking device. The user can choose whether to use the first nozzle  44 , which provides a relatively larger batter flow, or the second nozzle  46  attached to the first nozzle  44 , which provides a relatively smaller batter flow. 
         [0034]    The user simply squeezes the batter dispenser  10  at the upper body  30  to cause batter to be dispensed through nozzle(s)  44 ,  46 . As described above, the most natural location to squeeze and grip the batter dispenser  10  is at the gripping portion  38 . 
         [0035]    Using the above method, the batter dispenser  10  can be used to measure, mix, and dispense the batter B without the need for separate mixing bowls and dispensers. In addition, the different nozzles  44 ,  46  can be used to created pancakes, waffles, or similar food products having unique shapes or designs. 
         [0036]    The invention thus being described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.