Abstract:
A container, e.g., a container, cup, drinking glass, includes a mechanism for allowing a user to submerge a good substance, e.g., cookie into a liquid, e.g., milk. The mechanism has a spring-based frame with spaced-apart plates and a tab connected to the frame. The food substance is placed between the plates and the tab is pushed downwardly forcing the frame against a spring assembly and immersing the food substance into the liquid. Release of the tab releases the energy of the spring assembly to quickly raise the frame and the food substance out of the liquid. The mechanism may be an integral part of the container or it may be a removable unit. Since there are no loose parts to the mechanism, the user may drink the remaining liquid in the container after eating the food substance.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/797,314, filed May 3, 2006 and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The invention relates to a mechanism for submerging a food substance, e.g., cookies into a liquid, e.g., milk; a container for holding a liquid and including the mechanism; and to a method for submerging a food substance into a liquid and quickly retrieving it for purposes of eating it.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Most of the general public at one time or the other has delighted in submerging or dunking a food substance, such as a cookie into a liquid, such as milk, coffee, tea and hot chocolate, so that the liquid soaks into the food substance prior to eating the food substance. This experience has been that, for example, if the food substance is a cookie and if it remains in the liquid too long, the cookie crumbles. Additionally, since the cookie is held between the fingers of the human, occasionally the fingers become submerged in the liquid, thereby requiring the fingers to be cleaned. If the liquid is too hot, such as coffee or hot chocolate, or if the liquid is too cold, a further disadvantage is that the fingers are subjected to this temperature, which in some instances, makes the submerging or dunking of a cookie an unpleasant experience.  
         [0006]     There is a need therefore to provide a mechanism and/or a container including a mechanism for submerging or dunking a food substance, for example, a cookie, into a liquid, for example, milk, coffee tea and hot chocolate, without the user&#39;s fingers coming into contact with the liquid.  
         [0007]     There is a further need in the art to provide a mechanism and/or a container including a mechanism for submerging or dunking a food substance into a liquid and quickly retrieving it before it has a chance to crumble in the liquid.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The invention provides a container, for example, a cup, container or drinking glass for holding a liquid, e.g., milk, coffee, tea or hot chocolate, which includes a mechanism designed to allow the user to insert or dunk a food substance, e.g., a cookie, into the liquid by depressing a tab of the mechanism, and then releasing the tab so that the food substance is raised out of the liquid. This allows the user the experience of dunking the food substance without putting his or her fingers into the container and/or liquid. The container and the mechanism in the container are user friendly for both children and adults, giving both a fun and more efficient method for submerging or dunking food substances into a liquid.  
         [0009]     One embodiment of the invention relates to a container for holding a liquid and includes a mechanism for submerging a food substance into the liquid and quickly retrieving the food substance for purposes of eating the food substance. The mechanism includes a spring-loaded frame for supporting the food substance and an attached tab. The frame is configured to be depressed and moved in a first direction into the liquid upon operation of the tab and to be moved in a second direction out of the liquid upon release of the tab. The mechanism also includes a shaft assembly connected to the frame and to the container, and has a first member movable within a second member and a spring assembly in the first member and the second member. The frame includes at least two spaced-apart plates for supporting the food substance therebetween. The spaced-apart plates are made of a mesh material for allowing the liquid to contact the food substance, are movable relative to each other and are connected together along one of their lengths by way of at least one spring. The mechanism may be an integral part of the container wherein the shaft assembly may be embedded into the bottom of the container, or the mechanism may be a removable unit wherein the shaft assembly is connected to a base which is not part of the container. In this latter instance, the entire unit may be inserted into and removed from the container for easy cleaning and for use in another container.  
         [0010]     A further embodiment of the invention relates to a mechanism for submerging a food substance into a liquid in a container including a spring-loaded frame for supporting the food substance and an attached tab. The frame is configured to be depressed and moved in a first direction into the liquid upon operation of the tab and to be moved in a second direction out of the liquid upon release of the tab. The mechanism further includes a shaft assembly having a first member movable within a second member and a spring assembly in the first member and the second member and connected to the frame and to the container. The frame includes at least two spaced-apart plates for supporting the food substance therebetween. The spaced-apart plates are made of a mesh material for allowing the liquid to contact the food substance, are movable relative to each other and are connected together along one of their lengths by way of at least one spring. The mechanism may be an integral part of the container wherein the shaft assembly is embedded into the bottom of the container or the mechanism may be a removable unit wherein the shaft assembly is connected to a base which is not part of the container. In this latter instance, the entire unit may be inserted into and removed from the container for easy cleaning and for use in another container.  
         [0011]     A still further embodiment of the invention relates to a method for submerging a food substance into a liquid and quickly retrieving the food substance for purposes of eating the food substance. The steps include providing a mechanism having a spring-loaded frame for supporting the food substance and an attached tab, operating the tab so that the spring-loaded frame with the food substance moves in a first direction into the liquid and releasing the tab so that the spring-loaded frame with the food substance moves in a second direction out of the liquid.  
         [0012]     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism which allows a user to easily submerge a food substance into a liquid in a container and to quickly retrieve it.  
         [0013]     It is a further object of the invention to provide a mechanism for submerging a food substance into a liquid, which mechanism can fit into a container of a variety of sizes and which mechanism can easily accommodate any size and/or shape of food substance.  
         [0014]     These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a container showing a partial view of a submerging mechanism constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the container of  FIG. 1  showing in more detail a submerging mechanism of a first embodiment of the invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional partial view showing a shaft member of the submerging mechanism of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3A  is an enlarged, partial cross-section view illustrating in detail the connection between the two pieces of the shaft member of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a top elevational view of the container and the submerging mechanism of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the container of  FIG. 1  showing in more detail a submerging mechanism of a second embodiment of the invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a top elevational view of the container and the submerging mechanism of  FIGS. 1 and 5 ; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the container of  FIG. 1  showing a submerged mechanism of a third embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a container  1  and a partial view of a mechanism  3  for submerging a food substance (not shown). In this  FIG. 1 , container  1  is a cup or container, but container  1  may be a drinking glass or any other kind of container which holds liquid. As stated hereinabove, the food substance may be a cookie and the liquid may be milk, coffee, tea or hot chocolate. However, the food substance may be any type of food which can be submerged in a liquid and the liquid may be other than those listed.  
         [0024]     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , container  1  has a body  5  and a handle  7 . Body  5  has an outer shell  9 , an opening  11  for receiving mechanism  3  and a bottom  13 . The body  5  and handle  7  may be constructed of a rigid material, such as a hard-molded material, e.g., plastic (similar commercially available mugs). The top of container  1  illustrates a mechanism  3  sticking out of its opening  11 . In this  FIG. 1 , mechanism  3  has two plates  15 ,  17  and a tab  19  connected to a frame  21 , which can be used to lower mechanism  3  down into container  1 , more about which is discussed hereinbelow.  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  best illustrates the components of mechanism  3 . In addition to the two plates  15 ,  17  and the tab  19 , mechanism  3  also includes the frame  21  for supporting the plates  15 ,  17  and tab  19  connected to the frame  21 , and a shaft assembly  23  for supporting the frame  21  in the container  1 . Shaft assembly  23  includes an upper member  25  and a lower member  27  which houses a spring assembly (not shown). The tab  19  is connected to the frame  21 . These members  25  and  27  are concentrically arranged, with lower member  27  having a diameter that is less than the diameter of upper member  25 , thereby allowing lower member  27  to be movable within upper member  25 . Lower member  27  is connected to an inner surface of the bottom  13  of container  1  and the upper member  25  of shaft assembly  23  is connected to an undersurface  21   a  of frame  21 . Preferably, upper member  25  and lower member  27  are constructed of a hard plastic. Upper member  25  can be bonded to the undersurface  21   a  of frame  21  and lower member  27  is bonded to the inner surface at the bottom  13  of container  1 , and the bonding would be such that it prevents liquid penetration. The upper member  25  and/or the lower member  27  may have some lateral flexibility to minimize stress of the shaft assembly  23  connected to the bottom  13  of the container  1 . It is to be appreciated however that lower member  27  can be affixed to container  1  via a number of suitable means known to those skilled in the art or it can be an integral part of container  1  formed in the same molding process for forming container  1 . In this latter instance, it is apparent that the other components of mechanism  3  can then be assembled in a manner which is obvious based on the teachings of the invention.  
         [0026]      FIGS. 3 and 3 A show a spring assembly  29  extending in upper member  25  and lower member  27  of the shaft assembly  23 . It is to be appreciated that the existence of spring assembly  29  within the shaft assembly  23  and the connection of the shaft assembly  23  to frame  21  results in frame  21  being spring loaded. Spring assembly  29  is in an extended position in  FIG. 3  which, in effect, disposes mechanism  3  in a raised position.  
         [0027]      FIG. 3A  best illustrates the connection between the upper member  25  and lower member  27  of shaft assembly  23 . Liquid is kept out of these elements  25 ,  27  by a rubber gasket  31  which is connected to a lip  25   a  of upper member  25 .  FIG. 3A  shows lip  27   a  of lower member  27  contacting gasket  31 . Members  25 ,  27  are kept intact when these members are fully extended as shown in  FIG. 3A  via the engagement of lip  27   a  against gasket  31  and lip  25   a  of lower member  25 . When the depressible tab  19  is depressed or forced downwardly into container  1 , since tab  19  is connected to plate  21 , plate  21  is moved in the same direction forcing spring assembly  29  to be compressed as the upper member  25  of shaft assembly  23  slides down over lower member  27 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  best illustrates the construction of plates  15 ,  17  on frame  21 . Plates  15 ,  17  are constructed to hold a food substance, such as a cookie, therebetween. These plates  15 ,  17  are spaced apart and are connected along one of their lengths  15   a,    17   a  by reverse-clamping springs  33 ,  35  which are attached to the upper surface of frame  21 . Preferably, these springs  33 ,  35  are made of metal and are silicon coated in order to prevent the metal from coming into contact with any liquid in container  1 . Plates  15 ,  17  in  FIG. 4  are shown as having a screen with a waffle texture. This type of screen allows the liquid to saturate the food substance for a desired amount of time as determined by the user of container  1 . Preferably plates  15 ,  17  are made of hard rigid plastic, but can also be made of a flexible material. On the top of each plate  15 ,  17  directly across from one another are a finger-sized indention  15   b,    17   b,  which allows the user to grasp and spread the two plates  15 ,  17  apart with his/her fingers for the insertion of a food substance between plates  15 ,  17 . Plates  15 ,  17  preferably are of a dimension such that plates  15 ,  17  may accommodate food substances having different sizes and shapes.  
         [0029]      FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate a second embodiment for a mechanism  37  for submerging a food substance in a liquid. This mechanism  37  in container  1  has plates, a frame  39  and a tab  41 . Frame  39  includes two plates  43 ,  45  and a shaft assembly  47  which have an upper member  49 , a lower member  51 , and a spring assembly (not shown) extends in upper member  49  and lower member  51  similar to that shown in  FIGS. 3 and 3 A for mechanism  3 . Plates  43 ,  45  are spaced apart on frame  39  and are connected together along their lengths  43   a,    45   a  by two reverse-clamping springs attached to the upper surface of frame  39 . On the top of each plate  43 ,  45  directly across from one another are finger-sized indentions  43   b,    45   b  which allow the user to grasp and spread the two plates  43 ,  45  apart with his/her fingers for the insertion of the food substance between plates  43 ,  45 .  
         [0030]     This mechanism  37  of  FIGS. 5 and 6  is similar in construction, material and operation to that of mechanism  3  in  FIGS. 1-4  except that the lower member  51  of the shaft assembly  47  is attached to a base member  57 . Preferably, lower member  51  is bonded to the upper surface of base member  57 ; however, it can be attached to base member  57  via a number of ways to those skilled in the art. For example, lower member  51  may be molded and made an integral part of base member  57  during the molding process.  
         [0031]     As best shown in  FIG. 5 , base member  57  is apart from frame  39 . Preferably base member  57  is a disc with a diameter that would be less than the diameter of container  1 . An advantage of this structure for mechanism  37  is that it is removable, can be used in other containers and is not strictly limited for use in one container which may be the instance for the embodiment shown particularly in  FIG. 2 . The size of base member  57  would also be such that it would be able to fit into containers of a variety of sizes.  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  illustrates an arrangement similar to the arrangement in  FIG. 5 , but without the shaft assembly  47 . Instead, the frame  39  is resiliently supported from the handle  7  of the container body  5  by a resilient element  100 , which is identical to an element  102 , has a hook  105  which engages an edge of the container  1  and an anchor  110 , which is secured to the frame  39 . A resilient connector  115  connects the hook  105  and the anchor  110 . Now, the tab  41  may be depressed and the resilient elements  100 ,  102  offer resistance.  
         [0033]      31  The operation of the invention will now be described with reference to the mechanism  3 . In operation, container  1  is first filled to a desired level with a liquid. The user can then separate plates  15 ,  17  by pushing apart the two plates with his/her fingers, using the indented spaces  15   b,    17   b.  The user then places a food substance, such as a cookie, between plates  15 ,  17  and releases them, allowing plates  15 ,  17  to hold the cookie. Because the plates  15 ,  17  are operated by springs  33 ,  35  and are open-ended, the space between plates  15 ,  17  away from the springs  33 ,  35  is adjustable thereby allowing for food substances of different shapes and sizes to be inserted there between.  
         [0034]     Once plates  15 ,  17  are operated to hold a food substance, the user can depress the tab  19  downwardly to submerge the food substance into the liquid in container  1 . Since tab  19  and frame  21  are connected together, frame  21  moves downwardly with tab  19  into the liquid upon operation of tab  19 . Frame  21  forces spring assembly  29  to be compressed. Because tab  19  and frame  21  with plates  15 ,  17  are spring-loaded via shaft assembly  23  and spring assembly  29 , the user can decide how far the food substance is to be submerged into the liquid. Once the chosen duration of submersion is reached, the user can release the tab  19 , which releases the energy in spring assembly  29 , thereby extending spring assembly  29  and raising frame  21  with plates  15 ,  17  out of container  1  to the original positioning of mechanism  3  in container  1  as shown particularly in  FIG. 1 . Also, since the frame  21  is spring-loaded, release of tab  19  allows frame  21  with plates  15 ,  17  to be quickly raised out of the liquid. The user then separates plates  15 ,  17 , once again using the indented spaces  15   b,    17   b,  and removes the food substance from between plates  15 ,  17 .  
         [0035]     As stated hereinabove, operation of mechanism  37  is similar to that described in the preceding paragraph for mechanism  3 . In this instance, mechanism  37  is first inserted into the container  1 , and the same procedure is used as described in the preceding paragraph for mechanism  3 . As can be appreciated, mechanisms  3  and  37  result in an approach to dunking a food substance, such as a cookie, into a liquid, such as milk, that does not involve the user&#39;s fingers and hands getting into the liquid. It is to be appreciated that the energy in spring assembly  29  and in resilient connector  115  ( FIG. 7 ) is such that release of tabs  19 ,  41  allows the mechanisms  3 ,  37  to be retained in the container  1 .  
         [0036]     The present invention has been described with reference to the above embodiments. Obvious modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations.