Packet opening and discharging device and method of using

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11767212-B2
Application number	US-202117395064-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2021
Priority date	Aug 5, 2021
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to open and discharge the contents of a packet or sachet. In some embodiments, a portable dispensing device includes a housing, an opening mechanism, and a discharging mechanism. In some configurations, the device includes a rotatable axle, a rotatable cap disposed at an end of the housing, and a roller element (coupled to the axle) that is configured to rotate with manual rotation of the rotatable cap, and a slot in the housing that permits at least a portion of the packet to advance through, wherein the slot and housing assists with pressing opposing packet walls together to discharge the contents of the packet. In some configurations, the opening mechanism also includes another housing slot where a corner of the packet may be fed and a knife element disposed to facilitate removal of the corner to thereby open the packet.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A portable device for discharging product from a packet, the portable device comprising:
a housing forming an interior chamber;
a roller element at least partially disposed within the interior chamber and disposed lengthwise along the housing;
a rotatable cap disposed at a first end of the housing, wherein manual rotation of the rotatable cap translates into rotation of the roller element;
a first slot through a wall of the housing, the first slot adjacent the roller element and permitting a packet to ingress into the interior chamber through the first slot; and
a second slot in the housing, the second slot sized to permit a corner of the packet to be fed through the second slot, such that the corner of the packet is removed from a remainder of the packet via a knife disposed at an end of the second slot;
wherein the roller element further comprises a lengthwise slit therein that is sized to receive an edge of the packet and retain the edge of the packet in relation to the roller element as the roller element is rotated such that the packet is at least partially pulled into the interior chamber of the housing through the first slot such that opposing side edges of the packet are pressed toward one another via sidewalls of the first slot to thereby discharge contents of the packet.

2. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the rotatable cap includes indicia identifying where the lengthwise slit is located on the roller element to assist a user in aligning the lengthwise slit with the first slot and the rotatable cap further includes a textured peripheral surface that is configured to be grasped to rotate the rotatable cap and the roller element coupled thereto.

3. The portable device of claim 1 further comprising a bushing disposed on a second end of the housing and wherein the bushing is disposed outside of the housing and retained thereto via a screw disposed through an annular opening in the bushing.

4. The portable device of claim 3 further comprising an axle disposed along a length of the housing, wherein the axle is coupled to the rotatable cap at a first end thereof and the axle is coupled to the bushing via the roller element, such that the bushing and the rotatable cap rotate with the axle.

5. The portable device of claim 4 wherein the axle has a non-circular cross section and the roller element has a corresponding non-circular aperture disposed therethrough, the non-circular aperture disposed along an entire length of the roller element, thereby permitting the axle to extend therethrough such that the axle and the roller element are couple to one another in light of the fit between the non-circular cross section of the axle and the corresponding non-circular aperture of the roller element.

6. The portable device of claim 1 further comprising an exit opening in a rear wall of the housing, the exit opening configured to permit egress of the packet from the interior chamber.

7. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the lengthwise slit in the roller element further comprises an expanded slit end adjacent the second end of the portable device and the first slot further comprises an expanded slot end adjacent a second end of the portable device such that the first slot extends from the first wall of the housing over an edge of the housing and onto the second end.

8. The portable device of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a detent mechanism or a notch to align and retain the first slot with the lengthwise slit of the roller element.

9. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the roller element further includes a textured surface to assist with gripping of an outside surface of the packet.

10. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the housing has a ketchup bottle-shaped profile.

11. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the housing and the roller element are comprised of a red colored plastic resin.

12. The portable device of claim 1 further comprising a metal loop and keychain incorporated therewith to selectively attach to a keyring.

13. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the second slot is disposed on a movable panel that opens to expose a refuse chamber, wherein the movable panel includes the second slot and the knife that form a packet opening mechanism.

14. The portable device of claim 13 wherein the movable panel further comprises a gripping ledge at a first end thereof.

15. The portable device of claim 14 wherein the movable panel is hingedly attached to a remainder of the housing at a second end thereof opposing the gripping ledge, wherein the gripping ledge permits a user to manually adjust the movable compartment door outward from the housing to expose the refuse chamber.

16. The portable device of claim 15 wherein the first end further comprises a latch that selectively secures the movable panel to a remainder of the housing, wherein a user may manually grasp the gripping ledge to disconnect the latch and move the movable compartment door to expose the refuse chamber and remove any packet corner portions disposed therein.

17. The portable device of claim 15 wherein the movable panel is separable from a remainder of the housing, the movable panel comprising one or more extensions at a second end thereof, opposite the gripping ledge, wherein the one or more extensions mate within one or more corresponding openings in the housing.

18. The portable device of claim 1 further comprising a pressure bar adjacent the first slot, wherein the pressure bar comprises a corner portion of the housing, the pressure bar being configured to be manually pressed by a user to thereby move the pressure bar toward the roller element.

19. The portable device of claim 18 further comprising a textured gripping surface disposed on the pressure bar.

20. A portable device comprising:
a housing forming an interior chamber;
an axle extending a length of the housing;
a rotatable cap disposed at a first end of the housing, the rotatable cap coupled to the axle;
a roller element coupled to the axle, the roller element configured to rotate with manual rotation of the rotatable cap;
a bushing disposed at a second end of the housing, the bushing rotatably coupled to the axle;
a first slot through a first housing wall, the first slot configured to permit a packet to at least partially ingress to the interior chamber;
a lengthwise slit in the roller element, the lengthwise slit configured to receive an edge of the packet and retain the edge as the roller element and the lengthwise slit are rotated around the axle, wherein sides of the packet are pressed inward via sidewalls of the first slot in the housing, to thereby discharge contents of the packet when the packet is pulled at least partially through the first slot in the housing wall;
a second slot in the housing permitting a corner of the packet to be fed into a refuse chamber; and
a knife element disposed at an end of the second slot to facilitate removal of the corner of the packet to thereby open the packet;
wherein the second slot is disposed on a movable panel that opens to expose the refuse chamber, thereby permitting removal of the corner of the packet from the refuse chamber of the housing.

21. The portable device of claim 20 further comprising a discharge opening in a second housing wall, the discharge opening permitting removal of evacuated packets.

Assignees

• Heinz Co Brands H J Llc

Inventors

• Gildersleeve Madison Kay
• Hayden Michelle Marie
• Dalton Peter
• Peterson Rowe Ladd
• Parker John
• Jackson Leeya
• Zreet Chase
• Nikdel Farin
• Adejobi Funmilayo Danielle
• Ribeiro Dos Santos Felipe

Classifications

• B67D1/0809 Primary

  Opening means, e.g. means for assisting the opening · CPC title

• A47G19/183 Primary

  by applying external pressure, i.e. by pumping or squeezing · CPC title

• A47J47/01

  with dispensing devices · CPC title

• B67D1/0001

  by squeezing collapsible or flexible storage containers (B67D1/0462 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B67D1/0004

  the beverage being stored in a container, e.g. bottle, cartridge, bag-in-box, bowl · CPC title