Dry product dosage dispenser and method for producing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9585503-B2
Application number	US-201414278142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2014
Priority date	May 15, 2014
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

A dry product dosage dispenser has a container with a cavity between top and bottom ends, a cap on the top end, and an internal partition extending between the top and bottom ends of the body, forming two sub-cavities within the body. The internal partition forms a diverging funnel-like structure giving each sub-cavity a wide upper opening on one end and a narrow lower opening on the opposite end to help product freely flow from one end to the other. Product passes from one sub-cavity to the other through an opening in the internal partition. The dispenser is flipped from its upright position to dispense the product passed through the opening. An adjustable volume compartment can be used at the second end of the container to enlarge the volume of the dispenser and provide variable dosages. The internal partition may be removable or separate for use as an insert.

First claim

I claim:

1. An insertable partition for transforming a canister with inner walls into a dry product dosage dispenser, said insertable partition comprising:
an elongated portion having an interior side opposite an exterior side, and a first end opposite a second end;
an inclined portion extending down from the second end of the elongated portion at an angle, said angle negatively sloping away from the interior side and comprising a first surface that is an extension of the exterior side of the elongated portion and an opposing second surface that is an extension of the interior side; and
a supporting member extending down from a bottom end of the inclined portion;
wherein the inclined portion extends down to a centered point at one of an opening at a bottom central edge between the first surface and the opposing second surface or a receding portion along the bottom central edge, wherein said insertable partition is a solid structure, and wherein the inclined portion comprises a perimeter of a shape to directly contact at least a substantial portion of a perimeter of the inner walls of the canister.

2. The insertable partition of claim 1 wherein the first surface of the inclined portion is slightly concave and wherein the opposing second surface is correspondingly convex.

3. The insertable partition of claim 1 wherein the inclined portion is curvilinear and comprises a slightly banked surface that slopes with respect to a circumferential direction and a radial direction.

4. The insertable partition of claim 1 wherein the elongated portion runs substantially vertically lengthwise along one side of the inner walls of the canister.

5. The insertable partition of claim 1 wherein the perimeter of the inclined portion is symmetrical about the elongated portion.

6. The insertable partition of claim 1 wherein the perimeter of the inclined portion is symmetrical about the elongated portion with the supporting member consisting of a pair of legs, and the inclined portion comprises the receding portion, wherein said receding portion is C-shaped between the pair of legs.

7. The insertable partition of claim 1 wherein when the inclined portion extends down to the centered point at the opening at the bottom central edge, the opening is the sole opening within the insertable partition.

8. The insertable partition of claim 1 wherein the angle between the elongated portion and the inclined portion consists of an obtuse angle.

9. A method of forming a dry product dosage dispenser, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a container with a body having a first end and a second end with a cavity there between;
forming two sub-cavities within the cavity with an internal partition that extends between the first end to the second end, wherein the internal partition comprises an inclined portion having a perimeter in direct contact with at least a substantial portion of an internal perimeter of the body, the internal partition forming a narrow lower opening at a bottom central edge of the internal partition, and wherein the two sub-cavities consist of a product storage area and a product-dispensing area, the product storage area in communication with the product-dispensing area via the narrow lower opening of the internal partition;
capping at least a portion of the first end of the container;
wherein the second end comprises an integral closed end.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the capping step comprises covering the product storage area with a substantially flat cover over the first end of the container.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the capping step comprises covering the first end of the body with a cap comprising a detachable portion, said detachable portion removable to expose an exit port for the dry product, wherein said exit port is in communication with a discharge port of the product dispensing area.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the internal partition together with an internal wall of the body form a substantially vertical passageway that extends from the first end of the body before extending into the inclined portion.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the internal partition is curvilinear and comprises a slightly banked surface that slopes with respect to a circumferential direction and a radial direction.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the internal partition forms a funnel-type structure in each of the two sub-cavities, said funnel-type structure forming a wide upper opening opposite the narrow lower opening.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the internal partition is removable.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the capping step comprises a removable cap.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the internal partition comprises a leg portion, said leg portion contacting the integral closed end.

Assignees

• Quaker Oats Co

Inventors

• Watson Thomas Branton

Classifications

• G01F11/26

  wherein the measuring chamber is filled and emptied by tilting or inverting the supply vessel, e.g. bottle-emptying apparatus · CPC title

• G01F11/262

  for liquid or semi-liquid · CPC title

• G01F11/261

  for fluent solid material · CPC title

• Y10T29/49828

  Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work · CPC title

• A47G19/34 Primary

  dispensing a certain quantity of powdered or granulated foodstuffs, e.g. sugar · CPC title