Probiotic supplement, process for making, and packaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9771199-B2
Application number	US-16840008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2008
Priority date	Jul 7, 2008
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

A pet food composition comprising a supplement is provided. The supplement can comprise a Probiotic component, a cocoa butter component, and a sweetener component. A process for making the supplement can comprise providing a sweetener component, a cocoa butter component, and a Probiotic component, mixing the cocoa butter component and Probiotic component to form a mixture in a temperature and humidity controlled chamber; mixing the mixture with the sweetener component in the temperature and humidity controlled chamber to form a final mixture; optionally mixing in a colorant with the final mixture; and cooling the final mixture. A package for the supplement can comprise a secondary container housing a primary container, which houses a supplement. An array of packages is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article of manufacture to deliver a probiotic supplement for a pet, comprising:
a primary container comprising a blister pack;
wherein the blister pack comprises an enclosure and wherein the enclosure comprises:
a bottom surface and a body surface, which together define an interior volume;
a lip disposed around the top of the enclosure;
a frill formed by a first surface and a second surface wherein the first surface extends outwards from the interior volume and the second surface extends inwards toward the interior volume;
wherein the second surface of the frill is connected to the body surface which then extends downwardly to the bottom surface, wherein the frill is between the body surface and the lip and wherein the widest radius formed by the fill is between the bottom surface and the lip and is larger than the radius formed by the lip and wherein the frill is convex relative to the interior volume; and

a supplement within the enclosure, wherein the supplement is molded by and has a shape of the enclosure;
wherein the supplement fills the enclosure past the widest radius of the frill and defines a top surface at a fill line near the top of the frill, wherein radius of the supplement at the widest radius of the frill is greater than a radius of the enclosure at the fill line.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1 and wherein the supplement comprises indicia.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 2 and wherein the indicia comprises a logo or trademark.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 1 and wherein the enclosure comprises a thermoformed plastic.

5. The article of claim 1 and wherein the container comprises indicia.

6. The article of claim 5 and wherein the indicia comprise a color and wherein the color is associated with a health benefit that is provided by the supplement.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the enclosure is adapted to be used as a mold and a shipping vehicle.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the enclosure is adapted for removal of the supplement without deforming the supplement.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the Probiotic component comprises at least about 10 5 colony forming units per gram of supplement and wherein Probiotic component has a shelf life of at least about three months.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein the frill has a draft angle of 5 degrees such that the supplement can be removed without deforming the supplement.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein the top surface of the supplement is between the widest radius formed by the frill and the lip.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein the draft angle of the frill is approximately 5 degrees.

Assignees

• Kerr George Scott
• Sunvold Gregory Dean
• Schumacher Lawrence Andrew
• Schuller David William
• Ter Haar Robbert H
• Bittner Michael J
• Mars Inc

Inventors

• Kerr George Scott
• Sunvold Gregory Dean
• Schumacher Lawrence Andrew
• Schuller David William
• Ter Haar Robbert H
• Bittner Michael J

Classifications

• A23K50/40 Primary

  for carnivorous animals, e.g. cats or dogs · CPC title

• A23K10/16

  Addition of microorganisms or extracts thereof, e.g. single-cell proteins, to feeding-stuff compositions (A23K10/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A23K10/18

  of live microorganisms · CPC title

• B65D83/04 Primary

  for dispensing annular, disc-shaped, spherical or like small articles, e.g. tablets or pills · CPC title

• B65D75/36 Primary

  one sheet or blank being recessed and the other formed of relatively stiff flat sheet material, e.g. blister packages {, the recess or recesses being preformed (B65D73/0057, B65D73/0092 take precedence)} · CPC title