US20130082060A1

US20130082060A1 - Seed Snack Bottle

Info

Publication number: US20130082060A1
Application number: US13/249,901
Authority: US
Inventors: John Dufner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-09-30
Filing date: 2011-09-30
Publication date: 2013-04-04

Abstract

A snack bottle for assisting in the consumption and disposal of a shelled food product comprising: a first compartment; a first closure means, where the first closure means closes an opening for the first compartment; a second compartment, where the second compartment attaches to the first compartment; a second closure means, where the second closure means closes an opening for the second compartment; and a separator, where the separator lies between the first compartment and the second compartment.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a bottle to be utilized with snack seeds and provide storage for both the seed and the residue shell.
2. Description of Related Art
Snacks come in all varieties for consumers. Snacks range from fruits, packaged snacks such as dried fruits, energy bars, candy bars, potato chips, corn chips, tortilla chips, nuts and edible seeds. Many of the pre-packed snacks have no waste residue per se. The consumer merely opens up the package and enjoys the edible food product that may be within the package. Some fruit snacks include disposable residue such as the skin or seeds that maybe within the fruit such as an apple where the core is normally discarded as the main fruit around the core is consumed by the consumer. In terms of nuts, nuts are sold both in a shell and unshelled condition. Further nuts may be sold in a raw condition or processed through roasting. When nuts are sold either roasted or unroasted in a shell condition there is usually residue or waste associated with consumption of the nuts or seeds. One particular snack that is enjoyed by many individuals is sunflower seeds that involve the consumption of a seed that is within the shell of the sunflower seed. Quite similar to sunflower seed consumption are pumpkin seeds and pistachios. Peanuts may also be sold in a shell condition where shell is broken and the actual nut portion is in the shell for consumption. With respect the shelled nut consumption a user typically discards the shell in a bag or a container for disposal. Further such waste product may create a messy condition at and near the point of consumption. Many consumers of sunflower seeds actually spit the shell itself because usually the shell is required to be inserted into the mouth to access the seed within the shell. Once the seed is accessed the user typically spits the shell out of their mouth.
Consequently it would be advantageous to have a device that may be used to assist the consumer of sunflower seeds in disposing of the shell after consuming the seed within the shell. Such a device may also be used with other shelled nuts such as pumpkin, pistachio and peanut.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a snack bottle for assisting in the consumption and disposal of a shelled food product comprising: a first compartment; a first closure means, where the first closure means closes an opening for the first compartment; a second compartment, where the second compartment attaches to the first compartment; a second closure means, where the second closure means closes an opening for the second compartment; and a separator, where the separator lies between the first compartment and the second compartment. The first closure means may include a first lid and a lip where the lip provides a means to seal the first lid to a closed position. The second closure means may include a second lid and a lip where the lip provides a means to seal the second lid to a closed position. The first lid may be interchangeable between an open position and a closed position. Further, the second lid may be interchangeable between an open position and a closed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a side view of a seed snack bottle in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a top view of the seed snack bottle in an open position according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a bottle that contains two compartments. The bottle assists the consumer in the consumption of a shelled snack such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and/or pistachios. The present invention includes a first compartment for the storage of the seed in its unshelled condition. The seeds may be accessed for consumption and then enjoyed by the user. A second compartment is provided in accordance with the present invention that allows the user to dispose of the shell after consuming the seed within the shell. Both the first and second compartments have lids that attach to a lip connection means at each opening thereof. The compartments are joined into a composite bottle and a separator divides each compartment from the other.
In reference to FIG. 1, a seed snack bottle 100 is depicted. The seed snack bottle 100 includes a first compartment 20 and a second compartment 22. Each compartment provides a means for the storage of both the consumed or residue shell and unconsumed seeds. Either compartment may be utilized for either state or condition of the seed. Further the compartments may be interchanged as desired by the user.
As shown in FIG. 1, the snack bottle 100 has a first compartment 20 that includes a first lid 32. The first lid 32 shown more clearly in FIG. 2 provides a means to close the opening of the first compartment 20. A lip sealing means is provided at the top of the first compartment 20. Lip 26 provides the sealing means to seal the lid 32 in a closed position. At the opposite side of the first compartment 20 lies a separator 25. The separator 25 separates the first compartment 20 from the second compartment 22.
The second compartment 22 further includes a lip 24 and a second lid 34. The second lid 34 provides a means to close or seal the opening of the second compartment 22. Consequently a user may place unconsumed sunflower seeds or other seed type snacks in the first compartment 20 and retrieve them by opening the first lid 32. After a sufficient amount of seeds are provided for consumption the user may then consume the seeds and dispose of the shells in the second compartment 22. The second compartment 22 may be accessed by opening the second lid 34 to expose the opening of the second compartment 22. FIG. 2 depicts a top view of the snack bottle 100 depicting the top of the lip 26 that surrounds the circumference of the first compartment 20. The first lid 32 is shown in an open position and exposes the opening to first compartment 20. As shown, lid 32 is adjoined to the body of the snack bottle 100 and therefore may be conveniently opened and closed as desired by the user. A similar configuration is provided for the second lid 34 for the second compartment 22. The lid 32 and lid 34 resiliently close the respective openings of compartment 20 and compartment 22.
The snack bottle 100 may be manufactured in various sizes to accommodate different volumes of seeds and the residue shells. The snack bottle according to the present invention therefore provides a convenient device and utensil to assist the consumer in enjoying a seed snack. The instant invention has been shown and described in what it considers to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made there from within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A snack bottle for assisting in the consumption and disposal of a shelled food product comprising:

a. a first compartment, where the first compartment includes a lip around a circumference of an opening to the first compartment;

b. a first closure means, where the first closure means closes the opening for the first compartment, where the first closure means includes a first lid adjoined to the first compartment, where the lip seals the first lid in a closed position;

c. a second compartment, where the second compartment attaches to the first compartment, and where the second compartment includes a lip around a circumference of an opening to the second compartment;

d. a second closure means, where the second closure means closes the opening for the second compartment, where the second closure means includes a second lid adjoined to the second compartment, where the lip seals the second lid in a closed position; and

e. a separator, where the separator lies between the first compartment and the second compartment.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. The snack bottle according to claim 1, where the first lid is interchangeable between an open position and a closed position.

5. The snack bottle according to claim 1, where the second lid is interchangeable between an open position and a closed position.

6. A method of use for a snack bottle comprising the steps of:

a. placing a shelled food product within a first compartment of the snack bottle;

b. enclosing the shelled food product within the first compartment with a lid adjoined to the first compartment;

c. consuming a seed of the shelled food product;

d. disposing of a shell of the shelled food product within a second compartment attached to the first compartment; and

e. enclosing the shell within the second compartment with a lid adjoined to the second compartment.