Compartmentalized container

Abstract

A dual-compartment container having separate, oppositely-facing openings for accessing each compartment of the container.

1 . A container comprising: 
 a body defining a pair of separate compartments and a pair of openings each associated with one of the compartments, said openings facing in generally opposite directions; and    a lid releasably coupled to the body and covering at least one of the openings to thereby isolate the compartment associate with said at least one of the openings.    
     
     
         2 . A container according to  claim 1 , 
 said compartments being separated by a common divider wall.    
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 2 , 
 said common divider wall being generally disk shaped.    
     
     
         4 . A container according to  claim 1 , 
 said openings being generally circular and having a diameter in the range of from about 1 inch to about 18 inches,    wherein the ratio of the depth of each compartment to the diameter of the opening associated with that compartment is in the range of from about 0.3:1 to about 2:1.    
     
     
         5 . A container according to  claim 4 , 
 each of said openings having a diameter in the range of from 2 inches to 8 inches.    
     
     
         6 . A container according to  claim 5 , 
 wherein the ratio of the depth of each compartment to the diameter of the opening associated with that compartment is in the range of from 0.5:1 to 1:1.    
     
     
         7 . A container according to  claim 1 , 
 said body extending along a longitudinal container axis,    said longitudinal container axis extending through both openings.    
     
     
         8 . A container according to  claim 7 , 
 each of said openings facing in directions which are substantially parallel to the direction of extension of the longitudinal container axis.    
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 7 , 
 said openings being substantially centered on the longitudinal container axis.    
     
     
         10 . A container according to  claim 7 , 
 said body including a generally axially extending sidewall and a generally radially extending end wall,    said end wall being axially spaced from both openings.    
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 10 , 
 said end wall being substantially centered on the longitudinal axis,    said sidewall being generally cylindrical and substantially centered on the longitudinal container axis.    
     
     
         12 . A container comprising: 
 a monolithic body defining first and second compartments, said body including a common divider wall defining a portion of both compartments, said body defining first and second openings for providing access to the first and second compartments respectively, said first and second openings facing in generally opposite directions from one another;    a first lid releasably coupled to the body and covering the first opening; and    a second lid releasably coupled to the body and covering the second opening.    
     
     
         13 . A container according to  claim 12 , 
 said body extending along a longitudinal container axis,    said compartments being axially spaced from one another,    said openings being axially spaced from one another,    said common divider wall being axially positioned between the openings,    said longitudinal container axis extending through both openings.    
     
     
         14 . A container according to  claim 13 , 
 said body including a generally cylindrical sidewall,    said common divider wall extending radially inward from the sidewall,    said openings being substantially circular.    
     
     
         15 . A container according to  claim 14 , 
 said openings, said sidewall, and said common divider wall being substantially centered on the longitudinal container axis.    
     
     
         16 . A container according to  claim 15 , 
 said body being configured so that the ratio of the depth of each of the compartments to the diameter of the opening associated with that compartment is in the range of from 0.5:1 to 1:1.    
     
     
         17 . A container according to  claim 16 , 
 said first and second openings each having a diameter in the range of from 2 inches to 8 inches.    
     
     
         18 . A container according to  claim 17 , 
 said lids being threadably coupled to generally opposite ends of the body.    
     
     
         19 . A container comprising: 
 a first body defining a first compartment and a first opening for accessing the first compartment;    a second body defining a second compartment and a second opening for accessing the second compartment; and    a common lid releasably coupled to both bodies and covering both openings.    
     
     
         20 . A container according to  claim 19 , 
 said first and second openings facing in generally opposite directions.    
     
     
         21 . A container according to  claim 20 , 
 said bodies and said lid being substantially aligned along a common container axis,    said common container axis extending through both openings.    
     
     
         22 . A container according to  claim 21 , 
 said first body including a substantially cylindrical first sidewall and a substantially radially extending first end wall,    said second body including a substantially cylindrical second sidewall and a substantially radially extending second end wall.    
     
     
         23 . A container according to  claim 19 , 
 said common lid including a generally cylindrical outer ring threadably coupled to each of the bodies and a generally disc-shaped cover plate extending radially inward from the outer ring and covering both openings.    
     
     
         24 . A container according to  claim 23 , 
 said first and second bodies having substantially the same shape.    
     
     
         25 . A method of removing food from a dual-compartment food storage container, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) uncovering a first container opening to thereby provide access to a first compartment of the container;    (b) inserting a first scooping element through the first container opening and into the first compartment;    (c) scooping food out of the first compartment using the first scooping element;    (d) uncovering a second container opening to thereby provide access to a second compartment of the container, said first and second container openings facing in generally opposite directions when covered;    (e) inserting the first scooping element or a second scooping element through the second container opening and into the second compartment;    (f) scooping food out of the second compartment using one of the scooping elements.    
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25 , 
 step (a) including unscrewing a first lid of the container,    step (d) including unscrewing a second lid of the container.    
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 25 , 
 step (a) including unscrewing a first container body from a common lid,    step (d) including unscrewing a second container body from the common lid.