Container with divided compartments

Abstract

The present teachings describe an improved dispensing container for a plurality of viscous liquids. In one aspect, the container includes a compressible housing that defines a plurality of chambers that contain a plurality of viscous materials, wherein the compressible housing has an opening at a first end and wherein the plurality of different chambers are in fluid communication with the opening such that compression of the compressible housing results in a mix of the plurality of viscous materials being urged out of the opening. In addition, the container further includes a cap assembly that is positioned over the opening, wherein the cap is movable between a closed and an open orientation wherein the cap has a flat surface having an area sufficient to support the dispensing container in an upright orientation when the cap is positioned in the closed orientation.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A dispensing container for a plurality of viscous liquids, the container comprising: 
 a compressible housing that defines a plurality of chambers that contain the plurality of viscous materials, wherein the compressible housing has an opening at a first end, and wherein the plurality of different chambers are in fluid communication with the opening such that compression of the compressible housing results in a mix of the viscous materials being urged out of the opening; and    a cap assembly that is positioned over the opening, wherein the cap is movable between a closed and an open orientation, wherein the cap has a flat surface having an area sufficient to support the dispensing container in an upright orientation when the cap is positioned in the closed orientation.    
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly includes a cap housing that mates onto the first end of the compressible housing and a cap that is pivotally connected to the housing, and wherein the housing includes an opening that is sized so as to be in fluid communication with each of the plurality of chambers.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the opening in the cap housing is sized so as to permit a pre-determined substantially constant ratio of the viscous liquids to be urged out of the opening when the compressible housing is compressed.  
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprise two chambers that are divided by a common wall, and wherein the opening in the cap housing is elongate so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the common wall and so that a substantially equal amount of viscous material from the two chambers emanate out of the opening when the compressible housing is compressed.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein the chambers contain respectively peanut butter and jelly.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the cap member of the housing includes a protrusion that matches the contour of the opening in the cap housing such that when the cap is closed, the protrusion extends into the opening to thereby seal the opening.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein the protrusion is sized so as to extend into the compressible housing a sufficient distance to inhibit viscous liquids from different containers from mixing.  
     
     
         8 . An assembly for dispensing a plurality of viscous materials comprising: 
 a container having a flexible housing with a partition formed therein so as to divide the interior of the housing into a plurality of reservoirs, the container having a neck portion with an opening formed in a first end, wherein the partition extends within the neck portion so as to define first and second apertures adjacent the opening, and wherein the flexible sidewall is compressible such that compressing the flexible sidewall produces a force that inwardly collapses the flexible housing to thereby extrude the viscous materials from the reservoirs through the opening via the first and second apertures; and    a cap mounted to the neck portion so as to overlie the opening, wherein a third aperture is formed in the cap so as to communicate with the opening for extrusion of the vicious materials from the container.    
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of reservoirs comprise first and second reservoirs that each comprise at least one viscous material, and wherein the first and second reservoirs are in communication with the opening such that compression of the flexible housing results in a mix of the viscous materials being extruded from the opening.  
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the cap comprises a base portion and a lid portion attached to the base portion via a hinge such that the lid portion is movable between an open and closed position.  
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the lid portion comprises a flat outer surface having an area sufficient to support the assembly in an upright orientation when the cap is positioned in the closed position.  
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the base portion of the cap mates onto the neck portion via a threaded interconnection, and wherein the third aperture is formed in the base portion of the cap so as to overlie the opening in the neck portion when the cap is mated to the neck portion such that the third aperture is in communication with the reservoirs via the first and second apertures.  
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the lid portion of the cap comprises a protrusion that matches the contour of the third aperture formed in the cap such that when the lid portion of the cap is in the closed position, the protrusion extends within the third aperture to thereby seal the third aperture.  
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the protrusion is sized so as to extend into the flexible housing a sufficient distance to inhibit viscous materials from different reservoirs from mixing.  
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the opening of the neck portion is sized so as to be in communication with each of the plurality of reservoirs.  
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the third aperture formed in the cap is sized so as to permit a pre-determined substantially constant ratio of viscous materials to be extruded from the opening when the flexible housing is compressed.  
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the partition defines a common wall between the plurality of reservoirs, and wherein the third aperture formed in the cap is elongate so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the common wall and so that a substantially equal amount of viscous material from the plurality of reservoirs extrude from the opening when the flexible housing is compressed.  
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein a first end of the container adjacent the neck portion comprises a circular cross-section that narrows to a substantially flat cross-section at a second end of the container opposite the neck portion.  
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the viscous materials comprise food products selected form the group consisting of peanut butter, jelly, margarine, honey, cheese, and refried beans.  
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the viscous materials comprise cosmetic products selected form the group consisting of lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste.  
     
     
         21 . A container for dispensing a plurality of viscous materials comprising: 
 a housing having a compressible skin and an interior chamber;    a neck portion with an opening formed therein; and    a common wall that is joined to the compressible skin in a manner so as to divide the interior chamber of the housing into at least two reservoirs, wherein the common wall extends within the neck portion so as to define at least two apertures interposed between the at least two reservoirs and the opening, and wherein the compressible skin is compressible such that compressing the compressible skin produces a force that inwardly collapses the housing to thereby express the viscous materials from the reservoirs through the opening via the first and second apertures.    
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein the container further comprises a manifold positioned within the neck portion in a manner so as to replace at least a portion of the common wall that extends within the neck portion, and wherein the manifold is positioned within the neck portion so as to be interposed between the opening and the common wall.  
     
     
         23 . The container of  claim 22 , wherein the manifold comprises a hollow interior region and a partition component that defines the at least two apertures, and wherein the partition component abuts the common wall, and the at least two apertures provide a communication path from the reservoirs to the opening.  
     
     
         24 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein the at least two reservoirs comprise first and second reservoirs that each comprise at least one viscous material, and wherein the first and second reservoirs are in communication with the opening such that compression of the compressible skin of the housing results in a mix of the viscous materials being expressed from the opening via the at least two apertures.  
     
     
         25 . The container of  claim 24 , wherein the at least two apertures comprise first and second apertures, and wherein the first aperture is defined between the first reservoir and the opening, and the second aperture is defined between the second reservoir and the opening such that compression of the compressible skin of the housing results in a mix of the viscous materials being expressed from the first and second reservoirs to the opening via the first and second apertures.  
     
     
         26 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein the container further comprises a cap mounted to the neck portion so as to overlie the opening, wherein a third aperture is formed in the cap so as to communicate with the opening for expression of the vicious materials from the reservoirs.  
     
     
         27 . The container of  claim 26 , wherein the third aperture formed in the cap is sized so as to permit a pre-determined substantially constant ratio of viscous materials to be expressed from the opening when the compressible skin of the housing is compressed.  
     
     
         28 . The container of  claim 26 , wherein the cap comprises a base portion and a lid portion attached to the base portion via a hinge such that the lid portion is movable between an open and closed position.  
     
     
         29 . The container of  claim 28 , wherein the lid portion comprises a flat outer surface having an area sufficient to support the container in an upright orientation when the cap is oriented in the closed position.  
     
     
         30 . The container of  claim 28 , wherein the base portion of the cap mates onto the neck portion via a threaded interconnection, and wherein the third aperture is formed in the base portion of the cap so as to overlie the opening in the neck portion when the cap is mated to the neck portion such that the third aperture is in communication with the reservoirs via the at least two apertures.  
     
     
         31 . The container of  claim 28 , wherein the lid portion of the cap comprises a protrusion that matches the contour of the third aperture formed in the cap such that when the lid portion of the cap is in the closed position, the protrusion extends within the third aperture to thereby seal the third aperture.  
     
     
         32 . The container of  claim 31 , wherein the protrusion is sized so as to extend into the flexible housing a sufficient distance to inhibit viscous materials from different reservoirs from mixing.  
     
     
         33 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein the opening of the neck portion is sized so as to be in communication with each of the at least two reservoirs.  
     
     
         34 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein the common wall defines a partition between the at least two reservoirs, and wherein the third aperture formed in the cap is elongate so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the common wall and so that a substantially equal amount of viscous material is expressed from the reservoirs and through the opening when the compressible skin of the housing is compressed.  
     
     
         35 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein a first end of the housing adjacent the neck portion comprises a circular cross-section that narrows to a substantially flat cross-section at a second end of the housing opposite the neck portion.  
     
     
         36 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein the viscous materials comprise food products selected form the group consisting of peanut butter, jelly, margarine, honey, cheese, and refried beans.  
     
     
         37 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein the viscous materials comprise cosmetic products selected form the group consisting of lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste.