Sunflower seed dispenser and shell diposal container

Abstract

A dual-compartment container designed specifically to dispense unshelled sunflower seeds and to hold sunflower seed refuse. The container comprises a dispenser compartment, a disposal compartment, and a dividing wall. The two compartments are separately blow molded, and the dividing wall is made up of one surface of the dispenser compartment and one surface of the disposal compartment. The two compartments are held together by packaging and/or surface mating means. The volumetric ratio of the dispenser compartment to the disposal compartment is preferably 1:1.7. The container is dimensioned so as to fit in a standard vehicle cup holder. The disposal compartment has ventilation holes and is optionally made of an opaque material to conceal the enclosed refuse. The neck of the disposal compartment is situated on top of the container and is wider than the neck of the dispenser compartment to facilitate spitting refuse into the disposal compartment.

1 . A dual-compartment container comprising a dispenser compartment, a disposal compartment, and a dividing wall, wherein the volumetric ratio of the dispenser compartment to the disposal compartment is in the range of 1:1.5 to 1:1.9.  
   
   
       2 . A dual-compartment container comprising a dispenser compartment, a disposal compartment, and a dividing wall, wherein the disposal compartment is punctured to provide a plurality of ventilation holes.  
   
   
       3 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the disposal compartment is made of an opaque material.  
   
   
       4 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the dispenser compartment is made of a transparent material.  
   
   
       5 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the dispenser compartment and the disposal compartment are made of thermoplastic.  
   
   
       6 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 1  or  2 , further comprising a bottom surface that is so dimensioned as to fit into a standard vehicle cup holder.  
   
   
       7 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 6 , wherein the bottom surface is no greater than 3.5 inches in diameter.  
   
   
       8 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 6 , wherein the bottom surface is flat.  
   
   
       9 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 6 , wherein the bottom surface is corrugated.  
   
   
       10 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the dispenser compartment and the disposal compartment are held together by packaging.  
   
   
       11 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the dispenser compartment and the disposal compartment are separately blow molded, the dividing wall is formed by a surface of the dispenser compartment and a surface of the disposal compartment, and the two surfaces that form the dividing wall are joined together by mating engagement means.  
   
   
       12 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the dispenser compartment and the disposal compartment are separately blow molded, the dividing wall is formed by a surface of the dispenser compartment and a surface of the disposal compartment, and the two surfaces are held together by a plurality of snaps that comprise protrusions on the surface of the dispenser compartment that forms the dividing wall and indentations on the surface of the disposal compartment that forms the dividing wall.  
   
   
       13 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the dispenser compartment and the disposal compartment are separately blow molded, the dividing wall is formed by a surface of the dispenser compartment and a surface of the disposal compartment, and the two surfaces are held together by a plurality of snaps that comprise protrusions on the surface of the disposal compartment that forms the dividing wall and indentations on the surface of the dispenser compartment that forms the dividing wall.  
   
   
       14 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the dispenser compartment comprises a first neck and a first cap, and wherein the disposal compartment comprises a second neck and a second cap.  
   
   
       15 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 14 , wherein the first cap is a flip-top cap.  
   
   
       16 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 14 , wherein the second cap is a flip-top cap.  
   
   
       17 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 14 , wherein the second neck is wider than the first neck.  
   
   
       18 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 17 , wherein the first neck is no wider than nine-tenths (0.9) inches in diameter and the second neck is at least one (1) inch in diameter.  
   
   
       19 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 17 , wherein the second neck and second cap are located directly on top of the container to facilitate spitting into the disposal container.  
   
   
       20 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 14 , further comprising a bottom surface, wherein the distance between the bottom surface and the top of the second neck is about nine and one-half (9.5) inches.  
   
   
       21 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the dispenser compartment contains unshelled sunflower seeds and the disposal compartment contains sunflower seed refuse.  
   
   
       22 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 21 , wherein the sunflower seed refuse comprises sunflower seed shells.  
   
   
       23 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 21 , wherein the sunflower seed refuse comprises sunflower seed shells and saliva.  
   
   
       24 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the dispenser compartment contains unshelled pistachio nuts and the disposal compartment contains pistachio nut refuse.  
   
   
       25 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 24 , wherein the pistachio nut refuse comprises pistachio nut shells.  
   
   
       26 . The dual-compartment container of  claim 24 , wherein the pistachio nut refuse comprises pistachio nut shells and saliva.