Portion Control Funnel Lid

Abstract

A predetermined capacity dispensing lid for integral packaging within vendor containers of bulk product. The portion control funnel lid consists of a combined chamber, funnel, and spout in one simple assembly that is ultimately disposable after use. A predetermined amount of powder or liquid is collected and separated into the portion control funnel lid for dispensing, and the unused portion of the bulk powder or liquid is retained within the main body of the vendor container. Separation and dispensing of the vendor product is controlled by manually rotating the portion control chamber to open and close the opposing aperture gates (one fixed, one operable) within the lid. This simple dispensing device is differentiated from other similar devices by the fact that it consists of one single barrier member and is manually-operated, with no shafts, gears, motors, springs, or other mechanical parts or operations. The lid will be shipped inverted, creating a seal and cap for the vendor container, and will be turned upright when the packaging is first opened and secured onto the container by the open top retaining lid, which will be matched with the outside screw threads of the vendor product containers. The portion control funnel will be sized and custom fabricated to achieve the vendor suggested portion (dose) of powder, granules, or liquid by varying the dimensions and capacity of the chamber and funnel during manufacturing. It is intended that the lid supplied as an integral part of this invention would be customized as required to match the size and configuration, as well as the screw thread pitch and gage, of existing on-the-market containers so that it can be used with many different existing product containers.

1 . The patent sought for this invention and method relates to the unique and novel concept of combining a measuring and portion control device with a funnel and dispensing nozzle in a very simple manner that allows the combined assembly to readily segregate the portioned amount of product from the remaining bulk product still in the vendor's original canister or bottle. This simple and inexpensive dispensing device is differentiated from other similar devices by the fact that it consists of one chamber and a single barrier member, as well as being manually-operated, with no shafts, gears, motors, springs, or other mechanical parts or operations. The Portion Control Funnel Lid facilitates the proper use of nutraceutical and other products, as well as serving to increase the convenience, cleanliness, safety, and efficiency of the product use. The easy-to-use operation of the one measuring chamber and single divider element can be accomplished manually and without even looking at the device, which would be a benefit for persons of limited sight or blindness. 
     
     
         2 . The patent sought for this invention and method relates to the unique and novel concept of combining a measuring and portion control device with a funnel and dispensing nozzle in a very simple, inexpensive, manner that allows custom fabrication and mass production of the Portion Control Funnel Lid in a wide variety of portion sizes, as well as a significant variation in lid sizes to fit the existing, in-production canisters and bottles of current products by numerous vendors. The dimensions, diameters, heights, and configuration of the Portion Control Funnel Lid may be custom designed and modified to achieve proper dosage and portion amounts, as well as to fit the wide variety of existing canisters and bottles already on the market. 
     
     
         3 . The patent sought for this invention and method relates to the novel manufacturing and utility of this dispensing lid, which will be licensed to various vendors of nutraceuticals for use with their existing products and the canisters or bottles associated with those products. It is intended that the lid supplied as an integral part of this invention would be customized as required to match the size and configuration, as well as the screw thread pitch and gage, of existing on-the-market containers so that it can be used with many different existing product containers, as well as being individually licensed to numerous vendors for use on the their products, as desired. This simple and economical dispensing device is differentiated from other similar devices by the fact that it is intended to be incorporated and sold as part of the vendor's standard packaging, and ultimately disposed of with the vendor's empty container. Other measuring and dispensing devices, as well as combination measuring and funnel devices, previously marketed or patented, have predominately been after-market permanent or semi-permanent products that are sold and distributed separately, and intended to operate independently of the vendor's product containers. 
     
     
         4 . The invention and method of the Portion Control Funnel Lid of  claims 1 ,  2 , and  3 , avoids the use of separate scoops, measuring cups, and funnels that are often packaged with nutraceutical products and can result in messy spills and loss of product, as well as potential contamination of the product due to numerous openings of the container during its service life. The Portion Control Funnel Lid is also more economical to fabricate and assemble than previous, permanent, or semi-permanent, independent measuring and dispensing devices, and avoids the practice of the consumer having to transfer nutraceutical product from the vendor's packaging to the permanent device multiple times over the service life of the product container, risking potential contamination. 
     
     
         5 . The invention and method of the Portion Control Funnel Lid of  claims 1 ,  2 , and  3 , includes a screw-on Open Top Retainer Lid that is compatible with multiple types and sizes of existing vendor canisters and bottles, and which is used to secure the Aperture Lid with an aperture opening of variable size to accommodate the desired portion size. The integral pitch and gage of the screw threads within the Open Top Retainer Lid would be coordinated with the vendor canisters and bottles already existing, such that packaging of the vendor's product could be readily and easily modified using the containers already in production by simply replacing the existing lid with the properly sized and configured Portion Control Funnel Lid. 
     
     
         6 . The invention and method of the Portion Control Funnel Lid of  claims 1 ,  2  and  3 , includes a combination measuring chamber and funnel that rotates within the Keeper Flange of the Aperture Lid (or alternatively snap-fits together using a continuous, circular, ball-and-socket engagement), and incorporates an aperture opening of variable size, as well as a chamber with overall volume and configuration of variable size and arrangement to accommodate the desired portion size. The combination measuring chamber and funnel is configured to allow the predetermined amount of powder or liquid product to flow through said chamber and dispensing spout to a separate container for mixing and consumption. 
     
     
         7 . The invention and method of the Portion Control Funnel Lid of  claims 1 ,  2 , and  3 , includes a combination measuring chamber and funnel, that rotates within the Keeper Flange of the Aperture Lid (or alternatively snap-fits together using a continuous, circular, ball-and-socket engagement), such that when the Portion Control Funnel aperture opening is “opposite” the Aperture Lid aperture opening, the lid will be in the “Closed” position, with the solid portion of the Portion Control Funnel bottom flange serving as a divider, or membrane, between the combination measuring chamber and funnel and the bulk product of the attached container. Conversely, when the Portion Control Funnel aperture opening is “aligned” with the Aperture Lid aperture opening, the lid will be in the “Open” position (see  FIGS. 4 & 5 ). 
     
     
         8 . The invention and method of the Portion Control Funnel Lid of  claims 1 ,  2 , and  3 , includes a combination measuring chamber and funnel that includes an open throat dispenser spout with plastic snap-on cap, retainer strap, and spout neck collar ring that can be used to preserve the product in the Portion Control Funnel until ready for use, if not used immediately after portioning (see  FIGS. 2 & 8 ). The combination measuring chamber and funnel is provided with a releasably secured plastic snap-on cap at the small end of the funnel spout, which has a suitable plastic retention strap and neck ring that attaches to the funnel spout by being slipped over its neck. 
     
     
         9 . The invention and method of the Portion Control Funnel Lid of  claims 1 ,  2 , and  3 , includes a combination measuring chamber and funnel that provides an inexpensive method for accurately and consistently dispensing a predetermined amount of the powder or liquid nutraceutical product by turning the Portion Control Funnel to the “open” position with the snap-on cap in place on the spout and tilting the entire assembly to an inverted position with the vendor canister or bottle attached. The assembly may be slightly shaken so that product from the vendor's container can move freely through the-aligned aperture openings in the Portion Control Funnel and Aperture Lid, completely filling the predetermined capacity chamber of the Portion Control Funnel Lid. The Portion Control Funnel is then manually rotated so that the aperture gates are no longer aligned (i.e., “closed”), which also segregates the measured portion from the bulk product still retained within the vendor's canister or bottle. Once the product has been measured and segregated into the PCF, the entire assembly, including the vendor canister or bottle, is returned to an upright position. Product that has been measured and retained, within the PCF can be used immediately or stored within the PCF chamber for later use. When ultimately used, with the PCF still in the closed position, the snap-on cap at the small end of the funnel spout is removed and the entire assembly once again tilted sufficiently to dispense the nutraceutical product from the predetermined capacity chamber into a separate container or shaker for mixing and consumption. Dispensing of the product occurs as the powder or liquid product travels through the measuring chamber and funnel and out the dispensing spout. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said Portion Control Funnel Lid will be fabricated and mass produced in varying sizes and capacities depending on the desired portion or dose by the vendors to whom the invention will be marketed and licensed to, is a key aspect of this invention and method. The size and volume of the Portion Control Funnel Lid can be readily proportioned and sized by varying the dimensions, diameters, lengths, and overall size of the Portion Control Funnel and Aperture Lid components of the device in order to provide precise portion and/or dose measurement and control. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said Portion Control Funnel Lid is licensed to multiple individual vendors and manufacturers of nutraceutical products far use with their existing products and standard canisters, containers, and bottles, is a key aspect of this invention and method. It is specifically intended that the Portion Control Funnel Lid will generally not be produced as a stand-alone product, but will be incorporated into the normal packaging of the vendor's product once, [a] the licensing has been properly arranged, [b ] the size, volume, or capacity of the measuring chamber and funnel has been established by appropriate dimensions, and [c] the device has been satisfactorily fabricated and mass produced for incorporation into the standard packaging. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said inverting step is performed in order to discharge the desired powder or liquid product through the aligned apertures of the Portion Control Funnel Lid, which is to be received into the combination measuring chamber and funnel, as well as manual rotation of the Portion Control Funnel in order to place the apertures in the opposite configuration (i.e., “closed”) and produce a divider membrane or element between the predetermined amount of product in the combination measuring chamber and funnel and the bulk product still retained within the vendor's canister or bottle. 
     
     
         13 . The device and method of using the Portion Control Funnel Lid of  claims 1 ,  2 , and  3 , where utilized for liquids, the thickened element of the Aperture Lid would be fabricated with a circular dart recess that is intended to receive and be provided with a circular silicone gasket, composed of FDA-approved, food-grade, synthetic silicone rubber in order to better retain liquids within the vendor's canister or bottle (see  FIG. 6A ). 
     
     
         14 . The device and method of using the Portion Control Funnel Lid of  claims 1 ,  2 , and  3 , where utilized for standard 1 gallon or 5 gallon plastic pails, the Open Top Retaining Lid and the Aperture Lid would be combined with a modified plastic or metal pail lid having a special opening, including outside threads that would match with the Open Top Retaining Lid (see  FIGS. 9 and 10 ), being integral with the standard pail, and with the Portion Control Funnel engaged within the Keeper Flange of the Aperture Lid (or alternatively snap-fit together using a continuous, circular, ball-and-socket engagement). For large volume Portion Control Funnels, the PCF shall be provided with two (2) to four (4) plastic ears (or tabs) along the funnel and spout elements of the PCF in order to aid in applying torque during manual rotation of the PCF So close the apertures and segregate the product. 
     
     
         15 . The device and method of using the Portion Control Funnel Lid of  claims 1 ,  2 , and  3 , where utilized for small, medium, and large volume bags or sacks, the Open Top Retaining Lid and the Aperture Lid would be combined with a plastic integration flange that is bonded or fastened to the side of the bag or sack (see  FIGS. 11 and 12 ), being integral with that packaging, and with the Portion Control Funnel engaged within the Keeper Flange of the Aperture Lid. The integration flange would be provided with a special opening having outside threads that would match with the Open Top Retaining Lid. For large volume Portion Control Funnels, the PCF shall be provided with two (2) to four (4) plastic ears (or tabs) along the funnel and spout elements of the PCF in order to aid in applying torque during manual rotation of the PCF to close the apertures and segregate the product. 
     
     
         16 . The concepts and methods applied for in this patent, as well as the basic design and methods of use described, and diagramed herein, may be utilized in industries other than the health and fitness (nutraceutical) industry for which it is uniquely suited. Other applications include, [a] kitchen dry goods and liquids, [b] bulk food or juice products, [c] laundry, powders and liquids, [d] granular or nuggetized pet food products, [e] lawn, tree, and plant care products, [f] construction industry products, [g] medications and pharmaceuticals, and [h] general chemicals. 
     
     
         17 . The embodiments described above and as illustrated in the figures are presented by way of example only and are not intended as a limitation upon the concepts and principles of the present invention. As such, it is anticipated that various changes in the elements, as well as their basic configuration and arrangement are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. This is particularly so with respect to the size and shape of the vendor canisters and/or bottles, as well as the size, diameter, and length, of the components of the Portion Control Funnel Lid pertaining to the portion, or dose, contained by the Portion Control Funnel (with or without a straight “barrel” element of the measuring chamber).