Multi-Compartment Snack Storage and Dispensing Appliance

Abstract

A food and beverage Appliance enables storage and consumption of a food and beverage meal, such as cereal and milk, in a portable form factor allowing consumption of the meal while in motion or during or after travel. The Appliance stores the food and beverage separately, and dispenses the food and beverage separately and non-simultaneously to preserve the crispiness and freshness, and to allow the user to control the size of each portion dispensed. The Appliance prevents leakage of the beverage out it its compartment, whether during filling, storage, traveling, or dispensing, to prevent getting the food soggy prior to dispensing and to prevent messes. The Appliance enables a revolution in healthy snacking and quick and easy mobile meals. Features make the Appliance either reusable or disposable. It also can create a new revenue category for takeout restaurants, and ideal for pre-packaged retail applications.

1 . A dry food and beverage storage and dispensing appliance for separating and preventing the mixing of a dry food and a liquid beverage while stored in the appliance, and for non-simultaneous dispensing of the dry food and liquid is described, comprising:
 1) a container with a closed bottom and open top, and comprising:
 a) a rim around the open top, part of the rim at a first height, 
 b) a septum intersecting the container from bottom to top, defining a first and second compartment separated by the septum, the septum transitioning to a wall raising above the top of the rim of the container, the wall having (1) a left and right corner, and (2) a top between the left and right corners at a second height above the rim first height, 
 c) a left and right ramp connecting the wall second height at the left and right corner to the rim first height of the first compartment; 
   2) a lid with a top surface and a bottom surface, and comprising:
 a) a seal element on the bottom surface, the seal element adapted to make contiguous contact with the top of the container wall, the left and right ramp, and the rim of the first compartment, 
 b) a first and second side, the first side defined by the area inside the perimeter of the bottom surface seal element, 
 c) a food spout defined by an opening in the lid second side, the perimeter of the opening including a raised rim extending a distance from the lid the top surface, 
 d) a moveable door in the second side on the bottom surface, adapted to close and open the food spout opening, 
 e) an opening through the first side; 
   3) a straw and valve assembly adapted to pass through the lid first side opening and extending a distance from the lid top surface;   4) a connection means to connect the lid and container together.   
     
     
         2 . An appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the perimeter of the container from the bottom of the container to the top of the container includes at least one portion that comprises an inner wall and an outer wall, and an empty space between the inner and outer walls. 
     
     
         3 . An appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the food spout is substantially oval shaped, with the long axis of the oval between 1.375 inches to 1.625 inches and the short axis of the oval is between 1.125 inches to 1.375 inches. 
     
     
         4 . An appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the food spout height is variable, with a top height of 0.5 inches to 0.75 inches and a lowest height of 0.3125 inches to 0.5625 inches. 
     
     
         5 . An appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the appliance is available in more than one size, with the internal volume of the first compartment plus the second compartment is for a first size 18 to 22 ounces and for a second size 26 to 32 ounces. 
     
     
         6 . An appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the first and second compartment are in the volumetric ratio range of 1:1.4 respectively to 1:1.6 respectively. 
     
     
         7 . An appliance as in  claim 1  wherein at least one of the lid or the bottom includes on its outer surface a substantially permanent and indelible electronically readable code substantially unique to each individual appliance sold, the code enabling the appliance to be used in a business process, wherein: a user of the appliance brings the appliance to a business, the business reads the electronic code, the business possesses a database into which the code is read to identify the user, and the database takes care of at least one aspect of serving the customer for having the appliance filled with a food and a beverage, the serving including but not limited to billing information or customer preferences. 
     
     
         8 . A dry food and beverage storage and dispensing appliance for separating and preventing the mixing of a dry food and a liquid beverage while stored in the appliance, and for non-simultaneous dispensing of the dry food and liquid is described, comprising: (1) a substantially circular outer cup with a first inner diameter, and a first rim around the top; (2) a substantially semi-circular inner cup, the semi-circle comprising an included angle of more than 180 degrees, and with a first outer diameter substantially matching the first inner diameter and not to exceed the first inner diameter, and with a second rim around the top; (3) a second lid engageable with a seal to the top rim of the inner cup; (4) a first lid engageable with a lock to the top of the outer cup; (5) a raised spout in the first lid aligned with the area in the outer cup that is outside of the area occupied by the inner cup when the inner cup is placed in the outer cup and when the first lid is attached; (6) a first through hole in the first lid and a second through hole in the second lid, the first and second through hole aligned with each other when the cups and lids are attached; and (7) a straw through the through holes. 
     
     
         9 . A dry food and beverage storage and dispensing appliance for separating and preventing the mixing of a dry food and a liquid beverage while stored in the appliance, and for non-simultaneous dispensing of the dry food and liquid is described, comprising: (1) a container with a closed bottom and open top comprising, (a) a septum separating the inside of the container into a first compartment and second compartment, (b) a rim around the open top of the first compartment and around the top of the second compartment, and (c) a first connection means; (2) a lid with a top and bottom surface and separated into two sections, and comprising, (a) a seal element on the bottom surface first section adapted to make contact with the rim around the top of the first compartment, (b) a raised spout through the lid in the second section, (c) a hole through the lid in the first section, and (d) a second connection means connectable to the first connection means; and further wherein the container's perimeter in at least a portion of the first compartment comprises an inner wall and an outer wall and a space between the inner and outer wall, and further wherein the appliance includes somewhere on its outer surface an indelible and substantially permanent electronically readable code.