Ez squeezy condiment/dairy package

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Development of this utility was without any form of Federal support.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is related to the packaging, distribution, sale, and dispensing of food products, specifically condiments. Many condiments, such as sour cream, tend to separate into different phases when allowed to sit for any period of time. Previous approaches to this problem include adding synthetic additives and preservatives to the food product in order to keep the product from separating and spoiling. These “gelled” products are then placed in tubs and sold. On opening, the tubs allow excess air to contact the contained product, speeding the separation and spoiling of the product.

Another approach is to place the condiment in plastic jars that can be shaken prior to dispensing. These jars have a large footprint in the consumer's refrigerators, and because of their geometry tend to leak their contents when being shaken.

For restaurants, devices similar to caulking guns are used to dispense sour cream, cheese sauces, ketchup, and mustard. These devices tend to hold “commercial volumes” that are not readily applicable to household consumers.

Product packages that are similar to our utility patent application include:

• • Cake decorations
  • Toothpaste
  • Peanut Butter
  • Hand creams
  • Wood fillings and glues

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This utility invention overcomes the shortcomings identified in the previous section. Our product allows the condiment to be sold with fewer or no synthetic additives. The condiment can be mixed by squeezing the flexible tube prior to dispensing by opening the one-way cap and squeezing the product out.

The one-way cap also minimizes leakage while the product is being mixed. Because of the one-way valve opening, less air is allowed to contact the product, minimizing the oxidation and spoilage. Because of the mostly cylindrical geometry, less refrigerator space is needed to store the same volume of product. Finally, the volume of the tubes are more typical of the amounts used by household consumers than the commercial volumes available by “caulking gun” packaging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRODUCT VIEWS

FIG. 1: Photograph of 8-oz and 14 oz packages, front view,

FIG. 2: Photograph of 8-oz and 14 oz packages, side view,

FIG. 3: Photograph of the one-way caps, closed

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a convenient way to store, mix, and dispense a variety of food products, specifically condiments and dairy. The invention consists of a flexible food-grade tube whose diameter varies depending on the volume the final container is to hold. For example, the 8-oz package has a tube whose diameter is approximately 2.1 inches, while the 16-oz package has a tube whose diameter is approximately 2.6 inches. The length of the tube also varies, from approximately 8 inches for the 8-oz size to approximately 10 inches for the 16-oz size. The bottom of the invention consists of a sealable approximately 2-inch flip-up cap through which the food product is extruded during use. The top of the invention is initially open to allow easy filling of food product, and is then sealed once the product has been filled. When filled and sealed, the invention is stored by standing on the sealable cap.

The improvement of this utility as opposed to earlier uses are:

• • The use of food-grade plastic tubing
  • The use to contain, store, and dispense condiment and diary products.