US3878971A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plural-chamber condiment dispenser
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-06-26
•
Granted: 1975-04-22
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Expires: 1993-06-26
Abstract
Abstract A plural-chamber condiment dispenser of two-piece construction having a snap-on removable cap that is rotatable to selective positions of closure, and capable of refill from openings also used for dispense.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald Allen Freedman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 06:15
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47G; A47G19/00; A47G19/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
361 words
The improvement in plural-chamber condiment dispensers comprising a main body member and a cap member, where said body member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circular end, having a dividing wall means that extends longitudinally from said closed end to said open end through said body member, said dividing wall means sectioning said body member into two or more distinct chambers, said body member having for each said distinct chamber a cylindrical side wall opening that does not intersect said closed end, that does, essentially, intersect said dividing wall means, and that does intersect partially, the edge of said top end opening, and where said body member has a cylindrical arc plane wall section about the plane of said cylindrical side wall openings; where said cap member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circualr end, having a skirt of sufficient length to close said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member, and having a dispensing opening about its said cylindrical side wall skirt; where said body and cap members snap fit together and apart by way of an appropriate lip and groove means, where the bearing surfaces of said body and cap members are congruent in shape about the shape of a solid of revolution, said body and cap members being relatively rotatable to selective positions of closure where said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member are in various modes of registration with said dispense opening of said cap member, said modes of registration including a position of non dispensing where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered with said cylindrical arc plane wall section of said body member, a position of exclusive dispensing for each of said distinct chamber of said body member where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered exclusively with one and only one cylindrical side wall opening of said body members, and a position for similtaneous dispensing of adjacent body chambers where said dispensing opening of said cap member is similtaneously registered with said cylindrical side wall openings of said adjacent body chambers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
361 words
The improvement in plural-chamber condiment dispensers comprising a main body member and a cap member, where said body member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circular end, having a dividing wall means that extends longitudinally from said closed end to said open end through said body member, said dividing wall means sectioning said body member into two or more distinct chambers, said body member having for each said distinct chamber a cylindrical side wall opening that does not intersect said closed end, that does, essentially, intersect said dividing wall means, and that does intersect partially, the edge of said top end opening, and where said body member has a cylindrical arc plane wall section about the plane of said cylindrical side wall openings; where said cap member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circualr end, having a skirt of sufficient length to close said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member, and having a dispensing opening about its said cylindrical side wall skirt; where said body and cap members snap fit together and apart by way of an appropriate lip and groove means, where the bearing surfaces of said body and cap members are congruent in shape about the shape of a solid of revolution, said body and cap members being relatively rotatable to selective positions of closure where said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member are in various modes of registration with said dispense opening of said cap member, said modes of registration including a position of non dispensing where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered with said cylindrical arc plane wall section of said body member, a position of exclusive dispensing for each of said distinct chamber of said body member where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered exclusively with one and only one cylindrical side wall opening of said body members, and a position for similtaneous dispensing of adjacent body chambers where said dispensing opening of said cap member is similtaneously registered with said cylindrical side wall openings of said adjacent body chambers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
361 words
The improvement in plural-chamber condiment dispensers comprising a main body member and a cap member, where said body member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circular end, having a dividing wall means that extends longitudinally from said closed end to said open end through said body member, said dividing wall means sectioning said body member into two or more distinct chambers, said body member having for each said distinct chamber a cylindrical side wall opening that does not intersect said closed end, that does, essentially, intersect said dividing wall means, and that does intersect partially, the edge of said top end opening, and where said body member has a cylindrical arc plane wall section about the plane of said cylindrical side wall openings; where said cap member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circualr end, having a skirt of sufficient length to close said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member, and having a dispensing opening about its said cylindrical side wall skirt; where said body and cap members snap fit together and apart by way of an appropriate lip and groove means, where the bearing surfaces of said body and cap members are congruent in shape about the shape of a solid of revolution, said body and cap members being relatively rotatable to selective positions of closure where said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member are in various modes of registration with said dispense opening of said cap member, said modes of registration including a position of non dispensing where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered with said cylindrical arc plane wall section of said body member, a position of exclusive dispensing for each of said distinct chamber of said body member where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered exclusively with one and only one cylindrical side wall opening of said body members, and a position for similtaneous dispensing of adjacent body chambers where said dispensing opening of said cap member is similtaneously registered with said cylindrical side wall openings of said adjacent body chambers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
361 words
The improvement in plural-chamber condiment dispensers comprising a main body member and a cap member, where said body member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circular end, having a dividing wall means that extends longitudinally from said closed end to said open end through said body member, said dividing wall means sectioning said body member into two or more distinct chambers, said body member having for each said distinct chamber a cylindrical side wall opening that does not intersect said closed end, that does, essentially, intersect said dividing wall means, and that does intersect partially, the edge of said top end opening, and where said body member has a cylindrical arc plane wall section about the plane of said cylindrical side wall openings; where said cap member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circualr end, having a skirt of sufficient length to close said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member, and having a dispensing opening about its said cylindrical side wall skirt; where said body and cap members snap fit together and apart by way of an appropriate lip and groove means, where the bearing surfaces of said body and cap members are congruent in shape about the shape of a solid of revolution, said body and cap members being relatively rotatable to selective positions of closure where said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member are in various modes of registration with said dispense opening of said cap member, said modes of registration including a position of non dispensing where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered with said cylindrical arc plane wall section of said body member, a position of exclusive dispensing for each of said distinct chamber of said body member where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered exclusively with one and only one cylindrical side wall opening of said body members, and a position for similtaneous dispensing of adjacent body chambers where said dispensing opening of said cap member is similtaneously registered with said cylindrical side wall openings of said adjacent body chambers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device of claim 1 where said cap member has a selector tab that fascilitates its rotation about the main body member, that indicates relative mode of registration, and that facilitates removal of the cap member from the body member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The device of claim 2 where said selector tab has an indented notch and said body member has nibs, said notch and nibs capable of lightly enguaging at various standard positions of registration of body and cap members.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 1 where said body member has flutes, knurls, or raised markings that facilitate grasping of the dispenser.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 1 where said cap member has flutes, knurls, or raised markings that facilitate grasping of the dispenser.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 1 where said body member is composed of a clear, molded glass and said cap member is composed of a clear, flexible, moulded plastic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1 where said dividing wall means sections the body into two chambers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-21 | 1978-10-21 | 1979-04-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-21 | 1982-10-21 | 1983-04-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-21 | 1986-10-21 | 1987-04-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |