WO2001070080A1

WO2001070080A1 - Liquid stirrer and packaging means

Info

Publication number: WO2001070080A1
Application number: PCT/AU2001/000319
Authority: WO
Inventors: Guido Calkoen; Lee Christopher Harper
Original assignee: Axis Product Design Pty. Ltd.; Arctec Services Pty. Ltd.
Priority date: 2000-03-23
Filing date: 2001-03-23
Publication date: 2001-09-27

Abstract

The invention provides a stirrer for liquids having a closed space therein for containment of a substance, said space being openable by a user for dispensing of the substance. In a preferred aspect, the stirrer includes a tube, closed at a first point and at a second point along its length, wherein said space is in the tube and between the first and second points and wherein the tube is openable by a user at the second point for dispensing of a substance contained in said space. It is particularly preferred that the tube is closed at the second point by being folded about a substantially transverse fold line and including holding means for holding the tube closed at the second point, said holding means being releasable by a user to enable opening of the tube and dispensing of said substance therefrom. Items in the form of the stirrer are also usable simply as packaging for flowable solids and small items.

Description

LIQUID STIRRER AND PACKAGING MEANS TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a dispensing container for substances, especially flowable solid substances such as sugar, which is usable as stirrer for liquids, especially beverages. The invention is usable also simply as a form of packaging. The invention therefore is applicable in the fields of product packaging and implements for food consumption. BACKGROUND ART

Some hot beverages, such as coffee and tea, are sold in an unsweetened condition with their consumers adding a sweetening substance such as sugar if and to the extent that they prefer. After addition of a sweetener, and sometimes even when no sweetener is added, the consumer may wish to stir the beverage before drinking it.

It is therefore customary at restaurants and other places where such beverages are sold for supplies of sweetener and of implements for stirring to be provided for consumers to use. Such provision brings with it problems of hygiene, handling costs and convenience, which are increasingly concerning both suppliers and consumers.

For example, a restaurant may provide sugar in open-topped bowls, but when this is done, the sugar is apt to be spilled, and may be contaminated by touching or through deliberate or inadvertent addition of foreign matter. This is a particular concern where children are present. Replenishment of the bowls can be a significant cost item both in labour and in the cost of the sugar itself. Sugar dispensers, such as those which allow a measured quantity of sugar to be poured from a closed container, have been used but are still prone to contamination, must be replenished and control sugar consumption only to a limited extent.

The problems of sugar supply are now often addressed by providing consumers with one or two disposable sachets of sugar, each containing (or purporting to contain) a spoonful, say. Such sachets are typically made of paper and are torn to allow pouring of the sugar.

Cost and hygiene difficulties also attend the provision of stirring implements. If metal teaspoons are provided, they are, at least in some establishments, likely to be stolen in significant numbers and must in any case be collected and washed. They are, even when washed, able to be contaminated by being touched before they are used by beverage consumers. Disposable, single- use stirrers are therefore often provided instead. These may be plastics items (in the shape of a spoon or a paddle or simply an elongate object) or wooden sticks similar to those used in iced confections. Unless individually wrapped, they are subject to the same problems of possible contamination and must be of a size unlikely to be swallowed by children. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to at least alleviate these problems, by providing a disposable container suitable for sugar and which is also suitable for stirring a beverage.

The container is by no means limited to this application, however, being also potentially useful for other applications. For example, some so-called "instant" soups are sold in the form of a powder, to which boiling water is added, the mixture then being stirred to complete preparation of the soup. The stirrer of the present invention could be used to contain the soup powder, and as a convenient stirrer for the water/soup powder mixture. Such a package would be useful for campers, hikers and the like. Similarly, other foods and substances could be packaged and sold in the stirrer of the present invention. According to the invention there is provided a stirrer for liquids, having a closed space therein for containment of a substance, said space being openable by a user for dispensing of the substance.

The stirrer preferably includes a tube, closed at a first point and at a second point along its length, said space being in the tube and between the first and second points and the tube being openable by a user at the second point for dispensing of a substance contained in said space.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the tube is closed at the second point by being folded about a substantially transverse fold line and the stirrer includes holding means for holding the tube closed at the second point, said holding means being releasable by a user to enable opening of the tube and dispensing of said substance therefrom.

It is therefore possible to provide to a beverage consumer (for example) a stirrer and a predetermined quantity of sweetener as a single, disposable item. The stirrer is preferably sealed in an enclosure, before provision to the consumer, to avoid contamination, the enclosure being openable by the consumer for access to and use of the stirrer. The use of a single package has advantages additional to hygiene, in that labour is reduced and costs also may be reduced. The stirrer may of course be used with many substances other than sweeteners such as sugar. For example, it would be possible to place "instant" coffee or powder for making "instant" soup in such a stirrer.

It is of course not essential that the stirrer be used as a stirrer, or that it be of any particular size. It could be used simply as packaging for flowable solid substances, such as washing powder, or even small articles such as sweets. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the invention in a closed condition.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the container shown in Figure 1 , in an open condition.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the container shown in Figure 1 , in a partially opened condition.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an end of a tube of which the container 1 is formed. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional elevation of an end of the container shown

(and in the condition shown) in Figure 1 , taken in the direction of arrow "A".

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken at Station BB in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of part of a further stirrer according to the invention. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the stirrer part shown in Figure 7, the section being taken along the line marked "B" in Figure 7, looking in the direction shown by arrow "C" in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the part shown in Figure 8, taken at the station "D-D" in Figure 8. DETAILED ESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to Figure 1 , there is shown a stirrer 1 which is also a dispensing container for sugar. Such a stirrer is suitable for use in restaurants, take-away food outlets, food stalls and the like where coffee, tea and other hot beverages are sold. Generally, the stirrer is suitable for containing flowable solids such as ordinary granulated sugar, as opposed to liquids. However, it is possible to conceive of the stirrer being used as a novel form of container and dispenser of, for example, individual sweets or other small items. The invention is by no means limited to containers for beverage sweeteners. The following description will concentrate on the combination beverage stirrer and sugar container.

The stirrer 1 is shown in Figure 1 in a closed condition. It consists of a tube 2 extruded from a plastics material, such as that used for drinking straws. At a first end 3, the tube 2 has been flattened to form two opposing walls 4 which are heat sealed together so that the tube 2 is closed at the first end 3. The end 3, being flattened, has a paddle-like shape suitable for immersion in a beverage (not shown) and for use as a stirrer.

At a second end 5, the tube 2 is formed and folded, in a manner set out below, to close the tube 2 at the end 5 in such a way that a user may open it to dispense a quantity of sugar 6, which has been contained in the tube 2 between the ends 3 and 5. Figure 2 shows the stirrer 1 opened and dispensing the sugar 6 from the end 5. The tube 2 is of such diameter and length as to be able to contain a suitable quantity of sugar 6, such as a teaspoonful, and also such as to render it suitable for use as a beverage stirrer. Figure 3 shows the stirrer 1 partially opened.

The manner in which the tube 2 is formed and folded for closure will now be described.

Referring to Figure 4, there is shown the end 5 of the tube 2 before closure of the tube 2. A cut 7 is made at a point a short distance from an end face 8 of the tube 2, the cut 7 extending partially around the periphery of the tube 2. Extending lengthwise from the cut 7 to the end face 8 is a slit 9. The slit 9 preferably, though not essentially, intersects the cut 7 approximately halfway along the peripheral length of the cut 7. The section of the tube 2 between the cut 7 and the end face 8 is adapted to act in effect as a clip 11 , having two clip arms 12. As best seen in Figures 1 , 2 and 3, closure of the tube 2 is effected by folding the tube 2 back on itself at a point 13 in the tube 2. A fold line 14, transverse to the tube 2, is defined by the folding process, and flattening of the tube 2 at the fold line 14 by the folding process closes the tube 2 to a degree o adequate for containment of sugar 6 therein. The fold line 14 may actually be at the same longitudinal position on the tube 2 as the cut 7, but better results have to date been obtained with a short length 50 of the tube 2 between the fold line 14 and the cut 7. The tube 2 is held in this folded position by the clip 11. The tube 2 is folded far enough back on itself for the clip 11 to engage that part of the tube 2 on an opposite side of the fold line 14 from the clip 11 , the tube 2 passing through the slit 9 and being partially enveloped by the clip arms 12. The material of the tube 2 is chosen to be sufficiently resilient and flexible for engagement of the tube 2 in the clip 1 1 and for later disengagement. Figures 5 and 6 are cross-sections showing the end 5 of the tube 2 in the closed condition. The cross-sectional view of Figure 5 is taken on a plane including a central axis 16 of the tube 2.

To dispense sugar 6 from the stirrer 1 , a user simply pulls the clip 11 clear of the tube 2, and rotates the clip 11 about the fold line 14 in the direction shown by the arrow 15 in Figure 3 so that the position shown in Figure 3 is reached. With a suitable choice of resilience of the material of the tube 2, the process of rotating the clip 11 will cause the tube 2 to spring at least partially back from its flattened condition at the fold line 14 so that sugar 6 can be poured out. If this does not happen to the degree desirable (so that the flow of sugar 6 is too slow) slight transverse finger pressure applied by a user to the tube at each end of the fold line 14 opens the tube 2 more at that point.

After dispensing of sugar 6 into a beverage, the empty stirrer 1 can be used as a stirrer for the beverage, its material being chosen for suitability to remain rigid enough for long enough for adequate stirring. The stirrer 1 is then disposed of.

It is preferred that the stirrer 1 be provided to consumers sealed in a package such as a tearable paper or cellophane package (not shown), to prevent contamination by human contact before use. Such packages are known in the art and may be printed with advertising material, instructions and the like. The sugar 6 may be placed in the stirrer 1 from either of the ends 3 and 5 (or both). Preferably, one of the ends 3 and 5 is closed, the sugar 6 is added, and the other one of the ends 3 and 5 is then closed. Closure of the end 3 by heat sealing may be done if the plastics material of which the tube 2 is formed is a thermoplastic material. Such heat sealing is known in the art. Two platens (not shown), at least one of them being heated, may be used to squeeze the tube 2 flat and seal together the opposing walls 4 thus formed. After heat sealing, an end face 17 formed by the walls 4 may be rounded off as shown in Figures 1 to 3, rather than being left approximately square, to avoid sharp corners.

The arrangement at end 3 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is satisfactory for many combinations of beverage temperature and stirrer material. However, other arrangements are possible, and one which is particularly useful in cases where simple flattening of the end 3 may not give adequate rigidity will now be described. It may be used, for example, where a stirrer is made of a material which is prone to slight softening when immersed in hot beverages.

Figures 7 to 9 show a stirrer 20. The stirrer 20 is formed from a tube 21 , similar to the tube 2 of the stirrer 1 , with a first end 22 and a second end, not shown. The second end is the same as the end 5 of the stirrer 1 , being formed and folded as described above. The first end 22 is closed for containment of the substance (not shown) to be dispensed from the stirrer 20 and serves the same purpose as the end 3 of the stirrer 1 - it is the end of the stirrer preferably immersed in the beverage for stirring. The stirrer 20 is formed from a thermoplastic material and closure of the end 22 is by heat sealing. The tube 21 is placed between platens (not shown) for this purpose, so that diametrically opposing parts of the tube are brought together and, under the action of heat from either or both of the platens, sealed to each other. Opposing external parts 23 and 24 of the tube 21 after heat sealing are parallel and substantially flat due to their having been heat sealed together. In the stirrer 20, the surfaces 23 and 24 are "T" shaped, so that in addition to the tube 21 being closed transversely, it is sealed along two opposing, longitudinally-oriented elongate faces 25 and 26. Accordingly, the tube 21 is bifurcated into two tubular parts 27 and 28 adjacent to faces 23 and 24. The end 22 is more resistant to deformation when the stirrer 20 is used for stirring a beverage, particularly a hot beverage which might slightly soften the plastics material of which the stirrer 20 is formed, than the arrangement of the end 3 of stirrer 1. Of course, other shapes could be used for the faces 23 and 24 to achieve the same end of stiffening the end 2. More specifically, it is advantageous to avoid sealed-together faces (such as 23 and 24) having corresponding edges extending substantially transversely across the whole width of the as-sealed tube and remote from the end of the tube, as such edges may effectively become a "hinge" line for deformation when stirring.

Many further variations may be made to the inventive stirrer, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Moreover, containers conforming to the invention may have uses other than as stirrers. An enormous range of flowable solids or even small individual articles may be packaged for sale and consumption in containers conforming to the invention. Depending on the nature of their contents, such containers could be sold with or without an external sealed enclosure.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A stirrer for liquids having a closed space therein for containment of a substance, said space being openable by a user for dispensing of the substance.

2. A stirrer according to claim 1 including a tube, closed at a first point and at a second point along its length, wherein said space is in the tube and between the first and second points and wherein the tube is openable by a user at the second point for dispensing of a substance contained in said space.

3. A stirrer according to claim 2 wherein the tube is closed at the second point by being folded about a substantially transverse fold line and including holding means for holding the tube closed at the second point, said holding means being releasable by a user to enable opening of the tube and dispensing of said substance therefrom.

4. A stirrer according to claim 3 wherein the holding means includes a clip secured to the tube on one side of the fold line and adapted to releasably engage the tube on the other side of the fold line.

5. A stirrer according to claim 4 wherein the clip is secured to the tube on the side of the fold line remote from the first point.

6. A stirrer according to claim 5 wherein the clip includes a further length of tube having a slit running lengthwise therealong and wherein in a holding position of the clip said further length of tube at least partially envelops the tube of the container and the clip is releasable from the holding position by passing the tube of the container through the slit.

7. A stirrer according to claim 6 wherein said further length of tube is an extension of the tube of the container and wherein the clip is delineated from the tube of the container by a cut extending partially around the periphery of the tube, said slit terminating at said cut.

8. A stirrer according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the second point is remote from said length of tube.

9. A stirrer according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the tube of the container is flattened into two opposing walls at the first point and wherein the two opposing faces are sealed together.

10. A stirrer according to claim 9 wherein a material of which the tube of the container is formed is adapted for heat sealing and wherein the two opposing walls are heat sealed to each other.

11. A stirrer according to claim 9 or 10 wherein the two opposing walls are at an end of the container.

12. A stirrer according to any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein at a point along their length in a direction along the tube, the opposing walls have a width less than the overall width of the stirrer at that point.

13. A stirrer according to any one of claims 9 to 12 wherein at the first end the tube bifurcates into two tubular parts lying on opposite sides of a part of the opposing walls.

14. A stirrer according to any one of claims 9 to 13 wherein the opposing walls are "T" shaped and include first parts sealed together and extending across the width of the stirrer and elongate second parts sealed together and extending longitudinally along a part only of the tube.

15. A stirrer according to any one of claims 1 to 14 formed of a plastics material.

16. A stirrer according to any one of claims 3 to 15 formed of a material which is sufficiently resilient that when the holding means is released the tube at least partially unfolds about the fold line.

17. A stirrer for liquids and solid substance dispenser including a stirrer according to any one of claims 1 to 16 and said solid substance contained in the stirrer.

18. A stirrer and solid substance dispenser according to claim 17 wherein the solid substance is in the form of a flowable particulate solid.

19. A stirrer and solid substance dispenser according to claim 17 or 18 wherein the solid substance is a beverage sweetening substance.

20. A package including a sealed enclosure and contained therein a stirrer and solid substance dispenser according to any one of claims 17 to 19, the enclosure being removable by a user for access to said liquid stirrer and solid substance dispenser.

21. A method for manufacturing a liquid stirrer for liquids and solid substance dispenser including the steps of: providing a length of tube; making a cut in the tube around a part of its periphery at a point along the tube's length; making a lengthwise slit in the tube between one end and the said point, the slit intersecting the cut; folding the length of tube back on itself and passing an unslit part of the tube through the slit, thereby to flatten the tube at a fold line; and closing the unslit part of the tube at a further point remote from the fold line.

22. A method according to claim 21 including the step of placing a quantity of a substance to be dispensed in the tube between closing of the tube at said point and closing the tube at said further point.

23. A method according to claim 21 or 22 wherein the tube is formed of a thermoplastic material and the unslit part of the tube is closed by being squeezed between opposing platens of which at least one is heated, thereby to form two opposing flat walls and to heat seal them together.

24. A method according to any one of claims 21 to 23 wherein the tube is initially formed by extrusion.

25. A packaging means having the form of the stirrer as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 16.

26. A stirrer for liquids and solid substance dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 6.

27. A stirrer for liquids and solid substance dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to the attached Figure 7 to 9.