Squeezable-Snack Pouch

For safety and practical purposes, new food products continue to be created for children and toddlers. These products aim to mitigate any dangers that children may have when eating or drinking with conventional food packaging and design. Over time, these products have become the norm as children and toddler products are marketed and sold separately from their adult counterparts.

Certain types of snack foods and snack beverages, specifically those marketed toward children and toddlers, are stored within a highly flexible container. Three typical examples of such “squeezable” snacks include (1) fruit-sauce (e.g., applesauce) pouches, (2) juice pouches, and (3) juice boxes. In each case, the consumer may dispense the snack upward through a straw or nozzle by compressing, or “squeezing,” the container, and/or by applying suction to the straw.

Unfortunately, many younger children and toddlers have not yet developed sufficient dexterity and/or experience necessary to coordinate the magnitude of their applied compressive force with the desired amount of snack to be dispensed. In such cases, the child often over-squeezes the snack container, thereby dispensing an excessive portion of the snack, resulting in a sticky, frustrating mess.

The difficulty for these squeezable snacks is discovering a solution that enables a child or toddler to withdraw a proper amount of snack without the risk of a mess. While different types of snack containers exist that take a variety of approaches to dispensing children and toddler food in a safe and practical way, these designs haven't managed to steer clear of the undesirable mushy mess.

The present disclosure details various example features of a squeezable-snack holder having a substantially rigid main body, and a lid.

The main body may include a sidewall and a first end portion extending from the sidewall, and a second end portion opposite of the first end portion. The second end portion may comprise an opening that provides access to an internal cavity of the substantially rigid main body. The sidewall, the first end portion, and the second end portion collectively define the internal cavity configured to retain a first squeezable snack, wherein the lid comprises the first end portion or is attachable to the second end portion. The rim and/or the first end portion of the main body define one or more apertures configured to receive a consuming mechanism of the squeezable snack while the squeezable snack is retained within the internal cavity.

In some embodiments, the at least one aperture may comprise one or more apertures configured to receive at least one consuming mechanism. In some implementations, the at least one aperture may comprise an a modified quadrilateral with a circular extension shape configured to retain the at least one consuming mechanism of the sauce pouch. By way of example and not limitation, both the lid and the first end portion may be removable. In some embodiments, the first end portion may be fixed and configured to receive one or more inserts configured to modify or customize the size and/or shape of the available space within the internal cavity. In some aspects, the main body may comprise a pair of handles on opposite external sides of the sidewall. As a non-limiting example, these handles may comprise rubber grips.

In some implementations, the squeezable-snack holder's lid and/or first end portion may comprise a pair of hooked prongs, wherein the sidewall of the main body may define a counterpart of openings whereby the hooked prongs may be configured to extend along an interior surface of the main body to engage with edges of the openings to removably couple the lid or the first end portion to the main body. In some embodiments, the interior surface of the main body may define a plurality of slots configured to removably retain one or more wall inserts to partition an available space within the interior cavity to accommodate a form of the squeezable snack. By way of example and not limitation, at least a portion of the main body may be formed from a substantially transparent material for viewing the squeezable snack. In some aspects, the rim may define a plurality of magnets embedded in the rim of the main body and a counterpart plurality of magnets embedded in the lid, wherein the first plurality of the magnets may be configured to magnetically attract the second plurality to removably couple the lid to the main body.

In some embodiments, the invention may include a nozzle topper for a squeezable-snack holder. In some implementations, the nozzle topper may include a threaded inner body configured to connect to a threaded portion of a consuming mechanism of a squeezable snack. In some aspects, the nozzle topper may include an outer shell disposed around the inner body, wherein the threaded inner body and the outer shell define a lumen through which fruit sauce is dispensable.

In some embodiments, the threaded inner body of the nozzle topper may include an integrated internal valve that requires a minimum amount of applied suction force to open the valve. In some aspects, the nozzle topper may include a cap that may be coupled overtop of the consuming mechanism to further secure and preserve the contents of a fruit sauce pouch. In some aspects, the threaded inner body of the nozzle topper may include a rigid material and the outer shell may include a pliable material. In some implementations, the at least first aperture of the nozzle topper may be screwed onto the squeezable-snack holder.

In some embodiments, a flexible strap is attached to the outer shell of the nozzle topper that may be configured to connect to another portion of the nozzle topper device. In some aspects, the flexible strap extends from the outer shell to attach to a cap that may be coupled overtop of the consuming mechanism to further secure and preserve the contents of a fruit sauce pouch. In some implementations, the cap may include handles that may extend laterally from opposite sides. In some aspects, the handles may be configured to fit around the original cap of the fruit sauce pouch while the original cap is still connected.

A number of embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any disclosures or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments of the present disclosure. It is understood to those skilled in the art that variations, modifications, and alterations may be apparent. It will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

The FIGURES of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, as their dimensions can be varied considerably without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure details various example features of a substantially rigid device configured to hold and retain a container of a squeeze-dispensed (or “squeezable”) snack. Typically, these snacks may be dispensed from their containers by squeezing the container, and/or by applying suction through the accompanying consuming mechanism. The example devices described herein are configured to inhibit the squeeze-based functionality of such containers, which often result in sticky spilled snacks, while retaining the more-precise functionality of the consuming mechanism.

In the following sections, detailed descriptions of examples and methods of the disclosure will be given. The description of both preferred and alternative examples, though thorough, are exemplary only, and it is understood to those skilled in the art that variations, modifications, and alterations may be apparent. It is therefore to be understood that the examples do not limit the broadness of the aspects of the underlying disclosure as defined by the claims.

Referring now to, a front view of an exemplary squeezable-snack holder, in accordance with the present disclosure, is illustrated. In some embodiments, squeezable-snack holdermay be configured to retain a squeezable-snack, such as a fruit-sauce pouch, a juice pouch, or a juice box, as non-limiting examples, which may help prevent unwanted messes from excessive squeezing of the squeezable snack. Squeezable-snack holdermay comprise at least a main bodyand a lid. In some implementations, main bodymay be formed from a substantially rigid material, such as polypropylene (PP), another type of plastic or resin, wood, metal, or ceramic, or the like, as non-limiting examples. In some aspects, main bodymay comprise a sidewall, a first end portion, and a second end portionopposite the first end portion.

Referring now to, a perspective view of the squeezable-snack holderofis illustrated. As shown in, the sidewalland the first end portioncollectively may define an internal cavityof the main body. The second end portionmay define a rimof main body, through which a user may access the internal cavity. In some examples, but not all examples, sidewallmay define a substantially oval-shaped cross-sectional area through the internal cavity.

In the example shown in, but not in all examples, main bodymay comprise a pair of handlesdisposed on opposite external sides of sidewall. An exterior surface of sidewallmay feature a “frosted” treatment, e.g., defining a particular texture to improve grip and/or for aesthetic purposes.

Referring now to, an overhead view or top view of the squeezable-snack holderis illustrated, illustrating some example features of lid. Lidmay define one or more apertures configured to receive a consuming mechanism of a squeezable-snack. In the example shown in, lidmay define a plurality of aperturesA-D (collectively, “apertures”). It is to be understood that the illustrated example is non-limiting; the particular number, size, shape, and arrangement of apertures may vary without affecting the critical functions of squeezable-snack holder. In some examples, the first end portionof main bodymay define apertures, e.g., in addition to or instead of lid, as detailed further below.

In the example shown in, lidmay define a first apertureA having a shape approximating an inverted letter “T.” In some embodiments, ApertureA may be tailored to accommodate the relatively thicker or wider consuming mechanism integrated within the containers of widely available fruit-sauce pouches, such as applesauce snack pouches. In some implementations, the eight-sided T-shaped configuration of apertureA enables the user to insert the fruit-sauce consuming mechanism through the wider bottom portion of the aperture, and then slide the consuming mechanism over into the narrower portion, where the edges of apertureA will pinch against the consuming mechanism to hold it in place via friction.

In some aspects, ApertureB may be configured to accommodate the consuming mechanisms packaged alongside commercial juice pouches. Unlike with fruit-sauce pouches, the consuming mechanism sold alongside a juice pouch may not be rigidly coupled to the container. In some embodiments, different brands of juice pouches may indicate different locations for puncturing the container to insert the consuming mechanism. In some aspects, apertureB is depicted inas being generally oval-shaped (e.g., having a cross-section larger than the circular cross-sectional area of the consuming mechanism), to accommodate a range of relative positions and orientations between the juice pouch, the consuming mechanism, and lid.

In some embodiments, AperturesC andD may be configured to accommodate the consuming mechanisms packaged alongside commercial juice boxes (or “cartons”). Similar to juice pouches, the consuming mechanism sold alongside a juice box is typically not rigidly coupled to the container. In some implementations, different brands of juice boxes may indicate different locations for puncturing the container to insert the consuming mechanism. In some aspects, unlike juice-pouch consuming mechanisms, which are typically thin, rigid, and straight, juice-box consuming mechanisms typically include an accordion-style bending portion, thereby accommodating a greater range of motion of the user-end of the consuming mechanism. In some embodiments, lidmay comprise two juice-box-consuming mechanism aperturesC,D at different positions, such that the juice-box consuming mechanism may be inserted through whichever of the two is more accessible and/or convenient. In some implementations, squeezable-snack holdermay include more apertures, fewer apertures, apertures of different sizes and shapes, and apertures differently arranged relative to one another.

Referring now to, a top view or overhead view of an example of a squeezable-snack nozzle topperis illustrated. In some embodiments, nozzle toppermay be configured to removably couple to the integrated consuming mechanism or nozzle of a fruit-sauce pouch (e.g., an applesauce pouch) to help prevent excessive and/or accidental dispensation of the fruit sauce. In some aspects, nozzle toppermay optionally be used in conjunction with squeezable-snack holderof.

As a non-limiting example, when a fruit-sauce pouch is retained within the internal cavityof squeezable-snack holder, and while the pouch is not currently in use, nozzle toppermay rotatably screw onto the fruit-sauce consuming mechanism while it protrudes through an aperture of the squeezable-snack holder, e.g., for short-term storage. In some embodiments, nozzle toppermay comprise an adaptor, a cap, and a flexible strapconnecting the capto the adaptor.

In some implementations, adaptormay be configured to removably couple over top of the integrated consuming mechanism of a fruit sauce pouch. In some embodiments, adaptormay couple via a threaded-screw connection, via adhesive, via a friction-based (or “snap”) mechanism, or any other suitable coupling mechanism. In some non-limiting examples, adaptorincludes an integrated internal valve that requires a minimum amount of applied suction force to open the valve. In some embodiments, when coupled to a fruit-sauce pouch, the fruit sauce may not pass through the valve solely under its own weight, thereby significantly reducing the likelihood of accidental spills. When not in use, capmay be coupled overtop of adaptorto further secure and preserve the contents of the fruit-sauce pouch. Nozzle topperfurther includes a handleextending laterally off of cap. Handlemay be configured to fit around the original cap of the fruit-sauce pouch while the original cap is still connected, for convenient storage.

Referring now to, a side view of nozzle topperis illustrated. Nozzle toppermay comprise an adaptor, a cap, and a flexible strapconnecting the capto the adaptor.

Referring now to, a cross-sectional side view of nozzle topperis illustrated. As shown in, in some non-limiting examples, adaptormay comprise two interconnecting components: a threaded inner body, and an outer shelldisposed around the inner body. Together, these two components may define a lumenthrough which fruit sauce may be dispensed or aspirated. A pressure valve (not shown) may be positioned within lumen.

Referring now to, a top view or overhead view of another example squeezable-snack nozzle topperis illustrated, which may optionally be used in conjunction with squeezable-snack holderof. Nozzle topperofmay be marginally smaller than nozzle topperof, e.g., to accommodate a smaller-sized consuming mechanism for certain brands of fruit-sauce pouches. Nozzle toppermay comprise an adaptor, a cap, and a flexible strapconnecting the capto the adaptor.

Referring now to, a side view of nozzle topperis illustrated. Nozzle toppermay comprise an adaptor, a cap, and a flexible strapconnecting the capto the adaptor. In some embodiments, capmay comprise additional components (not shown) to securely couple itself to adaptor.

Referring now to, a cross-sectional side view of nozzle topperis illustrated. As shown in, adaptormay comprise two interconnecting components: a threaded inner body, and an outer shelldisposed around the inner body. Together, these two components may define a lumenthrough which fruit sauce may be dispensed. In some embodiments, nozzle toppermay comprise a pressure valve (not shown) positioned within lumen.

Referring now to, a cross-sectional side view of another example squeezable-snack nozzle topperis illustrated, which may optionally be used in conjunction with squeezable-snack holder. Nozzle topperis a non-limiting example of nozzle topperand nozzle topper, apart from any differences noted herein. In some embodiments,may represent a different attachment mechanism for removably coupling the adaptorto the consuming mechanism of the fruit-sauce pouch. That is, instead of threaded interior surface configured to rotatably screw onto the complementary threads of the fruit-sauce consuming mechanism, nozzle toppermay comprise a “pop on” interior gripping surfaceconfigured to retain the fruit-sauce consuming mechanism through friction alone.

Referring now to, an exploded perspective view of another example squeezable-snack holder, in accordance with the techniques of the present disclosure is illustrated. In some embodiments, bottom covermay form a bottom surface of cavity. Instead, the aperture(s)are defined by the first end portionof main body, which forms the top surface of the squeezable-snack holder. During use, the user may insert the top of the squeezable-snack container upward into bottom rim, all the way through internal cavity, and extends the consuming mechanism through one of apertures. Then, the bottom covermay be coupled onto bottom rimto seal the squeezable-snack container within internal cavity.

further illustrates a first example of an attachment mechanism for removably coupling bottom coverto main body. That is, in some non-limiting examples, lidmay comprise one or more upward-facing extensions or hooked prongs. Hooked prongsmay be configured to engage against the edges of square-shaped counterpart openingsdefined by sidewallof main body. To release lidfrom main body, the user may access hooked prongsthrough openings, and compresses them radially inward toward each other. With the integrated latching mechanism thereby released, lidmay be freely removed from main body. It is to be understood that this is merely one non-limiting example attachment mechanism configured to help reduce the likelihood that the user (e.g., a child or toddler) loses lid; any other suitable attachment mechanism could likewise be implemented.

Referring now to, a back view or rear view of another example squeezable-snack holderis illustrated. In some embodiments, squeezable-snack holdermay comprise another example attachment mechanism for removably coupling main bodyto lid. In some implementations, the attachment mechanism may comprise a mechanical hingethat rotatably couples lidto main body.

Referring now to, a perspective view of another example squeezable-snack holderis illustrated. In some embodiments, squeezable-snack holdermay comprise another example attachment mechanism for removably coupling main bodyto lid. In some aspects, the attachment mechanism may comprise two counterpart sets of magnets configured to removably engage with one another-a first set of magnetsA embedded proximate upper rimof main body, and a second set of magnetsB distributed around a lower lipof lid.

In some implementations, squeezable-snack holderoffurther may comprise a non-limiting example gripping device that may help prevent the user from dropping squeezable-snack holder. In the example of, the gripping mechanism includes a rubber gripextending circumferentially around each of handles. In some embodiments, the gripping mechanism may be an integral component of main body, such as a texture defined by a surface treatment on the exterior surface of handles.

Referring now to, a perspective view of another example squeezable-snack holderis illustrated. In some embodiments, squeezable-snack holdermay comprise another example attachment mechanism for removably coupling main bodyto lid. The attachment mechanism may comprise a flexible strapextending between main bodyand lid. During use, the lower lipof lidmay be configured to snap into place within upper rimvia friction. It is to be understood that any or all of these attachment mechanisms, including those not explicitly disclosed, may be used in combination with one another.

Squeezable-snack holderoffurther may include another example gripping device to help prevent the user from dropping the respective squeezable-snack holder. The gripping device may be shown inas a pair of rubber gripsadhered directly onto sidewallof main body.

Referring now to, a front view of squeezable-snack holderis illustrated. Squeezable-snack holdermay be at least partially formed from a transparent or semi-transparent material, such as a transparent plastic, to reveal the contents within the internal cavity. As a non-limiting example, in, an example fruit-sauce pouch(e.g., pear-sauce pouch) may be retained within internal cavity, and may be visible through the transparent material of main body. An example nozzle topper(e.g., nozzle topperof) may be screwed onto the consuming mechanismA of the fruit-sauce pouchwhile the fruit-sauce consuming mechanismA extends through the appropriately sized apertureA (e.g., apertureA of).

Referring now to, a front view of squeezable-snack holderis illustrated. In, an example juice pouchmay be retained within internal cavity, and may be visible through the transparent material of main body. Juice-pouch consuming mechanismB extends through the appropriately sized apertureB (e.g., apertureB of).

Referring now to, a front view of squeezable-snack holderis illustrated. In, an example juice boxmay be retained within internal cavity, with the juice-box consuming mechanismC extending through the appropriately sized apertureC (e.g., apertureC orD of).further illustrates an example removable spacer or insertconfigured to modify or customize the size and/or shape of the available space within internal cavity, in order to better-accommodate different form factors of squeezable snacks. That is, insertmay be received within internal cavityin order to fill the unwanted space between the bottom of juice boxand the interior surface of main body, thereby propping the juice boxup closer to lid, as well as firmly retaining juice boxin a fixed position along the lateral directions.

Referring now to, a front view of squeezable-snack holderis illustrated. While squeezable-snack holdermay be formed from a generally opaque material, a front portion of sidewallmay comprise a transparent windowto view the contents of cavity. Specifically,shows a non-limiting example in which juice boxmay be retained within internal cavity, and may be visible through viewing window.further illustrates an example removable spacer or insertconfigured to modify or customize the size and/or shape of the available space within internal cavity, to better accommodate different form factors of squeezable snacks. In some implementations, insertmay be received within internal cavityto fill the unnecessary space between the bottom of juice boxand the interior surface of main body, thereby propping the juice boxup closer to lid, as well as firmly retaining juice boxin a fixed position along the lateral directions.

Referring now to, a top view or overhead view of squeezable-snack holderis illustrated. Squeezable-snack holdermay comprise a main bodywith an oval-shaped sidewalldefining an interior cavitytherein. An interior surface of sidewallmay comprise a plurality of grooves or slotsconfigured to receive and retain one or more removable inserts. Removable inserts, when retained within grooves or slots, are configured to partition interior cavityinto two or more spaces of different volumes. In this way, insertsenable the user to change the size and shape of an available space within internal cavityconfigured to store a particular type of squeezable-snack container. In some aspects, removable insertsmay be positioned between different pairs of slots, e.g., to conform the available space to the form factors of different types of squeezable-snack containers.

Referring now to, a transparent perspective view of a squeezable-snack holderis illustrated. In some embodiments, squeezable-snack holdermay include an integrated manual-squeezing mechanismthat enables the user to exercise significantly more-precise control over the amount of the squeezable snack dispensed from its container. In the non-limiting example shown in, the mechanical squeezing mechanismmay include one or more roller barsconfigured to compress tightly against the exterior surface of a squeezable-snack containerwithin internal cavity. Through manual rotation of external knob, roller bar(s)are configured to roll vertically upward toward the upper rimof main bodyof squeezable-snack holder, thereby dispensing the squeezable snack out from the nozzleA of the container.

Referring now to, a flowchartdetailing a method for implementing a squeezable-snack holder to prevent a sticky mess is illustrated. At Step, the method may comprise inserting the consuming mechanism of a squeezable-snack container through an appropriately sized aperture, from among a plurality of differently sized apertures defined by a lid of the squeezable-snack holder. At Step, the squeezable-snack container may be inserted downward through an upper rim and into an internal cavity defined by a main body of the squeezable-snack holder. At Step, the lid, retaining the consuming mechanism, may be removably coupled to the upper rim of the main body of the squeezable-snack holder, thereby sealing the squeezable container within the internal cavity.

A number of embodiments of the present disclosure have been described. While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any disclosures or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments of the present disclosure.

Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination or in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in combination in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination may in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination.

Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

Moreover, the separation of various system components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments, and it should be understood that the described components and systems may generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products.