Container

Abstract

A container for housing granulated products is disclosed. The container has a box portion having a recessed base, a front wall, a back wall, and opposing side walls, a closure adapted to be releasably sealed on the box portion, and a circumferential channel in the box base. The channel is adapted to receive a scoop bucket so that the contents of the container can be easily removed.

What we claim is:  
     
         1 . A container comprising: 
 a. a box portion having a recessed base, a front wall, a back wall, and side walls;    b. a closure adapted to be releasably sealed on said box portion; and    c. a circumferential channel defined by said box portion walls and said recessed base, said channel being adapted to receive the bucket of a scoop so that the bucket fits within said channel.    
     
     
         2 . The container in  claim 1 , further comprising a scoop.  
     
     
         3 . The container in  claim 2 , said scoop having a handle coupled to a bucket.  
     
     
         4 . The container in  claim 3 , wherein the radius of said bucket is substantially equal to the radius of said channel.  
     
     
         5 . The container in  claim 4 , said box portion further comprising a heel intermediate said bottom wall and said front, rear, and side walls.  
     
     
         6 . The container in  claim 1 , said closure further comprising: 
 a. a front, a back and side walls;    b. a top wall coupled to said front, back, and side walls; and    c. an upwardly extending protrusion shaped and sized to be received by the recessed base of another container.    
     
     
         7 . The container in  claim 6 , said closure further comprising a plurality of downwardly extending flexible tabs located on the underside of said upwardly extending protrusion, said tabs adapted to releasably receive a scoop.  
     
     
         8 . The container in  claim 7 , further comprising a scoop having a handle and a bucket that are engaged by said flexible tabs.  
     
     
         9 . The container in  claim 6 , said closure further comprising: 
 a. a recessed circumferential portion formed on an inner surface of said closure walls proximate an edge of said closure walls; and    b. a plurality of inwardly projecting locking tabs located on said inner surface recessed circumferential portion.    
     
     
         10 . The container in  claim 9 , said box portion further comprising: 
 a. a recessed circumferential portion on an outer surface of said box portion walls proximate an edge of said box portion walls; and    b. a circumferential flange located on said outer surface recessed circumferential portion, wherein said inwardly projecting locking tabs engage said flange for releasably securing said closure to said box portion.    
     
     
         11 . A container closure, said closure comprising: 
 a. a front wall, a back wall, and side walls;    b. a top wall defining an upwardly projecting member, wherein said top wall is attached to said front, back and side walls;    c. a dispensing utensil; and    d. at least four flexible tabs that engage said utensil to secure said utensil to the underside of said top wall.    
     
     
         12 . The container closure in  claim 11 , wherein said utensil is a scoop comprising a handle and a bucket.  
     
     
         13 . The container closure in  claim 12 , wherein at least two flexible tabs engage said handle and at least two flexible tabs engage said bucket.  
     
     
         14 . The container closure in  claim 11 , said closure further comprising: 
 a. a recessed circumferential groove on an inner surface of said closure walls proximate an edge of said closure walls; and    b. an inwardly projecting flange located on said inner surface recessed circumferential groove.    
     
     
         15 . The container closure in  claim 11 , said closure further comprising a plurality of vertical ribs formed on the underside of said closure.  
     
     
         16 . The container closure in  claim 14 , wherein said inwardly projecting flange is a plurality of inwardly projecting locking tabs.  
     
     
         17 . A container comprising: 
 a. a box portion having a recessed base defining a circumferential heel;    b. a closure adapted to be releasably sealed on said box portion, said closure comprising an upwardly extending projection;    c. a scoop comprising a handle and a bucket; and    d. at least four flexible tabs protruding downwardly from the underside of said closure to releasably secure said scoop to the underside of said closure, wherein at least two flexible tabs engage said handle and at least two flexible tabs engage said bucket.    
     
     
         18 . The container in  claim 17 , wherein said heel defines a circumferential channel having a size substantially equal to or smaller than the size of said bucket so that said channel is capable of receiving said bucket.  
     
     
         19 . The container in claim in  claim 18 , said box portion further comprising a liner sealed to an upper lip of said box portion for creating an anti-tamper seal.  
     
     
         20 . A container comprising: 
 a. a closure having an upwardly extending protrusion; and    b. a box portion having a recessed base;    wherein said recessed base defines a channel having a size and shape substantially equal to a dispensing utensil and adapted to receive said dispensing utensil.    
     
     
         21 . The container in  claim 20 , said container further including a dispensing apparatus.  
     
     
         22 . The container in  claim 21 , said dispensing apparatus further comprising: 
 a. a handle; and    b. a bucket.    
     
     
         23 . The container in  claim 22 , wherein said bucket and said channel are shaped so that said bucket can be received in said channel.  
     
     
         24 . The container in  claim 22 , wherein said bucket and said channel are cylindrically-shaped, and the radius of said channel is substantially equal to the radius of said bucket.