Spill Resistant Tamper Evident Treat Container

Abstract

The present invention is a spill resistant tamper evident treat collection container apparatus. Because of the unique shape, size, and functioning of the apparatus, the apparatus prevents spills of contained treats regardless of the orientation of the apparatus. The apparatus further prevents premature withdrawal of treats from the apparatus by the user (e.g. a child) or other unscrupulous third parties so that the collected treats may subsequently and conveniently be inspected after completion of treat collection (e.g. completion of trick-or-treating). The apparatus is preferably adapted such that if the apparatus is opened to gain access to the contents of the apparatus, such opening is rendered evident.

1 . A collection apparatus for use in collecting treats while preventing spillage of said treats and while controlling access to said treats and while rendering treat tampering evident, said apparatus defining a container having an inner cavity and a funnel extending into said inner cavity, said funnel being adapted to allow the passage of articles from outside of said container to within said container inner cavity by said articles passing through said funnel, wherein said funnel is free of a structure for use in impeding passage of articles completely through said funnel and into said inner cavity being connected to an underside thereof, and wherein said apparatus further defines at least one of an apparatus adapted such that if said apparatus is opened or disassembled, such opening or such disassembly is rendered evident, and an apparatus adapted such that disassembly or opening of said apparatus is child-resistant. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus further defines at least one of an apparatus adapted to resist the spillage of treats when said apparatus is oriented in any orientation, an apparatus having a volumetric capacity of at least 268 cubic inches, an apparatus having a volumetric capacity of at least 268 cubic inches and being adapted to resist the spillage of treats when said apparatus is oriented in any orientation and to be assembleable and disassembleable and to allow passage of a treat through said funnel of said apparatus such that when said apparatus is in an assembled configuration, hand access to contents of said apparatus is substantially restricted, and such that when said apparatus is in a disassembled configuration, hand access to contents of said apparatus is substantially unrestricted, and an apparatus adapted to be assembleable and disassembleable and to allow passage of a treat through said funnel of said apparatus such that when said apparatus is in an assembled configuration, hand access to contents of said apparatus is substantially restricted, and such that when said apparatus is in a disassembled configuration, hand access to contents of said apparatus is substantially unrestricted. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said disassembly defines the disassembly of said funnel from said container. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said child resistant disassembly requires the depression of at least one button while rotating said funnel in order to separate said funnel from said container. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said evident rendering defines at least one severed tab. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus contains a treat within said inner cavity, and wherein said treat further defines at least one of a confectionary treat, a non-confectionary treat, and a packaged treat. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said funnel further defines at least one of a funnel having an opening of at least 0.78 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 1.00 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 1.25 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 1.50 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 1.75 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 2.5 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 3.5 inches in cross-sectional area, and, a funnel having an opening of at least 5.00 inches in cross-sectional area. 
     
     
         8 . A spill resistant collection apparatus for use in collecting treats while preventing spillage of said treats and while controlling access to said treats and while rendering treat tampering evident, said apparatus defining a container having an inner cavity and a container opening member having an opening, said opening being adapted to allow the passage of articles from outside of said container to within said container inner cavity by said articles passing through said opening, wherein said opening member is free of a structure for use in impeding passage of articles completely through said funnel and into said inner cavity being connected to an underside thereof, and wherein said apparatus is adapted to resist the spillage of apparatus contents when said apparatus is oriented in any orientation, and wherein said apparatus further defines at least one of an apparatus adapted such that if said apparatus is opened or disassembled, such opening or such disassembly is rendered evident, and an apparatus adapted such that disassembly or opening of said apparatus is child-resistant. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said apparatus further defines at least one of an apparatus having an open funnel extending into said inner cavity, an apparatus having a volumetric capacity of at least 268 cubic inches, an apparatus having a volumetric capacity of at least 268 cubic inches and being adapted to resist the spillage of treats when said apparatus is oriented in any orientation and to be assembleable and disassembleable and to allow passage of a treat through said funnel of said apparatus such that when said apparatus is in an assembled configuration, hand access to contents of said apparatus is substantially restricted, and such that when said apparatus is in a disassembled configuration, hand access to contents of said apparatus is substantially unrestricted, and an apparatus adapted to be assembleable and disassembleable and to allow passage of a treat through said open opening of said apparatus such that when said apparatus is in an assembled configuration, hand access to contents of said apparatus is substantially restricted, and such that when said container is in a disassembled configuration, hand access to contents of said container is substantially unrestricted. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said disassembly defines the disassembly of said funnel from said container. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said child resistant disassembly requires the depression of at least one button while rotating said funnel in order to separate said funnel from said container. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said evident rendering defines at least one severed tab. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said apparatus contains a treat within said inner cavity, and wherein said treat further defines at least one of a confectionary treat, a non-confectionary treat, and a packaged treat. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said funnel further defines at least one of a funnel having an opening of at least 0.78 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 1.00 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 1.25 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 1.50 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 1.75 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 2.5 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 3.5 inches in cross-sectional area, and, a funnel having an opening of at least 5.00 inches in cross-sectional area. 
     
     
         15 . A spill resistant assembleable and disassembleable apparatus for use in collecting treats while preventing spillage of said treats and while controlling access to said treats and while rendering treat tampering evident, said apparatus defining a container having an inner cavity and a funnel extending into said inner cavity, said funnel being adapted to allow the passage of articles from outside of said container to within said container inner cavity by said articles passing through said funnel, wherein said funnel is free of a structure for use in impeding passage of articles completely through said funnel and into said inner cavity being connected to an underside thereof, and wherein said apparatus is adapted to resist the spillage of apparatus contents when said apparatus is oriented in any orientation, and wherein said apparatus further defines at least one of an apparatus adapted such that disassembly of said apparatus is child resistant, an apparatus adapted such that if said apparatus has been opened or disassembled, said opening or said disassembly is rendered evident even if said apparatus is closed or reassembled, and an apparatus adapted such that said funnel allows passage of a treat through said funnel, and such that when said apparatus is in an assembled configuration, hand access to apparatus contents is substantially restricted, and such that when said apparatus is in a disassembled configuration, hand access to contents of said apparatus is substantially unrestricted, and such that if said apparatus is opened or disassembled, such opening or such disassembly is rendered evident even if said apparatus is closed or reassembled. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said apparatus is adapted to resist the spillage of treats when said apparatus is oriented in any orientation, and wherein said container has a volumetric capacity of at least 268 cubic inches. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said disassembly defines the disassembly of said funnel from said container. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said evident rendering defines at least one severed tab. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said child resistant disassembly requires the depression of at least one button while rotating said funnel in order to separate said funnel from said container. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said apparatus contains a treat within said inner cavity, and wherein said treat further defines at least one of a confectionary treat, a non-confectionary treat, and a packaged treat. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said funnel further defines at least one of a funnel having an opening of at least 0.78 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 1.00 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 1.25 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 1.50 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 1.75 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 2.5 inches in cross-sectional area, a funnel having an opening of at least 3.5 inches in cross-sectional area, and, a funnel having an opening of at least 5.00 inches in cross-sectional area. 
     
     
         22 . A container apparatus defining at least one of a container having an inner cavity and a funnel extending into said inner cavity and a removable barrier adhered to said container so as to block the passage of articles between said container exterior and said container inner cavity, wherein said funnel is, but for said removable barrier, adapted to allow the passage of articles from outside of said container to within said container inner cavity by said articles passing through said funnel, and wherein said funnel is free of a structure connected to an underside thereof, and wherein when said removable barrier is removed from said container, said apparatus is free of a structure that impedes said passage of said articles into said inner cavity, and a container having an inner cavity and a container opening member having an opening and a removable barrier adhered to said container so as to block the passage of articles between said container exterior and said container inner cavity, wherein said container opening is, but for said removable barrier, adapted to allow the passage of articles from outside of said container to within said container inner cavity by said articles passing through said container opening, and wherein said opening member is free of a structure connected to an underside thereof, and wherein when said removable barrier is removed from said container, said apparatus is free of a structure that impedes said passage of said articles into said inner cavity and yet said container resists the spillage of container contents when said container is oriented in any orientation. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein said apparatus further defines at least one of an apparatus adapted such that if said apparatus is opened or disassembled, such opening or such disassembly is rendered evident, and an apparatus adapted such that disassembly or opening of said apparatus is child-resistant.