Food dispensing container

Abstract

A container for dispensing food products can include a clump decimator portion for breaking up food clumps. In one embodiment, a container comprises a container portion having an open interior and an open top and a cover for selectively covering the open top. The cover can include a cover base portion and a rotatable top portion configured to be coupled on top of the base portion. The cover base portion can include a plurality of dispensing apertures for allowing a food product to be dispensed therethrough. The rotatable top portion can be selectively rotatable relative to the cover base portion and the container portion. The clump decimator portion can extend downwardly and radially from the top portion through the cover base portion and into the container portion. The clump decimator can rotate as the rotatable top portion is rotated to agitate the contents of the container portion while they are being dispensed.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of manufacturing a lid for a container for dispensing food articles, comprising:
 injection molding a cover base portion an injection molding machine having a plurality of apertures for allowing a food product to be dispensed there through;   injection molding a rotatable top portion in the injection molding machine, the rotatable top portion configured to be coupled on top of the cover base portion and selectively rotatable relative to the cover base portion and molding a radially extending agitator portion, the agitator portion configured to extend through the base portion; and   assembling the rotatable top portion to the cover base portion while the rotatable base portion and cover base portion are both in the injection molding equipment.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising molding the cover base portion and the rotatable top portion simultaneously in the molding equipment. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of molding the rotatable top portion includes molding the agitator portion integrally with the rotatable top portion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of molding the rotatable top portion includes molding the agitator portion separately from the rotatable top portion and subsequently attaching the agitator portion to the rotatable top portion in the injection molding machine. 
     
     
         6 . A method of assembling a container for dispensing a food product, comprising:
 molding a cover base portion of a cover;   robotically coupling a rotatable top portion of the cover on top of the base portion, including positioning a radially extending agitator portion through a top portion of the cover base portion.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein coupling the rotatable top portion of the cover on top of the cover base portion further includes interlocking at least one lip extending along an inner peripheral surface of the rotatable top portion with at least one rib extending along an outer peripheral surface of the base portion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of positioning the radially extending agitator portion through the top portion of the cover base portion and inserting the agitator portion through an elongate slot in the top portion of the base portion. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of positioning the radially extending agitator portion through the top portion of the cover base portion and into the container portion includes inserting an axially extending shaft portion of the rotatable top portion through an opening in the top surface of the cover base portion and then attaching the radially extending agitator portion to the hub. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising containing the coupling within molding equipment. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of positioning the radially extending agitator portion through the top portion of the cover base portion and into the container portion includes inserting an axially extending shaft portion of the rotatable top portion through an opening in the top surface of the cover base portion and then attaching the radially extending agitator portion to the hub. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of positioning the radially extending agitator portion through the top portion of the cover base portion and into the container portion includes inserting an axially extending shaft portion of the rotatable top portion through an opening in the top surface of the cover base portion and then attaching the radially extending agitator portion to the hub.