Apparatus for dispensing seeds and receiving skins

Abstract

A snack food container is configured with a container compartment and a receptacle compartment. The container compartment is configured to contain shelled foods such as sunflower seeds. The receptacle compartment is configured to receive discarded skins such as sunflower seed skins. The snack food container can have a rotatable lid with an aperture that is selectively alignable with either the container compartment or the receptacle compartment. The lid aperture can be sized and shaped in a manner to best assist in dispensing fresh seeds from the container compartment into a user's mouth, and to receive discarded skins from the user's mouth.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A snack food container, comprising:
 an elongated body extending from a proximal end to a distal end, the body being closed at the distal end and having a proximal opening defined at the proximal end, the proximal end having a substantially circular circumferential rim, the body defining a cavity;   a divider within the elongated body, the divider dividing the cavity into a first and a second compartment;   a lid comprising a top portion and a flange that depends from an edge of the top portion, the lid being removably attachable to the circumferential rim so that the flange engages the circumferential rim; and   an aperture formed through the lid, the aperture defined by a back edge, a primary curved edge portion and a secondary curved edge portion, the primary curved edge portion being arcuate about a first radius of curvature, the secondary curved edge portion being arcuate about a second radius of curvature;   wherein the aperture is sized and configured to align with one or the other of the first and second compartments.   
     
     
         2 . A snack food container as in  claim 1 , wherein the second radius of curvature is less than the first radius of curvature. 
     
     
         3 . A snack food container as in  claim 2 , wherein the second radius of curvature is between 0.6 and 1.25 inches. 
     
     
         4 . A snack food container as in  claim 2 , wherein the second radius of curvature approximates the average curvature of a human bottom lip. 
     
     
         5 . A snack food container as in  claim 2 , wherein the primary curved edge portion comprises first and second primary curved edge portions, and wherein the secondary curved edge portion is arranged between the first and second primary curved edge portions. 
     
     
         6 . A snack food container as in  claim 1  additionally comprising a removable flexible seal attached to the circumferential rim, wherein a portion of the seal is sandwiched between the flange and the circumferential rim. 
     
     
         7 . A snack food container as in  claim 6 , wherein the seal comprises a tab extending from an edge of the seal, and the seal is positioned on the circumferential rim so that the tab is aligned with the divider. 
     
     
         8 . A snack food container as in  claim 7 , wherein a base of the seal is defined diametrically opposite the tab, and an adhesive layer is interposed between the circumferential rim and the seal to bond the seal to the rim, and wherein the adhesive layer is configured to exert a stronger bond between the base of the seal and the circumferential rim than elsewhere between the seal and the circumferential rim. 
     
     
         9 . A snack food container as in  claim 1 , wherein an upper edge of the divider extends proximally beyond the circumferential rim. 
     
     
         10 . A snack food container as in  claim 1  additionally comprising an attachment member on the body, the attachment member comprising a hook. 
     
     
         11 . A snack food container as in  claim 10 , wherein the hook is selectively movable relative to the body, and the hook is configured to be engagable with a structure so that the snack food container can be supported by the hook in a hanging configuration. 
     
     
         12 . A bag-based snack food container, comprising:
 a main bag formed of a flexible polymer and defining a primary compartment for containing seeds; and   a secondary bag formed of a flexible polymer and bonded to an outer surface of the main bag, the secondary bag having a tab that is releasably adhered to the outer surface of the main bag;   wherein in a first configuration the secondary bag is folded flat onto the outer surface of the main bag and the tab is adhered to the outer surface of the main bag;   wherein in a second configuration the tab is detached from the outer surface of the main bag and the secondary bag is unfolded so as to define a secondary compartment for containing skins, a secondary compartment opening being defined adjacent the tab; and   wherein in a third configuration the secondary bag remains unfolded and the tab is adhered to the outer surface of the main bag so as to close the secondary compartment.   
     
     
         13 . A bag-based snack food container as in  claim 12  additionally comprising a hanger member attached to the container, the hanger member comprising a hook portion configured to engage a chain-link fence so the container can be hung from a chain-link fence. 
     
     
         14 . A method of eating seeds and disposing of skins, comprising:
 a user grasping an elongated body that encloses a cavity separated by a divider into a primary compartment and a secondary compartment, a plurality of seeds being provided in the primary compartment, the body having a circular proximal rim and a lid arranged atop the rim, the lid having an aperture defined by a back edge, a primary curved edge portion and a secondary curved edge portion, the primary curved edge portion being arcuate about a first radius of curvature, the secondary curved edge portion being arcuate about a second radius of curvature;   the user aligning the aperture with the primary compartment;   the user lifting the body and pressing the user's bottom lip to the lid adjacent the secondary curved edge portion; and   the user tilting the body so that seeds dispense through the aperture into the user's mouth.   
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 14  additionally comprising the user rotating the lid about the rim so that the aperture is aligned with the secondary compartment, the user lifting the body, and the user dispensing discarded skins from the user's mouth into the secondary compartment. 
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15  additionally comprising the user removing the lid, at least partially removing a flexible seal from the rim, and replacing the lid onto the rim. 
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 16  additionally comprising the user removing the lid after dispensing discarded skins from the user's mouth into the secondary compartment, replacing the flexible seal onto the rim, and replacing the lid onto the rim so that at least a portion of the flexible seal is sandwiched between the lid and the rim. 
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 14 , wherein the body comprises a hook member, and additionally comprising extending the hook member onto a structure and hanging the body from the structure. 
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 19  additionally comprising unfolding the hook member from the body.