Spill-preventing snack container and dispenser

Abstract

A food dispensing container having a removable dispensing member that includes a hinged flow gate configured to cover, in a closed position, a corresponding aperture in a bottom of a dispensing compartment of the dispensing member. The dispensing member also includes a hinged lid configured to cover a top of the dispensing compartment, the hinged lid having a notch that allows a range of rotation of the hinged flow gate when the hinged lid is in a closed position covering the top of the dispensing compartment and the rotation of the hinged flow gate opening the corresponding aperture when the food dispensing container is tilted from an upright position. The hinged lid and the hinged flow gate interlock, limiting the hinged flow gate to the closed position, when the hinged lid is in an open position uncovering the top of the dispensing compartment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A food dispensing lid for a storage container, the food dispensing lid comprising:
 a dispensing member removably attached to the storage container;   a flow gate configured to cover, in a closed position, an aperture in a bottom of the dispensing member; and   a lid configured to cover a top of the dispensing compartment,   wherein, when the lid is in a closed position, rotation of the flow gate away from the aperture is allowed when the food dispensing lid is rotated from an upright position; and   wherein, when the lid is in an open position, rotation of the flow gate away from the aperture is prevented.   
     
     
         2 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing member contains apertures which engage with protrusions on the lid to hold the lid in the closed position. 
     
     
         3 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 2 , wherein the dispensing member further comprises:
 a release button which interfaces with an aperture in the storage container to removably attach the food dispensing lid to the storage container.   
     
     
         4 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 3 , wherein a force required to actuate the release button to remove the dispensing member from the storage container is greater than a force required to overcome the engagement between the apertures and protrusions to open the lid. 
     
     
         5 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 1 , wherein the hinged flow gate comprises a rigid hinge portion and a flexible tongue portion. 
     
     
         6 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 5 , wherein the flexible tongue portion comprises a perforated edge. 
     
     
         7 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 6 , wherein the perforated edge contains at least two notches. 
     
     
         8 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 5 , wherein the flexible tongue portion is silicone. 
     
     
         9 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 1 , wherein the storage container comprises an indicator line. 
     
     
         10 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 1 , wherein the flow gate is hinged to the dispensing member within a recess to limit rotation of the flow gate to less than 90°. 
     
     
         11 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 1 , wherein the storage container comprises a rotatable divider element for defining plural selectable snack food compartments therewithin. 
     
     
         12 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 11 , wherein a rotating knob is used to rotate the rotatatable divider element. 
     
     
         13 . A food dispensing lid for a storage container, the food dispensing lid comprising:
 a dispensing member removably attached to the storage container;   a flow gate configured to cover an aperture in a bottom of the dispensing member in a closed position;   a lid configured to cover a top of the dispensing compartment; and   a dispensing button for moving the flow gate from the closed position to an open position.   
     
     
         14 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 13 , wherein the dispensing button operates regardless of an orientation of the food dispensing lid. 
     
     
         15 . The food dispensing lid of  claim 13 , wherein the dispensing button is biased in a closed position by a living hinge or a spring loaded hinge. 
     
     
         16 . A food dispensing lid for a container, comprising:
 a dispensing member configured to be removably attachable to a storage container;   a flow gate configured to cover, in a closed position, an aperture in a bottom of the dispensing member; and   a lid configured to cover a top of the dispensing compartment.   
     
     
         17 . The lid according to  claim 16 , wherein, when the lid is in a closed position, rotation of the flow gate away from the aperture is allowed; and
 wherein, when the lid is in an open position, rotation of the flow gate away from the aperture is prevented.   
     
     
         18 . The lid according to  claim 16 , wherein the rotation is about an axis substantially parallel to a plane of the lid.