Adjustable dispensing stirrer for soluble sweeteners

• US 5,440,976 A
• Filed: 08/23/1994
• Issued: 08/15/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fred Giuliano
• Original Assignee: Fred Giuliano
• Inventors: Giuliano, Fred, Mizzi, John V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US08/294,542
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 99/323, 99/287, 99/485, 99/348, 99/494, 222/365, 222/129, 222/129.3, 222/54, 206/219, 206/220
• US Class Current: 99/485
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/004 Table-ware comprising food additives to be used with foodstuff spoon-like infusers A47G19/16; drinking straws A47G21/183

Abstract

A sugar stick is provided to stir coffee until a desired sweetness is attained. The dispensing device for solid granular material is user adjusted from zero to a maximum by simply adjusting a movable cover, such as a sleeve or shutter to the indicated extent for the desired amount. The stirrer includes at least one dose separator disks attached to a central portion ending in an enlarged end section to be used as a handle, which fits into a perforated tube. The product granules, e.g. an artificial or natural sweetener, which are larger in size than the perforations, are housed in the spaces between the at least one separator disk. A transparent movable outer cover, such as a sleeve, encloses the perforations and seals them from contact with the liquid beverage. By pulling the movable outer cover up, the perforations corresponding to the desired level of sweetness dose can be easily exposed. The stirrer is used to stir the beverage contents and to dissolve the desired amount of sweetener granules and the liquid beverage flows through the exposed regions of the inner perforated tube.

Claims

1. A stirrer for convenient controlled dispensing of a solid into at least one material of a liquid, comprising:

an elongated body, the stirrer having a handle end and an opposite dispenser end, a container portion extending therebetween, and wherein

said elongated body further having at least one dispenser region extending along said container portion from a point beginning near or substantially at said dispenser end, and said elongated body also having

a handle region, extending along said container portion from a point near or substantially at said handle end of said stirrer, said handle region comprising a stirrer handle, and further wherein

said at least one dispenser region of said container portion being provided with at least one separator plate attached to said container portion, said respective separator plate further having at least one outer edge, and said stirrer further having

a perforated cover, said cover being substantially coextensive with said dispenser region of said container portion and said perforated cover further being in effective sealing contact with said at least one outer edge of said respective at least one separator plate, and further,

said container portion, said separator plate and said perforated cover further comprising at least one compartment for containing a solid material to be dispensed; and

further wherein

said stirrer further having at least one slidably movable outer cover, said outer cover being in effective sealing contact with said perforated cover, and

said at least one slidably movable outer cover having a full open position and a full closed position, said slidably movable outer cover being substantially coextensive and in positional register with said perforated cover in the full closed position, and with said slidably movable outer cover slidable movable between the full closed and full open positions, said slidably movable outer cover permitting the user to adjustably select a zone position corresponding to a desired amount of a solid material to be dispensed from said container portion of said stirrer into a liquid.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one slidably movable outer cover includes a suitable means for convenient control of slidable movement and wherein said perforated cover has indicia for a user to visually determine the position of said slidably movable outer cover.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said means for convenient control of slidable movement is a finger friction means for facilitating a user'"'"'s grip on the sheath.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said at least one compartment for containing a solid material is a plurality of compartments are of equal volume.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said at least one compartment for containing a solid material is a plurality of compartments are of unequal volume.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the volume of each of said compartments is least at said dispenser end of said stirrer and said compartment volumes successively increase as said compartments are situated successively further from said dispenser end of said stirrer.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein said volume of said compartments is greatest at said dispenser end of said stirrer and said compartment volumes successively decrease as said compartments are situated successively further from said dispenser end of said stirrer.

8. The device of claim 2, wherein said elongated body is an elongated substantially cylindrical body and further wherein said perforated outer cover is a substantially cylindrical shape, and said at least one outer cover is a cylindrical sheath.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein said body comprises a plurality of central portions in a substantially triangular cross sectional shape and further wherein said at least one perforated cover comprises a plurality of perforated covers, said central portion having a substantially triangular cross sectional shape, and said at least one outer cover further comprises a plurality of shutters.

10. The device of claim 2, wherein said body comprises a substantially flattened rectangular cross sectional shape and further wherein said at least one perforated circumferential cover comprises a substantially flattened rectangular cross sectional shape, and said at least one movable outer cover further comprises at least one shutter having a substantially flattened rectangular cross sectional shape.

11. The device of claim 2, wherein said body comprises an a substantially square cross sectional shape and further wherein said perforated cover, comprises a substantially square cross sectional shape, and said movable outer cover comprises at least one telescoping sheath having a substantially square cross sectional shape.

12. The device of claim 2, wherein said body comprises an a substantially polygomal cross sectional shape and further wherein said perforated cover, comprises a substantially polygonal cross sectional shape, and said movable outer cover comprises at least one telescoping sheath having a substantially polygonal cross sectional shape.

13. The stirrer as in claim 1 wherein said at least one material is a sweetener.

14. The sweetener as in claim 13, wherein said sweetener is sugar.

15. The sweetener as in claim 13, wherein said sweetener is aspartame.

16. The stirrer as in claim 1, wherein said at least one material is a solid.

17. The stirrer as in claim 1, wherein said at least one material is a liquid.

18. A stirrer for convenient controlled dispensing of a solid of at least one material into a liquid, comprising:

an elongated body, the stirrer having a handle end and an opposite dispenser end, a container portion extending therebetween, and wherein

said elongated body further having at least one dispenser region extending along said container portion from a point beginning near or substantially at said dispenser end, and said elongated body also having

a handle region, extending along said container portion from a point near or substantially at said handle end of said stirrer, said handle region comprising a stirrer handle, and further wherein

said at least one dispenser region of said container portion being provided with at least one separator plate attached to said container portion, said respective separator plate further having at least one outer edge, and said stirrer further having

at least one slidably movable outer cover,

said at least one slidably movable outer cover having a full open position and a full closed position, said slidably movable outer cover being substantially coextensive and in positional register with said dispenser region in the full closed position, and with said slidably movable outer cover slidable movable between the full closed and full open positions, said slidably movable outer cover permitting the user to adjustably select a zone position corresponding to a desired amount of a solid material to be dispensed from said container portion of said stirrer into a liquid.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein said at least one slidably movable outer cover includes a suitable means for convenient control of slidable movement and wherein said dispenser has indicia for a user to visually determine the position of said slidably movable outer cover.