Cone dispensing package, assembly and method

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
In an assembly for protectively storing and dispensing a stack of nested food items such as ice cream cones, cups and the like, an elongate self-contained dispensing package, said package being formed as an integral unit comprising an elongate vertical stack of nested food items substantially enclosed within a hollow enclosure formed of relatively stiff but compliant laminate material, said laminate material being joined along one elongate edge of said enclosure to form readily tearable integral ridge means extending the length of and projecting outward from said enclosure, a substantially cylindrical container having an open bottom end and forming part of said storage and dispensing assembly, said package and container cooperating with one another such that said extending ridge means is engageable within said container to maintain the packaging enclosure at a proper level for dispensing of said stacked food items, said readily tearable ridge means facilitating removal of a lower end section of said package so that the stacked food items can be easily dispensed through a lower end of said container.
2.
An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said ridge means is folded back against said package enclosure so as to be wedged between the latter and the inner wall of said container.
3.
An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said container includes an open top end and a slot extending from said top end toward said lower end of said container but stopping short thereof.
4.
An assembly according to claim 1 wherein a portion of said ridge means is torn away from said package enclosure along its inner edge but not separated from said enclosure, said torn portion being adapted to extend over the non-dispensing edge of said container for maintaining said enclosure at a proper level for dispensing of said stacked food items.
5.
An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said package includes an outer paper layer for providing stiffness and an inner plastic layer laminated to the paper layer and providing water resistance