Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Patent
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SEALABLE AND DISPENSING POURING SPOUT
11 Background of the Invention
12 1, Field of the Invention
13 The invention relates generally to an arrangement
14 for use in dispensing fluids from containers and more
particularly to a pouring spout that can be selectively
16 opened or closed to dispense fluids or other materials
1~ from a container.
18 2. Description of Related Art
19 Many types of fluids are used to lubricate, cool
and maintain the smooth operation of cars, trucks,
21 motorcycles, recreational vehicles such as ATV's, and
22 jet skis, lawn mowers and the like. Such fluids,
23 namely, antifreeze, motor oil, transmission fluid,
24 windshield wiper fluid and the like are sold by auto
after market shops and supermarkets in standard size
26 containers. In place of the steel cans of yesterday,
2~ many of these fluids today are sold and stored in
28 plastic containers which are readily made in large
29 quantities and low cost by plastic molding injection
techniques. Hundreds of thousands of pint, quart and
31 gallon containers of the above-mentioned fluids axe
32 purchased every year by motorists for use and storage in
33 do it yourself efforts to maintain their own cars,
34 trucks and other vehicles or equipment. Similarly,
service stations and garages, that perform routine
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1 automobile service and repairs, stock, use and store
2 such fluids for replacement during a maintenance, repair
3 or inspection procedure or to add needed quantities.
4 Spillage of such fluids on the garage floor, sidewalk,
lawn or on any surface where such fluids are being
dispensed or stored, contributes significantly to the
pollution of the environment if they soak into the
ground or evaporate into the atmosphere, Furthermore,
these automobile fluids easily stain both asphalt and
cement driveways and floors which readily absorb such
11 fluids and therefore produce an unsightly mess. Once
12 spilled on these surfaces, oil, antifreeze, transmission
13 fluid, power steering fluid and the like are very
14 difficult if not impossible to clean off such surfaces.
A number of funnel or spouts have evolved over the
16 years for coupling to and dispensing fluids from
1~ containers. Typical well known conventional pouring
18 spouts are illustrated in U.S. Patents 2,757,831 and
19 2,736,469 issued to Schmidt and Stone, respectively.
These patents disclose spouts for containers, such as
21 gasoline cans, which are formed as a one piece elongated
22 tapering curved tubular spout with an annular flange on
23 the base end of the tubular spout . A screw threaded
24 locking collar mounted over the spout annularly engages
the flange and is threaded onto the neck of a container
26 and tightened to hold the flange into tight engagement
2~ with the neck. Screw caps threadedly attached to the
2$ open end of the spout seal the spout when not in use.
29 Disadvantageously, with these conventional spout
structures, it is difficult if not impossible to control
31 or adjust the amount of fluid being dispensed from the
32 container. Overfilling or spillage are therefore
33 inevitable consequences. Furthermore, if the caps are
34 misplaced or lost, the fluids within the container can
be spilled from the container if accidentally tipped or
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1 evaporate into the atmosphere.
2 Stopper type mechanisms also evolved that more
readily dispense liquids in desired amount as
4 illustrated in U.S. Patents 3,305,127; 2,759,643 and
2,591,231 issued to Baranne, Dahlin and Broadway,
respectively. The container closure arrangements in
these patents, however, are relatively complex and
intricate, and therefore the structures disclosed in
these patents axe expensive to manufacture by standard
plastic molding injection techniques.
11 There is accordingly a need for a reliable, simple,
12 yet inexpensive spout arrangement that is easy to use,
13 dispenses desired amounts of fluids and provides for
14 reliable storage of any quantities remaining in the
container.
16 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
1~ It is therefore an object of the invention to
18 provide a spout which is simple in design, easy and
19 inexpensive to manufacture, and durable in construction.
It is another further object of the invention to
21 provide a spout that can be manufactured by low cost
22 plastic molding techniques.
23 It is still another object of the invention to
24 provide a pouring spout that can be used on standard
size containers.
26 It is an advantage of the invention to provide a
spout that can be easily opened or closed during a
28 pouring operation by manipulating the spout with a thumb
29 and finger of one hand.
A sealable and dispensing pouring spout structure
31 for attachment to containers holding oil, antifreeze,
32 transmission fluid and the like according to the present
33 invention comprises three pieces: a tubular body member,
34 a collar member and a spout shaped member which are
joined together in a span-together connection
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1 arrangement. The tubular body member at one end is
2 provided with an attachment means for securing it to the
3 neck of a standard container, which is typically
4 threaded. At the other end of the tubular body member
is a stopper or closure means which is attached thereto.
6 The collar member is fixedly mounted over the tubular
body member, and the tubular body member and collar
member cooperatively define therebetween a cam surface
or slot means. The spout shaped member is rotatably
mounted on the tubular body member and has a cam
11 follower or protrusions which engage the cam surface or
12 slot means. By rotating the spout shaped member the cam
13 arrangement causes the spout to move inwardly and
14 outwardly over the tubular body member. The spout
shaped member When rotated inwardly cooperates with the
16 stopper or closure means to seal the pouring end of the
1~ tubular body member, thereby preventing fluids from
18 being dispensed from the container. On the other hand,
19 when the spout shaped member is rotated outwardly an
opening is provided for fluid flow from the container.
21 To prevent material from leaking along the exterior
22 surface of the tubular body member toward the attachment
23 end or collar, the outlet end of the tubular body member
24 is preferably flared outwardly against the inner surface
of the spout shaped member.
26
BRIEF DT~,,~GRIPTION Q~' THE DRAWINGS
28 Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the sealable
29 and dispensing pouring spout mounted on a container in
accordance with the principles of the invention;
31 Fig. 2 is a partially broken away side elevational
32 view of a tubular body member employed in the pouring
33 spout of Fig. 1;
34 Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tubular
body member of Fig. 2 taken along line 3-3;
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1 Fig. 4 is a bottom view of a collar member employed
2 in the pouring spout of Fig. 1;
3 Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the collar
4 member of Fig. 4 taken along line 5-5;
Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a spout shaped
6 member employed in the pouring spout of Fig. 1;
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the spout
shaped member in Fig. 6 taken along line 7-7;
Fig. 8 is a partially broken away perspective view
of the tubular body member and collar member;
11 Fig. 9 is a partially broken away cross-sectional
12 view of the tubular body member and collar member
13 assembled together illustrating the unique cam follower
14 means according to the invention;
Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional elevational view of
16 the assembled pouring spout in a closed position;
1~ Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional elevational view of
18 the assembled pouring spout in an open position;
19 Fig. 12 is a stretch out view illustrating the cam
follower which is formed cooperatively by the tubular
21 body member and collar member;
22 Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the tubular shaped
23 member in accordance with an alternative embodiment of
24 the sealing arrangement of the present invention;
Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of
26 the tubular shaped member of Fig. 13 taken along lines
2~ 14-14 illustrating the flared sealing rim thereof;
2$ Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled
29 spout containing a tubular body member of Fig. 13 and a
modified spout shaped member in an open position; and
31 Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the spout of
32 Fig, 15 in a closed position.
33 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
34 Referring now with more particularity to the
drawings, wherein like or similar parts are designated
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1 by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a
2 sealable and dispensing pouring spout arrangement 20 is
3 illustrated in Fig. 1 coupled to a container 22 such as
4 may be used to hold antifreeze, oil, brake fluid,
transmission fluid, gasoline or the like. The container
is shown in a slightly tipped position for a pouring
operation, herein illustrated to a conventional
automobile radiator 21 and as such the contents bf the
container would be antifreeze or water. The spout 20
may be made in any desired size to fit any desired
11 cylindrical neck. Although the dispensing closure may
12 be made of any suitable material, flexible synthetic
13 plastic material is preferred such as polyethylene which
14 is particularly suitable for constructing the pouring
spout 20 since it is pliable and resilient and may be
16 deformed slightly so that minor irregularities in
1~ structure may be compensated. However, any other
1$ material which is resistant to and compatible with the
19 fluid or other matter to be held in the container may
also be used as a material for manufacturing the pouring
21 spout.
22 The pouring spout 20 is composed of three parts: a
23 tubular body member 24 illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, a
24 collar member 26 illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, and a
spout shaped member 28 illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7,
26 which shall be individually described hereinbelow.
2~ These parts may be readily individually made by
28 conventional plastic molding injection techniques.
29 Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate one of the three pouring
spout parts, namely, tubular body member 24 which is
31 composed of a cylindrically shaped larger diameter base
32 section 30 and a cylindrically shaped smaller diameter
33 top section 32, both disposed along longitudinal axis
34 25. The larger diameter base and smaller diameter top
35~ sections 30, 32 are joined by an annular shoulder 34
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which is substantially perpendicular to the top and base
2 section providing a flat annular surface. Three equally
3 spaced ramps 36, 38, 40 are disposed on annular shoulder
4 34 in circumscribing relationship to the cylindrically
shaped smaller diameter top section 32. Each ramp has a
6 flat angled surface portion 42 which extends upwardly
from the annular shoulder 34 to a short flat surface
section 43. The three ramps 36, 38, 40 may be spaced
inwardly a predetermined distance from the base section
annular upper edge 31, the predetermined distance
11 preferably being the depth of the key slots described
12 hereinbelow, The angled flat surface portions 42, 43
13 provide a cam surface which will complement opposed
14 surface portions of similar ramps in the collar member
described below, Three slots 44, 46, 48 are formed in
16 the peripheral cylindrically shaped outer surface of the
1~ lower base section 30 extending longitudinally from
18 annular shoulder 34 and terminating a short distance
19 from the bottom 50 of base section 30.
The cylindrically shaped larger diameter base
21 section 30 has internal threads 54 on the inner
22 cylindrically shaped surface thereof which provides a
23 means of attaching the tubular body member to the
24 external threads of a neck of a container. These
threads 54 are typically made in standard configurations
26 used in the industry. An annular lip or seal 56 is
2~ formed on the inner surface of the shoulder above the
28 threaded section. The seal 56 preferably includes a
29 double arch or beads 60 and 62 joined together by
depression 64. Escape or leakage of fluids through a
31 container neck is prevented by the pressure engagement
32 between the neck annular surface and this double bead
33 arrangement.
34 A stopper member 70 is attached by plurality of
ribs 72 to the mouth or pouring end 73 of the
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1 cylindrically shaped smaller top section 32. While the
stopper member may be of a disk shaped or plug
3 configuration or other suitable shape, a more preferred
4 stopper member structure 70 is illustrated which
comprises a cup-shaped member 74 which may have a
6 generally cone shaped outer surface and an annular
sealing right 76. The outer surface of the annular
sealing ring may have a generally frusto-conical shape
which has less taper than the tapered shoulder portion
of the spout shaped member 28 to be described below.
11 The cone shaped outer surface of the stopper member cup-
12 shaped portion tapers inwardly into the mouth or pouring
13 end of the tubular body member which surface arrangement
14 provides a more laminar type flow to fluids passing
through the tubular body member and exiting the pouring
16 end 73 thereof.
1~ The next component part of the pouring spout
18 arrangement 20, namely collar member 26 is composed of a
19 substantially cylindrically shaped body having a
longitudinal axis 27, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.
21 The collar member 26 has a plurality of elongated ridges
22 72 or other protuberances extending longitudinally along
23 the outer surface 74 thereof. Three equally spaced
24 ramps 78, 80, 82 are disposed on the cylindrically
shaped inner wall 84 of collar member 26. Each ramp has
26 a flat angled surface portion 81 which extend downwardly
2~ from upper short flat section 88 to a lower short
28 slightly angled section 86. Square shaped keys 90
29 extend longitudinally downwardly from each of the flat
sections 92 which are intermediately disposed between
31 closely spaced pairs of the upper and lower sections 86
32 and 88. The square shaped keys 90 have a thickness, or
33 in other words extend inwardly, a distance substantially
34 equal to the depth of the key slots 44 in tubular member
24 and are of substantially the same length as these key
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1 slots.
2 At the bottom of the collar member cylindrically
3 body is an annular inwardly extending retaining lip 94.
4 The annular lip 94 is used in conjunction with the keys
to fixedly mount the collar member to the tubular body
6 when assembled. The keys and key slots prevent the
collar member from rotating on the tubular body member,
thereby keeping the respective opposed complementary
ramps of the tubular body and collar members in
alignment after assembly, as illustrated in more detail
11 below.
12 The third component part of the pouring spout
13 arrangement illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, namely spout
14 shaped member 28 is composed of a larger diameter
cylindrically shaped lower section 102 of a uniform
16 internal diameter which decreases into a smaller
1~ diameter cylindrically shaped upper section 104 of a
18 uniform internal diameter, both disposed along
19 longitudinal axis 29. The upper and lower sections 102
and 104 are joined by annular tapered should section
21 105. The inner wall of the tapered shoulder preferably
22 has a greater angle of taper than that of the outer
23 surface of sealing ring 76 of the tubular shaped member
24 32 (shown in Fig. 2) which will thereby provide a tight
seal over the entire annular extent of the tapered
26 shoulder when the two sealing surfaces are brought in to
2~ contact.
28 A cam follower means is provided on the outer
29 surface 107 of the larger cylindrical section 102. The
cam follower means comprises three equally spaced lobes
31 or protrusions 106, 108, 110 extending radially
32 outwardly from the outer surface 107 adjacent to the
33 bottom surface 112 of larger diameter lower section 102.
34 A plurality of longitudinally extending ribs or vanes
114 on the outer surface 107 provide structural strength
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1 for the spout shaped member as well as providing means
2 for grasping the member.
3 Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate more clearly the unique
4 cam follower means in accordance with the principles of
5 the invention. As shown in Fig. 8, one half of the cam
6 follower means is constructed into tubular body member
24 and the other complementary half of the cam follower
means into collar member 26. The cam follower means, as
described above, preferably takes the form of
10 Complementary ramps formed on the tubular body member
11 and collar member which have opposed surfaces forming a
12 slot therebetween. In the example provided in this
13 preferred embodiment, collar member 26 has three
14 downwardly inclined ramps (ramp 82 being shown) and
tubular body member 24 has three upwardly inclined
16 ramps 36, 38, 40 of about the same length and having
1~ about the same angle of inclination. Constructing the
18 cam follower means of complementary ramps in the two
19 separate members greatly reduces the complexity of the
plastic molding process in fabricating the spout and
21 therefore greatly reduces the ultimate cost of the
22 pouring spout 20.
23 To construct the cam follower means, the collar
24 member 26 is slidably inserted over tubular body member
24, the lip 94 of collar member 26 being snapped over
26 the bottom edge 51 of the tubular body member larger
2~ diameter section 30 as illustrated in Fig. 9. The three
28 keys 90 of the collar member slide into key slots 44,
29 46, 48 in the larger diameter base section. The key and
key slots in combination with the lip and base section
31 snapped engagement provide a means to secure or lock the
32 collar member and the tubular body member together in
33 fixed relationship. The assembly of the collar and
34 tubular body member provides for a cam follower means
which takes the form of three slots 85. Complementary
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1 ramp surfaces of the tubular body and collar members
2 cooperate to form cam follower surface from the two
3 opposed inclined ramp surfaces 42 and 81. The three
4 slots 85 gradually incline from a low point or lower
slot section 87 between the upper surface of shoulder 34
6 and lower slightly angled short section 86, to a high
point or upper flat slot section 89 between the top of
8 the tubular member ramp flat section 43 and collar
member flat section 88. The low points or lower slot
sections 87 correspond to the spout 20 being in a fully
11 closed position where no fluid will flow therethrough,
12 and the high point or upper slot section 89 corresponds
13 to the spout 20 being in a fully open condition.
14 Figs. 10 and 11 show the spout 20 in fully
assembled condition. To assemble the spout 20 from the
16 three above described component parts 24, 26, 28 the
spout shaped member 28 is rotatably mounted over the
18 tubular body member 24 smaller diameter top section 32
19 with respective ones of the spout lobes 106, 108, 110
,resting on respective ones of the ramps 36, 38, 40. The
21 collar member 26 is then slidably inserted aver the
22 spout shaped member 28 and larger diameter base section
23 30, and annular ring 94 snapped over the lower edge 51
24 of the base section. The keys and key slot align the
opposed complementary ones of the ramps 36, 38, 40 with
26 the corresponding ones of the ramps 78, 80, 82. The
2~ three lobes are slidably contained within slots 85
28 formed by the complementary ramp pairs. One or more
29 sealing rings may be formed in the inner cylindrically
shaped wall of the larger diameter lower section of
31 spcut shaped member 28 or on the outer cylindrically
32 shaped wall of the smaller diameter top section 32 of
33 tubular member 24. The sealing ring provides a sealing
34 means to prevent the passing of materials from a
container coupled to the spout 20 through the pouring
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1 end of the tubular body member from along the external
2 surface thereof toward the attachment end. The sealing
means illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 are a pair of
4 annular projecting ridges 120 disposed around the
interior cylindrically shaped wall 123 of the spout
6 shaped member 28 larger diameter lower section 104 which
7 sealingly engage the outer cylindrically shaped wall 121
of the smaller diameter top section 102 of tubular body
member 24.
Operation of the spout arrangement will now be
11 described in detail with reference to Figs. 10, 11 and
12 12. Fig. 12 is a stretch out view of the cam follower
13 means illustrating the lobes 106, 108, 110 in three
14 different locations of travel along slots 85. Fig. 10
shows the pouring spout in its fully closed position,
16 and Fig. 11 illustrates the pouring spout 20 in its
17 fully open position. To achieve the fully closed
18 position, the spout shaped member 28 is rotated
19 downwardly, the lobes 106, 108, 110 traversing
downwardly within the inclined slots 85 until the lobes
21 enter and lock in to the lower flat slot section 87 by
22 frictional engagement with collar member slightly angled
23 surface portion 86. At this point, the annular sealing
24 ring portion 76 of stopper member 70 engages the inner
annular corner 109 of spout shaped member 28 where the
26 smaller diameter upper section and tapered shoulder 105
27 of the spout shaped member 28 meet, and the lobes 106,
28 108, 110 each press upwardly against the upper surfaces
29 86 of their respective lower slot sections 87. The
opposed upward pressure of the lobes against the ramp
31 surfaces 86 and downward pressure of the tapered
32 shoulder against the sealing ring effectively locks the
33 spout shaped member 28 in a fully closed position. The
34 lower slightly angled short section 86 has a relatively
small angle of taper "x" preselected such that the lobes
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1 will cinch against this short section and the stopper
2 against the spout shaped member before the lobes reach
3 the end wall of the lower slot sections 87. The sealing
4 ring and tapered shoulder form an annular seal closing
off the pouring mouth of the tubular member. The
6 annular ring may be made of relatively thin and of
relatively pliable and resilient material such that it
8 may be deformed slightly to conform to any~minor
irregularities on the structure and thus provide a good
seal.
11 To open the spout for a pouring operation, the
12 spout shaped member 28 is rotated or turned such that
13 the three lobes 106, 108, 110 traverse upwardly in their
14 respective slots and enter the upper flat slot section
8g, as shown in Fig. 11. On tipping the container as
16 illustrated in Fig. 1., liquid contents flow through
1~ tubular body member 24 and out the pouring end or mouth
18 thereof provided by ribs 72, and over the cup-shaped
19 stopper and out the smaller diameter section 104 of
spout shaped member 28. The amount of fluid flow can be
21 regulated by rotating the spout shaped member to any
22 intermediate position.
23 An important advantage of the present invention is
24 the three piece construction and its simplicity
rendering it highly desirable for plastic molding by
26 conventional machines at low cost. The collar member
2~ may be provided with indicia in the form of "ON" and
2$ "OFF" labels and the spout shaped member with an arrow
29 which cooperatively when aligned indicate that the spout
2p is in either a fully open condition or fully closed
31 position as shown in Fig. 1.
32 A preferred sealing arrangement for preventing
33 material from leaking between the tubular body member
34 and the spout shaped member toward the collar is
illustrated in Figs. 13-16 where elements of the pouring
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1 spout parts in common with those illustrated in the
2 preceding figures are designated by primed numerals.
3 The pouring end 73' of the tubular body member 24' (Figs.
4 13 and 14) is flared outwardly to provide a flange 130
which extends beyond the diameter of the top cylindrical
6 section 32'. The outer surface of the flared pouring
end or flange rim 73' of the tubular body member 24' is
biased against and thus in sliding engagement with the
inner cylindrical wall 132 of the upper portion 134 of
the top section 102' of the spout shaped member 28' as
11 is illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16.
12 The top section 102' of spout shaped member
13 includes a lower portion 136 having an inner cylindrical
14 wall 123' of a greater diameter than the cylindrical
surface 132 to permit the tubular body member 24' and
16 its flared rim 73' to be easily inserted into the spout
1~ shaped member 28' during assembly. An inwardly
18 projecting annular ridge or ring 138 on the inner wall
19 123' of the spout shaped member slidably engages the
outer wall 121' of the top section 102' of the tubular
21 body member 24' to keep the members aligned along a
22 common axis (or maintain concentricity).
23 The above-described detailed description of the
24 preferred embodiments described the best mode
contemplated by the inventors for carrying out the
26 present invention at the time this application was filed
2~ and is offered by way of example and not by way of
28 limitation. Accordingly, various modifications may be
29 made to the above-described preferred embodiment without
departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly,
31 it should be understood that although the invention has
32 been described and shown for a particular embodiment,
33 nevertheless various changes and modifications obvious
34 to a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the
invention pertains are deemed to lie within the spirit
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1 and scope of the invention as set forth in the following
2 claims.
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