Dispensing – Drip – leakage or waste catching or disposal
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-07
2001-08-28
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Drip, leakage or waste catching or disposal
C137S312000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279781
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device that attaches to a pouring spout used on bag-in-the-box liquid containers and catches and contains any liquid drips leaking from the spout.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bag-in-the-box structures for liquids such as wines, milk, fruit juices, water, and other liquids, have an inner bag, often made of plastic positioned inside a box, often made of cardboard or plastic. A factory-installed spout with a spigot valve is attached to the bag and extends through the box, generally at the bottom end of a sidewall of the box, which directs the liquid from the box into portable containers used for consumption of the liquid. The spout includes an integral, normally closed spigot valve, as is known in the art. An opening in the spout directs flowing fluid generally downwardly. When the spigot valve is activated, liquid flows into the nozzle and passes generally downwardly into the portable container. These boxed liquid containers are generally described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,400,866 and 5,074,441.
The spout and spigot valve in these box containers are constructed from elastomers that seal by compression of elastomer surfaces. These elastomers are less resilient in cool temperatures. Boxed-liquid containers are typically cooled by refrigeration during storage, thus resulting in lower resiliency and less sealing force. Thus, drips may occur during use and as a result of repeated valve opening and closing. The drips flow from the spigot valve into the spout and then out of the spout onto the floor or surface below the box, creating a mess. Dripping is an undesirable loss of fluid and produces undesirable wet surfaces or puddles.
The instant invention was created with the shortcomings of the liquid-in-a-box spigot valves in mind.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention attaches to a boxed liquid container spout, and catches and stores the dripping from the spout and valve. The liquid can be easily emptied from the device, and is conveniently stored in-position on the box container. In more detail, the invention is a device that attaches to the spout typically used in bag-in-the-box fluid containers to catch and contain liquid drips from the spigot valve operation or valve leakage. An upper mounting section attaches around the outer surface of the fluid discharge spout and extends below the spout, with a reservoir at the lower end to catch and contain liquid drips. The mounting section may have a chute or trough to direct the drips into the reservoir. The reservoir can be cup shaped, and attaches to the lower end of the mounting section and is positioned below the spout to catch and contain the liquid drippings.
The upper mounting section on the spout has an opening that fits closely over the spout. The opening may be a slot permitting positioning of the drip catcher on the spout. A second larger opening connected to the slot may be used for placing the invention on the spout. The large opening passes over the spout and the smaller opening is then closely positioned above the spout and then slid downwardly to contact the sides of the spout.
The reservoir is preferably located at a distance from and directly under the spout to permit portable containers to be placed directly under the spout without interference from the drip catcher.
The device is designed to be rotated at least 90 degrees to empty collected liquid drippings without removing the drip catcher from the spout. Rotating the drip catcher 180 degrees, a position directly above the spout, permits boxed liquid storage in refrigerators or shelves without removal of the liquid drip catcher.
The device may be permanently attached to a spout or can be a separate device that can be easily attached or removed.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a removable drip catcher for boxed liquid containers that collects liquid leaking from the spout.
Another object of the invention is to provide a drip catcher that is attached to a boxed liquid container that collects the drips in a reservoir.
Another object of the invention is to provide a drip catcher that does not interfere with filling of portable containers under the boxed liquid containers.
Another object of the invention is to provide a drip catcher that remains on the spout when emptying or when the boxed liquid container is stored.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and its scope can be obtained from the accompanying drawings, which are briefly summarized below, the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 457458 (1891-08-01), Britton et al.
patent: 1703284 (1929-02-01), Wolfe
patent: 2696091 (1954-12-01), Bueno
patent: 3199820 (1965-08-01), Thomson et al.
patent: 3240384 (1966-03-01), Lermer
patent: 3317167 (1967-05-01), Becker et al.
patent: 4216598 (1980-08-01), Newbert
patent: 5339872 (1994-08-01), Marino
patent: 5470011 (1995-11-01), Jordan
patent: 5690138 (1997-11-01), Fuller
Derakshani Philippe
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
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