Dispensing – With container handle or handgrips – Vent in handle
Patent
1989-05-23
1990-11-20
Huppert, Michael S.
Dispensing
With container handle or handgrips
Vent in handle
222479, 222538, B65D 2544
Patent
active
049712306
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a container from which liquids, or free flowing solids, may be poured. It relates particularly to a container for dispensing relatively small quantities of liquids by hand e.g. containers for lubricating oils or liquid detergents.
As liquid is poured, air must come in to replace the liquid and if the air is not admitted in a controlled fashion the pouring can become erratic, with the liquid coming out in surges and slugs. Various proposals have been made to control the admission of air and prevent surging. An air vent separate from the pouring spout is one solution, but since the container has to be liquid tight its air vent has to be sealable separately from the spout.
Other solutions involve admitting the air through the pouring spout but controlling the liquid flow so that there is always air space above the liquid stream being poured. These solutions normally involve the spout having some form of neck below the spout outlet and a channel below the spout but above the neck directing the air into the free space in the container. Examples of this are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4412633, GB Patent Application No. 2098572A and PCT Application No. 87/01677.
Some liquid containers also have a retractable nozzle fitting within the spout which can be pulled out to assist pouring and pushed back in after use. One embodiment described in PCT Application 87/01677 has such a retractable nozzle. In this embodiment, any liquid flowing down the outside of the nozzle collects in a well above the neck of the spout and can return into the container via the air bleed.
However, with the air bleed-retractable nozzle design liquid flowing down the outside of the nozzle is not the only, or necessarily the most pressing problem. If the container is not held vertically the liquid may bleed through the handle and dribble from the end of the container instead of through the nozzle.
The present invention is concerned with an improved retractable nozzle for a container for liquids which obviates this difficulty with sideways pouring.
According to the present invention a retractable nozzle for a container for liquids having a spout with an air-bleed is characterised in that the outlet end of the nozzle has a double wall enclosing an annular space, the annular space being open at both ends so that fluid flow can occur through the space from the air bleed.
The nozzle can be held retractably within the spout in any convenient known way. The double wall of the nozzle should not extend down the whole length of the nozzle but should extend down at least the length of the portion extending beyond the spout when in the pouring position. The outside diameter of the double walled portion of the nozzle may be slightly larger than the single-walled portion so that there is a gap between the inside of the spout and the outside of the single-walled portion of the nozzle, this gap providing a passage for air from the annular space to the air bleed channel.
The air inlet end of the annular space can simply be flush with the liquid outlet end of the nozzle. At the other end, the annular space can communicate with the gap and the air bleed channel by two or more holes in the base of the outside wall.
The outside wall of the double wall may have a projection on its outside near the base as a form of seal with the inside of the spout, so that any liquid flowing down the outside of the nozzle does not enter the gap and air bleed channel.
The present invention includes a container for liquids having a retractable nozzle as described above.
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1A and 1B are, respectively, a section through and a view of a nozzle according to the present invention, and
FIGS. 2A and 2B show the nozzle of FIG. 1 in place in the spout of a container in, respectively, the retracted and extended positions. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a container with handle having a retractable nozzle.
In Figure 1, the nozzle is generally cylindrical. At its to
REFERENCES:
patent: 2040545 (1936-05-01), Byers
patent: 2898014 (1959-08-01), Borah
patent: 2992761 (1961-07-01), Sommers, Sr.
patent: 3235146 (1966-02-01), Parish et al.
patent: 3372846 (1968-03-01), Berkus
patent: 4295583 (1981-10-01), Schurr
patent: 4311259 (1982-01-01), Babiol
Clubb David C.
Hanff Michael
Curatolo Joseph G.
Evans L. W.
Huppert Michael S.
McCollister Scott A.
The British Petroleum Company p.l.c.
LandOfFree
Container for liquids does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Container for liquids, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Container for liquids will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-449704