Dispensing – Spaced – alternately seated flow controllers or closures for...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-10
2001-08-21
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Spaced, alternately seated flow controllers or closures for...
C222S477000, C222S442000, C222S424500, C222S454000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276572
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to devices for dispensing products (liquids and granular solids), and in particular, devices for dispensing predetermined quantities of products from a container.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Products such as liquid detergents, soaps, bleaches, and fabric softeners are currently being sold in containers which require the user to determine the amount of liquid needed for a specific end use of the product. Some of these containers have caps which may also serve as measuring cups to assist the user in pouring out a desired quantity of the product. Hopefully, the user keeps the measuring cup close at hand after the product has been opened, such as when detergents are used in laundry rooms.
Instructions on the containers provide the user with helpful information in determining the correct, or optimum amount of liquid bleach, for example, to use for the intended size of the laundry load, types of clothes being cleaned, and particular fabrics. Other liquids, such as mouthwash and medicinal liquids, are also preferably dispensed with precision and accuracy.
It has been learned, however, in a survey of users of such liquids, that most people merely pour out an estimated amount of the liquid based primarily on their own judgment and experience, or lack thereof. Very few users bother to take the time to measure the precise quantity, either with or without the measuring cap, because doing so requires extra time and two hands. As a result, the quantity of product varies greatly from individual to individual, even though a precise dose is required. This happens in spite of the known fact that using too much or too little of the product will affect the success of the job, whether it is cleaning, freshening breath, dispensing cough syrup, or whatever. Obviously, too much product is wasteful and expensive, and in the case of medicines, may be dangerous.
It is generally recognized by bottle and cap manufacturers that a container dispensing system which is capable of providing an accurate measure quantity of product is highly desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,527 to Hickerson discloses a liquid dispensing system for dispensing a predetermined quantity of liquid. The system includes a container
10
with a restricted throat
29
. The container
10
has disposed therein a valve spool
17
for controlling the quantity of liquid which flows from the container. The valve spool
17
includes an elongated stem
19
, a valve means
25
, a piston
21
, and a spider guide
23
. The piston
21
includes a vent
27
which allows air to flow back into the container
10
to assist in the dispensing process. The valve spool
17
fits into the restricted throat
29
of the container
10
, as shown in
FIG. 2
of the patent. As shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7
of the patent, when the container
10
is inverted, liquid inside the container fills a top chamber
13
of the container until valve means
25
(of the valve spool
17
) seals the top chamber from the remainder of the container (FIG.
7
). Thus, liquid present in the container can be dispensed in predetermined amounts.
A problem associated with the above dispensing system is that it often times does not dispense liquid evenly due to inefficiencies of the venting system (e.g., vent
27
on the valve spool
17
). For example, the liquid will sometimes be dispensed in “clumps” or uneven amounts due to the irregular airflow through the vent
27
and into the container
10
. Additionally, the vent
27
often causes inaccuracies between pours based on the orientation and speed of the pour, and also allows some fluid to pass out through the vent (thereby decreasing the accuracy of the amount of liquid poured).
Thus, there is currently a need for an improved venting system for product (liquid or granular solid) dispensing systems which dispenses predetermined quantities of the product in precise amounts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a device for assisting in the dispensing of a product comprising: a shaft having a substantially hollow passage therein, a first cone-shaped cap disposed on a first end of the shaft, a second cap disposed on a second end of the shaft, said second cap having an opening therein which is substantially aligned with the hollow passage and, a spider guide disposed between the second cap and the shaft, wherein the shaft has at least one hole therein disposed at a position closer to the first end of the shaft than the second end of the shaft.
The above and other advantages and features of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1891824 (1932-12-01), Madigan
patent: 3076581 (1963-02-01), Booth
patent: 3141585 (1964-07-01), Emmert
patent: 3658216 (1972-04-01), Schartzman
patent: 3844454 (1974-10-01), Buchtel
patent: 4582230 (1986-04-01), Vierkotter
patent: 4811871 (1989-03-01), Wass et al.
patent: 4830226 (1989-05-01), Kong
patent: 5044527 (1991-09-01), Hickerson
patent: 5092497 (1992-03-01), Toedter
patent: 5165576 (1992-11-01), Hickerson
patent: 5186367 (1993-02-01), Hickerson
patent: 5407104 (1995-04-01), Santagiuliana
patent: 3303562 A1 (1994-08-01), None
patent: 2587798 A1 (1987-03-01), None
Duane Morris & Heckscher LLP
Nicolas Frederick C
Shaver Kevin
Sussex Technology Inc.
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