US2664230A - Nondrip fluid dispensing vessel - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 29, v1953 J. G. HElM 2,664,230

NONDRIP FLUID DISPENSING VESSEL Filed July 23, 1948 mum/roe.

dncos 6. HIS/M BY H/S-HTTORNEYS.

HH RR/S, K/EcH, FOSTiR & HARE/6 Patented Dec. 29, 1953 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ateczso nonnnir FLUID DISPENSING VESSEL Jacob Glieim, San Gabriel, .Qalif.

Application Juily'23, 1948, Serial-N0. 40,212

means adapted lac-prevent the dripping of fluid therefrom down the sides of the vessels when thegflow :of fluid through the pouring openings is curtailed .or cut of? by returning the vessels to their :vertical' position.

it is icommon knowledge that housewives iro quently encounter difficulty with vesselscontaining such viscous fluids as syrup or molasses be cause, when the pouring of such viscous fluids from the Vessels is completed, a suflicient amount of the ffluid remains upon the ends or tops of-the pouring openings of the vessels to "permit the fluid to run down the sides and to create asticliy deposit thereupon which must be removed to prevent the soiling :of the surfaces "upon which the vessels rest whenin storage.

It is, therefore, a primary ob-iect of my inven tion'to-providemeans adapted to be incorporated in the pouring openings of a wide variety of fluid containing and dispensing vessels which are adapted to prevent the retention upon the ends or tops :of the pouring openings or fluids after the pouring action has :been stopped and which thus prevent the deposit of isa'id'fiuids upon-the sides of the containers.

Since'vessels of the type referred to are frequently of a disposable nature and :are thrown away when the fluid contents thereof have been exhausted, it is necessary that a drip eliminating means utilizedin conjunction with the pouring openings of said vessels be easily manufac tured, readily installed in association with the pouring openings, and of sufficiently moderate cost to permit the utilization of such drip eliminating means upon such disposable containers.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a non-drip element which is low in cost, may be readily fabricated, and can be incorporated upon a disposable container because the cost is so low as to be a negligible 'factor in the total cost of the container.

as 'a matter of fact, most containers or vessels for fluid usually embody :a sealing means incorporated in the closure provided therefor which is adapted "to seal off the contents of the vessel or container from contamination and evaporative contact with the ambient air.

.It is another object of my invention to pro vide a drip eliminating elementwhich is adapted to be incorporated in the closure fora container with which it is associatedwhich is also designed to iunction as a fluid seal to prevent the com termination of the contents of the vessel, and which also serves to prevent the evaporation of Said contents the ambient atmosphere.

On the other 'ihancl, there are many containers w c fall in the class of ,multi-nse containers which are adapted to be reused over and over again until the container is .so damaged that it no longer can properly perform the function for which it was originally intended. Typical of (21. (ZZZ-571) such .containers are mill: bottles, motor oil containers, and :a'wide variety of similar vessels. It is particularly desirable that such containers be provided "with a ,drip eliminating means adapted topreyent the drip-ping or the fluids contained therein down the sideof the bottle or container.

since the good 'will engendered toward the purveyor of :the material enclosed within the container by the association therewith or the drip eliminating element will be a considerable factor .in encouraging the recurrent purchase of that particular brand of the product. Since containers "of this type frequently utilize temporary but effective discardable closure means, it is desirable to provide a drip eliminating means which will also serve as a seat for said closure means.

A vfurther object of 'my invention is the provision of drip eliminating means adapted to be utilized with containers which are designed to serve a multi-use purpose and which is rovided with an integral seat adapted to receive a reusable or cliscarda-ble closure means or cap designed to seal off the contents of the container from contamination or contact with the ambient atmosphere.

Since most of the difficulty encountered by housewives is :in the pouring or such viscous or oily fluids as cream. salad oil, syrup, molasses,

or the like, it :is desirable to provide a pouring vessel such as a pitcher or cruet in which such fluids are stored for table use having embodied permanently therein a drip eliminatingelement provided in accordance with my invention.

It is, therefore, a further object of my inven tion to provide a pitcher or cruet, or similar table service device, having permanently insertedin the pouring opening thereof a drip eliminating element adapted toprevent the retention at the pouring opening of the fluid contained therein when thepouring action has ceased.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consultation of the following specification and the accompanying drawing, which is for the purpose of illustration only, and in which:

Fig. '1 is a perspective view showing a typical disposable container adapted to be utilized as a container for syrup, molasses, or the like, and. having associated therewith the disposable form oi'myinvention;

Fig. .2 .is an enlarged, vertical sectional View taken on broken line 2-2 of Fig. l, and showing the pouring opening of the vessel with fluid being poured therethrough:

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view similar to Fig. 2 and showing the pouring opening of the vessel after the -pou-ring action had ceasedwith the vesselrin the erect position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the incorporation in the pouring opening of a multi-use containeror vessel of a drip eliminating element;

Fig. 5 is a top plan fragmentary detail view 35' showing the incorporation in the lip of a Pitcher of a drip eliminating element; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line G% of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing, I show a single use, disposable container it), such as is intended to serve as a receptacle for syrup, molasses, salad oils, and similar fluids, which have a tendency, when poured from the opening of such a vessel, to be retained at the edge of the opening and to drip down the side of the vessel when the pouring action is completed. The fluid containing and dispensing vessel it includes a base portion l l and a generally cylindrical side wall i2, which terminates in a neck portion it, which provides a pouring opening is adapted to permit the dispensing of fluids from the vessel.

The neck portion it includes an inner surface l5, an outer surface l5, and an end surface H. In the act of pouring, the fluid passes over the inner surface l as it flows through the pouring opening l i, contacts the end surfac E land, frequently, adheres to the end surface i'. and drips down the outer surface it when the pouring action has been completed.

In order to prevent the dripping of the fluid remaining on the end surface ii of the pouring opening l d, the container is provided with an annular pouring element it having a central opening 29 adapted to permit the passage of fluid therethrough. In the present embodiment of my invention, the pouring element S8 comprises a ring or annulus of flexible material, such as paper, which is coated with a wax, or similar substance, which is unwettable by the fluid being poured from the container.

The pouring element l8, which is adapted to prevent the dripping of fluid down the sides of the container when the pouring action has been terminated, is designed to be incorporated in the closure, not shown, and to supplant the customary seal ordinarily utilized to seal off the pouring opening and the contents of the vessel from contamination and contact with the ambient air. The pouring element l8 secured to the end surface 5? of the pouring opening it by means of glue provided on the under side of the pouring element 58, but any conventional adhesive may be utilized to secure the pouring element !3 to the end surface 5. When the closure is removed from the pouring opening M, the pouring element 58 remains upon the end surface f! of the pouring opening it and serves to eliminate the dripping tendency encountered in the pouring of the aforementioned fluids. In addition, it also serves, when the closure is applied, the function of sealing off the contents of the vessel from contamination and contact with the ambient air. Since it is constructed of paper, and since it serve the aforementioned dual function, it is obvious that the cost of incorporating such an element in a disposable container is negligible and will clo ely approximate that of con ventional seals ordinarily incorporated in the closures of such containers.

As may be best seen in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, the inner edge of the pouring elen ent i8 overlaps the inner edge of the end surface H and the outer edge of the pouring element overlaps the outer edge of the end surface I? of the neck portion l3 of the container Ill. However, it is possible that the pouring element be so dimensioned that the inner and outer edges thereof be substantially flush with the inner and outer edges of the end surface i'i. The pouring element I8 is so disposed upon the end surfac ll of the neck [3, which provides the pouring opening l4, that the inner and outer edges thereof extend radially of the vertical axis of the container ID, and thus permits the overlapping relationship of the inner and outer edge portions thereof in relation to the end surface ll of the neck l3.

Another embodiment of my invention is shown in Fig. 4 and is adapted to be incorporated in the neck portion 23 of a multi-use container, such as a milk bottle, and which may be permanently positioned thereupon if desired. The neck portion 23 of the multi-use container, not shown in full, provides a pouring opening 22 which is defined by an inner surface 24, an outer surface 25, and an end surface 26.

A pouring element 21, which in the present embodiment is in the form of an annular cap 28 incorporating a central opening 28, is positioned in the pouring opening 22 of the neck portion 23, and includes a downstruck inner edge portion 32, and a downstruck outer edge portion 33. The downstruck inner edge portion 32 overlaps the end surface 26 of the neck portion 23 and con tacts the inner surface 24 of the neck portion 23. The downstruck outer edge portion 33 overlaps the end surface 26 of the neck portion 23 and contacts the outer surface of the neck portion. Thus, a secure installation of the pouring element 2'! within the pouring opening 22 is provided.

Since containers such as the one under discussion must be sterilized before being reused, in many instances, it is desirable to provide a pouring element 21 which is of such a nature that it can he firmly affixed to the neck portion 23 of the container and which yet can be readily removed prior to the sterilization process and sub-- sequently installed upon the neck portion 23 when the sterilization process has taken place. If desired, the pouring element 21 may be sterilized by a process which will not inhibit the efficiency of the drip eliminating function thereof. For example, the pouring element 2! may be formed of a plastic substance having resilient characteristics which will cause it to cling to the neck portion 23 of the container, and which will also be unwettable by the fluid which is ordinarily dispensed from said container.

As may be readily discerned from Fig. 4 of the drawing, the downstruck inner edge portion and the downstruck outer edge portion 33 extend downwardly substantially axially of the vertical axis of the pouring opening 22. To facilitate the closing of the container by means of a conven tional milk bottle cap 35, or similar closure, the downstruck inner edge portion 32 of the pouring element 21' is provided with an annular groove 36 adapted to receive the edge of the cap 35. However, if it is desired to close the pouring opening 22 by a stopper closure 36 it is easy to do so since that portion of the pouring element 2'! provided by the downstruck inner portion 2-32 below the annular groove 34 will provide suihcient surface to permit a close seal to be made between it and the stopper closure 36 and to prevent the contamination of the contents of the container.

One of the most annoying facets of the drip ping problem involved in the dispensing of such fluids, as indicated above, arises when the pour ing of such fluids is attempted at the table from such vessels as pitchers and cruets adapted for the temporary storage of the fluids. There is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings an embodiment of my invention adapted to prevent the dripping of fluid from the lip of a pitcher or a cruet when the pouring thereof has been termi nated. The pitcher lip 38 is substantially of men-- ate configuration and is constituted by an inner surface 39, an outer surface 4|, and an end surface 42. Permanently installed in the pitcher lip 38 and adapted to prevent the dripping of fluid therefrom is a pouring element 43, which is formed from a material which is unwettable by the fluid which is usually stored in and dispensed from the container. The pouring element G3 in cludes an inner edge portion 44 and an outer portion 45. The inner edge portion lid overlaps the inner surface 39 of the pitcher lip 99, and the outer edge portion 45 overlaps the end surface 42 of the pitcher lip 38 and may also, if desired, overlap the outer surface ii of pitcher lip. When fluids are dispensed from a container provided with such an element as the pouring element 43, the passage of fluid thereover in the dispensing process will naturally occur. However, when the pouring action is terminated, any drops of fluid which might have a tendency to accumulate upon the pouring element are unable to adhere thereto and are returned into the body of the container, thus preventing the accumulation of such drops and their subsequent dripping down the side of the container.

I thus provide by my invention a pouring element which is adapted to be incorporated upon disposable containers, multi-use containers, and in permanent dispensing vessels, and which is adapted to prevent the accumulation of drops of the fluid dispensed therefrom upon the end surface of the pouring opening thereof, thus preventing the dripping of such retained fluids down the sides of the vessels when the pouring action has been completed.

The various pouring elements disclosed are adapted to be incorporated in a wide variety of fiuid containing and dispensing vessels, and are susceptible of being manufactured from a wide variety of materials which are substantially unwettable by the fluid which it is intended be stored in and dispensed from the vessels. Such pouring elements, as indicated above, may be of a disposable, semi-permanent, or permanent nature depending upon the application in which the pouring element is utilized. Pouring elements also may be provided with means adapted to permit the reception thereby of closure means to close the vessel, or may be designed to serve the auxiliary function of a sealing means in conjunction with said closure means.

Although I have shown and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that certain portions thereof may be changed to perform the same function without departing from the spirit of my invention and, therefore, I do not intend to be limited by the specific form described, but desire to be accorded the full protection of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination: a fluid containing and dispensing vessel, said vessel having a base portion and a side wall defining a fluid containing chamber, said side wall terminating in a pouring opening to permit fluid to be dispensed from said vessel, said pouring opening having an inner edge and an outer edge and a top wall defining the termination of said side wall; and an unwettable pouring element adapted to be secured about said pouring opening comprising an annular disc having an inner edge portion overlapping the inner edge of said opening and a outer edge portion overlapping the outer edge of said opening, said inner and outer edge portions lying in substantially the same horizontal plane.

2. In combination: a fluid containing and dispensing vessel, said vessel having a base portion and a side wall defining a fluid containing chamber, said side wall terminating in a pouring opening to permit fluid to be dispensed from said vessel, said pouring opening having an inner edge and an outer edge and a top wall defining the termination of said side wall; and an unwettable pouring element adapted, to be secured to said pouring opening comprising an annular disc having an inner edge portion and an outer edge portion, said inner edge portion overlapping the iner edge of said opening and said outer edge portion overlapping the outer edge of said opening, said inner and outer edge portions of said annular dlSC extending substantially radially of the vertical axis of said opening and lying in substantially the same horizontal plane.

3. In combination: a fluid containing and dispensing vessel, said vessel having a base portion and a side Wall defining a fluid oontaimng chamber, said side wall terminating in a pouring opening to permit fluid to be dispensed from said vessel, said pouring opening having an inner edge and an outer edge and a top Wall defining the termination of said side Wall, at least a portion of said pouring opening being of substantially arcuate conformation; and an unwettable pouring element adapted to be secured about said pouring opening having an inner edge portion overlapping the'inner edge of said opening and an outer edge portion overlapping the outer edge of said opening, said inner and outer edge portions lying in substantially the same horizontal plane.

4. In combination: a fluid containing and dispensing vessel, said vessel having a base portion and a side wall defining a fluid containing chamber, said side Wall terminating in a pouring opening to permit fluid to be dispensed from said vessel, said pouring opening having an inner edge and an outer edge and a top wall defining the termination of said side wall, at least a portion of said pouring opening being of substantially arcuate conformation; and an arcuate, unwettable pouring element adapted to be secured about said pouring opening having an inner edge portion overlapping the inner edge of said opening and an outer edge portion overlapping the outer edge ofsaid opening, said inner and outer edge portions lying in substantially the same horizontal plane.

JACOB G. HEIM.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,077,707 Hartman Nov. 4, 1913 1,611,443 Hothersall Dec. 21, 1926 1,654,185 Mrozek Dec. 27, 1927 1,833,971 Lloyd Dec. 1, 1931 1,837,618 Gutman Dec. 22, 1931 1,918,117 Martin July 11, 1933 2,044,689 Henchert June 16, 1936 2,105,027 Davis Jan. 11, 1938 2,214,004 White et a1 Sept. 10, 1940 2,313,278 Straub Mar. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 174,886 Great Britain Feb. 9, 1922 675,139 France Oct. 29, 1929

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