EP0725750A1 - Distributeur - Google Patents

Distributeur

Info

Publication number
EP0725750A1
EP0725750A1 EP94931144A EP94931144A EP0725750A1 EP 0725750 A1 EP0725750 A1 EP 0725750A1 EP 94931144 A EP94931144 A EP 94931144A EP 94931144 A EP94931144 A EP 94931144A EP 0725750 A1 EP0725750 A1 EP 0725750A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
chamber
dispenser
fluent material
region
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP94931144A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Roger William Clarke
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sdaniels PLC
Original Assignee
Sdaniels PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GB939322935A external-priority patent/GB9322935D0/en
Priority claimed from GB9403279A external-priority patent/GB9403279D0/en
Application filed by Sdaniels PLC filed Critical Sdaniels PLC
Publication of EP0725750A1 publication Critical patent/EP0725750A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F11/00—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it
    • G01F11/10—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers moved during operation
    • G01F11/26—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers moved during operation wherein the measuring chamber is filled and emptied by tilting or inverting the supply vessel, e.g. bottle-emptying apparatus
    • G01F11/261—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers moved during operation wherein the measuring chamber is filled and emptied by tilting or inverting the supply vessel, e.g. bottle-emptying apparatus for fluent solid material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D25/00—Details of other kinds or types of rigid or semi-rigid containers
    • B65D25/38—Devices for discharging contents
    • B65D25/52—Devices for discharging successive articles or portions of contents

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing powdered or granular materials, hereinafter referred to as fluent materials.
  • a particular, but not sole, application of the invention is to a dispenser for dispensing coffee or powdered tea.
  • the fluent material is kept in a suitable container and the dispenser may be a part of the container at the discharge end thereof.
  • the container may be, for example, a glass jar in which the fluent material is sold to the user in which case the dispenser forms part of the container and when all the fluent material has been dispensed, the container and the dispenser are thrown away.
  • the dispenser may be separate from the container and is adapted to be secured, by the user to a container of fluent material after the closure member supplied with the container has been removed. When all the fluent material has been dispensed, the dispenser is removed from the container and is kept for use with another container of fluent material.
  • GB-B-2050302 discloses a dispenser forming the discharge end of a container for fluent material.
  • the dispenser has a chamber which, in use, is arranged to receive a predetermined quantity . of., fluent, material from the container upon tipping of the container.
  • Outlet means is provided through which fluent material in the chamber is discharged from the container.
  • the dispenser can dispense two or more different predetermined quantities of fluent material from the container.
  • An example of such an application is a dispenser for coffee which can dispense two different quantities of coffee which make a "weak cup” or a "strong cup” respectively.
  • ⁇ r dispenser at the. dis-chaxge end. of a container containing fluent material has a first chamber arranged to receive a first quantity of fluent material from the container upon tipping of the container in one direction, a second chamber arranged to receive a second quantity, which is different from the first quantity, of fluent material from the container upon tipping of the container in another direction and outlet means through which fluent material in said chambers is discharged from the container.
  • the dispenser can be operated to discharge two different quantities of fluent material as required by the user simply by tipping the container in different directions.
  • the dispenser When the dispenser is separate from the container and is adapted to be attached to the container, the dispenser is such that in use with the dispenser attached to a container with fluent material therein, the first chamber receives a first quantity of fluent material from the container upon tipping the container in one direction and the second chamber is arranged to receive a second quantity, which is different from the first quantity of fluent material from the container upon tipping the container in another direction.
  • a dispenser at the discharge end of a container containing fluent material or a dispenser which is adapted for attachment to a container containing fluent material at the discharg-e end thereof- has- first a-nd second rag-i ⁇ ns.
  • each region has a chamber and a further chamber inverted with respect to it and overlapping with it, and a duct extending from the chamber and with one end of the duct constituting a discharge outlet of the container and the further chamber being in communication with the interior of the container through a further duct; the arrangement being such that in use with fluent material in the container, on rotating the container in a first direction normal to said lateral axis to lower the discharge end of the container a first quantity of fluent material previously stored in the chamber of one region is discharged through the duct of the region to the exterior of the container, and on rotating the container in the opposite direction normal to said lateral axis to lower the discharge end of the container a second quantity, which is different from the first quantity, of fluent material and which had previously been stored in the chamber of the other region is discharged through the duct of the other region to the exterior of the container.
  • each region is charged with a predetermined quantity of fluent material by rotating the container in the appropriate direction and thereafter rotation of the container in the same appropriate direction will cause the quantity of fluent material to be discharged from the dispenser.
  • any fluent material in the chamber of the first region is discharged through the duct to the exterior of the container; fluent material in the container flows through the further duct into the further chamber of the first region; and any fluent material in the chamber of the second region falls into the further chamber of the second region; and, on returning the container in a second direction opposite to the first direction to a position where the discharge end thereof is uppermost, a proportion of the fluent material in the further chamber of the first region falls into the chamber to constitute a first quantity therein; and fluent material in the further chamber of the second region returns to the container.
  • fluent material in the • container flows through the further duct into the further chamber of the second region; and any fluent material in the chamber of the first region falls into the further chamber of the first region; and, on returning the container in a direction opposite to said second direction to a position where the discharge end is uppermost, a proportion of the fluent material in the further chamber of the second region falls into the chamber of the second region to constitute a second quantity therein which is different from the first quantity; and fluent material in the further chamber of the first region returns to the containe >
  • the user selects the desired volume by orientation of the device relative to the axis of inversion used in the charging/discharging operation. During inversion in selected orientation the desired metering chamber is at the lowest point of the device.
  • the chambers are charged and discharged, without the use of moving parts, by inversion of the device.
  • the action of charging the desired chamber discharges the other chambers to the interior of the container so that only the desired volume is dispensed.
  • Figure l is a sectional side elevation of a dispenser in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 2 is an inverted plan
  • Figure 3 is an exploded view of the dispenser.
  • FIGS. 4-1 to 4-8 ⁇ Y ⁇ ow diagrammatica-lly succaas.iv.a steps in the operation of a dispenser in accordance with the invention.
  • Figure 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation of an alternative embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a sectional side elevation of a dispenser in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 7 shows a step in the use of the dispenser of Figure 6.
  • Figures 8 and 9 show diagrammatically alternative forms of the invention which permit the dispensed quantities to be varied.
  • a container of fluent material such as "instant" coffee has an open end 1 with a thread moulded on its outer surface around the open end.
  • a thin foil 3 is secured around its edge to the top edge of the open end of the container in order to seal in the contents of the container.
  • a dispenser 5 is screwed onto the thread on the container and it forms a dispensing closure for the container.
  • the container and its contents may be sold to the user with the dispenser 5 in position or the container may be sold with some other form of closure screwed onto it and the user replaces the original closure with the dispenser 5.
  • the dispenser 5 is conveniently of plastics material and comprises an outer portion 7 and an inner portion 9 which is- clipped into, the outer portion.
  • the outer portion 7 comprises an annular side wall part 11 having a thread on its inside which mates with the thread on the container and a top wall 13 which has two segmental openings 15 in it.
  • Extending downwardly from the top wall are three internal walls 17 arranged in side-by- side parallel relation and each extending substantially parallel to a diameter of the top wall.
  • the two outer walls 17A are positioned adjacent the respective openings 15 and the central wall 17B is of greater depth than the two outer walls.
  • the inner portion 9 of the dispenser is of cylindrical form with a side wall 19 which is adapted to be clipped into the inside wall of the outer portion, and a base 21 which has an opening in the form of a generally rectangular slot 23 in it.
  • the edges of the base 21 which define the slot are turned upwardly along the side walls of the slot 23 so that the inner portion defines first and second chambers 25A, 25B respectively which are of different volumes.
  • the top wall of the inner portion 9 and the three walls 17 are arranged such that the central wall 17B and one of the outer walls 17A define a further chamber 27A which is inverted with respect to the chamber 25A and which overlies part of chamber 25A.
  • the top wall, the central wall 17B and the other outer wall 17A define a further chamber 27B which is inverted with respect to the chamber 25B and which overlies part of the chamber 25B.
  • the side w ll 19- and th two outer walls..13A. define two ducts 29 which extend from the respective chambers 25A, 25B to the openings 15 and similarly the upturned edges of the base 21 and the central wall 17B define two ducts 30 which extend from the further chambers 27A, 27B into the container and one end of each of these ducts serves as an inlet to the dispenser.
  • a flat thin cylindrical plate 31 has a plurality of studs 33 on one side which clip into corresponding openings formed in the top wall of the inner part 9 so that the plate 31 serves to cover the top wall 13 and the openings 15.
  • the plate has two integral hinges 35 which enable side parts of the plate to be pivoted and act as flaps which can be opened or closed to expose or cover the openings 15 as required by the user.
  • the flaps have projections on the underside so that when the flaps are closed they provide a substantially air-tight seal for the openings 15.
  • an annular wad seal 37 is fitted between the edge of the foil 3 on the top of the container and the dispenser.
  • the dispenser before the dispenser can be used it has to be removed by the user from the container, the foil seal 3 has to be removed at least around the centre part of the container and the dispenser is then refitted onto the container.
  • FIG. 4-1 to 4-8 operation of a dispenser similar to that shown in Figures 1-3, but simplified, is illustrated commencing with the dispenser uppermost with respect to the container.
  • a quantity of coffee has previously been poured into chamber A in the manner to be subsequently described.
  • the contents of the chamber A is discharged through the duct B and the outlet C, as shown in Figures 4-2 and 4-3.
  • coffee from the container has passed along the ducts D and E into the chambers F and G, respectively, and, as shown in 4-5, when the container has been completely inverted, both chambers F and G are full of coffee and the chambers A and H are empty.
  • the coffee is discharged from the lowest discharge outlet of the container when the container is tipped. This can be seen clearly from figure 4-3, where, with the container tipped in a clockwise direction, the coffee is discharged through the lower discharge outlet C. When the container is tipped in an anti-clockwise direction, the coffee is discharged through the lower discharge outlet of the duct J.
  • the volumes of the chambers A and H are different so that different volumes are dispensed when the container is rotated in one direction to discharge through duct B and in another direction to discharge through duct J.
  • the shape and dimensions of the walls which define the chambers are chosen to ensure that the quantities of material charged into the respective chambers and discharged from the dispenser are correct for the requirements of the user i.e. in the case of coffee or powdered tea, the quantities represent a weak cup and a strong cup. All internal surfaces of the dispenser are curved to facilitate material flow.
  • the central wall 17B of the inner portion of the dispenser may be omitted so that a single duct extends between the chambers 25A, 25B and the interior of the container.
  • the quantity of material which is charged into the chambers when the container is tipped can be adjusted by changing the overlap between the walls 17 and the upstanding walls of the base of the inner portion. If the overlap is increased then a reduced quantity of material falls into the chambers and vice versa.
  • the dispenser permits relative movement between the inner and outer portions to adjust the two quantities which can be dispensed.
  • a container in the form of a glass jar 51 contains fluent material, such as instant coffee.
  • a dispenser 52 is fitted within the neck of the open end of the jar.
  • a foil seal 53 is fitted over the dispenser and a removable lid 54 is screwed on to the container.
  • the container is sold to the user with the foil seal and the lid in position but, when the user is ready to use the coffee, the foil is permanently removed and the lid is temporarily removed.
  • the dispenser shown in the figures is used to dispense two different vo umes' o coffee, but alternative, embodiments enable any one of three different volumes to be dispensed.
  • the dispenser shown in Figure 5 has two basically similar regions arranged side-by-side laterally of the container and each region comprises a first duct 55 arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container.
  • the end 56 of the duct constitutes one discharge outlet of the dispenser and the opposite end of the duct extends to a first chamber 57 which has a volume substantially equal to the quantity of coffee required to make a "strong cup".
  • a second chamber 58 Overlying the chamber 57, and inverted with respect to it, is a second chamber 58.
  • a second duct 59 Leading from this chamber to the interior of the container.
  • the other region of the dispenser also has corresponding ducts 55' and 59' and corresponding chambers 57' and 58'.
  • the volume of chamber 57' is less than the volume of chamber 57 and has a volume substantially equal to the quantity of coffee required to make a "weak cup”.
  • FIG. 6 Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 6 and its operation is shown in Figure 7.
  • the dispenser 61 is fitted into the neck of the container 1 and a removable cap 63 is screwed onto the neck of the container to close off the container and also enclose the dispenser 61.
  • the inner wall surface of the neck of the container is tapered inwardly and the dimension of the outer surface of the dispenser is such as to pemrit the dispenser to be a force fit in the neck.
  • An annular flange 65 on the outer surface of the dispenser projects over the top edge of the container to prevent the dispenser from being forced too far into the neck of the container.
  • the container and its contents are sold with a thin foil 67 sealed around its edge to the edge of the container and a wad seal 69 is positioned between the flange 65 and the edge of the foil.
  • the dispenser has a configuration of ducts and chambers which corresponds to those shown in Figure 1 except that each of the two ducts 71 which serve as outlets from the dispenser is provided with a dribble lip.
  • the lip in each duct is provided by a flange 73 extending into the duct substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the duct from an internal wall of the dispenser.
  • the purpose of the dribble lips will be seen from a reference to Figure 7.
  • the container is then tipped in the opposite direction and returned to the upright position to charge the chamber 79 with a different quantity of material.
  • the previously charged material in chamber 77 should be returned to the container by the tipping action.
  • Figures 8 and 9 show embodiments of dispenser which are of generally rectangular form.
  • the dispenser comprises two end caps A and B arranged to be joined together by means (not shown) .
  • Each end cap has a top wall 83 having three downwardly projecting walls 84, an end wall 85 and side walls 86 with inwardly extending walls 87.
  • An insert C comprises a top wall 83C having three downwardly projecting walls corresponding to the walls 84, and side walls 86C with inwardly extending walls.
  • the Figure 9 arrangement is similar to that shown in Figure 8, except that it is manufactured in two parts which are arranged in overlapping relation and, to adjust the quantities of fluent material which are to be handled, the two parts are moved towards or away from each other.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)

Abstract

Distributeur (5) destiné à des matières coulantes telles que du thé ou du café soluble ou en poudre, ce distributeur pouvant faire partie du récipient (1) contenant la matière ou bien être séparé du récipient (1) et être momentanément fixé au récipient (1) par l'utilisateur. Ce distributeur comprend deux chambres (27A, 27B) qui servent respectivement à recevoir une quantité prédéterminée de la matière coulante que contient le récipient (1), lorsqu'on bascule ce dernier (1) dans un sens, et une quantité prédéterminée différente de matière coulante contenue dans le récipient (1), lorsqu'on bascule ce dernier (1) dans un autre sens. Il n'y a pas de parties mobiles et des dispositifs verseurs (15) permettent à la quantité prédéterminée de matière coulante de sortir du distributeur (5).
EP94931144A 1993-11-08 1994-11-02 Distributeur Withdrawn EP0725750A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB939322935A GB9322935D0 (en) 1993-11-08 1993-11-08 Dispenser
GB9322935 1993-11-08
GB9403279A GB9403279D0 (en) 1994-02-21 1994-02-21 Dispenser
GB9403279 1994-02-21
PCT/GB1994/002400 WO1995013223A1 (fr) 1993-11-08 1994-11-02 Distributeur

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0725750A1 true EP0725750A1 (fr) 1996-08-14

Family

ID=26303816

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94931144A Withdrawn EP0725750A1 (fr) 1993-11-08 1994-11-02 Distributeur

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0725750A1 (fr)
AU (1) AU8001894A (fr)
WO (1) WO1995013223A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE29811680U1 (de) * 1998-07-01 1999-11-11 Yankee Polish Lueth Gmbh & Co Dosierkappe für fließfähige oder schüttfähige Medien
WO2010045945A1 (fr) * 2008-10-21 2010-04-29 Logidos Aps Contenant doté de moyens destinés à doser une dose d’une taille prédéterminée
MX2014013749A (es) * 2012-05-11 2015-02-04 Novartis Ag Dispositivo dosificador.

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB974793A (en) * 1962-11-17 1964-11-11 Hans Merkel Dispensing device for granular or pulverulent materials
DE2627496C2 (de) * 1976-06-18 1982-04-22 Friedrich Georg 4000 Düsseldorf Boes Vorrichtung zum dosierten Abgeben von körnigem bis pulverförmigem fließfähigem Gut
SE432406B (sv) * 1979-05-16 1984-04-02 Sjoenell Goeran Forpackning for pulverformiga material

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO9513223A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1995013223A1 (fr) 1995-05-18
AU8001894A (en) 1995-05-29

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