EP1489041A1

EP1489041A1 - Overflow-proof funnel

Info

Publication number: EP1489041A1
Application number: EP03380150A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Antonio Esteban Villalobos
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-06-20
Filing date: 2003-06-20
Publication date: 2004-12-22

Abstract

Overflow-proof funnel (1) consisting of two bodies (2, 3) with conical walls, partially inserted in each other, the upper body (2) housing an axially displaceable plug (4) that is related to the lower conical body (3) by a coaxial rod (6) that is connected on its bottom end to a pin (7) that crosses diametrically the lower conical body (3), said rod (6) being long enough to allow the relative axial displacement of the two bodies (2, 3) between a passage position, in which the upper body (2) rests on the inner surface of the lower body (3) and the aforementioned plug (4) is separated from the inner surface of the upper body (2), and a closed position, in which the upper body (2) and the lower body (3) are partially separated from each other and the plug (4) rests snugly on the inner surface of the upper body (2).

Description

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to an overflow-proof funnel used in industrial and household environments.

Background of the invention

Traditionally, in liquid packaging operations from one container to another funnels of several models are used that mainly consist of a trunco-conical main body. The liquid flows through said trunco-conical main body before reaching another container, which normally has a narrower opening.
However, when transferring liquid from one container to another funnels have the disadvantage of spilling the liquid being transferred if the amount of liquid introduced in the funnel exceeds the capacity of the receiving container. In this case, part of the liquid remains in the funnel and when the latter is removed from the container the liquid is spilled. This requires the user to monitor the liquid level in the receiving container at all times, which may be difficult, particularly when the container is not transparent. For this reason, liquid is often lost when transferring it from one container to another due to overflowing, as no funnel is available that can prevent this problem. These losses cause a considerable increase in the cost of industrial bottling.
In view of the above, a funnel is required for application in both industrial and household use that prevents the spilling of the liquid being transferred or bottled, thereby preventing loss of liquid.

Description of the Invention

The present invention provides a funnel that solves the above described problem, which consists of two bodies with conical walls partially inserted in each other, an upper body and a lower body, of which the upper body houses an axially displaceable plug and the lower body being prolonged in the form of a coupling neck; the aforementioned plug is connected to the lower body by a coaxial rod that is connected on its lower end to a pin that crosses diametrically the lower conical body, said rod being long enough to allow the relative axial displacement of the two bodies between a passage position, in which the upper conical body rests on the inner surface of the lower conical body and the aforementioned plug is separated from the inner surface of the upper body, and a closing position, in which the two conical bodies are partially separated and the plug rests snugly on the inner surface of the upper conical body.
In this way, after the funnel is used to fill a container, when the upper conical body is raised to remove the funnel, the plug will close the lower part of this upper conical body, so that it is possible to remove the funnel from the container without spilling the liquid that may be present in the upper conical body.
Both conical bodies may have the same cone angle. The housed plug can also have the same cone angle as the upper conical body.
In addition, the rod may revolve about the diametral pin of the lower conical body.
The upper conical body may have a handle.

Brief description of the drawings

As a complement of the description the present specification is accompanied by a set of figures where the following is shown:
Figure 1 shows the funnel, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, with its component parts in the open position.
Figure 2 shows the funnel, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, with its component parts in the closed position.
Figure 3 shows the transfer of the liquid fluid from one container to the other, using the funnel according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in the open passage position.
Figure 4 shows the closed position of the funnel according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Preferred embodiment of the invention

The present invention will be better understood in view of an example of a preferred embodiment as described in what follows, for purposes of illustration only and in a non-limiting sense.
As can be seen in figures 1 and 2, the funnel (1) of the present invention consists of two bodies (2) and (3) with conical walls, partially inserted in each other. The funnel can be made of metal or plastic material.
The upper conical body (2) houses an axially displaceable plug (4). To aid its handling, the upper conical body (2) may be provided with a handle. The lower conical body (3) is prolonged in the form of a coupling neck (5) and the plug (4) of the upper conical body (2) is related to the lower conical body (3) by a coaxial rod (6). In turn this rod (6) is connected on its lower end to a pin (7) that crosses diametrically the lower conical body (3), said rod (6) being long enough to allow the relative axial displacement of the two bodies (2) and (3) and being able to revolve about the pin (7).
Figure 3 shows the passage position, in which the funnel (1), by its body (3), is inserted in the neck of the container to be filled. Thus, the upper conical body (2) rests on the inner surface of the lower conical body (3). When the liquid is transferred the aforementioned plug (4) rises and is separated from the inner surface of the upper conical body (2), allowing the passage of the liquid into the container.
Figure 4 shows the closing position, in which when the funnel (1) is lifted the conical body (2) is separated from the conical body (3) and at the same time the plug (4) rests snugly on the inner surface of the upper conical body (2), preventing passage of the liquid, thereby preventing a spillage of the liquid as would result with a traditional funnels used for these liquid transfer operations.
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, so that its scope is limited by the contents of the claims.

Claims

Overflow-proof funnel (1), characterised in that it consists of two bodies (2, 3) with conical walls, partially inserted in each other, an upper body (2) and a lower body (3), of which the upper body (2) houses an axially displaceable plug (4) and the lower body (3) is prolonged in the form of a coupling neck (5); said plug (4) is related to the lower body (3) by a coaxial rod (6) that is connected on its lower end to a pin (7) that crosses diametrically the lower body (3), said rod (6) being long enough to allow the relative axial displacement of the two bodies (2, 3) between a passage position, in which the upper body (2) rests on the inner surface of the lower body (3) and the aforementioned plug (4) is separated from the inner surface of the upper body (2), and a closed position, in which the upper body (2) and the lower body (3) are partially separated from each other and the plug (4) rests snugly on the inner surface of the upper body (2).
Funnel according to claim 1, characterised in that the two conical bodies have the same cone angle.
Funnel according to claim 1, characterised in that the rod (6) is connected to the diametral pin (7) so that the former can revolve about the latter.
Funnel according to claim 1, characterised in that the aforementioned plug (4) has a conical configuration with the same cone angle as the upper conical body (2).
Funnel according to claim 1, characterised in that the upper conical body (2) has a handle.