EP2298654A1

EP2298654A1 - Stream drink dispenser

Info

Publication number: EP2298654A1
Application number: EP10382149A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Raul Manchado Gil; Jose Luis Serrah Brahim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-05-29
Filing date: 2010-05-28
Publication date: 2011-03-23
Also published as: ES1070427U; ES1070427Y

Abstract

Stream drink dispenser or "porron" comprising to elongated tubes connected at an angle to a common space, container or recipient, wherein one (1) of the tubes has a conical shape with its free end narrower and the other (2) tube is wider allowing its use as a handle as for air inlet; the free end of the conical tube is provided with means for opening the free end that can be a peripheral weakening or recess (5), or a sealing cap (8) with an internal threading (10) that engages the threading (14) of a flared mouth (13), or a recess or concavity (15) made in the free end that can be perforated to dispense liquid through the free end.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is a stream drink dispenser, known in Spanish as a "porron", which basically consists of a container having two prolonged tubes connected to each other at an angle in a receptacle or container, one of the tubes having a conical shape with its narrower part at its free end where there is an opening of the size of a thin liquid stream, enough to allow drinking in a continuous manner, and the other of the tubes being wider and with an almost uniform cross section, performing the functions of both a handle and a tube through which air enters the "porron". The conical tube is inclined at an angle of approximately 45° with respect to the vertical axis.
The present invention is characterised by the constructive structural modifications which have been made, as well as by the material used to manufacture it, which allows obtaining a stream drink dispenser that can be bottled, closed and transported for subsequent sale. This is, it allows the dispenser, in addition to carrying out the functions of a "porron" jug, to be a means for bottling and distribution, uniting the two functions in a single object.
Therefore, the present invention lies within the field of drink containers, as well as in that of devices that have a supply point and an air inlet point.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The clearest antecedents of the invention are traditional "porron" jugs, which as explained above have two prolonged tubes connected to each other at a common space that acts as a container, wherein one of the tubes has a conical shape, with its narrowest end having an orifice and located at the free end, while the other tube has a larger, almost uniform cross-section and is used to fill the "porron" jug and to allow air to enter while the liquid exits through the supply orifice.
"Porron" jugs are always made of glass for several reasons: hygiene, proper behaviour in contact with liquids, relative ease of manufacture in view of the complexity of their shape.
However, although "porron" jugs continue to be used as stream drink dispensers and are practical for immediate consumption of drinks, as they do not require using glasses, they do have certain drawbacks. They cannot be used as a means for storing and transporting drinks, as they have an orifice that would allow the liquid to exit, and the liquid is in constant contact with air, this is, they do not have means for closing them. Moreover, they are made of glass, a fragile and relatively expensive material. To date, no developments are known of dispensers with the shape of a "porron" jug that are designed to allow transport and storage with all due guarantees and which are also easy to manufacture.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to overcome the limitations of traditional "porron" jugs, developing a dispenser as claimed such that it allows transporting and storing drinks such as wine and the like with all due guarantees, as well as allowing its manufacture with a material that provides a simple, inexpensive manufacture and which can be used for drinks.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The stream drink dispenser of the invention basically consists of a device having two elongated tubes connected at an angle in a common space that acts as a receptacle or container, wherein one of the tubes has a conical shape with its free end being narrower and the other tube being wider to act as a handle and air inlet.
The free end of the conical tube is provided near its end with means for opening the free end of the conical tube, such that an orifice for connection with the inside of the container is left open.
Said means for opening the free end of the conical tube can consist of a peripheral weakening or recess made near the free end which by simple bending or twisting allows segregating or separating the free end. In another possible embodiment, said opening means for said free end can consist of breaking a safety seal established between a safety cap with an internal threading and the flared mouth (13) of the part of the tube joined to the rest of the device, these two parts being screwed onto each other.
In order to attach the threaded cap with a safety seal to the flared mouth of the rest of the dispenser, the inside of the threaded cap has a thread that engages the external thread of a flared mouth on the end of the handle or air inlet tube of the dispenser.
Another possible embodiment of said opening means for the free end of the conical tube can consist in that the free end is closed such that on its end it has a small cavity, concavity or recess allowing guiding any perforating element, such as a simple toothpick or the tip of a knife.
This recess does not only allow guiding the pointed element when breaking, but also after breaking the free end of the conical tube, the recessed end conforms a supply spout.
On another hand, disposed at the free end of the tube acting as a handle and air inlet are closing means, preferably with a threading, with the corresponding safety seal which once broken and slightly unscrewed allows air to enter the container while the drink exits through the orifice made on the end of the conical tube.
The material used to manufacture the dispenser object of the invention is a PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which is a plastic polymer obtained by polymerising terephthalic acid and monoethyleneglycol. It is a linear polymer with a high degree of crystallinity and a thermoplastic behaviour, allowing it to be transformed by extrusion, injection, injection-blowing and thermoforming processes.
Its main characteristics are:

Cristallinity and transparency, allowing colorant loads
Good performance to permanent loads
High resistance to wear
Very good slipping coefficient
Good chemical resistance
Good thermal properties
Very good CO2 barrier, adequate 02 and humidity barrier
Compatible with other barrier materials that improve the overall barrier quality of the containers and therefore allow its use in specific markets
Fully recyclable
Approved for use in items that will be in contact with food products.

Therefore, the described constructive characteristics and the material used in its manufacture allow the stream drink dispenser of the invention, in addition to providing the functions of a "porron" jug, to act as a transport and storage means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

To complete the description being made and in order to aid a better understanding of its characteristics, the present descriptive memory is accompanied by a set of drawings with figures that represent the most significant details of the invention, in an illustrative and non-limiting way.

Figure 1 shows a representation of the dispenser object of the invention where the means for opening the free end of the conical tube of the dispenser are enlarged.
Figure 2 shows a representation of the dispenser object of the invention with the means for opening the free end of the conical tube of the dispenser, consisting of the use of a threaded cap with a safety seal that closes a threaded flared mouth.
Figure 3 shows a cross section of the sealing cap.
Figure 4 shows a detailed view of a dosing spout.
Figure 5 shows the shape of the flared mouth of the "porron" jug for attaching the spout and the threaded cap.
Figure 6 shows another possible embodiment of the opening of the free end of the conical tube.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

An example of a preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the figures.
Figure 1 shows that the dispenser of the object of the invention comprises two tubes (1) and (2) connected at an angle in a common container (3), where the tube (1) has a conical shape with its free end being narrower, and which in this case is characterised by having its free end closed, and being provided near the free end with means for opening said free end of the conical tube (1).
The other tube of the dispenser, which can be referred to as the handle and air inlet tube (2), is provided on its free end with detachable closing means which, in a possible embodiment, can consist of a threaded cap (4) that can be separated after breaking a safety or tamper-proof seal akin to those used in drink bottles. This threaded cap (4) closes naturally on the upper threading (7) of the free end of the handle and air inlet tube (2).
Figure 1 shows a detailed view of a possible embodiment of the means for opening the free end of the conical tube (1), consisting of a peripheral weakening or recess (5) made near the free end, such that bending or twisting allows detaching or separating the separable part (6) leaving an orifice for connection to the inside of the container (3). Figure 2 shows another possible embodiment of the means for opening the free end of the conical tube (1) consisting of disposing a sealing cap (8) having an internal thread (10) that engages the thread (14) of a flared mouth (13) provided on the conical tube (1), with a dosing spout (11) mounted between the two parts, wherein the sealing cap (8) and thread (14) are connected by a safety seal (9) that is connected to both parts by easy-to-break connection bridges.
Thus, figures 3, 4 and 5 show the shape of the spout (11) meant to be housed inside the flared mouth (13) and the inside of the sealing cap (8), for which purpose it has a base (12) that fits inside the flared mouth (13), while the spout has a conical shape that allows dosing in a stream the liquid contained inside the dispenser and being housed inside the sealing cap (8), sealing the inside with respect to the outside, so that no liquid is spilled.
This second embodiment of the opening means allows, on one hand, ensuring internal water tightness as in the previous embodiment, and also screwing and again closing the dispensation orifice of the free end of the conical tube (1), so that the inside of the dispenser is again sealed.
Figure 6 shows another possible embodiment of the opening means of the free end of the conical tube by which the free end of the conical tube (1) is closed and at its end has a small cavity, concavity or recess (15), allowing to guide any perforation element such as a toothpick or the tip of a knife.
The constructive characteristics described and the manufacturing material used allow obtaining a stream drink dispenser which, in addition to dispensing a stream, allows storing and transporting the drink and is also simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
The essence of this invention is not affected by variations in the materials, shape, size and arrangement of its component elements, described in a non-limiting manner that should allow its reproduction by one skilled in the art.

Claims

Stream drink dispenser having two tubes (1) and (2), connected at an angle to a common container (3), wherein the tube (1) has a conical shape with its free end narrower, and the other tube (2) acts as a handle and air inlet, characterised in that:
- the conical tube (1) has a closed free end on which are means for opening the end of the conical tube.

- the tube (2) that provides a handle and an air inlet has in its free end closing means consisting of a threaded cap (4) that screws onto the upper threading of the end of the handle and air-inlet tube (2).

- the dispenser is made of PE T (polyethylene terephthalate).
Stream drink dispenser according to claim 1, characterised in that the means for opening the free end of the conical tube (1), consisting of a weakening or peripheral recess (5) provided near the free end.
Stream drink dispenser according to claim 1, characterised in that the means for opening the free end of the conical tube (1) consist of disposing a sealing cap (8) with an internal threading (10) that engages the threading (14) of a flared mouth (13) of the conical tube (1), with a dosing spout (11) being mounted between these two parts, wherein the sealing cap (8) and the threading (14) are connected by a safety seal (9) attached to both parts by easy-to-break connecting bridges.
Stream drink dispenser according to claim 3, characterised in that the sealing cap (8) has an internal space in which is housed one end of the dosing spout (11), and in its end has an inner threading (10) that engages the threaded end (14) of the flared mouth (13).
Stream drink dispenser according to claims 3 or 4 characterised in that the dosing spout (11) has a base (12) that is fixed by pressure inside the flared mouth (13).
Stream drink dispenser according to claim 1 characterised in that the means for opening the free end of the conical tube consist of the free end of the conical tube (1) having a small cavity, concavity or recess (15) such that it allows guiding any perforating element, such as a simple toothpick or the tip of a knife.