NZ238049A - Liquid separator; cylindrical body with inwardly converging funnel at one end - Google Patents

Description

238049 PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Fee No. 1& 4: $250.00 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION SEPARATOR DEVICE I BATTAGODAGE HEMANTHA ROHITHA, a New Zealand citizen of 31 Aurora Terrace, Hamilton, New Zealand hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: A 1334 ( This invention relates to apparatus for separating immiscible liquids.

It has been long recognised that excessive fat intake is a major health risk. Excessive saturated fat intake results in high blood cholesterol levels possibly leading to coronary heart disease, now the most common form of premature death among men. There are other recognised health disadvantages relating to excessive fat intake, for example obesity, and linkage has also been made indicating that animal fat may be a causal or agent for cancer in the bowel.

It is preferable that when meats are prepared for consumption that all visible fat is removed. Some food products however for example meat broth, soup with meat, meat stock, or meat stew, fat comes out of the meat during cooking and unless it is subsequently removed it is consumed with the food.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which can be used to remove fat from liquid foods such as broth, soup or stew prior to consumption.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device which can be used for other functions.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example.

According to the present invention there is provided a liquid separator or sampling device capable of immersion in a fluid, and comprising a body having a peripheral wall and a convergent funnel portion housed within the volume bounded by the peripheral wall, wherein said convergent funnel portion converges towards an inner opening within the volume bounded by the peripheral wall. 238049 The inwardly convergent funnel may comprise a first substantially frusto conical part having an opening co-axial with the body and second narrower part which is contiguous with the first part.

The walls of the first substantially frusto-conical part are inclined at approximately 30° to the horizontal, although alternative inclinations may be equally effective.

The first open end may mount a lid or handle.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of separating liquids using the separating device as aforesaid wherein the device is placed into a vessel and forced down on the contents so that the upper surface liquid within the vessel is forced through the funnel at the second open end and deposited in a channel between the funnel and the walls of the device.

According to yet a further aspect of the present invention there is provided in combination a separator device as described and a matching lidded cannister in which food can be stored or cooked.

Aspects of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1: is a diagrammatic cross-section of a separator device in accordance with one possible aspect of the present invention, and Figure 2: is a diagrammatic cross-section of the separator device of Figure 1 within an outer cannister, and 3 1994 2380 A 9 Figures 6 to 15: illustrate the numerous uses to which the separator device can be put.

With respect to the drawings the device in accordance with the present invention comprises a body of generally cylindrical configuration indicated by arrow 1 having a first open end 2 and a second open end 3 embodying an inwardly convergent funnel generally indicated by arrow 4.

The funnel 4 comprises a first substantially frusto-conical part 5 which may be inclined to the horizontal by approximately 30° and has an opening 6 coaxial with the body 1 and a second narrower part 7 which is contiguous with the first part and extends upwardly into the interior of the body 1 and provides an opening 8 into the interior of the body 1.

The separator can be fabricated in metal or other materials or may be moulded in plastics.

The intrusion of the funnel 4 into the interior of the body 1 provides a peripheral channel 9 between the walls of the funnel and the lower walls 10 of the body 1.

In accordance with further aspects of the present invention the separator body 1 may be provided with a lid or handle 11 and can be used in combination with a complementary cannister 12 which may be provided with a lid 13.

The cannister 12 may be made of metal or plastics and can be used for cooking or storing foods.

Figures 3 to 5 of the drawings show how the device of the present invention can be used to separate immiscible liquids. In a liquid food such as soup, stew ■7 4 «v. /' 238049 or the like, fat which leaves meat during cooking will form as a layer 14 on the top surface of the food with heavier components 15 settling below the layer of fat 14.

To separate the fat layer from the non-fatty substances the separator device is placed in the container 16 and with hand pressure the container is gradually lowered until the upper layer of fat is squeezed through the funnel 4 into the wedge shaped channel 9 of the separator. Once it is visibly apparent that all of the fat has been removed the separator can be lifted out of the container and the fat discarded or stored.

Mentioned earlier was the fact that the device of the present invention may have many uses. Examples of which are illustrated by Figures 6 to 15 of the drawings.

In Figure 6 the separator is used in an inverted free standing form as a filtration device. Filter paper 18 can be placed in the funnel as illustrated and a liquid 19 poured through the filter into container 20. Figure 7 of the drawings illustrates an existing common method of filtration in laboratories and schools from which it will be appreciated that use of the present invention eliminates the necessity for a canti-lever stand device.

Often large vessels containing liquid are bulky and heavy. Decanting from such vessels to get a sample is difficult. Although smaller samples up to 10ml can be sucked through a glass pipette there is no efficient method to get larger samples from such vessels.

Figure 8 of the drawings illustrates how the device can be used to take samples from large storage vessels . 238049 As well as separating fats from foods the device can be used for skimming material such as froth from the top of a liquid as is illustrated by Figure 9.

The cannister 12 may be used as a storage device as is indicated by Figure 10.

As indicated by Figure 11, the separator device in an inverted form within a cannister may also be used for filtering coffee with the additional advantage that the dual wall will help to keep the coffee warm.

The separator in inverted form may be used as a simple and effective means for filling containers such as jam jars as is illustrated by Figure 12, or for separating yoke from egg whites as is illustrated by Figure 13.

By incorporating one way plug 21 in the second part of the funnel the separator can be used for removing sediment from beer and ginger beers brewed in the home as is illustrated by Figure 14.

A further use of the device as illustrated by Figure 15 may be for sprouting seeds 22 with a filter using a filter paper cone 23 with a wick 24 dipped in water in an outer cannister providing moisture to the growing seeds.

It will be appreciated from the aforegoing description that the device of the present invention has many uses other than for which it is primarily designed.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and modifications and additions thereto may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. -..j a »i jf ' •siV '4jUl 1334

Claims (5)

WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A liquid separator or sampling device capable of immersion in a fluid, and comprising a body having a peripheral wall and a convergent funnel portion housed within the volume bounded by the peripheral wall, wherein said convergent funnel portion converges towards an inner opening within the volume bounded by the peripheral wall..

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the convergent funnel portion comprises a first substantially frusto conical part having an opening coaxial with the body and a second narrower part which is contiguous with the first part.

3. A method of separating liquids of differing specific gravity using the device of either claim 1 or 2 comprising placing the device into a vessel and forcing it downwardly onto the contents of the vessel so that upper surface liquid within the vessel is forced through the funnel and deposited between the funnel and the walls of the device.

4. The combination of the device either of claim 1 or 2 and a complementary lidded cannister substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 and 8 to 15 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A liquid separator or sampling device substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 and 8 to 15 of the accompanying drawings. A method of separating liquids substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 and 8 to 15 of the accompanying drawings. BATTAGODAGE HEMANTHA ROHITHA By his Attorneys JAMES & WELLS