US20100176018A1

US20100176018A1 - Vacuum Jug

Info

Publication number: US20100176018A1
Application number: US12/063,669
Authority: US
Inventors: Lars Ingerslev STORPER
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-08-12
Filing date: 2006-08-11
Publication date: 2010-07-15
Also published as: CN101232830B; EP1912546A4; ATE499027T1; DK1912546T3; EP1912546B1; DE602006020287D1; EP1912546A1; CN101232830A; PL1912546T3; ES2361619T3; WO2007048407A1

Abstract

The present invention is using the elementary principle that a containers weight varies with the amount of fluid the container is containing. This observation is used in the present invention to show the amount of fluid in the container by a simple weight measurement of the container. The container/jug is placed on or hung one or more springs (FIG. 2.B.) or other material with the same elastic characteristic. The indicator of the fluid level is achieved by the inner containers position read in comparison to the outer container (FIG. 1.C). As the container/jug is emptied, the weight decreases and the inner container will get a higher rest position and a further bigger part of the inner container (indicator) will be visible. FIGS. 1 and 2 (left container) illustrate a jug filled with coffee (fluid). The spring is calibrated in a way that the inner container (A) has a rest position, where it is nearly invisible and covered by the outer container (C). FIGS. 1 and 2 (right container) illustrate a jug that is nearly empty. The inner container now has a considerable lesser weight and a high rest position. It gives a visual effect indicating the amount of fluid in the jug and it will be possible to make that estimate at a distance. As the jug empties the weight gets lesser and the container will get a rest level on a higher position and a rising part of the indicator will be visible. The advantages of the invention are the possibility from a distance to determine how much fluid the container/jug contains without shaking/lifting the jug, because the container/jug is changing form depending on how much fluid its contain.

Description

This invention concerns a container for fluid fx. thermo jugs for coffee, tea and other containers.
The invention is characterized in the way that the container changes form concerning how much fluid is in the container. In the rest of this application the word “container” represents all kind of thermo jugs and other opaque containers.
RODRIGUEZ KIMBERLY J (US); RODRIGUEZ JIMMY (US) i U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,248 describe a thermo jug with a level indicator made of a glass pipe, which is connected in the top and the bottom to the rest of the container. The fluid level can be read on the outside of the container.
GB2332522 O'NEILL ROBERT ANDREW is another typical invention with at level indication made by a glass cylinder connected with the el kettle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When we need isolation characteristics to be used to keep fluids hot or cold in a container, the isolation characteristic become worse if the fluids connect with a non isolated glass pipe situated on the outside of the container used for fluid level indication.
A “bypass” glasspipe makes it difficult to conduct proper cleaning and increases the danger of bacteria. This aspect can be disastrous when the container is use to contain drinking fluid, medicine, specimen, etc.
A small scale on a glass pipe can also be difficult to read from some distances.
A bypass construction will also make the container weaker for bumps and also less suited to contain fluids under pressure. And with this kind of construction it will necessary have at point of assemble between the pipe and the container. This could be a potential point of a leak.

PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of this invention is to present a solution that makes it visually possible to see from a distance how must fluid there is in the container.
It is a well known problem with coffee and tea thermo jugs, that guests and waiters lift and shakes the jugs in the process of detecting how much remains in the jug.
It will be a big improvement if the amount of fluid could be read from a distance just with a short glance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is using the elementary principle that a containers weight varies with the amount of fluid the container is containing. This observation is used in the present invention to show the amount of fluid in the container by a simple weight measurement of the container.
The container/jug is placed on or hung one or more springs (FIG. 2.B.) or other material with the same elastic characteristic.
The indicator of the fluid level is achieved by the inner containers position read in comparison to the outer container. (FIG. 1.C.). As the container/jug is emptied, the weight decreases and the inner container will get a higher rest position and a further bigger part of the inner container (indicator) will be visible.

FIGS. 1 and 2 (left container) illustrate a jug filled with coffee (fluid). The spring is calibrated in a way that the inner container (A) has a rest position, where it is nearly invisible and covered by the outer container (C).

FIGS. 1 and 2 (right container) illustrate a jug that is nearly empty. The inner container now has a considerable lesser weight and a high rest position. It gives a visual effect indicating the amount of fluid in the jug and it will be possible to make that estimate at a distance.

The inner container position at full capacity can be marked on a scale on the outer container and so on for ¾ ½ and empty.
As the jug empties the weight gets lesser and the container will get a rest level on a higher position and a rising part of the indicator will be visible. A scale is not necessary, because the form of the jug/container changes depending on how much fluid the jug holds.
There are lots of possibilities to increase the visible effect using contrast color and design concepts.

AN ALTERNATIVE DESIGN.

Another design of the invention could be an “add-on” version (FIG. 3). In this case, a unit could be placed under existing jugs and alike. The unit could be developed to specifics and popular models and could be prepared for permanent mounting on the thermo jugs. If this design version should be used to all types of thermo jugs, it must be able to calibrate the unit.

ADVANTAGES

The advantages of the invention are the possibility from a distance to determine how much fluid the container/jug contains without shaking/lifting the jug, because the container/jug is changing form depending on how much fluid its contain.
The situation is well known with coffee and tee jugs, where people always ask “is there more coffee in the jug?”. The invention will be a great advantage in catering, restaurants and hotel branchs. It will be a time saver for the waitress to be able to spot the jugs fluid level from a distance.

Claims

1. Container/jug with a fluid level indication characterized that the container is movable in proportion to an exterior/outer container depending of the weight of the inner container, and the indication is made visual by a weight based movement/change of the containers/thermojug appearance as the container empties.

2. The container of claim 1 characterized by the container are mounted on elastic parts, so there will be a movement as the inner containers empties/weight decreases.

3. The container of claim 1 characterized by the container is mounted on a springy/elastic construction—it can be a push or pull type, as long as it delivers the linear movement of the inner container as it empties/the weight fluctuate.

4. The container of claims 1 and 3 characterized by, the weight based movement of the container can be used to register the level of fluid by reading a scale or to visually establish the inner containers position against the outer.

5. The container of claims 1 and 4 characterized by, that the level indication can be read on a relatively further distance in comparison with known inventions like fx. U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,248 Kimberly, because the area used to indication are bigger existing methods.

6. The container of claim 1-5 characterized by, that the indication can be made in the way that the top of the jug raises over in time as the thermo jug is emptied and the top of, the thermo jug will in this way indicate “empty” in a “high position” and “full” in a “low position”

7. The container of claim 1-5 characterized by, that the indications are shown in the bottom or other places on the jug, where it is possible to show the inner containers position in relation to the outer container or “rack”

8. The container based on the same principles of claim 1-7 characterized by, that a weight based indication can be made by a separate unit, whereupon a “standard coffee jug” or alike can be placed. The indication in the design version is made by the separate unit that will make a visually established movement over time as the weights are de- and in-creased. The unit can with advantage be made adjustable and this way be used on different kinds of containers and a like.