US3146913A

US3146913A - Cap having a non-drip spout

Info

Publication number: US3146913A
Application number: US120605A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nagai Kiyoshi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-06-29
Filing date: 1961-06-29
Publication date: 1964-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 1981-09-01

Description

SPt l, 1964 KlYosl-n NAGA: 3,146,913

l CAP HAVING A NON-DRIP SPOUT Filed June 29, 1961 Milli);

VIII/IM v12 respectively in hole a.

United States Patent Fice 3,146,913 CAP HAVING A NON-DRIP SPGUT Kiyoshi Nagai, 267 Kugahara-maehi, Uta-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed June 29, 1961, Ser. No. 120,605 7 Claims. (Cl. 222-110) This invention relates to non-drip spouts on liquid containers. More particularly, the invention relates to spouts on containers wherein liquid usually is disposed in the spout after completion of a pouring operation. In ordinary spouts, the liquid usually drips from the spout.

It is an object of the invention to provide a spout wherein the liquid is drawn back into the container so that there will not be any dripping from the spout.

It is a further object of the invention that the drawing of the liquid in the spout back into the container subsequent to a pouring operation be substantially an automatic operation.

It is a feature of the invention that a suction force is developed in the liquid in the spout to cause the same to be reintroduced into the container. According to the invention, the opening and closing of the spout is controlled by a spring loaded slide valve which automatically establishes the necessary operating conditions which enable pouring of the liquid and backflow of liquid in the spout so as to prevent dripping from the spout.

This invention is characterized in the fact that by a slide valve that is externally actuated against the action of a spring to open a pouring spout in a container to enable dispensing of the contents of the container contained liquid is never drained without external force superior to internal one, and wherein upon release of the external force that actuated the slide valve a suction is developed to cause residual liquid in the spout to be drained back into the container, there being further developed an air cushion to cause return of the slide valve to its original position.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown an embodiment of the spout of the present invention in perspective view and partially in section as applied onto a liquid container which is only partially shown. The drawings show various operating stages of the embodiment and in particular;

FIG. 1 shows the normal state of the spout wherein the container is sealed;

PEG. 2 shows the spout in operative condition and adapted for allowing liquid to be poured from the container; and

FIG. 3 shows the spout after the same has been released from its operative condition and prior to its return to its normal state.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a liquid container made of polyethylene or the like. The container is provided with an expanding tapered threaded lip 2. A screw cap 3 is in threaded engagement with the container and bears with an inverted tapered shoulder 4 against the tapered lip 2. In the cap 3 is provided a hole 5 and a corresponding guide groove 6. The guide groove 6 is closed at one end 6'. 7 is an air passage and 8 is a liquid drain hole, each of which open at an end thereof into said hole adjacent opposite ends thereof. Adjacent the drain hole 8 may be provided a return drain hole 8" to insure the draining back of residual liquid in the spout, when the drain hole S is insuicient to drain back residual liquid instantly into the container 1.

A stationary cylinder 9 and a slidable sleeve valve 10 are fitted in back to back relation along end walls 11 and The sleeve valve has an open end 10 which constitutes a spout during liquid 3,lli5,9l3 Patented Sept. 1., 1964 dispensing. A

slide valve

13, 14, connected with a stem 15 passes slidably through said end walls 11 and 12 for sliding in the cylinder 9 and sleeve 10 respectively. A push button 16 is coupled to the outer end of the stem 15. Between the end wall 11 of the stationary cylinder 9 and the slide valve 13 there is provided a compression spring 17 surrounding stern 15, which spring urges the slide valve 13 outwardly in the stationary cylinder 9, so that the slide valve 14 connected with the stem 15 is also urged in the same direction.

The stationary cylinder 9 is provided with a hole 18 which is in communication with air passage 7 and which is normally closed by the slide valve 13. The slidable sleeve valve 10 is provided with a hole 19 in communication with the interior of sleeve 10 and adapted for being in communication with liquid drain hole 8 and drain back hole 3. A pin 20 projects into guide groove 6 to prevent rotation of the sleeve valve 10 in the hole 5 while the pin also projects into the sleeve valve 1t? to serve as a stopper or limit device for the slide valve 14. The guide groove 6 is operative to provide for the intake or exhausting of air when the sleeve valve 10 slides in the hole 5. 21 is a set screw adapted for engaging a female threaded hole 22 in the cap 3 to regulate the inflow and outow of air through said guide groove 6 externally of the stationary cylinder 9.

Referring now to FIG. l, the air passage 7, the liquid drain hole 8 and the drain back hole S are respectively shut off by the slide valve 13 and the slidable sleeve valve 10. When valve 14 is inwardly urged under the action of spring 17, the sleeve 10 covers the

opening

3 and 8 and will be retained in the container 1 irrespective of the position thereof. Thus, the container 1 may be upright, horizontally or inclined and liquid will not flow therefrom.

When the push button 16 (shown in FlG. 2) is pressed, the slide valve 13 compresses the compression spring 17 to expose the interior of the container to the atmosphere through hole 18 and the air passage 7, while the slide valve 14 is moved outwards in the sleeve 1t) to engage the pin 2t). When the slide valve 14 engages the pin 20 it forces the slidable sleeve valve 1@ outwardly in the hole 5 till the pin Zit engages the end wall 6 of the guide groove 6 to align the liquid drain hole 8 with the hole 19 of the sleeve valve 1Q. As a consequence thereof, liquid will now pour from spout 141 when the container is tilted.

If the push button 16 is released (as shown in FIG. 3) even during pouring and with the container tilted, the spring 17 causes the slide valve 13 to slide thereby causing sliding of the slide valve 14, to prevent further pouring of the liquid. Sequentially, the following is observed when the push button is released. Trapped air in charnber A acts as a cushion whereby the sleeve valve 1t) is moved in response to the force exerted by valve 14 so as to close the liquid drain hole 8 and open the drain back hole 8', In this position, the slidable sleeve valve 1i) is temporarily stopped from moving by compression charnber B whereby the slide valve 14- slides in sleeve 10 to create a vacuum to cause residual liquid in the sleeve 10 to drain back through hole S' and into the container until the slide valve 14 contacts the end wall 12 of the chamber A to thereby cause the sleeve valve 1i] to overcome the air cushion in the chamber B and slide to a rest position against cylinder 9 to cause complete closure of the liquid drain hole 8 and drain back hole S.

According to the present invention, therefore, a liquid container having semi-automatic non drip spout, of simple construction is presented. As the dispensing operation ends, and the push button 16 is released, it is understood that the action of spring 17 immediately moves the slidable sleeve valve iti to cause the hole i9 to slide from a position over the hole 8, thereby closing the same.

Residual liquid still left in the spout in after a pouring operation ordinarily would drip from the spout but in the present invention, the automatic suction action causes the residual liquid in the spout to be drawn back and drained into the container It, after which the container is sealed. It is to be especially noted that the entire coordinated sequence after the push button lo is released is fully automatic. I

What is claimed is:

l. In a container, a cap coupled thereto to permit dispensing of the contents from the container, the cap having a bore, a sleeve slidably supported in said bore and having an open end defining a spout, a valve slidably supported in said sleeve, means defining limits of movement of said valve in said sleeve, and means limiting movement of said sleeve between first and second positions, said valve in both limit positions in said sleeve being adapted for causing sliding of said sleeve in said bore between said first and second positions, and elastic means elastically urging the valve to one of said limit positions in the sleeve and the sleeve to the first position thereof, said cap being provided with a pair of passageways establishing communication between the bore and the container, said sleeve being provided with an opening for establishing communication between the interior of the sleeve and the passageways, both said passageways being blocked by the sleeve with the latter in said one limit position thereby substantially sealing the container, said Valve being movable to the other of the limit positions in the sleeve against the action of the elastic means to cause the sleeve to assume the other of the limit positions of the sleeve in the bore, said opening being in communication with one of the passageways in the sleeve with the sleeve in said other position whereby the contents of the container may be dispensed from the sleeve via said one passageway, said valve sliding in said sleeve with said elastic means released to exert a suction force on undispensed contents in said sleeve and to cause said sleeve to return to said first position, said sleeve passing through an intermediate position whereat the opening in the sleeve is aligned with the other of the passageways while said valve concurrently slides in said sleeve such that the suction force causes the undispensed contents in the sleeve to be reintroduced into the container, thereby preventing dripping from the sleeve of undispensed liquid.

2. The combination as claimed in claim l wherein the means defining limits of movement of said valve in said sleeve includes a pin in said sleeve for contacting said valve, said cap being provided with a groove, said pin being slidable in said groove and adapted to contact the cap to limit movement of said sleeve in said cap.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means limiting movement of the sleeve includes a stationary member supported in said bore against which the sleeve abuts in the first position thereof, said cap being provided with a groove opening externally thereof and adjacent said bore, said groove being in communication with said bore and being small relative thereto, said sleeve and stationary member defining a chamber with the sleeve in a position displaced from said stationary member, said chamber being in communication with said groove, said chamber having fluid therein which acts as a cushion against return of the sleeve to the first position thereof when the elastic means is released, such that the opening in the sleeve is in communication with said other passageway for an extended period.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 3 wherein the valve defines a closed space with the sleeve when the valve is in contact with the pin, said closed space having fluid therein for acting as a cushion against movement of the valve to said other position in the sleeve, said valve moving to the other position with the sleeve cushioned against said chamber and the opening in communication with the other passageway whereby suction is developed with the opening in communication with said other passageway.

5. The combination as claimed in claim l wherein said cap is provided with an air vent in communication with the interior of the container, the combination further comprising a second valve coupled to the first valve for movement therewith, the second valve blocking the air vent with the first said valve in said one limit position, said air vent being open to the atmosphere with the first valve in said other position.

6. A cap adapted for connection to a container to permit the dispensing of liquid from said container, said cap comprising means for connection to the container, said cap being provided with a bore extending therethrough, a sleeve slidably supported for movement in said bore between first and second limit positions and having an open end defining a spout, a valve supported in said sleeve for sliding movement therein, means for limiting the movement of the valve in the sleeve in a first direction and includin(7 a pin in said sleeve extending therethrough for contacting one end of the bore to also define one of the limit positions of the sleeve in the bore, the wall of the bore being provided with passageways extending between the bore and the interior of the container, said sleeve being provided with an opening for establishing communication between the passageways one at a time in succession and the interior of the sleeve, and means elastically exerting a force on the valve in a direction opposite said first direction to cause the valve to contact the sleeve and the sleeve to assume the first of the limit positions, said passageways being blocked by the sleeve with the latter in said first position whereby the contents of the container are substantially sealed therein, one of the passageways being in communication with the opening in the sleeve with the sleeve in the second position, and held thereat against the action of said means whereby the contents of the container may be dispensed through the sleeve via said one passageway, said valve moving in a direction opposite the first direction under the action of the means when the latter is released to cause movement of the sleeve to said second position, said sleeve passing through an intermediate position whereat the opening is in communication with the other passageway, the movement of said valve in said sleeve causing a suction force to be exerted on undispensed contents in the sleeve while the opening in the sleeve is in communication with said other passageway whereby said contents are caused to drain back into the container through said other passageway in said intermediate position of said sleeve, and thereby preventing dripping of the contents from the sleeve.

7. A cap adapted for connection to a container to permit the dispensing of liquid from said container, said cap comprising means for connection to the container, said cap being provided with a bore extending therethrough, a first stationary hollow element in said bore, a second movable hollow element in said bore, said second movable hollow element having an open end defining a spout, a slide valve including first an dsecond valve portions coupled together for common movement and respectively positioned in sliding fashion in the elements in the bore, a spring in the stationary element engaging the valve portion therein to urge the same to a first position, said wall of the bore being provided with a first passageway communicating with the bore at a location in the region of the stationary element, said first passageway opening interiorly of the container, said stationary element having an opening establishing communication between the atmosphere and the first passageway, said wall of the bore being further provided with second and third passageways communicating with the bore at a location in the region of the movable element, each of the latter passageways opening interiorly of the container, said movable element having an opening adapted for communicating with the second and third passageways one at a time in sequence, and a pin in said movable element extending into the hollow thereof for being engaged by the valve portion in the movable element whereby movement in one direction of the valve portion causes corresponding movement of the movable element, said pin projecting from said movable element for engaging the end of the bore to provide a limit of movement of the movable element, said slide valve being movable from said rst position thereof against the action of the spring to a second position whereat the pin engages the end of the bore, the second and third passageways being both blocked by the movable element while the rst passageway is blocked Iby the valve portion in the stationary element with the slide valve in the first position whereby the interior of the container is substantially sealed, said second passageway being in communication with the opening in the movable element with the slide valve held in the second position against the action of the spring, whereby the contents of the container may be dispensed therefrom, said slide valve returning to the first position under the action of the spring when the slide valve is released, the slide valve passing through an intermediate position whereat the third passageway is in communication with the opening in the movable element, said elements defining a chamber therebetween with the slide valve in the second position, said chamber having air therein which acts as a cushion for return of the movable element to the original position thereof, said cushion temporarily blocking movement of the movable element such that said spring causes relative sliding of the valve portion in the movable element with the movable element in said intermediate position to cause a suction force in the hollow of the movable element to in turn cause liquid remaining in the hollow of the movable element to drain back into the container through the third passageway whereby dripping from the movable element is prevented.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 675,548 Long June 4, 1901 1,018,552 Cooke Feb. 27, 1912 2,464,030 Engstrom Mar. 8, 1949 2,708,058 Duval et al. May 10, 1955 2,971,680 Wilson et al. l Feb. 14, 1,961

Claims

1. IN A CONTAINER, A CAP COUPLED THERETO TO PERMIT DISPENSING OF THE CONTENTS FROM THE CONTAINER, THE CAP HAVING A BORE, A SLEEVE SLIDABLY SUPPORTED IN SAID BORE AND HAVING AN OPEN END DEFINING A SPOUT, A VALVE SLIDABLY SUPPORTED IN SAID SLEEVE, MEANS DEFINING LIMITS OF MOVEMENT OF SAID VALVE IN SAID SLEEVE, AND MEANS LIMITING MOVEMENT OF SAID SLEEVE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, SAID VALVE IN BOTH LIMIT POSITIONS IN SAID SLEEVE BEING ADAPTED FOR CAUSING SLIDING OF SAID SLEEVE IN SAID BORE BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, AND ELASTIC MEANS ELASTICALLY URGING THE VALVE TO ONE OF SAID LIMIT POSITIONS IN THE SLEEVE AND THE SLEEVE TO THE FIRST POSITION THEREOF, SAID CAP BEING PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF PASSAGEWAYS ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BORE AND THE CONTAINER, SAID SLEEVE BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING FOR ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE INTERIOR OF THE SLEEVE AND THE PASSAGEWAYS, BOTH SAID PASSAGEWAYS BEING BLOCKED BY THE SLEEVE WITH THE LATTER IN SAID ONE LIMIT POSITION THEREBY SUBSTANTIALLY SEALING THE CONTAINER, SAID VALVE BEING MOVABLE TO THE OTHER OF THE LIMIT POSITIONS IN THE SLEEVE AGAINST THE ACTION OF THE ELASTIC MEANS TO CAUSE THE SLEEVE TO ASSUME THE OTHER OF THE LIMIT POSITIONS OF THE SLEEVE IN THE BORE, SAID OPENING BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH ONE OF THE PASSAGEWAYS IN THE SLEEVE WITH THE SLEEVE IN SAID OTHER POSITION WHEREBY THE CONTENTS OF THE CONTAINER MAY BE DISPENSED FROM THE SLEEVE VIA SAID ONE PASSAGEWAY, SAID VALVE SLIDING IN SAID SLEEVE WITH SAID ELASTIC MEANS RELEASED TO EXERT A SUCTION FORCE ON UNDISPENSED CONTENTS IN SAID SLEEVE AND TO CAUSE SAID SLEEVE TO RETURN TO SAID FIRST POSITION, SAID SLEEVE PASSING THROUGH AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION WHEREAT THE OPENING IN THE SLEEVE IS ALIGNED WITH THE OTHER OF THE PASSAGEWAY WHILE SAID VALVE CONCURRENTLY SLIDES IN SAID SLEEVE SUCH THAT THE SUCTION FORCE CAUSES THE UNDISPENSED CONTENTS IN THE SLEEVE TO BE REINTRODUCED INTO THE CONTAINER, THEREBY PREVENTING DRIPPING FROM THE SLEEVE OF UNDISPENSED LIQUID.