US3716173A

US3716173A - Dispensing device

Info

Publication number: US3716173A
Application number: US00208841A
Authority: US
Inventors: G Yasso
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-12-16
Filing date: 1971-12-16
Publication date: 1973-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1990-02-13

Abstract

A dispenser for sugar and the like includes a cylindrical container having a male thread near its rim and a circumferential bead below the thread. A substantially cylindrical cup having a closed bottom and a serrated flare at its top rests on the rim of the container and extends into the container to a depth in proximal alignment with the bead in such a manner that passageways are formed with the interior of the container via portions of the serrated flared top. A circular cover, removably mounted on the container in cooperating relation with the male thread, holds the cup in place. The cover has central and offcenter discharge openings therein. A measuring funnel is connected to the cover and communicates with its central opening. The funnel has a plurality of spaced notches at its lower end and rests on the bottom of the cup. A valve, for controlling the openings, includes a disk for closing the openings. The disk, rotatably secured to the cover at a point between the two openings, has an opening therein for selective registry with the first named openings. A portion of the disk projects beyond the cover for manual actuation.

Description

Uite States Patent [191 Yasso [541 DISPENSING DEVICE [76] lnventor: George H. Yasso, 116 Russell Avenue, Fountain Hill, Pa. 18015 [22] Filed: Dec. 16, 1971 [21] Appl. N0.: 208,841

Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Assistant ExaminerJohn P. Shannon Attorney-Fred Fisher [451 Feb. 13, 1973 [5 7] ABSTRACT A dispenser for sugar and the like includes a cylindrical container having a male thread near its rim and a circumferential bead below the thread. A substantially cylindrical cup having a closed bottom and a serrated flare at its top rests on the rim of the container and extends into the container to a depth in proximal alignment with the head in such a manner that passageways are formed with the interior of the container via portions of the serrated flared top. A circular cover, removably mounted on the container in cooperating relation with the male thread, holds the cup in place. The cover has central and off-center discharge openings therein. A measuring funnel is connected to the cover and communicates with its central opening. The funnel has a plurality of spaced notches at its lower end and rests on the bottom of the cup. A valve, for controlling the openings, includes a disk for closing the openings. The disk, rotatably secured to the cover at a point between the two openings, has an opening therein for selective registry with the first named openings. A portion of the disk projects beyond the cover for manual actuation.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures IIIIIIIIIIIII DISPENSING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to dispensing devices. Ac-

cordingly, the general objects of this invention are to I No. 1,050,192 Wood No. 1,084,530 Bettman No. 1,123,974 Antoine No. 1,233,812 Sawyer et al. 1,297,244 Rauen No. 1,642,678 Horvath No. 1,707,967 Abbott No. 1,727,799 Abbott 1,763,449 Trautvetter No. 1,877,808 Cagliostro No. 2,269,876 Jensen No. 3,023,937 Matter No. 3,128,919 Baxter Yasso U.S. Pat. No. 1,919,582 discloses a funnel attached to a cover, wherein the funnel terminates above the bottom ofa container.

The measuring funnel of Yasso U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,623 extends to the bottom of the container.

Sawyer et al. U.S. Pat. No. 1,233,812, Rauen U.S. Pat. No. 1,297,244, and Horvath U.S. Pat. No. 1,642,678 disclose funnel shaped devices near the top and a cup device therebelow.

The remaining patents disclose funnel devices attached to the cover.

Many of the prior patents disclose covers with funnels which extend deeply into the container. When the container is initially filled with material, it is difficult to secure the cover because the funnel must be forced down into the material. Other patented devices utilizing funnels which do not deeply extend into the'container are not too effective for its intended purpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a novel dispensing device in which the dispensing operation may be effective in several different ways, such as for example, by sifting, by pouring a predetermined quanti' ty, or by pouring any desired quantity of material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel dispensing unit for a container, in which a selective dispensing operation may be performed, wherein the dispensing unit extends into the container a sufficiently small distance so as to facilitate its engagement with the container when the container is filled with material.

With these and other objects in mind, a dispensing device for a cylindrical container in accordance with the invention includes a substantially cylindrical cup having a closed bottom and a serrated flared top. The outer diameter of the serrated flare and the inner diameter of the serrations are such that the flared top rests on the 'rim of the container forming passageways to the-interior thereof via portions of the serrated flared top. A circular cover, removably mounted on the container in cooperating relation therewith, holds the cup in place. The cover has central and off-center discharge openings therein. A measuring funnel, coupled to the cover, communicates with its central opening. The funnel has a plurality of spaced inlet notches at its lower end which rests on the bottom of the cup. A valve controls the openings. The valve includes a disk which closes the openings, which disk is rotatably secured to the cover at a point between the two openings. The disk has an opening therein for selective registry with the first named openings.

In accordance with specific features of the invention, a portion of the disk projects beyond the cover for manual actuation. As per another feature of the invention, the dispensing device includes the cylindrical container in cooperating relationship with cup, cover, funnel, and valve.

In specific features of the invention, wherein the rim of the container has an inner diameter di and an outer diameter do, the serrated flare has an outer diameter f0, and the serrations have an inner diameter ft, the relationships do a fo di and di fi are valid. Another feature of the invention includes a measuring device wherein the cup extends into the container a distance less than one-fifth the height of the container.

In accordance with a specific embodiment of this invention, the cover has an internal female screw thread, and the container has an outer male thread near the rim for engagement with the thread of the cover. The container has a circumferential bead formed on its outer surface below the thread so as to appear to form a limit for the cover immediately therebelow. The cup extends into the container to a depth in proximal alignment with the bead.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects, advantages and aspects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed specification and drawings of a specific embodiment thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the invention with portions broken away;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view (reduced in size) of the invention in position for dispensing a measured amount of material;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view (reduced in size) of the invention in position for pouring any desired amount of material;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view (reduced in size) of the invention in position for shifting the material therefrom; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the cup taken along the linc-66 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, especially FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a cylindrical container 10 having a rim 11 at the open end thereof. The cylindrical container 10 near the rim 11 is furnished with an external male thread 13 in the usual fashion. Below the male thread, circumferentially disposed about the external surface of the container 10, is a bead 14. The container 10 is preferably transparent and can be formed of suitable material such as glass or plastic.

The invention is directed to a dispensing device which, in one form, includes the overall combination depicted in the drawings including the container 10, and, in another form, can include the various components excluding the container 10. The dispensing device is depicted generally by the reference numeral 16 to include the overall device including, inter alia, the container 10.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 6 especially, there is depicted a cylindrical cup 17. The cup 17 is closed at its bottom 18. The cup has a serrated flare 19 at the top thereof. The outer diameter of the serrated flare has a dimension f as depicted in FIG. 6. The inner diameter of the serations has a dimensionfi as shown in FIG. 6. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cup 17 rests on the rim 11 of the container 10, thereby forming passageways to the interior of the container 10 via portions of the serrated flared top 19.

The dimensions of the container 10 are such that the outside diameter of the rim 11 has a dimension do, while the inside diameter of the rim 11 has a dimension di.

The cup 17 has dimensions with respect to the rim 11 such that the outer dimension of the serrated cup f0 is equal to or less than the outer dimension do of the rim 11. The dimension f0, however, is greater than the inner dimension (ii of the rim 11. The serrations are such that the inner dimension ft is less than the inner dimension di of the rim 11 so as to provide for the passageways.

A screw threaded circular cover 21 is provided having an internal female thread 22 adapted to engage with the male thread 13 of the container 10. The circular cover 21 is removably mounted on the container 10 in cooperating relationship so as to hold the cup 17 in place therewithin. The cup 17 can be frictionally held by the cover 21 against the wall 20 thereof. The cover 21 has a central discharge opening 23 and an off-central discharge opening 24 therein.

A measuring funnel 26 is connected to the cover 21 and communicates with the central opening 23 therein. The funnel 26 has a plurality of spaced inlet notches 27-27. Upon engagement with the cup and container, the bottom of the funnel 26 touches the bottom 18 of the cup 17, as shown in FIG. 1.

A valve controls the

openings

23 and 24. The valve includes a disk 31 for closing the openings and is rotatably secured to the cover 21 at a point 32 between the two

openings

23 and 24 so as to provide for selective registry with the openings.

The cover 21, in addition to being provided with the discharge opening 23 in register with the measuring funnel 26, and the circular pouring opening 24, is further provided with a group of sifter openings or apertures 33. The pouring opening 24 as well as the sifter apertures 33 communicates with the interior of the container 10 in a fashion that is exterior to the funnel 26 but interior to the measuring cup 17. Thus, the sifter openings 33 and the opening 24 communicate with the large interior portion of the container 10 via the serration l9 passageways of the cup 17.

The combined valve or dispensing selector and closure disk 31, which is pivoted at 32 to the top surface of the cover 21, has an edge portion thereof which projects outwardly beyond the marginal edge of the cover 21 so that the disk may be easily rotated.

The pivot 32 on the disk 31 is located eccentrically on the cover 21 and is equidistant from the center of the group of apertures 33 and the respective centers of the

openings

23, 24, so that, by rotating the disk 31, a discharge opening 34 formed in the disk 31 may be brought in register selectively with the

openings

23, 24 or group of apertures 33, as best shown in FIGS. 3,4, and 5.

The bottom of the measuring cup, when the entire unit is assembled as depicted in FIG. 1, is in proximal alignment with the bead 14 of the container 10 as shown in the drawing.

When in use, the container 10 is filled with sugar or some other material up toward the bead 14. When assembled, as depicted in FIG. 1, the device 16 may be immediately used for sifting material via the apertures 33 or for pouring the desired quantity via the aperture 24. The material will pass from the interior portion of the container 10 through the serrated passageways at 19 and through the

respective apertures

24,33.

After one such use, or, alternatively, when the disk 31 is closed and the container 10 is inverted, the material, upon the inversion of the dispensing device 16 and the uprighting of the container 16, the measuring cup 17 becomes filled. This action takes place because, upon inverting, a quantity of sugar, for example, passes through the passageways at 19 and fills a volume which exists between the serrated top 19 of the cup 17 and the top of the cover 21. Upon uprighting of the container 10, the material previously in the volume between the top of the flared cup and the top of the cover 21 will settle into the measuring cup 17 and reside there.

When itis desired to pour a predetermined quantity of the material for example, one teaspoonful, the disk 31 is rotated so that the aperture thereof at 34 is in registry with the opening 23 of the cover 21. The material held in the cup 17, entrapped by the funnel 26, passes through the spaced inlet notches 27 of the measuring funnel 26 and is discharged out through the aperture 23 of the cover and the opening 34 of the disk. Thus, with the disk 31 located so that the discharge opening 34 is in register with the outlet opening 23, the device may be inverted and the measured amount of sugar poured outwardly from the cup 17 through the funnel 26. However, when it is desired to pour an unlimited quantity of sugar from the container, the disk 31 is rotated so that the discharge opening 34 registers with the pouring opening 24 as shown in FIG. 4. Alternatively, by rotating the disk 31 so that the discharge opening 34 is in register with the group of apertures 33, the sugar may be sifted out of the container, as shown in FIG. 5.

When the disk is rotated so that the discharge opening 34 is disposed at a point diametrically opposed to the sifter openings 33 with respect to the pivot 32, the disk covers the

openings

23, 24 and 33 and the device is closed. When the container 10 is to be refilled, the cover 21 is simply removed therefrom, the cup 17 is removed, and sugar is added to the container up to the bead 14.

Thus, an empty container 10 can be filled to the bead 14, the cup 17 can be frictionally held within the cover 21 against the interior wall 20 thereof, and the cover 21 screwed ontop 'of the container so as to form an integral dispensing device 16.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, by way of example only, the container may be constructed of glass or plastic and have an inner diameter of 2 5/16 inches and a total height of 4 /s inches. The container 10 has usable interior height up to the bead 14 of 3%-inches. Thus, the container 10 can easily hold 14 cubic inches of material. The measuring cup can have a depth of three-fourths inch and an outer serrated flare d top of 2 /2 inches with the inner serrations of 2 Ms inches.

Various modifications may be performed without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, alternatives contemplated within the scope of the invention include fastening means of the cover with respect to the container 10 other than that of the screw threads.

I claim:

l. A dispensing device for a cylindrical container having a rim, comprising a substantially cylindrical cup having a closed bottom and having a serrated flare at the top thereof, the outer diameter of the serrated flare and the inner diameter of the serrations being such that the flared top can rest on the rim of said container while forming passageways to the interior of said container via at least portions of the serrated flared top;

a circular cover removably mounted on said container in co-operating relation so as to hold said cup in place therewith, said cover having central and off-center discharge openings therein;

a measuring funnel connected to the cover and communicating with the central opening therein, said funnel having a plurality of spaced inlet notches at its lower end thereof and adapted to rest on the bottom of said cup; and

a valve for controlling the openings, said valve ineluding a disk closing the openings and rotatably secured to the cover at a point therebetween, said disk having an opening therein for selective registry with the first named openings.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein a portion of said disk projects beyond said cover for manual actuation.

3. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising the cylindrical container in co-operating relationship therewith.

4. The device as recited in claim 3 wherein said rim has an inner diameter di and an outer diameter do, said serrated flare having an outer diameter f0, and said serrations having an inner diameter fi, and wherein do 2 f0 di and di fi.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4 wherein a portion of said disk projects beyond said cover for manual actuation.

6. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said cup extends into said container a distance less than onefifth the height of said container.

7. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said cover has an internal female screw thread therein and said container has an outer male thread near said rim for engagement with said female thread of said cover, said container having a circumferential bead formed on the outer surface thereof below said male thread, so that said bead appears to form a limit for said cover, immediately below said cover, and wherein said cup extends into said container to a depth in proximal alignment with said bead.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7 wherein a portion of said disk projects beyond said cover for manual actuation.

Claims

1. A dispensing device for a cylindrical container having a rim, comprising a substantially cylindrical cup having a closed bottom and having a serrated flare at the top thereof, the outer diameter of the serrated flare and the inner diameter of the serrations being such that the flared top can rest on the rim of said container while forming passageways to the interior of said container via at least portions of the serrated flared top; a circular cover removably mounted on said container in co-operating relation so as to hold said cup in place therewith, said cover having central and off-center discharge openings therein; a measuring funnel connected to the cover and communicating with the central opening therein, said funnel having a plurality of spaced inlet notches at its lower end thereof and adapted to rest on the bottom of said cup; and a valve for controlling the openings, said valve including a disk closing the openings and rotatably secured to the cover at a point therebetween, said disk having an opening therein for selective registry with the first named openings.

1. A dispensing device for a cylindrical container having a rim, comprising a substantially cylindrical cup having a closed bottom and having a serrated flare at the top thereof, the outer diameter of the serrated flare and the inner diameter of the serrations being such that the flared top can rest on the rim of said container while forming passageways to the interior of said container via at least portions of the serrated flared top; a circular cover removably mounted on said container in cooperating relation so as to hold said cup in place therewith, said cover having central and off-center discharge openings therein; a measuring funnel connected to the cover and communicating with the central opening therein, said funnel having a plurality of spaced inlet notches at its lower end thereof and adapted to rest on the bottom of said cup; and a valve for controlling the openings, said valve including a disk closing the openings and rotatably secured to the cover at a point therebetween, said disk having an opening therein for selective registry with the first named openings.

4. The device as recited in claim 3 wherein said rim has an inner diameter di and an outer diameter do, said serrated flare having an outer diameter fo, and said serrations having an inner diameter fi, and wherein do > or = fo> di and di > fi.

6. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said cup extends into said container a distance less than one-fifth the height of said container.