WO1994024012A1

WO1994024012A1 - Pouring spout/closing mechanism for wine bottles, milk bottles, decanters etc.

Info

Publication number: WO1994024012A1
Application number: PCT/DK1994/000158
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stig Herman Olsen
Original assignee: Stig Herman Olsen
Priority date: 1993-04-20
Filing date: 1994-04-20
Publication date: 1994-10-27
Also published as: DK43993A; DK170418B1; AU6563794A; DK43993D0

Abstract

A tubular pouring spout for a container for a liquid comprises a closing means in the form of a hemisphere and a lining with a spherical inner face thereby creating a distance between the hemisphere and the inner face for liquid passage when the pouring spout is tilted. When the pouring spout takes a vertical position, stop and seal faces will close the container.

Description

Pouring spout/ciosIng mechanism for wine bottles, ilK bottles, decanters etc.

The invention relates to a pouring spout with closing mech¬ anism for mounting on for example wine bottles, milk bottles, laboratory glassware, vacuum jugs, decanters etc. and designed as an integral unit of plastic or metal.

The pouring spout has a cylindrical tube which at its lower part is designed with a horizontal cut and at its upper part is designed with an inclined cut of for example 45°. The cylindrical shape of the tube in combination with the inclined cut of for example 45° provides a perfect spout which is 100% non-drip.

The tube may also be designed with a more acute or more ob¬ tuse angle in the upper cut or be designed with a lip as in a more traditional spout.

The closing mechanism consists of a hemisphere which is suspended in two pins within the cylindrical tube in such a manner that it is freely moveable by tilting of the tube. Hemisphere and tube are designed so as to form a closely fitting unit when the tube is upright in its starting posi¬ tion.

The principle is that the hemisphere has a centre of grav¬ ity which is lower than the diametric axis. The lower centre of gravity means that the hemisphere will always be horizontal irrespective of the tilted position of the tube, until it meets its stop in the starting position when the tube is upright.

The construction may advantageously comprise a lining of the tube, which partly serves to retain the hemisphere and partly serves to form a base part for mounting the pouring spout tight on a bottle or a glass. The principle of controlling the amount of liquid to pass through the closing mechanism by a given tilt of the tube is that the greater the distance from the hemisphere to the lining the greater the amount of liquid which may pass (see drawings nos. 1, 2 and 3).

The dosing apparatus is designed according to the same principles which apply to the design of the pouring spout/closing mechanism, but in a more elaborate design.

The apparatus consists of a tube with two hemispheres mounted at an arbitrary distance from each other. The hemi¬ spheres and the tube have the same design as the pouring spout/closing mechanism so that they can close in a com¬ pletely tight manner, where required, and otherwise func¬ tion according to the principle of the lower centre of gravity than the centre of rotation of the hemisphere, when the tube is tilted.

The idea is that the exact amount of liquid which has flow¬ ed into the space between the two hemispheres from one side must flow out at the other side by tilting of the tube 180°. This is achieved in that one of the hemispheres closes relative to the tube to one side and the other hemi¬ sphere closes to the other side. This means that the hemi¬ spheres are never open at the same time such that liquid may flow through the tube in a continuous flow (see draw¬ ings nos. 4, 5 and 6). The fields of application will be private households and industry.

The cross-section of the spout may be circular, rectangu¬ lar, polygonal, elliptical etc. The closing mechanism may be designed as a hemisphere, as a segment of a sphere, it may be quadrangular, have an elliptical shape or the shape of a polyhedron, the closing mechanism may also be designed as a plate or disc with a heavy bar mounted on it, however, hereby the possibility of controlling the amount of liquid as well as some practical advantages in respect of cleaning etc. will be lost.

The control of the passage of the amount of liquid through the closing mechanism may also be achieved in that the lin¬ ing of the tube and the hemisphere or the body almost reach close to each other and that it is some grooves in the bot- torn of the hemisphere which create passage for liquid.

The hemisphere may also fit tightly in the tube, and it is an offsetting of the centre of rotation from the centre of the hemisphere to a point which is closer to the outer face which provides for passage of liquid through the closing mechanism by tilting (see drawings nos. 7, 8 and 9).

End.: Drawings and fotos Fig. 1 Plastic pouring spout/closing mechanism for wine bottles.

Section where the hemisphere is closed.

The principle of tight closing is partly a rabbet on the hemisphere and partly a rabbet on the tube.

fig. 2 Plastic pouring spout/closing mechanism for wine bottles.

Plane.

fig. 3 Plastic pouring spout/closing mechanism for wine bottles.

Section where the hemisphere is closed.

Hemisphere shown with a cavity - it may also be de- signed solid.

fig. 4 Plastic pouring spout/closing mechanism for wine bottles.

Plane.

fig. 5 Plastic pouring spout/closing mechanism for wine bottles.

The principle of the closing mechanism is that the hemisphere has a centre of gravity which is sub¬ stantially lower than the centre of rotation in the form of two pins provided in the centre of the hemisphere. The lower centre of gravity means that the hemisphere will always be horizontal irrespect¬ ive of the tilted position of the tube, until it meets its stop in the starting position when the tube is upright.

Section where the hemisphere is open and liquid can flow out.

The principle of controlling the amount of liquid to pass through the closing mechanism by a given tilt of the tube is that the greater the distance from the hemisphere to the lining of the tube the greater the amount of liquid which may pass.

fig. 6 Dosing apparatus.

The unit made of plastic or metal can be connected to a bellows or a hose in extension of space 1.

The liquid can pass from space 1 into space 2 be¬ cause the hemisphere in space 1 is open in hori- zontal position.

fig. 7 Dosing apparatus.

The unit is now tilted 90°.

Both hemispheres are closed now and the liquid is confined to space 2.

fig. 8 Dosing apparatus.

The unit is now tilted another 90°.

The liquid now flows out of the unit from space 2 through space 3 and out. The amount of liquid cor- responds to the cubic content of space 2. The process may now be repeated by tilting the unit 180° back again from position 3 to position 1.

fig. 9 Serving jug of transparent plastic.

Hemisphere with the centre of rotation offset from the centre.

Mounting and dismounting when the jug is in ver- tical position.

fig. 10 Serving jug of transparent plastic.

fig. 11 Serving jug of transparent plastic.

Surface of hemisphere as sandblast glass (etching of tool) .

Section showing how the hemisphere keeps its dis- tance to the inner face of a jug when same is tilt¬ ed.

fig. 12 Serving jug of clear transparent plastic, possibly with stripes at an angle of 45° which can be achieved by etching the tool.

The function is a centering of the hand by gripping so that there is poured straight out of the spout.

The effect is like sandblast glass.

Claims

P A T E N T C L A I M S

1. Tubular pouring spout for a container for a liquid or pourable medium and with a closing mechanism comprising a closing means arranged within the pouring spout and being pivotably mounted about an oscillation axis situated sub¬ stantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the pouring spout and the centre of gravity of said closing means in the position of rest of the container being situ- ated vertically below and at a distance of the oscillation axis, said closing means having such a shape that in the position of rest of the container it substantially tightly closes the tubular pouring spout whereas in an inclined pouring position with the lower side of the pouring spout it defines a liquid passage connecting the interior of the container with the outlet of the pouring spout.

2. Pouring spout according to claim 1, characterised in that the tubular pouring spout at the place of mounting of the closing means has a cross-section being symmetrical about the axis of oscillation of the closing means.

3. Pouring spout according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the tubular pouring spout at the place of mounting of the closing means has a circular cross-section.

4. Pouring spout according to claim 3, characterised in that the closing means has the shape of a hemisphere, the spherical surface thereof pointing towards the interior of the container.

5. Pouring spout according to claim 4, characterised in that the inner face of the tubular pouring spout is design¬ ed in such a manner that when the closing means takes an open position, a liquid passage is defined between said inner face and the adjacent face of the closing means, the cross-section of said liquid passage being independent or to a comparatively small, but predetermined extent depend¬ ent of the angle of inclination of the pouring spout.

6. Pouring spout according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the said designed inner face of the pouring spout is substantially designed as a part of a spherical surface which is concentric to the hemisphere of the closing means.

7. Pouring spout according to any one of claims 1-6, char¬ acterised in that on the inner face of the tubular pouring spout there are designed stop and seal faces extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the pouring spout, said stop and seal faces being adapted in the position of rest of the closing means to abut tightly on corresponding transverse seal faces on the closing means.

8. Pouring spout according to any one of claims 1-7, char¬ acterised in that it contains a further closing means which in the tubular pouring spout is arranged at an axial dis¬ tance of the firstmentioned closing means and that the li¬ quid passages being defined in the position of pouring by the two closing means face each other seen in the trans¬ verse direction of the tubular pouring spout whereby the closing means may serve as a dosage means.