WO1995019917A1

WO1995019917A1 - Flexible drip-catcher

Info

Publication number: WO1995019917A1
Application number: PCT/DK1994/000039
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jan T. Enggaard Christensen
Original assignee: Christensen Jan T Enggaard
Priority date: 1994-01-21
Filing date: 1994-01-21
Publication date: 1995-07-27
Also published as: AU5858394A

Abstract

The invention relates to a flexible drip-catcher for the orifice of a container for fluids. The drip-catcher is folded before it is inserted into the container and is also provided with wings (A, B) to prevent it from falling into the container. It is also provided with a V- or U-shaped slot to cause a sharp and clean refraction of the fluid when pouring is finished.

Description

FLEXIBLE DRIP-CATCHER

The invention concerns a drop cutter, which can be inserted in a

bottle/container/cask/test tube or similar liquid container orifice to

effectively cut off drops and also to prevent drops from running down the outside of the container.

The closest known technique can be found in DK application no. 2297/90. However, this patent has some essential disadvantages, which are solved in Jan Enggaard's COMBI drop catcher.

Disadvantage no.1,

Due to the necessary stiffness of patent no.2297/90 it can be difficult to mount this in a bottle/container/cask/test tube or similar liquid container orifice as patent no.2297/90 tries to "unroll itself" precisely because of its stiffness. This has the effect that it is difficult to insert in the orifice in question without it "jumping out of one's hand". This disadvantage is especially noticeable for older people.

Disadvantage no.2

Patent no. 2297/90 has a tendency to easily be pushed down into the bottle/container/cask/test tube or similar container orifice in question, and this drip catcher is therefore ineffective unless a new one is mounted or the "old" one is removed from the bottle/container/cask/test tube or similar container orifice.

Disadvantage no.3

Patent no.2297/90 either directly drips, or drops run down on the outside of the bottle/container/cask/test tube or similar container if the liquid being poured has a greater surface tension than that of red or white wine. If patent no.2297/90 is used for, for example, cherry wine, liqueur or similar, drops of the liquid in question drip/run down. Therefore, this patent cannot be used for precision pouring in, for example, the chemical industry. The COMBI DROP CUT (patent no.1277/92) solves all of these problems. With this invention a rapid and easy insertion of the drip catcher is achieved. The way in which the COMBI DROP CUT is inserted into the

bottle/container/cask/test tube or similar container prevents the COMBI DROP CUT from being pushed into the container orifice in question.

Furthermore, the COMBI DROP CUT is provided with a notch, which is shown in, for example, fig.3, and this effectively cuts off the stream, so that a drip-free pouring is achieved and that the stream is cut off so effectively that drops do not run along the container in question.

In short, the drip catcher consists of an elastic material, which is formed (e.g. as in fig.2) as a disc with two oblong notches, which cover a third of the disc (these notches constitute the "stop" when the COMBI DROP CUT is pushed down into the liquid container), and thereby divide the disc into three equal parts. In the centre of both of the "broad" parts of the disc there is a notch. (It is this that cuts off the stream of liquid.)

When points A and B in figure 2 are pressed together, a drop-shaped drip cutter is formed. The longest end of the drip catcher is then pressed down towards the container orifice whereby the long part of the drip catcher automatically folds itself together into the form of the container orifice (generally conically round). This drop cutter is particularly distinguished by the fact that it is also watertight in oval and slightly triangular openings as the resistance between the two "wings", which constitutes the stop on the bottle can be particularly high and the COMBI DROP CUT thus wedges itself in the mouth of the bottle neck.

The COMBI DROP CUT is inserted until the "stop", which is constituted by the wings one is holding, prevents the drip catcher from being inserted further down in the liquid container than is necessary.

When the bottle is then moved from a vertical to a horizontal position to pour out the liquid in question, these two wings should point upward. Thus, the liquid will be automatically conducted in over the notch, which will cut off the liquid irrespective of the liquid's surface tension. The COMBI DROP CUT can have any "closed" form, such as round, oval, rhomboid, three- and four-sided and possibly a special form desired by a client, e.g. in the form of the client's logo.

The following description will be based on a disc-shaped (round) drip catcher.

In this disc there are, punched/cut out one above the other, two or more quadratic, U-shaped, 2-3-4-etc.-sided or V-shaped notches/slots. These can vary in breadth from 0.5 mm upwards. Usually, these slots/notches divide the drip catcher into three equal parts: two large parts with a narrower middle part. Thus, four characteristic wings appear.

A U- or V-shaped notch is cut/punched out precisely in the centre of the wide part, (This notch can also be 2-3-4-5-etc.-sided). When the drip catcher is folded together as described above (press points A and B towards one another, whereby a drop-shaped inclined spout appears; the "wings" -the part that is pressed together- should be directed upwards) and liquid is poured, the liquid will pass over the notch. When the liquid container is returned to vertical position the notch will "cut off" the liquid. The closer the liquid container gets to the vertical position the smaller becomes the surface where drips can "hang". Hereby, the liquid is eventually cut off.

The COMBI DROP CUT can be produced in any form of sheet material that has sufficient stiffness/elasticity. These can include plastic laminated paper and cardboard, metallised/coloured polyester foil, and spring metal. The thickness of the material is insignificant. (However, it must be sufficiently thin to allow the drip catcher to be inserted into the liquid container in question.)

Depending on the material, it is possible to print text/advertising/logos on the COMBI DROP CUT.

The COMBI DROP CUT can possibly be glued to the container in question. It can also be attached with string or in a case. The COMBI DROP CUT can of course also be sold individually or in boxes with one or more drip catchers. LIST OF THE FIGURES

1 Disc-shaped drip catcher with narrow U-shaped slots and a notch for cutting off liquid.

2 Disc-shaped drip catcher with two large quadratic slots and a notch for cutting off liquid. Points A and B indicate the points that are to be pressed together, in order for the invention to attain the correct drop shape. Point C indicates the distance between the slots/notches.

3 The COMBI DROP CUT seen from the front.

4 The COMBI DROP CUT seen from the side, for insertion in the bottle. (Please note the wings, which are being held here.)

5 The COMBI DROP CUT inserted in the liquid container. ( Note the wing, which is projecting upwards. When the bottle is poured from, this wing should turn upwards.

6 Two-size drip catcher.

Description of the figure..

1 Disc-shaped drip catcher with two slots/notches, which divide this drip catcher into two natural halves. Here, the slots/notches are ca. 0.5 mm wide with a U-shaped bottom. Further, there is a V-shaped notch in the centre of one of the parts of the drip catcher for cutting off liquid. (In the retail version there will be a notch at both ends, but for the sake of clarity we will confine ourselves to one in one end.)

2 Disc-shaped drip catcher with large quadratic slots/notches. Here, the slots constitute ca. one third of the length of the drip catcher, whereby the drip catcher is divided into one broad part, one narrow middle part and another broad part. Thus the characteristic wings of the drip catcher are formed. Points A and B indicate the two points (e.g. the wings in the forward part of die drip catcher), which are to be pressed against one another. Point C indicates the distance between the slots/notches.

3 Here, the drip catcher's characteristic drop shape is shown from the front. The wings are pressed together at the top, whereby one obtains a good grip on the drip catcher. When the drip catcher sits in the liquid container in question these wings will press the sides of the drip catcher out, whereby die drip catcher will wedge itself in the orifice of the liquid container

irrespective of whether the orifice is rectangular or conical, as on wine bottles. Hereby, it will also be impossible for any drops to remain if the drip catcher should, against the inventor's expectations, be used in such a way that the stream of liquid is not cut off by the notch, as is shown at the bottom of figure 3. The notch is placed precisely in the centre of the front edge. Thus, the stream is cut off when the liquid container is returned to vertical position.

4 Here the drip catcher is shown from the side before it is inserted in the container. Note once again the wings which, in addition to giving the user a good grip on the drip catcher, also constitute the stop. The distance indicated by D is the part of the drip catcher that is to be inserted into the bottle.

5 Here the drip catcher is inserted in the bottle orifice. Note once again the wings, which constitute the stop. The wings should also point upwards as here when liquid is poured from the liquid container.

6 This is the two-part drip catcher. Here the slot/notch is made all the way through. Nevertheless- this form fulfils the patent claim in that it has the two characteristic wings and a notch.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS The known technique (Patent no. 2297/90) consists of: a thin round of plastic which is to be rolled up with the fingers into a cylindrical form before being inserted into the container orifice in question. When the round is released it opens out, due to its elasticity, so as to wedge itself in the container orifice. However, as it is necessary to roll up the round in order to insert it in the container orifice, there is a great chance of it being pushed into the bottle. Moreover, this type of drip catcher cannot cut off liquids with a surface tension greater than that of red/white wine. The new technique, Jan Enggaard's COMBI DRABEFANGER (Drop Cut) patent no, 1277/92 is as described below:

1. The invention concerns a drip cutter, which can be inserted in bottle/ cask/test tube or similar liquid container orifices to effectively cut off drops and also prevent drops from running down the outside of the liquid container in question. The COMBI DROP CUT is c h ar ac t e ri z e d in that the drip catcher can have any outer form (but mostly as shown in fig.2). The COMBI DROP CUT is made of a suitable resilient material e.g. spring metal or a paper/cardboard material with a plastic or metallised upper surface or, for example, of metallised polyester. The thickness is (almost) irrelevant as it is the notch, and not the thickness of the material, that cuts off the liquid. Around the dimension/diameter of the COMBI DROP CUT, which can vary from 20 to 400 mm across, two or more slots or notches are cut, which slots or notches can vary in width from 1 mm upwards

(depending on the size of the drip catcher). These slots/notches are placed opposite one another, as in fig.1, which shows slots, and fig.2, which shows notches with the same function as the slots. (Both the slots and die notches can be V- or U-shaped or quadratic (as in fig.2) or 3-4-5-6-7-8-9-,etc .-sided or quite simply as two sizes, an example of which is shown in fig.6). Thus, the COMBI DROP CUT is divided into two equal parts. (If there are two sets of slots there will be 3 equal parts.) When the COMBI DROP CUT is to be used, points A and B in fig.

2 are pressed towards one another, whereby the COMBI DROP CUT, seen from the end (fig.

3) assumes a drop-shape and, seen from the side, has a shape as shown in fig.4. The longest part of the COMBI DROP CUT (D in fig.

4) is then pressed against the container orifice, whereby the COMBI DROP CUT, due to its outer shape (e.g. round) folds itself together to the correct diameter for the container in question. The COMBI DROP CUT is now inserted down into the container orifice until the stops That have now appeared (the wing that appears when the drip catcher is folded together) eliminate the possibility of pushing the drip catcher too far down into the container orifice. When the COMBI DROP CUT is then released the two "wings" that form the stop press the COMBI DROP CUT out so that it effectively wedges itself in the container orifice and thereby forms a drop-shaped opening. When liquid is poured from the container these wings should "point" upward thereby forcing the liquid to flow out into the part of the COMBI DROP CUT that constitutes the lower part of the said drop shape and the liquid is then forced out over the notch that is placed precisely in the centre of the front edge (the part that projects from the bottle) of the COMBI DROP CUT. The notch can be V- or U-shaped. (This can also be quadratic, 3-4-5-6-7-8-9-etc.-sided.) When the liquid container is returned to vertical position after liquid has been poured out, the liquid will be conducted in over the above-mentioned notch, due to the COMBI DROP CUTs drop-shape, and will thus be "cut" off irrespective of whether it is thick or thin.

In short, claim 1 is a drip catcher c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it consists of an elastic material, which is formed (e.g. as in fig.2) as a disc with two oblong notches, which cover a third of the disc (it is they that constitute the "stop" when the COMBI DROP CUT is pushed down into the liquid container), and thereby divide the disc into three equal parts. In the centre of both of the "broad" parts of the disc there is a notch. (It is this that cuts off the stream of liquid.)

2 The COMBI DROP CUT according to claim 1 c h ar a c t e r iz e d in that the disc is punched out or in some other way cut out in an ellipse-rectangular- triangular- rhomboid- two-size (fig.6)- or other suitable closed form, in a dimension where there is from 10 to 300 mm between the

"bottoms"(C in figure 2) of the slots/notches (but generally from 2.5 to

5.8 mm). The actual slots/notches are from 2 mm upwards according to the size of the liquid container.

3 The COMBI DROP CUT according to claims 1 or 2 characterized in that it is provided with one or several V- or U-shaped notches. (These can also be quadratic, 3-4-5-6-7-8-9-etc-shaped.) The notch has an angle of between 5° and 160° depending on the COMBI DROP CUT'S form and size.

4 The COMBI DROP CUT according to claim 1,2 or 3 characterized in that it is made of metal, paper, plastic, foil or other sheet material of a type with a smooth, water-resistant surface. The thickness of the material is of almost no significance as far as the efficiency in cutting off drops is concerned. The material can therefore be from 1.5 mm downwards according to its flexibility. The water resistance can possibly be improved by using a material with low surface adhesion.

5 The COMBI DROP CUT according to claim 1,2, 3 or 4 characterized in that, depending on the material used, advertising text/logos can be printed on it and that the COMBI DROP CUPs form can possibly also be designed as a logo.

6 The COMBI DROP CUT according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 characterized in that it can be stuck on to / loosely hung on / placed in a pocket in a bottle/wine cask or other liquid container. The product is particularly suited to precision pouring of liquids and is therefore also suited for use in test tubes, etc.. It can be sold individually or in multiples in a box or other packaging.