WO1992002447A1

WO1992002447A1 - Dispenser wand for granules

Info

Publication number: WO1992002447A1
Application number: PCT/US1991/005709
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael E. Deiker; Cathie A. Deiker
Original assignee: Tetra Technologies Inc; Tetra Tech Inc
Current assignee: Tetra Technologies Inc; Tetra Tech Inc
Priority date: 1990-08-10
Filing date: 1991-08-12
Publication date: 1992-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 1993-02-10

Abstract

A container or dispenser (100) adapted to be used for dispersing a granular composition (60) upon surfaces in an effective manner. The container (100) comprises a tubular body (10) that has a closed bottom (21) and a one-piece plastic molded dispenser cap (30). The dispenser cap (30) has an adjustable, resealable flap (32) for dispensing the granules (60) from the body (10). The flap (32) can be locked into any of several positions and desirably has screening ribs (46) and (48) that prevent large clumps of granules (60) from being dispensed. The tubular body (10) is of sufficient length and diameter to contain several pounds of a granular composition (60). The body (10) is shaped to provide the user with the ability to disperse the granules (60) upon the surface by a wanding movement, taking advantage of centrifugal forces. The user supports the container (100) horizontally with a hand at each end of the body (10) and using the hand at the bottom end (21) as a pivot while moving the dispenser end (31) through arcs that are parallel to the surface being covered.

Description

DISPENSER WAND FOR GRANULES

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to the containment, storage and dispensing of granular compositions.

BACKGROUND ART Granular compositions are typically sold to the consumer in bulk and packaged in either plastic or paper sacks. In order to apply these compositions to surfaces (such as steps, driveways, walkways, lawns, oily surfaces, etc.) that are desired to be covered with the granules, the sack must be opened and the granules spread about the surface. A common way to accomplish this is to scoop small quantities of granules from the bag and toss them about the surface. This is normally accomplished by using a small scoop, a small container or simply grabbing the granules in one's hands. It is also common to spread the granules by pouring them from the sack directly onto the surface.

The disadvantages of spreading the granules in the aforesaid ways are numerous. First, people attempting to apply these granules must either carry the awkward sacks with them as they attempt to uniformly disperse the granules or else transfer the granules into a more convenient container. Application of the granules by tossing or attempting to pour small quantities of the granules from the sack often results in a nonuniform dispersion of the granules upon the surface, with heavy concentrations in some areas and weak concentrations in others. This is not only an uneconomical use of the granules but could cause undue environmental and safety risks by leaving large concentrations of these granules which may have adverse effects on adjacent vegetation or paved surfaces. Also some areas that need application of the granules are difficult or dangerous to reach effectively by simply tossing the granules — for example, in spreading ice-melting granules, such as under an automobile parked on a driveway or when trying to apply a limited amount around a tire of an automobile stuck in snow or ice. If an entire sack is not used, the opening must somehow be shut in order to prevent accidental spillage of or exposure to the moisture of the air of the granules. This is usually ineffective, so over time the sack may deteriorate or be knocked over, or the contents may be exposed to sufficient moisture to turn the granules into large solid clumps.

Other granule-dispensing equipment is used to overcome the problems of the hands or scoops. These dispensers have lids with openings that permit the granules to be dispensed in a salt-shaker fashion. However, these dispensers suffer from their own limitations in that their length-to-diameter ratio is too small relative to the amount of weight in the container. In essence, users find it very difficult and burdensome to shake granules from a "squatty and heavy" salt-shaker type of dispenser. In addition, it limits the range in which the user can dispense material with each arm motion to the ground area directly below the container openings. The actions of the user of such a dispenser are very similar in appearance to that of a person shaking salt onto food. While it is very easy to do this with a 5-ounce container, it is extremely difficult to do with a 5- to 20-pound container.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION The present invention provides a disposable container for granular composition such as grass seed, fertilizer, ice-melting compounds, oil-drying compounds, fish feeds, granular pesticides, granular herbicides and any other granular compositions that require a wide and even dispersion. The invention is adapted so that the granules may be dispensed directly from the container to the surface in a uniform manner, and if all of the granules are not used during a particular application, the container may be resealed to prevent spillage or exposure.

In different embodiments of the invention the shape and construction of the invention may vary. The cross-sectional shape of the invention may be comprised of one of various geometric shapes, such as ovals, circles, squares, triangles, or any other shape that allows the user to comfortably grasp the container. Additionally, the disposable container may be constructed of a lightweight rigid material, such as pressed paper (cardboard), thick cardboard, plastic, fiberglass or metal depending on the specific application. For example, a more durable material such as plastic, fiberglass or metal may be used for industrial use, while pressed paper or thick cardboard may be used for residential use. The container may also be construced of a lightweight semi-rigid material, such as thick rubber. The flexibility provided by the thick rubber material would aid in dispersing the granules utilizing centrifugal force. The material must be rigid enough that the integrity of the container does not break down or fail. If the body material is susceptible to moisture penetration or corrosion, the body may be coated with a vapor barrier that will prevent moisture from seeping into the body and causing the granules to clump together or corrode the container. This vapor barrier may be composed of epoxies, silicones, plastics, coal tars, sarans or the like.

In a preferred embodiment, the container is made up of a "wand" or tubular body that has a dispensing end and a sealed bottom end. The bottom end is a plug that is sealed to the inside of the body, where at least a portion of the outside of the plug defines a flat surface on which the container may be stood. The plug may be constructed of pressed paper, plastic, fiberglass, metal or rubber. Alternatively, the container and bottom end may be a continuous structure that has an attached dispensing end. The dispensing end has a one-piece molded plastic dispensing cap with an orifice that limits the flow of the granules from the body and a positive positioned flap that limits the flow from the orifice and is adapted to dispense the granules toward a side of the body. The flap is further adapted with screening means that prevent large clumps from being dispersed from the container. The dispensing end is securely attached to the body; alternatively, the dispensing end may be removable to allow an empty container to be refilled with granular composition. The diameter of the body is such that the body can be supported by a person's hands. The length of the body is great enough to allow for two-handed support of the tube in a way that would orient the length of the tube horizontally and allow the dispensing end to be easily waved through arcs that are generally parallel to the surface being covered so that the granules may be "wanded" upon the surface in a generally uniform dispersion. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the ratio of the length of the tube to the diameter of the tube ratio would be four or greater. As the length of the container is increased, the user may utilize centrifugal force to spread the granules evenly, thus relieving stress from the arms of the user. Further, the invention may comprise a handle at the bottom end of the container to facilitate the user's grasping of the container and employing centrifugal force to spread the granules upon a surface evenly. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a container for a granular composition that may also be used as a dispenser for the granules in order to achieve a uniform dispersion of the granules upon the surface.

It is another object of this invention to provide a resealable container that also is a dispenser for granular compositions.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an easily storable container for granular compositions that is also adapted to act as a dispenser of the granules.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a container, that when acting as a dispenser of granular compositions, is easily manageable by a person's hands in order to achieve a uniform dispersion of granules upon the surface.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a container that, when acting as a dispenser, may dispense granular compositions into locations that are difficult to reach. It is a still further object of this invention to have the container and dispenser incorporated into a single unit thereby reducing the chance of user contact with the granular composition to a minimum.

It is a still further object of this invention to allow the user to take advantage of centrifugal force while spreading the granular composition by increasing the length-to-diameter ratio of the container.

It is an advantage of certain embodiments of this invention that they may be stored with the tubular body oriented vertically and standing on its bottom end. It is a further advantage of this invention that the granular composition contained within may be shaken in order to break up any small clumps that have formed without the user coming into contact with the clumps.

It is a further advantage of this invention that the container may be refilled with granular composition.

It is a feature of this invention that the tube which contains the granular composition is sufficiently long to allow for two-handed gripping of the tube. It is a further feature of this invention that the user is able to employ the concept of centrifugal force to aid the user in spreading the granules in an uniform manner. It is a further feature of this invention that the orifice in the dispenser cap directs the flow of the granular composition towards a side, so that when combined with gravity, greater control over the dispersion of the granules may be obtained.

It is another feature of this invention to provide means for screening the granular composition before dispersion to prevent large clumps of granules from being dispensed from the container.

It is another feature of this invention that generally uniform dispersion of the granules is readily accomplished by waving the dispenser end while using the bottom end as a pivot point. It is a still further feature of this invention to provide means to refill the container with granular composition.

The invention is intended for use with any granular composition that requires an even, uniform distribution upon a surface. The granular compositions may be grass seed, fertilizer, ice-melting compound, oil absorbing compound or any other granular composition of this nature. Ice-melting compound and its use is excellent for visual and application purposes to demonstrate the effectiveness of the invention. Therefore, ice-melting granules will be referred to in the following description as a specific use of the general nature of the invention. The use of ice- melting granules in the description is not intended to limit the application of the invention but rather to demonstrate one of a variety of applications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container/dispenser of the present invention, from the side near the top, with the flap of the dispenser cap in its maximum open position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred dispenser cap incorporated in the container/dispenser of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the dispenser cap shown in FIG. 2 that has a section of the secondary flange cut away so that the lip, stop detent and rail are visible.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a person using the container/dispenser of the invention by "wanding" ice-melting granules onto a driveway. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a person using the container/dispenser of the present invention to place ice-melting granules under an automobile tire.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the container/dispenser illustrating an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The function of the present invention will best be understood by considering the structure of the particular embodiment of FIG. 1.

The container/dispenser 100 shown in FIG. 1 is made up of a tubular body 10, an end plug 20 that is sealed to the bottom end 21 of the body, and a dispenser cap 30 that is sealed to the dispenser end 31 of the tube. The container/dispenser 100 desirably holds from about six pounds to about fourteen pounds of a granular ice-melting composition, generally but not necessarily a salt. Preferably the container/dispenser 100 contains about ten pounds of ice-melting composition. The container is desirably disposable once its contents have been exhausted. An alternative embodiment may be refilled by removing the cap 30, replacing the ice- melting composition, and then replacing the cap 30. The granular ice-melting composition 60 may be NaCl, preferably in the form known as rock salt, CaCl₂, KC1, any combination of them or any composition that has the general characteristics of being granular in form and capable of melting ice. A currently preferred embodiment of the device is capable of containing about ten pounds of ice-melting granules.

The tubular body 10 is generally rigid with a circular cross-section, having an outside diameter between about three inches and five inches. Alternatively the cross-section of the body may be a polygon or some combination of linear and circular segments. The length of the body may be from about twenty-four inches to about forty inches.

A preferred version has a circular cross-section with an outside diameter of approximately four inches, a wall thickness of approximately one-eighth inch, and a length of approximately thirty inches. This size is particularly suitable for being manipulated in a "wanding" motion in accordance with the present invention.

The body 10 may be constructed from any lightweight rigid material that is capable of containing the ice-melting granules and keeping moisture from coming into contact with the granules. Desirably pressed paper (cardboard) is used, with a 0.002-inch coating of polyethylene on the outside to provide a moisture barrier for extended shelf life. Alternatively, a body of rigid plastic might be used, in which case the thickness of the wall would be about one-eighth inch. Alternatively, a body of metal, fiberglass or semi-rigid thick rubber may be used, in which case the thickness of the wall for each material will vary.

The end 21 of the body is sealed with an end plug 20. The end plug 20 may be held in place by glue or one or more staples. The end plug 20 may fit inside the end of the body 10 or, as shown, have a flange 22 that fits over the outside of the end 21 of the body 10, in which case the plug 20 will function like a cap. If the body 10 is pressed paper with a moisture barrier on the outside, the presence of a flange 22 prevents moisture from being introduced through the end 21 of the body 10. Desirably the plug 20 is shaped so that the container/dispenser 100 is stable when the tubular body 10 is in the vertical position with its bottom end 21 down (i.e. the position shown in Fig. 1). The plug 20 may be a plastic molded unit that fits on the inside of the body 10 and is held in place by staples. Alternatively, the end of the body and the body may be a continuous molded unit, where the end is flat to allow the container to stand upright. Additionally, a handle (not shown) may be attached or molded onto the bottom end of the container.

A dispenser cap 30 is desirably sealed to the dispenser end of the body 10. This may be accomplished by glue or staples. Alternatively, to permit refilling of the container, the dispenser cap 30 may be threaded to screw onto threads (not illustrated) near the top end 31 of the body. As another alternative to provide a refillable container, the end plug 20 may be optionally force fit into its position or threaded to screw into position, so that it may be removed and replaced.

The dispenser cap 10 is adapted to provide a resealable orifice that is directed to the side of the body 10. The cap 30 is further adapted to screen any large clumps of the granules from being dispensed.

A preferred version of the dispenser cap 30 is a one-piece, molded plastic cap that has a movable, multi-position, plastic flap 32. The cap 30 has a primary flange 34 that has an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the body 10. The primary flange 34 is connected to a secondary flange 36 at a shoulder 38.

The secondary flange 36 has an outside diameter approximately equal to the outside diameter of the body 10 and an inside diameter approximately equal to the inside diameter of the body 10. The secondary flange 36 is closed with a top 40. The primary flange 34 fits over the body 10 and the inside of the shoulder 38 is butted against the dispenser end of the body 10, and the dispenser cap 30 is sealed to the body 10 in this position. In some cases it is desirable to include a gasket 37 between the dispenser end of the body 10 and the inside of the shoulder 38 to assist in preventing leakage of granules by providing a more effective seal between the body 20 and the cap 30.

A portion of top 40 is a resealable flap 32 that remains part of the top 40 and is pivotally hinged to the top by a linear segment of thin plastic 42. The segment of thin plastic 42 is symmetrical about the center of the top 40 and passes approximately through the center of the top 40. The flap 32 is free of the top 40 along two symmetrical line segments 44 that extend from the ends of the hinge 42, in the same direction, towards the secondary flange 36. These line segments 44 may be parallel or divergent, but in the case in the illustrated embodiment they are convergent, so that at the place where the line segments 44 intersect the secondary flange 36, the orifice will be a desired size.

The flap 32 is also free of the secondary flange 36, enabling the flap 32 to be pivoted about the hinge 42, thereby creating an orifice 33 in the top 40. The orifice 33 is therefore defined by the line segments 44, the hinge along line segment 42, and the inside of the secondary flange 36. The flap 32 is further defined by these lines until they intersect a circle that is concentric with and slightly larger than the secondary flange 36. This provides a slight protrusion beyond the secondary flange 36 to ease the operation of the flap 32. The flap 32 desirably also incorporates screening ribs 46 and 48 that prevent large clumps of granules from being dispensed from the device and add stiffness to the flap 32.

The number of intermediate screening ribs 46 is determined by the size of the clumps that are to be prevented from being dispensed. If one intermediate screening rib 46 is used, two openings are formed in the orifice 33, and in general, for any number n of intermediate ribs 46, n+1 openings are defined by the intermediate ribs 46, the outer screening ribs 48, the flap 32 and the rail 50. In the illustrated embodiment there are two end ribs 48, that are below the flap 32 along line segments 44, and three intermediate screening ribs 46, uniformly spaced between the end ribs 48, which allows clumps or granules up to a maximum cross- section of approximately one-half inch by three-fourths inch to be dispensed.

The screening ribs 46 and 48 are pie-shaped with one linear edge extending along the bottom side of the flap 32, approximately from the hinge 42 to the inside of the secondary flange 36, and the second linear edge, having about the same length, located through a radial distance that has the second edge being approximately parallel with the underside of the top 40 when the flap 32 is in its maximum open position.

The ribs 46 and 48 are joined together by a rail 50 which extends through a segment of a circle that is concentric to the inside circumference of the secondary flange 36 but slightly smaller. The rail 50 is located on the ribs approximately at the corner formed at the furthest distance on the ribs 46, 48 from the flap 32 and the circular segment of the rib.

The rail 50 has stop tabs 52 that protrude from the rail 50 toward the inside of the secondary flange 36. These stop tabs 52 catch the lip 54 in order to prevent the flap 32 from being completely opened, thereby limiting the granular flow through the orifice. The lip 54 is located along on the inside of the secondary flange 36 at the orifice that is created when the flap 32 is opened; it is a circular segment that is concentric to the circles making up the inside of the secondary flange 36 and the outside of the rail 50. The radius of the lip 54 is slightly larger than that of rail 50 and slightly smaller than the inside radius of secondary flange 36 inside radius.

Two of the intermediate ribs 46 have detent tabs 56 located on their circular segments, facing the lip 54, that provide for positive positioning of the flap 32 by catching the lip 54 between a detent tab 56 and the bottom of the flap 32 (the closed position), between two detent tabs 56 (intermediate open positions), and a detent tab 56 and the stop tabs 52 (maximum open position). The detent tabs 56 may be of varying sizes depending on the amount that the flap 32 is desired to be opened. In these positions the flap 32 further acts to direct the flow of granules through the orifice towards a side of the body 20.

A dispenser cap 30 as illustrated is available as a SIDEPOUR CLOSURE from Magenta Corporation, Chicago, IL. The SIDEPOUR CLOSURE is sealed to the outside of the dispenser end of the tube 10 by adhesive. The SIDEPOUR CLOSURE provides a resealable orifice that is directed to the side of the tube 10 and is in a fixed relationship to the tube 10.

The embodiment of Fig. 1 is used by opening the flap 32 to one of the positive positions and picking up the device. When the device is oriented with the dispenser end facing up or the opening that is comprised by the orifice 33 and the flap 32 facing up, none of the granules 60 will be dispensed.

A preferred gripping of the device, when a large area is to be deiced, is to hold the device roughly horizontally with one hand at the bottom end of the body 10 and the other hand supporting and directing the dispenser cap 10. This position allows the user to "wand" the granules upon the surface being de-iced in order to achieve a uniform dispersion of the granules. The "wanding" of the granules is accomplished by using the hand holding the bottom of the body as a pivot and using the other hand to move dispenser end through an arc that is roughly parallel to the surface being de-iced. The "wanding" motion is illustrated in Fig. 4. The device may also be used to apply the granules to difficult to reach areas, such as under spinning car tires, by gripping the bottom end and extending the dispenser end to the area that is to be de-iced. This is illustrated in Fig. 5. If small clumps of granules form, the flap 32 may be closed and the device shaken in order to break them up without the user having to come in contact with the ice-melting composition.

Fig. 6 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention. Attached to the body 10 at the near the bottom end 21 is a hand grip 23 that provides the user improved holding control of the dispenser 100. The hand grip 23 may be attached to the body 10 using a water insoluble adhesive or rivets depending on the construction of the dispenser 100. Alternatively, a hand grip 23 could be onto or incorporated into the plug 20. This alternative hand grip 23 position simply offers -li¬ the user a different holding area that may be more comfortable to some users.

Although the present invention has been described particularly with respect to the illustrated embodiment, variations within the scope of the appended claims may be accomplished without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Claims

CLAIMSHaving thus described the invention, what is desired to claim and thereby protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A disposable container for storing and dispensing a granular composition comprising:

(a) a generally rigid tubular body with a circular cross-section having a length and girth adapted for a user to be able to support and manipulate said body with two hands and such that said body has a capacity for a useful amount of said granular composition, said body having a dispenser end and a bottom end,

(b) means for closing the bottom end of the body, and

(c) a plastic dispenser cap in sealed communication with the dispenser end of the body, said cap defining an orifice adapted for dispensing the granules and comprising resealable means for closing the orifice and directing an outgoing flow of granules generally to a side of the body, whereby when the orifice is uncovered and the container is oriented in a gravity- draining position, the granules are dispensed from the container.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the body is flexible.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the body is shaped to allow the user to grasp said container.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the cross-section of the body is an oval, circle, rectangle, triangle, or multiple-sided figure.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the body is of pressed paper, plastic, fiberglass, metal or rubber.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a vapor barrier which prevents moisture from entering said body.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the means for closing the bottom end of the body comprises a plug that is sealed to the inside of the body, at least a portion of the outside of said plug defining a flat surface on which the container may be stood.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein the plug is of a lightweight rigid material.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein the plug is of pressed paper, plastic, fiberglass, metal or rubber.

10. The container of claim 7, wherein the plug is sealed to the inside of the bottom end of the body by glue or staple.

11. The container of claim 1, wherein said bottom end is integral with said body, at least a portion of the outside of said bottom end defining a flat surface on which the container may be stood.

12. The container of claim 1, further comprising a handle attached to the body.

13. The container of claim 1, wherein the dispenser cap is a one-piece molded unit.

14. The container of claim 1, wherein the dispenser cap is affixed to the body by glue or staple.

15. The container of claim 1, wherein the dispenser cap is removably secured to the body.

16. The container of claim 1, further comprising a gasket between the dispenser end of the body and the dispenser cap.

17. The container of claim 1, wherein said resealable means further comprises means for screening the flow of granules, whereby only granules of a size which can pass through the screening means are dispensed.

18. The container of claim 17, wherein said screening means comprises an intermediate screening rib integral with said dispenser cap that extends perpendicularly away from the side of the flap that faces the inside of the container and is oriented to form a uniform set of openings across the orifice defined by the flap, whereby the granules are directed through the openings as they are dispensed and any clumps of granules that are too large to pass are contained within the tube.

19. The container of claim 18, wherein a plurality n of said intermediate screening ribs define n+1 openings in said orifice.

20. The container of claim 19, wherein there are three intermediate screening ribs.

21. The container of claim 1 wherein: (a) the body is of a lightweight material, is at least three inches in diameter and is at least four times as long as the diameter,

(b) the means for closing the bottom end of the body comprises a plug that is securely attached to the body,

(c) the dispenser cap is sealed to the dispenser end of the body by adhesive, and a resealable, adjustable flap covers the orifice, and said flap further comprises a plurality of ribs that extend perpendicularly away from the side of the flap that faces the inside of the tube, said ribs being adapted so that the granules pass through the space between the ribs before being dispensed.

22. The invention of claim 21, wherein the bottom end is integral with the container body.

23. The container of claim 1 wherein the body and the means for closing the bottom end of the body comprises a tube that is open at the dispenser end and closed at the bottom end.

24. A method for a user to dispense a granular composition from a container to achieve a generally uniform dispersion upon a surface to be covered, which container comprises:

(a) a generally rigid tubular body having a length and a girth adapted for a user to support the body with two hands, said body containing a useful amount of granular composition, said body having a dispenser end and a sealed bottom, and

(b) a dispenser cap in sealed communication with the dispenser end of the body, said cap having an orifice through which the granular composition is dispensed and comprising resealable means for covering the orifice and generally directing the flow of granules towards a side of the body, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) opening the resealable means for covering the orifice, (ii) lifting the container, (iii) supporting the container, in a gravity-draining orientation, with the dispenser end of the body facing away from the user,

(iv) manually moving the dispenser end of the body through a generally circular arc that is generally parallel to the surface to be covered while the dispenser end is traversing the surface being covered, whereby a generally uniform dispersion of granules on the surface to be covered is formed.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the dispenser cap is removably sealed onto the dispenser end of the body by screw threads, further comprising the steps of: (v) when the contents of the container are substantially exhausted, unscrewing the dispenser cap and removing it from the body, (vi) refilling the container with a granular composition, and (viii) replacing the dispenser cap and screwing it back onto the body, and then

(ix) repeating steps (i) through (iv).