WO2000023337A1

WO2000023337A1 - A pouring device

Info

Publication number: WO2000023337A1
Application number: PCT/DK1999/000550
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ralph Kofoed
Original assignee: BASIL PRODUCTS AS
Current assignee: BASIL PRODUCTS AS
Priority date: 1998-10-19
Filing date: 1999-10-13
Publication date: 2000-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 2001-04-19
Also published as: EP1150894A1; AU6188499A

Abstract

The invention relates to a pouring device to be positioned in a pouring opening of a liquid container, in particular cans, said pouring device comprising an opening limiter which blocks part of the pouring opening. The pouring device is formed of a plane or substantially plane object (21) which comprises two connected parts, a first part adapted to be bent in use as a pouring device, thereby forming a hollow, and a second part serving as an opening limiter (22) which is dimensioned such that its plane extent can block part of the pouring opening and is connected with the first part in such a manner that the opening limiter (22) may be bent up toward the hollow formed by the first part, the object (21) may be positioned in the pouring opening, and the elasticity of the first part of the object allows the object to wedge in the pouring opening.

Description

A pouring device

The invention relates to a pouring device to be positioned in a pouring opening in a liquid container, in particular cans, said pouring device comprising an opening limiter which blocks part of the pouring opening.

In connection with the filling of containers, tanks and the like, particularly with liquids stored in cans, bottles and the like, it has been found that this can be a cumbersome job involving some waste. This waste is caused by the circumstance that it can be rather difficult to hit an often rather small opening because of problems as to where the jet from the can will strike. When filling up cars with e.g. sprinkler liquid or oil, it is typically experienced that waste occurs because the pouring jet cannot be controlled. Thus, there is e.g. a risk that sprinkler liquid will be spread in the engine room over vital parts and in some cases on the clothes.

The phenomena causing the uncontrollable jet are that cans are typically filled almost to capacity to minimize the package in terms of costs and transport. Hereby, a can is only to be tipped slightly before the liquid fills the entire outlet opening. Since air is also to be admitted into the can to equalize a negative pressure, this results in periodic lapping or a pulsating jet. To this should be added that in thin-walled containers, such as for storing sprinkler liquid, the side walls are deformed by the negative pressure, which in turn contributes to giving a non-constant pouring jet. Additionally, the pouring jet will typically move to and fro from one position to another. The person pouring will then try to compensate for this by moving the can to counteract the movement of the jet, which typically causes the jet movements to be intensified as the liquid laps in the can. The invention provides a pouring device which obviates the above-mentioned problems, so that a controllable jet is achieved when pouring.

This is achieved according to the invention in that the pouring device is formed of a plane or substantially plane object which comprises two connected parts. A first part which is adapted to be bent during use as a pouring device, thereby forming a hollow. And a second part which serves as an opening limiter dimensioned such that its plane extent may block part of the pouring opening and is connected to the first part in such a manner that the opening limiter may be bent up toward the hollow formed by the first part. The object may be placed in the pouring device, and the elasticity of the first part of the object causes the object to be wedged in the pouring device .

It is hereby possible to get air into the container while pouring. The opening limiter additionally serves as a "breakwater" on lapping in the container, or in other words it decelerates liquid lapping and causes it to be broken up. Thus, the invention avoids the periodic l_.ap- ping and provides control of the pouring jet. As the device is configured as a plane object which is turned into a pouring device by bending, the pouring device is cheaper to manufacture and is easier to package, display and transport. As it is a plane object, the pouring de- vice may thus expediently be injection moulded in a plastics material. The tools for a plane object are relatively inexpensive, and additionally no waste occurs, while the objects may be dyed in precisely the desired colour. As the objects are plane, it is relatively easy to provide these with desired prints, such as logo and name, subsequently. It will be appreciated that the pour- ing device may be made of another material of course, such as cardboard, typically with a plastics sheet or metal sheet laminated surface.

Injection moulding of the pouring device in plastics allows it to be manufactured in a preformed version, i.e. with a slight curvature so that the user is merely to carry out the final bending of the object, which can easily be done by pressing the edges of the object together.

As an alternative to injection moulding of plane objects, these may of course be made by punching or cutting, which is particularly of interest when another material than plastics is involved, viz. such as plastics and metal sheet laminates.

The size of the plane object is expediently adapted such that in the folded state to form the pouring device it has a size so that the edges of the object just adjoin each other, but preferably so that a small gap is present between the edges which serves as an evacuation duct. This has the additional effect that because of the flexibility of the material the pouring device will tightly, or in other words sealingly, engage the outlet opening in the container. A further advantage is that within certain limits the pouring device can fit in container openings of different sizes . Although the pouring device does not form a completely closed tube, it has been found that no liquid runs out through the gap. The liquid does run somewhat up the sides, but gradually drops down to the bottom. It will be appreciated that the pouring device may of course be positioned such that the gap will face upwards when pouring is to be effected from the container. In a particularly expedient embodiment, the opening limiter is configured as a partially circular disc, with part of the disc being configured so as to provide a passage above the disc, said disc being connected to the rest of the plane object by a connecting piece. By forming the pouring device the disc-shaped opening limiter is pressed inwardly over the rest of the plane object, which is folded to a tubular shape or a substantially tubular shape. When the opening limiter is released, the disc will jump back because of the elasticity of the material and wedge against the inner side in the tube. The discshaped opening limiter must have such an elasticity that it is not pressed down when pouring is effected from the container. It will be appreciated that the transition be- tween the disc and the plane object may generally be constructed as a decided film hinge, but preferably the material will be contiguous . The opening limiter may be positioned at the bottom of the pouring device, i.e. the part in which the liquid runs, or it may be connected with the ceiling. However, it must be ensured that air passage is allowed to the container.

In an embodiment, the first part of the object is configured so that the two opposed sides diverge in a direction away from the opening limiter. Hereby, the pouring device will have a conical shape, so that it can be pressed down into an opening to a certain limit depending on the diameter of the opening. Thus, it is ensured that the pouring device cannot disappear down into the container.

In another embodiment, the first part of the object is formed with obliquely cut corners at the opposite side of the opening limiter. The device may thereby be bent together to provide a triangular cut-out in the pouring tip of the device. This means that the pouring jet is controlled, and at the same time the jet is cut off better. In a further embodiment, the first part of the object is formed with rounded corners at the side which is connected with the opening limiter. This means that the pouring device does not block any liquid residues in the container.

In a special embodiment the object is preformed. This allows it be used directly.

In an embodiment, the pouring device is made of a flexible material, e.g. polyethylene, polyamide, polypropylene, plastics or metal sheet laminate, paper or cardboard. This facilitates the bending procedure for the in- dividual user. It additionally allows the pouring device to tightly engage the opening of the container so that no liquid runs out along the edge of the opening between the pouring device and the opening during pouring.

In a special embodiment, the opening limiter blocks preferably 50-90% of the opening of the liquid container. It has been found that this was most expedient to achieve an optimum pouring result .

In another embodiment, stop bosses are arranged on the outer side of the pouring device to cooperate with the pouring opening of the container to limit the insertion length. These stop bosses limit the depth at which the pouring device may be inserted down into the opening. The stop bosses are expediently positioned so as to cooperate with the opening rim of the pouring device of the container, but alternatively they may be positioned so that they are carried along into the container and cooperate with the top of the container. In an expedient embodiment, the opening limiter is arranged on the pouring device so that it extends a small distance, preferably about 5-10 millimetres, down into the actual container when the pouring device is placed in the opening of the container. This has been found to give the best pouring result.

Detailed description

An embodiment of the invention will be explained more fully below with reference to the figures, in which

fig. 1 shows a pouring device seen obliquely from the side,

fig. 2 shows the pouring device of fig. 1 seen from the inlet end,

fig. 3 shows the pouring device positioned in an opening of a can,

fig. 4 shows a section of the opening of a container in which the device is positioned,

fig. 5 shows the device in a special embodiment in which the device is flat and may be bent together to the devices illustrated above,

fig. 6 shows a second configuration of the pouring device according to the invention,

fig. 7 shows the pouring device in fig. 6 bent to the position of use for insertion into the pouring opening of a container, fig. 8 shows a third configuration of the pouring device according to the invention, seen from the side and from below,

fig. 9 shows the pouring device of fig. 8 seen directly from the side, and

fig. 10 shows the pouring device of figs. 8 and 9 seen directly from the inlet end.

Figures 11-15 show a particularly expedient embodiment, where

fig. 11 shows a device in an embodiment in which the device is flat and may be bent together so that it may be used as a pouring device,

fig. 12 shows the flat device seen in perspective obliquely from the side,

fig. 13 shows the pouring device positioned in the opening of a container in which a cut is made in the opening of the container,

fig. 14 shows the pouring device positioned in a container seen obliquely from above and from the side,

fig. 15 shows the pouring device positioned in a container seen from above.

Figure 1 shows the pouring device 1 with an opening limiter 2. In an embodiment, a stop boss 3 is arranged on the pouring device 1. The stop bosses 3 determine how deep the pouring device 1 can be pressed down into a con- tainer. For the pouring device 1 to be seated fixedly and seal- ingly in the pouring opening of a container, it is made of a flexible material, e.g. polyethylene, and has a slot 4. The pouring device 1 is compressed for insertion into the opening, which has an area that is smaller than the area of the pouring device in a non-compressed state. The pouring device 1 expands again when it is positioned in the opening of the container and is no longer compressed. Polyethylene is additionally advantageous in that it is resistant to the most common chemicals.

Figure 1 additionally shows the pouring device 1 from the inlet end, and it will be seen that the opening limiter 2 covers a great part of the opening. To get the best pour- ing result it has been found that the size of the opening limiter 2 should preferably have an area which is 50-90% of the inner area of the opening. Since the device limits the amount of liquid that can get out, it is possible for air to enter into the container, and consequently a con- trollable pouring jet is obtained.

Figure 3 illustrates the pouring device 1 when it is arranged in a can 5 with a pouring spout with external threads for closing with a threaded cap. It will be seen here how the pouring device is pressed down into the opening 6 until the stop bosses 3 hit the edge of the opening. It will additionally be seen that part of the pouring device 1 protrudes from the opening 6 of the can, which means that the pouring device 1 serves as a drip collector.

Figure 4 shows a section of the pouring opening of a container 5 in which the pouring device 1 is positioned. It will be seen that the pouring device 1 extends a distance down into the actual container. This is necessary for air to get into the container, and in a preferred embodiment the device extends 5-10 mm into the actual container.

Figure 5 shows a plane object 7 of which the pouring de- vice 1 is formed. This plane object 7 is of a flexible material, e.g. moulded in polyethylene. Thus, for use it can be folded together, and the opening limiter 2 is bent up. The object 7 thereby forms the pouring device 1 described above. It is additionally noted that the object 7 has an incision 8. These incisions 8 make it possible to place the object 7 below the handle on a can. This is done by folding the object 7 slightly and pushing it inwardly below the handle of the can so that the incisions 8 engage the actual handle. It should be noted that the stop bosses 3 should be placed before the slots seen from the inlet end, since this eliminates the risk of spilling liquid through the incisions 8.

Another configuration of the pouring device in the form of a plane object is shown in fig. 6 of the drawing, where the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals as in the foregoing. In contrast to the pouring device shown in fig. 5, the opening limiter 2 is here formed as two disc-shaped parts 2a, 2b hingedly connected 9a, 9b with the rest of the plane object. By folding of the plane object to a tubular shape the two disc-shaped parts 2a, 2b will be seated at their respective sides as shown in fig. 7. The two disc-shaped parts are essentially semicircular and together slightly larger than the clear of the folded object, more particularly the length h is slightly greater than the radius of the tubular shape. Folding causes the two parts 2a, 2b to be pressed into the tubular shape, and as they are slightly larger than the clear, they will be fixed against each other. The external corners of the part 2a, 2b have a smaller radius of curvature than the radius of the tubular shape, i.e. the corners where the parts meet in the centre are pulled in, thereby providing a free passage 10a, 10b at the top as well as at the bottom in the tubular shape through which the liquid can run out, and the air is sucked in at the uppermost free passage 10a.

An alternative embodiment to this is a plane rectangular object, i.e. without the disc-shaped parts 2a, 2b, but where the corner regions 11a, lib indicated in dashed line in fig. 6 are bent in to form the opening limiter. The shape of the corner regions may of course be adapted to the desired geometry of the opening limiter in the folded state of the object.

A third embodiment of the pouring device according to the invention is shown in figs. 8, 9, 10 of the drawing. These parts, too, are designated by the same reference numerals as in the foregoing. This pouring device is three-dimensional, i.e. of injection moulded plastics with the shape shown. Expressed differently, it is a plane object which is preformed. Of course, the tools are a little more costly for this than for a plane object, but the configuration has the advantage that it is easier to fold to the desired tubular shape, which can be done merely by pressing the edges together. The plane object is to be folded to a tubular shape while the opening limiter is folded up and kept in position. Like the foregoing ones, this configuration of the pouring device can of course be placed below the handle of a can.

It will be appreciated that the pouring devices described above and shown in the drawing may of course be formed with the incisions 8 concerned for attachment below the handle of a can. The plane configuration of the pouring device has the advantage in terms of packaging and display that it can be mounted in a simple manner on a plane piece of cardboard, e.g. by using the incisions 8 in cooperation with a pro- truding flap from the cardboard. The latter may be provided with prints , such as instructions and various other items of information, and the cardboard may be hung directly on the usual hooks on shop furniture.

A particularly expedient embodiment of the pouring device will be described below.

Figure 11 shows a device 21 which may be bent together to form a pouring device. The device 21 is flat and is formed with a pouring limiter 22 at one end.

At the opposite end relative to the opening limiter 22 the device is configured such that the two opposite sides 23 diverge. The divergence is in a direction away from the opening limiter, and it increases in the end part of the device. The diverging sides mean that when the device is folded to a pouring device, it will have a conical shape. Thus, when positioned in the opening of a container, the pouring device can be pressed down into the container to a certain limit depending on the diameter of the opening. This ensures that the pouring device cannot disappear down into the container.

Moreover, the corners 24 are cut, which means that in the bent state a triangular cut-out is provided in the pouring tip of the pouring device, and a tapering pouring tip is provided in combination with the conical shape. As a result, the jet will be cut off better, so that the pouring device is drip-free. At the end where the opening limiter 22 is positioned, the corners 25 are rounded. This means that in the bent state the pouring device will have two sides 23 which coincide in the pouring tip of the pouring device, and that spacing between these sides 23 is established when the rounding 25 begins. The advantage of this is explained in connection with figure 13.

Figure 12 shows the device 21 seen from the side. It is noted that rigidity of the device is a requirement. Thus, both the thickness and rigidity of the material are of importance. The rigidity inter alia decides the amount of pressure against the sides of the opening when the pouring device is positioned in an opening of a container. Thus, the rigidity is important in connection with the retention of the pouring device in the opening.

Additionally, a great rigidity can cause the container opening to yield and conform to the pouring device so that the pouring device sealingly engages the opening. Thus, in an embodiment it is of interest to select a material which is rigid enough both to secure the pouring device and to form the opening. At the same time, the device must be capable of being folded and positioned in the container opening solely by hand.

Figure 13 shows the device 21 folded together to a pouring device 31 which is positioned in a container. The pouring device is positioned such that the opening lim- iter 22 is bent forwards toward the front part of the container to block the opening of the pouring device. An improvement in the pouring properties is thus achieved relative to a pouring device where the opening limiter 22 is positioned with a rotation of 180 degrees. It is addi- tionally ensured by positioning the pouring device in the manner shown that it does not cut off any residue in the container so that it can be emptied completely. Such cutoff does not take place because the corners 25 shown in figure 11 are rounded. Alternatively, the side length of the container might be shortened. However, it is desired to maintain a length such that the opening limiter 22 extends a distance down into the container. The opening limiter 22 ensures that air can be admitted into the container when pouring, thereby providing a controllable pouring jet without periodic lapping.

Figure 14 shows the pouring device positioned in a container, seen from the side. It appears how the diverging sides 23 and the cut corners 24 create an advantageous pouring tip. The pouring device is pressed down into the opening until the sides 23 meet each other, and then the pouring device cannot be pressed further down into the opening.

Figure 15 shows the pouring device positioned in a con- tainer, seen from above. It appears clearly here how the opening limiter 22 blocks part of the opening of the pouring device. It is noted that when pouring is effected from the container, the liquid will run out through the lowermost part of the opening 51 and air will enter through the uppermost part of the opening 52. Hereby, the opening limiter allows air to be admitted into the container when pouring, thereby providing a controllable pouring jet without periodic lapping.

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i m s

1. A pouring device to be positioned in a pouring open- ing of a liquid container, in particular cans, said pouring device comprising an opening limiter which blocks part of the pouring opening, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the pouring device is formed of a plane or substantially plane object (21) which comprises two con- nected parts, a first part adapted to be bent during use as a pouring device, thereby forming a hollow, and a second part serving as an opening limiter (22) which is dimensioned such that its plane extent may block part of the pouring opening and is connected to the first part in such a manner that the opening limiter (22) may be bent up toward the hollow formed by the first part, the object (21) may be positioned in the pouring opening, and the elasticity of the first part of the object allows the object to wedge in the pouring opening.

2. A pouring device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the opening limiter (22) is configured as a partially circular disc, with part of the disc shaped to provide a passage above the disc, said disc being connected to the rest of the plane object (21) by a connecting piece.

3. A pouring device according to claims 1 and 2, c h a r a c t e r i z ed in that the first part of the object is configured so that the two opposite sides (23) diverge in a direction away from the opening limiter (22).

4. A pouring device according to claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the first part of the object is formed with obliquely cut corners (24) at the opposite side of the opening limiter (22).

5. A pouring device according to claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the first part of the object is formed with rounded corners (25) at the side which is connected with the opening limiter (22).

6. A pouring device according to claims 1-5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the object (21) is preformed.

7. A pouring device according to claims 1-6, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that it is made of a flexible material, e.g. polyethylene, polyamide, polypropylene, plastics or metal sheet laminate, paper or cardboard.

8. A pouring device according to claims 1-7, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that the opening limiter (22) blocks preferably 50-90% of the opening of the liquid container.

9. A pouring device according to claims 1-8, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that stop bosses (3) are arranged on its outer side for cooperation with the pouring opening of the container to limit the insertion length.

10. A pouring device according to claims 1-9, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that the opening limiter (22) is positioned on the pouring device such that it extends a small distance, preferably about 5-10 millimetres, down into the actual container when the pouring device (21) is positioned in the opening of the container.