Abstract:
A container, such as a flask, from which a liquid can be poured uninterruptedly employs an air ingress tube which includes a tube attached near one end within the neck of the flask or other container. The tube extends from the neck region of the flask down to near the bottom internal surface of the flask. The tube allows air to flow to the air cavity that is formed when pouring from the flask, resulting in a smooth pour. In addition to the air ingress tube and the flask, a kit may include a specially designed funnel to adjust the tube.

Description:
[0001]    This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 61/303,311 filed Feb. 11, 2010. The disclosure of the provisional application is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This application relates to flasks, and more specifically to an apparatus for smoothing the flow of liquid out of flasks, particularly those with narrow openings. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Flasks or containers have long been known and widely used. One type of flask is sometimes referred to as a “hip flask” as it is narrow and has a slight curve allowing the flask to be carried in a pocket more comfortably than other flasks. Flasks may be used to carry small amounts of liquor. A typical hip flask has a small opening for the contents to be poured from and drunk from. The opening may be sealed by a screw cap to prevent any contents from spilling when not in use. Though such flasks have achieved considerable popularity and commercial success, there is a need for a more efficient pour as the flask opening is narrow. When a traditional flask is tilted to dispense the liquid contents, the necessary flow of air into the flask is constricted by the flow of liquid out of the flask, resulting in a turbulent flow of liquid from the flask such as a gurgling effect, rather than a laminar flow. No known effective and aesthetically pleasing solution has until now been brought to commercial market. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0004]    An air ingress tube is attached within the neck of a flask or other container. The tube extends from the neck region of the flask down to near the internal base surface. The tube allows air to flow to the air cavity that is formed when pouring from the flask. When liquid is poured or drunk from the flask, air enters the ingress tube near the flask neck, passes through it and then out into the lower portion of the flask to replace the space vacated by the exiting liquid, resulting in a smooth and uninterrupted pour. 
         [0005]    Disclosed herein is a container from which a liquid can be poured uninterruptedly, comprising a body adapted to contain a liquid, a neck on the body having an opening through which liquid may pass into or from the body; an interior base surface on the body; and a hollow conduit disposed in the body and having a first open end mounted inside the neck and a second open end terminating proximal to the interior base surface; wherein, when the body is tilted for pouring out the liquid, an ingress of air through the hollow conduit permits the liquid to pour out uninterruptedly through the neck. 
         [0006]    Also disclosed herein is an air ingress tube assembly for a container comprising: a hollow conduit having a first open end and a second open end; a sprung leaf attached to the hollow conduit proximal to the first open end; and a projection at the second open end configured to prevent an interior surface of a container from blocking the second open end. 
         [0007]    Further disclosed herein is a kit comprising: an air ingress tube assembly as described above; a hip-flask having a neck; and a funnel, wherein the funnel is configured to be inserted into the neck and mate with the first open end of the hollow conduit. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention, but should not be construed as restricting the scope of the invention in any way. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a container, such as a flask, with an air ingress tube attached to its interior at the neck. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows an inverted flask with an air ingress tube. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows an air ingress tube mounted in the neck of a flask. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows a plan view of an air ingress tube assembly. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows an end view of the air ingress tube assembly of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows an isometric view of the inner end of an air ingress tube with a protrusion. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 7-8  show a funnel for use with a flask fitted with an air ingress tube assembly. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  shows how a funnel mates with a flask neck and air ingress tube. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 10-12  show an alternate way of making an air ingress tube assembly. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  shows the main elements of an embodiment of the invention. A container such as a hip flask is shown, with a body  10  adapted to contain a liquid, and a neck  12  on the body  10  having an opening or aperture  14  at the upper end of the neck  12  through which the liquid may pass from the body  10 . The dotted line  16  indicates the extent of the outer concave surface of the hip flask intended to face the hip when in a pocket. The body  10  of the flask has a lower, interior surface  18  and encloses a volume  19  into which liquids may be poured. Hip flasks with 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz or other capacities may be used. Other containers or flasks may be used, and they may be those available off the shelf, e.g. prefabricated, or they may be custom made to accommodate the present invention. 
         [0020]    Inside the body  10  of the flask is a tube  20  or other hollow conduit with an outer end  22  having an outer aperture  23 , and an inner end  24  having aperture  25 . The tube  20  is held in place in the neck  12  on the body  10 . In this embodiment, the tube  20  is attached to the inner wall  26  of the neck  12 . The attachment of the tube  20  to the inner wall of the neck may be temporary, for example by friction, or permanent, for example by welding. The tube  20  my be attached directly or indirectly, such as via an intermediate component, to the inner wall  26  of the neck  12 . 
         [0021]    At the inner end  24  of the tube  20  there is a projection  28  which serves to space the inner end  24  of the tube  20  a small distance from the lower interior surface  18  of the body  10 . The projection  28  may be in contact with the lower interior surface  18  of the body  10 . The projection  28  may be formed by cutting away a portion of the tube rim. The projection  28  is optional. In the case where a tube  20  is accurately welded to the inner surface of the neck, there may be no need for a projection  28 . If the tube  20  is held in the neck by friction, there may be some freedom for it to move up and down, and so a projection  28  may be necessary. The function of the projection is to prevent the aperture  25  of the inner end  24  of the tube  20  from being substantially closed by the lower interior surface  18  of the body  10 . Other forms of projection may be employed, or other forms of aperture may be used in order to provide this function, such as an aperture in the side wall of the tube. 
         [0022]    Note that the outer end  22  of the tube  20  sits a little way below the aperture  14  of the flask. This is not a requirement, but it makes the flask more comfortable to drink from. 
         [0023]    In operation one uses the flask in a normal manner by filling the flask with a liquid of choice through the top opening  14  of the flask. The user can dispense the liquid by simply tilting the flask to the desired degree. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  shows the operation of an air ingress tube  20 . When the body  10  of the flask is tilted, liquid  30  within the flask settles as shown to leave an air pocket  32  above it. Air from outside the flask is free to flow  34  into the opening aperture  23  of the outer end  22  of the tube  20 , through the interior cavity  29  of the tube  20 , out of the inner aperture  25  at the inner end  24  of the tube and into the air pocket  32 . Since air  34  can flow freely into the flask, liquid  36  can flow freely from the flask. Advantageously, the flow of liquid  36  out of the flask is not interrupted by a flow of air into the flask though the same orifice, resulting in a smooth, uninterrupted flow of liquid and no gurgling effect. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows an isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the air ingress tube  20  in position in the body  10  of the flask. Attached to the outer end  22  of the tube  20  is a securing piece  40  that has been cut in a fashion to hold the tube in place within the neck of the flask. The securing piece  40  is a thin piece of springy material, or sprung leaf. The securing piece  40  naturally springs outwards, pressing against the inner surface  26  of the neck of the flask. The tube assembly may be removed and replaced by hand, or with the aid of small pliers, to aid in cleaning of the flask and the tube. Depending on the amount of friction generated, the flask may be shaken vigorously without the tube assembly falling out. The air ingress tube assembly does not hinder the filling of the flask in any significant way. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows a top view of the air ingress tube assembly  42 . The securing piece  40  is attached to the tube  20  with one or more laser welds  44 . These may be laser spot welds, for example. Other means of attachment of the tube  20  to the securing piece  40  may be used, such as adhesive. Note that the securing piece  40  is attached to the opposite side of the tube  20  to the projection  28 . Here, the projection  28  is at the bottom of the tube  20  as drawn, and the securing piece  40  is over the tube  20 . This ensures optimum positioning of the projection when the tube is in its optimum position. The optimum position of the projection is as close as possible to the center of the interior base of the flask, leaving the inner end of the tube open nearer to the edge of the flask, where the air cavity is more likely to be when the flask is tilted for pouring. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows an end view of the air ingress tube assembly  42 , showing the tube  20  and the securing piece  40 . In this view, the flexible, securing piece  40  is shown flat. In practice, it may be curved in its natural state, and it may be imparted with such curvature either before or after attachment to the tube  20 . Hand rolling or automated means may be used to provide the curvature. 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  shows a closer view of the inner end  24  of the tube  20 , showing the spacing projection  28 . The projection  28  is formed as a one-piece component with the tube  20 , but other forms are possible, including clip-on pieces that are made separately from the tube and attach thereto. The height of the projection  28  should be as small as possible while still allowing for adequate airflow into the flask. As an example only, height and width of the projection may each be 1.5 mm, but other sizes and different sizes for each are possible, as well as different shapes. 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  shows a funnel that may be used in conjunction with the air ingress tube assembly  42 . Funnels are sometimes provided with hip flasks in order to help fill them with liquor. The funnel shown here has two slots  50  in its neck  52 .  FIG. 8  shows a different view of the funnel.  FIG. 9  shows how the neck  52  of the funnel mates with the outer end  22  of the air ingress tube  20  and the neck  12  of the flask. The slots  50  in the neck  52  of the funnel pass over the outer end  22  of the tube  20 . 
         [0030]    A secondary function of the funnel is to assist in alignment of the air ingress tube assembly  42 , in cases where it is held in place by friction. Optimally, when pouring liquid out, the tube  20  should be in the uppermost position possible within the neck  12  of the flask. This allows the liquid to flow out though what becomes the lower portion of the neck aperture, and air to enter above it, through the air ingress tube. Where the air ingress tube assembly  42  is held in place by friction, it may become angularly displaced relative to its optimum position, or it may be not quite aligned after it has been removed for cleaning. By mating the funnel to the tube assembly, it is possible to rotate the air ingress tube assembly  42  by rotating the funnel. 
         [0031]    The funnel may be provided with a hip flask fitted with an air ingress tube assembly. Alternately, the funnel may be provided with an air ingress assembly and a hip flask as a kit of three parts, for the purchaser to assemble. 
         [0032]      FIG. 10  shows an alternate way of making an air ingress tube assembly. In this embodiment, the securing piece  60  has two parallel slits  62  between which is a central area  64 . The central area  64  is pulled upwards, allowing the tube  20  to fit below the central area  64  and above the remainder of the thin piece  60 , as shown in  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 . 
         [0033]    Examples of materials used include stainless steel for the body  10  and neck  12  of the flask, tube  20  and securing piece  40 . The securing piece may be made from 3 thou thickness stainless steel 304, for example, or other types of shim metal. Metals used may be medical grade, for example. The tubing may be thin walled hypodermic tubing, for example, with outer diameter 0.246″ and inner diameter 0.21″. The tubing and/or container and/or securing piece may be plastic, and each may have some flexibility. 
         [0034]    The reader will see that the embodiments of the flask with an air ingress tube assembly as shown herein provide an uninterrupted flow of liquid out of the flask and an uninterrupted flow of air into the tube. The flask with air ingress tube assembly results in a significantly increased rate of flow from the flask compared to the rate of flow from the flask alone. The user of the flask will not only be able to drink or pour more quickly but will also have the benefit of a smooth and laminar pour rather than a turbulent flow. While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification of preferred embodiments thereof. 
         [0035]    As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the scope thereof. Thus the flask may be replaced with any container of any material with a narrow opening, tube  20  may be replaced by any hollow path of any material and length and the tube or hollow path may be secured into the container by any means. The results will be the same. Depending on the intended uses, i.e. size of container, size of neck, viscosity, density and temperature of liquid to be used, materials to be used, surface tensions, etc. then different dimensions may need to be employed for the air ingress tubes for each different liquid, even though containers and necks are nominally the same size. 
         [0036]    Furthermore, while the tubes or hollow conduits have been shown herein to have a circular cross-section, tubes with other cross-sectional shapes are possible, such as elliptical, square, rectangular, triangular, etc. Tubes need not be straight. The tube may be replaced with any hollow conduit extending from near the entrance of the container to the base of the container. 
         [0037]    Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.