Abstract:
Internal, liquid flow passages in a dispensing stopper which might accumulate residue from the liquid being dispensed are eliminated in a structure including a stopper base ( 24 ) adapted to be mounted on the mouth ( 12 ) of a bottle ( 10 ). A seal ( 64 ) is mounted on the base ( 24 ) and includes a fixed section ( 66 ) affixed to the base ( 24 ), a movable gasket section ( 38 ) movable toward and away from the stopper base ( 24 ) and away and toward a sealing surface ( 16 ) on a bottle ( 10 ) on which the base ( 24 ) is mounted, and an integral, thin web ( 76 ) of resilient material peripherally interconnecting and sealing the fixed section ( 66 ) and the movable gasket section ( 38 ). An actuator attachment section ( 52 ) is affixed to the movable gasket section ( 38 ) and a lever ( 36 ) is pivoted to the base ( 24 ) and to the actuator attachment section ( 52 ) at spaced locations.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a dispensing stopper for a bottle, and more specifically, to a dispensing stopper for a bottle such as a carafe and which is characterized by the absence of flow passages in the stopper itself which would require periodic cleaning. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bottles of various sorts have long been provided with stoppers which seal the bottle when a liquid contained therein is not to be dispensed. Many such stoppers, as, for example, conventional bottle caps, are not replaceable and cannot be reinstalled on the bottle when the contents of the bottle have only been partially consumed. Other stoppers are simply screw on caps which must be totally separated from the bottle when its contents are to be dispensed. Because such stoppers are completely separated from the bottle when the bottle is opened, not infrequently the stopper may be lost making it impossible to reseal the bottle or requiring resort to some other type of closure device. Moreover, because extensive manipulation of the cap is required, opening and closing the bottle is not as convenient as might otherwise be the case. 
     To avoid these and other problems, a variety of dispensing stoppers have been suggested. These types of stoppers are typically removably fixed to the bottle to be sealed and require only the application of an opening force to a lever or the like to cause the stopper to unseal the bottle when its contents are to be dispensed. While these stoppers work well in the sense that they do not require extensive manipulation to seal or unseal the bottle, they are not without drawbacks of their own. Typical of these stoppers is an internal conduit that is in fluid communication with the interior of the bottle as well as the exterior of the bottle as, for example, at a pouring spout. When these stoppers are placed in the environment where they are required to be reused, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the interior conduit to assure that liquid passing therethrough in a prior use has not left any residue. Such residue, depending upon the contents of the bottle, could provide a source for the growth of bacteria, or result in the contents of the bottle being dispensed through the stopper in a subsequent use having a flavor imparted thereto that may be undesirable as a result of it being of a different liquid than that being dispensed or simply as a result of degradation occurring to the residue while in the internal conduit. 
     In any case, careful washing of the stopper may be required to assure that there is no residue remaining within the internal conduit from previous pours in such stopper. And because the conduit is internal to the stopper, and will typically be provided with some sort of valving or flow control device, the opportunity for the accumulation of residue from liquids being dispensed is significant. 
     The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a principal object of the invention to provide a new and improved dispensing stopper for a bottle. More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide such a stopper which eliminates the need for extensive cleaning of an internal, valved conduit within the stopper. It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved dispensing stopper of simple and economic construction. 
     An exemplary embodiment of the invention achieves the foregoing object in a dispensing stopper that includes a stopper base adapted to be mounted on the mouth of a bottle. A seal is mounted on the base and the seal includes a fixed section fixed to the base along with a movable gasket section movable toward and away from the stopper base and away and toward a sealing surface about the mouth on a bottle to which the base is to be mounted. The seal also includes an integral, thin web of resilient material peripherally interconnecting and sealing the fixed section and the movable section. An actuator attachment section is affixed to the movable section of the seal and a lever is pivoted to the base and to the actuator attachment section at spaced locations. 
     As a consequence of the foregoing, the application of a pivoting force to the lever will move the gasket section toward the fixed section to move the gasket section away from the mouth of a bottle on which the base is mounted to allow liquid to be poured from the bottle. The absence of the force allows the resiliency of the web to return the gasket section toward the mouth of a bottle on which the base is mounted to seal the same. Liquid flow is past the stopper, and specifically, the gasket section of the seal thereof, and not through the stopper at all or any valves located within internal passages within the stopper. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lever is elongated with opposite ends. One of the ends includes a force receiving section and the other of the ends is pivoted to the actuator attachment section. The lever is pivoted intermediate its ends to the base. 
     In one embodiment, the base includes a radially inwardly directed circular flange and the actuator section includes a radially outward directed circular edge. The seal is a unitary ring of resilient elastomer with the fixed section having a radially outward opening groove sealingly receiving the flange and the gasket section having a radially inward opening groove sealing and receiving the edge of the actuator section. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the web interconnects the fixed and gasket sections at their peripheries. 
     In a highly preferred embodiment, the web interconnects the fixed and gasket sections at their radially outer peripheries. 
     One embodiment of the invention contemplates the provision of interengaging guides on the base and the attachment section to guide the attachment section in a path of reciprocating movement. 
     A preferred embodiment envisions that the attachment section include upstanding pivot blocks receiving a pivot pin on the lever other end. 
     A highly preferred embodiment includes a cap secured to the base and one of the cap and the base includes spaced saddles for receiving a pivot located intermediate the ends of the lever and the other of the cap and the base includes spaced projections aligned with and directed toward the saddles for holding the pivot in the saddles. 
     According to another facet of the invention, a preferred embodiment includes a cap on the base. A funnel-like structure is formed in the cap and extends to an opposite side of the stopper. In this configuration, the cap may be utilized with a carafe or the like for holding coffee. The same may be placed under a brewing machine to capture a stream of freshly brewed coffee in the funnel-like structure and direct the same to the interior of a bottle on which the base is mounted. 
     In one embodiment of the invention the funnel-like structure includes an inverted, somewhat conical surface at the top of the cap with a depending conduit extending through the attachment section. A further seal is located at the interface of the conduit and the attachment section. 
     The invention also contemplates a dispensing bottle having an internally threaded mouth and a pouring spout thereat. The mouth has a peripheral sealing surface inwardly of the threaded mouth. A stopper such as mentioned before includes threads on the base which are threaded into the threaded mouth to mount the base on the bottle. The gasket section of the seal normally sealingly engages the peripheral sealing surface about the mouth of the bottle. 
    
    
     Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, vertical section of a stopper made according to the invention and mounted on a bottle; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged, sectional view of the stopper with parts removed for clarity; 
     FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the stopper taken approximately along the line  3 — 3  in FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but of a modified embodiment. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     An exemplary embodiment of a dispensing stopper made according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 as mounted on a bottle, generally designated  10 . As illustrated, the bottle  10  has an upper mouth  12  terminating in a pouring spout  14 . Surrounding the mouth  12  is a circular, sealing surface  16 . 
     The bottle  10  includes an outer shell  18  made of a rigid, typically plastic, material. However, metal materials or glassware may be utilized if desired. Within the shell  18  is a vacuum bottle  20  of conventional construction which is mounted to the shell  18  in any conventional fashion. Oppositely of the pouring spout  14 , the shell  18  includes a handle  22 . The stopper includes a rigid plastic base generally designated  24  to which is mounted a decorative, rigid plastic cap, generally designated  26 . A snap fit in the area shown at  28  is employed to interconnect the two. 
     The base  24 , at its lower end, includes peripheral threads  30  by which the stopper may be threaded onto internal threads  32  within the mouth  12  of the bottle  10 . Preferably, the threads are configured so that when the stopper is fully threaded into the mouth  12 , the force receiving end  34  of a lever, generally designated  36 , directly overlies the handle  22 . In this way, an operating force to the stopper may be applied to the force receiving end  34  by one thumb when one grips the handle  22  for ease of dispensing. 
     As can be seen in FIG. 1, the gasket section  38  of a circular, resilient seal, generally designated  40 , seals against the sealing surface  16  to seal the contents of the bottle  10 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lever  36  includes an end  44  opposite the force receiving end  34 . The end  44  includes a pivot pin  46  which is pivotably received in a pivot aperture  48  located in each of a pair of upstanding pivot blocks  50 . The pivot blocks  50  are mounted on an actuator attachment section  52  of the stopper to be described in greater detail hereinafter. Oppositely of the center line of the stopper from the pivot blocks  50 , the base  24  includes a pair of spaced upstanding saddles  54  having upwardly facing rounded grooves  56 . A pivot pin  58  (shown only in dotted lines in FIG. 2) is seated in the grooves  56  and is secured to the lever  36  intermediate the ends  34  and  44 . The cap  26  includes a pair of downwardly extending projections  60  which are aligned with and spaced from the grooves  56  but serve to locate and maintain the pivot pin  58  therein so as to pivot the lever  36 , intermediate its ends to the stopper base  24 . 
     The base  24  has a cylindrical, downwardly facing cavity  62  to receive a seal, generally designated  64 , of which the gasket section  38  is a part. The seal  64  is a generally ring-like, unitary, elastomeric seal formed of silicone rubber or the like. It includes an upper, fixed section  66  which in turn is provided with a radially outward opening, peripheral groove  68 . A radially inward directed flange  70  on the base  24  is received within the groove  68  to mount the seal  64  within the stopper base  24 . 
     The seal  64  also includes the gasket section  38  as mentioned previously. The gasket section  38  includes a peripheral, radially inward opening groove  72  which receives the generally circular edge  74  of the actuator attachment section  52 . 
     Interconnecting the fixed section  66  and the gasket section  38  is a peripheral, integral, thin web  76  which extends between the outer peripheries of both fixed sections  66  and the gasket section  38 . The web  76  seals the two together and serves, by reason of its inherent resilience, as a spring to urge the gasket section  38  against the sealing surface  16  as shown in FIG.  1 . At the same time, it serves a yieldable connection between the two sections  38 ,  66  so that a downward force applied to the force receiving end  34  of the lever  36  will cause the lever  36  to pivot about the pivot  58  thereby raising the attachment section  52 . Since the edge  74  of the attachment section  52  is captured within the grooves  72  in the gasket section  38 , the latter will be raised and withdrawn into a position within the stopper as shown, for example, in FIG.  3 . As can be seen in FIG. 3, in this location, the web  76  collapses radially inwardly to allow the gasket section  38  to move toward the fixed section  66 . This also causes the gasket section  38  to separate from the sealing surface  16  to in turn allow liquid within the bottle  10  to be dispensed. When pressure on the force receiving end  34  of the lever  36  is released, the web  76  will tend to return to the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 to resiliently urge the gasket section  38  downwardly and back into sealing engagement with the sealing surface  16  in the mouth  12 . To prevent the entry of liquid from the bottle into the interior of the stopper when pouring, the gasket section  38  also includes a radially outwardly directed, peripheral nib  80  which sealingly engages the cylindrical interior wall  64  of the base  24 . 
     From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the stopper is readily removed or replaced on the bottle  10  as desired. It will also be appreciated that it need not be removed between pourings. Even more importantly, it will be appreciated that when the gasket section  38  is raised by application of a force to the force receiving end  34  of the lever  36 , liquid within the bottle  10  may pass from the mouth of the bottle under the lowermost edge  82  of the stopper without going through any internal passages within the stopper. The structure is exceedingly simple in that a single seal  40 , in the preferred embodiment, acts as a seal, a valve, and a spring for biasing the gasket section  38  against the sealing surface  16  of the bottle  10 . 
     As seen in FIG. 2, the base  24  includes an opening  84  through which the force receiving end  34  of the lever  36  may project. Since the cap  26  is snap fit as at  28  to the base  24 , and to guide the attachment section  52  in a vertical path of reciprocating movement, spaced, downwardly extending projections  84  may be located on the cap to slidably engage spaced, upwardly extending projections  86  on the attachment section  52 . The projections  84 ,  86  are flat and thus prevent relative rotation of the cap  26  on the base  24  as well as serving as guide means for the reciprocating movement of the gasket section  38 . 
     In some instances, particularly when the bottle is to be used as a carafe for coffee or the like, the cap  26  may have a funnel-like structure, generally designated  90 , associated therewith. The funnel-like section  90  includes an upper, inverted, generally conical surface  92  centrally thereof which merges with a downwardly extending conduit  94  which extends all the way to the opposite side of the stopper. The conduit  94  is in fluid communication with the inverted, conical surface  92 . As a consequence of this construction, a carafe, with the stopper in place, can be disposed within a brewing machine or the like to receive descending, freshly brewed coffee which will then be directed to the interior of the bottle  10 . The funnel-like structure  90  is optional but when present, the attachment section  52  is provided with an opening  96  surrounded by an upstanding flange  98  which surrounds, in spaced relation, the conduit  94 . The conduit  94 , in turn, is provided with an outwardly opening peripheral groove  100  on its exterior side which receives a gasket  102 . The gasket  102 , like the gasket section  38 , includes a peripheral, radially outward directed nib  104  which sealingly engages the interior of the upstanding flange  98  as the attachment section  52  moves toward and away from a bottle on which the stopper is mounted. 
     Finally, if desired, the cap  26 , circumferentially around the conical surface  92 , may be provided with a slidable, circumferentially adjustable indicating ring  106  which may contain indicia (not shown) to indicate contents of the bottle with which the stopper is associated. 
     A modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG.  4 . It will be readily recognized that the same is quite similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 lacks the funnel like structure  90  but could be provided with the same if desired. 
     In any event, the principal difference between the embodiment of FIG.  3  and the embodiment of FIG. 4 is in the relationship between the seal  64  and the actuator attachment section  52 . As in the case of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the seal  64  has a fixed section  166  which is generally cylindrical and is received in a cylindrical notch  168  in the base  24 . The seal  64  includes a gasket section  38  which is again provided with a radially inward opening groove  72  which receives a generally circular edge  74  of the actuator attachment section  52 . Interconnecting the fixed section  166  and the gasket section  38  is a peripheral, integral thin web  76  as in the prior embodiment which seals the two together and by reason of its inherent resilience acts as a spring to urge the gasket section  38  toward the sealing surface  16  of a bottle. At the same time, it serves as a yieldable connection between the two sections  38 ,  166  so that a downward force applied to the force receiving end  34  of the lever  36  will cause the lever  36  to pivot, thereby raising the attachment section. 
     The attachment section  52  includes a second peripheral edge  170  which is of greater diameter than the edge  74  and which is spaced there below by a radially outwardly opening groove  172  which receives an inwardly directed leg  174  at the bottom of the gasket section  38 . In this case, the edge  170  defines the periphery of a valve surface  176  on the attachment section  52  which seals against the sealing surface  16 . In other words, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the seal is between the sealing surface  16  and the attachment section  52  whereas in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the seal is between the lower part of the gasket section  38  and the sealing surface  16 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, because the actuator section  52  may be made of relatively hard material, the sealing surface  176  is less prone to damage during handling. 
     Again, the peripheral nib  80  is provided on the gasket section  38  for the same purposes as mentioned previously. 
     From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a dispensing stopper made according to the invention is simply utilized just as prior dispensing stoppers simply by the application of a force through the force receiving end  34  of the lever  36 . At the same time. However, a stopper made according to the invention includes no interior valve or passages which could accumulate residue from the liquid being dispensed and thereby require extensive washing between usages. Moreover, the invention is extremely simple and economical to form. In terms of simplicity, the unitary seal  64  provides not only sealing, but valving and biasing functions and substantially eliminates parts and assembly procedures associated with the assembly of many parts. The presence of the funnel-like structure  90  allows the same to be utilized directly in a coffee making machine or the like to further simplify the usage of a bottle with which the stopper may be associated.