Power scoop

Disclosed is a scoop for retaining and dispensing a powder into a bottle. The scoop is formed from a housing having generally slanted sides downwardly to a spout having a slanted opening. A handle is affixed to the housing. An actuating mechanism covers the spout-slanted opening and is formed from a generally flat slide, a hand graspable element, optionally for movement of the slide from a closed state to an open state, and a switch, also for movement of the slide from a closed state to an open state. A pair of elongate ears is carried by the spout and housing and disposed adjacent to the slanted opening for retaining the slide and permitting movement of slide.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates generally to powdered drinks and more particularly to a scoop for quickly transferring the powder into a drink or water bottle.

A variety of drinks come in powdered form and must be mixed with a liquid, usually water, in order for the drink to be consumed. Examples include, inter alia, fitness supplements, baby formulas, weight loss products, soups, and a variety of food and nutritional products.

Often the powder comes in a large container from which the user needs to withdraw a proper amount for the amount of liquid to be used. For example, infant formula comes in large containers and must be measured out, poured into a baby bottle, and warm water added (the water also may be in the bottle before the powder is poured in). Using the measuring device supplied by the formula manufacturer leads to much spilled powder and difficulty in transferring the powder formula into the bottle.

Users of fitness supplements often use a scoop specifically designed to measure the amount of powder required and transfer the powder into the user's drink bottle using a narrow spout that is a size to fit inside the drink bottle. Unfortunately, many (if not most) users just rest the spout against the drink bottle when transferred the powered. Since a tight seal has been created, a vacuum in the bottle often forms that prevents any powder from flowing into the bottle.

Users of fitness supplements often use a scoop specifically designed to measure the amount of powder required and transfer the powder into the user's drink bottle using a narrow spout that is a size to fit inside the drink bottle. Unfortunately, many (if not most) users just rest the spout against the drink bottle when transferring the powered. Since a tight seal has been created, a pressure in the bottle often forms and cannot escape, which prevents any powder from flowing into the bottle. The user, then, must lift off the scoop, let the air back in, to be able to finish transferring the powder into the bottle.

The disclosed power scoop eliminates the aforementioned problem and others.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Disclosed is a scoop for retaining and dispensing a powder into a bottle. The scoop is formed from a housing having generally slanted sides downwardly to a spout having a slanted opening. A handle is affixed to the housing. An actuating mechanism covers the spout-slanted opening and is formed from a generally flat slide, a hand graspable element, optionally for movement of the slide from a closed state to an open state, and a switch, also for movement of the slide from a closed state to an open state. A pair of elongate ears is carried by the spout and housing and disposed adjacent to the slanted opening for retaining the slide and permitting movement of slide.

Also disclosed is a method for dispensing powder. Such method commences with placing a powder into a scoop having (i) a housing having generally slanted sides downwardly to a spout having a slanted opening; (ii) a handle affixed to the housing; (iii) an actuating mechanism covering the spout slanted opening and formed from a generally flat slide, a hand graspable element, and a switch; (iv) a pair of elongate ears carried by the spout and housing and located adjacent to the slanted opening for retaining said actuating mechanism and permitting movement of the actuating mechanism. The next step is actuating the actuating mechanism to uncover said spout slanted opening and release said powder.

The drawings will be described in greater detail below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring initially to the first disclosed embodiment, a power scoop or funnel,10, is shown to include a handle,12, an upper curvilinear annular housing,14, and a lower spout,16. The housing is gradated in US or metric units, or both, so that the user knows the amount of powder added to the scoop for incorporation into a bottle having a known, or relatively known, amount of liquid already in the bottle or to be added later. In order to dispense the powder from scoop10into a container or bottle, scoop10is fitted with an actuating mechanism,18, formed from an elongate slidable member,20, (seeFIGS. 4,5, and16, for example) a finger graspable element,21, and a trigger,19. In the down or closed position depicted inFIG. 1, powder added to housing14stays there and does not flow out. This may be referred to a closed state of actuating mechanism18. The top lip,22, of housing14has a series of ejector pins,24a-24gused to assist in removing housing14from a mold when housing14is being formed of plastic injection molding techniques.

FIG. 2shows a top view of the power scoop ofFIG. 1. In the side view presented inFIG. 3, slide20is clearly seen to be in a down or closed state over the opening in spout16. The rear view presented inFIG. 4again shows the same closed state of slide20as seen inFIG. 3. Ears,37and39, retain slide20to hold mechanism18in position (seeFIG. 16also). An upstanding nib,23, is centrally located on the inside of slide20(FIG. 2) and keeps slide20from coming back out of scoop10. Nib23can be seen contacting the wall of scoop10inFIG. 8not allowing slide20to come all the way out. The cross-sectional view inFIG. 5again shows the components that form power scoop10.

The top view presented inFIG. 6and side view presented inFIG. 7of scoop10show slide20in an up or open position (open state), thus, uncovering an angular opening,26, formed in spout16so that any powder or other contents in housing14can be dispensed or released from scoop10. The sectional view of power scoop10inFIG. 8likewise shows it in an active state. The isometric view inFIG. 9shows slanted opening26somewhat more clearly.

Power scoop10has been place atop a water bottle,28, inFIGS. 10-12. While a water bottle is shown, it just as easily could be a baby bottle or other kind of bottle, often filled with water. The cap has been removed from bottle28so that spout16fits down inside bottle28until trigger19rests on the bottle opening rim.

InFIG. 12, housing14is seen filled with a powder,30, while bottle28is seen filled with water or a similar, most often aqueous, fluid. Spout16is seen to rest within neck,34, of bottle28and switch19on the rim,36, of neck34. Due to the curvilinear shape of switch19, a slight air gap is seen. Such air gap is deliberate and prevents a pressure from being formed within bottle28that retards powder from flowing freely thereinto. Additionally, a grove can be formed downward along the inside (or outside) of the housing and into the spout terminating at the spout opening for permitting pressure equalization inside a bottle atop which the power scoop is placed.

FIGS. 13-15are likeFIGS. 10-12, except that actuating mechanism18has been moved upwardly to uncover opening26; thus, permitting powder30to be released and freely flow into bottle28to mix with water or fluid32. While the user need only place a finger in an arcuate finger graspable element21and gently pull in a upward motion to urge slide20to move in an angular upward direction to uncover slanted opening26that is formed in spout16, switch19can automatically move actuating mechanism18for slide20to uncover opening26. That is, by the user merely pushing power scoop10into bottle28, bottle rim36pushes against switch19to cause actuating mechanism18for slide20to uncover opening26. The user can rest power scoop10on rim36and the push, or the user can combine such motions into a single motion to release powder30into water32.

Using either actuating technique, powder30flows freely and very rapidly from housing14into bottle28. The slanted sides of housing14form an efficient funnel. By making opening26slanted, it has a greater area for enhancing the rapid and complete release of powder30into water32.

Slide20with attached finger element21is revealed in greater detail inFIG. 16with its removal from housing14. Slide20is held in place by a pair of projecting ears,37and39(not seen inFIG. 16). These slightly elongate ears project slightly outwardly from opening26to retain slide20in place.FIG. 4shows the ears also. Slide20has a generally planar inner surface for facilitating its movement.

An alternative embodiment of a power scoop,38, is seen inFIG. 17. It has a larger capacity housing,42, to accommodate larger sized bottles that require a greater volume of powder. Power scoop38has a handle,40, spout,44, actuating mechanism,46, formed of a slide,48, and finger graspable element,50. Elongate ears,52and54, are more completely seen. They retain slide48in place and permit it to move upwardly and downwardly to cover and uncover the slanted opening in spout44. The injector pins, representative pin56only being numbered are seen to be located inside housing42and to extend downwardly.

FIG. 18shows yet a larger capacity power scoop,58. Its handle,60, is located midwardly of its housing,62. A much larger spout,64, is required to retain the rapid and efficient dispensing of powder. A larger actuating mechanism,66, is retained in position by extending ears, representative ear68only seen.

FIG. 19shows yet another power scoop embodiment,70, having a handle,72, a housing,74, a spout,76, and a slide,78. In this embodiment, an interior opening has been formed in76requiring a slanted opening to be formed in spout76to permit slide78to be inserted into such slanted opening. A corresponding lower slated opening at80permits the end of slide78to extend outside of spout76a slight distance. Movement of slide78uncovers the spout opening to release the contents of housing74.

FIG. 20shows yet a further power scoop embodiment,82, having a handle,84, a housing,86, a spout,88, and a actuating mechanism,90. Housing86in this embodiment is a vertical side opposite handle84. Also, finger graspable element,92, is a closed loop rather than an open loop as been illustrated for the other power scoop embodiments disclosed herein; otherwise, operation of power scoop82is similar to that described above.

FIG. 21shows power scoop10being used to transfer coffee into a reusable K-cup,94.FIG. 22shows power scoop10being used to transfer infant formula powder into a baby bottle,96.FIG. 23shows power scoop10being used to spread sprinkles,98, onto the top of a cake,100. The rate at which sprinkles98are dispensed can be controlled by how far slide20is moved upward to uncover the spout opening. Thus, the user can dispense the product at a controlled rate determined by the user.

It will be appreciated, then, that the disclosed power scoop can be used to dispense virtually any powder, granule, or like particulate into a variety of containers or onto a variety of surfaces. While the dispensed product most often will be comestible, such dispensed product can be grass seed or other non-comestible product.

Materials of construction most often will be plastics (polymers). For dispensing of comestibles, the plastic must be classified as food grade. For dispensing of other materials, the plastic must be suitable for use with such materials. Most often, the disclosed scoop should be formed from materials giving it a very smooth surface to assist the material in being dispensed quickly and completely. Of course, the disclosed scoop could be made from metal, ceramics, or other materials for special uses.

While the device has been described with reference to various embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope and essence of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. In this application all units are in the metric system and all amounts and percentages are by weight, unless otherwise expressly indicated. Also, all citations referred herein are expressly incorporated herein by reference.