Fill tube with pop-up pouring assistance assembly

An assembly for assisting with the pouring of fluid includes, among other aspects, a fill tube and a pop-up component disposed at least partially within the fill tube. The pop-up component assists with directing poured fluid into the fill tube.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates to a fill tube with a pop-up pouring assistance feature.

Fluids poured from a container exit the container along different paths depending upon the angle of the container, the diameter of the opening, the amount of fluid in the container, the speed in which the container is tipped, etc. Pouring a fluid directly into the fill tube during the entire action of pouring requires a high degree of skill.

In the automotive industry, funnels are primarily used to assist the pouring of fluid into various parts of an automobile engine. When a user fills an engine with oil, for example, in order to avoid spilling oil, the user situates a funnel relative to the oil fill tube, supporting the funnel with one hand, and then directs fluid from a bottle toward the funnel with the other hand. While these separate funnels are typically used in the automotive industry, there are known systems that directly incorporate a funnel into a fill tube.

SUMMARY

Disclosed is an assembly for assisting with the pouring of a fluid, including a fill tube having an axial fill tube opening on an axial end, wherein the fill tube is operable to guide fluid from the axial fill tube opening to a reservoir, and a pop-up tube disposed at least partially in the fill tube, wherein the pop up tube is axially movable relative to the fill tube, and wherein the pop-up tube includes an axial pop up tube opening operable to guide fluid from the axial pop up tube opening to the axial fill tube opening.

Also disclosed is an assembly for assisting with the pouring of a fluid, including a fill tube having an axial fill tube opening on an axial end, wherein the fill tube is operable to guide fluid from the axial fill tube opening to a reservoir, and a pop-up chute disposed partially within the fill tube when the pop-up chute is in a first position and disposed fully within the fill tube when the pop-up chute is in a second position, wherein the pop-up chute is operable to move axially between the first position and the second position relative to the fill tube.

Also disclosed is a method of pouring fluid including the steps of exposing an opening in an outer tube, extracting an inner tube from said opening in said outer tube, pouring fluid into an opening provided by said inner tube, inserting said inner tube back into said outer tube, and closing said opening in said outer tube.

These and other features of the present disclosure can be best understood from the following drawings and detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In a first embodiment of this disclosure, illustrated acrossFIGS. 1A-1D, a fluid reservoir (an engine block10) is filled by pouring a fluid down a fill tube12. To assist in this filling process, a pop-up pipe14(alternately referred to as a pop-up tube) is positioned such that it can move axially in a direction A relative to the fill tube12. The pop-up pipe14of the example ofFIGS. 1A-1Dis arranged on the inside of the fill tube12. Alternately, the pop pipe14can be arranged on the outside of the fill tube12. Further, in the example ofFIGS. 1A-1D, the pop-up pipe14is generally cylindrical, including a substantially constant diameter along its length.

The pop-up pipe14is configured to move in the direction A relative to the fill tube12by way of a tongue16and groove18. This tongue-and-groove arrangement provides alignment during axial movement between the pop-up pipe14and the fill tube12, and prevents any rotation of the main body22of the pop-up pipe14relative to the fill tube12. The tongue-and-groove arrangement ensures that the pop-up pipe14will be aligned with the cap20so that an opening24will be formed, as well as consistently ensuring the most convenient orientation for that opening24, such that the opening24is amenable to pouring fluid. Alternate examples omit the tongue-and-groove arrangement.

A cap20is located at an upper axial end of the pop-up pipe14. The cap20is rotatable relative to a main body22of the pop-up pipe14. The cap20is rotatable to axially cover and/or reveal an opening24provided by the pop-up pipe14and the cap20. In the illustrated example, the opening24includes cut-outs24A,24B in the pop-up pipe14and the cap20, respectively.

In one example, the cap20is generally crescent shaped when viewed axially (from above), as inFIG. 1B. Likewise, in one example, the top of the pop-up pipe14is similarly shaped, as represented by element26inFIG. 1C. Depending on whether one wishes to conceal or reveal the opening24in the pop-up pipe14, the cap20can be rotated relative to the top26of the pop-up pipe14, in a direction R, as illustrated inFIG. 1D.

The pop-up pipe14is configured to move telescopically relative to the fill tube12. If a user desires to add fluid into the reservoir10, the pop-up pipe14is extracted from the fill tube12as illustrated inFIG. 1A, and the cap20is rotated relative to the top26of the pop-up pipe14to reveal the opening24. This provides an opening24with substantial vertical and lateral dimensions V, L for nearly any pouring job. In some examples, the pop-up pipe14can lock relative to the fill tube12in this extracted, or upright, position.

With the combined openings from the cut-outs24A,24B, a neck of a bottle can be inserted into the opening24and, when tipped horizontally, the neck is already securely positioned inside the pop-up pipe14. Fluid thus cannot spill out due to an unpredictable path of its exit. Further, in some examples, when with the neck of a bottle inserted into the opening24, and the bottle is tipped upright, no additional support from the user is needed while the fluid drains out of the bottle.

While the illustrated example ofFIGS. 1A-1D, includes a lateral dimension L that is smaller than a vertical dimension V, a user can be relied on to laterally align a bottle containing a fluid with the opening24, or to insert the neck of the fluid container directly through the opening24into the fill pipe. Then, the larger vertical dimension V of the opening24sufficiently accommodates the various fluid paths, or arcs, once the bottle is tipped and/or inserted. That is, users are often surprised by the initial velocity of a fluid once a pouring action is initiated, whereas fluids rarely—if ever—take unexpected lateral paths from a bottle. For example, seeFIG. 4, which schematically represents a bottle, or fluid container,40and a number of arcs42A-42C, which, depend on tilt angle, the diameter of an opening of the bottle, the amount of fluid in the container, the speed in which the container is tipped, etc.

After pouring is complete, to store the pop-up pipe14, the pop-up pipe14is moved axially down (e.g., in the example ofFIGS. 1A-1D, guided by way of the tongue and groove connection16,18) and the cap20can be screwed onto the fill tube12by way of optional threads28. When screwing the cap20onto the threads28, the cap20and threads28are configured so as to axially cover the opening24to prevent entry of unwanted debris into the fill tube12(as illustrated inFIG. 1D). The remainder of the opening24, specifically the cut-out24A in the pop-up pipe14, is covered by the fill tube12.

Notably, the cap20is completely removable from the pop-up pipe14in one example, or optionally configured to remain coupled to the pop-up pipe14while still being rotatable relative to the pop-up pipe14in an alternate example. In the latter case, the cap20is prevented from being misplaced.

FIG. 2illustrates another embodiment in which the opening24of the pop-up tube14is accompanied by a chute30. The chute30includes a ramp portion32, as well as optional sidewalls34to direct fluid poured from a bottle into the pop-up tube14. In the illustrated example the chute30is spring loaded, and biased away from the pop-up pipe14toward the outward position generally shown inFIG. 2. Alternately the chute30is positioned such that it naturally falls to the outward position ofFIG. 2due to gravity. When returning the pop-up tube14into the fill tube12, the chute30retracts to an upright position by engaging the ramp portion32with the fill tube12. In one example, fill tube12comprises an enabling structure to guide the chute30into the closed position upon its impact with fill tube12. In an alternative example, the chute30is manually retractable and re-insertable.

In a third embodiment, illustrated inFIGS. 3A-3B, a chute36, similar in function to the chute32ofFIG. 2, is disclosed without the associated pop-up pipe14of the first two embodiments. Instead, the chute36includes one or more layered, semi-circular elements36A-36D configured to move axially in and out of the fill tube12by way of connection to a stick38, and associated cap. Due to the length of the elements36A-36C, when the chute36is extracted from the fill tube12, the elements36A-36D naturally fall outward, away from the stick38, as illustrated inFIG. 3B, to a position amenable to guiding the fluid into the fill tube12. Extraction of the stick38from the fill tube12may be limited by axial stoppers12A and38A, which are arranged to provide the chute36at the angle illustrated inFIG. 3B. These axial stoppers12A,38A not only allow for consistency in positioning of the chute36, but also allow a user to rest an inverted bottle against the chute36while fluid drains from the bottle into the fill tube12, without the chute36being removed out of the fill tube12.

If it is desired to avoiding moving parts, such as those commonly associated with an in-built funnel, the chute36can alternately be a solid chute36, without the individually movable elements36A-36C.

While traditional funnels define a complete frustoconical shape, the opening24, as well as the chutes30and36described herein, allow for adequate pouring assistance, while perhaps only defining a semi-frustoconical shape. That is, the opening24and the chutes30,36have a vertical dimension (e.g., the length of the chutes) larger than a lateral dimension (e.g., the width of the chutes).

Again, a user is often surprised by the arc (e.g., distance, or velocity) that a fluid initially takes when projecting from a bottle upon pouring. See, again,FIG. 4which shows a number of vertical exit arcs42A-42C that a fluid may take upon exit from a bottle40. Not only during initial pouring, but a target point of a fluid may change throughout a pour. For example, if arc42A represents an initial arc, the initial arc would move toward arc42C as fluid was drained from the bottle40. This requires constant adjustment of the tilt angle of the bottle40, and increases the chances of spilling. Accordingly, the disclosed openings are focused toward accounting for this unpredictable factor in pouring, while relying on the reasonable judgment of a user to account for the lateral fluid direction, which typically remains predictable and constant.

The ability of the disclosed embodiments to “pop-up” relative to the fill tube also provides a user with increased control over alignment during the initial pouring of fluid. That is, a user can align the neck of bottle with the opening without needing to overly tip the bottle, which could cause fluid to be poured unintentionally. Notably, in examples such asFIG. 1, the user can insert the neck of a bottle directly into the opening24without tipping the bottle much—if at all—and thus concerns over unintended spilling are reduced, if not eliminated.

In this regard, the instant disclosure addresses the only real issue at hand (i.e., the vertical/forward arc of the fluid during pouring), whereas traditional frustoconical funnels unnecessarily also account for a lateral fluid direction, leading to wasted material and increased manufacturing costs.

While specific reference is made to the use of the disclosed assembly in the automotive field, other industries may benefit from this disclosure. In that regard, the disclosed fluid is not limited to automotive oil reservoirs.

Although the different examples have the specific components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this invention are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from one of the examples in combination with features or components from another one of the examples.