DISPENSERS FOR GRANULAR MATERIALS

Abstract: A dispenser for granular materials (10) has a cap (17) with an outlet orifice (19). An inverted cone formation (25) has a knife-edge rim (26). When the dispenser (10) is inverted, granular material spaced around the orifice (19) is deflected away to reduce the likelihood of compaction or bridging of the material across the orifice (19) while the knife-edge rim (26) breaks granules free from the bulk of the granular material to enable the granules to flow freely through the orifice (19).

Description: Title: "DISPENSERS FOR GRANULAR MATERIALS" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1 ) Field of the Invention This invention relates to dispensers for granular materials. The invention is particularly suitable for, but not limited to, salt and pepper shakers. (2) Prior Art Many granular materials are hydroscopic and absorb moisture if not kept in sealed containers. Common salt is a " good example of such materials. The moisture causes the grains of salt to coalesce into granules or lumps which will not freely flow through the outlet orifice(s) provided in conventional salt and pepper shakers. The problem is further compounded in salt shakers which have a conically-shaped top or cap. When the shakers are inverted, the granules tend to bridge over the orifices, due to the confinement of the tops or caps and little, if any salt will flow from the shakers. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispenser for granular materials which will enable the materials to flow even when they have coalesced. It is a preferred object to provide such a dispenser which is inexpensive to manufacture. Other preferred objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description: In a broad aspect, the present invention resides in a dispenser for granular materials including: a body to contain a supply of granular material having a top or cap; and at least one outlet orifice in the top or cap to enable the granular material to be discharged from the body, wherein: an inverted cone or pyramid-like formation is provided on the top or cap within the dispenser; and the outlet orifice is formed at the apex of the cone or pyramid formation. (Throughout the following description and claims, the term "cone" or "conical" shall include pyramid or like shapes.) Preferabl; , the inverted cone formation is provided centrally in the top or cap of the body having a single orifice, or a plurality of formations are equally spaced in the top or cap for a plurality of orifices. Preferably, the wall portion around the orifice has a small radius curvature backing to a knife-edge like rim around the orifice. Preferably the included angle within the orifice is in the range of 1 ° to 85°, the included angle between the external sides of the formation and in the range of 25° to 150°. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To enable the invention to be fully under¬ stood, a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to tfte accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is . perspective view of a pair of salt and pepper shak e rs in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a side view of the salt shaker with a portion being shown in section taken on line 2-2 on FIG. 1 ; FIG. 3 is a similar view of the pepper shaker with the section taken on line 3-3; FIG. 4 is a part-sectional view of the salt shaker showing the salt being discharged while the shaker is inverted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, the salt and pepper shakers 10, 11 are injection moulded in plastic and have a common body 12. Each body has a cylindrical wall 13 closed at one end by a base floor 14. The wall 13 has a reduced diameter upper portion 15 with a circumfer¬ ential head 16. Removable caps 17, 18 are fitted to the bodies 12, the cap 17 having a single orifice 19 and the cap 18 having a plurality of spaced orifices 20. Referring to FIG. 2 and 3, each cap has a top face 21, surrounded by a peripheral rim 22, with an inturned flange 23 adapted to releasably engage the circumferential head 16 on the body 12 of the shaker. An annular ring 24 is provided on the underside of the top face 21 to engage and to localise the upper end of the reduced diameter portion 15 of the body 12 to which the cap is fitted. By this construction, the caps 17,18 can be releasably "snapped onto" the bodies 12 of the shakers 10,11. Referring now to FIG. 3, an inverted conical formation 25 is provided around the outlet orifice 19 and terminates in a knife-edge rim 26 at the inner end of the orifice. The external wall of the forma¬ tion (i.e. the wall exposed to the exterior of the cap 17) has an included angle° = 60°. while the internal wall 28 has an included angle (C? = 90°. (The angles may be varied and =<■ may be in the range 1 0 ° .85° and in the range 25° -ζ^ 150°.) Referring now to FIG. 3, the orifices 20 are surrounded by conical formations 29 similar in construction to the conical formation 25. Referring now to FIG. 4, when the salt shakers 10 are inverted, the granules of salt 30 flow into the cap 17. The now outwardly divergent internal wall 28 of the conical formation 25 diverts the granules spaced from the orifice 19 away from the orifice to reduce the likelihood of the granules 30 compacting and bridging across the orifice. At the same time, the knife-edge rim 26 breaks up the granules 30 into the separate grains of salt 31 which can then flow through the orifice 19. It will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee that the reduced pressure on the granules around the orifice, together with the breaking or chipping effect on the granules by the rim, promotes the flow of the grains of salt through the orifice. It will also be readily apparent to the skilled addressee that the present invention can be applied to the dispensing of a wide range of granular materials including spices, coffee granules, sugar, alum, and the like. Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, the dispensers may have fixed tops and be filled through the base floors fitted with removable plugs; and the holes may be square, oval, triangular or other suitable shape; and the dispensers may be produced f om a wide range of suitable materials.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A dispenser for granular materials including: a body to contain a supply of granular material having a top or cap; and at least one outlet orifice in the top or cap to enable the granular material to be dis¬ charged from the body, wherein: an inverted cone or pyramid-like formation is provided on the top or cap within the dispenser; and; the outlet orifice is formed at the apex of the cone or pyramid formation. 2. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 1 wherein: the inverted cone formation is provided centrally in the top or cap. 3. • A dispenser as claimed in Claim 1 wherein: a plurality of inverted cone formations, each having a respective outlet orifice, are provided at equally spaced intervals in the top or cap. 4. A dispenser as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein: the inverted cone formation has a wall port¬ ion around the outlet orifice, the wall portion having a small radius of curvature leading to a knife-edged rim around the outlet orifice directed inwardly into the interior of the body. 5. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 4 wherein: the external face of the wall portion defining the orifice, has an included angle in the range of ' 1° to 85°. 6. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 5 wherein: the included angle is 60°. 7. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 4 wherein: the internal face of the wall portion, directed towards the interior of the dispenser, has an included angle in the range of 25° to 150°. 8. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 7 wherein: the included angle is 90 . 9- A dispenser as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8 wherein: when the dispenser is inverted, the inverted cone formation deflects the granular material spaced from the outlet orifice away from the outlet orifice to reduce the pressure on the granular material adjacent the outlet orifice to thereby reduce the compaction of such granular material. 10. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 4 wherein: when the dispenser is inverted, the knife- edge rim causes granules to be broken free, or released from, the bulk of the granular ' material to enable -the granules to flow freely through the outlet orifice. 11. A dispenser for granular material sub¬ stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIGS. 1,3 and 4; or FIGS -1 and 3, of the ac¬ companying drawings.

Inventors: CULLEY DONALD MAXWELL JR, CULLEY, DONALD, MAXWELL, JR.
Applicants: CULLEY DONALD MAXWELL JR, CULLEY, DONALD, MAXWELL, JR.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: A47G19
IPC codes: A47G19