MEASURING CONTAINER WITH MODIFIED POUR SPOUT

Abstract: This invention relates to improvements in a container for measuring discrete quantities of poured-out liquid, which comprises a primary storage container, a measuring head, and a modified pour-spout, formed as a unitary body. The improvements include a first embodiment having a single pour-out mouth, also serving as a filler opening, wherein a removable insert plug formed integrally with the modified pour-spout is interposed into the neck between the measuring head and the primary container. In a second embodiment including a single pour-out opening, and a removable plug between the measuring head and the primary storage container, the modified pour-spout is formed integrally at the back of the measuring head by a compression-molding process. In another embodiment, having a single pour-out opening, an annular bulge interposed in the neck between the measuring head and the primary storage container provides an orifice for filling, and is collapsed to provide closure. In another embodiment having a separate filler opening and a closed neck, the modified pour-spout is compression-molded.

Description: A measuring container having a measuring head, a storage portion and a modified pour-spout, which serves to accurately measure discrete amounts of liquid poured out from the container, is disclosed in our U.S. patent #4,079,859, issued March 21, 1978. A modification of the container disclosed in the foregoing patent is disclosed in our U.S. patent #4,298,038, issued November 3, 1981, which includes a second opening, spaced-apart from the pour-out opening in the top of the container, the second opening being designed to facilitate filling the container. It has been found that there is a need to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of manufac­ turing and filling containers of the types disclosed and claimed in said U.S. patents Nos. 4,079,859 and 4,298,038. Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide structures and procedures which reduce the number of operational steps and which facilitate automation in the manufacture and filling of measuring containers of the general types disclosed in our patents Nos. 4,079,859 and 4,298,038. In the container of the invention which has a separate filler opening, as shown in our patent No. 4,298,038, a modified pour-spout is formed by compression-molding a tube in the area back of the measuring head, the separate filler opening being sealed once the filler operation is complete. In this design, the handle may be formed in the usual manner being sculpted into the side of the primary storage container. The design of the present invention lends itself to automation as applied during the manufacturing and filling processes. In accordance with the invention there is provided an apparatus for measuring fluids dispensed from a primary container via a measuring head comprising : a lower primary storage container for storing fluid, connected for fluid transfer via a neck to an upper container disposed above said lower primary storage container, said upper container comprising a measuring head, and a modified pour-spout, said measuring head and said modified pour-spout being formed by dividing said upper container substantially vertically at all but its upper end into two portions, a first of said portions at its lower end in the region of the neck being also separated substantially horizontally from said lower storage container so as to define said measuring head and said second portion defining said modified pour spout, said measuring head having at its top a pour-out spout with an opening, said modified pour-spout having an opening and a removable closure lying on the top of said upper container on the sub­ stantially vertical axes of said modified pour-spout, said upper container, said lower storage container, said substantially vertical division of said upper container and said substantially horizontal separation of said first portion of said upper container from said lower storage container being formed by compression moulding, characterized in that substantially vertical division of said upper container and said substantially horizontal separation of said first portion of said upper container from said lower storage container are achieved by compressing the appropriate regions of the lateral sides of said container, so that they contact to form a linear substantially vertical single-wall moulded barrier and a linear substantially horizontal single-wall moulded barrier respectively. Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be better understood with reference to the attached drawings and the specification hereinafter. In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows, in perspective, a container of the present invention having a second opening, supplemental to the pour-out opening, in which container, the modified pour spout and the separation between the measuring head and the storage container, are formed by compression-molding a tube in the area back of the measuring head. Fig. 2 shows the container of Fig. 1 in side elevation. Fig. 3 shows the container of Figs. 1 and 2, in the condition of being filled through a filler tube interposed in supplemental opening. Fig. 4 shows a section of the separation between the measuring head (87b) and container (80) along the plane indicated by arrows 4-4 in Fig. 3. Referring to the drawings, the container (80), comprising a lower primary storage container 81a and an upper container 87, is designed to be filled through a special filler opening in the top, in addition to the opening in the pour-out spout, in a manner described in detail in our U.S. Patent No. 4,298,038, issued November 3, 1981. The upper container (87) comprises the measuring head (87b) and a modified pour-spout (86). The principal difference between the embodiment described in the prior patent, supra , and this improved embodiment, is that the modified pour-­ spout 86 in the embodiment under description is formed by compression-molding the rear portion of the upper container (87), in the area opposite the primary pour-out spout (87e) by compressing apporpriate regions of the lateral sides of the container (87). The modified pour-­ spout (86), is thus separated from the inside of the measuring head (87b) by a single-wall molded barrier (86a), which forms the inner wall of the modified pour-­ spout (86), and is bent inwardly at substantially a right angle to form a barrier (86b) between the measuring head (87b) and the lower storage container (81a) in the neck portion (91) of the container. As is most clearly shown in Figure 3, the molded barrier (86a) is preferably at a small clockwise angle with respect to the principal axis of the container. The presently described container (80) is, for example, say, 190 mm (7-1/2 inches) in overall height, and, say, 32 mm (1-3/4 inches) wide, the lower primary storage container (81a) being substantially flat on its sides and ends, and rounded on the corners. The front end of the primary storage container (81a) has a substantially straight edge which rises from the base, to a height of say, 102 mm (4 inches), forming a front shoulder (81c) which is curved inwardly for, say, about 38 mm (1-1/2 inches) to the inwardly-curved neck (91). The rear end (81b), opposite the pour-out spout (87e), is substantially straight, extending to a height of about 190 mm (7-1/2 inches) above the base, including the modified pour-spout (86), which is, say, about 25.4 mm (an inch) in inner diameter and extends upward about 76 mm (3 inches) from the top of the primary storage container (81). The measuring head (87) is substantially U-­ shaped, resting on the upper plane of the solid neck portion (91), the outer end (87b) forming an angle of, say, 38 degrees with the principal axis of the container (80), and the inner surface comprising barrier (86a), forming a smaller angle of, say, 20 degrees, with the principal axis of the container (80). End (87b) extends upward and outward, say, 64 mm (2-1/2 inches), forming a shoulder (87c) at its upper end from which the screw­ threaded pour-out spout (87e) projects. The latter is, say, 22 m (7/8 inch) in inner diameter, and is closed with a conventional screw cap (89). The pour-out spout (87e) is connected to the filler opening (86f), by the flat closed top (87a), which is, say, 44 mm (1-3/4 inches) across. The filler opening (86f) is, say, about 25.4 mm (1 inch) in inner diameter, and may be sealed closed when the filling operation is completed, or closed with a conventional screw top (90). This embodiment may be marked with the scales (94), illustrated in the side-elevational showing of Fig. 2, which are similar to those described in detail in prior Patents 4,079,859 and 4,298,038 included herein by reference. Fig. 3 shows a filler tube (15) interposed into the filler opening (86f) along the principal axis of the container for filling the lower storage container (81) with liquid. Fig 4 is a sectional showing through the molded barrier (86b) through the plane indicated by the arrows 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Claims: 1. An apparatus for measuring fluids dispensed from a container (80) via a measuring head (87b) comprising: a lower primary storage container (81a) for storing fluid, connected for fluid transfer via a neck to an upper container (87) disposed above said lower primary storage container (81a), said upper container (87) comprising a measuring head (87b), and a modified pour-spout (86), said measuring head (87b) and said modified pour-spout (86) being formed by dividing said upper container (87) substantially vertically at all but its upper end into two portions, a first of said portions at its lower end in the region of the neck being also separated substantially horizontally from said lower storage container (81a) so as to define said measuring head (87b) and said second portion defining said modified pour spout (86), said measuring head (87b) having at its top a pour-out spout (87e) with an opening, said modified pour-spout (86) having an opening (86f) and a removable closure (90) lying on the top of said upper container (87) on the sub­ stantially vertical axes of said modified pour-spout (86), said upper container (87), said lower storage container (81a), said substantially vertical division of said upper container (87) and said substantially horizontal separation of said first portion of said upper container (87) from said lower storage container (81a) being formed by compression moulding, characterized in that substantially vertical division of said upper container (87) and said substantially horizontal separation of said first portion of said upper container (87) from said lower storage container (81a) are achieved by compressing the appropriate regions of the lateral sides of said container (87), so that they contact to form a linear substantially vertical single-wall moulded barrier (86a) and a linear substantially horizontal single-wall moulded barrier (86b) respectively.

Inventors: JENNINGS, THOMAS J.
Applicants: CONTAINER MFG., INC.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: G01F11
IPC codes: G01F13, G01F11, B65D83, B65D47