Measuring vessel

Abstract: This is an exact volume dispensing container which comprises a primary storage container (11) for storing liquid and a measuring head (7) having a pour-out spout (7e) disposed above the primary storage container, a neck (6b) disposed between the primary storage container and the measuring head wherein a modified pour-spout (6) is formed by a barrier molded into one side of the storage container and a drainback hole (15) is interposed through the barrier. When the level of liquid in the measuring head exceeds a preselected amount, the excess liquid pours back into the storage container through the drainback hole, leaving the exact amount of liquid to be dispensed from the measuring head.

Description: This invention relates to measuring vessels of the type having a measuring head, a storage container and a modified pour-spout as described which serves accurately to measure discrete amounts of liquid poured out from the pour-spout. Such measuring devices were disclosed and claimed in our prior U.S. Patents Nos. 4,079,859, 4,298,038 and 4,646,948. All of the prior U.S. Patents are owned by the applicants of this application. Each discloses a measuring device in which a predetermined amount of liquid is poured through a passage from a primary storage chamber to a measuring chamber prior to being dispensed from a pour-spout. In each case the pouring passage between the storage and measuring chambers is described as a modified pour-spout to distinguish it from the dispensing or actual pour spout. Similar terminology is adopted in this specification and reference is made to "a modified pour spout as described". French Patents Nos. 2590555 and 2548142 although concerned with liquid dispensers, disclose attachments for inserting into a bottle neck or other container for metering discrete volumes therefrom. The measuring devices of the designs disclosed in the foregoing U.S. patents function to measure a range of volumes of stored fluid by a procedure in which the measuring head is filled from the storage container, and by use of a scale on the measuring head, the user can determine the proper amount of fluid to be dispensed. The vessel is then tilted back, causing the excess fluid in the measuring head to be returned to the storage container. In the practice of using measuring devices of the type described, it is often necessary to dispense a preselected measured volume of fluid ounces. Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to improve and simplify measuring devices of the type described for repeatedly dispensing a discrete measured amount of fluid. According to the present invention, there is provided a unitary storage and measuring vessel for storing liquid, measuring a precise amount of said liquid while said vessel is in a sealed condition and dispensing in repeated pouring operations volumes of said liquid equal to said precise amount, said vessel having a first part for storing liquid and a second part disposed above said first part for measuring a said precise amount of liquid and returning excess liquid to said first part, said second part having a front wall, a rear wall and a top wall, said front wall leading upwardly to a pour-out spout which is openable to dispense the measured precise amount of liquid therefrom, a flow passage interconnecting said first and second vessel parts and extending upwardly from the first storage part proximate said rear wall in a direction angled away from said pour-out spout, said rear wall of the vessel second part having an upper edge spaced from said top wall to define a gap to complete communication from the vessel first part to the vessel second part via the angled flow passage, characterized in that an opening extends through the rear wall at a location downwardly displaced from said upper edge thereof from the vessel second part and into the angled flow passage, the location of the opening being such that with the vessel sealed and upon forward tilting of said vessel from an upright storage position liquid can flow from the first part into the flow passage, through said gap and into the second part and upon reversion of the vessel to said upright position all liquid above the opening and below the upper edge of the rear wall will return from the second part to the first part through said opening and down through the flow passage to leave the precise measured amount of liquid remaining in the second part and ready for dispensing through said spout upon opening of the latter. Thus, during the measuring operation, the vessel is tilted to overfill the second part which acts as a measuring head, and then returned to an upright position. Drainback of fluid from the measuring head into the first or storage part occurs until the exact level is achieved in the measuring head which will correspond to the exact volume each selected vessel is designed to dispense through its pour-out spout. It is contemplated that one may have a series of vessels, each of which is designed to dispense a preselected measured volume of fluid. In each case, an opening or passage is molded into the plastic wall between the measuring vessel and the modified pour-spout as described at a preselected position to cause drainback from the measuring vessel when the liquid level in the latter reaches the exact measured amount which the vessel was designed to dispense. The vessel is then tipped forward, and the measured quantity of liquid is dispensed from the measuring head through the regular pour-out spout. One of the embodiments shown by way of illustration includes a handle molded into the body of the primary container. Another embodiment, which excludes the handle, includes a filler opening vertically aligned with the modified pour-spout, which is closed by a snap-on closure when the initial filling process has been completed. The device of the present invention has the advantage of greatly simplifying the step of repeatedly dispensing a preselected, premeasured volume of liquid, eliminating the necessity for visual measurement of the amount dispensed or poured back into the measuring head at each dispensing step. This, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from a study of the detailed description of the invention hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings. Short Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective showing of a vessel in accordance with the present invention having a measuring head, pour-out spout, storage container, modified pour-spout and a molded-in handle, which vessel is designed to dispense discrete preselected amounts of fluid through its pour-out spout. Fig. 2 is a sectional showing of the vessel of Fig. 1, along a vertical plane indicated by the arrows 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional showing of a fragment including the drainback opening, through the plane indicated by the arrows 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional showing of a fragment including showing the drainback opening, through a plane indicated by the arrows 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a modification of the vessel of the present invention without a molded-in handle, having a measuring head with a pour-out spout, a storage container and modified pour-spout with a filler opening having a snap-on closure. Fig. 6 is a sectional showing along a vertical plane indicated by the arrows 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a sectional showing of a fragment including the drainback opening through a plane indicated by the arrows 7-7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a sectional showing of a fragment, including the drainback opening through a plane indicated by the arrows 8-8 of Fig. 5. Referring to Figs. 1-4 as described above, the storage container 10 is formed from polypropylene, or similar semi-rigid plastic material, having a wall thickness of, say 1 millimeter (3/64 inch). In one embodiment, which is described by way of illustration, and which is designed to dispense an exact volume of 4 ounces, the storage container 10, has a substantially rectangular base, say, 16.5 cm (6-½ inches) long and, say, 8.7 cm (3-3/8 inches) wide; and has an overall height of, for example, 28½ cm (11-1/4 inches). It will be apparent that the dimensions of each container may depend on the exact volume it is designed to dispense, and other features, including the particular shape of the design, which is optional. In the embodiment under description the base portion supports a substantially rectangular, prima container 11, about 20.5 cm (8 inches) high, say, 5.7 cm (2-1/4 inches) across the rear end, the top sloping down at a slight angle toward the front end, to a width of, say, 6.4 cm (2-½ inches). The primary container 11 is rounded on the corners, having a fluid capacity of, say, 1.8 liters (64 fluid ounces). Primary container 11 is substantially rectangular in form. The rear wall 11c is crimped inwardly at the top of primary container 11, forming a shoulder lid from which the rear wall projects up vertically to form the hollow pipe 6 which is designated as the modified pour-spout. The latter communicates internally at its upper end with a hollow measuring vessel 7 having a truncated triangular lateral section, about 5½ cm (2-1/8 inches) wide across the front, which extends, say 9 cm (3-½ inches) across the top of the container and narrows down at a plane 7.5 cm (2-3/4 inches) below the top to form a cup having an inner width, say, 2.5 cm (1-1/8 inches) which is molded to the top front shoulder 11b of the primary container 11. The upper end of measuring vessel 7, opposite the modified pour-spout 6, terminates in the actual pour-out spout 7e having an internal diameter of, say, 2.2 cm (7/8 inch). Molded into the body of the embodiment under description, near the top of the primary container 11, substantially parallel to its rear wall 11c, is a vertically elongated recessed, substantially elliptical handle opening 12, which extends parallel to and about 2 cm (3/4 inch) in from the rear wall 11c, from a level about 6.4 cm (2-½ inches) above the container bottom to a level about 4 cm (1-½ inches) below the rear shoulder 11d, the shape and dimensions being varied to facilitate grasping. A particular feature of the embodiment disclosed in Figs. 1-4 is that the modified pour-spout 6 is formed by compression-molding the rear portion of the measuring head 7, in the area opposite the primary pour-out spout 7e. The modified pour-spout 6 is thus separated from the inside of the measuring head 7 by the molded barrier indentation 6a, about 0.5 cm (3/16 inch) wide and 1 cm (½ inch) deep. This runs downward and inward about 5.7 cm (2-1/4 inches) forming an angle of about 15 degrees with the principal axis of the container. This not only forms one wall of the tube 6, but is bent inwardly at the bottom at an angle slightly exceeding a right angle to form a barrier 6b which forms the bottom of the cup separating the measuring head 7 from the primary storage container 11 in the neck portion resting on top of the shoulder 11b of the primary container 11. The front end 11a of container 11 comprises a substantially straight wall which rises from the base, to a height of, say, 19 cm (7 inches). This curves inward and upward, forming the shoulder 11b which forms a small angle with the horizontal, and extends inwardly for, say, about 5 cm (2 inches) to the inwardly-curved neck formed by the barrier 6b. From the neck 6b, the pour-out spout 7e extends upward and outward a total distance of about 8 cm (3 inches), forming an angle of, say, 75 degrees with shoulder 11b, terminating in a screw-threaded spout having a cap 9. The modified pour-spout 6, which is, say, about 2.54 cm (1 inch) in inner diameter at the upper end, extends upward about 6.4 cm (2-½ inches) in an outwardly-angled direction from the top of the primary storage container 11, opposite the direction of pour-out spout 7e. The closed flat top portion 7a, which is, say, 5.2 cm (2 inches) in overall width, extends across 10 cm (4 inches) from tangential contact with the inner periphery of pour-out spout 7e. A particular feature of this embodiment is the drainback opening 15, which may be, for example, a round opening .6 cm (1/4 inch) in diameter, in the barrier layer 6a. The location of the opening 15 in the barrier layer 6a will depend on the measuring level for which a specific container is designed to pour out. For example, if the container is designed to repeatedly pour out an exact measurement of four ounces, then the opening 15 is so located that when the measuring head 7 is filled with 113 ml (4 fluid ounces), an excess over 113 ml (4 ounces) will pour back into container 11 through the opening 15. It is contemplated that a user might be equipped with a series of such containers, each designed to pour out a different exact measured volume, and each appropriately marked with an indication of the volume to be dispensed on the face of the measuring vessel 7. For measuring out the preselected amount of fluid for which the container is designed, the container is tilted to overfill the measuring head 7, and then returned to an upright position. Drainback occurs until the exact level is achieved for which the container is designed. Another modified form of the exact volume container in accordance with the present invention is disclosed in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8. In this embodiment, which is designed in the presently described instance to dispense an exact volume of 2 ounces, the handle has been omitted. As an alternative to the container previously described, this container 20 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 U.S. Patent No. 4,298,038, issued November 3, 1981. A feature of this embodiment, as in the case of the embodiment described in Figs. 1-4 hereinbefore, is that the modified pour-spout 26 is formed by compression-molding the rear portion of the measuring head 27, in the area opposite the primary pour-out spout 27e. The modified pour-spout 26 is thus separated from the inside of the measuring head 27 by the molded barrier 26a, in the manner described with reference to Figs. 1-4, which barrier not only forms one wall of the modified pour-spout, but is bent inwardly at substantially a right angle to form a barrier 26b between the cup formed by the measuring head 27 and the primary storage container 21 in the neck portion 29. The presently described embodiment 20 is, for example, say, 23 cm (9 inches) in overall height, and say, 6.4 cm (2-½ inches) across the front and rear ends, and 10 cm (4 inches) wide on the sides, the primary storage container 21a being substantially flat on its sides and ends, and rounded on the corners. The front end 21a of primary container 21 comprises a substantially straight wall which rises from the base, to a height of, say, 13 cm (5 inches) from front to back, forming a front shoulder 21b which is angled inwardly and upwardly about 10 cm (4 inches) making an angle of, say, 12 degrees with the horizontal. The rear end 21c of primary container 21, opposite the pour-out spout 27e, is substantially straight, extending to a height of about 15 cm (6 inches) above the base, not including the modified pour tube 26, which is, say, about 2 cm (3/4 inch) in inner diameter and extends upward about 8 cm (3 inches) from the top of the primary storage container 21. The measuring head 17, substantially similar to measuring head 7 previously described, is substantially frusto-triangular in lateral section forming a cup which rests on the upper surface of the top of primary storage container 21, the outer end surface 27b forming an outwardly-directed angle of, say, 32 degrees with the principal axis of the contain 20; and the inner surface comprising barrier 26a, forming an oppositely-directed smaller angle of, say, 15 degrees, with the principal axis of the container 20. Side 27b of measuring head 27 extends upward and outward, say, 6.4 cm (2-½ inches), forming a shoulder 27c at its upper end from which the screw-threaded pour-out spout 2 7e projects The latter, is, say, 3.4 cm (7/8 inch) in inner diameter, and is closed with a conventional screw cap 29. A particular feature of this embodiment is a filler opening 27f, say, about 2.54 cm (1 inch) in inner diameter, which is located adjacent the rear wall 26d of the modified pour-spout 26. The filler opening 27f serves to accommodate a filler tube during the initial period when the container 20 is being filled with fluid. At the end of this period, the tube is removed from 27f, and the opening is sealed with a snap-on cap 28 of the type shown in Fig. 5. The pour-out spout 27e is connected to the filler opening 27f, by the flat closed top 27a, which extends, say, 5 cm (2 inches) across from the tangent to the pour-out opening 27e to the tangent of filler opening 27f. As with the embodiment described with reference to Figs. 1 et seg., this embodiment of Figs. 5-8 is designed to dispense an exact volume of liquid from the measuring head 27, in this case, four fluid ounces. To achieve this, a cylindrical drainback opening 35, say, 1/4 inch (½ centimeter) in inner diameter and extending .5 cm (1/4 inch) in a thickness direction, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, is interposed through the barrier layer 26a, so as to communicate between the measuring head 27 and the modified pour-spout 26. The drainback opening 35 is located at the exact level so that when the measuring head 27 is filled with 4 fluid ounces of liquid, the excess liquid pours back in the primary storage container 21. Thus, when container 20 is tipped forvard in the direction of pour-out spout 27e, exactly 113 ml (4 fluid ounces) of liquid is dispensed. It will be understood that the present invention is not limited to containers of the specific forms or dimensions disclosed herein by way of illustration, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims: A unitary storage and measuring vessel for storing liquid, measuring a precise amount of said liquid while said vessel is in a sealed condition and dispensing in repeated pouring operations volumes of said liquid equal to said precise amount, said vessel having a first part (11, 21) for storing liquid and a second part (7, 27) disposed above said first part for measuring a said precise amount of liquid and returning excess liquid to said first part (11, 21), said second part having a front wall (7b, 27b), a rear wall (6a, 26a) and a top wall (7a, 27a), said front wall leading upwardly to a pour-out spout (7e, 27e) which is openable to dispense the measured precise amount of liquid therefrom, a flow passage (6, 26) interconnecting said first and second vessel parts and extending upwardly from the first storage part proximate said rear wall (6a, 26a) in a direction angled away from said pour-out spout, said rear wall of the vessel second part having an upper edge spaced from said top wall (7a, 27a) to define a gap to complete communication from the vessel first part to the vessel second part via the angled flow passage (6, 26), characterized in that an opening (15, 35) extends through the rear wall (6a, 26a) at a location downwardly displaced from said upper edge thereof from the vessel second part and into the angled flow passage (6, 26), the location of the opening (15, 35) being such that with the vessel sealed and upon forward tilting of said vessel from an upright storage position liquid can flow from the first part (11, 21) into the flow passage (6, 26), through said gap and into the second part (7, 27) and upon reversion of the vessel to said upright position all liquid above the opening (15, 35) and below the upper edge of the rear wall (6a, 26a) will return from the second part to the first part through said opening and down through the flow passage to leave the precise measured amount of liquid remaining in the second part and ready for dispensing through said spout upon opening of the latter. A vessel according to claim 1, characterized by a filler opening (27f) vertically aligned with the passage (26), and a snap-on cap (28) for closing said filler opening. A vessel according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by a handle (12) molded into the body of the primary storage container (11).

Inventors: JENNINGS J THOMAS, JENNINGS, J. THOMAS
Applicants: CONTAINER MFG INC, CONTAINER MFG., INC.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G01F11
IPC codes: B65D83, G01F11