Abstract:
An adapter for aligning the openings of and connecting two bottles has a channel through which fluid material can be conveyed between the bottles using gravity. The adapter is a two-piece molded plastic device forming a generally cylindrical body which can be separated for cleaning. Flanges surrounding top and bottom tapered portions of the body function to grip and stabilize the connected bottles during the transfer procedure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to the field of container accessories to assist material and fluid transfer between containers. In particular, the invention relates to adapters connecting the containers to facilitate the emptying of the contents of one container into another container. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   It is prudent to conserve and prevent waste of consumable substances and materials. Transfer of gravity flow fluids and semi-fluids having relatively slow flow velocities, such as pastes, thick liquid suspensions, soups and purees, is time consuming and burdensome. Convenience dictates discarding of bottles and containers despite having residual amounts of consumable materials contained therein without first completely removing the contents of the container. Attempts have been made to effectuate the transfer and emptying of the contents of one container into a second container with limited success. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The adapter of the invention is used to funnel and transfer relatively slow moving materials and gravity flow liquids between containers, such as food puree containers and the like. 
   The adapter has a generally cylindrical body having a top section releasably attached to a bottom section. The body has an internal passage which is open to the top and bottom of the body. The top section of the body has a tapered upper portion adapted to fit into the neck of a substantially empty container desired to be drained. The top section of the body has a plurality of openings in communication with top of the passage to allow material to move from the container into the passage. Outwardly and upwardly extending concave curved flanges located adjacent the bottom of each opening collect and direct material through the openings and into the passage. The flanges are longitudinally spaced annular members having successively increasing diameters to fit different sized container openings. The bottom section of the body has a plurality of openings in communication with the bottom of the passage to allow material to flow out of the passage and permit air to vent from the container receiving material from the first container. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the adapter of the invention aligned with the openings of two bottles; 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the adapter of  FIG. 1  inserted into the aligned openings of the bottles; 
       FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the adapter of  FIG. 1  with the body members of the adapter separated; 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view of the top body member of the adapter of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the bottom body member of the adapter of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 6 , there is shown an adapter or drain funnel  10  of the invention useable to drain and transfer liquids, suspensions, and semi-liquid materials from one container  11  to another container  12  with minimal effort and supervision. Adapter  10  is a two-piece generally cylindrical shaped plastic molded member having a top body member  12  threadably attached to a bottom body member  14 . The outer surfaces of end  31  of body member  13  and end  46  of body member  14  are knurled to aid in gripping members  13  and  14  when separating and/or joining member  13  with body member  14 . Other materials can be used to make adapter  10 . Adapter  10  can have a one-piece body construction. 
   Top member  13  has a generally cylindrical shape having an upwardly tapered upper end  16  surrounding a passage  29  open to the ends of top member  13 . The top of upper end  16  has an opening  33  to permit material to drain directly into passage  29  from container  11 . Opening  33  also allows air to enter container  11  to replace the material drained from container  11 . Upper end  16  has a plurality of generally rectangular side openings or holes  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  21  and  22  to allow material to enter passage  29 . Holes  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  21  and  22  can have other shapes and patterns such as circle, oval and square shapes and mesh and gird patterns. The size of holes  17 - 19  and  21 - 22  increase from the top of upper end  16  to the bottom thereof as seen in  FIG. 6 . 
   A plurality of saucer shaped concave curved annular flanges  23 ,  24 ,  26  and  27  extending outwardly and slightly upwardly from the outer surface of upper end  16  adjacent the bottom of openings  17 ,  18 ,  19  and  21  direct material toward openings  17 - 19  and  21  whereby the material enters passage  29  through the openings. Flanges  23 ,  24 ,  26  and  27  are longitudinally spaced and increase in diameter from the top of upper end  16  to the bottom thereof to accommodate containers having different sized and/or shaped openings. Flanges  23 - 24  and  26 - 27  are preferably made of elastic rubber or semi-flexible plastic material that engages and conforms to the shape of the inside surface of container  11  to stabilize container  11  when inverted and connected to container  12  as seen in  FIG. 2 . 
   An outwardly extending annular shoulder  28  located at the bottom of upper end  16  has a downwardly and inwardly inclined bottom wall. The diameter of shoulder  28  is greater that the diameter of the neck opening of container  11  whereby liquid flowing out of container  11  is collected and directed through opening  22  in upper portion  16  and into passage  29 . 
   Bottom member  14  has a generally cylindrical shape having a downwardly tapered lower end  34  surrounding a passage  45  aligned with passage  29  in top member  13 . A plurality of elongated linear openings or slots  36  radially spaced on lower end  34  are open to passage  45  to allowing material to move out of passage  45  through slots  36  and into container  12 . As material flows into container  12  air is vented out of container  12  through the top of slots  36 . 
   A plurality of annular flanges  37 ,  38 ,  39 ,  41 ,  42 ,  43  and  44  extend outwardly from the lower end  34  of body member  14 . Flanges  37 - 39  and  41 - 44  are longitudinally spaced and decrease in diameter from the top of lower end  34  to the bottom thereof to accommodate containers having different sized and/or shaped openings. Preferably flanges  37 - 39  and  41 - 44  are made of elastic rubber or flexible plastic to facilitate the gripping of container  12  and stabilization of adapter  10  and container  11 . Depending on the size and shape of the container one or more flanges  37 - 39  and  41 - 44  engage and grip the inside surface of the neck of the container and stabilizes adapter  10  on the container. The bottom of lower end  34  has an opening  48  to permit material to flow directly from passage  45  into container  12 . 
   In use, when container  11  is almost empty, the tapered lower end  34  of body member  14  is inserted into the neck opening of container  12  to be filled. Lower end  34  extends into the opening of container  12  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Flanges  39 ,  41  and  42  engage the inside surface of the neck of container  12  to stabilize adapter  10  on container  12 . Container  11  is then inverted and placed on the tapered upper end  16  of body member  13 . Upper end  16  extends into the neck opening of container  11 . Flanges  24  and  26  engage the inside surface of the neck of container  11  to stabilize container  11  on adapter  10  and container  12 . Material contained within container  11  gravitates out of container  11  through adapter  10  and into container  12  with minimal effort and supervision. Material moves through holes  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  21  and/or  22  in upper end  16  and into passage  29 . Flanges  23 ,  24 ,  26  and  27  collect and direct material into holes  17 ,  18 ,  19  and  21 . Annular shoulder  28  catches and directs any material dripping from container  11  into hole  22 . From passage  29  material enters passage  45  and flows out of body member  14  through the bottom of slots  36  and exit hole  48  in the bottom of lower end  34 . Air is vented from container  12  through passage  46  and the top of slots  36  as material moves into container  12  from container  11  to ensure continuous flow of material. The longitudinal spacing and varying diameters of flanges  23 - 24  and  26 - 27  on upper end  16  and flanges  37 - 39  and  41 - 44  on lower end  34  are adaptable to different sized openings of containers requiring material transfer. 
   There has been shown and described an embodiment of the adapter of the invention. Changes in the materials, structures, and arrangement of structures may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the invention.