Abstract:
A dose-measuring device designed to be inserted in the neck of a flask ( 1 ) includes a first metering compartment (A) and a second reserve compartment (B) communicating with the outlet of the measuring device and the metering compartment (A). The device also includes an outer tubular element ( 5 ) nested in the neck ( 2   a ) of the flask ( 1 ), closed at its lower end and open at its upper end and an inner tubular element ( 5 ) nested sealed in the outer tubular element ( 5 ), including an intermediate body ( 16 ), delimiting inwards, the metering compartment and a lower part forming a transfer conduit ( 23 ) extending downwards emerging into the metering compartment (A) and in the reserve compartment (B).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a dose-measuring device intended to be inserted in the neck of a flask or like recipient containing a liquid. 
   Liquid dose-measuring devices are already known, engaged in the neck of a flask, comprising two compartments, namely a first metering compartment filling with a predetermined volume of liquid when the flask is upturned from its normal vertical position and a second reserve compartment communicating with the metering compartment so as to receive the predetermined volume of liquid contained in the metering compartment when the flask is returned into normal vertical position. The reserve compartment communicates, furthermore, with an outlet orifice of the dose-measuring device so as to pour to the outside the dose of liquid contained in the reserve compartment, when the flask is being upturned. Such a device is described for example in Patent FR 1 047 119. This Patent describes a dose-measuring stopper constituted by a tubular armature with a sectioned upper part forming outer stopper and a lower part obturated by a sliding stopper; an inner partitioning divides the armature into two chambers, a filling chamber and a reserve chamber. The armature (comprises a filling orifice and an air evacuation orifice made in the walls of the filling chamber. By upturning the bottle, the liquid may then penetrate in the filling orifice in the corresponding chamber up to the height of the air evacuation orifice which is the point of equilibrium of the pressures: at that moment, if the bottle is straightened up, the liquid pours in the reserve chamber and the volume of liquid contained in the filling chamber being greeter than that of the reserve chamber, the surplus is evacuated via the air evacuation orifice ensuring dose-measuring The operator, by inclining the bottle, then empties the contents of the dose-measuring device, which restarts a fresh dose-measuring and the excess liquid which had remained in the filling chamber mixes again with the new supply. It is easily seen that, with this device, the evacuation of the excess liquid which is ensured via the air evacuation orifice, defines, in fact, the level of filling of each chamber; in this way, the limits of filling are identical when one begins to upturn the recipient to empty the dose-measuring chamber, with the result that a part of the liquid may then overflow from the reserve chamber towards the filling chamber incontestably creating an imprecision of the dose-measurement since the quantity of liquid that may overflow from this same filling chamber varies depending on whether the recipient is inclined in a plane more or less close to the plane of symmetry of the stopper. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to an improvement made to the earlier device, with a view to improving the precision of the dose-measurement of liquid. 
   To that end, this dose-measuring device intended to be inserted in the neck of a flask or like recipient containing a liquid comprising two compartments, namely a first metering compartment filling with a predetermined volume of liquid when the flask is upturned from its normal vertical position, and a second reserve compartment communicating with the metering compartment communicating with the outlet orifice of the dose-measuring device and with the metering compartment so as to receive the volume of liquid contained in the latter, when the flask is returned into normal position comprising an outer tubular element fitted in the neck of the flask, closed at its lower end and open at its upper end, presenting, in its lateral wall, an opening for filling close to its upper end and opening out in the metering compartment, a first air evacuation orifice ( 14 ), defining the level of filling of the compartment being provided in the wall of the end tubular element ( 4 ) and an inner tubular element ( 5 ) nested in sealed manner in the outer tubular element ( 4 ), comprising an upper end part forming a pourer ( 17 ), an intermediate body ( 16 ) defining, towards the inside, the metering compartment (A) and a lower end part forming a transfer conduit ( 23 ) extending downwardly, opening out, at its upper end, in the metering compartment (A) and, at its lower end, in the reserve compartment (B) is, according to the principal characteristic of the invention, noteworthy in that said outer tubular element ( 4 ) comprises a second overflow orifice ( 15 ) located at a level lower than that of the air evacuation orifice ( 14 ), i.e. closer to the bottom of the outer tubular element ( 4 ), and defining the maximum level of filling of the reserve compartment (B). 
   It will be readily understood that the dose-measuring orifice, i.e. the overflow orifice, precisely defines the maximum level of filling of the metering compartment; in effect, the two compartments being separated and, insofar as the dose-mesuring compartment is only partially filled, the liquid can thus not overflow towards the filling chamber i.e. towards the reserve compartment, when the recipient is upturned; there is therefore no return of the liquid towards the first compartment, whether the recipient is inclined in the plane of symmetry of the stopper or not, this procuring the desired precision of dose-measuring. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A form of embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a view in axial and vertical section of a dose measuring device according to the invention, engaged in the neck of a flask containing a liquid having to be distributed in predetermined doses. 
       FIG. 2  is a view in axial section of the inner tubular element with its obturator in open position. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the inner tubular element shown in  FIG. 2 , its obturator being in closed position. 
       FIG. 4  is a view in axial section of the inner tubular element 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the inner tubular element, taken from the right in FIG.  4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the inner tubular element, taken from the left in FIG.  4 . 
       FIG. 7  is a view from underneath of the inner tubular element. 
       FIG. 8  is a view from above of the inner tubular element. 
       FIG. 9  is a view in cross-section taken along line IX—IX of FIG.  4 . 
       FIG. 10  is a view in cross-section taken along line X—X of FIG.  4 . 
       FIG. 11  is a view in cross-section taken along line XI—XI of FIG.  4 . 
       FIG. 12  is a view in cross-section taken along line XII—XII of FIG.  4 . 
       FIG. 13  is a view in cross-section taken along line XIII—XIII of FIG.  4 . 
       FIG. 14  is a view in vertical section of the dose-measuring device of which the reserve compartment contains a dose of liquid, the flask being in its normal vertical position. 
       FIG. 15  is a view in vertical section of the dose-measuring device when the flask is upturned, the metering compartment being in the course of being filled and the reserve compartment in the course of being emptied. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In  FIG. 1 , the dose-measuring device according to the invention, generally designated by reference  1 , is engaged in sealed manner in the neck  2   a  of a flask  2  containing a liquid  3 . It is fixed to the neck of the flask  2  by any appropriate means, for example by screwing with non-return, as shown in  FIG. 1 , or by clipping. The dose-measuring device comprises, like the devices known previously, a first metering compartment A, in its upper part, in normal position of the flask, and a second reserve compartment B, in its lower part, these compartments being defined as specified hereinbelow. 
   According to the invention, the dose-measuring device  1  is constituted by two tubular elements fitted axially in each other, namely an outer tubular element  4  and an inner tubular element  5 . These two elements are advantageously made of moulded plastics material. 
   The outer tubular element  4 , shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , comprises a cylindrical body  6  closed, at its lower end, by a bottom  7  and open at its upper end. The outer diameter of the cylindrical body  6  is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the neck  2   a  of the flask  2 . The cylindrical body  6  is fast, in its upper part, with a coaxial skirt  8  intended to cover, on the outside, the neck  2   a  of the flask  2  which is fixed to the neck of the flask by screwing with non-return, in manner known per se. The skirt  8  bears an obturator  9  pivoting about a lateral hinge  11  ensuring its join with the skirt  8  so as to be able to close the upper orifice of the cylindrical body  6 . The obturator  9  may advantageously comprise a projecting part forming stopper  12  ( FIG. 1 ) to ensure a sealed closure of the upper end of the inner tubular element  5  as will be specified hereinafter. Furthermore, the cylindrical body  6  presents in its wall near the upper orifice an opening  13  intended to constitute the orifice for filling the metering compartment A. The cylindrical body  6  likewise presents, in an intermediate part of its wall, an orifice  14  for evacuation of the air, and, slightly below the latter, another orifice  15 , as may be seen in FIG.  1 . The role of these orifices will be specified in the following description. 
   There will now be described, with reference to  FIGS. 4  to  13 , the structure of the inner tubular element  5 . This element  5  comprises an intermediate tubular body  16 , with upwardly decreasing curved cross-section and of which the upper end is extended by a cylindrical part  17  forming pourer. This pourer  17  has an orifice inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis and it presents a longitudinal slot  18 . A cylindrical transverse skirt  19  is provided in the zone of junction of the intermediate body  16  and of the cylindrical pourer  17 . This transverse skirt  19  presents a cylindrical lateral wall having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper end part of the outer tubular element  4  so as to be able to fit closely therein, in sealed manner, as is shown in FIG.  1 . 
   Below the skirt  19 , the intermediate tubular body  16  bears an element forming flow deviator  21  with T-shaped cross-section, as shown in  FIG. 10 , element of which the vertical web  21   a  is attached to the intermediate tubular body  16 . Furthermore, the flow deviator element  21  comprises a vertical planar plate  21   b , corresponding to the head of the T-shaped cross-section, of which the lower end is connected to a horizontal flange  21   c , extending outwardly, in the form of a segment of circle of which the radius of curvature is equal to the radius of the inner surface of the outer tubular element  4 , so as to be closely applied against the wall of this element when the two tubular elements  4  and  5  are fitted in each other. 
   At its lower end, the intermediate tubular body  16  is extended by a cylindrical skirt  22  of which the outer diameter is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the outer tubular element  4 , in order to ensure seal therebetween. This skirt  22  comprises a downwardly extending cylindrical lateral wall and an upper wall  22   a.    
   Furthermore, the intermediate tubular body  16  is extended downwardly by a vertical transfer conduit  23 , open at its two ends, which extends downwardly up to the vicinity of the bottom of the outer tubular element  4 . This transfer conduit  23  is vertically aligned with the flow deviator element  21 . Its upper orifice is located at the level of the lower end of the upper wall  22   a  of the skirt  22  which is advantageously inclined in the direction of the upper orifice of the transfer conduit  23 . The cross-section of the transfer conduit  23  is, for example in the form of a “bean” and its outer surface is cylindrical with a radius of curvature equal to that of the inner surface of the outer tubular element  4 . 
   The dose-measuring device  1  according to the invention, constituted by the two tubular elements  4 ,  5  fitted in each other, is thus as shown in FIG.  1 . In this fitted position, the upper skirt  19  of the inner tubular element  5  is fitted closely, in sealed manner, in the upper end part of the outer tubular element  4 . The flow deviator element  21  extends opposite the opening  13 , from the lower end thereof and preferably its upper end is located just a little beyond the upper end of the opening  13 . The lower flange  21   c , in the form of a segment of circle, of the flow deviator element  21  is in sealed contact, along an arc of circle, with the wall of the cylindrical body  6 , just below the lower end of the opening  13 , and the vertical planar part  21   b  of the deviator element  21  is in contact, along its two vertical edges, with the inner surface of the outer tubular element  4 . The cylindrical body  6  defines, towards the inside, the metering compartment A which is also delimited, towards the outside by the cylindrical wall of the outer tubular element  4 . The air evacuation orifice  14  of the cylindrical body  6  is located just above the upper orifice of the transfer conduit  23  and the overflow evacuation orifice  15  is located just below the lower horizontal edge of the skirt  22  of which the cylindrical lateral wall is applied in sealed manner against the inner surface of the outer tubular element  4 . 
   According to a particularly advantageous configuration, the first air evacuation orifice  14  of the cylindrical body  6  is diametrally opposite the pourer  17  and the second overflow evacuation orifice  15  is substantially at 90° with respect to the first orifice  14  in order that the dose initially contained in the reserve compartment B flows without losses. 
   Finally, the curved outer surface of the transfer conduit  23  is closely applied against the inner surface of the cylindrical body  6  and its lower orifice located at a short distance from the bottom of the outer tubular element  4 . 
   The metering compartment A, which is in upper position when the flask is in its normal position, is defined between the upper skirt  19  of the inner tubular element  5  and the air evacuation orifice  14 . As for the reserve compartment B, it is defined between the bottom of the outer tubular element  4  and the overflow orifice  15 . 
   The functioning of the dose-measuring device  1  according to the invention will now be explained with reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  14  and  15 . 
   In  FIG. 1 , the flask  2  is shown before its first use and, in that case, the liquid  3  is located totally outside the dose-measuring device  1 . Upon first use, the flask  2  is upturned through 180°, to take it in the position shown in FIG.  15  and the liquid  3  contained in the flask in that case flows towards the inside of the metering compartment A, passing through the opening constituting the filling orifice  13 , being deviated downwardly i.e. towards the upper skirt  19  by the flow deviator element  21 , and skirting the latter as indicated by the arrows. The air contained in the upper part of the compartment A, escapes to the outside, through the evacuation orifice  14 . Filling takes place until the level of the liquid in the metering compartment A arrives substantially at the level of the air evacuation orirfice  14 . During this first use, no liquid leaves the dose-measuring device since the reserve compartment B is in that case empty. 
   After the metering compartment A is filled, the flask is upturned in order to place it in its normal position as shown in FIG.  14 . Subsequent to this return to normal position, the dose of liquid contained in the metering compartment A flows rapidly into the reserve compartment B, passing through the transfer conduit  23 . The predetermined dose of liquid which was previously stored in the metering compartment A is thus transferred entirely to the reserve compartment B, i.e. virtually up to the level of the overflow orifice  15 . The device is then ready for a first effective use. This first use is effected by upturning the flask, as shown in  FIG. 15 , and subsequent to this upturning, the dose of liquid contained in the reserve compartment B flows outside, through the inner tubular element  5  and the pourer  17 . During this time, the metering compartment A is filled again with the predetermined dose of liquid which will then be transferred to the reserve compartment B when the flask  2  will have been returned into its normal position. 
   It is important to note that the upturning of the flask  2  to take it from its normal vertical position, shown in  FIG. 14 , up to its position where the metering compartment A in the course of being filled and the reserve compartment B in the course of being emptied, shown in  FIG. 15 , is advantageously obtained by a rotation thought about 180° in anti-clockwise direction for the filling of the metering compartment A, but especially the emptying of the reserve compartment B, to occur correctly, thus ensuring a better precision of the dose-measuring.