Patent Publication Number: US-2009223596-A1

Title: Funnel having movable valve assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates in general to funnels and more particularly, to a funnel having means of enhancing flow and a moveable valve assembly for allowing and stopping the flow of material through the funnel 
     2. Summary of the Prior Art 
     Funnels have long been used as an aid in pouring a liquid or particulate material from one vessel to another in order to minimize spillage. As is well known, it is difficult to control the flow through a funnel because a precise amount is not readily controllable or overflowing of the recipient container occurs. For theses reasons, it is desirable in the prior art to provide an improved funnel by allowing the flow of material through the funnel to be easily maintained and enhanced, and quickly stopped after the desired amount has been delivered. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an objective of this invention to provide an improved stopper valve that is moveable between two positions respectfully, at which the flow of material can be maintained through the funnel and at which such flow can be stopped. At positions between the foregoing upper and lower positions, the stopper valve can control flow. The stopper valve provides for an optimum delivery of material, such as a liquid or a particulate material, to control the volume, the quality, and the rate of flow being poured. The interior bowl of the funnel includes a plurality of downwardly extending curved shoulders to induce a swirling or whirlwind effect on the material being passed through to accelerate and increase the rate of flow and the effectiveness of delivery. The funnel has an exterior formed with overlapping protruding steps or ridges providing an air flow back out of the receiving vessel and attaining a more continuous flow through the funnel. The stopper valve is mounted at the bottom funnel outlet and is moveable to stop flow, permit free flow or regulate the rate of flow. A rod securing the valve at its lower end is mounted on the upper bowl of the funnel by a resilient member having a plurality of arms. The arms may be flexed between an upper and lower position to move the rod and hence the stopper valve. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the funnel of the invention inserted into a receiving vessel; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevational view, with parts in section, of the funnel of the invention having a seated valve; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the funnel of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevational view, with parts in section, of the funnel of  FIG. 2  showing the valve element being unseated at a fully opened position to permit flow through funnel. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the figures, there is illustrated the funnel having a valve assembly and flow control of the invention, generally designated by reference numeral  2 . The funnel  2  includes an upper material receiving bowl  4  having an open top  3  and a body creating a interior chamber  3   a  having a modified circular cross-section that progressively decreases in diameter in a downward direction. An outlet port  6  is formed on the bottom portion  8  of bowl  4  to which a downwardly extending delivery tube  10  is integrally attached in fluid communication. The bowl  4  and tube  10  can be formed from a plastic and the like by a molding or other process. The funnel  2  is intended to receive flowable materials such as fluids or particulate materials poured into the open receiving bowl  4  and deliver the received contents through lower tube  10  into a vessel (not shown) 
     The bowl includes an interior surface  12  on which a plurality of downward extending curved shoulders  14  are provided in a symmetrical arrangement extending downward from the open top of the bowl to the bowl outlet port  6 . Although six shoulders are shown symmetrically arranged, it is within the scope of the invention to use other number of shoulders when it is desired to change flow conditions through the funnel. The shoulders  14  are shaped so to act as vanes to induce a whirlwind or vortex flow of the material being poured into the bowl to create a downward pressure that accelerates flow through the funnel. The exterior of bowl  2  has exterior curved shoulders  20  generally corresponding to the interior shoulders  14  and extend downward the external raised ribs  22  on tube  10 . The ribs  22  create flow passages on the outside of tube  10  when inserted into a receiving vessel (not shown) to provide a constant airflow back out of the vessel by which the flow of the material being poured through the funnel  2  is enhanced. In  FIG. 1  the funnel  2  is shown being stored upright in a separate base holder  2 ′ from which the funnel can be manually removed or mounted as desired. The tube  10  being integrally formed on the bottom of bowl  4  is in fluid communication with central outlet or port  8   a  in the bottom portion of the bowl  4 . The tube  10  has an inverted frusto-conical configuration creating a fluid conduit from bowl  4  to a tube outlet  10   a.    
     The funnel  2  is provided with a valve assembly  30  having a lower stopper valve  32  in the form of a fluid control device. The stopper valve  32  is mounted on an elongated rod  34  that extends downwardly from the top of bowl  4  through tube  10 . The rod  34  is mounted to a resilient member  36  affixed to holes  38  on top of bowl  4 . The resilient member  36  includes three outwardly extending arms  40  which are in the form of partially rigid resilient straps capable of being manually flexed downwardly and upwardly. The arms  40  are respectively attached to holes  38  that are provided at upper portions of bowl  4  in a symmetrical arrangement. Although three arms are shown herein, other number of arms can be used if suitable. The ends of arms  40  extend through respective holes  38  and include an enlarged end in the shape of ring  40 ′ that can used as hangers when the funnel not in use. The outer end portions further include opposed notched areas  40   a  on their edge portions that interfit with edges of holes  38  to secure each of the arms  40  to the bowl  4 . A central resilient hub portion  42  of the resilient member  36  secures the rod  34  by means of a handle  44  attached to hole  46  of central portion  42 . The handle  44  not only attaches to the top end of rod  34 , but is used to manually move the rod  34  up and down. The resilient memory of the resilient member  36  is selected so that the rod  34  will maintain in fixed position in the upper position as shown in  FIG. 1  and the lower position shown in  FIG. 3  in absence of a manual force on rod  34 . 
     Stopper valve  32  is fabricated from a silicone rubber or alternatively from other suitable plastic materials and is permanently affixed to the lower end of rod  34 . The stopper valve  32  is formed with upper frusto-conical section  52  and creates an enlarged continuous peripheral section  56 . In the upper position of the rod  34 , the valve  50  seats in the lower opening  10   a  of tube  10  to stop all flow through the funnel being delivered to a vessel to control the amount of material in the vessel or prevent overflow. In the lower position, the valve  50  is situated below tube opening  10   a  to permit unimpeded flow through the funnel. The handle  44  can be manipulated to move the rod to positions between the upper position and the lower position. In such in-between positions, the rate of flow can be controlled by virtue of the spacing of the surface of the frusto-conical portion  52  and the tube outlet  10   a . It is within the scope of the invention herein to vary the shape of the stopper valve  32  as needed for selected flow control characteristics at the tube outlet  10   a.