Patent Publication Number: US-8109399-B1

Title: Drink bottle funnel

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     1. Field of the Disclosure 
     The disclosure relates to funnels and more particularly pertains to a new funnel for attaching securely to a drink bottle to facilitate pouring flavoring into the drink bottle. 
     2. Summary of the Disclosure 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a main portion formed by a circumferential wall having a top opening and a bottom opening. A tubular connection portion extends from the main portion around the bottom opening. An interior surface of the connection portion has interior surface threads. Thus, the connection portion is designed for threadably engaging the threaded neck of a drink bottle. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a drink bottle funnel according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure in a storage position. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 6  thereof, a new funnel embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the drink bottle funnel  10  generally comprises a main portion  12  formed by a circumferential wall  14  having a top opening  16  and a bottom opening  18 . A tubular connection portion  20  extends from the main portion  12  around the bottom opening  18 . An interior surface  22  of the connection portion  20  has interior surface threads  24 . Thus, the connection portion  20  is designed for threadably engaging a threaded neck  26  of a drink bottle  28 . An exterior surface  30  of the connection portion  20  has exterior surface threads  32 . A cap member  34  has cap threads  36  for engaging the exterior surface threads  32 . 
     The circumferential wall  14  is curved extending from the bottom opening  18  to the top opening  16 . The top opening  16  and the bottom opening  18  are circular. The bottom opening  18  is smaller in diameter than the top opening  16 . The top opening  16  has a diameter of 2.5 inches. The connection portion  20  and the main portion  12  have a combined height of 2 inches. 
     The interior surface threads  24  extend along a full length of the connection portion  20  such that the connection portion  20  is designed for engaging the threaded neck  26  of the drink bottle  28  when the connection portion  20  is in an inverted position such that the main portion  12  envelops an upper portion  40  of the drink bottle  28  when the connection portion  20  is engaged to the threaded neck  26  of the drink bottle  28 . 
     The length of the connection portion  20  is such that the cap member  34  abuts a top surface  42  of the threaded neck  26  of the drink bottle  28  when the connection portion  20  is fully engaged to the threaded neck  26  and the cap member  34  is fully engaged to the connection portion  20 . 
     In use, the connection portion  20  is screwed onto the threaded neck  26  of the drink bottle  28  in an inverted position for storage. The cap member  34  is engaged to the connection portion  20  using exterior surface threads  32  to prevent spillage while the drink bottle funnel  10  is stored on the drink bottle  28 . The cap member  34  is removed, the connection portion  20  is disengaged from the threaded neck  26  and re-engaged to the threaded neck  26  such that the main portion  12  extends out from the drink bottle  28 . Flavoring, typically in the form of a powder, may then be poured into the drink bottle  28  through the main portion  12  with reduced likelihood of spilling the flavoring. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.