Abstract:
A dispensing and sealing assembly for containers includes a mounting assembly comprising an assembly frame having an opening and a plurality of assembly mount flanges carried by the assembly frame. A dispensing assembly is carried by the mounting assembly and includes a tube skirt carried by the assembly frame generally over the opening and a dispensing assembly tube extending from the tube skirt.

Description:
FIELD 
     The disclosure generally relates to devices which facilitate dispensing of a fluid from a container. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a dispensing and sealing assembly which is suitable for attachment to a storage container to facilitate ease in dispensing of a fluid or pourable solid from the container and which effectively seals the container during storage of the container contents. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Some conventional storage containers which are used to store lubricating liquids or other fluids include a removable lid which may be fitted with a dispensing spout. A spout cap may normally be attached to the dispensing spout to seal the container during storage of the container contents. The spout cap can be selectively detached from the dispensing spout to facilitate pouring of the fluid from the container through the dispensing spout. However, removal of the spout cap from the dispensing spout may allow dirt, moisture and other impurities to enter the container. Moreover, even when the spout cap is attached to the dispensing spout, moisture can, over time, inadvertently enter the fluid in the container through the dispensing spout. 
     Therefore, a dispensing and sealing assembly which is suitable for attachment to a storage container to facilitate ease in dispensing a fluid or pourable solid from the container and which effectively seals the container during storage of the fluid is needed. 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosure is generally directed to a dispensing and sealing assembly for containers. An illustrative embodiment of the dispensing and sealing assembly includes a mounting assembly including an assembly frame having an opening and a plurality of assembly mount flanges provided on the assembly frame for attachment to a container. A dispensing assembly is provided on the mounting assembly and includes a tube skirt provided on the assembly frame generally over the opening and a dispensing assembly tube extending from the tube skirt. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will now be made, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a top view of a mounting plate of an illustrative embodiment of the dispensing and sealing assembly for container; 
         FIG. 1B  is a longitudinal sectional view, taken along section lines  1 B- 1 B in  FIG. 1A , of the mounting plate; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the assembly frame and mounting plate elements of an illustrative embodiment of the dispensing and sealing assembly for container; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 , of the assembly frame and mounting plate; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of a dispensing assembly of an illustrative embodiment of the dispensing and sealing assembly for container; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the dispensing assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of an illustrative embodiment of the dispensing and sealing assembly for container, with the assembly frame illustrated in sectional view; 
         FIG. 7A  is a side view of an illustrative embodiment of the dispensing and sealing assembly for container, with the assembly frame illustrated in sectional view and attached to a fluid storage container (illustrated in phantom); 
         FIG. 7B  is a sectional view illustrating an exemplary thread technique for attaching the dispensing assembly to the mounting assembly and to a dispensing spout on a container lid (partially in section) of a fluid dispensing container (not illustrated) in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the dispensing and sealing assembly for container; and 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view of a portion of the assembly frame of an illustrative embodiment of the dispensing and sealing assembly for container. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. As used herein, relative terms such as “upper” and “lower” are intended to be used in an illustrative and not a limiting sense. In some applications, therefore, those elements which are identified as “upper” may be located beneath those elements which are identified as “lower” in the following detailed description. Relative terms such as “top”, “bottom”, “upper”, “lower” and “side” as used herein are to be construed as descriptive for purposes of understanding operation of the dispensing and sealing assembly as it is used in some exemplary applications and such relative terms may not apply in other applications. Therefore, such relative terms are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the appended claims. 
     Referring to the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the dispensing and sealing assembly for container, hereinafter assembly, is generally indicated by reference numeral  1  in  FIGS. 6 and 7A . As illustrated in  FIG. 7A  and will be hereinafter described, in an exemplary application the assembly  1  is attached to a container  36  (illustrated in phantom) which contains a supply of fluid or a pourable powdered, granulated or particulate solid (not illustrated). The container  36  may be a conventional cylindrical, plastic storage container which is commonly used to store commercially-available industrial lubricants (not illustrated), for example and without limitation. A container lid  38  (illustrated in phantom) may be detachably fitted on the container  36  to seal the interior of the container  36 . A dispensing spout  39  (illustrated in phantom) may extend from the container lid  38  for selective dispensing of the contents (not illustrated) from the container  36  through the dispensing spout  39 . In some embodiments, spout threads  40  may be provided on the interior surface of the dispensing spout  39 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7B . In other embodiments, the spout threads  40  may be provided on the exterior surface of the dispensing spout  39 . The container lid  38  may conventionally include a removable spout cap (not illustrated) which is normally seated in the dispensing spout  39  to seal the fluid contents of the container  36  for storage of the contents. An annular container groove  37  may circumscribe the exterior surface of the container  36  generally beneath the container lid  38 . As will be hereinafter described, the assembly  1  can be used to selectively dispense the container contents from the container  36  through the dispensing spout  39  and also to seal the container  36  as the contents are stored in the container  36 . The assembly  1  may prevent or at least minimize influx of dirt, moisture and other impurities into the container  36  both during the process of dispensing the contents from the container  36  and as the contents are stored in the container  36 . 
     As further illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7A , the assembly  1  may include a mounting assembly  2  which is adapted for attachment to the container  36  and a dispensing assembly  22  which is adapted for attachment to the mounting assembly  2  such as in a manner which will be hereinafter described. The dispensing assembly  22  is adapted to selectively dispense fluid or pourable solid contents (not illustrated) from the container  36  by gravity as the contents are poured from the container  36  through the dispensing spout  39 . The dispensing assembly  22  may also be adapted to substantially seal the container  36  from dirt, moisture and other impurities during storage of the contents in the container  36 . 
     As further illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7A , the mounting assembly  2  of the assembly  1  may include an assembly frame  3 . In some embodiments, the assembly frame  3  may generally have an inverted pan shape, with an assembly frame top  4  which may be circular and may have an upper surface  4   a  and a lower surface  4   b . An assembly frame side  5  which may be annular may extend from the edge and beyond the lower surface  4   b  of the assembly frame top  4 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a nipple opening  7  may extend through the assembly frame top  4  generally between the center and the edge of the assembly frame top  4 . An assembly frame nipple  6  which communicates with the nipple opening  7  may extend from the upper surface  4   a  of the assembly frame top  4 . In other embodiments, the mounting assembly  2  may have alternative designs which are consistent with the functional requirements of the mounting assembly  2  in the assembly  1 . 
     A mounting plate  8  may be provided on the assembly frame top  4  of the assembly frame  3 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B and  2 , in some embodiments the mounting plate  8  may be generally elongated, with a pair of opposite plate ends  9 . The mounting plate  8  may be attached to the assembly frame top  4  of the assembly frame  3  according to any suitable technique which is known by those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, the mounting plate  8  may be attached to the assembly frame top  4  in such a manner that the mounting plate  8  can be manually rotated with respect to the assembly frame  3 . Accordingly, a plate attachment bolt opening  12  ( FIGS. 1A and 1B ) may extend through generally the center of the mounting plate  8 . A bolt opening (not illustrated) may extend through generally the center of the assembly frame top  4 . A plate attachment bolt  13  ( FIG. 3 ) may extend through the plate attachment bolt opening  12  in the mounting plate  8  and through the registering bolt opening (not illustrated) provided in the underlying assembly frame top  4 . Nuts  14  ( FIG. 3 ) may be threaded on the plate attachment bolt  13  to secure the mounting plate  8  on the assembly frame top  4  in such a manner that the mounting plate  8  is capable of being manually rotated on the assembly frame  3  for purposes which will be hereinafter described. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 6 ,  7 A and  8 , in some embodiments a mounting assembly handle  20  may be attached to the mounting plate  8  of the mounting assembly  2  according to any suitable technique which is known by those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, a pair of spaced-apart handle attachment flanges  11  may be attached to the mounting plate  8  via welding and/or other suitable attachment technique known by those skilled in the art. The mounting assembly handle  20  may be extended through respective handle openings  11   a  ( FIG. 1B ) provided in the respective handle attachment flanges  11 . In other embodiments, alternative techniques known to those skilled in the art may be used to attach the mounting assembly handle  20  to the mounting plate  8 . 
     The assembly frame  3  and the mounting plate  8  of the mounting assembly  2  may be attached to the container  36  according to any suitable technique which is known by those skilled in the art. As illustrated in  FIGS. 6 ,  7 A and  8 , in some embodiments a pair of spaced-apart assembly bolts  16  may extend downwardly from the mounting plate  8  of the mounting assembly  2 . The assembly bolts  16  may be attached to the mounting plate  8  according to any suitable technique which is known by those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, a pair of assembly bolt openings  10  ( FIGS. 1-2 ) may extend through the mounting plate  8  generally at or adjacent to the respective plate ends  9 . Each assembly bolt  16  may be extended through each corresponding assembly bolt opening  10 . Each assembly bolt  16  may extend generally adjacent to and outside of the assembly frame side  5  of the assembly frame  3 . In some embodiments, assembly bolt threads  17  may be provided on the upper end portion of each assembly bolt  16 . A wing nut  18  may be threaded on the assembly bolt threads  17 . A washer  15  may be provided on each assembly bolt  16  and interposed between the wing nut  18  and the mounting plate  8 . An assembly mount flange  19  may be provided on the lower end of each assembly bolt  16 . Accordingly, in attachment of the mounting assembly  2  to the container  36 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7A  and will be hereinafter further described, the assembly mount flanges  19  provided on the respective assembly bolts  16  may be inserted into the annular circumferential container groove  37  which is provided in the exterior surface of the container  36  beneath the container lid  38 . The wing nuts  18  are threaded on the assembly bolt threads  17  against the respective washers  15  to raise the assembly bolts  16  through the respective assembly bolt openings  10  and cause the rising assembly mount flanges  19  to engage the container  36  in the upper portion of the container groove  17  and secure the assembly frame  3  and the mounting plate  8  of the mounting assembly  2  to the container  36 . In other embodiments, alternative techniques which are known by those skilled in the art may be used to attach the assembly frame  3  and the mounting plate  8  of the mounting assembly  2  to the container  36 . 
     As further illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7A , the dispensing assembly  22  is adapted for attachment to the mounting assembly  2  such as in a manner which will be hereinafter described. As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in some embodiments the dispensing assembly  22  may include a generally elongated dispensing assembly tube  23  having a tube wall  23   a  ( FIG. 7B ) which may be a rigid or flexible plastic or metal, for example and without limitation. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the dispensing assembly tube  23  may have a generally curved shape. The dispensing assembly tube  23  may have an attachment end  24  and a dispensing end  25  which is opposite the attachment end  24 . Attachment threads  26  may be provided generally at the attachment end  24  of the dispensing assembly tube  23 . In some embodiments, the attachment threads  26  may be provided on the exterior surface of the tube wall  23   a  of the dispensing assembly tube  23 , as illustrated. In other embodiments, the attachment threads  26  may be provided on the interior surface of the tube wall  23   a . A tube cap  27  may be detachably provided on the dispensing end  25  of the dispensing assembly tube  23  to selectively provide a fluid-tight seal with the dispensing assembly tube  23 . In some embodiments, the tube cap  27  may be threadibly attached to the dispensing end  25  of the dispensing assembly tube  23 . In other embodiments, the tube cap  27  may be attached to the dispensing assembly tube  23  via a friction fit or other technique. 
     A tube skirt  28  (illustrated partially in section in  FIG. 7B ) may be provided generally at the attachment end  24  of the dispensing assembly tube  23 . The tube skirt  28  may include a skirt wall  29  having a tube opening  32  through which the dispensing assembly tube  23  extends. In some embodiments, the dispensing assembly tube  23  may freely extend through the tube opening  32  such that the position of the tube skirt  28  along the dispensing assembly tube  23  can be selectively varied. From the tube opening  32 , the tube skirt  28  may generally flare outwardly to define a skirt interior  30 . The attachment threads  26  of the dispensing assembly tube  23  may form an annulus with the interior surface of the skirt wall  29  in the skirt interior  30  of the tube skirt  28 . In some embodiments, multiple thumb screws  31  may be threaded through respective thumb screw openings (not illustrated) provided in the skirt wall  29  of the tube skirt  28  for purposes which will be hereinafter described. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 7A , in an exemplary application of the apparatus  1 , the mounting assembly  2  is attached to the container  36  which in some applications may be used to store a supply of fluid (not illustrated) such as a commercially-available industrial lubricant, for example and without limitation, which can be poured from the container  1 . The container  36  and container lid  38  may be a conventional 5-gallon lubricant storage container which is commonly used to store industrial lubricants and the like. In other applications, the container  36  may be used to store solid powdered, particulate or granulated contents (not illustrated) which can be poured from the container  36 . Accordingly, the container lid  38  is initially placed on the container  36  in the normal manner to seal the contents of the container  36 . The mounting assembly  2  of the apparatus  1  is then attached to the container  36  by initially placing the assembly frame  3  of the mounting assembly  2  over the container lid  38  such that the lower surface  4   b  of the assembly frame top  4  of the assembly frame  3  is lowered to rest on the container lid  38  as the assembly frame side  5  of the assembly frame  3  receives and generally encircles or surrounds the container lid  38 . The assembly bolts  16  extend adjacent to and outside of the assembly frame  3 , with the assembly mount flanges  19  located in the container groove  37  of the container  36 . As the assembly frame  3  is lowered in place onto the container lid  38 , the dispensing spout  39  of the container lid  38  extends through the nipple opening  7  and the assembly frame nipple  6  ( FIG. 3 ) of the assembly frame  3 . The wing nuts  18  may be threaded on the assembly bolt threads  17  of the respective assembly bolts  16  and rotated against the respective washers  15  to incrementally raise the assembly bolts  16  through the respective assembly bolt openings  10  ( FIGS. 1A ,  1 B and  2 ) provided in the mounting plate  8 . This action causes engagement of the assembly mount flanges  19  on the respective assembly bolts  16  with the upper portion of the container groove  37  until the assembly frame  3  of the mounting assembly  2  is firmly seated on the container lid  38 . 
     In some embodiments, the container  36  may be fitted with a bail or handle (not illustrated) which extends across the diameter of the container  36 . Therefore, the positions of the assembly bolts  16  relative to the bail can be selectively adjusted, as deemed necessary, by rotating the mounting plate  8  on the container lid  38 . 
     After the mounting assembly  2  is seated on the container lid  38  typically as was heretofore described, the dispensing assembly  22  is attached to the mounting assembly  2 . Accordingly, the conventional spout cap (not illustrated) may initially be removed from the dispensing spout  39  of the container lid  38 . As particularly illustrated in  FIG. 7B , the dispensing assembly  22  may then be attached to the mounting assembly  2  by causing engagement of the attachment threads  26  provided on the tube wall  23   a  at the attachment end  24  of the dispensing assembly tube  23  with the companion spout threads  40  provided on the dispensing spout  39  of the container lid  38 . In some embodiments, exterior attachment threads  26  provided on the assembly tube  23  may engage interior spout threads  40  provided in the dispensing spout  39 , as illustrated. In other embodiments, interior attachment threads  26  provided in the assembly tube  23  may engage exterior spout threads  40  provided on the dispensing spout  39 . Therefore, a fluid-tight seal is formed between the dispensing assembly tube  23  and the dispensing spout  39  of the container lid  38 . The tube skirt  28  is then slid over the dispensing assembly tube  23  and lowered to rest on the upper surface  4   a  of the assembly frame top  4 , with the tube skirt  28  deployed generally over the nipple opening  7  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ). The thumb screws  31  may be threaded and tightened against the assembly frame nipple  6  of the assembly frame  3  to secure the tube skirt  28  in place on the assembly frame  3 . 
     For storage of the contents (not illustrated) in the container  36 , the tube cap  27  may be fitted in place on the dispensing end  25  of the dispensing assembly tube  23  to seal the interior of the container  36  from moisture, dirt and other impurities. In some embodiments, the tube cap  27  may be threadibly attached to the dispensing end  25  of the dispensing assembly tube  23 . In other embodiments, the tube cap  27  may be attached to the dispensing assembly tube  23  via a friction fit or other technique. The container  36  can be selectively carried by grasping of the mounting assembly handle  20 . 
     The container contents (not illustrated) may be selectively dispensed from the container  36  by initially removing the tube cap  27  from the dispensing end  25  of the dispensing assembly tube  23  and pouring the contents from the container  36  through the dispensing spout  39  of the container lid  38  and discharging the contents from the uncapped dispensing end  25  of the dispensing assembly tube  23 , respectively, by gravity. The tube cap  27  can be selectively replaced on the dispensing end  25  of the dispensing assembly tube  23  to facilitate sealed storage of the fluid contents of the container  36 . The assembly  1  can be selectively detached and removed from the container  36  and container lid  38  by unthreading the wing nuts  18  on the assembly bolt threads  17  of the respective assembly bolts  16  to cause disengagement of the assembly mount flanges  19  from the container groove  37 , followed by lifting of the mounting assembly  2  from the container lid  38 . 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the apparatus  1  may be attached to the container lid  38  without having to first remove the container lid  38  from the container  36 . Furthermore, the apparatus  1  may be readily attached to the container lid  38  of an conventional 5-gallon container  36  which is of the type commonly used to store industrial lubricants and the like. 
     While the preferred embodiments of the disclosure have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.