Patent ID: 12214939

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS.1-5, a liquid dispensing container configured in accordance with one or more embodiment of the present invention is shown (i.e., the liquid dispensing container100). As shown, the liquid dispensing container100is a portable, handheld liquid dispensing container. However, in one or more other embodiments, the liquid dispensing container100can be a non-portable and/or non-handheld liquid dispensing container. Advantageously, the liquid dispensing container100possesses a vent structure that provides improved liquid dispensing along with simplified vent construction and container integration. In these regards, the liquid dispensing container100advantageously overcomes one or more shortcomings associated conventional portable, handheld liquid dispensing containers and other types of containers.

The liquid dispensing container100comprises a liquid container102(including a plurality of walls102A-102G), a vent tube mounting body104, a liquid delivery device mounting body106and a vent device108. The liquid container102can be fabricated using any one of a number of fabrication techniques—e.g., blow-molding, rotational molding, 3D printing and the like. An interior space110, a first hand-gripping structure112, a second hand gripping structure114, a first container support surface116upon which the liquid container102rests when in a surface-supported container storage position P1and a second container support surface118upon which the liquid container102rests when in a surface-supported liquid dispensing position P2(i.e., rotated nominally 90-degrees from the surface-supported container storage position P1) are each jointly defined by a respective portion of one or more of the plurality of walls102A-102G of the liquid container102.

The first hand-gripping structure112is opposite the first container support surface116. The second hand-gripping structure114is opposite the second container support surface118. The first and second hand-gripping structures112,114each include a respective hand-gripping body112A,114A and a respective hand-passage extending between the respective hand-gripping body112A,114A (i.e., respective walls of the liquid container102) and a respective underlying hand-passage wall112B,114B (i.e., respective walls of the liquid container102). It is disclosed herein that the first and second hand-gripping structures112,114can be configured in a variety of other constructions that enable a user to securely grasp and manipulate the liquid dispensing container100. For example, the first and second hand-gripping structures112,114can be constructed of one or more walls that do not form a portion of the interior space110of the liquid container102.

The vent tube mounting body104is attached to a first upper wall102A of the container body102. The first upper wall102A is adjacent to the first hand-gripping structure112and has a central passage120therein (FIG.5) extending through the first upper wall102A. In preferred embodiments, as shown, the vent tube mounting body104is a unitary component (e.g., molded-in, cast-in, etc.) of the container body102. In other embodiments, the vent tube mounting body104can be a discrete component that is attached to the container body102during or after its fabrication—e.g., via mechanical engagement, bonded engagement or the like.

The liquid delivery device mounting body106is attached to a second upper wall102B that is adjacent to the first hand-gripping structure112and adjacent to a second container supporting wall102C that comprises (e.g., at least partially defines) the second container support surface118. In preferred embodiments, as shown, the liquid delivery device mounting body106is a unitary component (e.g., molded-in, cast-in, etc.) of the container body102. In other embodiments, the liquid delivery device mounting body106can be a discrete component that is attached to the container body102during or after its fabrication—e.g., via mechanical engagement, bonded engagement or the like.

As shown, in one or more embodiments, the second container supporting wall102C can comprise a plurality of raised members121that jointly define the second container support surface118. The liquid delivery device mounting body106has a central passage122therein (FIG.5) that extends through the second upper wall102B. The second upper wall102B is laterally spaced away from the first upper wall102A. The first hand-gripping structure112is positioned between the first and second upper walls102A,102B. The second upper wall102A is vertically spaced below the first upper wall102A relative to a first container supporting wall102G (i.e., a bottom wall) that at least partially defines the first container support surface116.

In one or more embodiments, as shown inFIG.5, the second container support surface118is defined by a plurality of raised members that preferably each have one or more surfaces that all lie in a common plane. The second container support surface118defines a reference plane extending parallel with such one or more surfaces of each of the raised members and the second container supporting wall102C defines a reference plane extending parallel with a surface thereof (i.e., interior surface) that partially defines the interior space110. To promote draining of liquid from within the interior space110of the liquid container102through the central passage134of the liquid delivery device mounting body106when the liquid container102is in the surface-supported liquid dispensing position P2, the reference plane defined by the second container support surface118is skewed with respect to the reference plane defined by the interior surface of the second container supporting wall102C such that the interior surface of the second container supporting wall102C slopes toward the liquid delivery device mounting body106.

In one or more preferred embodiments, the liquid delivery device mounting body106can be configured as a male cam-lock type of connector that is matingly and securely engageable with a female cam-lock type of connector. In one or more other embodiments, the liquid delivery device mounting body106can be configured as a barbed connector, a threaded connector or the like. It is disclosed herein that the liquid delivery device mounting body106is not unnecessarily limited to any particular type or configuration of connector.

As shown inFIG.5, the venting device108is attached to the vent tube mounting body104. The venting device108includes a vent tube cap124and a vent tube126. The vent tube cap124is engaged (e.g., threadedly) with the vent tube mounting body104and the vent tube126is engaged with the vent tube cap124, the vent tube mounting body104or both. The vent tube126includes a central passage132extending between its first and second end portions128,130. The central passage132of the vent tube126is in liquid communication with an ambient environment surrounding the liquid container and with the interior space110.

In one or more preferred embodiments, as shown, the vent tube126can be or include an elongated tube with a central passage having an approximately straight longitudinal axis L1. In preferred embodiments, the elongated tube ca be rigid or semi-rigid and can be made from a polymeric material (e.g., polyethylene or polypropylene).

The vent tube126is located within the interior space110of the liquid container102and can extend through the first hand-gripping structure112(e.g., a portion that partially defines the interior space110of the liquid container102), as shown inFIG.5. The vent tube126has a first end portion128coupled to the venting device mounting body104and a second end portion130adjacent to the bottom wall102G of the liquid container102. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the vent tube126is one example of a venting conduit characterized by a structural body having opposing ends with a central passage extending between such opposing ends.

Advantageously, a linear distance between the first and second end portions128,130of the vent tube126is greater than a linear distance between the second upper one wall102B and the bottom wall102G. Accordingly, with the first end portion128of the vent tube126attached to the first upper wall102A, the vent tube126extends from above the second upper one wall102B to well below the second upper one wall102B—i.e., preferably to close proximity (i.e., adjacent to) to the bottom wall102G (e.g., within 0.25″ to 1.0″ from the bottom wall102G).

Spilling of liquid being dispensed from a portable, handheld liquid dispensing containers during liquid dispensing when in a hand-held liquid dispensing position (i.e., manually held in a position rotated from the surface-supported liquid storage position P1shown inFIG.3) and/or during an over-tipped emptying position (i.e., rotated beyond the surface-supported liquid dispensing position P2shown inFIG.4) is highly undesirable. This is particularly true in the case of the liquid being environmentally unfriendly and/or flammable—e.g., a fuel. As is well-known, such spillage with conventional liquid containers often arises from non-smooth and/or non-uniform liquid flow (i.e., “glugging”) causing a portion of a stream of dispensed liquid to miss entry into an intended target (e.g., tank filler opening or a funnel opening) and/or from liquid spilling from a vent opening of the liquid container. Advantageously, liquid dispensing containers configured in accordance with embodiments of the present invention are configured for limiting if not eliminating the potential liquid spillage during such dispensing conditions.

Three aspects of liquid dispensing containers configured in accordance with at least preferred embodiments of the present invention can individually, severally or jointly contribute to limiting if not eliminating the potential for liquid spillage during the aforementioned dispensing conditions. A first one of these aspects is the position of the first upper wall102A relative to the second upper wall102B. A second one of these aspects is the vertical placement of the first and second end portions128,130of the vent tube126relative to the second upper wall102B and the bottom wall102G. A third one of these aspects is the configuration and orientation of the vent tube126relative to the second container support surface118.

As shown inFIGS.1-5, the first hand-gripping structure112forms part of the interior space110, has an upper portion thereof vertically adjacent to the first upper wall102A, has a lower portion thereof vertically adjacent to the second upper wall102B and is located between the first and second upper walls102A,102B. The first upper wall102A is preferably vertically positioned proximate a top portion of the first hand-gripping structure and the second upper wall102B is preferably vertically positioned level with or below a lowermost portion of the first hand-gripping structure112. As can be seen, this configuration and positioning of the first hand-gripping structure112relative to the location of the first upper wall102A and the second upper wall102B results in an upper portion of the liquid container102defining a first air volume space V1that can be at least partially above the second upper wall102B. In view of a vent tube cap124of the vent device108being in sealed (or leak resistant) engagement with the vent tube mounting body104, the first end portion128of the vent tube126being in sealed engagement with the vent tube cap124and the second end portion130of the vent tube126residing below the second upper wall102B, all or a majority portion of the first air volume space V1remains filled with air when the liquid container102is filled with liquid while the liquid container102is in (or near) the surface-supported container storage position P1(FIG.3, with the liquid container resting on the container supporting wall102G thereof).

When the liquid-filled liquid container102is rotated from (or near) the surface-supported container storage position P1to (or near) the surface-supported liquid dispensing position P2(FIG.4, with the liquid container resting on the second container supporting wall102C thereof), the air within the first air volume space V1becomes captured within a second air volume space V2of the liquid container102that is generally opposite (i.e., above) the second container supporting wall102C. As best shown inFIGS.4and5, the second air volume space V2is defined by the second hand-gripping structure114and adjacent ones of the walls of the liquid container102(e.g., walls102A,102E,102F,116). As a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand, an air volume in the first air volume space V1will be equal to or approximately equal to an initial air volume in the second air volume space V2(i.e., prior to commencement of fluid dispensing).

To promote the aforementioned anti-spill functionality, the vent device108is preferably configured and arranged in conjunction with attributes of the second air volume space V2. First, the vent tube124is preferably configured and arranged to be at least partially located within the second air volume space V2when the liquid container102becomes positioned in (or near) the surface-supported liquid dispensing position P2after liquid filling while in (or near) the surface-supported container storage position P1. To this end, as best shown inFIG.5, the vent tube126can be positioned adjacent to a portion of the interior space110that is generally opposite the second container supporting wall102C—i.e., a portion of the interior space at least partially defined by end wall102F and the second hand-gripping structure114. Second, the vent tube126is preferably configured and arranged such that the longitudinal axis of the central passage132of the vent tube126is skewed with respect to a longitudinal axis L2of the central passage134of the liquid delivery device mounting body106. In this skewed arrangement, the first end portion128of the vent tube126is laterally spaced away from the longitudinal axis L2of the central passage of the liquid delivery device mounting body106by a first distance and the second end portion130of the vent tube126is laterally spaced away from the longitudinal axis L2of the central passage134of the liquid delivery device mounting body106by a second distance less than the first distance. This skewed arrangement of the central passage132of the vent tube126advantageously promotes draining of liquid from within the central passage132of the vent tube126into the interior space110when the liquid container102is rotated from (or near) the surface-supported liquid storage position P1to (or near) the surface-supported liquid dispensing position P2. These configurations and arrangements of the vent tube not only limit the potential for liquid spilling, but also provide for improved liquid dispensing as a result of a free-flowing vent tube.

As shown best inFIG.5, all or a portion of an interior surface of the end wall102F opposite the second support surface118serve as a support surfaces for the vent tube124. To this end, the end wall102F opposite the second support surface118can be angled (i.e., skewed) with respect to the longitudinal axis L2of the central passage of the liquid delivery device mounting body106and the vent tube124can be engaged with this interior wall to facilitate positioning of the vent tube124(e.g., skewed positioning). Similarly, the hand-gripping body114A of the second hand-gripping structure114can be positioned and configuration to provide one or more surfaces with which the vent tube can be engaged to facilitate its positioning.

Although the invention has been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the words that have been used are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in all its aspects. Although the invention has been described with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed; rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent technologies, structures, methods and uses such as are within the scope of the appended claims.