The present invention relates to the temporary containment and storage of automotive fluids such as motor oil and like substances for intended dispensation of the fluid from a containment vessel. More specifically relating to a substantially rectangular hollow body container bottle composed of a plastic material comprising polyethylene with the container bottle having a typical volume capacity for present day consumer use of approximately 1-U.S.quart/32 fluid ounces/946 milliliters.
Former automotive fluid containment vessels were of a cylindrical shape and comprised of a composite fiber including a wax seal coating to their inner cylindrical surface. Typically, former vessels were applied with a flat metallic bottom then filled with a liquid content and closed at top with a flat metallic closure seal. These containers had no self contained pouring method for convenient dispensing, thus the upper end closure had to be pierced to provide an opening for pouring the contained fluid and they had no re-seal ability to preserve and protect any unused portion of the fluid content. They were limited in shelf life due to their composite fiber manufacture, were inefficient for bulk storage and shipping and were cumbersome for consumer handling due to their cylindrical shape and due to oily seepage occurring through the wax coating and composite fiber causing a slippery film to eventually collect on the container's outer surface.
There are many variables in the design of present day container bottles, usually made of plastic, generally rectangular in body shape, some with a centrally oriented vertical tubular spout opening, some with an offset (more to one side) spout and many varying degrees of upper body wall slope all converging toward the filling and pouring spout whereby these container bottles are factory filled with a liquid content. Typically the spout includes an external thread that is threadedly mated to a usual seal cap made of plastic and having an internal thread. The cap is factory applied after container filling and includes a frangible plastic securing band to accommodate a sealing ring on the outer surface of the spout. Some may include a removable foil or fiber seal adhered to the outer edge of the spout opening before the cap is applied.
For consumer use of present day container bottles the seal is removed by twisting the cap usually counter-clockwise simultaneously fracturing the securing band freeing the cap from closure of the spout and if applicable removing the foil seal from closure of the spout opening wherein content can then be poured from the container. If full content is not used at that time the container can then be re-sealed to save and protect any remaining fluid for future use by threadedly mating the cap back to the spout usually by rotating the cap clock-wise to a snug fit. There are numerous advantages to present day plastic rectangular container bottles over former cylindrical composite fiber containers, to include providing more efficient individual spacing on a multiple container shipping or storage pallet, improved retail shelf space utilization, sturdier and longer lasting container integrity and providing for easier consumer handling.
With consideration to the advantages of present day rectangular container bottles there still remains inherent disadvantages relating to their pouring ability. That is, lacking the capacity to pour a liquid content from the container without unwanted content spillage and compelling the need for the use of a funnel or other pouring assistance device to avoid content spillage. The invention of Doering, U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,142 (1989) discloses a polyethylene rectangular container comprising an offset spout. The invention of Kearse et al, U.S. patent. No. D352,904 (1994) also discloses a polyethylene rectangular container including an offset spout. These and other prior art containers provide some improvement to pouring ability of a motor oil from a container into an automotive engine but there is still the need for further improvement.
Common disadvantages of present day rectangular containers are that they are prone to unintended content spillage especially at first use when the container is at maximum fullness because while in the process of manually rotating a full container toward either side (the long sided spout side or the opposing short side) of the container from the normal vertical position to the horizontal and past horizontal position for pouring there is still an immediate uncontrolled outward “surge” of liquid content before the spout opening can be placed fully within an engine oil fill opening, therein causing content spillage and creating the obvious need for the use of a funnel for pouring assistance. An additional pitfall somewhat contributing to the cause of content spillage of many prior art containers is inadequate air flow into the container over and around the liquid while pouring thus producing the well known undulating “glug” of the liquid and thereby adding to the force of “surge” but “glug” nor “surge” in themselves can cause content spillage if the liquid flow from a container spout is delayed long enough (while the container is rotated for pouring) for the container spout opening to be placed fully within the engine oil fill opening before liquid out flow producing “surge” and “glug” can begin, therein preventing unintentional content spillage and negating the need for the use of a funnel or other pouring assistance.
The present invention is a substantially rectangular shaped hollow body containment vessel made of a common plastic material such as modified polyethylene and is generally of a 1-U.S. Quart/32 Fluid Ounces/946 mL liquid volume capacity. From an upper portion of the hollow body, inwardly sloping walls converge and culminate into an angular offset open spout. The tubular spout serves for both filling the container and for out-pouring the liquid content from the container. The present invention includes an integral barrier for blocking liquid out flow while the (unsealed, filled) container is rotated from the normal linear vertical position to linear horizontal and includes a open channel adjacent the barrier to release fluid out flow when the container is further rotated to past linear horizontal. The barrier allows the container to be rotated from the normal vertical position to the horizontal position with the spout side down therein allowing the rim edge of the spout to be placed closely adjacent an engine oil fill opening before content out flow can begin. The container bottle of the present invention is then manually rotated from horizontal to variable degrees past horizontal allowing the now pre-positioned spout opening to be simultaneously inserted fully into the engine oil fill opening before liquid out flow can exit the spout. Once the container is past horizontal, liquid content will be released through the channel, topping over and past the barrier and out of the container spout along with air flow into the spout to aid somewhat in liquid out flow from the vessel. Unintended spillage of content is avoided because liquid flow from the container bottle of the present invention does not begin until the container spout opening is fully within the engine oil fill opening, therefore also avoiding the need for the use of a funnel or other pouring assistance device. The speed and amount of liquid out flow from the vessel is controlled simply by the speed and degree of manual rotation of the container from horizontal through inversion and reverse rotation. Accordingly several objects and advantages of the present invention are to provide:
(a) A generally rectangular hollow body container bottle made of a polyethylene plastic with an upright to angular offset fill/pour spout capable of being sealed/un-sealed/re-sealed at the spout with a yieldable on demand usual sealing cap closure.
(b) A container bottle that exceeds present day container capability for consumer handling and the dispensing of a liquid content.
(c) A container that will allow the consumer to avoid unwanted content spillage while dispensing fluid from the vessel and that will negate the need for the use of a funnel or other pouring assistance device to avoid content spillage.
(d) A container including an integral barrier wherein an un-sealed full or partially full content bottle can be rotated from the normal vertical position to a horizontal position with the spout side down without releasing a liquid content out flow.
(e) A container including an integral channel wherein an un-sealed full or partially full content bottle can be rotated from horizontal to variable degrees past horizontal for releasing a liquid content out flow.
(f) A container bottle that is production cost in line with present day containers but by design is greatly more consumer use friendly and efficient than former and present day containers.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the description and drawings which follow.
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As illustrated and described by the drawings and other reference the preferred embodiment of the present invention is a substantially rectangular hollow body container bottle 10 as shown in drawing (
Bottle 10 comprises a body structure 12 as shown in drawing (
Integrally within bottle 10 in continuity with structure 12 is a wedge shaped barrier 26 interposed therein the upper major portion width (right side toward left side) and the whole of the upper portion depth (front to rear) in the preferred embodiment as shown in respective drawing (
From the upper portion perimeter edge of structure 12, bottle 10 includes a front side slope wall 38, a rear side slope wall 40, a right side slope wall 42 and a left side slope wall 44 collectively connected respectively to structure 12 and each other as shown in respective drawing (
Slope walls 38, 40, 42 and 44 collectively converge inwardly, respectively connect each other and culminate into an open spout neck 46 wherein neck 46 transitions thereinto a tubular spout 48 as shown in respective drawing (
In manufacture of the of the present invention for the preferred embodiment, a common plastic material such as modified polyethylene is fittingly appropriate but other materials may be suitable as well. A modified or high density polyethylene is available from Interstate Plastics 330 Commerce Circle Sacramento, Calif. 98515 but there are many other well known suppliers.
Extrusion blow molding is a common process for the production of articles of manufacture similar to bottle 10 usually with a monitored programming development but other processes are available and well known in producing many types of plastic containers. Forming body walls 16, 18, 20, 22, and bottom wall 24 in recess that are bound by structure 12 as shown in the preferred embodiment of respective drawing (
The necessary measurements and filling methods for bottle 10 to comprehend a full volume liquid content of about 1-U.S. quart/32 fluid ounces/946 mL or about 75% to about 85% the empty volume of the container are precisely calculated and modified by those skilled in the art.
Dimensions given here are general and approximations only. The overall height of bottle 10 from the under side of the container to the upper most portion of the spout for the preferred embodiment is approximately 9.00 inches/22.860 centimeters as shown between line A and line B (
An approximate depth (front to rear) for the preferred embodiment of bottle 10 is 2.00 inches/5.080 centimeters shown between line F and line G (
The width of barrier 26 and gap 34 within structure 12 of the container to include partition 28, crest 30 and partition 32, including the respective right side vertical portion of structure 12 adjacent to and connected to partition 28 and including the respective right side vertical portion of structure 12 adjacent to and connected to partition 32 is approximately 3.50 inches/8.890 centimeters, comprising about 88% of the container width as shown for the preferred embodiment between line L and line M in respective sectional drawing (
The depth of barrier 26, gap 34 and channel 36 combined within structure 12 of the container is approximately 2.00 inches/5.080 centimeters, comprising the whole of the depth of bottle 10, to include partition 28, crest 30, partition 32, vertical portions (front and rear) of structure 12, and the void of channel 36 as shown for the preferred embodiment between lines O and lines P in respective sectional drawing (
The height in part of barrier 26 within the container from the under side of bottle 10 to the lower portion of partition 28 adjacent structure 12 is approximately 5.75 inches/14.605 centimeters as shown between line Q and line R in the preferred embodiment of drawing (
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the main operational objectives are for bottle 10 to possess the capability of being partially or entirely emptied while avoiding unintended content spillage especially at first use when the container is at maximum content fullness and to avoid the need for the use of a funnel or other pouring assistance device to prevent content spillage.
Bottle 10 accommodates a fluid content 58 as shown with the container unsealed and in the normal long axis vertical orientation depicted in drawing (
In reiteration of prior art disadvantages, unintended content spillage while pouring liquid from present day container bottles occurs often and more predominantly at first use when the container is at maximum fullness causing typical content “surge”. A contributing factor to “surge” is uneven flow of air into the container while pouring fluid causing the well known undulating “glug” which intensifies “surge” all the more. However the underlying cause of unintended fluid spillage from present day containers is not “surge” or “glug”, it is simply the end user not being able to place the spout opening of the container fully within the engine opening quickly enough before the liquid begins flowing with “surge” and “glug” while rotating the container from vertical to horizontal and past horizontal for pouring.
Although pouring abilities of present day container bottles have improved over time, prior art containers are still lacking in the ability to pour a liquid into an engine without unwanted content spillage and lacking in the ability to avoid the use of a funnel for pouring assistance especially for the average non-skilled consumer. It is not the intent nor the design of the present invention to reduce or eliminate common “surge” or “glug” during dispensing but it is the intent and design of the present invention to eliminate unintended liquid content spillage during dispensing in spite of “surge” and “glug”. It is also the intent of the present invention to eliminate the need for the use of a funnel or other pouring assistance device to assist in the action of pouring a liquid from a container bottle into an automotive engine or other equipment.
Now having described a preferred embodiment of the present invention this description should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as illustration of the preferred embodiment. For example a portion of the container body may include grooves, ridges indices, and other superficial features and/or other graphic labels not described in the specification. There may be a transparent portion or portions of the container for visibility in part of the fluid content, it may be manufactured in variables of the structural material described, it may have a 90 degree upright spout rather than a more than 90 degree angular spout. The container may have an offset spout that is fully to one side rather than partially to one side with different slope wall angles, it may be of other liquid volume capacities and may have flush or near flush body walls relative to the structure rather than body walls recessed relative to the structure without departing from the intended purpose. Therefore the spirit and scope of the invention should be limited only by the appended claims and their legal limitations rather than by descriptions given.