DEVICE FOR DRIP-FREE POURING OF LIQUIDS

Abstract

A device for the drip-free pouring of liquids from bottles includes an elastic material piece, which can be rolled up into a sleeve that can be inserted into the bottle neck. There, it rests against the inside surface thereof and on the outer edge thereof forms a drip edge for the liquid flowing out of the bottle. To this end, the material piece is configured along part of the rim thereof with a section, whereby a tab is formed, which can be placed around the bottle neck and which allows the material piece to be fastened to the bottle.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for drip-free pouring of liquids out of bottles, consisting of an elastic piece of material which can be rolled up to form a sleeve which can be inserted into the bottle neck, wherein the sleeve rests against the inner surface of said neck and its external periphery forms a separating edge for the liquid flowing out of the bottle.

Such a device is known, for example, from EP 560777 B1. In that case it is an elastically deformable piece of material which is designed with a liquid-repellent surface and which can be rolled up to form a sleeve which can be inserted into the neck of a bottle from which a liquid is intended to be taken, for example into a wine bottle. As a result of the elasticity of the piece of material, the outer surface of the sleeve rests tightly against the inner surface of the bottle neck and that periphery of the sleeve which is outside the bottle forms a separating edge for the liquid emerging from the bottle, as a result of which drip-free finishing of the pouring process is made possible.

Known devices of this type, which are referred to as spouts, are mass-produced articles which can be produced at low cost. As a rule, these spouts are packaged individually and sold as such. The packaging thus gives rise to costs which exceed the costs of manufacture.

When such spouts are used in households, they are only required in small quantities. However, when such spouts are used in catering establishments, a separate spout is used for each bottle of wine. Since there is thus a very high demand for such spouts in catering establishments, it is expedient to package them in large quantities, this resulting in considerable cost savings.

This means, however, that there is a need in catering establishments for a spout also to be made available to the patron when he is being served a bottle of wine. As long as this spout is packaged, this is readily possible. However, if this spout is in an unpackaged form because it has been taken from a pack containing a large quantity of spouts, a way must be found of handing it over to the patron in an appropriate manner.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the piece of material is designed with a slit, forming a strap which can be placed around the bottle neck, as a result of which the piece of material can be attached to the bottle.

As a result of this design, the unpackaged spout can be attached for example to a wine bottle and in this way be handed over to the patron.

Preferably, the slit runs close to, and in particular parallel to, the periphery of the piece of material, wherein it can have a length of 20% to 50% of the periphery of the piece of material. Furthermore, the regions at the ends of the strap between the latter and the rest of the piece of material are preferably designed with predetermined breaking points along which the strap can easily be detached from the rest of the piece of material. As a result, the spout can easily be removed from the bottle. In a preferred embodiment, the strap has a width of from 0.5 to 6 mm.

A particular advantage of such a spout is also that it can be provided with printing, as a result of which it can also be used either as an advertising medium or as a kind of tag with information about the product, in particular about the wine in question.

According to a preferred first embodiment, the piece of material is in the form of a rectangle with an extension protruding transversely therefrom, the width of this extension being somewhat greater than the external diameter of a bottle neck, wherein this extension is approximately in the form of a semicircle at its free end, and the slit extends along the periphery of the extension, as a result of which the strap is approximately in the form of a half ring which rests against the bottle neck. In this design, the strap encircles the bottle neck.

According to a preferred second embodiment, the piece of material is in the form of a rectangle with an extension protruding therefrom, wherein the extension is approximately in the form of a triangle, the base of which is the same length as the rectangle and which is rounded opposite the base, and wherein furthermore the slit extends along the free periphery of the extension, as a result of which the strap is approximately in the form of a bow which rests against the bottle neck. In this design, too, the strap encircles the bottle neck.

In a preferred third embodiment, the piece of material is in the form of a rectangle with an extension protruding therefrom, wherein the extension is approximately in the form of a triangle, the base of which is the same length as the rectangle and which is rounded opposite the base and wherein furthermore the slit is located at that periphery of the region of the spout which is remote from the extension, as a result of which a strap is formed, by means of which the spout can be attached to the bottle neck.

The subject matter of the invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to three exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a first exemplary embodiment of an approximately full size spout according to the invention,

FIG. 2 and FIG. 2a show two different views, on a smaller scale than in FIG. 1, of a bottle to which this spout is attached,

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a second exemplary embodiment of an approximately full size spout according to the invention,

FIG. 4 and FIG. 4a also show two different views, on a smaller scale than in FIG. 3, of a bottle to which this spout is attached,

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of a third exemplary embodiment of an approximately full size spout according to the invention, and

FIG. 6 and FIG. 6a also show two different views of a bottle, on a smaller scale than in FIG. 5, to which this spout is attached.

FIG. 1 illustrates a first spout 1 which is formed by a piece of material which has an approximately rectangular region 11 and an extension 12 protruding therefrom at right angles, wherein the free end of the extension 12 is designed with a semicircular periphery. This spout 1 consists of a rigidly elastic foil made of aluminum which is coated on both sides with polyester and has a thickness of about 0.15 mm. In order to be used correctly, this spout 1 is rolled up to form a sleeve and inserted by way of the region 11 into the mouth of a bottle, with the extension 12 being located outside the bottle. The sharp-edged periphery of the extension 12 forms a separating edge which ensures drip-free finishing of the pouring processes.

The extension 12 has a width which is somewhat greater than the external diameter of the bottle neck. Furthermore, along the periphery of the free end of the extension 12, the spout 1 is designed with a slit 2 running parallel to this periphery, forming a strap 3 which can be bent away from the spout 1 such that the latter can be attached by this strap 3 to a wine bottle 4 by the strap 3 being fitted over the bottle neck 41, as is illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 2a. The strap 2 has, for example, a width of 2.5 mm.

In this way, the spout 1 can be handed over to a patron in an attractive manner at the same time as a bottle 4 of wine, in which case it does not need to be packaged. As no packaging is thus required, a considerable cost saving is achieved.

In order to be able to remove the spout 1 easily from the bottle 4, those regions in which the strap 3 merges into the region 11 are designed with predetermined breaking points 31 along which the spout 1 can easily be detached from the strap 3.

Such a spout 1 can additionally be provided with printing which serves for advertising purposes or which serves as a kind of tag for providing information about the product contained in the wine bottle, such as details about the wine.

By means of a spout according to the invention, firstly considerable cost savings are thus achieved. Secondly, a spout according to the invention can be used as an advertising medium or as a source of information. Since the strap 3 is moved away from the spout 1, the edge formed by the slit 2 represents the separating edge for the liquid.

The spout 1a illustrated in FIG. 3 differs from the spout 1 according to FIG. 1 only in that an approximately triangular extension 12a adjoins the approximately rectangular region 11a, the base of this triangular extension being the same length as the approximately rectangular region 11a, and the edge opposite its base also being rounded.

This extension 12a is also designed with a slit 2a running parallel to its periphery, forming a strap 3a which can be bent away from the spout 1a such that the latter can be attached by this strap 3a to a wine bottle 4 by the strap 3a being fitted over the bottle neck 41, as is illustrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 4a. In those regions in which the strap 3a merges into the region 11a, this spout 1a is also designed with predetermined breaking points 31a along which the spout 1a can easily be detached from the strap 3a.

The spout 1b illustrated in FIG. 5 differs from the spout 1a in FIG. 3 in that it is designed on the side opposite the triangular extension 12b with a slit 2b running parallel to the periphery of the spout 1b, as a result of which a strap 3b is formed on that side of the spout 1b which is inserted into the bottle neck 41.

The particular advantage of this embodiment is that, despite provision of the strap 3b with which the spout 1b can be attached to a bottle 4, this strap 3b is provided on that side of the spout 1b which is inserted into the bottle neck. As a result of this, it is not necessary to detach the strap 3b from the spout 1b for pouring.

Otherwise, the spouts 1a and 1b have the same design, analogous features and the same function as the spout 1 according to FIG. 1.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A device for the drip-free pouring of a liquid from a bottle, comprising: an elastic piece of material configured to be rolled up to form a sleeve for insertion into a neck of the bottle, wherein said sleeve rests against an inner surface of said neck and an external periphery forms a drip edge for the liquid flowing out of the bottle;said piece of material having a slit formed therein, defining a strap to be placed around the neck of the bottle for attaching said piece of material to the bottle.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said slit runs in close vicinity to one peripheral edge of said piece of material.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein said slit extends parallel to said one peripheral edge.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein said slit extends over a length of 20% to 50% of a periphery of said piece of material.

14. The device according to claim 10, wherein said strap has end regions connecting the strap with a remainder of said piece of material, and said end regions are formed with predetermined breaking points along which said strap is detachable from the remainder of said piece of material.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein said strap has a width of between 0.5 and 6 mm.

16. The device according to claim 10, wherein said piece of material is provided with printing.

17. The device according to claim 10, wherein said piece of material has a generally rectangular shape, with an extension protruding transversely therefrom, said extension having a width greater than an external diameter of the neck of the bottle, and having a semicircular shape at a free end, and wherein said slit extends along a periphery of said extension and said strap is substantially in the form of a half ring which rests against the neck of the bottle.

18. The device according to claim 10, wherein said piece of material has a generally rectangular shape, with a substantially triangular extension projecting therefrom, said extension having a base with a same length as the rectangular shape and a rounding opposite the base, and wherein said slit extends along the periphery of said extension and said strap is approximately in the form of a bow which rests against the neck of the bottle.

19. The device according to claim 10, wherein said piece of material has a generally rectangular shape, with a substantially triangular extension projecting therefrom, said extension having a base with a same length as the rectangular shape and a rounding opposite the base, and wherein said slit is formed at a periphery of said piece of material remote from said extension, and said strap is disposed opposite from the rounding of said extension.