Patent Application
20150096644
Cooks often transfer culinary oil, e.g., olive oil, from a larger bottle or container into a smaller bottle. The smaller bottle often is easier to handle, which makes it is easier to dispense a desired amount of culinary oil.
Transferring the oil from the larger bottle to the smaller bottle can present problems. First, the spout needs to be removed from the smaller bottle. Also, the mouth of the smaller bottle may be too small to pour oil from the larger bottle into the smaller bottle. Traditional kitchen funnels can be inserted into the mouth of the smaller bottle; however, after use the funnel needs to be cleaned and the spout of the smaller bottle needs to be inserted back into the mouth that was once occupied by the funnel.
An example of an oil pourer that can overcome at least one of the aforementioned shortcomings includes a spout shell that is configured to be connected with an associated bottle of culinary oil and a collapsible funnel section connected with the spout shell. The funnel section is moveable with respect to the spout shell between an open position and a closed position. When the funnel section is in the open position, the funnel section and the spout shell define an oil-filling opening. When the funnel section is in the closed position, the funnel section seals against the spout shell to close the oil-filling opening. Also, when the funnel section is in the closed position, the funnel section is positioned to direct oil toward an oil-dispensing opening when the oil pourer is tilted to pour culinary oil from the associated bottle through the oil pourer.
A method of using an oil pourer is also disclosed, which includes connecting an oil pourer to a bottle of culinary oil. The method further includes positioning a collapsible funnel section of the oil pourer in an open position. When in the open position, the funnel section and a spout shell connected with the funnel section define an oil-filling opening. The method further includes pouring culinary oil from a container into the bottle through the oil-filling opening and the oil pourer with the funnel section in the open position. The method further includes positioning the collapsible funnel section of the oil pourer in a closed position. When in the closed position, the funnel section seals against the spout shell to close the oil-filling opening. The method further includes pouring culinary oil from the bottle through the oil pourer and out an oil-dispensing opening with the funnel section in the closed position.
Another example of an oil pourer includes a spout shell and a collapsible funnel section. The spout shell at least partially defines an oil outlet passage, an oil inlet passage, and a hole connecting the oil outlet passage and the oil inlet passage. The spout shell is configured to be connected with an associated bottle of culinary oil. The collapsible funnel section connects with the spout shell and is movable with respect to the spout shell between an open position and a closed position. When the funnel section is in the open position, the funnel section is spaced from a shell inner surface. When the funnel section is in the closed position, the funnel section contacts the shell inner surface and covers the hole.
Referring to
The spout shell 12 is configured to be connected with a bottle b (
The outer shell 30 can be made from metal. On a side of the outer shell 30 opposite the U-shaped edge 38 the outer shell bulges outwardly so that the spout shell 12 defines an oil outlet passage 40 that terminates at the oil dispensing opening 34. The inner shell 32 can be similar in shape and configuration to the outer shell 30, while being slightly smaller in size so that the inner shell is received within the outer shell. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner shell 32 is formed of a rigid plastic material.
With reference to
The flexible membrane 14 is made from a silicone material in the illustrated embodiment. Although other materials may be employed, the flexible silicone material allows the funnel section 20 to move between an open and closed position. When the funnel section 20 is in the open position, the funnel section 20 and the spout shell 12 define an oil filling opening 60. The spout shell 12 includes a shell inner surface 62, which is an inner surface of the inner shell 32 in the illustrated embodiment. The funnel section 20 also includes a funnel section inner surface 64. The shell inner surface 62 is concave. The funnel section inner surface 64 is concave when the funnel section 20 is in the open position (
When the funnel section 20 is in the closed position, the funnel section 20 seals against the spout shell 12 to close the oil filling opening 60. When the funnel section 20 is in the closed position, the funnel section 20 is also positioned to direct oil toward the oil dispensing opening 34 when the oil pourer 10 is tilted to pour culinary oil from the bottle b through the oil pourer.
The inner shell 32 separates the oil filling opening 60 from the oil dispensing opening 34. The inner shell 34 includes a hole 66 that leads to the oil outlet passage 40 in the spout shell 12. As seen in
The funnel section 20 includes a hinge section 70 adjacent the U-shaped edge 38 of the spout shell 12. As mentioned above, the funnel section 20 is integrally formed with the flexible membrane 14, and the flexible membrane 14 is interposed between the inner shell 32 and the outer shell 30. The hinge section 70 can be formed in the flexible membrane 14 and follows the contour of the shaped edge 38 of the spout shell 12. The hinge section 70 has a reduced thickness as compared to an adjacent portion of the funnel section 20 and the flexible membrane 14. The funnel section 20 folds about the hinge section 70 when moving from the open position toward the closed position, and vice versa. The funnel section 20 also includes an outwardly extending tab 72. The tab 72 can be gripped by the operator, for example to pull the tab to move the funnel section 20 from the closed position toward the open position.
The bottle insert 16 connects with the spout shell 12 using fasteners 80. The bottle insert 16 can connect with the spout shell 12 in other conventional manners. The bottle insert 16 is generally cylindrical in configuration. An over mold 82 having annular ribs 84 surrounds and is connected with the bottle insert 16. The bottle insert 16 also includes a curved internal wall 86, which is similar in configuration to the curved internal wall 46 formed by the inner shell 32. The curved internal wall 86 defines a passage 88 that receives the tube 18 to further define the air vent passage 52. The curved internal wall 86 separates the air vent passage 52 from an oil passage 90 in the bottle insert 16. Culinary oil flows into and out of the bottle b to which the oil pourer 10 is connected through the oil passage 90 in the bottle insert 16. The oil passage 90 in the bottle insert 16 is in fluid communication with the oil filling opening 60 when the funnel section 20 is in the open position. The oil passage 90 in the bottle insert 16 is in fluid communication with oil outlet passage 40 when the funnel section 20 is in the open position and when the funnel section 20 is in the closed position.
The tube 18 is generally cylindrical in configuration; however, the tube can take other configurations. The tube 18 is hollow and further defines the air vent passage 52. The tube 18 extends downwardly from the spout shell 12 to define at least a portion of the air vent passage 52. The air vent opening 50 is open when the funnel section 20 is in the closed position, which is shown in
The spout shell 12 at least partially defines the oil outlet passage 40, an oil inlet passage 94, and the hole 66 connecting the oil outlet passage 40 to the oil inlet passage 94. The oil inlet passage 94 is in communication with the oil passage 90 in the bottle insert 16. The oil inlet passage 94 is formed when the collapsible funnel section 20 is in the open position. When the funnel section 20 is in the open position, the funnel section 20 is spaced from the shell inner surface 62. However, when the funnel section 20 is in the closed position, the funnel section 20 contacts the shell inner surface 62 and covers the hole 66 formed in the inner shell 32. As such, the funnel section 20 is positioned to direct oil toward the oil dispensing opening 34 during pouring and oil is precluded from exiting the oil pourer 10 through the oil filling opening 60 when the collapsible section 20 is in a closed position.
To use the oil pourer, an operator connects the oil pourer 10 to the bottle b of culinary oil, as shown in
As mentioned above, the air vent 50 remains open to ambient when the collapsible funnel section 20 is positioned in both the open position (
An oil pourer with a movable funnel section has been described above with particularity. Modifications and alterations will occur to those upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. The invention, however, is not limited to only the embodiments described above. Instead, the invention is broadly defined by the appended claims and the equivalents thereof. It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives or varieties thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
