Claims
- 1. A pour spout for permitting transfer of a fluid from a container of the fluid to a receiving vessel, the pour spout comprising:
- (a) a fluid conduit opening at one end thereof into the container of fluid, said fluid conduit being provided at a location remote from the container with a fluid discharge opening through which fluid from the container is transferred into the receiving vessel;
- (b) closure means for precluding any transfer of the fluid through said discharge opening into the receiving vessel until said fluid discharge opening is inside the receiving vessel; and
- (c) venting means for admitting air into the interior space within said fluid conduit and the container during transfer of the fluid from the container, air flow into said interior space through said venting means becoming terminated when the receiving vessel becomes filled with the fluid, said venting means comprising:
- (i) an air vent passageway communicating between said interior space and the exterior of said fluid conduit at a location that is inside the receiving vessel when said closure means ceases to preclude the transfer of fluid from said fluid conduit; and
- (ii) a capillary section located in said air vent passageway, said capillary section having a cross-sectional area less than that of said air vent passageway.
- 2. A pour spout as recited in claim 1, wherein said closure means comprises:
- (a) a slide valve having a closed position in which transfer of the fluid through said discharge opening is precluded;
- (b) a spring urging said slide valve into said closed position thereof; and
- (c) slide valve release means for co-acting with the receiving vessel to move said slide valve out of said closed position thereof when said fluid discharge opening on said fluid conduit enters into the receiving vessel.
- 3. A pour spout as recited in claim 2, wherein said slide valve comprises:
- (a) a sleeve closely conforming to the exterior surface of said fluid conduit and mounted for sliding motion thereupon; and
- (b) a valve seat on said fluid conduit on the side of said fluid discharge opening remote from the container of fluid, said sleeve being urged by said bias means into sealing engagement with said valve seal in said closed position of said slide valve.
- 4. A pour spout as recited in claim 3, wherein said valve seal comprises a resilient slide valve seal encircling said fluid conduit on the side of said fluid discharge opening remote from the container of fluid, said slide valve seal being engaged by the end of said sleeve remote from the container when said sleeve is in said closed position of said slide valve.
- 5. A pour spout as recited in claim 4, wherein said slide valve seal is a lathe-cut seal.
- 6. A pour spout as recited in claim 4, wherein said slide valve seal is a square-ring seal.
- 7. A pour spout as recited in claim 4, wherein said slide valve seal is an O-ring.
- 8. A pour spout as recited in claim 4, wherein said valve seal further comprises a groove on the exterior of said fluid conduit on the side of said fluid discharge opening remote from the container of fluid, and wherein said slide valve seal is retained in said groove.
- 9. A pour spout as recited in claim 3, wherein said slide valve release means comprises a projection secured to said sleeve and being so configured as to catch the receiving vessel and draw said sleeve out of said closed position of said slide valve as said discharge opening on said fluid conduit enters the receiving vessel.
- 10. A pour spout as recited in claim 3, wherein said spring is disposed encircling said fluid conduit and retained in compression between said sleeve and a longitudinally fixed point on said fluid conduit, thereby urging said sleeve along said fluid conduit in a direction away from the container.
- 11. A pour spout as recited in claim 10, wherein said spring is disposed encircling said fluid conduit inside said sleeve.
- 12. A pour spout as recited in claim 3, wherein said slide valve further comprises inversion protection means for precluding overflow of fluid from the end of said sleeve adjacent the container of fluid when said sleeve is in said closed position of said slide valve.
- 13. A slide valve as recited in claim 12, wherein said inversion protection means comprises a resilient sleeve overflow seal slidably encircling said fluid conduit on the side of said fluid discharge opening adjacent the container of fluid, said sleeve overflow seal sliding on said fluid conduit with said sleeve.
- 14. A slide valve as recited in claim 13, wherein said slide valve further comprises a sleeve overflow seal protection washer slidably encircling said fluid conduit on the side of said sleeve overflow seal opposite from said fluid discharge opening.
- 15. A slide valve as recited in claim 14, wherein said spring is disposed encircling said fluid conduit inside said sleeve, and wherein said spring is retained in compression between said sleeve overflow seal protection washer and a longitudinally fixed point on said fluid conduit, thereby to urge said sleeve overflow seal into engagement with the inner surface of said sleeve.
- 16. A pour spout as recited in claim 1, wherein said discharge opening communicates with the interior of said fluid conduit through a discharge passageway, and said discharge passageway and said fluid discharge opening are so configured that fluid transferred through said discharge opening is imparted a substantial component of momentum away from the container parallel to the longitudinal axis of said fluid conduit.
- 17. A pour spout as recited in claim 16, wherein a first end of said discharge passageway communicates with said interior of said fluid conduit and is disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, and wherein the second end of said discharge passageway turns radially outwardly from the center of said fluid conduit and intersects the exterior of said fluid conduit to form said discharge opening.
- 18. A pour spout as recited in claim 1, wherein said fluid conduit comprises:
- (a) a tube having first and second open ends, said first end of said tube opening into the container of fluid; and
- (b) a fluid conduit end cap attached to and at least partially closing said second end of said tube, said end cap having formed therein said fluid discharge opening and a discharge passageway communicating from said discharge opening to the interior of said tube.
- 19. A pour spout as recited in claim 18, wherein the surface of said end cap on the side of said fluid discharge opening remote from the container of fluid is encircled by a continuous groove in which to retain a resilient seal.
- 20. A pour spout as recited in claim 1, wherein said capillary section comprises an outer air vent aperture formed through said fluid conduit at a location that is inside the receiving vessel when said closure means ceases to preclude transfer of fluid from said fluid conduit.
- 21. A pour spout as recited in claim 20, wherein said outer air vent aperture is formed through said fluid conduit at a location which is on a side of said fluid conduit opposite from said discharge opening.
- 22. A pour spout as recited in claim 20, wherein said outer air vent aperture is formed through said fluid conduit at a location which is disposed longitudinally along said fluid discharge conduit from said discharge opening toward the container of fluid.
- 23. A pour spout as recited in claim 1, wherein said fluid conduit comprises:
- (a) a tube having first and second open ends, said first end of said tube opening into the container of fluid; and
- (b) a fluid conduit end cap attached to said second end of said tube, said end cap having formed therein at least a portion of said air vent passageway.
- 24. A pour spout as recited in claim 1, wherein said fluid conduit comprises:
- (a) a tube having first and second open ends, said first end of said tube opening into the container of fluid; and
- (b) a fluid conduit end cap attached to and at least partially closing said second end of said tube, said end cap comprising:
- (i) an elongated first portion which is inserted into said second end of said tube with the outer surface of said first portion engaging the inner surface of said second end of said tube; and
- (ii) a second portion disposed exterior to said second end of said tube when said first portion of said end cap is inserted thereinto.
- 25. A pour spout for permitting transfers of a fluid from a container of the fluid to a receiving vessel, the pour spout comprising:
- (a) a fluid conduit opening at one end thereof into the container of fluid, said fluid conduit being provided at a location remote from the container with a fluid discharge opening through which fluid from the container is transferred into the receiving vessel, said fluid conduit comprising:
- (i) a tube having first and second open ends, said first end of said tube opening into the container of fluid; and
- (ii) a fluid conduit end cap attached to and at least partially closing said second end of said tube, said end cap having formed therein said fluid discharge opening;
- (b) a slide valve having a closed position in which transfer of the fluid through said discharge opening is precluded;
- (c) bias means for urging said slide valve into said closed position thereof;
- (d) slide valve release means for co-acting with the receiving vessel to move said slide valve out of said closed position thereof when said fluid discharge opening enters the receiving vessel; and
- (e) venting means for admitting air into the interior space within said fluid conduit and container during transfer of the fluid from the container, air flow into said interior space through said venting means becoming terminated when the receiving vessel becomes filled with the fluid, said venting means comprising:
- (i) an air vent passageway communicating between said interior space and the exterior of said fluid conduit at a location that is inside the receiving vessel when said slide valve is out of said closed position thereof; and
- (ii) air vent passageway constriction means for retarding the entry of fluid into said air vent passageway when fluid is being transferred from the container to the receiving vessel, thereby retaining a column of air in said air vent passageway during transfer of the fluid.
- 26. A pour spout as recited in claim 25, wherein said venting means further comprises an outer air vent aperture formed through said fluid conduit at a location thereon which is inside the receiving vessel when said slide valve is moved out of said closed position thereof by said slide valve release means, said outer air vent aperture being thereby obstructable by fluid to terminate air flow therethrough into said interior space when the receiving container fills with fluid.
- 27. A pour spout as recited in claim 26, wherein said outer air vent aperture has a cross-sectional area less than that of said air vent passageway.
- 28. A pour spout as recited in claim 26, wherein said air vent passageway constriction means comprises a capillary section located in said air vent passageway having a cross-sectional area less than that of said air vent passageway.
- 29. A pour spout as recited in claim 28, wherein said capillary section is located at the end of said air vent passageway remote from said outer air vent aperture.
- 30. A pour spout as recited in claim 29, wherein said cross-sectional area of said air vent passageway is greater than or equal to about two times that of said capillary section.
- 31. A pour spout as recited in claim 30, wherein the cross-sectional area of said air vent passageway is greater than or equal to about three times that of said capillary section.
- 32. A pour spout as recited in claim 26, wherein the cross-sectional area of said air vent passageway is greater than or equal to about 1.5 times that of said outer air vent aperture.
- 33. A pour spout as recited in claim 32, wherein the cross-sectional area of said air vent passageway is greater than or equal to about two times that of said outer air vent aperture.
- 34. A pour spout as recited in claim 25, wherein said air vent tube constriction means comprises two capillary sections spaced apart and located in said air vent passageway, each of said capillary sections having a cross-sectional area less than that of said air vent passageway.
- 35. A pour spout as recited in claim 34, wherein said two capillary sections are located at opposite ends of said air vent passageway.
- 36. A pour spout as recited in claim 35, wherein a first of said two capillary sections is formed through said fluid conduit at a location that is inside the receiving vessel when said slide valve is out of said closed position thereof, and wherein a second of said two capillary sections is located at the end of said air vent passageway opposite from said first capillary section.
- 37. A pour spout as recited in claim 26, wherein said outer air vent aperture is formed through said fluid conduit at a location which is on a side of said fluid discharge conduit opposite from said discharge opening.
- 38. A pour spout as recited in claim 26, wherein said outer air vent aperture is formed through said fluid conduit at a location which is disposed longitudinally along said fluid discharge conduit from said discharge opening toward the container of fluid.
- 39. A pour spout as recited in claim 28, wherein said end cap comprises a first portion which is inserted into said second end of said tube and a second portion which is exterior thereto, and wherein an elongated air vent recess oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of said fluid conduit is formed in the surface of said first portion.
- 40. A pour spout as recited in claim 39, wherein the end of said air vent recess remote from the container of fluid extends to a location within said tube that is inside the receiving vessel when said closure means ceases to preclude transfer of fluid from said fluid conduit.
- 41. A pour spout as recited in claim 40, wherein said capillary section comprises an outer air vent aperture formed through said fluid conduit to communicate with said end of said air vent recess remote from the container of fluid.
- 42. A pour spout as recited in claim 40, wherein said capillary section comprises an inner air vent aperture communicating between the end of said air vent recess adjacent the container of fluid and the interior space within said fluid conduit and the container.
- 43. A pour spout as recited in claim 25, wherein said end cap comprises:
- (a) an elongated first portion inserted into said second end of said tube with the outer surface of said first portion engaging the inner surface of said second end of said tube; and
- (b) a second portion disposed exterior to said second end of said tube when said first portion of said end cap is inserted thereinto.
- 44. A pour spout as recited in claim 43, wherein an elongated fluid recess oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of said fluid conduit is formed in the outer surface of said first portion of said end cap along the full length of said first portion and along the surface of a section of said second portion continuous therewith; and wherein an air vent recess oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of said fluid conduit is formed in the outer surface of said first portion of said end cap along a section thereof disposed radially opposite from said fluid recess.
- 45. A pour spout as recited in claim 44, wherein the end of said air vent recess remote from the container extends to a location that is inside the receiving vessel when said closure means ceases to preclude transfer of fluid from said fluid conduit, and wherein said capillary section comprises an outer air vent aperture formed through said fluid conduit at said end of said air vent recess remote from the container of fluid.
- 46. A pour spout as recited in claim 44, wherein said capillary section comprises an inner air vent aperture formed in the outer surface of said first portion of said end cap between the end of said air vent recess adjacent said container of fluid and the end of said first portion of said end cap remote from said second portion thereof.
- 47. A pour spout for permitting transfers of a fluid from a container of the fluid to a receiving vessel, the pour spout comprising:
- (a) a fluid conduit opening at one end thereof into the container of fluid, said fluid conduit being provided at a location remote from the container with a fluid discharge opening through which fluid from the container is transferred into the receiving vessel, said fluid conduit comprising:
- (i) a tube having first and second open ends, said first end of said tube opening into the container of fluid; and
- (ii) a fluid conduit end cap attached to and at least partially closing said second end of said tube;
- (b) an outer air vent aperture formed through said fluid conduit at a location which is inside the receiving vessel when fluid is transferred therefrom into the receiving vessel;
- (c) an air vent passageway communicating at a first end thereof with the interior space within said fluid conduit and the container and communicating at the second end thereof with said outer air vent aperture, said air vent passageway having a cross-sectional area greater than that of said outer air vent aperture;
- (d) air vent passageway constriction means for retarding the entry of fluid into said air vent passageway when fluid is being transferred from the container to the receiving vessel, thereby to retain a column of air in said air vent tube during transfers of the fluid.
- 48. A pour spout as recited in 47, wherein said air vent tube constriction means comprises a capillary section located in said air vent passageway having a cross-sectional area less than that of said air vent passageway.
- 49. A pour spout as recited in claim 48, wherein said capillary section is located at said first end of said air vent passageway.
- 50. A pour spout as recited in claim 47, further comprising closure means for precluding any transfer of fluid through said discharge opening until said fluid discharge opening is inside the receiving vessel.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 361,590 filed on May 30, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,333, which was a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 27,014 filed on Mar. 16, 1987, both in the name of Verl Law for an invention entitled "Pour Spout," the latter having issued on May 30, 1989, as U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,151.
US Referenced Citations (24)
Foreign Referenced Citations (6)
Number |
Date |
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11818 |
Mar 1976 |
AUX |
3602101 |
Jul 1987 |
DEX |
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FRX |
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Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
361590 |
May 1989 |
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Parent |
27014 |
Mar 1987 |
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