This invention relates generally to a pour spout and, more particularly, to a pour spout attachable to a container wall for efficiently pouring viscous liquids between cookware vessels.
Pouring liquids from cooking pots has always been a difficult task and one that often results in spillage. Viscous liquids tend to cling to the side of the container and resist smooth and efficient pouring from one vessel to another. The action of pouring liquids, such as while cooking, often results in foodstuffs clinging to or dribbling down the side of a pot or pan.
Various proposals for pour spout devices are found in the art. While assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices are generally unable to attach to containers having different heights and diameters or to withstand the high temperatures often experienced in cooking.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a pour spout that effectively eliminates the mess associated with pouring from a pot or pan, accommodates cookware having different heights and diameters, accounts for high temperatures, is easy to attach and remove from containers, and is easy to clean.
A pour spout for removable attachment to a container wall according to the present invention includes an exterior member having a pour region, a collection region, and first and second sides defining a slot for engaging the container wall. The pour spout further includes at least one rigid clip member situated inside the exterior member adjacent the sides of the slot for securing the exterior member to the sides of the container wall. The exterior member is constructed using a semi-flexible silicone material, making the pour spout capable of being modestly bent to fit many sizes and varieties of cookware. More particularly, the exterior member is a silicone over-molding that envelopes the rigid clips.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a pour spout attachable to a container wall for efficiently pouring viscous liquids from one container to another.
Another object of this invention is to provide a pour spout, as aforesaid, having a generally flexible outer construction such that the pour spout may be used on containers having different heights and diameters.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a pour spout, as aforesaid, that defines a slot for attachment to a container wall.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a pour spout, as aforesaid, having at least one rigid clip situated within the flexible exterior member for securing the pour spout to a container wall.
A further object of this invention is to provide a pour spout, as aforesaid, in which the exterior member is a silicone over-molding enveloping the clips.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a pour spout, as aforesaid, in which the exterior member includes a shutoff construction where the clip extends from the exterior member.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.
a is a top view of the pour spout as in
b is sectional view of the pour spout taken along line 3b-3b of
A pour spout 10 for pouring viscous liquids from one container to another according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to
More particularly, the exterior member 12 includes a first portion 14 for being situated adjacent an inner surface 8 of a container wall 7 when the pour spout 10 is selectively attached to a container (
The first 14 and second 20 portions of the exterior member 12 include respective first 16 and second 22 inner walls spaced apart from one another so as to define the slot 24 (
The collection region 26 and pour region 32 of the exterior member 12 present a configuration for the smooth and efficient pouring of viscous liquids between containers. As best shown in
The pour region 32 is situated along the upper edge of the exterior member 12 between opposed sides thereof (
The pour spout 10 further includes at least one clip 36 being constructed of a generally rigid material although a pair of rigid clips is preferred for most applications. Each clip 36 includes first 38 and second 40 attachment members connected at an upper end in a generally inverted U-shaped configuration (
Each clip 36 includes an end piece 42 at a lower end of the second attachment member 40 having a configuration that presents a first ledge 44 extending beyond an inner side of the second attachment member and a second ledge extending beyond an outer side of the second attachment member (
The advantage of the end piece 42 is better understood along with a description of the over-molding manufacturing process. In over-molding, a soft, flexible material is injection molded over or around a compatible substrate using either insert or multi-shot processes. In the present case, it is advantageous to have a generally flexible exterior member 12 over-molded about rigid clips. The end piece 42 of the clips provides a sharp transition or a “step” between hard and soft materials and enables this process to be successfully accomplished. Specifically, the first ledge 44 provides a first step transition between the flexible and rigid materials and the second ledge 46 provides a second step transition between the flexible and rigid materials. This construction enables the advantages of flexible and rigid materials to be realized in manufacturing and use of this device.
In use, the pour spout 10 may be attached to the wall 7 of a container 6 by engaging the container wall 7 into the slot 24 (
It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20070023463 A1 | Feb 2007 | US |