Decanting bottle and method

Abstract

A decanting device is provided with a cap having a longitudinally extending, tubular nozzle with an airway debossed lengthwise on the outer surface of the nozzle. The decanting device may also have a bottom lid and a fluid reservoir with a top aperture and a bottom aperture. The cap is adapted to be removably coupled to the device at the top aperture and a bottom lid is adapted to be removably coupled to the device at the bottom aperture. Such device is useful in decanting liquids of varying viscosity since the nozzle airway allows air to escape a container that is being filled with a liquid from the decanting device.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to tubes and bottles and more specifically to a device for filling tubes and bottles with a fluid while at the same time allowing air to escape.

Fluids, such as perfume, after-shave, lotion, shampoo, and the like, are often sold in containers that are rather large and intended for stationary use. However, it may be desirable to travel with such fluids by first decanting the fluid into a smaller travel container. This decanting process is difficult and may result in spillage and ultimate loss of product.

Further, a product purchased for use in the home may, itself, be intended for refill. Refill liquid is sometimes purchased in pouches or other collapsible containers that make the refilling process cumbersome and difficult. This is especially true in the case of a viscous fluid such as shampoo, or a more viscous fluid such as petroleum jelly, wherein the fluid stream poured from a pouch or jar may be wider than the mouth of the bottle to be refilled, thus resulting in spillage.

To address the problem, some refill packages are provided with a nozzle. However, depending upon the style of bottle being filled, the nozzle may not be the correct size to allow insertion into the bottle, or the nozzle may occupy the entire surface area of the bottle opening, thereby trapping air in the bottle and preventing fluid flow.

A further problem is that refill pouches may be flimsy and difficult to manage with a single hand. The large refill pouch, if flexible, must be held with two hands while allowing the nozzle to rest on the bottleneck of the bottle being refilled.

Yet another problem is that nozzles may be difficult to clean and thus may not be reused. Although some nozzles have been developed to allow air to escape a filling bottle, the air passageways are internal to the nozzle walls, thus preventing easy access for cleaning if fluid becomes lodged in the air channels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a device for containing and decanting fluid comprising a semi-rigid fluid reservoir having an opening. A cap is adapted to be removably coupled to the reservoir at the opening, and, if warranted, a bottom lid may be adapted to be removably coupled to the reservoir at an opening located at the opposite end of the first-mentioned opening. The cap has a longitudinally extending, tubular nozzle that has at least one airway formed into its outer wall. The airway allows air to escape from a container that is being filled with the fluid contained in the fluid reservoir, thus preventing spillage.

Preferably, the fluid reservoir is sized so as to be operable with a single hand. This frees up the other hand to hold the bottle or tube that is being filled.

Also, since the airway is formed on the exterior surface of the nozzle, cleaning the nozzle and airway will be simplified.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a decanting device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an enlarged perspective view of a cap, as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a cap having a semi-pyramidal airway.

FIG. 2C is a perspective view of a cap having a smaller diameter nozzle than the cap in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2D is a perspective view of a solid cap.

FIGS. 3A-3E provide perspective views of the steps in preparing to use a decanting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the decanting device of FIG. 1 filling a smaller bottle.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4 and showing fluid communication during the filling process.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the decanting device of FIG. 1 filling a tube.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of the decanting device 100 according to the present invention. A preferred embodiment of the decanting device 100 preferably comprises a fluid reservoir 102, a cap 104, and a bottom lid 106. The fluid reservoir 102 has a top aperture 108 and a bottom aperture 110, although the present invention may be practical without the bottom aperture 110. The words ‘top’ and ‘bottom,’ as used herein, refer generally to different locations and no specific physical orientation is implied. Preferably, the reservoir 102 has a conventional cylindrical bottle shape, wherein the top aperture 108 is smaller than the bottom aperture 110. The reservoir 102 is preferably sized to comfortably fit in an average sized adult human hand. The reservoir 102 is preferably manufactured from a semi-rigid material, such as a semi-rigid plastic, so as to provide stability, as well as the ability to be squeezed by the human hand to thereby force a fluid out of the reservoir 102.

The bottom lid 106 has an open end 112, a closed end 114, and a side wall 116. The open end 112 of the bottom lid 106 is adapted to be removably coupled to the fluid reservoir 102 at the bottom aperture 110. Preferably, such coupling is achieved through the use of mating threads 118 formed into the fluid reservoir 102 and the bottom lid 106. The closed end 114 of the bottom lid 106 is preferably flat, thereby providing a resting surface for the device 100 when not in use. The side wall 116 has an outside surface 120 that is preferably textured to enable easy removal and replacement of the bottom lid 106. Such texture could be achieved through the use of ribbing, or grooves, molded or machined into the lid 106. Additionally, a friction enhancing substance could be applied to the outside surface 120 of the side wall 116.

The cap 104 comprises generally a base 122 and a longitudinally extending, tubular nozzle 124. The base 122 is substantially hollow and is adapted to be removably coupled to the fluid reservoir 102 at the top aperture 108. A tubular nozzle 124 is generally cylindrical in shape and longitudinally extends from the base 122 distally of the fluid reservoir 102. The cap 104 will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D.

Referring now to FIG. 2A, the cap 104 may be seen to include a base 122 and a nozzle 124. The base 122 includes a top end surface 126 through which an aperture 140 is formed, (see particularly FIG. 5), and further includes an open bottom end 128 and an outer surface 130. The open end 128 is adapted to be removably coupled to the fluid reservoir 102 at the top aperture 108. The tubular nozzle 124 includes a through-bore 136 defined by an inner wall surface 132 and an outer wall surface 134. The through-bore 136 provides a fluid passageway that is in fluid communication with the aperture 140 (see FIG. 5) formed in the top end surface 126 of the base 122.

With particular reference to FIG. 5, it will be observed that the inventive concept disclosed herein further includes an airway 138 for allowing air to escape from a container 500 to be filled with liquid dispensed from a reservoir 102. The airway channel 138 preferably extends from the open, or distal end of the nozzle 124 taking the form of a fluted, semi-circular channel 138 of FIG. 2A and FIG. 2C or a semi-pyramidal fluted channel 238 shown in FIG. 2B. The airway channels 138, 238 or 338 are preferably formed in the exterior surface 134 of the tubular nozzle 124, and are substantially coextensive of the tubular nozzle 124.

A suitable airway embodiment may be formed by “collapsing” or “bumping” a relatively thin-walled nozzle structure to inwardly depress or form channel 138, 238 or 338 to obtain the desired cross-sectional characteristics there through. It will be further observed, from the view of FIG. 5, that the airway 138, may be engraved, or otherwise formed, in the wall 132 without being “collapsed”, and providing that the wall 132 is of sufficient thickness to accommodate the selected channel 138, 238, or 338 configurations.

The airway 138 is preferably externally debossed to form the selected elongated airway groove 138, 238, or 338 extending from the open, or distal end of the nozzle 124, which, as shown in FIG. 2A, may take the form of a fluted semi-circular channel 138. This debossing feature may be provided by the usual indenting tools (not shown) which scribe the exterior airway groove or channel 138, and at the same time deform the relatively thin walled nozzle inwardly of the nozzle through-bore. This inward deformation may provide an additional attribute by being purposely deformed to control the flow of fluid there through, depending upon the viscosity of the fluid to be dispensed.

When the cap 104 is coupled to the reservoir 102, the fluid passageway 140 is in direct fluid communication with the fluid reservoir 102 through the hole in the top end surface 126, the hollow base 122 and the top aperture 108. The outer surface 130 is preferably textured to enable easy removal and replacement of the cap 104. Such texture could be achieved through the use of ribbing, or grooves, molded or machined into the cap 104. Additionally, a friction enhancing substance could be applied to the outer surface 130 of the base 122.

FIG. 2B depicts an alternative cap 204 having a nozzle 224 with a smaller diameter than the nozzle 124 in FIG. 2A. Generally, the alternative cap 204 has a base 222 that is substantially similar to the base 122 in FIG. 2A, comprising a top end surface 226 through which a hole is formed and further comprises an open bottom end 228 and an outer surface 230. However, since the nozzle 224 is smaller, the hole formed in the top end surface 226 is preferably proportionately smaller. As shown by contrasting FIGS. 2A and 2B, it is contemplated that nozzles 124, 224 of various sizes could be provided to enable the efficient filling of various size travel containers.

FIG. 2D depicts an alternative cap 304 that may be used if the user desires to store fluid in the decanting device 100. The cap 304 comprises an imperforate top end surface 326 and further comprises an open bottom end 328 and an outer surface 330. The open bottom end 328 of the cap 304 is sized and threaded to be removably coupled to the fluid reservoir 102 at the top aperture 108.

FIGS. 3A-3E depict the steps that are generally required to prepare the decanting device 100 for use. Prior to using the decanting device 100, the user must first fill the device 100 with fluid. This is accomplished by first ensuring that a solid cap 304 is in place over the top aperture 108, as depicted in FIG. 3A. Referring now to FIG. 3B, the device 100 is then inverted and the bottom lid 106 is removed from the device 100, thereby exposing the relatively large bottom opening 110. FIG. 3C depicts a user pouring a fluid 402 out of a larger bottle 400 into the decanting device 100 through the bottom opening 110. Once the desired amount of fluid 402 has been transferred to the device 100, the user replaces the bottom lid 106, as shown in FIG. 3D, and then turns the device 100 upright again. The user selects the cap 104 having a nozzle 124 of a size best suited for the desired transfer. For example, to use the device 100 with less viscous fluid, or to fill smaller bottles, a cap 204 having a smaller nozzle 224 should be used. When working with a more viscous fluid, or a larger bottle to be filled, a cap 104 having a larger nozzle 124 may be desired. The user then removes the solid cap 304 and places a cap 104 having a nozzle 124 on the fluid reservoir 102 over the top aperture 108. The device 100 is now ready for decanting.

FIG. 4 illustrates the decanting device 100 and nozzle 124, according to the present invention, filling a smaller bottle 500 having a cap 502. After ensuring that the cap 502 is removed from the bottle 500, the nozzle 124 is inserted into the bottle 500. If not already inverted, the decanting device 100 is turned such that the bottle 500 is below the device 100 and the nozzle 124 remains in the bottle 500. The fluid 402 in the reservoir 102 is forced to the nozzle 124 by gravity and encouraged by any deformation caused to the semi-rigid reservoir 102 by gripping pressure from the user's hand.

During the filling process, and as shown in FIG. 5, as the bottle 500 is filling with liquid, air is able to escape the bottle 500 through the airway 138 in the direction of arrow 504. The airway 138 is formed in the outer wall surface 134 of the nozzle 124. After the bottle 500 is filled to the desired level, the user releases the grip on the reservoir 102 and withdraws the nozzle 124 from the bottle 500 as the decanting device 100 is uprighted. The bottle cap 502 may be replaced and the filled bottle 500 is ready for travel. If no more bottles 500 are to be filled, or the decanting device 100 is to be stored for some time without use, the cap 104 may be removed from the device 100 and the solid cap 304 placed over the top aperture 108.

FIG. 6 illustrates the decanting device 100 of the present invention being used to fill a tube 600, rather than the bottle 500 shown in previous views. It is to be understood that a similar filling procedure to that described for the bottle 500 of FIG. 3 is used to fill a tube 600. As seen in the case of an expanded tube 600, the airway 138 is useful in allowing the displaced tube air to escape.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A decanting device comprising:

(a) a semi-rigid fluid reservoir having an aperture;

(b) a cap being removably coupled to said reservoir aperture, i. said cap including a longitudinally extending, tubular nozzle having a coextensive through-bore defining an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, ii. said nozzle including a grooved airway formed in the outer wall surface of said nozzle.

2. The decanting device of claim 1 wherein the nozzle inner wall surface is deformed as a result of debossing the outer nozzle surface to form the airway groove.

3. The decanting device of claim 1 wherein the grooved airway is substantially semi-conical.

4. The decanting device of claim 1 wherein said grooved airway is substantially semi-pyramidal.

5. The decanting device of claim 1 wherein the semi-rigid reservoir has a top aperture and a bottom aperture, a cap being removably coupled to the reservoir at the top aperture, and a bottom lid being removably coupled to the reservoir at the bottom aperture.

6. The decanting device of claim 5 wherein the bottom lid is removably coupled to the fluid reservoir by way of mating threads.

7. The decanting device of claim 5 wherein the cap is removably coupled to the fluid reservoir by way of mating threads.

8. A method of decanting comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a container;

(b) providing a semi-rigid fluid reservoir having a top aperture and a bottom aperture;

(c) providing a cap, said cap being removably coupled to said fluid reservoir at said top aperture, said cap further including a longitudinally extending nozzle, said nozzle including a grooved airway formed on an outer wall surface of said nozzle;

(d) providing a bottom lid, said bottom lid being removably coupled to said fluid reservoir at said bottom aperture;

(e) inverting said reservoir and placing a fluid into the reservoir through the bottom aperture; and

(f) decanting the fluid into the container from the reservoir through said nozzle.

9. The method of decanting according to claim 8 further comprising the step of venting air in said container out of said container via said grooved airway.

10. The method of decanting according to claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

(a) closing the top aperture prior to placing the fluid into the reservoir; and

(b) closing the bottom aperture prior to decanting.

11. A decanting cap, said cap being adapted for removable coupling to a fluid reservoir;

(a) said cap including a longitudinally extending, tubular nozzle formed from a wall having an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface;

(b) said nozzle further including a grooved airway formed on said nozzle outer wall surface.

12. A decanting cap according to claim 11 wherein said airway is substantially semi-conical.

13. A decanting cap according to claim 11 wherein said airway is substantially semi-pyramidal.