Universal funnel
A universal funnel comprises a tapered hollow body and a tube-like enclosure. The tapered hollow body has an exterior and an interior and has a wide end defining a wide inlet opening and a narrow end defining a narrow outlet opening. The tube-like enclosure has an exterior and an interior and has one end defining an attached end and the other end defining an opened end. The size of the attached end of the tube-like enclosure is larger than the size of the narrow outlet opening of the tapered hollow body. And the size of the attached end of the tube-like enclosure is equal to or smaller than the size of the wide inlet opening of the tapered hollow body. The attached end of the tube-like enclosure is attached to the exterior surface of the tapered hollow body by first introducing the narrow outlet opening of the tapered hollow body into the attached end of the tube-like enclosure till the attached end of the tube-like enclosure is in contact with the exterior surface of the tapered hollow body. The tube-like enclosure is long enough in order to keep the narrow outlet opening of the tapered hollow body inside and away from the opened end of the tube-like enclosure. Therefore, the universal funnel can be used for transferring liquids into bottles or separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, e.g. oil and water; oil is a light weight liquid and water is a heavy weight liquid.
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to funnels for transferring liquids into bottles or for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, e.g. oil and water.
2. Description of Prior Art
Funnels are used to transfer liquids from one container to another container. Because of the narrow neck of a bottle, usually one hand is required to keep the funnel in place and, at the same time, to hold the narrow neck of the bottle to avoid spilling while transferring liquids into bottles.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,347 B1 to Theodore W. Selby discloses a self-supporting, adjustable funnel. The support of the funnel sits on the top of a storage vessel and the drain of the funnel must be stretched out of the lower support edge of the support to avoid spilling. This configuration applies to a storage vessel with a sufficient flat top so that the support of the funnel can be settled. However, the configuration does not apply to a storage vessel which having no sufficient flat top, such as a bottle.
The present invention will improve funnel's stability without a hand to keep the funnel in place when transferring liquids into bottles.
Over the years, various approaches have been proposed for removing light weight liquid from a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, e.g. separating oil from an oil/water mixture; oil is a light weight liquid and water is a heavy weight liquid. One popular approach is to apply oil adhesive materials on the surface of cloths or drums. A rotating structure is made to allow the cloths or drums dipping into the oil/water mixture. Above the oil/water mixture, an oil removing device is used to remove oil from the surfaces of cloths or drums. The oil removing devices for example, could be rollers pressing the cloths or blades scraping the drum surfaces. In general, it has been found that this approach lacks the separation efficiency and separation throughput. The worn-out cloths require replacement and the worn-out drum surfaces need to be resurfaced.
The other approaches include oil filtering, chemical treatment and oil burning. Over a period of time, the oil filtering facility needs maintenance. The chemical treatment is costly. The oil burning pollutes environments.
The present invention will improve the efficiency and throughput of separating oil from an oil/water mixture. Further more, the present invention is reusable, minimum maintenance and environmental friendly.
SUMMARYIn accordance with the present invention a universal funnel comprises a tapered hollow body and a tube-like enclosure. One end of the tube-like enclosure is attached to the exterior surface of the tapered hollow body to become a device for providing the stability of the tapered hollow body when transferring liquids into bottles. Also, the device can be used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, e.g. oil and water.
DRAWING FIGURESBrief description of the drawings:
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- 10 universal funnel
- 100 tapered hollow body
- 110 wide inlet opening
- 120 narrow outlet opening
- 130 spout
- 200 tube-like enclosure
- 210 attached end
- 220 opened end
- 300 filter
- 400 cup
A preferred embodiment of a universal funnel 10 of the present invention is illustrated in
The size of the attached end 210 of the tube-like enclosure 200 is larger than the size of the narrow outlet opening 120 of the tapered hollow body 100. And the size of the attached end 210 of the tube-like enclosure 200 is equal to or smaller than the size of the wide inlet opening 110 of the tapered hollow body 100.
The attached end 210 of the tube-like enclosure 200 is joined to the exterior surface of the tapered hollow body 100 by, first, introducing the narrow outlet opening 120 of the tapered hollow body 100 into the attached end 210 of the tube-like enclosure 200 till the attached end 210 of the tube-like enclosure 200 is in contact with the exterior surface of the tapered hollow body 100.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Operation
Funnels are used for catching and directing a downward flow of liquids, for example, transferring liquids into storage vessels. When the storage vessels are bottles, usually one hand is required for keeping the funnel in place and, at the same time, holding the narrow neck of the bottle for stabilization in order to avoid spilling while transferring liquids into bottles.
As shown in
Traditionally, funnels are used for catching and directing a downward flow of liquids. However, if the tapered hollow body 100 is kept in a position where the wide inlet opening 110 downward and the narrow outlet opening 120 upward, the tapered hollow body 100 can function as a concentrator. This concentration function can be used to separate a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, e.g. oil and water. As shown in
To illustrate the operation of separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, an oil/water mixture is used as an example. In this example, oil is light weight liquid and water is heavy weight liquid. As shown in
Accordingly, the reader will see that the universal funnel 10 of this invention can be used for providing stability of the tapered hollow body 100 when transferring liquids into bottles. Or this invention can be used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, e.g. oil and water. Furthermore, the universal funnel 10 has the additional advantages in that
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- it is scalable; for example, the miniaturized universal funnel 10 can be used to remove a thin layer of oil from a soup. For example, the thickness of oil is T=0.1 inches, the radius of the wide inlet opening 110 of the tapered hollow body 100 is R=1.5 inches and the radius of the spout 130 of the tapered hollow body 100 is r=0.25 inches, the volume of oil to be concentrated is equal to V=(π)×(R2)×(T)=(3.14)×(1.5)×(1.5)×(0.1)=0.71 cubical inches. When oil is concentrated into the spout 130 of the tapered hollow body 100, the thickness of oil becomes (V/(π)×(r2) )=0.71/(3.14×0.25×0.25)=3.6 inches. With visual observation, oil can be forced out of the spout 130 and collected into the cup 400 by dipping the universal funnel 10 into the soup.
- It is simple in structure, inexpensive in production, and ease of use.
- Since the universal funnel 10 is simple in structure, the modularized tapered hollow bodies 100 and the modularized tube-like enclosures 200 can be in different sizes and shapes. And the modularized tapered hollow bodies 100 and the modularized tube-like enclosures 200 can be interchangeable to fit a variety of bottles for liquids transferring or to fit in a variety of environments for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, e.g. oil and water.
Although the description above containing many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For examples, the tube-like enclosure 200 of the universal funnel 10 is a tube-like device which can be in different shapes, for examples: a cylindrical shape as shown in
Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.
Claims
1-10. (canceled)
11. A universal funnel for transferring a liquid into a long narrow neck bottle, e.g. a wine bottle, and for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, e.g. oil and water, comprising:
- (a) a tapered hollow body with an exterior and an interior and having a wide end defining a wide inlet opening and a narrow end defining a narrow outlet opening; the exterior adjacent to said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body will be engaged in resting position against the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle so that said tapered hollow body will nest on the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle;
- (b) a tube-like enclosure with an exterior and an interior and having one end defining an attached end and the other end defining an opened end; the diameter of said tube-like enclosure is equal to the diameter of said wide inlet opening of said tapered hollow body;
- (c) a connection means for attaching said attached end of said tube-like enclosure to the exterior surface of said tapered hollow body by introducing said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body into said attached end of said tube-like enclosure till said attached end of said tube-like enclosure is in contact with the exterior surface of said tapered hollow body; said tube-like enclosure is long enough so that said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body is kept inside of said tube-like enclosure and said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body is kept away from said opened end of said tube-like enclosure for a sufficient distance; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring a liquid into a long narrow neck bottle, said wide inlet opening of said tapered hollow body will receive the liquid; said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body will channel the liquid into the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle; and said tube-like enclosure will serve as a fence remotely surrounding the long narrow neck of the bottle to prevent the universal funnel from falling or tilting off; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, the light weight liquid of the mixture will be concentrated at said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body; a cup will be formed and bounded by said tapered hollow body and said tube-like enclosure for collecting the separated light weight liquid; the space between said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body and said opened end of said tube-like enclosure will prevent the mixture of liquids from flowing over said opened end of said tube-like enclosure while the light weight liquid of the mixture being concentrated and collected.
12. The universal funnel of claim 11, wherein said tube-like enclosure is further extended longitudinally; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring the liquid into the long narrow neck bottle, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the universal funnel from falling or tilting off the long narrow neck of the bottle; and the stability of nesting said tapered hollow body on the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle will be further strengthened; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the mixture of liquids from flowing over said opened end of said tube-like enclosure so that the universal funnel can dip further into the mixture of liquids in which the light weight liquid has a thicker layer.
13. The universal funnel of claim 11, wherein the universal funnel further comprising a spout attached to said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body; said tube-like enclosure is long enough so that said spout is kept inside said tube-like enclosure and also said spout is kept away from said opened end of said tube-like enclosure for a sufficient distance; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring a liquid into a long narrow neck bottle, said spout will be inserted into the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle to facilitate the liquid flow; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, said spout will raise the depth of said cup which is formed and bounded by said tube-like enclosure, said tapered hollow body, and in addition, said spout.
14. The universal funnel of claim 13, wherein said tube-like enclosure is further extended longitudinally; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring the liquid into the long narrow neck bottle, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the universal funnel from falling or tilting off the long narrow neck of the bottle; and the stability of nesting the tapered hollow body on the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle will be further strengthened; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the mixture of liquids from flowing over said opened end of said tube-like enclosure so that the universal funnel can dip further into the mixture of liquids in which the light weight liquid has a thicker layer.
15. A universal funnel for transferring a liquid into a long narrow neck bottle such as a cork sealed wine bottle and for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, e.g. oil and water, comprising:
- (a) a tapered hollow body with an exterior and an interior and having a wide end defining a wide inlet opening and a narrow end defining a narrow outlet opening; the exterior adjacent to said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body will be engaged in resting position against the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle so that said tapered hollow body will nest on the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle;
- (b) a tube-like enclosure with an exterior and an interior and having one end defining an attached end and the other end defining an opened end; the diameter of said tube-like enclosure is equal to the diameter of said wide inlet opening of said tapered hollow body;
- (c) a connection means for attaching said attached end of said tube-like enclosure to the exterior surface of said tapered hollow body by introducing said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body into said attached end of said tube-like enclosure till said attached end of said tube-like enclosure is in contact with the exterior surface of said tapered hollow body; said tube-like enclosure is long enough so that said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body is kept inside of said tube-like enclosure and said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body is kept away from said opened end of said tube-like enclosure for a sufficient distance; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring a liquid into a long narrow neck bottle, said wide inlet opening of said tapered hollow body will receive the liquid; said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body will channel the liquid into the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle; and said tube-like enclosure will serve as a fence remotely surrounding the long narrow neck of the bottle to prevent the universal funnel from falling or tilting off; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, the light weight liquid of the mixture will be concentrated at said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body; a cup will be formed and bounded by said tapered hollow body and said tube-like enclosure for collecting the separated light weight liquid; the space between said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body and said opened end of said tube-like enclosure will prevent the mixture of liquids from flowing over said opened end of said tube-like enclosure while the light weight liquid of the mixture being concentrated and collected.
16. The universal funnel of claim 15, wherein said tube-like enclosure is further extended longitudinally; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring the liquid into the long narrow neck bottle, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the universal funnel from falling or tilting off the long narrow neck of the bottle; and the stability of nesting said tapered hollow body on the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle will be further strengthened; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the mixture of liquids from flowing over said opened end of said tube-like enclosure so that the universal funnel can dip further into the mixture of liquids in which the light weight liquid has a thicker layer.
17. The universal funnel of claim 15, wherein the universal funnel further comprising a spout attached to said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body; said tube-like enclosure is long enough so that said spout is kept inside said tube-like enclosure and also said spout is kept away from said opened end of said tube-like enclosure for a sufficient distance; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring a liquid into a long narrow neck bottle, said spout will be inserted into the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle to facilitate the liquid flow; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, said spout will raise the depth of said cup which is formed and bounded by said tube-like enclosure, said tapered hollow body, and in addition, said spout.
18. The universal funnel of claim 17, wherein said tube-like enclosure is further extended longitudinally; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring the liquid into the long narrow neck bottle, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the universal funnel from falling or tilting off the long narrow neck of the bottle; and the stability of nesting the tapered hollow body on the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle will be further strengthened; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the mixture of liquids from flowing over said opened end of said tube-like enclosure so that the universal funnel can dip further into the mixture of liquids in which the light weight liquid has a thicker layer.
Type: Application
Filed: May 25, 2006
Publication Date: Nov 29, 2007
Inventor: Hungkun Chang (Hoffman Estates, IL)
Application Number: 11/440,982
International Classification: B65B 39/00 (20060101);