UNIVERSAL BARBEQUE BRUSH CAP

Abstract

A universal barbeque brush cap has an irregular shape. The lower main body of the cap is hollow and has two sets of threads, one large and one small. The two different sized thread patterns are capable of receiving nearly all the common male threads found on barbeque sauce bottles. The brush cap also has bristles on top of the cap. The lower main body is fluidly connected to the lower part of the threads by a small orifice. A barbeque sauce bottle can be attached to the brush cap using the appropriate set of threads. Barbeque sauce can then be applied through the small orifice to the lower part of the bristles. The invention provides a single device for both dispending barbeque sauce and applying it to the meat on the grill. Two faceplates, one on each side of the brush cap, allow for attachment of decorative designs or logos to the brush cap. The brush cap may be disassembled for quick and easy cleaning.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of cooking or barbequing. More particularly, a universal bottle cap with an attached brush for barbeque sauce bottles is presented.

When cooking, particularly outside on a barbeque grill, it is common to apply a sauce such as barbeque sauce to the meat and to then brush or baste the meat with a barbeque sauce brush. Several attempts have been made to streamline the process and to combine the brush with the sauce dispenser. For example, the 2000 US Patent issued to Zima, U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,389 provided a combination basting brush and container cap. The Zima device has an opening 6 with a removable lid 10 for dispensing the sauce combined with a brush 11 next to the opening. Zima is one example of the use of a single cap for dispensing and applying barbeque sauce. However, Zima requires two distinct actions (opening and closing the lid and then brushing) to perform the required task. It is an object of this invention to provide a new and useful brush cap for a barbeque or other condiment bottle that allows for the dispensing and brushing of a fluid, for example barbeque sauce, in one motion.

It has also been disclosed that a cap and brush combination may be attached to a bottle using the existing male threads of a bottle for dispensing and applying fluid from a bottle. The 1996 U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,303 issued to Pyrozyk describes such an advice. While the Pyrozyk apparatus for dispensing and applying fluid is functional, its usefulness is limited because it only provides one size of threads for the many variations of bottles on the market. It is another object of this invention to provide a barbeque brush and cap which is universally capable of attachment to a wide variety of bottle top sizes.

The use and application of thick sauces like barbeque sauce often leaves a messy residue and requires a difficult clean-up. For example, the food basting device of Bertothy (2005 U.S. Pat. No. 6,872,022) could become clogged if utilized with barbeque sauce. It is yet another object of this invention to provide a barbeque dispensing and basting brush that is universally adaptable to all types and sizes of bottles and which is easily disassembled for cleaning purposes.

While many types of combination barbeque dispensing and basting brushes have been disclosed, it would useful if an easily disassembled, universally adaptable brush and cap that requires only one motion to dispense and brush were provided. It is a still further object of this invention to provide such a device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A barbeque brush cap has three main components, a lower hollow base, a central attaching and sealing piece and upper bristles. The lower hollow base has at least two sets of female threads, one large and one smaller. The sets of female threads have a common vertical axis, but the threads are arranges from larger to smaller from bottom to top. The multiple sizes allow for attachment of nearly all sized barbeque bottles to the device. The upper part of the lower base has a chimney with a male flange protruding from its outer surface. A central attaching and sealing piece has a female flange corresponding to the male chimney flange for connecting and sealing the lower body to the upper bristles. The central connecting piece has a small orifice to allow for fluid connection between the lower base and the upper bristles. When a barbeque sauce bottle is attached to the lower base by screwing the bottle top to the appropriate set of threads, barbeque sauce may then be dispensed out the top of the brush cap and brushed onto the meat on the grill by the bristles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the universal cap.

FIG. 2 is side view of the universal cap.

FIG. 3 is a front cutaway view of the universal cap.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the universal cap.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the universal cap showing it in place on a barbeque sauce bottle. The bottle is shown in phantom lines and is not part of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The universal barbeque brush cap for a barbeque sauce or other condiment bottle is shown in FIG. 1. The brush cap 1 is irregularly shaped as shown. The brush cap has three main components, a lower main body 2, a central attaching and sealing piece 3 and upper bristles 4. The three main components are joined together to form the brush cap 1 as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The lower main body 2 comprises two essentially cylindrical cavities, as best shown in FIG. 4. A bottom cylindrical cavity 5 has a vertical axis. The bottom cylindrical cavity 5 has an essentially circular cross-section and essentially vertical sidewalls. The bottom cavity 5 is hollow in the center. This bottom cavity 5 is formed integrally with the upper cylindrical body 8. The upper cylindrical cavity 8 has an essentially circular cross-section with a horizontal axis. The central horizontal axes of the bottom 5 and upper 8 cylindrical cavities are essentially perpendicular to each other as shown. The bottom and upper cavities are in fluid communication with each other.

Nearly all barbeque bottles have one of two sized threads, a larger and a smaller size. To make this brush cap universal yet economical and practical, at least two differently sized thread patterns are provided. In the preferred embodiment shown, the upper horizontal cylindrical cavity 8 has two sets of internal threads that correspond to the two different sized threads found on nearly all barbeque bottles. A first large-sized internal female thread pattern 6 is located inside the upper horizontal cylindrical body 8 as best shown in FIG. 3. Above the first large sized thread pattern 6 is a second female small-sized internal thread pattern 7. These large 6 and small 7 thread patterns are cut into the sidewalls of the horizontal cylindrical cavity 8. First large female internal threads 6 and second small female internal threads 7 are adapted to receive the large male threads of a large barbeque sauce bottle and a small male barbeque sauce bottle, respectively. Each cylindrical set of female threads share a central vertical longitudinal axis.

It is within the spirit and disclosure of this invention to have more than two sized female thread patterns to accommodate all variations of male thread patterns found on all bottles. In order to add more sized threads, it is important that the largest size be closer to the bottom of the brush cap, with the smaller sized female thread sets in ascending order as they get smaller. The smallest set of threads should be on top, the next smallest under that, and so forth with the largest set of threads is on the bottom. This arrangement allows for insertion of any size bottle top threads into the device.

The upper cylindrical cavity 8 has two opposed outer essentially circular faceplate perimeters 9. A first faceplate perimeter 18 is on one side of the cylindrical cavity and a second faceplate perimeter 19 is on the opposed side as shown in FIG. 2. These faceplate perimeters 9 are essentially circular and are adapted to receive a variety of circular decorative logo faceplates. (Note that the area behind the faceplate in the drawing figures is an artifact of manufacture and forms no functional part of the structure of the device.) These faceplates can be in an almost limitless variety and may take the decorative design of baseball, football, college or high school logos or designs. The essentially circular logo faceplates may be attached to the brush cap by glue or by any other suitable means. The circular shape of the faceplates is for purposes of illustration only and is not meant as a limitation the invention. While the preferred embodiment has essentially circular faceplate perimeters, it is to be understood that they may be oval, square, rectangular or any other pleasing geometric shape while still keeping within the spirit and disclosure of this invention.

Attached to the top of the lower main body 2 is a chimney 10. The chimney 10 is essentially oval in the preferred embodiment. However the chimney may also be circular, square or any other shape. The chimney 10 is hollow and is in fluid communication with the lower main body 2. The chimney 10 has an outer male flange 11 around its upper perimeter.

The central attaching and sealing piece 3 connects the lower main body 2 and the upper bristles 4. There is a fluid connection between the lower main body 2, the central piece 3 and the upper bristles 4. This fluid connection allows the barbeque sauce to be dispensed from the barbeque sauce bottle to the bristles.

The central attaching and sealing piece 3 has lower flange 12 along the bottom of its perimeter as best shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. This bottom central piece flange 12 is located completely around the chimney 10 when the brush cap 1 is fully attached. The central attaching piece 3 also has an inner female sealing and attaching flange 13 corresponding to and adapted to receive the outer male flange 11 of the chimney 10. The function of this female sealing and attaching flange 13 is best shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, when the central attaching and sealing piece 3 is snapped over the chimney 10, a tight seal is made between the lower main body 2 and the central sealing and attaching piece 3. The outer surface of the female attaching and sealing piece 13 is shown in FIG. 2. The central attaching and sealing piece 10 has a fluid communication orifice 14 as shown in FIG. 4. This orifice allows for fluid communication between the lower main body 2 and the upper bristles 4.

At the very top of the brush cap device is a plurality of barbeque brush bristles 4, as shown in the drawing figures. These bristles are commonly used in the barbeque brush industry. The bristles 4 may be attached to a base 15. Alternatively, the bristles 4 may be attached directly to the top of the central attaching piece 3, forming one integral piece 3 and 4.

When the three main components of the brush cap 2, 3 and 4 are attached and connected together as shown in FIG. 1, they form the universal barbeque bottle brush cap 1. The brush cap 1 is attached to a barbeque sauce bottle 16 as shown in FIG. 5, using the existing male threads of the bottle 5. The barbeque bottle 16 is shown in phantom lines in FIG. 5 and forms no part of the invention as claimed. Every barbeque bottle 16 has a neck 17 that is narrower than the bottle lower body. The top of each bottle neck 17 has external male threads adapted to receive a standard bottle cap. These bottle caps come in essentially two main sizes. The main bottle cap sizes correspond to the large 6 and small 7 threads of the brush cap 1. When the standard bottle cap is removed, the top neck 17 of the barbeque sauce bottle may be attached to the brush cap 1 using either the large 6 or small 7 thread patterns as shown in FIG. 5. Barbeque sauce may then be dispensed through the lower main body 2, through the central attaching and sealing piece 3 to the lower section of the bristles 4. Barbeque sauce may then be conveniently brushed onto the meat on the grill.

Barbeque sauce is generally thick and difficult to clean from utensils. Since the universal barbeque brush cap may be dissembled, it is easy and quick to clean. Providing for two different sized thread patterns makes the brush cap nearly universally available to receive nearly all types of barbeque bottles currently on the market. The faceplate perimeters also allow for a decorative and pleasing appearance for a barbeque utensil.

It is to be appreciated that the preferred embodiment described herein is meant as a general description only. The invention is not limited to the precise embodiment herein and minor variations are within the spirit and disclosure of the device. For example, the lower main body need not have two perpendicular cylindrical bodies, but may be formed of various shapes. In addition, the brush cap may be used in conjunction with ketchup, mustard or similar condiment bottles. In addition, a frustro-conical or cylindrical cap for the very top of the brush cap may be included to cover the bristles when the device is not in use.

Claims

1. A universal barbeque brush cap for a barbeque sauce bottle, comprising:

(a) a lower main essentially circular hollow body having at least two differently sized female thread patterns adapted to receive at least two sized male thread condiment bottle tops, respectively;

(b) said lower main body further comprising an upper hollow chimney integrally attached to the top of said lower main body having an outer male flange attached to the upper perimeter of said chimney;

(c) a central attaching and sealing piece having an inner female flange corresponding to said male chimney flange adapted to receive said chimney flange, wherein said central attaching piece has a fluid communicating orifice therein;

(d) a plurality of upper bristles attached to the top of said central attaching piece.

2. A universal barbeque brush cap for a barbeque sauce battle as in claim 1, further comprising opposed faceplate perimeters attached to the outside of said lower main body adapted to receive decorative designs or logos.

3. A universal barbeque brush cap for a barbeque sauce battle as in claim 1, wherein said lower main body has a bottom essentially cylindrical hollow cavity with a vertical axis and an upper essentially cylindrical hollow cavity a perpendicular horizontal axis.

4. A universal barbeque brush cap for a barbeque sauce battle as in claim 1, wherein said central attaching and sealing piece has a lower flange around said central piece.

5. A universal barbeque brush cap for a barbeque sauce bottle, comprising:

(a) a lower main essentially circular hollow body having a first large-sized internal female thread pattern and a second small-sized internal female thread pattern located above said first large-sized pattern;

(b) said lower main body further comprising an upper hollow chimney integrally attached to the top of said lower main body having an outer male flange attached to the upper perimeter of said chimney;

(c) a central attaching and sealing piece having an inner female flange corresponding to said male chimney flange adapted to receive said chimney flange, wherein said central attaching piece has a fluid communicating orifice therein;

(d) a plurality of upper bristles attached to the top of said central attaching piece.