Liquid Container with Enhanced Fluid Flow

Abstract

A container with enhanced fluid flow includes a container body having a bottom wall and a continuous side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall to define an interior area to hold a liquid, the container body having a top wall defining a primary opening. A channel member includes an upper end situated outside the interior area and a lower end situated inside the interior area proximate the lower wall, the channel member having a body section extending between the channel member upper end and the channel member lower end. The channel member body section includes a hollow configuration and the channel member upper and lower ends are open. The liquid container includes a cap configured to removably cover the open upper end of the channel member. In some embodiments, the channel member is situated on the interior of the container body.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to fluid containers and, more particularly, to a liquid container having a spout and a tubular stem configured to selectively channel air to a lower region of the container so as to enhance fluid flow through the spout.

Beverages and other liquids are often packaged and consumed directly from cans or bottles having a primary opening or spout through which liquid is delivered when tipped toward a horizontal configuration. For example, soda and beer is traditionally consumed from a can or bottle having an upper opening. Unfortunately, consumption usually requires multiple “sips” rather than multiple continuous swallows in that the liquid is unable to flow due to a lack of air flow into the bottle or can to continuously replace the outgoing liquid. In other words, a vacuum may be created that must be broken before further liquid may be released.

Liquids other than beverages that are stored in bottles with no secondary air vent are also dispensed inefficiently. For example, oil poured from a bottle into an engine oil reservoir must be poured slowly to avoid “sloshing” out in an uncontrolled manner—an unfortunate result of air inefficiently/suddenly replacing outgoing oil.

Various devices have been proposed and utilized in the prior art to improve uneven outflow of a liquid from a container. For instance, gasoline cans may include a secondary air vent in an upper wall displaced from a primary spout through which air may enter the container to replace liquid that is poured out of the primary spout. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing designs do not maximize the efficiency and smoothness of fluid transfer that would be obtained if air was channeled directly to the bottom of the container when tipped toward a horizontal configuration.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have a liquid container having a primary outlet and a straw-like tube extending from a container upper end to a point proximate an internal lower end that is configured to channel air to the internal lower end when liquid flows out from the primary outlet. Further, it would be desirable to have a container in which the tube may be selectively capped so that air is not channeled therethrough until the cap is removed and liquid is dispensed through the primary outlet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A container with enhanced fluid flow according to the present invention includes a container body having a bottom wall and a continuous side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall so as to define an interior area configured to hold a liquid, the container body having a top wall defining a primary opening. An elongate channel member includes an upper end situated outside the interior area and extending away from the upper wall and having a lower end situated inside the interior area proximate the lower wall, the channel member having a body section extending between the channel member upper end and the channel member lower end. The channel member body section includes a hollow configuration and the channel member upper end is open and the channel member lower end is open. The liquid container includes a cap configured to removably cover the open upper end of the channel member. In some embodiments, the channel member is situated on the interior of the container body.

Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a liquid container having a primary outlet adjacent a tubular vent that is configured to channel air to a lower end of the container so as to replace outgoing liquid.

Another object of this invention is to provide a liquid container, as aforesaid, that is configured to enable liquid to be dispensed smoothly and continuously through the primary opening when the container is tipped to a horizontal or inverted configuration.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a liquid container, as aforesaid, in which the channel member is selectively opened or closed as desired.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a liquid container, as aforesaid, in which the liquid within the container is not drawn upward into the channel member.

A further object of this invention is to provide a liquid container, as aforesaid, that is easy to use.

Other objects and advantages of the present 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.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a liquid container with an enhanced fluid flow according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2a is a top view of the liquid container as in FIG. 1 with the cap removed;

FIG. 2b is a side view of the liquid container as in FIG. 1 with the cap removed;

FIG. 2c is a front view of the liquid container as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2c;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a liquid container with an enhanced fluid flow according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5a is a top view of the liquid container as in FIG. 4 with the cap removed;

FIG. 5b is a side view of the liquid container as in FIG. 4 with the cap removed;

FIG. 5c is a front view of the liquid container as in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5c;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a liquid container with an enhanced fluid flow according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8a is a top view of the liquid container as in FIG. 7 with the cap removed;

FIG. 8b is a side view of the liquid container as in FIG. 7 with the cap removed;

FIG. 8c is a front view of the liquid container as in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8c;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a liquid container with an enhanced fluid flow according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11a is a top view of the liquid container as in FIG. 10 with the cap removed;

FIG. 11b is a side view of the liquid container as in FIG. 10 with the cap removed;

FIG. 11c is a front view of the liquid container as in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 11c.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A liquid container having enhanced fluid flow according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to * of the accompanying drawings. The liquid container 10 includes a container body 20 and a channel member 40.

The liquid container 10 includes a container body 20 having at least a bottom wall 22, a continuous side wall 24 extending upwardly from the bottom wall 22 and, in some embodiments, a top wall. The container body 20 may include a neck 27 having an upper edge 28 defining a primary opening 30. Together, the walls of the container body 20 define an interior area configured to receive and contain a liquid such as a beverage, motor oil, or the like. In one embodiment, the container body 20 may be a beverage bottle while in another embodiment the container body 20 may be a beverage can or a container of motor oil.

The channel member 40 includes an elongate hollow configuration. More particularly, the channel member 40 may have a tubular configuration in the form of a straw or inner tube stem. The channel member 40 includes an open upper end 42 and an opposed open lower end 44 with a tubular body section 46 extending between the opposed ends. The open lower end 44 may have an angled or cross-cut configuration having a two-fold functionality. First, the cross-cut opening may enhance release of air into the container body interior area and, second, may inhibit a backflow of liquid into the channel member 40 when the container body 20 is tilted back to the normally vertical configuration. The channel member 40 is configured such that ambient air from outside the container body 20 may be channeled from the upper end 42 to the lower end 44 proximate the container body bottom wall 22 when the container body 20 is tilted away from a normally vertical configuration.

Preferably, the bottom wall 22 is generally planar so as to support the container body 20 in a generally and normally upright or vertical configuration upon a support surface such as a table or when held by a user. The container body 20, however, may be tilted away from the normally vertical configuration to a generally horizontal configuration or even a generally inverted configuration when the liquid in the interior area is intended to flow through the primary opening 30. For example, a beverage container may be tilted toward a horizontal configuration when drinking a beverage. A container may be substantially inverted when pouring motor oil into an appropriate engine reservoir. As will be discussed later, a beverage container having the inventive design disclosed herein may also be inverted to enable a user to ingest the beverage more quickly than normal—an activity sometimes referred to as “shotgunning.”

The liquid container 10 according to the present invention includes a cap 48 configured to removably cover the open upper end 42 of the channel member 40. When the cap 48 is secured to the open upper end 42, such as with a friction fit construction, air is sealed from entering the body section 46 of the channel member 40. In this configuration, the container body 20 may be used to deliver its liquid contents in a traditional manner. In other words, the air flow of the container body 20 is not enhanced and may result in the disadvantages described earlier. However, when the cap 48 is removed, air is permitted to flow through the channel member 40 and into the interior area of the container body 20 so as to replace the volume of liquid that is simultaneously being poured through the primary opening 30 or that is merely displaced from the lower end 44 of the channel member 40 as the container body 20 is tilted toward a horizontal or inverted configuration.

In some embodiments, the side wall 24 of the container body 20 may define a secondary opening 32 through which the channel member 40 may extend into the interior area of the container body 20. Preferably, the secondary opening 32 is spaced apart but proximate to the primary opening 30. With this configuration, air is able to be channeled from above a normal liquid height to a point proximate the body container bottom wall 22 so as to replace liquid with air as the liquid is poured as described above. In such embodiments, such as those shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 7 to 9, the channel member 40 may be referred to as an “internal channel member” as the open upper end 42 is outside the container body 20 while the body section 46 and open lower end 44 are situated inside the interior area. More particularly, the body section 46 may be situated proximate or adjacent to an inner surface of the container body side wall 24 (FIG. 3). However, a channel member 40 having a linear configuration not conforming to the shape of the container body side wall 24 may also work.

Primed numerals will be used below and in the accompanying drawings to reference several embodiments of the present invention.

In an embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the side wall 24′ does not define a secondary opening such that the channel member 40′ is situated on the outside of the container body 20′ and may be referred to as an “external channel member.” More particularly, the open upper end 42′ and a substantial extent of an external channel member 40′ are situated proximate or adjacent to an exterior surface of the container body side wall 24′ (FIGS. 4 to 6 and 10 to 12). An external channel member 40′ may be preferred by some manufacturers in that manufacturing may be simplified or more economical without a secondary opening or assembly of an internal channel member. Primed numerals are utilized to reference the same structures first described above.

FIGS. 7 to 9 show another embodiment of a liquid container 10″ in which a container body 20″ has a generally rectangular configuration and an internal channel member 40″. Such a container is generally used in the art for non-beverage liquids such as motor oil or the like. Double primed numerals are utilized to reference the same structures first described above.

FIGS. 10 to 12 show another embodiment of a liquid container 10′″ in which a container body 20′″ has a generally rectangular configuration and an internal channel member 40′″. Such a container is generally used in the art for non-beverage liquids such as motor oil or the like. Triple primed numerals are utilized to reference the same structures first described above.

In still another embodiment, the channel member 40 may include a one-way valve (not shown) positioned in the open lower end 44. The valve is configured to permit air to flow from the channel member body section 46 outward through the open lower end 44 but to prevent liquid in the container body interior area from flowing into the channel member body section through the open lower end 44. The valve may be as simple as a gravity operable flap (open when tilted and closed when upright) to a more sophisticated pressure valve or inclination operable valve having a sensor that detects when the container body 20 is at the normally vertical configuration versus an inclined configuration.

In yet another embodiment, the channel member may have a truncated configuration (not shown). In this embodiment, the channel member may be a spring biased vent assembly proximate a lower end of the container body 20. More particularly, the vent assembly may be manually inserted by a user through the side wall 24 and into the interior area when it is desired to establish an airflow into the lower region of the interior area, for example, when the container body 20 is tilted to pour liquid from the primary opening 30 as described above. The vent assembly may be biased to close when manual pressure is released, such as when a user has finished a drinking or pouring activity.

In use, a user may open a liquid container, such as a beverage bottle, in a traditional manner such that liquid may be poured or consumed through the primary opening 30. If (or when) a user desires to enhance the flow of liquid from the body container interior area, he may remove the cap 48 from the upper end 42 of the channel member 40 and then tilt the container body toward a horizontal or inverted position. This action results in air flowing into the channel member 40 through the open upper end. As the container body 20 is tilted, the channeled air travels to the lower end 44 of the channel member 40 and is received into the interior area of the container body 20. The air creates a fluid flow with the primary opening 30, causing the liquid to flow therethrough efficiently and smoothly.

The structure described above is advantageous and has utility for several practical applications. Venting the interior area of a bottle enables a beverage or other liquid to flow efficiently, smoothly, and faster through a primary outlet/opening. This is an improvement over traditional beverage containers in that a user need not take multiple sips or small drinks due to a vacuum created as a result of having no vented airflow. It is sometimes the case when a user desires to drink an alcoholic beverage in a “shotgun” manner—which may include piercing a bottom of a beer can so as to create a fluid flow then drink the entire can's contents from the primary opening. The present channel member 40 can selectively provide this functionality when the cap 48 is removed and the container body 20 is tilted enough to cause the desired enhanced airflow. In another application, the cap 48 may be removed from a bottle of engine oil and the container body 20 may be inverted, causing efficient and smooth flow of the engine oil from the primary opening 30.

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.

Claims

1. A liquid container, comprising:

a container body having a bottom wall and a continuous side wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall so as to define an interior area configured to hold a liquid, said container body having an upper edge defining a primary opening;

an elongate channel member having an upper end situated outside said interior area and extending away from said upper wall and having a lower end situated inside said interior area proximate said lower wall, said channel member having a body section extending between said channel member upper end and said channel member lower end;

wherein said channel member body section includes a hollow configuration and said channel member upper end is open and said channel member lower end is open; and

a cap configured to removably cover said open upper end.

2. The liquid container as in claim 1, wherein:

one of said side wall and said top wall defines a secondary opening proximate said primary opening; and

said channel member body section extends through said secondary opening into said container body interior area.

3. The liquid container as in claim 2, wherein said channel member body section is situated proximate an interior surface of said container body side wall.

4. The liquid container as in claim 1, wherein said channel member body section is situated proximate an exterior surface of said container body side wall.

5. The liquid container as in claim 1, wherein said primary opening is configured to allow said liquid in said container to flow therethrough when said container body is tilted from a normally vertical configuration toward a horizontal configuration.

6. The liquid container as in claim 1, wherein said primary opening is configured to allow said liquid in said interior area to flow therethrough when said container body is tilted from a normally vertical configuration toward an inverted configuration.

7. The liquid container as in claim 1, wherein said channel member is configured such that air from outside said container body flows through said open upper end to said open lower end when said cap is removed and said container body is tilted from a normally vertical configuration toward one of a horizontal or an inverted configuration.

8. The liquid container as in claim 1, wherein said channel member includes a tubular configuration.

9. The liquid container as in claim 1, wherein said lower end of said channel member includes a cross-cut configuration so that air channeled therethrough is efficiently released from said channel member into said interior area and a backflow of said liquid is inhibited.

10. The liquid container as in claim 1, wherein said body container is a beer bottle.

11. The liquid container as in claim 1, wherein said body container is a beer can.

12. The liquid container as in claim 1, wherein said body container is an engine oil container.

13. The liquid container as in claim 1, further comprising a valve positioned in said channel member lower end that is configured to allow air to pass outwardly from said channel member into said container body interior area and to prevent a liquid from passing inwardly from said container body interior area into said channel member.