Measuring container with modified pour-spout and method and apparatus for filling the same

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In a combination with a vessel comprising a primary storage container for storing liquid and a measuring head, having a pour-spout, disposed above said primary storage container, a neck disposed between said primary storage container and the base of said measuring head, said measuring head constructed to accommodate a modified pour-spout connected at its lower end at said neck and having a portion forming an angle with the principal axis of said container and extending a substantial length into said measuring head in the direction of said principal axis to receive liquid from said storage container and transport said liquid at its upper end to an area, spaced-apart from said pour-out spout, adjacent the opposite side of said measuring head, for measuring said liquid dispensed from said storage container through said modified pour-spout, the improvement wherein:

said neck has an opening which is at least partially aligned with said pour-out spout, and said neck opening is constructed to accommodate and interposed filler tube extending through said pour-out spout and said neck opening into said primary storage container, for filling said storage container through said pour-out spout; and

means including a removable closure for closing the opening through said neck between said primary storage container and said measuring head upon completion of said filling operation and withdrawal of said interposed filler tube.

2. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said measuring head includes a modified pour-spout connected through said neck to said primary storage container, and wherein said means including a removable closure for closing the opening through said neck comprises a flexible plug which snap-fits into and seats in said neck.

3. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means including a removable closure for closing the opening through said neck comprises an annular ring of plastic material forming an outward bulge in a direction transverse to the axis of the neck to provide an opening through said neck, and which bulge is constructed to flex inwardly to seal against itself, to close said opening through said neck.

4. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pour-out spout and said opening through said neck are aligned so that when said interposed filler tube is accommodated to extend between said pour-out spout and said neck opening, the axis of said filler tube is substantially parallel to the principal axis of said container.

5. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pour-out spout and said opening through said neck are aligned so that when said interposed filler tube is accommodated to extend between said pour-out spout and said neck opening, the axis of said filler tube makes an angle of at least about 30 degrees with the principal axis of said container.

6. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means including a removable closure for closing the opening through said neck comprises a composite member of flexible material which includes a first section comprising a plug constructed to seat in the opening through said neck between said measuring head and said primary storage container, said plug having a channel passage therethrough, and a second section integral with said first section and comprising a tubular member in the form of a modified pour-spout, said tubular member partially aligned with said channel, and said plug constructed, when in place in said neck, to close the opening in said neck between said measuring head and said primary storage container, and simultaneously to provide liquid communication through said channel between said primary storage container and the lower end of said modified pour-spout.

7. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said measuring head comprises a modified pour-spout for communicating between said primary storage container and said measuring head, said modified pour-spout being formed by compression-molding a portion of said measuring head opposite to said pour-out spout to form a tube, the axis of which forms a small angle with the principal axis of said container having its apex adjacent said neck, said tube constructed to pass at its lower end through a portion of said neck opening into said primary storage container, one wall of said tube forming a barrier between the lower end of said measuring head and said primary storage container, and said tube being spaced-apart at its upper end from the closed inner wall of said measuring head, whereby said modified pour-spout is constructed to provide liquid communication between said primary storage container and said measuring head.

8. In combination with a vessel comprising a primary storage container for storing fluid and a measuring head having a pour-out spout, disposed above said primary storage container, said measuring head connected to said primary container by a neck to receive and measure fluid dispensed from said storage container through a modified pour-spout;

the improvement wherein said modified pour-spout is formed by compression-molding a portion of said measuring head to provide a tube adjacent the rear wall of said measuring head, the axis of which tube forms a small angle with the principal axis of said container having an apex adjacent said neck, and said tube constructed to pass at its lower end through a portion of said neck opening into said primary storage container, one wall of said tube forming a barrier between the lower end of said measuring head and said primary storage container, and said tube being spaced-apart at its upper end from the closed inner wall of said measuring head, to provide liquid communication between said primary storage container and said measuring head.

9. In a vessel comprising a primary storage container for storing liquid and a measuring head having a pour-out spout, disposed above said primary storage container, a neck disposed between said primary storage container and the base of said measuring head, said measuring head constructed to accommodate a modified pour-spout connected at its lower end through said neck and forming a small angle with the principal axis of said container having its apex adjacent said neck, to receive liquid from said storage container and dispense said liquid at its upper end into said measuring head in an area spaced-apart from said pour-out spout on the opposite side of said measuring head; the method steps comprising:

forming an opening in said neck which communicates between the base of said measuring head and said storage container, which opening is at least partially aligned with said pour-out spout, for filling said primary storage container through said pour-out spout, interposing a filler tube through said pour-out spout and said neck opening into said primary storage container; and

at the termination of the filling process, closing the opening in said neck between said primary storage container and said measuring head with a removable closure.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said measuring head includes a modified pour-spout connected through said neck to said primary storage container, wherein the step of closing the opening through said neck comprises snap-fitting and seating a flexible plug into said neck.

11. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said neck comprises an annular ring of flexible plastic material which forms an outward bulge in a direction transverse to the axis of the neck when the neck is open, wherein the step of closing the opening through said neck comprises flexing the outward bulge forming said annular ring inwardly to seal against itself.

12. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said pour-out spout and said neck opening are at least partially vertically aligned, the step of interposing said filler tube vertically through said pour-out spout and said neck opening into said primary storage container during the filling process.

13. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said pour-out spout and said neck opening are at least partially aligned in a direction making an acute angle with the principal axis of the container, interposing said filler tube in the direction of said acute angle through said pour-out spout and said neck opening into said storage container.

14. The method in accordance with claim 9 which comprises the step of interposing a removable closure of flexible material which is a composite which includes a first section comprising a plug constructed to seat in the opening through said neck between said measuring head and said primary storage container, said plug being formed with a channel passage therethrough, and forming said plug with a second section integral with said first section and comprising a tubular member in the form of a modified pour-spout, said tubular member being at least partially aligned with said channel and constructed, when said plug is in place in said neck, to close the opening in said neck between said measuring head and said primary storage container, and simultaneously to provide communication through said channel between said primary storage container and the lower end of said modified pour-spout.

15. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein said measuring head comprises a modified pour-spout for communicating between said primary storage container and said measuring head, the step of forming said modified pour-spout by compression-molding a portion of said measuring head to provide a tube adjacent the rear wall of said measuring head opposite to said pour-out spout, the axis of which tube forms a small angle with the principal axis of said container having its apex adjacent said neck, which tube is constructed to pass at its lower end through a portion of said neck opening out into said primary storage container, and said tube being constructed at its upper end to be spaced-apart from the closed inner wall of said measuring head, whereby said modified pour-spout is formed to provide liquid communication between said primary container and said measuring head.

16. In a vessel comprising a primary storage container for storing fluid and a measuring head having a pour-out spout disposed above said primary storage container, said measuring head being connected through a neck to receive and measure fluid dispensed from said storage container through a modified pour-spout:

the method of forming said modified pour-spout which comprises the step of compression-molding a portion of said measuring head to provide a tube adjacent the rear wall of said measuring head, the axis of which tube forms a small angle with the principal axis of said container having its apex adjacent said neck, and which tube is constructed at its lower end to provide a modified pour-spout which opens through said neck into said primary storage container, forming one wall of said tube as a barrier between the lower end of said measuring head and said primary storage container, and said tube being constructed at its upper end, to be spaced-apart from the closed inner wall of said measuring head, whereby said modified pour-spout provides liquid communication between said primary storage container and said measuring head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A measuring container having a measuring head, a storage portion and a modified pour-spout, which serves to accurately measure discrete amounts of liquid poured out from the container, is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,859, issued Mar. 21, 1978. A modification of the container disclosed in the foregoing patent is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,038, issued Nov. 3, 1981, which includes a second opening, spaced-apart from the pour-out opening in the top of the container, the second opening being designed to facilitate filling the container.

It has been found that there is a need to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of manufacturing and filling containers of the types disclosed and claimed in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,079,859 and 4,298,038.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide structures and procedures which reduce the number of operational steps and which facilitate automation in the manufacture and filling of measuring containers of the general types disclosed in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,079,859 and 4,298,038.

These and other objects are achieved by providing a primary storage container which is formed as a unitary body with a measuring head, wherein an insert plug interposed in a neck separating the primary container and the measuring head, may be removed during the manufacturing process to facilitate interposing a fill tube through the pour-out mouth, and reinserted after the initial process is completed to provide a separation between the measuring head and the primary container.

In a first embodiment which includes a single pour-out mouth at the top of the container, the insert plug is formed integrally with a modified pour spout, which is totally removed from a neck between the measuring head and the primary storage container during the initial filling process to accommodate a fill tube inserted through the pour-out mouth, and extending through the neck into the storage container. When the initial filling has been completed, the insert is seated in the neck between the measuring head and the primary container, so that the modified pour-spout extends upward adjacent the rear wall of the measuring head, opening at its lower end into the primary storage container, and its upper end, opening into the measuring head, while sealing the primary opening between the storage container and the measuring head.

In a second type of embodiment of the invention having a single pour-out opening at the top, the neck between the primary storage container and the measuring head is vertically aligned with the primary pour-out opening, so that when the plug is removed, a fill tube can be interposed through the primary opening and down through the neck into the primary storage container. In a modification of this, in which the primary pour-out opening is disposed near the top of the container, but at an angle to the top, the neck opening is diagonally aligned with the pour-out opening, so that the fill tube can be interposed at an angle through the pour-out opening and the neck into the primary storage container. In each of the embodiments of the second type, the modified pour tube which communicates through its lower end with the primary storage container, and through its upper end with the measuring head, is formed by compression-molding a tube into the area in back of the measuring head. In these designs, the handle may be formed in the usual manner being sculpted into the side of the primary storage container.

An alternative to the removable plug for closing off the neck between the measuring head and the primary storage container is to form the neck area as an annular ring which is internally concave. After the fill tube is withdrawn from the primary container, the annular concave ring is depressed externally by automatic means to form an internally convex seal in the neck.

In a third type of embodiment which has a separate filler opening, as shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,038, and therefore, does not need a removable plug, the modified pour-spout is formed by compression-molding a tube in the area back of the measuring head in the manner of the second type, the separate filler opening being sealed once the filler operation is complete.

Each of the designs of the present invention lends itself to automation as applied during the manufacturing and filling processes.

The configuration of the first embodiment permits straight injection of the filling tube through the common opening between the primary storage chamber and the measuring head. In this case, the pour-out opening at the top of the measuring chamber has to be large enough to allow the fill tube to be offset to the center line of the common opening for insertion. After filling, the insertion plug is inserted by means operating vertically, along a straight line, and the closure applied in the usual manner. In the second type of embodiment, the closure opening is aligned with the common opening, but is set at the same angle as the empty angle of the measuring container. For the filling operation either the filling nozzle or the container must be oriented to line up the closure opening and the common opening. When the operation is complete, the plug is automatically interposed into the separating neck along the same line.

It will be understood that each of the embodiments described is especially adapted to be manufactured and filled automatically with a minimum number of operational steps.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be better understood with reference to the attached drawings and the specification hereinafter.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows in perspective a fluid container in accordance with the present invention with a single opening at the top, which container includes a removable plug interposed in the neck between the primary storage container and the measuring head, the plug being formed integrally with a modified pour-spout constructed to be disposed adjacent the rear wall of the measuring head.

FIG. 2 shows the plug and integral modified pour-spout, removed from the container.

FIG. 3 shows the container of FIG. 1 in section through its central axis, with the modified pour-spout and integral plug removed from the neck, and a filler tube interposed for filling the container during the manufacturing process.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section of FIG. 3, with the plug of FIG. 2, interposed into the neck.

FIG. 5 shows in perspective another fluid container of the present invention with a single pour-out opening at the top, which container includes a removable plug interposed in the neck between the primary storage container and the measuring head, and wherein the modified pour-spout comprises a tube formed by compression-molding an area behind the measuring head.

FIG. 6 is a diametrical sectional showing of the plug removed from the round neck of container of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7A shows the container of FIG. 5 in section through its central axis with the plug removed and a filler tube interposed during filling process, the section through the plane indicated by the arrows 7B--7B, being shown in FIG. 7B.

FIG. 8 shows the container of FIG. 7 in section through its central axis with the plug of FIG. 6 in place.

FIG. 9 shows in perspective another fluid container of the present invention having a removable plug interposed in the neck, and having a compression-molded modified pour-spout similar to the container of FIG. 5, except that the single, container pour-out opening is disposed at an angle to the top.

FIG. 10A shows the fluid container of FIG. 9 in section through its central axis with the plug removed and a tube interposed for filling the container.

FIG. 10B shows a section of the compression-molding spout of FIG. 10A through a plane indicated by the arrows 10B--10B.

FIG. 11 shows the container of FIG. 10 in section with the plug in place, and container closed with a standard closure.

FIG. 12 shows in perspective a container of the general type shown in FIGS. 5, 7, and 8 in which the neck between the measuring head and the primary storage container is closed by collapsing and sealing an annular ring as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged diametrical section through the neck of the container of FIG. 12, in which the walls of the neck between the measuring head and the container comprise an annular bulge which is curved outwardly to admit the filling tube during the filling process.

FIG. 14 shows the neck of FIG. 13 being deformed and sealed after completion of the filling process.

FIGS. 15 and 16 show the container of FIG. 12 in vertical section along the axis indicating the modified seal illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 in open and closed positions, respectively.

FIG. 17 shows, in perspective, another container of the present invention having a second opening, supplemental to the pour-out opening, in which container, the modified pour spout and the separation between the measuring head and the storage container, are formed by compression-molding a tube in the area back of the measuring head.

FIG. 18 shows the container of FIG. 17 in side elevation.

FIG. 19 shows the container of FIGS. 17 and 18, in the condition of being filled through a filler tube interposed in supplemental opening.

FIG. 20 shows a section of the separation between the measuring head 87 and storage container 80 along the plane indicated by arrows 20--20 in FIG. 19 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings there is shown a container 10 which includes an insert 16 (See FIG. 2) which is removably interposed into an annular bulge 11 in the neck of the container 10 to serve a dual function, as a modified pour-spout 16b in combination with a plug 16a which separates the primary storage container 1 from the measuring head 7.

Assume, say, that the storage container 1 is 33/4 inches on its side, and, say, 25/8 inches across the end at the base, being formed from polypropylene, or similar plastic material having a wall thickness of, say, 1/16 inch. At a height of, say, 51/2 inches above the base, the outer sidewall 1a of the container 10 is inwardly molded to an outer diameter of, say, 11/8 inches, and an inner diameter of 1 inch, forming the lower edge of the annular bulge 11, which is curved outwardly at a radius of curvature of, say, 1/4 inch, and extends upward, say, 1/2 inch in the direction of the principal axis of the container, the upper edge of the bulge