초록

Spout assemblies are provided for dispensing liquid from a nozzle.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A spout assembly for dispensing liquid from a nozzle, comprising: a) a structural conduit including: i) a first end portion for attaching relative to a nozzle body and a second end portion for dispensing liquid; ii) an interior passage providing an internal flow path from the

What is claimed is: 1. A spout assembly for dispensing liquid from a nozzle, comprising: a) a structural conduit including: i) a first end portion for attaching relative to a nozzle body and a second end portion for dispensing liquid; ii) an interior passage providing an internal flow path from the first end portion to the second end portion; and iii) at least one internal sidewall, the internal sidewall including a first sidewall portion with a first cross-sectional dimension, a second sidewall portion with a second cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first cross-sectional dimension, and a transition location between the first and second sidewall portions, wherein the transition location provides for the change in cross-sectional dimensions between the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion, the first sidewall portion includes a length at least partially defining a First portion of a substantially straight liquid flow path, wherein the first portion of the substantially straight liquid flow path extends through the transition location without the transition location changing the first portion of the substantially straight liquid flow path and the second sidewall portion includes a length at least partially defining a second portion of the substantially straight liquid flow path, wherein the second portion of the substantially second straight liquid flow path extends through the transition location wherein the transition location changes the second portion of the substantially straight liquid flow path. 2. The spout assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second sidewall portions each have a substantially circular cross-sectional shape wherein the first and second cross-sectional dimensions comprise respective diameters of the first and second sidewall portions. 3. The spout assembly of claim 1, wherein the transition location comprises a third sidewall portion of the internal sidewall that further defines the substantially straight liquid flow path. 4. The spout assembly of claim 3, wherein the first and third sidewall portions each have a substantially circular cross-sectional shape. 5. The spout assembly of claim 4, wherein the substantially circular cross-sectional shape of the first sidewall portion defines a diameter and wherein successive cross sections of the third sidewall portion along the substantially straight liquid flow path define a plurality of substantially circular cross-sectional shapes defining a plurality of successively smaller diameters. 6. The spout assembly of claim 5, wherein a lower portion of each of the cross-sectional shapes of the first and third sidewall portions at least partially define the substantially straight liquid flow path. 7. The spout assembly of claim 1, wherein the second sidewall portion of the interior sidewall includes a substantially straight portion and an angular portion, wherein the angular portion provides an angular orientation between the first sidewall portion and the substantially straight portion of the second sidewall portion. 8. The spout assembly of claim 1, further comprising a spout adapter mounted with respect to the first end portion of the structural conduit, the spout adapter including a pressure activated control valve adapted to permit flow of the liquid into the spout assembly from a nozzle at a predetermined liquid pressure. 9. The spout assembly of claim 8, wherein the spout adapter further includes at least one adapter internal sidewall including a first adapter sidewall portion with a first adapter cross-sectional dimension adapted to receive a portion of the pressure activated control valve, a second adapter sidewall portion with a second adapter cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first adapter cross-sectional dimension, and an adapter transition location between the first and second adapter sidewall portions, wherein the adapter transition location provides for the change in cross-sectional dimensions between the first adapter sidewall portion and the second adapter sidewall portion, the first adapter sidewall portion includes a length at least partially defining a substantially straight adapter liquid flow path, wherein the substantially straight adapter liquid flow path extends through the adapter transition location without the adapter transition location changing the first portion of the substantially straight liquid flow path. 10. The spout assembly of claim 9, further comprising a fluid tube disposed in the interior passage of the structural conduit and in fluid communication with the pressure activated control valve, wherein the second adapter cross-sectional dimension is adapted to receive a first end portion of the fluid tube, and wherein a second end portion of the fluid tube is adapted to dispense the liquid adjacent the second end portion of the structural conduit. 11. A spout assembly for dispensing liquid from a nozzle, comprising: a) a structural conduit including: i) a first end portion for attaching relative to a nozzle body and a second end portion for dispensing liquid; ii) an interior passage providing an internal flow path from the first end portion to the second end portion; and iii) at least one internal sidewall, the internal sidewall including a first sidewall portion with a first cross-sectional dimension, a second sidewall portion with a second cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first cross-sectional dimension, and a transition location between the first and second sidewall portions, wherein the transition location provides for the change in cross-sectional dimensions between the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion, the first sidewall portion includes a length at least partially defining a substantially straight liquid flow path, wherein the substantially straight liquid flow path extends through the transition location without the transition location changing the substantially straight liquid flow path; and b) a spout adapter mounted with respect to the first end portion of the structural conduit, the spout adapter including a pressure activated control valve adapted to permit flow of the liquid into the spout assembly from a nozzle at a predetermined liquid pressure, wherein the spout adapter further comprises a venturi channel and an attitude device in fluid communication with the venturi channel, wherein the attitude device comprises a closing body adapted to close an opening of the venturi channel upon tilting of the spout assembly beyond a predetermined angle. 12. The spout assembly of claim 11, wherein the attitude device further comprises a bridge to trap the closing body in an interior area of the spout adapter. 13. The spout assembly of claim 12, wherein the bridge includes an aperture adapted to facilitate a pressure differential to bias the closing body against the bridge unless the spout assembly is tilted beyond a predetermined angle. 14. The spout assembly of claim 11, wherein the spout adapter further includes at least one adapter internal sidewall including a first adapter sidewall portion with a first adapter cross-sectional dimension adapted to receive a portion of the pressure activated control valve, a second adapter sidewall portion with a second adapter cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first adapter cross-sectional dimension, and an adapter location between the first and second adapter sidewall portions, wherein the adapter transition location provides for the change in cross-sectional dimensions between the first adapter sidewall portion and the second adapter sidewall portion, the first adapter sidewall portion includes a length at least partially defining a substantially straight adapter liquid flow path, wherein the substantially straight adapter liquid flow path extends through the adapter transition location without the adapter transition location changing the first portion of the substantially straight liquid flow path. 15. A spout assembly for dispensing liquid from a nozzle, comprising: a) a structural conduit including: i) a first end portion for attaching relative to a nozzle body and a second end portion for dispensing liquid; ii) an interior passage providing an internal flow path from the first end portion to the second end portion; and iii) at least one internal sidewall, the internal sidewall including a first sidewall portion with a first cross-sectional dimension, a second sidewall portion with a second cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first cross-sectional dimension, and a transition location between the first and second sidewall portions, wherein the transition location provides an asymmetric change in cross-sectional dimensions between the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion, wherein the internal sidewall substantially prevents pooling of the liquid being dispensed from the nozzle. 16. The spout assembly of claim 15, wherein the first sidewall portion includes a length that at least partially defines a substantially straight liquid flow path, wherein the substantially straight liquid flow path extends through the transition location without the transition location changing the substantially straight liquid flow path. 17. The spout assembly of claim 15, wherein the first sidewall portion includes a length that at least partially defines a first substantially straight liquid flow path, the second sidewall portion includes a length that at least partially defines a second substantially straight liquid flow path that is oriented at an obtuse interior angle with respect to the first substantially straight liquid flow path. 18. The spout assembly of claim 17, wherein a curved portion of the interior sidewall provides the transition between the substantially straight liquid flow paths of the first and second sidewall portions. 19. The spout assembly of claim 18, wherein a corresponding imaginary tangential line extends through each point along the curved portion, each imaginary tangential line extending at an interior angle with respect to the substantially straight liquid flow path of the first portion in the range from about 1800 to about the obtuse internal angle. 20. The spout assembly of claim 15, further comprising a spout adapter mounted with respect to the first end portion of the structural conduit, the spout adapter including a pressure activated control valve adapted to permit flow of liquid into the spout assembly from a nozzle at a predetermined liquid pressure. 21. The spout assembly of claim 20, wherein the spout adapter further includes at least one internal adapter sidewall including a first adapter sidewall portion with a first adapter cross-sectional dimension adapted to receive a portion of the pressure activated control valve, a second adapter sidewall portion with a second adapter cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first adapter cross-sectional dimension, and an adapter transition location between the first and second adapter sidewall portions, wherein the adapter transition location provides for the change in cross-sectional dimensions between the first adapter sidewall portion and the second adapter sidewall portion, the first adapter sidewall portion includes a length at least partially defining a substantially straight adapter liquid flow path, wherein the substantially straight adapter liquid flow path extends through the adapter transition location without the adapter transition location changing the substantially straight liquid flow path. 22. The spout assembly of claim 21, further comprising a fluid tube disposed in the interior passage of the structural conduit and in fluid communication with the pressure activated control valve, wherein the second adapter cross-sectional dimension is adapted to receive a first end portion of the fluid tube, and wherein a second end portion of the fluid tube is adapted to dispense liquid adjacent the second end portion of the structural conduit. 23. A spout assembly for dispensing liquid from a nozzle, comprising: a) a structural conduit including: i) a first end portion for attaching relative to a nozzle body and a second end portion for dispensing liquid; ii) an interior passage providing an internal flow path from the first end portion to the second end portion; and iii) at least one internal sidewall, the internal sidewall including a first sidewall portion with a first cross-sectional dimension, a second sidewall portion with a second cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first cross-sectional dimension, and a transition location between the first and second sidewall portions, wherein the transition location provides for the change in cross-sectional dimensions between the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion, wherein the internal sidewall is adapted to substantially prevent pooling of liquid being dispensed from the nozzle, wherein the first sidewall portion includes a length that at least partially defines a first substantially straight liquid flow path, the second sidewall portion includes a length that at least partially defines a second substantially straight liquid flow path that is oriented at an obtuse interior angle with respect to the first substantially straight liquid flow path, wherein a curved portion of the interior sidewall provides the transition between the substantially straight liquid flow paths of the first and second sidewall portions, wherein a corresponding imaginary tangential line extends through each point along the curved portion, each imaginary tangential line extending at an interior angle with respect to the substantially straight liquid flow path of the first portion in the range from about 180째 to about the obtuse internal angle, wherein the interior angle of each tangential line is successively smaller along the curved portion from the first sidewall portion to the second sidewall portion. 24. A spout assembly for dispensing liquid from a nozzle, comprising: a) a structural conduit including: i) a first end portion for attaching relative to a nozzle body and a second end portion for dispensing liquid; ii) an interior passage providing an internal flow path from the first end portion to the second end portion; and iii) at least one internal sidewall, the internal sidewall including a first sidewall portion with a first cross-sectional dimension, a second sidewall portion with a second cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first cross-sectional dimension, and a transition location between the first and second sidewall portions, wherein the transition location provides for the change in cross-sectional dimensions between the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion, wherein the internal sidewall is adapted to substantially prevent pooling of liquid being dispensed from the nozzle b) a spout adapter mounted with respect to the first end portion of the structural conduit, the spout adapter including a pressure activated control valve adapted to permit flow of liquid into the spout assembly from a nozzle at a predetermined liquid pressure, wherein the spout adapter further comprises a venturi channel and an attitude device in fluid communication with the venturi channel, wherein the attitude device comprises a closing body adapted to close an opening of the venturi channel upon tilting of the spout assembly beyond a predetermined angle. 25. The spout assembly of claim 24, wherein the attitude device further comprises a bridge to trap the closing body in an interior area of the spout adapter. 26. The spout assembly of claim 25, wherein the bridge includes an aperture adapted to facilitate a pressure differential to bias the closing body against the bridge unless the spout assembly is tilted beyond a predetermined angle. 27. The spout assembly of claim 24, wherein the spout adapter further includes at least one adapter internal sidewall including a first adapter sidewall portion with a first adapter cross-sectional dimension adapted to receive a portion of the pressure activated control valve, a second adapter sidewall portion with a second adapter cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first adapter cross-sectional dimension, and an adapter transition location between the first and second adapter sidewall portions, wherein the adapter transition location provides for the change in cross-sectional dimensions between the first adapter sidewall portion and the second adapter sidewall portion, the first adapter sidewall portion includes a length at least partially defining a substantially straight adapter liquid flow path, wherein the substantially straight adapter liquid flow path extends through the adapter transition location without the adapter transition location changing the substantially straight liquid flow path. 28. A spout assembly for dispensing liquid from a nozzle and movable between a storage orientation and a dispensing orientation, comprising: a) a structural conduit including: i) a first end portion for attaching relative to a nozzle body and a second end portion for dispensing liquid; ii) an interior passage providing an internal liquid flow path in a general direction from the first end portion to the second end portion; and iii) at least one internal sidewall defining the internal flow path running from the first end portion to the second end portion, each of the first end portion and the second end portion having generally cylindrical configurations with a diameter of the internal flow path in the second end being reduced relative to the diameter of the internal flow path in the first end; and b) a transition portion positioned intermediate the first end portion and the second end portion for reducing the cross-sectional area of the internal flow path therebetween, the internal liquid flow path in the transition portion being asymmetrically tapered to alter the cross-sectional area of the internal liquid flow path from a first inside diameter of the liquid flow path adjacent an inlet end of the transition portion to a second inside diameter of the liquid flow path adjacent an outlet end of the transition portion, a lower inside surface of the liquid flow path in the transition portion being flattened relative to an opposed upper inside surface of the transition portion so that, when the spout is in a dispensing orientation, the lowest point in any cross-sectional portion of the flow path through the transition portion is not at a substantially higher elevation than a line connecting the lowest points of the flow path at the respective upstream portions of the first end portion and the transition portion. 29. The spout assembly of claim 28, wherein the spout assembly further comprises a pressure activated liquid control valve that is positioned upstream of the transition portion.