초록 ▼

A metering and dispensing device for free flowing materials includes a volume body having first and second ends, and a volumetric channel extending therethrough. The second end of the volume body is adapted for attachment to the opening of a container holding the free flowing material. The device fu

A metering and dispensing device for free flowing materials includes a volume body having first and second ends, and a volumetric channel extending therethrough. The second end of the volume body is adapted for attachment to the opening of a container holding the free flowing material. The device further includes a measuring partition operatively associated with the second end of the volume body. The measuring partition includes a barrier lip portion extending therefrom into the volumetric channel, and a measuring opening selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the volumetric channel, wherein the selective movement of the measuring opening simultaneously causes the barrier lip portion to vary the volume of the volumetric channel relative to the measuring opening. The device further includes a feed partition proximate the second end of the volume body, operatively associated with the measuring partition, the feed partition including a feed opening selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the measuring opening. The device also includes a discharge partition operatively associated with the first end of the volume body, which includes a discharge opening selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the volumetric channel.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A metering and dispensing device for free flowing materials, comprising: a volume body having first and second ends, and a volumetric channel extending therethrough, said second end being adapted for attachment to a container; a measuring partition operatively associated with

What is claimed is: 1. A metering and dispensing device for free flowing materials, comprising: a volume body having first and second ends, and a volumetric channel extending therethrough, said second end being adapted for attachment to a container; a measuring partition operatively associated with the second end of the volume body, said measuring partition including a measuring opening, and a barrier lip portion extending from one end of said measuring opening into said volumetric channel, said measuring opening being selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the volumetric channel, wherein the selective movement of the measuring opening simultaneously causes the barrier lip portion to vary the volume of the volumetric channel relative to the measuring opening for setting a predetermined volume of material to be dispensed; a feed partition operatively associated with the measuring partition, said feed partition including a feed opening selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the measuring opening, for receiving material for passage into the preset volume of said volumetric channel; a discharge partition operatively associated with the first end of the volume body, said discharge partition including a discharge opening selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the volumetric channel, for passage of material from said volumetric channel through said discharge opening; a cylindrical housing or case including an upper case member, and a lower case member, said upper and lower case members being adapted for mating securely together, with said upper case member being rotatable relative to said lower case member; a top portion of said upper case member being configured to provide said discharge partition; said volume body, measuring partition, and feed partition being successively stacked in the order given between said top portion of said upper case member and a bottom portion of said lower case member, respectively; a volume body antirotation mechanism including interlocking portions of said volume body and interior wall portions of said lower case member; and first and second tabs extending from said feed partition and said measuring partition, respectively, through first and second radial slots, respectively, in said lower case member. 2. The metering and dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an end portion proximate said feed partition, said end portion being adapted for mating with a corresponding opening of the container. 3. The metering and dispensing device of claim 2, further comprising a coupling adapter for furnishing threaded engagement between the end portion of said housing and a container that do not themselves have mateable threaded portions. 4. The metering and dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the measuring partition is movable in incremental amounts, each indicative of and for establishing a predetermined volume of material to be dispensed. 5. The metering and dispensing device of claim 1, further including: said volume body including on sidewall portions a circumferential lower locking groove proximate a bottom portion thereof, and an upper circumferential locking groove above said lower locking groove; an opposing pair of first locking fingers in sidewall portions of said lower case member, for locking into said lower locking groove of said volume body; and an opposing pair of second locking fingers in sidewall portions of said upper case member, for locking into said upper locking groove of said volume body. 6. A metering and dispensing device for free flowing materials, comprising: an open cylindrical housing with first and second ends, said second end being adapted for coupling with an open end of a container of material to be dispensed, said first end being adapted for dispensing material; a volume disc fixedly located within the housing, said volume disc including a volumetric channel extending therethrough; a rotatable measuring disc located within the housing abutting against a face of the volume disc proximate the second end of the housing, said measuring disc including a measuring opening having a barrier lip portion extending from one end thereof into said volumetric channel, said measuring disc being selectively movable from a closed position in which a solid portion thereof closes off the volumetric channel, to a maximum open position relative to the volumetric channel in which said barrier lip is abutted against one end of said volumetric channel, with a maximum portion of said measuring channel opening into said volumetric channel, whereby the selective movement of the measuring disc simultaneously causes the measuring opening and its barrier lip portion to vary the volume of the volumetric channel relative to the exposed portion of said measuring opening, for establishing the amount of material to be dispensed; a rotatable feed disc operatively associated with and abutted against a top face of the measuring disc, said feed disc including a feed opening selectively movable from a closed position closing off said measuring and feed openings, to an open position with said feed opening overlying the measuring opening, for receiving material and feeding it to said measuring disc, and therefrom into said volumetric channel; a rotatable discharge disc operatively abutted against a bottom face of the volume disc, said discharge disc including a discharge opening selectively movable from a closed position blocking off a bottom portion of said volume disc, to an open position with said discharge opening overlying said channel, for discharging material from said volumetric channel out of the first end of said housing; said housing includes an upper case member including said first end, and an opposing third end, a lower case member including said second end, and an opposing fourth end, and said third end of said upper case member and said fourth end of said lower case member being adapted for mating securely together; a circumferential lower locking groove proximate a bottom portion of said volume body; a circumferential upper locking groove above said lower locking groove; an opposing pair of first locking fingers in sidewall portions of said lower case member, for locking into said lower locking groove of said volume disc; and an opposing pair of second locking fingers in sidewall portions of said upper case member, for locking into said upper locking groove of said volume body. 7. The device of claim 6, wherein said feed opening, measuring opening, volumetric channel, and discharge opening are each arcuately shaped. 8. The device of claim 7, wherein said arcuately shaped openings take up no more than a third of the surface area of said feed, measuring, volume, and discharge discs, respectively. 9. The device of claim 6, wherein the volume of said volumetric channel establishes the maximum quantity of material that can be dispensed. 10. The device of claim 6, wherein said barrier lip of measuring disc is rectangular in longitudinal cross section, and pie shaped in transverse cross section. 11. The device of claim 6, wherein the second end of said housing includes an internally threaded portion for screwing onto an externally threaded portion about the opening of the container. 12. The device of claim 11, further including: a first adapter means for coupling said housing to a container open end smaller in diameter than the internally threaded portion of said second end of said housing; and a second adapter means for coupling said housing to a container open end larger in diameter than the internally threaded portion of said second end of said housing. 13. The device of claim 11, further including: an adapter means for coupling the second end of said housing to a snap on container opening. 14. The device of claim 6, further including: said upper case member being rotatable relative to said lower case member; and the first end of said upper case member being configured to provide said discharge disc.