IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0199587
(2005-08-08)
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등록번호 |
US-7845524
(2011-01-31)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Evans, Christopher T.
- Gieda, Christopher
- Mizrahi, Benjamin
- Sears, Charles W.
- Bertram, Paul
- Schultz, David J.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Union Street Brand Packaging LLC
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Sunstein Kann Murphy & Timbers LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
17 |
초록
▼
An apparatus for dispensing a flowable substance (e.g., a fluid) has a first housing with an indicating apparatus and a pour chamber. The indicating apparatus may have an indicating chamber with an indicating inlet for receiving fluid. The indicating apparatus also has indicia identifying amounts of
An apparatus for dispensing a flowable substance (e.g., a fluid) has a first housing with an indicating apparatus and a pour chamber. The indicating apparatus may have an indicating chamber with an indicating inlet for receiving fluid. The indicating apparatus also has indicia identifying amounts of fluid flowing through the pour chamber. The pour chamber has a pour inlet for receiving fluid, and an outlet in fluid communication with the pour inlet. To provide a definite separation, the first housing additionally has a wall between the indicating chamber and the pour chamber.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for dispensing fluid from a container and for indicating a quantity of the fluid dispensed through the apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a first housing forming a pour chamber having a pour inlet for receiving fluid from the container, the pour chamber also ha
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for dispensing fluid from a container and for indicating a quantity of the fluid dispensed through the apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a first housing forming a pour chamber having a pour inlet for receiving fluid from the container, the pour chamber also having an outlet in fluid communication with the pour inlet, such that the received fluid can flow through the pour chamber and exit through the outlet, the first housing having an indicating apparatus comprising an indicating chamber with an indicating inlet for receiving a quantity of fluid into the indicating chamber, wherein the indicating inlet and the pour inlet are sized such that a rate at which fluid flows through the indicating inlet is related to the rate at which fluid flows through the pour chamber, and such that the quantity of fluid received into the indicating chamber relates in real time to the quantity of fluid that has thus far exited through the outlet, the first housing having a wall separating the indicating chamber from the pour chamber, the indicating apparatus having indicia identifying an approximate quantity of the fluid that has been dispensed through the pour chamber. 2. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the indicating chamber includes a substantially translucent or transparent wall having graduations that form at least part of the indicia. 3. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 further comprising a second housing for containing fluid, the first housing being removably couplable with the second housing. 4. The apparatus as defined by claim 3 wherein the first housing and second housing are couplable by means of a threaded connection. 5. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 further comprising a flange extending about at least a portion of at least one of the pour inlet and the indicating inlet. 6. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 further comprising a fluid guide extending inwardly of the pour inlet relative to the first housing. 7. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the pour chamber includes an outlet chamber that extends to the outlet, the apparatus further comprising a fluid redirector between the pour inlet and the outlet chamber. 8. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the first housing includes a hydrophobic material and a vent formed through the hydrophobic material. 9. The apparatus as defined by claim 8 wherein the vent is formed in one of the indicating chamber and the pour chamber. 10. The apparatus as defined by claim 8 wherein the indicating chamber is closed to the exterior of the first housing. 11. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the pour inlet and the indicating inlet are open to a common volume. 12. A spout for dispensing fluid and for indicating a quantity of the fluid dispensed through the spout, the spout comprising: a pour chamber with a pour inlet and a pour outlet in fluid communication with the pour inlet; and an indicating chamber having an indicating inlet, the indicating inlet and the pour inlet being in a substantially parallel configuration to receive fluid from a common volume in parallel, the indicating inlet being configured such that the quantity of the fluid received into the indicating chamber is related to the quantity of the fluid dispensed through the pour outlet, the indicating chamber having a substantially transparent or translucent wall with visual indicia indicating the volume of fluid that has been dispensed through the pour outlet. 13. The spout as defined by claim 12 further including user-actuatable means for controlling fluid flow through the pour outlet. 14. The spout as defined by claim 12 further comprising means for removably coupling with a container. 15. The spout as defined by claim 12 further comprising a flange extending about at least a portion of at least one of the pour inlet and the indicating inlet. 16. The spout as defined by claim 12 further comprising a fluid guide extending inwardly of the pour inlet. 17. The spout as defined by claim 12 wherein the spout further comprises a hydrophobic material and a vent formed through the hydrophobic material. 18. The spout as defined by claim 12 wherein the indicating chamber is closed to the exterior of the spout. 19. A method of producing an apparatus for dispensing fluid from a container, the method comprising: forming a spout having a pour chamber, the pour chamber having: a pour inlet configured to admit fluid from the container; and a pour outlet in fluid communication with the pour inlet, such that the fluid admitted by the pour inlet is dispensed through the pour outlet; forming an indicating chamber within the spout, the indicating chamber having a metered indicating inlet configured to admit a quantity of fluid into the indicating chamber, wherein the quantity of fluid admitted into the indicating chamber is related to the quantity of fluid dispensed through the pour outlet; determining an approximate rate that the indicating chamber fills as a function of a rate that fluid flows from the pour outlet; and adding indicia to the indicating chamber to indicate, in real time, an approximate quantity of the fluid that has been dispensed through the pour outlet. 20. The method as defined by claim 19 wherein forming the indicating chamber includes forming a wall that is at least one of substantially translucent and substantially transparent and that bounds the indicating chamber, and wherein adding indicia includes adding indicia to the wall. 21. The method as defined by claim 19 further comprising forming a flange about at least a portion of the pour inlet and the indicating inlet. 22. The method as defined by claim 19 further comprising forming a fluid guide extending inwardly of the pour inlet. 23. The method as defined by claim 19 wherein the spout comprises a hydrophobic material, the method comprising forming a vent through the hydrophobic material. 24. A method of pouring a fluid from a container having a spout with a fluid outlet, the method comprising: tilting the container to at least one angle that causes fluid to enter the spout, thereby causing a volume of the fluid to be dispensed through the fluid outlet of the spout; capturing, via a metered indicating inlet, a portion of the fluid entering the spout, such that the captured portion of the fluid has a volume having a predetermined relationship to the volume of fluid dispensed through the fluid outlet; and causing the captured portion of the fluid to produce a real-time visual indication of an approximation of the volume of the fluid that has been dispensed through the fluid outlet. 25. The method as defined by claim 24 wherein the spout has visual indicia identifying an approximate volume of the fluid that has been dispensed through the fluid outlet, the visual indicia being on a substantially transparent portion of the spout. 26. The method as defined by claim 24 wherein capturing includes diverting the captured portion of the of fluid into an indicating chamber that is closed to the exterior of the spout. 27. The method as defined by claim 26 wherein the indicating chamber has at least one vent configured to permit air to flow to and from the indicating chamber. 28. The method as defined by claim 24 wherein at least one of the spout and the container includes a plurality of fluid ports for receiving fluid contained by the container, the plurality of ports being in at least one of an area of the spout and a portion of the container, the method comprising partially obstructing fluid flow around at least a portion of the plurality of fluid ports to concentrate fluid to a portion of the area around the ports after tilting. 29. The method as defined by claim 24 wherein at least one of the spout and the container includes a plurality of fluid ports configured to receive fluid contained by the container, the method further comprising partially obstructing fluid flow through at least one of the plurality of fluid ports. 30. The method as defined by claim 24 wherein tilting includes tilting the container to an angle between about zero degrees and about ninety degrees relative to vertical. 31. A spout for indicating a quantity of fluid dispensed from a container, the spout comprising: a pour chamber having: a pour inlet for admitting fluid from the container; and a pour outlet in fluid communication with the pour inlet, such that the fluid admitted by the pour inlet is dispensed through the pour outlet; and an indicating chamber having: a metered indicating inlet for admitting volume of fluid into the indicating chamber, such that the volume of fluid admitted into the indicating chamber is determined according to a predetermined relationship to the volume of the fluid dispensed through the pour outlet; and indicia adapted to indicate, in real time, an approximation of the volume of the fluid that has been dispensed through the pour outlet. 32. A spout as defined in claim 31 wherein the metered indicating inlet is configured to admit the quantity of fluid into the indicating chamber based on a rate of fluid flow through the pour outlet. 33. A spout as defined in claim 31 further comprising user-actuatable means for controlling fluid flow through the pour outlet. 34. A spout as defined in claim 31 wherein the indicating chamber is in fluid communication with the interior of the container and otherwise closed to the exterior of the spout. 35. A spout as defined in claim 31, further comprising a wall separating the indicating chamber from the pour chamber. 36. A spout as defined in claim 31, further comprising a fluid guide extending inwardly of the pour inlet relative to the pour chamber. 37. A spout as defined in claim 31, wherein the pour chamber includes an outlet chamber that extends to the pour outlet, the spout further comprising a fluid redirector between the pour inlet and the outlet chamber. 38. A spout as defined in claim 31, the spout defining a vent between the container and at least one of the pour chamber and the indicating chamber.
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