US 4,834,151 A · Pour spout

Abstract

A fluid conduit attached at one end to a container of fluid is provided at the other end with a fluid discharge opening through which fluid can be transferred into a receiving vessel. A slide valve on the exterior of the conduit is biased into a closed position, precluding any fluid flow from the conduit until the discharge opening is inside the receiving vessel. The slide valve coacts with the receiving vessel to open and permit fluid flow. An air vent tube within the conduit communicates with an air vent opening in the vicinity of the discharge opening. The air vent tube includes one or more capillary sections of reduced inner diameter relative that of the air vent tube. The air bent tube admits air into the container to facilitate fluid flow, while the capillary section limits the rate at which the air enters, thereby reducing the pressure of air in the container below ambient pressure when fluid flows from the conduit. Fluid filling a receiving container closes the air vent opening when filling is completed, terminating air flow into the container and stopping fluid flow through the conduit.

Claims40

Dependent claims

A pour spout for permitting transfers from a container of fluid to a receiving vessel, the pour spout comprising:

(a) a fluid conduit attached at one end thereof to the container of fluid, said fluid conduit being provided at a location remote from the container with a fluid discharge opening through which fluid is transferred from said fluid conduit into the receiving vessel;
(b) closure means for precluding any flow of fluid from said fluid conduit until said fluid discharge opening is inside the receiving vessel;
and
(c) venting means for admitting air into the interior space within said fluid conduit and the container to facilitate fluid flow from said fluid conduit and for reducing the pressure of air in said interior space to a pressure less than ambient pressure when fluid flows from said fluid conduit, said venting means terminating air flow into said interior space when the receiving vessel becomes filled with fluid thereby to effect prompt curtailment of fluid flow from said fluid conduit, said venting means comprising:
(i) an air vent tube communicating between the exterior of said fluid conduit at a location which is inside the receiving vessel when said closure means ceases to preclude flow of fluid from said fluid conduit;
and
(ii) a capillary section located in said air vent tube having an inside diameter less than that of said air vent tube.

4 more elements

A pour spout for permitting transfers from a container of fluid to a receiving vessel, the pour spout comprising:

(a) a fluid conduit attached at one end thereof to the container of fluid, said fluid conduit being provided at a location remote from the fluid container with a fluid discharge opening through which fluid from the container of fluid is transferred from the fluid conduit into the receiving vessel;
(b) a sleeve closely conforming to the exterior surface of said fluid conduit and mounted for sliding motion thereupon;
(c) bias means urging said sleeve along said fluid conduit in a direction away from the container of fluid;
(d) a valve seat on said fluid conduit on the side of said fluid discharge opening opposite from the container of fluid, said sleeve being urged by said bias means into sealing engagement with said valve seat to preclude any flow of fluid from said fluid conduit until said fluid discharge opening is inside the receiving vessel;
(e) a projection secured to said sleeve for coacting with the receiving vessel to overcome said bias means and draw said sleeve out of sealing enagement with said valve seat as said fluid conduit is extended into the receiving vessel;
and
(f) venting means for admitting air into the interior space within said fluid conduit and said container of fluid to facilitate fluid flow from said fluid conduit and for reducing the pressure of air in said interior space to a pressure less than ambient pressure when fluid flows from said fluid conduit, said venting means terminating air flow into said interior space when the receiving container becomes filled with fluid, thereby to effect prompt curtailment of fluid flow from said fluid conduit said venting means comprising:
(i) an air vent tube communicating between the exterior of said fluid conduit and said interior space;
and
(ii) at least one capillary section in said air vent tube having an inside diameter less than that of the air vent tube.

7 more elements

A pour spout for permitting transfers from a container of fluid to a receiving vessel, the pour spout comprising:

(a) a fluid conduit attached at one end thereof to the container of fluid, said fluid conduit being provided at a location remote from the fluid container with at least one fluid discharge opening through which fluid from the container of fluid is transferred from the fluid conduit into the receiving vessel;
(b) a sleeve closely conforming to the exterior surface of said fluid conduit and mounted for sliding motion thereupon;
(c) a spring disposed encircling said fluid conduit in compression between said sleeve and a longitudinally fixed point on said fluid conduit, said spring urging said sleeve along said fluid conduit in a direction away from the container of fluid;
(d) a resilient O-ring encircling said fluid conduit on the side of said fluid discharge opening remote from the container of fluid, said sleeve being urged by said spring into sealing engagement with said O-ring;
(e) a projection secured to said sleeve for catching the lip of the receiving vessel and drawing said sleeve out of sealing engagement with said O-ring as said fluid conduit is extended into the receiving vessel;
(f) an air vent opening formed in said fluid conduit at a location thereon which is inside the receiving vessel when said sleeve is drawn out of sealing engagement with said valve seat by the coaction of said projection with the receiving vessel, said air vent opening being thereby obstructable by fluid when the receiving container fills therewith;
(g) an air vent tube disposed within said fluid conduit communicating at one end thereof with said air vent opening, said air vent tube admitting air into the interior space within said fluid conduit and said container of fluid to facilitate fulid flow from said fluid conduit;
and
(h) two capillary sections in said air vent tube, said two capillary sections having substantially equal inside diameters less than that of said air vent tube for limiting the volume of air passing through said air vent tube into said interior space to a volume less than the volume of fluid that flows from said fluid conduit, a first one of said two capillary sections being located at said air vent opening and a second of said two capillary sections being located at the end of said air vent tube remote therefrom.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pour spout

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Pour spout

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Abstract

Claims40