US 7,621,304 B2Granted

Closeable self-venting spout

AssigneeNielsen Idaho Tool & Engineering Corporation

InventorRoger B. Nielsen

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Abstract

A non-spilling, detachable pouring spout is configured to transfer liquid from a non-vented filling container to a receiving container. The spout has a spout body defining a first hollow passageway extending from an open first end to an open second end, wherein this open passageway having a generally tubular hollow inner conduit positioned within the first hollow passageway and defining a second hollow passageway. An intermediate sleeve is received in the spout and seals against portions of the spout body and the inner conduit so as to variously control the flow of materials out of the spout body, preferably the flow of liquid out of the spout and air into the spout as a venting system. The movement of said sleeve may be controlled by movement of an external sheath and may include child-resistant features. The preferred spout may achieve smooth air venting and liquid flow, and minimizes transverse/sideways flow and openings that tend to cause splash and leaks. The preferred spout does not use any O-ring members, which are prone to failure when used with gasoline, but instead uses a slidable sleeve with inner and outer seal surfaces provided by a flared or bell-shaped seal member.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A self-venting spout comprising:

an elongated spout housing comprising:
an open first end for connection to a container for liquid, an open second end for dispensing liquid, and an interior spout surface surrounding and defining an interior passageway extending between said open first end and open second end, a distal portion of the interior passageway having a longitudinal axis and a radial dimension;
a sealing ridge in said interior passageway near said interior spout surface, and a stopper generally centered in said interior passageway and radially distanced from said interior spout surface and from said sealing ridge;
and
a slidable sleeve in said interior passageway that is slidable parallel to said longitudinal axis, said slidable sleeve comprising a generally tubular portion having an outer surface with a first annular seal and an inner surface defining a sleeve passageway and having a second annular seal;
wherein, when said slidable sleeve is in a spout-closed position, said first annular seal contacts and seals against said sealing ridge of the spout housing, and said second annular seal contacts and seals against said stopper;
wherein, said spout comprises partition walls dividing said interior passageway into an air-flow passageway portion and a liquid-flow passageway portion, and wherein, when the slidable sleeve is in the spout-closed position, said sealing of the first annular sleeve and the sealing ridge blocks said liquid-flow passageway portion and said sealing of the second annular seal and the stopper blocks said air-flow passageway portion;
and
wherein, when said slidable sleeve is slid longitudinally to a spout-open position, said first annular seal is distanced from the sealing ridge to open said liquid-flow passageway portion and said second annular seal is distanced from the stopper to open said air-flow passageway portion;
and
wherein the spout further comprises a spring configured to bias the slidable sleeve into the spout-closed position, and an actuation system including an external member located on, and slidable on, an outside surface of the spout, wherein the external member is operatively connected to the slidable sleeve by a connecting member, so that sliding of said external member moves said slidable sleeve inside the spout between said spout-closed and spout-open positions.

8 more elements

A self-venting spout comprising:

an elongated spout housing having an interior volume comprising an interior liquid-flow passageway and an interior air-flow passageway both extending between a first end of the spout housing and a second end of the spout housing, said air-flow passageway being generally centered on a longitudinal axis of the spout housing and said liquid-flow passageway radially offset from said air-flow passageway;
a stopper disposed in the air-flow passageway;
and
a sleeve slidably disposed in said interior volume and having an exterior surface defining a portion of said liquid-flow passageway and an interior surface defining a portion of said air-flow passageway, said sleeve further having a protruding first annular seal on said exterior surface and a protruding second annular seal on said interior surface;
wherein, when said sleeve is slid longitudinally to a spout-closed position, said first annular seal contacts and seals with a sealing ridge on said spout housing to seal closed the liquid-flow passageway to stop liquid from flowing from said first end to said second end of the spout housing, and said second annular seal contacts and seals to said stopper to seal closed the air-flow passageway to stop air from flowing from said second end to said first end of the spout housing;
and
wherein, when said sleeve is slid longitudinally to an spout-open position, said first annular seal is distanced from said sealing ridge to allow liquid to flow through the liquid-flow passageway past said first annular seal to said second end, and said second annular seal is distanced from the stopper to allow air to flow through the air-flow passageway past said second annular seal to the first end;
and
wherein the spout further comprises a spring configured to bias the sleeve into the spout-closed position, and an actuation system including an external member located on, and slidable on, an outside surface of the spout, wherein the external member is operatively connected to the sleeve by a connecting member, so that sliding of said external member moves said sleeve inside the spout between said spout-closed and spout-open positions.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/745,445Filed 7 May 2007 · us provisional application
Priority: 5 May 2006
Published: US 2008/0035240 A114 Feb 2008
Granted: 24 Nov 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification2 codes

B67D 7/005
Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for…: spouts
B67D
Dispensing, delivering or transferring liquids, not otherwise provided for