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US 8,011,396 B1Granted
Multipurpose funnel system
OwnerTravis Carl Harveyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved multipurpose funnel system for filling a container, which prevents liquid from overflowing, is self venting and is capable of filling hard to reach container locations. The system has a funnel removably coupled to a bottle cartridge which holds bottles therein. A pair of parallel rods hingedly connected to the bottle cartridge and having at least one hollow cone shaped spike extending outwardly therefrom. The funnel has a downspout having venting tubes, and a cap having an elongated threaded tip. The cap and downspout each include semi-circular plates which work in conjunction together as a check valve mechanism for controlling the flow of liquid therethrough. The check valve mechanism includes a closed first position, intermediate second position, and opened third position.
Claims14
A multipurpose funnel system, comprising:
- an interchangeable funnel including a substantially elongated cylindrical downspout, a circular cap and a check valve mechanism having a pair of corresponding semi-circular plates, wherein said downspout includes an inside surface, an exterior wall, a top and bottom end, and at least two integrated venting tubes oppositely spaced adjacent said exterior wall of the downspout, said top end having a pair of oppositely spaced threaded notches, said bottom end having an outwardly extending fin thereby defining a hollow circular ring of space between said fin and said exterior wall of said downspout at said bottom end, said downspout having a tapered locking tab extending outwardly from said exterior wall into said hollow circular ring having a locking edge, wherein said inside surface at said bottom end includes one of said flat semi-circular plates of said check valve mechanism extending perpendicularly outward therefrom;
- wherein said cap having a substantially circular hollow housing defined by a pair of walls, including an inner wall and an outer wall defining a hollow circular ring of space therebetween, said cap having a curved outwardly extending lip and an integrally coupled elongated threaded tip extending downwardly therefrom, said cap having one of said flat semi-circular plates of said check valve mechanism extending perpendicularly from said inner wall into said hollow housing such that one half of said housing is enclosed, wherein said outer wall includes three substantially rectangular openings which independently accept said locking tab of said fin to define an open, intermediate, and close position of said control valve mechanism;
- wherein said fin of said downspout is accepted between said walls of said cap, and said interlocking tab of said fin of said downspout is secured within one of said rectangular openings of said outer wall to define said funnel;
- an interchangeable bottle cartridge removeably couples to said top end of said downspout of said funnel and having a bottom end and an open top end having opposing sides, said bottom end of said cartridge having a tapered regress integrally coupled to a pair of downwardly extending interlocking tabs corresponding to said notches of said downspout of said funnel for accepting said interlocking tabs of said bottle cartridge therein;
- and
- a pair of parallel rods hingedly connect along one side of said bottle cartridge and close across said open top end before locking at said opposing side, having at least one hollow cone shaped spike extending outwardly therefrom and each said spike having a top end and pointed tip.
3 more elements
A multipurpose funnel system, comprising:
- a funnel including a downspout, a cap and a check valve mechanism having a pair of corresponding semi-circular plates, wherein said downspout includes an inside surface, an exterior wall, a top and bottom end, said bottom end having an outwardly extending fin thereby defining a hollow circular ring of space between said fin and said exterior wall of said downspout at said bottom end, a locking tab extending outwardly from said exterior wall into said hollow circular ring having a locking edge, wherein said inside surface at said bottom end includes one of said flat semi-circular plates of said check valve mechanism extending perpendicularly outward therefrom;
- wherein said cap having a substantially circular hollow housing defined by a pair of walls, including an inner wall and an outer wall, said cap having one of said flat semi-circular plates of said check valve mechanism extending perpendicularly from said inner wall into said hollow housing such that one half of said housing is enclosed, wherein said outer wall includes three substantially rectangular openings which independently accept said locking tab of said fin to define an open, intermediate, and close position of said control valve mechanism;
- wherein said fin of said downspout is accepted between said walls of said cap, and said interlocking tab of said downspout is secured within one of said rectangular openings of said outer wall of said cap to define said funnel;
- a bottle cartridge removeably couples to said top end of said downspout of said funnel and has a bottom end and an open top end having opposing sides;
- and
- at least one rod hingedly connected along one side of said bottle cartridge and closing across said open top end before locking at said opposing side, having at least one hollow cone shaped spike extending outwardly therefrom.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.