# US 8,464,904 B2 · Methods and containers for reducing spillage and residual liquid when pouring liquid out of a container > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,904 B2 - Document ID: US8464904B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/712,281 - Filed: 2010-02-25 - Published: 2010-10-21 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2009-04-17 - Applicants: James M. Woodruff - Inventors: James M. Woodruff - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464904B2 ## CPC - B65D 1/32: Containers adapted to be temporarily deformed by external pressure to expel contents - B65D 39/06: Balls - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES ## Abstract A method of reducing spillage and residual liquid when pouring liquid includes temporarily deforming a liquid-carrying resilient container to press a buoyant member into a position sealing a fluid flow passage of the container, which is then inverted and the force is released to permit the member to float away from the passage such that liquid freely passes therethrough. When the fluid level is no longer sufficient to float the member away from the passage, an additional step prevents the ball from becoming or remaining seated in the sealing position so that residual liquid left in the container can be drained through the passage. Novel containers feature a ball-shaped member of larger size relative to the passage to ease unseating of the member therefrom for draining of residual liquid, and novel two-piece container constructions accommodate insertion of such larger balls prior to final assembly of the container. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of reducing spillage when pouring liquid out of a container, the method comprising the following steps: (a). firstly, providing a free floating buoyant member situated in a resilient deformable container adapted for containing liquid, the liquid being of greater density than the density of the member such that the member floats upon the surface of the liquid, the container having a liquid flow passage narrower than the dimensions of the member such that the member is prevented from exiting through the liquid flow passage; (b). secondly, exerting a force to temporarily deform the container thereby reducing the volume of an inner cavity thereof and causing the liquid in the container to press the member into a position sealing the liquid flow passage; (c). thirdly, while manually carrying the container, inverting the container thereby placing the container into a pouring position; and (d). fourthly, while continuing to manually carry the container, releasing the force upon the container such that the container resiliently resumes its original shape, thereby increasing the volume of the inner cavity and causing the member to float away from the liquid flow passage such that liquid freely passes through the liquid flow passage; (e). fifthly, while continuing to manually carry the container, continuing to freely pass liquid through the liquid flow passage with the container inverted until liquid within the container approaches or reaches a level no longer sufficient to keep the member floating at a distance spaced entirely from the liquid flow passage, leaving only a thin coating of residual liquid clinging to one or more walls of the container; (f). sixthly, while continuing to manually carry the container, and while keeping the container inverted after completion of steps (a) through (e), applying a force to the container to induce movement of the buoyant member and thereby prevent the member from becoming or remaining fully seated at the position sealing the liquid flow passage to allow the residual liquid to drain from the container through the liquid flow passage; and (g). seventhly, while continuing to manually carry the container, and having successfully prevented the member from becoming or remaining fully seated at the position sealing the liquid flow passage in step (f), continually applying repeated forces to the container to keep the member from coming to rest and to continually maintain move the member within the container and thereby continually maintain open the liquid flow passage and achieve further draining of the residual liquid from the container therethrough. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1 wherein steps (f) and (g) comprise continually shaking the container. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1 wherein steps (f) and (g) comprise continually forcing impacts between the container and another object. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the object is stationary and steps (f) and (g) comprise continually knocking the container against the object. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1 wherein step (d) is carried out over an object to which the liquid is to be distributed steps (f) and (g) comprise continually knocking the container against a component of the object. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the liquid comprises engine oil, the object comprises an engine and the component comprises an oil inlet port through which the liquid enters the engine. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the resilient deformable container comprises a first pair of opposed sidewalls and a second pair of opposed sidewalls and wherein step (g) comprises continually exerting and releasing radial inward forces upon the second pair of sidewalls to continually unseat and reseat the member from the position sealing the liquid flow passage to achieve the further draining of the residual liquid while the member is unseated. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7 wherein the first pair of opposed sidewalls are concave and the second pair of sidewalls are convex. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the buoyant member is a ball. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises: (i) providing a resilient deformable body defining the inner cavity and having a pouring end defining an opening; (ii) providing a restriction piece through which the liquid flow passage extends, the liquid flow passage being smaller than the opening of the resilient deformable body; (iii) placing the free floating buoyant member into the inner cavity of the resilient deformable body; and (iv) engaging the restriction piece with the resilient deformable body in a manner sealing therewith adjacent the open end thereof to communicate the liquid flow passage with the inner cavity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the restriction piece comprises a bushing and step (a)(iv) comprises inserting the bushing into the resilient deformable body through the opening to fit the bushing concentrically within and against the resilient deformable body adjacent the pouring end. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the resilient deformable body comprises a neck that defines the pouring end thereof and into which the bushing is inserted in step (a)(iv). ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the restriction piece comprises an extension arranged to connect to the resilient deformable body adjacent the open end thereof to project and narrow away from the open end of the resilient deformable body to define a neck of the container. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as defined in claim 13 wherein step (a)(i) comprises blow molding the resilient deformable body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method as defined in claim 13 wherein step (a)(ii) comprises injecting molding the restriction piece.