US 8,783,512 B2Granted

Dosing spout and system

OwnerRichard B. Heatherly, Michael Morton +1inventors

InventorsRichard B. Heatherly, Michael Morton, David Nichols-Roy

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Abstract

A dosing spout for liquid containers, and a system for inventory control, verification and accounting for liquids dispensed in smaller doses or portions from larger containers. The device controls flow of a liquid from a container in predetermined dosage size by an air tube that permits flow of liquid through a liquid tube when the container is tilted. After a predetermined time, the air tube is closed, which terminates flow of the liquid through the liquid tube. The time interval during which the air tube is open is correlated with the viscosity of the liquid in the container so that a predetermined dosage is dispensed through the dosing spout. Controls and signaling devices operate the dosing spout, and wireless communications devices and processors record uses of the dosing spout.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A dosing spout for a container, comprising:

an air inlet tube comprising a lumen therein;
a liquid outlet tube comprising a lumen therein;
a dosage control, the dosage control comprising a pinch valve constructed and arranged to first contact the air inlet tube and apply closing force to the air inlet tube to close the lumen of the air inlet tube and control liquid dosing through the liquid outlet tube by inhibiting air flow through the air inlet tube, wherein the pinch valve is constructed and arranged to subsequently contact the liquid outlet tube and apply closing force to the liquid outlet tube to close the lumen of the liquid outlet tube, and the pinch valve is constructed and arranged to relieve closing force on the air inlet tube and the liquid outlet tube to open the lumen of the air inlet tube and to open the lumen of the liquid outlet tube to allow flow of liquid through the liquid outlet tube.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/091,788Filed 21 Apr 2011 · us provisional application
Priority: 23 Apr 2010
Published: US 2011/0309103 A122 Dec 2011
Granted: 22 Jul 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B67D 3/00
Apparatus or devices for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage
B65D 47/32
Closures with discharging devices other than pumps: with means for venting
F16K 7/045
Constrictable by external radial force: by electric or magnetic means
F16K 7/065
By means of a screw-spindle, cam, or other mechanical means: cam clamps

Family

Application61/327,318Us provisional application · filed 23 Apr 2010
US 2011/0309103 A1Pre-grant publication · published 22 Dec 2011
US 8,783,512 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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