U.S. patent application number 12/670296 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-30 for device for drip-free pouring of liquids.
This patent application is currently assigned to NODROPS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT. Invention is credited to Gunter Gasser, Arnulf Summer.
Application Number | 20100243600 12/670296 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38984593 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100243600 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Summer; Arnulf ; et
al. |
September 30, 2010 |
DEVICE FOR DRIP-FREE POURING OF LIQUIDS
Abstract
A device for the drip-free pouring of liquids from bottles
includes an elastic material piece, which can be rolled up into a
sleeve that can be inserted into the bottle neck. There, it rests
against the inside surface thereof and on the outer edge thereof
forms a drip edge for the liquid flowing out of the bottle. To this
end, the material piece is configured along part of the rim thereof
with a section, whereby a tab is formed, which can be placed around
the bottle neck and which allows the material piece to be fastened
to the bottle.
Inventors: |
Summer; Arnulf; (Bregenz,
AT) ; Gasser; Gunter; (Hochst, AT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LERNER GREENBERG STEMER LLP
P O BOX 2480
HOLLYWOOD
FL
33022-2480
US
|
Assignee: |
NODROPS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Vaduz
LI
|
Family ID: |
38984593 |
Appl. No.: |
12/670296 |
Filed: |
September 15, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
September 15, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/AT2008/000328 |
371 Date: |
January 22, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/392 ;
215/41 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 23/065
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/392 ;
215/41 |
International
Class: |
B65D 23/06 20060101
B65D023/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 22, 2007 |
EP |
07450206.3 |
Apr 22, 2008 |
EP |
08450059.4 |
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. A device for the drip-free pouring of a liquid from a bottle,
comprising: an elastic piece of material configured to be rolled up
to form a sleeve for insertion into a neck of the bottle, wherein
said sleeve rests against an inner surface of said neck and an
external periphery forms a drip edge for the liquid flowing out of
the bottle; said piece of material having a slit formed therein,
defining a strap to be placed around the neck of the bottle for
attaching said piece of material to the bottle.
11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said slit runs in
close vicinity to one peripheral edge of said piece of
material.
12. The device according to claim 11, wherein said slit extends
parallel to said one peripheral edge.
13. The device according to claim 10, wherein said slit extends
over a length of 20% to 50% of a periphery of said piece of
material.
14. The device according to claim 10, wherein said strap has end
regions connecting the strap with a remainder of said piece of
material, and said end regions are formed with predetermined
breaking points along which said strap is detachable from the
remainder of said piece of material.
15. The device according to claim 10, wherein said strap has a
width of between 0.5 and 6 mm.
16. The device according to claim 10, wherein said piece of
material is provided with printing.
17. The device according to claim 10, wherein said piece of
material has a generally rectangular shape, with an extension
protruding transversely therefrom, said extension having a width
greater than an external diameter of the neck of the bottle, and
having a semicircular shape at a free end, and wherein said slit
extends along a periphery of said extension and said strap is
substantially in the form of a half ring which rests against the
neck of the bottle.
18. The device according to claim 10, wherein said piece of
material has a generally rectangular shape, with a substantially
triangular extension projecting therefrom, said extension having a
base with a same length as the rectangular shape and a rounding
opposite the base, and wherein said slit extends along the
periphery of said extension and said strap is approximately in the
form of a bow which rests against the neck of the bottle.
19. The device according to claim 10, wherein said piece of
material has a generally rectangular shape, with a substantially
triangular extension projecting therefrom, said extension having a
base with a same length as the rectangular shape and a rounding
opposite the base, and wherein said slit is formed at a periphery
of said piece of material remote from said extension, and said
strap is disposed opposite from the rounding of said extension.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a device for drip-free
pouring of liquids out of bottles, consisting of an elastic piece
of material which can be rolled up to form a sleeve which can be
inserted into the bottle neck, wherein the sleeve rests against the
inner surface of said neck and its external periphery forms a
separating edge for the liquid flowing out of the bottle.
[0002] Such a device is known, for example, from EP 560777 B1. In
that case it is an elastically deformable piece of material which
is designed with a liquid-repellent surface and which can be rolled
up to form a sleeve which can be inserted into the neck of a bottle
from which a liquid is intended to be taken, for example into a
wine bottle. As a result of the elasticity of the piece of
material, the outer surface of the sleeve rests tightly against the
inner surface of the bottle neck and that periphery of the sleeve
which is outside the bottle forms a separating edge for the liquid
emerging from the bottle, as a result of which drip-free finishing
of the pouring process is made possible.
[0003] Known devices of this type, which are referred to as spouts,
are mass-produced articles which can be produced at low cost. As a
rule, these spouts are packaged individually and sold as such. The
packaging thus gives rise to costs which exceed the costs of
manufacture.
[0004] When such spouts are used in households, they are only
required in small quantities. However, when such spouts are used in
catering establishments, a separate spout is used for each bottle
of wine. Since there is thus a very high demand for such spouts in
catering establishments, it is expedient to package them in large
quantities, this resulting in considerable cost savings.
[0005] This means, however, that there is a need in catering
establishments for a spout also to be made available to the patron
when he is being served a bottle of wine. As long as this spout is
packaged, this is readily possible. However, if this spout is in an
unpackaged form because it has been taken from a pack containing a
large quantity of spouts, a way must be found of handing it over to
the patron in an appropriate manner.
[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention in that
the piece of material is designed with a slit, forming a strap
which can be placed around the bottle neck, as a result of which
the piece of material can be attached to the bottle.
[0007] As a result of this design, the unpackaged spout can be
attached for example to a wine bottle and in this way be handed
over to the patron.
[0008] Preferably, the slit runs close to, and in particular
parallel to, the periphery of the piece of material, wherein it can
have a length of 20% to 50% of the periphery of the piece of
material. Furthermore, the regions at the ends of the strap between
the latter and the rest of the piece of material are preferably
designed with predetermined breaking points along which the strap
can easily be detached from the rest of the piece of material. As a
result, the spout can easily be removed from the bottle. In a
preferred embodiment, the strap has a width of from 0.5 to 6
mm.
[0009] A particular advantage of such a spout is also that it can
be provided with printing, as a result of which it can also be used
either as an advertising medium or as a kind of tag with
information about the product, in particular about the wine in
question.
[0010] According to a preferred first embodiment, the piece of
material is in the form of a rectangle with an extension protruding
transversely therefrom, the width of this extension being somewhat
greater than the external diameter of a bottle neck, wherein this
extension is approximately in the form of a semicircle at its free
end, and the slit extends along the periphery of the extension, as
a result of which the strap is approximately in the form of a half
ring which rests against the bottle neck. In this design, the strap
encircles the bottle neck.
[0011] According to a preferred second embodiment, the piece of
material is in the form of a rectangle with an extension protruding
therefrom, wherein the extension is approximately in the form of a
triangle, the base of which is the same length as the rectangle and
which is rounded opposite the base, and wherein furthermore the
slit extends along the free periphery of the extension, as a result
of which the strap is approximately in the form of a bow which
rests against the bottle neck. In this design, too, the strap
encircles the bottle neck.
[0012] In a preferred third embodiment, the piece of material is in
the form of a rectangle with an extension protruding therefrom,
wherein the extension is approximately in the form of a triangle,
the base of which is the same length as the rectangle and which is
rounded opposite the base and wherein furthermore the slit is
located at that periphery of the region of the spout which is
remote from the extension, as a result of which a strap is formed,
by means of which the spout can be attached to the bottle neck.
[0013] The subject matter of the invention is explained in greater
detail below with reference to three exemplary embodiments
illustrated in the drawing, in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a first exemplary embodiment of
an approximately full size spout according to the invention,
[0015] FIG. 2 and FIG. 2a show two different views, on a smaller
scale than in FIG. 1, of a bottle to which this spout is
attached,
[0016] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a second exemplary embodiment of
an approximately full size spout according to the invention,
[0017] FIG. 4 and FIG. 4a also show two different views, on a
smaller scale than in FIG. 3, of a bottle to which this spout is
attached,
[0018] FIG. 5 shows a plan view of a third exemplary embodiment of
an approximately full size spout according to the invention,
and
[0019] FIG. 6 and FIG. 6a also show two different views of a
bottle, on a smaller scale than in FIG. 5, to which this spout is
attached.
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a first spout 1 which is formed by a
piece of material which has an approximately rectangular region 11
and an extension 12 protruding therefrom at right angles, wherein
the free end of the extension 12 is designed with a semicircular
periphery. This spout 1 consists of a rigidly elastic foil made of
aluminum which is coated on both sides with polyester and has a
thickness of about 0.15 mm. In order to be used correctly, this
spout 1 is rolled up to form a sleeve and inserted by way of the
region 11 into the mouth of a bottle, with the extension 12 being
located outside the bottle. The sharp-edged periphery of the
extension 12 forms a separating edge which ensures drip-free
finishing of the pouring processes.
[0021] The extension 12 has a width which is somewhat greater than
the external diameter of the bottle neck. Furthermore, along the
periphery of the free end of the extension 12, the spout 1 is
designed with a slit 2 running parallel to this periphery, forming
a strap 3 which can be bent away from the spout 1 such that the
latter can be attached by this strap 3 to a wine bottle 4 by the
strap 3 being fitted over the bottle neck 41, as is illustrated in
FIG. 2 and FIG. 2a. The strap 2 has, for example, a width of 2.5
mm.
[0022] In this way, the spout 1 can be handed over to a patron in
an attractive manner at the same time as a bottle 4 of wine, in
which case it does not need to be packaged. As no packaging is thus
required, a considerable cost saving is achieved.
[0023] In order to be able to remove the spout 1 easily from the
bottle 4, those regions in which the strap 3 merges into the region
11 are designed with predetermined breaking points 31 along which
the spout 1 can easily be detached from the strap 3.
[0024] Such a spout 1 can additionally be provided with printing
which serves for advertising purposes or which serves as a kind of
tag for providing information about the product contained in the
wine bottle, such as details about the wine.
[0025] By means of a spout according to the invention, firstly
considerable cost savings are thus achieved. Secondly, a spout
according to the invention can be used as an advertising medium or
as a source of information. Since the strap 3 is moved away from
the spout 1, the edge formed by the slit 2 represents the
separating edge for the liquid.
[0026] The spout 1a illustrated in FIG. 3 differs from the spout 1
according to FIG. 1 only in that an approximately triangular
extension 12a adjoins the approximately rectangular region 11a, the
base of this triangular extension being the same length as the
approximately rectangular region 11a, and the edge opposite its
base also being rounded.
[0027] This extension 12a is also designed with a slit 2a running
parallel to its periphery, forming a strap 3a which can be bent
away from the spout 1a such that the latter can be attached by this
strap 3a to a wine bottle 4 by the strap 3a being fitted over the
bottle neck 41, as is illustrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 4a. In those
regions in which the strap 3a merges into the region 11a, this
spout 1a is also designed with predetermined breaking points 31a
along which the spout 1a can easily be detached from the strap
3a.
[0028] The spout 1b illustrated in FIG. 5 differs from the spout 1a
in FIG. 3 in that it is designed on the side opposite the
triangular extension 12b with a slit 2b running parallel to the
periphery of the spout 1b, as a result of which a strap 3b is
formed on that side of the spout 1b which is inserted into the
bottle neck 41.
[0029] The particular advantage of this embodiment is that, despite
provision of the strap 3b with which the spout 1b can be attached
to a bottle 4, this strap 3b is provided on that side of the spout
1b which is inserted into the bottle neck. As a result of this, it
is not necessary to detach the strap 3b from the spout 1b for
pouring.
[0030] Otherwise, the spouts 1a and 1b have the same design,
analogous features and the same function as the spout 1 according
to FIG. 1.
* * * * *