Squeeze Bottle With Hydrostatic Passage To Restrain Leakage

Abstract

No-drip squeeze bottle for catsup, mustard, etc., having an inverted generally U-shaped outlet tube.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The usual squeeze bottle for dispensing catsup and mustard is a cylindrical container having a threaded top that includes a nozzle. The dispenser must be inverted and squeezed to dispense its contents. In a prior art patent there is disclosed a squeeze bottle with an outlet in its bottom, which outlet is provided with a valve structure that is opened when the bottle is squeezed, and is closed when the squeezing pressure is released. The valve structure does not prevent dripping, and it is difficult to maintain and clean.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved squeeze bottle having an outlet in its bottom, and which is substantially drip proof.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a squeeze bottle of the above described type which is easily cleaned, and which keeps flies and other insects from contaminating the dispensing nozzle.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following description of the preferred embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The sole FIGURE of the drawing is a vertical sectional view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiment shown in the drawing generally comprises a resilient, flexible container 10 having an integral top 12 and sidewalls 14, and an open bottom. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the container 10 is made of polyethylene.

The bottom open end of the container 10 is closed off by an inverted generally cup-shaped base 16, the sidewalls 18 of which surround an internal chamber 20, and the lower end of which terminates in an annular support surface 22 which is planar. When the support surface 22 rests upon a flat surface, such as a table, the internal chamber 20 is substantially sealed off from all dirt, insects, etc.

The top portion 24 of the cup-shaped base 16 preferably has a depression 26 in its upper surface which acts as a well for the contents of the container 10. The top portion 24 preferably also has a dome portion 28 whose walls form the top most portion of the bottom of the chamber 20. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the top portion 24 fits up into the sidewalls 14 of the container 10 and has external threads 30 which engage internal threads 32 of the container. The lower end of the threads 30 terminate in a flat horizontal sealing surface 34 adapted to be engaged by the flat lower end 36 of the side walls 14 of the container 10. The engagement of the surfaces 34 and 36 form an airtight seal between the container 10 and the base 16, which in the preferred embodiment, is beneath the lowest portion of the well 26. Also, in the preferred embodiment, the top surfaces of the base 16 extend upwardly and outwardly from the well 26 so that all of the contents of the container 10 will drain into the well 26.

The squeeze dispenser is completed by an inverted generally U-shaped tube 38 one leg 40 of which extends down into the well 26 with its inlet 42 preferably being at a level above the sealing surface 34. The other leg 44 of the tube 38 extends down through an opening in the dome 28 and terminates in an outlet nozzle 46. The leg 44 is wedged or otherwise suitably sealed in the dome 28 so that the only communication between the inside of the container 10 and the outside of the dispenser is through the nozzle 46. In the preferred embodiment, the nozzle 46 is preferably at an elevation above the inlet 42 of the tube 38, and the inlet 42 is preferably at an elevation above the sealing surface 36. The contents of the chamber 48, therefore, exert a greater hydrostatic pressure against the sealing surface 36 than is exerted against the outlet 46, so that air will be sucked back through the tube 38 rather than between the sealing surfaces 34 and 36.

The squeeze bottle above described is filled by inverting the container, unthreading the base 16 and filling the chamber 48 with catsup, mustard, or other material to be dispensed. The base 16 is threaded into the end of the container 10 until its surface 36 sealingly engages the surface 34. Upon inversion, some of the contents of the chamber 48 may tend to escape through the tube 38 until the hydrostatic head has caused the sidewalls of the container 10 to deform to the point where they resist further inward movement, and the contents of the leg 44 drips out to maintain a liquid level adjacent the top of the U-shaped tube 38. Thereafter, the squeeze bottle is ready for use.

When it is desired to dispense its contents, the nozzle 46 is placed over the desired area on which the contents are to be deposited, and the sidewalls 14 are squeezed inwardly. The contents within the chamber 48 including the air above the liquid level is pressurized sufficiently to cause the liquid level to rise over the top of the U-shaped tube and flow downwardly through the leg 44 and out of the nozzle 46. When the desired amount has been dispensed, the dispenser is set on a flat surface with its support surface 22 resting thereon. Squeezing pressure on the sidewalls 14 is released and the resilience of the sidewalls 14 causes the sidewalls to move outwardly to decrease the pressure within the chamber 48. This causes the liquid within the leg 44 of the tube 38 to flow upwardly and down through the depending leg 40 into the chamber 48. Sufficient air follows this flow of liquid to the chamber 48 to raise its internal pressure by an amount causing the liquid to again rise up into the inlet leg 40 and prevent further flow of air to the chamber 48. Inasmuch as all liquid has been removed from the vertical portion of the depending leg 44, no dripping will occur from the outlet nozzle 46. It is more difficult to provide an air tight seal, than it is to provide a liquid tight seal. It will be seen that the hydrostatic head upon the surfaces 34 and 36 is greater than that on the inlet 42 of the tube 38 so that air will not be drawn between the sealing surfaces 36 and 38 to thereby cause dripping. The height of the inlet tube portion 40 may vary depending upon the size and resiliency of the container 10, and is such that the container 10 can be picked up by its sidewalls 14 without causing the liquid level to flow over the top of the tube 38 to cause dripping. The inlet tube portion 40 will preferably be more than approximately five times the inside diameter of the tube 38, and will usually be less than approximately 10 times the inside diameter of the tube 38. The base 16 is preferably made of a clear plastic such as an acrylic, so that the material being dispensed from the nozzle 46 can be seen. The base, however, can be made from any suitable plastic including thermoplastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.

It will now be seen that the dispenser above described will normally have its liquid level within the rising tube portion 40, and that the dispenser is so proportioned that normal grasping pressure does not force the liquid over the top of the highest most portion of the tube 38. It will also be seen that the dispenser is proportioned so that after the material has been squeezed out of the dispenser, a small amount of air will automatically enter the tube 38 to take the place of the material that has been dispensed. The dispenser is air tight because the sealing surfaces 34 and 36 are at a level below the inlet 42 of the tube 38, so that air can only enter the chamber 48 through the tube 38. It will further be seen that the side edges of the sealing surfaces 34 and 36 can always be observed for seepage, and that the container 10 can be immediately tightened upon its base 16 to prevent further seepage. It will further be seen that the surface 22, though not forming an air tight seal on a flat surface, will be sufficiently tight to prevent flies and bugs from reaching the nozzle 46.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limited to the particular embodiments shown and described, and it is my intention to cover hereby all novel adaptations, modifications, and arrangements thereof which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Claims

I claim:

1. A two piece pumpable material dispenser comprising: a container having flexible top and sidewalls which are integral and nonprevious extending above a lower end opening that is closed off by a removable base to define a storage chamber; said base being generally cup-shaped and fitting upwardly into said opening, said base having a portion forming a depression for said chamber, and an outlet tube secured to said base and having an inlet end in said depression and extending upwardly therefrom to form a riser and then downward through said base to an outlet, said inlet and outlet of said tube being above the bottom of said container opening, and whereby a greater hydrostatic head exists on the end of said opening than exists on said outlet of said tube to prevent air leakage into said container between said opening and base.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said outlet tube is an inverted U-shaped tube having a height less than approximately 10 times the inside diameter of said tube.

3. A squeeze bottle comprising: a container having an open end with integral nonprevious walls above said open end and a sidewall portion around said open end with internal threads on said sidewall portion, said container having at least a portion that is collapsible inwardly and flexibly biased outwardly, a generally cup-shaped base for said container, said base having external thread on the upper end portion thereof for engagement with said internal threads of said container, said base having a top wall having a depression in one area and forming a dome in another area, and an inverted U-shaped tube on said base with its inlet end in said depressions and its outlet end projecting through said dome and terminating above the lower end of said open end of said container, and whereby a greater hydrostatic head exists on said lower end of said open end than exists on the outlet end of said U-shaped tube to prevent air leakage into said container between its open end and said base.

4. The squeeze bottle of claim 3 wherein both said inlet and said outlet of said U-shaped tube are positioned above the lower end surface of said container.

5. The squeeze bottle of claim 4 wherein said base has an external upwardly facing shoulder at the lower end of said threads, with said lower end of said container sealingly abutting said shoulder.

6. The squeeze bottle of claim 4 wherein the top surface of said depression is below the bottom surface of said dome.

7. The squeeze bottle of claim 6 wherein the height of said inverted U-shaped tube is no more than approximately 10 times the inside diameter of said tube.