Dosing and/or dispensing system

• US 20040134941A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RD Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Rodney Laible
• Inventors: Laible, Rodney
• Granted Patent: US 6,945,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/518
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0294 Combined with valves

Abstract

A dosing and/or dispensing system for use with a liquid container such as a bottle or the like for dosing and/or dispensing liquid contents from the bottle. Three different dosing and/or dispensing embodiments are disclosed which enable the liquid to be dosed or dispensed by gravity from the container.

Claims

1. In combination:

a dispensing fixture;

an inverted liquid container having upper and lower ends;

said lower end of said container having a hollow throat extending downwardly therefrom which has interior and exterior surfaces;

said throat of said container being detachably connected to said fixture;

a throat plug assembly having upper and lower ends, positioned in said throat of said container;

a first, normally closed valve movably positioned within said throat plug assembly;

said first valve being movable between open and closed positions;

said first valve, when in its said closed position, seating upon a valve seat;

said first valve, when in its said open position, unseating from said valve seat;

a spring in said throat plug assembly which is in engagement with said first valve to yieldably urge said first valve to its said closed position;

said first valve, when in its said closed position, preventing liquid within the container from flowing therefrom;

said first valve, when in its open position, permitting liquid within the container to flow therethrough;

a flow control assembly, having open upper and lower ends, secured to said fixture below said throat of said container;

said flow control assembly including a selectively vertically movable valve actuator which is selectively movable between upper and lower positions;

said first valve being in its said closed position when said valve actuator is in its said lower position;

said valve actuator, when in its said upper position, engaging said normally closed valve to open the same whereby liquid in said container may flow downwardly therefrom through said valve and though said flow control assembly.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said valve actuator is also rotatably movably mounted.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said valve actuator has a cam lever secured thereto which is movably positioned within a cam track.

4. In combination:

a dispensing fixture;

an inverted liquid container having upper and lower ends;

said lower end of said container having a hollow throat extending downwardly therefrom which has interior and exterior surfaces;

said throat of said container being detachably connected to said fixture;

a throat plug assembly having upper and lower ends, positioned in said throat of said container;

a first, normally closed valve movably positioned within said throat plug assembly;

said first valve being movable between open and closed positions;

said first valve, when in its said closed position, seating upon a valve seat;

said first valve, when in its said open position, unseating from said valve seat;

a spring in said throat plug assembly which is in engagement with said first valve to yieldably urge said first valve to its said closed position;

said first valve, when in its said closed position, preventing liquid within the container from flowing therefrom;

said first valve, when in its open position, permitting liquid within the container to flow therethrough;

a flow control assembly, having open upper and lower ends, secured to said fixture below said throat of said container;

said flow control assembly including a selectively vertically movable valve actuator which is selectively movable between upper and lower positions;

said first valve being in its said open position when said valve actuator is in its said lower position;

said valve actuator including a second valve which closes said valve seat when said valve actuator is in its said raised position.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said valve actuator is also rotatably movably mounted.

6. The combination of claim 4 wherein said valve actuator has a cam lever secured thereto which is movably positioned within a cam track.

7. In combination:

an inverted liquid container having upper and lower ends;

said lower end of said container having a hollow throat extending downwardly therefrom which has interior and exterior surfaces;

a throat plug assembly having upper and lower ends, positioned in said throat of said container;

a first, normally closed valve movably positioned within said throat plug assembly;

said first valve being movable between open and closed positions;

said first valve, when in its said closed position, seating upon a valve seat;

said first valve, when in its said open position, unseating from said valve seat;

a spring in said throat plug assembly which is in engagement with said first valve to yieldably urge said first valve to its said closed position;

said first valve, when in its said closed position, preventing liquid within the container from flowing therefrom;

said first valve, when in its open position, permitting liquid within the container to flow therethrough;

a flow control assembly, having open upper and lower ends, positioned below said throat of said container;

said flow control assembly including a selectively vertically movable valve actuator which is selectively movable between upper and lower positions;

said first valve being in its said closed position when said valve actuator is in its said lower position;

said valve actuator, when in its said upper position, engaging said normally closed valve to open the same whereby liquid in said container may flow downwardly therefrom through said valve and though said flow control assembly.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said valve actuator is also rotatably movably mounted.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein said valve actuator has a cam lever secured thereto which is movably positioned within a cam track.

10. In combination:

an inverted liquid container having upper and lower ends;

said lower end of said container having a hollow throat extending downwardly therefrom which has interior and exterior surfaces;

a throat plug assembly having upper and lower ends, positioned in said throat of said container;

a first, normally closed valve movably positioned within said throat plug assembly;

said first valve being movable between open and closed positions;

said first valve, when in its said closed position, seating upon a valve seat;

said first valve, when in its said open position, unseating from said valve seat;

a spring in said throat plug assembly which is in engagement with said first valve to yieldably urge said first valve to its said closed position;

said first valve, when in its said closed position, preventing liquid within the container from flowing therefrom;

said first valve, when in its open position, permitting liquid within the container to flow therethrough;

a flow control assembly, having open upper and lower ends, positioned below said throat of said container;

said flow control assembly including a selectively vertically movable valve actuator which is selectively movable between upper and lower positions;

said first valve being in its said open position when said valve actuator is in its said lower position;

said valve actuator including a second valve which closes said valve seat when said valve actuator is in its said raised position.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said valve actuator is also rotatably movably mounted.

12. The combination of claim 10 wherein said valve actuator has a cam lever secured thereto which is movably positioned within a cam track.