INFLATABLE FUNNEL

• US 3,815,646 A
• Filed: 01/29/1973
• Issued: 06/11/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald L. Coakley
• Original Assignee: Donald L. Coakley
• Inventors: Coakley, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Jr., Houston S.
• Application Number:
  US05/327,498
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 141/98,199-205,297-300,331-345,390-392 46/87,88 222/522-530 210/473
• US Class Current: 141/337
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 11/02 without discharge valves

Abstract

An inflatable funnel, having inner and outer funnel shaped members, formed of flexible, resilient sheet material sealed at their tops and bottoms leaving a space therebetween for the insertion of air to inflate the funnel into semi-rigid form. The deflated funnel folds to very small dimensions, and while inflated the funnel is sufficiently rigid for directing fluid from one container to another out its smaller end.

Claims

1. An inflatable funnel comprising an inner funnel shaped member formed of a foldable, air and liquid tight, soft, resilient Filmlike material;

an outer funnel shaped member telescoped over said inner member and formed of a foldable, air and liquid tight, soft, resilient, film-like material;

said inner and outer members being sealed together to form an air-tight chamber therebetween which permits said space to be filled with air to inflate said unit into an essentially semi-rigid funnel, and means for introducing and withdrawing air from said chamber.

2. An inflatable funnel according to claim 1 wherein said inner and outer funnel shaped members include a large truncated cone shape and a smaller truncated cone shape secured to the small end of said large truncated cone shape.

3. An inflatable funnel according to claim 1 wherein said inner and outer funnel shaped members are truncated cones.

4. An inflatable funnel according to claim 1 wherein said film-like material is a synthetic plastic.

5. An inflatable funnel according to claim 1 wherein the outlet of said funnel is directed at an angle to a perpendicular axis through the inlet of said funnel.

6. An inflatable funnel according to claim 1 wherein said inner and outer funnel shaped members are formed of planar sheet material rolled into a circle with the adjoining edges sealed together in an air and liquid tight seal.

7. An inflatable funnel according to claim 1 wherein said inner and outer members are sealed together at their tops and bottoms forming an air tight chamber therebetween.