Funnel with on/off valve

• US 6,341,631 B1
• Filed: 07/20/1999
• Issued: 01/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard B. Platt
• Original Assignee: Richard B. Platt
• Inventors: Hobbs, Rick Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US09/358,563
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 141/331-345, 141/199-205, 141/297-300, 141/291, 141/292, 141/351-354, 222/501
• US Class Current: 141/344
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 11/04 with non-automatic discharge valves
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 11/063 for preventing spilling or dripping

Abstract

An on/off valve for a funnel having a tapered funnel outlet tube which has a substantially circular cross-section and which has a larger diameter inlet end and a smaller diameter outlet end, and features a substantially spherical occluding element in the tapered outlet tube. The diameter of the occluding element is such that the occluding element rests against the inner wall of the tapered outlet tube to close the funnel outlet tube to prevent passage of liquid therethrough and to permit the sealing at a variety of angular displacements of the spherical occluding element. The occluding element'"'"'s position in the tapered outlet tube is determined by a wire-like element protruding from the occluding element out of the outlet tube'"'"'s outlet end, and the protruding element extends substantially parallel to the outlet tube'"'"'s axis and then bends to form a transverse arm which contacts a rim of a vessel being filled by the funnel to start flow therefrom. A method of making the funnel assembly enables attachment of the occluding element to the actuator rod before introducing the occluding element/actuator rod assembly into the funnel body.

Claims

1. A controllable funnel assembly comprising:

a funnel having a tapered single discharge tube of substantially circular cross-section tapering from a tube inlet end to a tube outlet end said discharge tube having a longitudinal axis between the inlet end and outlet end substantially longer in length than the diameter of the inlet end;

an occluding element having at least a substantially spherical lateral surface placed in the discharge tube and being operably related to the discharge tube to form a seal with the inside of the discharge tube, the substantially spherical lateral surface of the occluding element having a diameter greater than a diameter of the tube outlet and less than a diameter of the tube inlet;

a single actuator rod having a first end secured to said occluding element and a second end extending through said tube outlet, and wherein said occluding element is constructed of formable material to aid in its attachment to said actuator rod and wherein said occluding element has a resilient outer surface to aid in forming a seal between said occluding element and said inner surface of said tapered discharge tube, and wherein said actuator rod is made of at least one of a stiff bendable material to allow bending of the actuator rod to prevent removal of the occluding element and actuator rod from said tapered discharge tube, and a flexible material having form memory to allow assembly of the occluding element and actuator rod into said tapered discharge tube.

2. The controllable funnel assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said actuator rod has at least one structure formed in said actuator rod below said tube outlet to limit the movement of said actuator rod in the direction of said tube inlet.

3. The controllable funnel assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said at least one structure formed in said actuator rod below said tube outlet to limit the movement of said actuator is a bend in said actuator rod sufficient to prevent said actuator rod from passing completely back through said funnel outlet.

4. The controllable funnel assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said bend in said actuator rod is at least one of a right angled bend, a “

U”

shaped bend, and a pair of right angled bends separated by a “

U”

shaped bend.

5. The controllable funnel assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said at least one structure formed in said actuator rod below said funnel outlet limits the movement of said actuator rod and said occluding element to a height providing a flow area between said occluding element and said discharge tube to at least as great as the area of said tube outlet end to enable flow through said tube outlet at a rate approximating a flow through said tube outlet as if said occluding element was absent.

6. The controllable funnel assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said at least one structure formed in said actuator rod below said funnel outlet limits the movement of said actuator rod and said occluding element to a height restricting a flow area between said occluding element and said discharge tube to an area at least smaller than the area of said tube outlet to restrict flow through said funnel outlet at a reduced rate.

7. The controllable funnel assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein a lateral dimension of said actuator rod is less than half of a lateral dimension of said funnel outlet for facilitating pivoting of said occluding element.

8. A spherical occluding element for adaptation into an existing funnel structure having a substantially circular tapered discharge tube tapering from a relatively larger inlet end to a relatively smaller outlet end, said funnel structure having a straight axis between the inlet end and the outlet end which is substantially longer than the diameter of the inlet end, comprising:

an actuator rod having a first end and a second end and having at least one of a roughened or expanded area near said first end of said actuator rod to facilitate attachment of said occluding member by molding the occluding member around the first end of the actuator rod; and

said spherical occluding element being attached to said first end of said actuator rod said occluding element having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said inlet end of said tapered discharge tube and greater than the outlet end of the discharge tube and the actuator rod to allow the actuator rod to be inserted into the discharge tube inlet end and through the discharge tube outlet end and to allow the occluding element to form a seal with the inside surface of the tapered discharge tube without the occluding element having an ability to pass through the discharge tube outlet end and wherein said actuator rod is of sufficient length to enable said actuator rod to be bent at a point near said discharge tube outlet end to limit the upward movement of the occluding element and still allow said occluding element to achieve a height within said discharge tube sufficient to provide an effective flow area between said occluding element and said tapering spout.

9. A method of controlling flow through a substantially circular tube having an inner surface which tapers from a larger diameter inlet end to a smaller diameter outlet end which tube has a straight axis from the inlet end to the outlet end which axis is substantially longer than the diameter of the inlet end comprising the steps of:

providing an occluding element having at least a lateral spherical surface with a diameter smaller than said inlet end of said tube and larger than the outlet end of said tube for forming a seal between said occluding element and said inner surface of said substantially circular tube due solely to the force of gravity acting on the liquid in the discharge tube and the occluding element; and

providing an elongated actuator, operably connected at one end to the occluding element and configured to extend out of the smaller diameter discharge end of said substantially circular tube with the occluding element forming a seal with said inside of said substantially circular tube to provide structure to facilitate breaking said seal between said occluding element and said inside of said substantially circular tube to allow flow through said substantially circular tube.

10. The method of controlling flow through a substantially circular tube as recited in claim 9 and further comprising the steps of:

constructing said occluding element of a formable material to aid in the connection of the occluding element to said actuator and providing the spherical surface of the occluding element with a resilient surface to aid in forming said seal between said occluding element and the inner surface of the substantially circular tube and wherein said actuator is made of at least one of a stiff bendable material to allow bending of the actuator to prevent removal of said occluding element and actuator from said substantially circular tube in which they are placed and a flexible material having form memory to allow assembly of said occluding element and actuator with said substantially circular tube.

11. A controllable funnel assembly comprising:

a funnel having a tapered discharge tube of substantially circular cross-section tapering from the tube inlet end to the tube outlet end, the discharge tube having a straight axis from the tube inlet end to the tube outlet end, and the tube inlet end having a diameter substantially smaller than the axis between the inlet end and outlet end of the discharge tube;

an occluding element having at least a substantially spherical lateral surface placed in the discharge tube, said substantially spherical lateral surface of the occluding element having a diameter greater than the diameter of the tube outlet and less than the diameter of the tube inlet and having a shape capable of forming a liquid-tight seal with an inner wall of the discharge tube as a result solely due to the force of gravity acting upon the occluding element and the liquid in the discharge tube to urge the occluding element toward the funnel outlet to seat at a multiplicity of angular positions of said occluding element; and

an actuator rod having a first end secured to said occluding element and a second end extending through said tube outlet.

12. The controllable funnel assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein said actuator rod includes at least one of a right angled bend, a “

U”

shaped bend, and a pair of right angled bends separated by a “

U”

shaped bend.

13. The controllable funnel assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein said force is at least one of a gravity force and a force from a fluid within said controllable funnel assembly.

14. A controllable funnel assembly comprising:

a funnel having a tapered discharge tube of substantially circular cross-section tapering from a tube inlet end to a tube outlet end, the discharge tube having a straight axis from the tube inlet end to the tube outlet end and the tube inlet end having a diameter substantially smaller than the discharge tube'"'"'s axis between the inlet end and the outlet end;

an occluding element having at least a substantially spherical lateral surface placed in the discharge tube, said substantially spherical lateral surface of the occluding element having a diameter greater than the diameter of the tube outlet and less than the diameter of the tube inlet and having a shape capable of forming a liquid tight seal with an inner wall of the discharge tube as a result solely of the force of gravity acting on the occluding element and the liquid in the discharge tube, the diameter of the occluding element also being closer in magnitude to an inner diameter of said tube outlet than to the inner diameter of said tube inlet to enable a wider number of angular displacement sealing positions of said occluding element and to minimize any latent dripping of fluid from within said tapered discharge tube after sealing; and

an actuator rod having a first end secured to said occluding element and a second end extending through said tube outlet.