Portion control dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11225370-B2
Application number	US-202016738332-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2020
Priority date	Jan 9, 2020
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

The invention is directed to a dispensing device comprising a rigid container, a flexible bladder, and a rigid stopper. The container is adapted to contain a product to be dispensed. The flexible bladder is disposed below and in fluid communication with the container. The bladder comprises a top end, a sidewall extending downwardly from the top end and terminates in a spout. The bladder is in a liquid tight engagement with the container and the product contained in the container is adapted to flow into the bladder. The rigid stopper is disposed within the flexible bladder and comprises a top end, and at least one sidewall extending downwardly from the top end, and terminates in an open bottom end. The stopper comprises a plurality of through holes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing device comprising:
a rigid container adapted to contain a product to be dispensed, the container comprising at a top end, a bottom end, and at least one sidewall connecting the top end and the bottom end, wherein the top end of the container comprises a first opening and the bottom end of the container comprises a second opening;
a flexible bladder disposed below the second opening of the container, the bladder comprising a top end, a sidewall extending downwardly from the top end and terminating in a spout, wherein the flexible bladder is in a liquid tight engagement with the container and the product contained in the container flows into the bladder; and
a rigid stopper disposed within the flexible bladder, the stopper comprising a top end and at least one sidewall extending downwardly from the top end and terminating in an open bottom end, wherein the stopper comprises a plurality of through holes which extend between an external surface of the stopper sidewall and an internal surface of the stopper sidewall.

2. The dispensing device of claim 1 further comprising a removable cap which covers the first opening in the top end of the container.

3. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the device comprises a hanger mechanism.

4. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the container is tapered at its bottom end.

5. The dispensing device of claim 4 wherein the container bottom end terminates in an elongated neck portion surrounding the second opening.

6. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the bladder comprises a flexible plastic or rubber.

7. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the bladder is sized and configured to be grasped and squeezed by a human hand and thereby dispenses the product.

8. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the bladder additionally comprises, at its top end, a shoulder adjacent a neck and a flange adjacent the opposite side of the neck and the stopper additionally comprises, at its top end, a shoulder adjacent a neck and a flange adjacent the opposite side of the neck.

9. The dispensing device of claim 8 , wherein the neck of the bladder and the neck of the stopper are in a removably secured configuration.

10. The dispensing device of claim 8 , wherein the flange of the bladder and the flange of the stopper are in a removably secured configuration.

11. The dispensing device of claim 8 , wherein a space is disposed between at least a portion of the sidewall of the bladder and at least a portion of the sidewall of the stopper.

12. The dispensing device of claim 11 wherein the space between the sidewall of the bladder and the sidewall of the stopper determines an amount of product to be dispensed.

13. The dispensing device of claim 8 , wherein a space is disposed between the sidewall of the bladder, below the bladder shoulder, and the sidewall of the stopper, below the stopper shoulder.

14. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the through holes circumvent the stopper sidewall.

15. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the through holes are disposed in a staggered pattern.

16. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the through holes are sized and configured to allow the product to freely flow therethrough.

17. The dispensing device of claim 1 additionally comprising a locking nut securedly affixing the container, bladder, and stopper.

18. A dispensing device comprising:
a rigid container adapted to contain a product to be dispensed, the container comprising at a top end, a bottom end, and at least one sidewall connecting the top end and the bottom end, wherein the top end of the container comprises a first opening and the bottom end of the container comprises a second opening;
a flexible bladder disposed below the second opening of the container, the bladder comprising a top end, a sidewall extending downwardly from the top end and terminating in a spout, wherein the flexible bladder is in a liquid tight engagement with the container and the product contained in the container flows into the bladder; and
a plurality of interchangeable rigid stoppers, each adapted to be replaceably disposed within the flexible bladder, each stopper comprising a top end and at least one sidewall extending downwardly from the top end and terminating in an open bottom end, wherein each of the plurality of interchangeable stoppers comprise a plurality of through holes which extend between an external surface of the stopper sidewall and an internal surface of the stopper sidewall.

19. A dispensing device comprising:
a rigid container adapted to contain a product to be dispensed, the container comprising at a top end, a bottom end, and at least one sidewall connecting the top end and the bottom end, wherein the top end of the container comprises a first opening and the bottom end of the container comprises a second opening;
a plurality of interchangeable flexible bladders, each bladder adapted to be disposed below the second opening of the container, each bladder comprising a top end, a sidewall extending downwardly from the top end and terminating in a spout, wherein when affixed to the container, each flexible bladder is in a liquid tight engagement with the container and the product contained in the container flows into the bladder; and
a rigid stopper disposed within the affixed flexible bladder, the stopper comprising a top end and at least one sidewall extending downwardly from the top end and terminating in an open bottom end, wherein the stopper comprises a plurality of through holes which extend between an external surface of the stopper sidewall and an internal surface of the stopper sidewall.

Assignees

• Sonoco Dev Inc

Inventors

• Ziegenfelder Kurt A

Classifications

• B05B11/1005

  with means for adjusting or modifying pump stroke · CPC title

• B05B11/1032

  actuated without substantial movement of the nozzle in the direction of the pressure stroke (B05B11/103 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B11/1094

  having inlet or outlet valves not being actuated by pressure or having no inlet or outlet valve · CPC title

• B65D83/771 Primary

  for dispensing fluent contents by means of a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm · CPC title

• A47K5/1209

  with chamber in the form of a cylindrical tube · CPC title