Wireless spout and system for dispensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8925769-B2
Application number	US-201113227408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2011
Priority date	May 8, 2008
Publication date	Jan 6, 2015
Grant date	Jan 6, 2015

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a pouring device for a container for the dosing of liquid. The pouring device has various features intended to ease use, including an improved removal and attachment system and a system to identify and visually illustrate selected pour sizes. In a specific embodiment, the pouring device has a colored light or LED indicator system that allows the user to quickly and easily confirm the selected pour size. Embodiments may also include one or more features that ease attachment and removal of the pouring device to a liquid container, such as a replaceable cork system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pouring device for a container for the dosing of liquid, the pouring device comprising:
(a) a spout housing configured to seal an opening of the container;
(b) a conduit extending through the spout housing for liquid passage through the housing;
(c) an electrically operated valve disposed within the spout housing for selectively clamping the conduit so that a registerable amount of liquid is dosed;
(d) an attachment system for securing the spout housing to the container, comprising (i) a tube extending from a base of the spout housing and encircling a portion of the conduit extending from the spout housing, the tube comprising a threaded distal portion; (ii) a plurality of removable and replaceable corks in varying sizes, configured to fit bottle necks of varying sizes, each of the corks having a hollow center portion to receive the tube, and (iii) a nut to secure the cork to the threaded distal portion of the tube,
wherein in use an appropriately sized cork is selected from the plurality of removeable and replaceable corks, and the cork is positioned over the tube, and the nut is secured to the threaded distal portion of the tube below the cork; and
(e) an indicator system positioned on the spout housing comprising a series of different visual indicia configured to indicate a selected pour size delivered by the electrically operated valve.

2. The pouring device of claim 1 , wherein the nut comprises one or more flat portions on its outer perimeter.

3. The pouring device of claim 1 , wherein the cork comprises polyethylene, silicone, or a food-safe plastic.

4. The pouring device of claim 1 , wherein the nut comprises plastic.

5. The pouring device of claim 1 , further comprising an activation/selection button for selecting a particular pour size.

6. A method for replacing a cork on a pouring device for a container for the dosing of liquid, comprising:
(a) providing a spout housing configured to seal an opening of the container, the spout housing comprising (i) an inlet tube with a distal threaded portion extending from a base of the spout housing and encircling a portion of a conduit extending from the spout housing, (ii) an indicator system positioned on the spout housing comprising a series of different visual indicia configured to indicate a selected pour size, and (iii) an electrically operated valve disposed within the spout housing for selectively clamping the conduit within the inlet tube so that a registerable amount of liquid is dosed; (b)
providing a plurality of removable and replaceable corks in varying sizes, configured to fit bottle necks of varying sizes, the corks having hollow center portions; and a nut;
(c) selecting an appropriately sized cork from the plurality of corks, based on a size of the container opening;
(d) positioning the hollow center portion of the selected cork over the inlet tube; and
(e) securing the nut against the threaded distal portion of the tube below the cork.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the selected cork may be removed and replaced with a replacement cork by removing the nut, removing the cork, re-positing a replacement cork over the tube, and re-positioning a new or replacement nut.

8. The pouring device of claim 1 , further comprising security straps positioned on the spout.

9. The pouring device of claim 1 , wherein the series of different visual indicia configured to indicate a selected pour size comprise differently colored lights, a pictorial image of a pour size, or a specific ounce size.

10. The pouring device of claim 1 , further comprising a ring or a collar or both to help secure the cork in place.

11. The pouring device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of removable and replaceable corks comprises a series of protrusions along an outer cork surface, wherein the protrusions provide substantially similar diameters along the cork.

Assignees

• Zapp Achim Philipp
• Martindale Richard A
• Automatic Bar Controls Inc

Inventors

• Zapp Achim Philipp
• Martindale Richard A

Classifications

• B67D3/0003

  provided with automatic fluid control means · CPC title

• B67D3/041

  operated by pinching action on flexible tubes · CPC title

• G01F15/075

  using electrically-operated integrating means · CPC title

• B67D3/0006 Primary

  responsive to coded information provided on the neck or spout of the storage container, e.g. bar-code, magnets or transponder · CPC title

• B65D25/48

  Separable nozzles or spouts · CPC title