Stable liquid flow obturator

Abstract

The present invention relates to a liquid flow stabilizing obturator (1) designed to be associated with the opening of a bottle, thermos bottle and similar container. The obturator (1) comprises an obturator body (3) having a closed lower end (2) and an open upper end (4) for liquid outflow. Openings (6) are provided on the circumference of the obturator body (3) through which liquid can flow into the inside of the obturator (1). The obturator (1) is partially hollow and is internally provided with a flow stabilizing projection (8) starting from the closed lower end (2) and protruding longitudinally through the interior of the obturator (1), thereby forming an annular interior space (7) for the passage of liquid to the open upper end (4).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of stoppers for use on the finishes of bottles and similar containers. Background Art

[0002] The use of devices suitable for being associated with the mouths of bottles, flasks and similar containers is widely known in the prior art. The devices can have various functions, such as closing / opening the passage of liquid in the container to the outside in order to supply the liquid, controlling the intensity of the liquid flow or even making the liquid flow more stable, reducing dripping and other undesirable effects. Everyday examples of devices of this type are the mouths of sports bottles and the spout stoppers in thermos bottles.

[0003] In this sense, document US8056745 (B2) discloses a stopper for a thermos bottle, the purpose of which is to enable the user to supply liquid in a simple and practical way, without having to remove the stopper for the liquid. The stopper comprises a mechanism including an actuation button which, when pressed, raises the lid, thereby enabling liquid to pass through the inside of the stopper and be supplied. The stopper is associated with the mouth of the thermos bottle by a threaded connection.

[0004] Document EP2796078 (B1) defines a stopper assembly for a bottle having a two-part arrangement structure, the stopper assembly comprising an outer stopper enclosed in the mouth of the bottle and an inner stopper enclosed in the outer stopper. The outer stopper and the inner stopper are connected together by threads.

[0005] The main drawback found in conventional solutions is the flow instability and turbulence that can occur when serving a beverage with the device, resulting in eddies and undesired dripping. This phenomenon may not be so detrimental in some everyday applications, such as drinking chilled water from a sports bottle, where the liquid is not hot and where the trajectory of the liquid does not need to be highly precise when flowing out of the bottle.

[0006] However, in certain applications, such as when serving coffee, tea or hot water from a thermos, it is crucial that the hot liquid should not spill onto the user, which could be harmful to health. It is also important that the liquid flows as steadily as possible into the container to avoid liquid losses. Therefore, the solution must enable a steady and laminar flow to occur, avoiding turbulence, eddies and undesired dripping, thereby preventing liquid losses and injuries to the user.

[0007] It is also noted that various occluders of the prior art present an unnecessarily complex structure involving a large number of parts, thereby making the manufacture and the final price of the product more expensive and also making assembly and disassembly more difficult.

[0008] Another drawback found is the lack of attention paid to the heat exchange that naturally occurs between the liquid and the parts of the stopper. When the bottle is tilted, the hot liquid contained inside the bottle comes into physical contact with the parts of the stopper that are at a cooler temperature, thereby triggering a heat exchange between the hot liquid and the stopper. This effect is undesirable, since the user's intention is to prepare his / her drink using exactly all the heat from the liquid. Summary of the invention

[0009] Purpose of the Invention

[0010] The object of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks found in known stoppers. A first object to be achieved is to provide a stopper for coupling to the mouth of a bottle, thermos flask or the like, which is easy to manufacture and to assemble and disassemble on and from the container and easy to operate.

[0011] Another objective to be achieved is to ensure that the liquid flow generated when supplying the liquid, i.e. when the container is tilted, is stable, laminar and accurate, avoiding instabilities, eddies, splashes, drips and undesirable flow directions. This is very important to avoid potential waste of liquid that does not fall into the target container and to avoid injuries to the user in case of undesired contact with hot liquid.

[0012] A further object is to minimize the heat exchange between the hot liquid and the obstruction during the supply action, thereby making it possible to maximize the use of heat from the liquid.

[0013] Brief description of the invention

[0014] The purpose of the present invention is achieved by means of a liquid flow stabilizing obstruction that is arranged to be associated with the opening of a bottle, a thermos flask and similar containers. The obstruction comprises an obstruction body, which has a closed lower end and an open upper end for liquid to flow out. The obstruction body has an opening on the circumference, and liquid can flow to the inside of the obstruction through the opening. The inside of the obstruction is partially hollow and has a flow stabilizing protrusion inside. The flow stabilizing protrusion starts from the closed lower end and protrudes longitudinally through the inside of the obstruction, thereby constructing an annular inner space, which is used for the passage of liquid to the open upper end. The opening of the obstruction body is an elliptical shape.

[0015] The obturator body has a thread fillet on the outside at least over a portion of its length, the thread fillet corresponding to the internal thread of the container mouth, and the liquid flow stabilizing obturator is arranged to be associated with the container mouth by threaded connection. At least one gasket may be provided on the outside and circumference of the obturator body.

[0016] The flow stabilizing protrusions include an insulating material on the inside, which may be a polystyrene block, a polyurethane block, or the like. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The present invention will now be described based on the accompanying drawings.

[0018] Figure 1 The liquid flow stabilizing occluder of the present invention is illustrated from a front view, so that the main external features of the liquid flow stabilizing occluder can be observed; and

[0019] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a fluid flow stabilizing occluder is shown illustrating the components within the occluder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] from Figure 1 As can be seen in the figure, the liquid flow stabilizing obstruction device 1 of the present invention comprises an obstruction device body 3 of a generally cylindrical shape, which has a closed lower end 2 and an open upper end 4, through which liquid can flow out of the liquid flow stabilizing obstruction device 1. The obstruction device body 3 is made of a polymer material such as polypropylene, and the closed lower end 2 is made of stainless steel and can also be made of the same material as the obstruction device body 3.

[0021] The external shape of the liquid flow stabilizing obturator 1 is so prominent that the obturator body 3 is encapsulated in the mouth of a suitable container such as a bottle or a thermos. In order to ensure that the liquid flow stabilizing obturator 1 is optimally connected to the bottle, can be easily assembled and disassembled, and can be well sealed, a thread fillet 5 is formed along a given length of the outer surface of the obturator body 3. The thread fillet 5 corresponds to the internal thread of the mouth of the bottle, and the liquid flow stabilizing obturator 1 will work with the internal thread. In order to ensure that the liquid flow stabilizing obturator 1 is better sealed relative to the bottle mouth, a gasket outside the obturator body 3 can be used.

[0022] The obturator body 3 has oval openings 6 on the circumference in its lower portion, which provide access to the interior of the obturator 1. These openings 6 connect the interior of the liquid flow stabilizing obturator 1 with the interior of the bottle, thereby enabling liquid to enter the obturator 1. Therefore, the path taken by the liquid from the bottle to the bottle outlet when supplied is: enter the obturator 1 through the openings 6 of the obturator body 3, pass through the interior of the liquid flow stabilizing obturator 1, and flow out through the open upper end 4 of the liquid flow stabilizing obturator 1.

[0023] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that it may be advantageous to provide an adjustment mechanism to vary the size of the opening 6 of the obturator body 3 , thereby enabling the flow of liquid from the bottle to the interior of the obturator 1 to be adjusted.

[0024] Figure 2 —— Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid flow stabilizing obstruction device 1 - showing Figure 1 Internal features not shown, such as the fact that the interior of the liquid flow stabilizing obstruction 1 is partially hollow.

[0025] A flow stabilizing protrusion 8 is provided inside the obturator 1 starting from the closed lower end 2, and the flow stabilizing protrusion 8 extends longitudinally through the inside of the obturator 1 coaxially with the obturator 1, thereby extending toward the open upper end 4. The flow stabilizing protrusion 8 is generally cylindrical in shape, and at the end of the flow stabilizing protrusion 8 opposite to the closed lower end 2, that is, at the end closest to the open upper end 4, the flow stabilizing protrusion 8 ends in a generally convex shape. Therefore, the non-hollow portion of the interior of the liquid flow stabilizing obturator 1 is mainly given by the volume of the flow stabilizing protrusion 8.

[0026] Therefore, an annular inner space 7 is constructed inside the liquid flow stabilizing obstruction 1, and the annular inner space 7 is given by the free space between the obstruction body 3 and the flow stabilizing protrusion 8. The total free inner volume of the obstruction 1, which represents the inner part of the obstruction 1 through which liquid can flow, is given by the annular inner space 7 and the free volume of the obstruction 1 in the area of ​​the open upper end 4.

[0027] With this arrangement, after the liquid enters the obturator 1 from the bottle through the opening 6, the liquid flows through the inside of the obturator body 3 through the annular inner space 7, thereby flowing along the obturator 1 in a manner in contact with the inner wall of the obturator body 3 and the outer surface of the flow stabilizing protrusion 8. After flowing through the annular inner space 7, the liquid reaches the area of ​​the open upper end 4 and finally leaves the liquid flow stabilizing obturator 1. It has been determined that this geometry has a positive effect on the flow state of the liquid leaving the bottle, thereby regulating a laminar, accurate and reliable flow without turbulence and splashing. The geometry also produces a flow centralizing effect.

[0028] Assuming that the blocker device is designed without this internal flow stabilizing protrusion 8, the liquid flow that occurs during the supply action will produce splashing and an unstable liquid flow with vortices, thereby creating a risk that part of the liquid may not reach its final destination (e.g., a mate gourd, a coffee cup, etc.), generate waste, or even there is a risk that the hot beverage will come into contact with the user's skin, which may be harmful to health.

[0029] The flow stabilizing protrusion 8 may have an insulating material 9 inside, such as a polystyrene block, a polyurethane block, etc. The presence of the flow stabilizing protrusion 8 inside the liquid flow stabilizing obstruction 1 means that the liquid has more contact with parts of the obstruction 1 during its path to the bottle outlet, which results in an undesirable heat exchange between the hot liquid and the parts of the obstruction at a lower temperature. Therefore, the insulating material 9 is intended to reduce the heat exchange to a minimum, so that the temperature of the liquid when leaving the bottle is substantially the same as its original temperature, thereby further improving the user's experience.

[0030] It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the dimensions of the different elements making up the liquid flow stabilizing obstruction 1 of the present invention, as well as their constituent materials and specific geometries, may vary depending on project requirements, the type of container that the obstruction will enclose, etc. For example, the total length of the liquid flow stabilizing obstruction 1 may be about 72 mm, the total length of the combination formed by the flow stabilizing protrusion 8 and the closed lower end 2 may be about 63.5 mm, the inner diameter of the obstruction body 3 may be about 40.5 mm, and the outer diameter of the flow stabilizing protrusion 8 may be about 31 mm.

Claims

1. A liquid flow stabilizing obstruction (1) arranged to be associated with the opening of bottles, thermoses and similar containers, comprising an obstruction body (3) having a closed lower end (2) and an open upper end (4) for the outflow of liquid, characterized in that: The obturator body (3) has an opening (6) on the circumference, and liquid can flow through the opening (6) to the interior of the obturator (1), wherein the obturator (1) is partially hollow and has a flow stabilizing protrusion (8) inside, and the flow stabilizing protrusion (8) starts from the closed lower end (2) and protrudes longitudinally through the interior of the obturator (1), thereby constructing an annular internal space (7), and the annular internal space (7) is used for the passage of liquid to the open upper end (4).

2. The occluder according to claim 1, characterized in that: The obturator body (3) has a thread fillet (5) on the outside at least over a portion of the length of the obturator body (3), and the thread fillet (5) corresponds to the internal thread of the mouth of the container, and the liquid flow stabilizing obturator (1) is arranged to be associated with the mouth of the container through a threaded connection.

3. The occluder according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that: The flow stabilizing projection (8) comprises a heat insulating material (9) inside.

4. The occluder according to claim 3, characterized in that: The thermal insulation material (9) is a polystyrene block, a polyurethane block or the like.

5. The occluder according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The opening (6) of the obturator body (3) is elliptical in shape.

6. An occluder according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that At least one gasket is arranged on the outside.

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