Title of Invention

A MULTI-VOLUME MEASURING BOTTLE

Abstract

A MULTI-VOLUME MEASURING BOTTLE (Patent Application No. 1566/MAS/95) ABSTRACT Bottles, commonly used for liquids, comprise a storage chamber and a lid. To dispense a precise volume of liquid from such a bottle, one needs to use an external measuring cup, with some skill and care. This invention offers an improved bottle which can be used for storing a liquid as well as for dispensing precise volumes of the liquid with ease. Using the "Multi-Volume Measuring Bottle", liquid to the required volume can be measured and isolated within the bottle, without having to pour into an external measuring cup. This pre-measured volume of liquid can then be poured out directly from the bottle to the point of use. This makes dispensing of precise volumes of liquids a less demanding task.

Full Text

This invention relates to a bottle which can be used for storing a liquid, as well as for dispensing precisely measured volumes of the liquid with ease. Liquids are commonly stored in bottles. Many times, there is a need to dispense precise volumes of liquids from bottles. Such a need arises both at home and outside. A typical bottle, in common use for storing liquids, consists of a storage chamber with a lid. When a precise volume of liquid is to be dispensed from such a bottle, the lid has to be removed, and the liquid poured out carefully into an external measuring cup to ascertain the volume. After pouring out the desired volume into the measuring cup, the bottle lid is replaced and the liquid dispensed from the measuring cup to the point of use. This process of measuring out a precise volume from such a bottle involves trial and error, and demands some skill and care. This proposal offers an improved bottle using which the required volume of liquid can be measured and isolated within the bottle, without having to pour into an external measuring cup. This pre-measured volume of liquid can be poured out directly from the bottle to the point of use. This makes dispensing of precise volumes of liquids a less demanding task. The invention proposed is a "Multi-Volume Measuring Bottle", (herein after also referred as "measuring bottle") for liquids, which consists of two chambers - a 'liquid chamber' for storing liquid, and a 'measuring chamber', with graduations, for measuring and isolating a desired volume of the liquid ; a passage inter-connecting the two chambers, controlled by a spool, which can be used to allow liquid to flow between the two chambers in order to facilitate measurement of liquid in the 'measuring chamber', or to isolate the two chambers once the desired volume of liquid has been admitted in the 'measuring chamber'; an air breathing passage between the two chambers to equalize air pressure to allow smooth flow of liquid between the two chambers whenever the two chambers are inter-connected ; an opening with a lid at the top of the 'measuring chamber', such that when the bottle is tilted with the lid open and with the two chambers isolated, the measured volume of liquid in the 'measuring chamber' alone can be poured out without risk of pouring the remaining liquid in the 'liquid chamber'. The proposed invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figures 1 to 3 show details of the main components of the proposed "Measuring Bottle"; more specifically, Figure-1 shows the body, Figure-2 shows the lid and Figure-3 shows the spool; Figure-4 shows an exploded view of the various components that go to assemble the "measuring bottle"; Figures 5.1 and 5.2 show sectional views of the "measuring bottle", showing two positions of the spool; Figures 6 to 11 show how to measure and isolate the required volume of liquid within the "measuring bottle"; Figure-12 shows how to dispense the measured volume of liquid from the "measuring bottle"; Figure-13 shows how to pour an unmeasured volume of liquid continuously from the "measuring bottle"; Figure-14 shows how the "measuring bottle" may be refilled with liquid ; Figure-15 shows how the "measuring bottle" may be filled with liquid initially; Figure-16 shows one method of storing the "measuring bottle"; Figure-17 shows another method of storing the "measuring bottle". The main components of the proposed measuring bottle will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The first component of the proposed measuring bottle, viz., the body, will now be described with reference to Figure-1. Body D is made of transparent or transluscent material, and is divided into two chambers, viz., liquid chamber L and measuring chamber M, by partition P. Tubular passage T, through its hole H1, serves to connect liquid chamber L and measuring chamber M. Tubular passage T ends with a hole of diameter D1 as shown in Figure-1,Partition P contains, at the top, a tiny hole H2, which also connects liquid chamber L and measuring chamber M. Body D also has a graduated scale marked on its outside wall, outside measuring chamber M. This graduated scale is meant to indicate volume inside measuring chamber M. This scale is • not visible in the views shown in Figure-1, but is shown subsequently in Figure-4 (to be explained later). Figure-2 shows lid C, which is the second component of the proposed measuring bottle. Lid C shown in Figure-2 can be used to close the mouth of body D shown in Figure-1. Figure-3 shows spool S, which is the third component of the proposed measuring bottle. Spool S has two grooves G1 and G2 which can house two 0-rings (O-rings are not shown in Figure-3). Spool S shown in Figure-3 can be assembled into tubular passage T of body D shown in Figure-1. Diameter D2 on spool S (Figure-3) is a push fit in diameter D1 in body D (Figure-1), such that once the grooves G1 and G2 of spool S are pushed past diameter D1 in body D, spool S can freely slide in the tubular passage T of body D. Figure-4 shows an exploded view of the various components that go to assemble the measuring bottle. Referring to Figure-4, the method of assembly is as follows. Spool S, with two O-rings 01 and 02, pre-assembled onto it, is to be pushed into tubular passage T of body D. Lid C is to be assembled onto body D from the top to complete the assembly. Figure-4 also shows graduated scale G marked on the outside wall of body D, outside the measuring chamber M. This scale is suitably graduated to indicate volume inside measuring chamber M. Figure-5.1 shows a sectional view of the proposed measuring bottle, with all the components - viz., body D, spool S with 0-rings 01 and 02, and lid C - assembled. In Figure-5.1, spool S is shown in 'closed' position, wherein 0-ring 01 serves to isolate measuring chamber M from liquid chamber L. However, liquid chamber L remains connected to measuring chamber M at the top, due to the presence of hole H2. 0-ring 02 serves to seal the passage from measuring chamber M to the atmosphere through tubular passage T. Figure 5.2 shows a part sectional view of the proposed measuring bottle with spool S extended out ie., in 'open' position. In this position, measuring chamber M gets connected to liquid chamber L through hole HI. The method of using the proposed measuring bottle to measure and isolate the required volume of liquid within the measuring bottle will now be explained with reference to Figures 6 to 11. Figure-6 shows the sectional view of the proposed measuring bottle with liquid chamber L filled with liquid l, and with spool S in 'closed' position. In this position, 0-ring 01 seals the liquid passage between liquid chamber L and measuring chamber M, thus containing liquid i, within liquid chamber L. Hole H2 connects liquid chamber L and measuring chamber M at the top, thus equalizing the air pressure in the two chambers. Figure-7 demonstrates how liquid l can now be drawn into measuring chamber M. Referring to Figure-7, when spool S is pulled to 'open' position, 0-ring 01 uncovers hole H1, thus creating a passage for liquid between liquid chamber L and measuring chamber M through hole H1. Since the pressure of air above the liquid level in liquid chamber L is same as that in measuring chamber M due to the presence of hole H2, liquid now rises up smoothly in measuring chamber M. When the desired volume of liquid has been admitted into measuring chamber M, as can be confirmed by comparing the liquid level in measuring chamber M against graduations marked on the outside wall, spool S can be pushed to 'closed' position, thus trapping the measured volume of liquid in measuring chamber M. This is shown in Figure-9, wherein spool S is in 'closed' position, with the desired volume of liquid isolated in measuring chamber M. In the spool position shown in Figure-9, 0-ring 02 serves to prevent any leakage of liquid from measuring chamber M, through hole H1 to atmosphere. If spool S is kept in 'open' position continuously, liquid continues to flow from liquid chamber L to measuring chamber M till the levels in the two chambers equalize. This is shown in Figure-8, wherein spool S is in 'open' position with liquid levels identical in liquid chamber L and measuring chamber M. Figures 10 and 11 show how to measure and isolate any desired volume of liquid in measuring chamber M even when the volume of liquid in liquid chamber L is low. In such an event, it may become necessary to maintain a higher liquid level in measuring chamber M as compared to the level in liquid chamber L. To achieve this, the measuring bottle is suitably tilted, with spool S in 'open' position, as shown in Figure-10. Liquid 1 now flows from liquid chamber L to measuring chamber M through hole H1, till the levels in the two chambers equalize. The extent of tilt of the measuring bottle needs to be suitably adjusted to get the desired liquid level in measuring chamber M. Spool S can now be pushed to 'closed' position to trap the liquid in measuring chamber M, as shown in Figure-11. Liquid level in measuring chamber M will now be more than that in the liquid chamber L, and the volume of the thus measured liquid can be verified against the graduations marked on the outside wall of the measuring bottle. The method of measuring and isolating the desired volume of liquid within the proposed measuring bottle has thus far been explained with reference to Figures 6 to 11. The thus measured and isolated volume of liquid will remain contained within measuring chamber M so long as spool S is kept in 'closed' position (as earlier shown in Figures 9 and 11). The thus measured and isolated volume of liquid can be poured out from the measuring bottle by tilting it suitably after removing the lid. Figure-12 suggests how the measuring bottle may be tilted to pour out the measured volume from measuring chamber M. It may be noted that in the tilted position of the measuring bottle shown in Figure-12, hole H2 appears as if it offered a passage for liquid between measuring chamber M and liquid chamber L. However, hole H2 does not allow any significant quantity of liquid to pass through it, due to the following reasons: 1) Hole H2 is designed to be of very small diameter, such that it can only act as a passage for air between measuring chamber M and liquid chamber L (as has been explained previously with reference to Figures 6 to 11). Such a small diameter hole does not allow liquid to pass through it freely, unless the liquid has a sufficient pressure. In the tilted position shown in Figure-12, there is only a very small head of liquid above hole H2. 2) For hole H2 to act as a passage for liquid between measuring chamber M and liquid chamber L, an air breathing passage is necessary for liquid chamber L, to allow air to escape from or enter into the space above liquid level in liquid chamber L. Since spool S is in 'closed' position, no such air breathing passage is available. As a result, when the measuring bottle is tilted as shown in Figure-12, the volume of liquid dispensed equals the volume of liquid contained in measuring chamber M, thus contributing to dispensing accuracy. Liquid can also be poured out continuously from the proposed measuring bottle, without measuring liquid volume, when desired. Figure-13 shows how this can be done. The measuring bottle, with its lid removed, is first tilted as shown in Figure-13, and then spool S is pulled to 'open' position to allow liquid flow. Now liquid flows out continuously from liquid chamber L, through hole HI and through measuring chamber M. Smooth flow of liquid is facilitated by hole H2, which allows atmospheric air to enter liquid chamber L, as shown by arrows 'a' in Figure-13. Figure-14 shows how the proposed measuring bottle can be refilled with liquid. The measuring bottle is kept in the orientation shown in Figure-14, with its lid removed and spool S kept in 'open' position. Now liquid can be poured into measuring chamber M Liquid 1 enters liquid chamber L through hole H1, and displaces air from liquid chamber L, through hole H2 to atmosphere, thus allowing smooth refilling. The flow of air is shown by arrows 'a' in Figure-14. When the proposed measuring bottle is filled initially with liquid, it may be necessary to achieve fast filling rates. Fast filling of measuring bottle is possible by the method shown in Figure-15, wherein liquid i is filled into body D, before even assembling the spool. Liquid is directly filled into liquid chamber L, and the air displaced by the liquid escapes through hole H2 to atmosphere, as shown by arrows 'a'. The spool and lid are, in this case, assembled subsequently, after filling. Figures 16 and 17 show two possible methods of storing the proposed measuring bottle. In the first storage method shown in Figure-16, the 0-rings are always subjected to pressure exerted by the column of liquid in liquid chamber L. This calls for good quality 0-rings. In the second storage method shown in Figure-17, the 0-rings are not in contact with the liquid in liquid chamber L. This method may be preferable when the quality of 0-rings used is not of a high order. It will be seen that my proposal results in a new type of bottle which can be used - for storing a liquid - for measuring and isolating, within the bottle, a precise volume of the liquid - for dispensing only the measured and isolated volume of liquid, and no more, from the bottle, thus avoiding risk of spillage and risk of dispensing a wrong volume - for dispensing liquid continuously from the bottle, without measuring volume, when necessary. Using the proposed measuring bottle, the required volume of liquid can be dispensed straight from the bottle to the point of use, and no external cups or spoons are necessary for volume measurement. This makes it easier and safer to measure and dispense required voiumes of liquid from a bottle, be it in homes, in labs, in industry, or elsewhere. claim: 1) A "Multi-Volume Measuring Bottle", for liquids, which consists of two chambers - a 'liquid chamber' for storing liquid, and a 'measuring chamber' with graduations for measuring and isolating a desired volume of the liquid ; a passage inter-connecting the two chambers, controlled by a spool, which can be used to allow liquid to flow between the two chambers in order to facilitate measurement of liquid in the 'measuring chamber', or to isolate the two chambers once the desired volume of liquid has been admitted in the 'measuring chamber'; an air breathing passage between the two chambers to equalize air pressure to allow smooth flow of liquid between the two chambers whenever the two chambers are inter¬ connected ; an opening with a lid at the top of the 'measuring chamber", such that when the bottle is tilted with the lid open and with the two chambers isolated, the measured volume of liquid in the 'measuring chamber' alone can be poured out without risk of pouring the remaining liquid in the 'liquid chamber'. 2) A "Multi-Volume Measuring Bottle", substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

1566-mas-1995 abstract.pdf

1566-mas-1995 claims.pdf

1566-mas-1995 correspondence -others.pdf

1566-mas-1995 correspondence -po.pdf

1566-mas-1995 description (complete).pdf

1566-mas-1995 drawings.pdf

1566-mas-1995 form-1.pdf

1566-mas-1995 form-29.pdf

1566-mas-1995 form-4.pdf

1566-mas-1995 form-41.pdf