Portable motor driven dispensing devices

March 16, 1965

S. T. G1AVASIS

3,173,584

PORTABLE MOTOR DRIVEN DISPENSING DEVICES

Filed Nov. 15, 1962

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ATTORNEY

3,173,584

Patented Mar. 16, 1965

United States Patent Office

3,173,584

PORTABLE MOTOR DRIVEN DISPENSING DEVICES

Steve T. Giavasis, 233 W. Pine St., Long Beach, N.Y. Filed Nov. 15,1962, Ser. No. 237,855

Claims. (Cl. 222—263)

This invention relates to dispensing devices and more particularly to dispensing devices of the type adapted to be employed in household use for dispensing of food products.

An object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device that is compact in size, easily gripped in the hand for facile finger manipulation to cause the material contained in the device to be dispensed therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device that, aside from being small and portable, is capable of being held in the palm of the hand in such fashion that one of the fingers of the hand is positioned adjacent actuating structure that will permit the operation of the device to dispense material therefrom.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device that does not need to be inverted or turned wrong-side up to dispense the material therefrom, but rather, by simple finger actuation can cause the material to be dispensed from a spout, to any desired location and in controlled amounts.

Other and further objects of this invention reside in the structures and arrangements hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dispensing device constructed in accordance with the teaching of the invention and with portions thereof broken away to more fully illustrate its details,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating another embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 with a portion thereof broken away to illustrate still another embodiment.

Referring now to the drawing and in particular the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the dispensing device there shown is generally identified by the numeral 10. Dispensing device 10 comprises a material holding container 12 having a normally open top 14 that is provided about the periphery of its neck with a threaded surface 16. The container 12 may assume any convenient shape, most preferably one that will enable it to be seated or rested at its bottom 18 on a table or other convenient surface without tilting.

Adapted to be removably secured to the threaded necked surface 16 of the container 12 is a cap or cover 20. The cap 20 is provided with a complementary neck 22 that is interiorly threaded to matingiy engage with the threaded surface 16 and thereby normally close the top of the container 12. The cap 20 includes a material dispensing spout 24 that is connected in continuous communication with a material guideway 26 that depends downwardly from the cap into the container 12. The guideway 26 may be molded integral with the remaining details of the cap 20 to form a unitary extension of the spout 24 or it may be separately connected to form an integral part of the cap 20 but in constant communication with the spout to guide material therealong to the spout and to be dispensed therefrom.

Also included in the details of the cap 20 is an air passage 28 in the form of a tube that extends downwardly therefrom and formed integral therewith to project into the material holding container 12 in the same manner as does the guideway 26. The air passage 28, like the guideway 26, is open at its lowermost end in the area of the bottom of the container 12. The air passage 28 is interrupted along its length by an air conduit 30 that is connected with an orifice 32 through which atmospheric air is directed from about the cap 20 to the air 5 passage 28. Included within the air passage 28 is a piston 34 that is adapted to be reciprocated therein by an arm 36 pivotally connected to a crank 38 eccentrically mounted on a driven gear 40. The gear 40 is idly mounted for rotation on a bracket 42 that is fixed in the 20 molded portion of the cap 20 and that similarly supports an electric motor 44 having a driving gear 46.

Formed as an integral molded part of the cap 20 is a handle 48 that extends downwardly from the cap along a facing side of the container 12. Immediately adja15 cent to and above the handle is a thumb actuated switch 50. The switch 50 is capable of being actuated to complete a circuit between a plurality of batteries 52 or other source of electrical energy conveniently mounted in the handle 48 and the motor 44 by closing a circuit between 20 a connector 54 and a conductor 56.

In operation, any convenient household food or substance such as catsup, salt, sugar, mayonnaise or other liquid or granular material is first poured into the container 12 through the open top 14 after the cap 20 has 25 been threadedly removed therefrom. After the desired amount of material has been poured into the container 12, the cap 20 with its attendant downwardly extending guideway 26 and air passage 23 is placed over the container 12 and such extending details inserted into the 30 same and in the food product held therein. The cap 20 and container 12 are then relatively rotated to connect the same together thereby positioning the handle 48 alongside an adjacent portion of the container 12.

When it is desired to utilize the dispensing device 10, 35 the handle 43 is grasped in the palm of the hand. The relationship of the handle relative to the remaining details of the cap and to the switch 50 automatically positions the thumb such that it is able to reach the switch 50 without strain or unnecessary deflection or extension. 40 Material is dispensed from the container 12 through the spout 24 by the application of light thumb pressure on the switch 50 closing a circuit between the series connected batteries 52 and the motor 44. Thus, the finger actuation of the switch 50 causes the motor 44 to operate 45 and thereby rotate its driving gear 46 and the idler gear 40.

During the rotation of the gear 40, the eccentrically positioned crank 38 lifts and lowers the arm 36 connected with the piston 34 to reciprocate the same within the 50 passageway 28. Each time the piston 34 reciprocates upwardly, it uncovers the air conduit 30, permitting atmospheric air to pass from the orifice 32, along the conduit 30 and into the air passage 28 beneath it. Thereafter, as the piston reciprocates downwardly, it forces the air 55 therebeneath downwardly into the bottom of the container 12. This downward displacement of air into the container results in a consequent displacement of material from the container upwardly along the material guideway 26 and outwardly from the cap 20 through the go dispensing spout 24. It will be recognized that the amount of material dispensed from the device 10 can be intricately controlled by the duration of finger actuation of the switch 50.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the embodiment of the dis65 pensing device thereshown is generally identified by the numeral 100. Inasmuch as certain details of the dispensing device 100 are substantially the same as those of the previously described dispensing device 10, such like details will bear the same tens digits as those in70 eluded in the embodiment 10 except that they will be in the 100 series of numerals. This will obviate the

3,173,584 is normally urged upwardly into its solid line position as shown in the drawing by a yieldable means in the form of a spring 266. The lower end of the spring 266 is mounted in the cap 220.

The opposite end of the lever 251 includes a finger actuated extension 250 that extends and projects beyond the cap 220 adjacent to the handle 248 and so positioned with respect to the same that the thumb of the hand grasping the handle is in position to depress the lever ] θ 251 at 250. The opening in the cap 220 through which the lever 251 projects provides communication between the interior of the cap and the surrounding atmosphere. An air conduit 230 is formed in the cap 220 alongside the air passageway 228 and has an orifice 232 that communicates with the interior of the. air passageway beneath, the piston 234 when the same is in its raised position as shown in dash lines.

The operation of the instant embodiment is substantially the same as that described with respect, to FIG. 1. The user of the dispensing device 200 manipulates the same by grasping the handle 248 in the palm of his hand thereby positioning his thumb adjacent to the finger actuator 250. Thereafter, by depressing the actuator 250 against the. normal, urging of the spring 266, the teeth of the segmental gear 244 rotatively engage with the teeth of the pinion 246 causing the same to operate and to move the disc 240, eccentrically raising and lowering the crank 238 and the arm 236. This results in reciprocating the piston 234 between its dash line position wherein the air orifice 232 is uncovered permitting air to be communicated to the passage 228 beneath the piston, and subsequently to be covered by the downward pumping movement of the piston to force the air trapped therebeneath downward through the passage 228 into the container 212. This movement of air into the container 212 results in a consequent: upward displacement of material from the container through the material guideway 226 causing the same to be dispensed outwardly therefrom by way of the spout 224.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to several preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated and in their operations may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It; is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.