LIQUID CONTAINER WITH IMPROVED DISPENSING SPOUT

This invention relates to a liquid container and more particularly to such a container provided with an improved spout forming component.

In the prior art, there has been offered a means intended for preventing the spillage of droplets during pouring from the outlet of a bottle. Such means essentially consists of a foil which may be formed as a conduit and inserted into the outlet of the bottle thereby elongating the spout portion of the bottle and correspondingly minimizing if not eliminating the formulation and escape of droplets. Presumably, such foils used as extended spouts are discarded after usage or retained, perhaps stored and used repeatedly. Such presumed handling of such spout forming foils, however, requires additional preparation in terms of accessing which perhaps would result as a nusance in the context of a party or entertaining guests. Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a means for minimizing if not eliminating the formation of droplets from a liquid container such as a wine bottle, particularly in the course of hosting a party, which requires a minimal amount of time and effort to acquire, apply, use and dispose.

The principal object of the present invention is achieved by means of a container consisting of a body for holding a liquid therein, and a patch of material detachably mounted on such body wherein such patch may be readily detached from such body, formed into a conduit and inserted into the outlet of such body to serve as an elongated sprout.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a container 10 containing a liquid, in the classical form of a bottle of wine including an annular base portion 11, an annular lower segment 12, a segment of increasingly diminishing diameter 13 and an annular upper segment 14 provided with an outlet 15. Permanently attached on lower segment 12 is a patch of material 16 provided with various indicia such as the name of the contents, the producer of the product, the aging of the substance and similar types of relevant information. Also detachably mounted on lower segment 12 is a patch of material 17 which may be removed from container 10, formed as a conduit or tube as shown in FIG. 3, inserted in the opening 15 of the bottle as shown in FIG. 4 and used as an extended spout for pouring wine or another liquid into a glass 18 as shown in FIG. 5.

Material patch 17 may consist of any suitable material including a paper or cellulose material and a plastic material. it may be configured retangularly as shown, circularly, elliptically or otherwise. It may or may not be provided with advertising, other indicia, artful design and the like. For detachably mounting the patch on the container, a side of the patch is provided with a suitable adhesive formed of a starch or food grade wax suitable to adhere to the container, and be readily removed from the container, rolled into a tube or conduit with overlapping and adhered edges, sufficiently intact to be inserted into the outlet of the container to function as an extended spout, more readily functional in passing a liquid without developing droplets which might result in staining a table and other ware. The residual adhesive provided on a side of the patch permits such side to overlap and adhere to the opposite side thereof permitting the formed conduit to remain intact and fit snugly into the container outlet.

Upon discontinuance of the event during which the container as described has been used, if the contents of the container has been expended and the bottle is to be dispensed with, the inserted extended spout may simply be disposed of with the empty bottle. In circumstances where all of the contents of the container has not been used and it is intended to retain such content, the conduit 17 may simply be left in the container inlet, which would not appear to be a probable decision, or more likely the conduit would be removed, the cap or cork would be placed on or inserted into the container outlet and the removed outlet could either be discarded or retained for future usage. In the event a decision is made to retain the conduit, it simply may be suitably stored at a suitable place or even unrolled to form a patch of material again and reattached on the container as principally shown in FIG. 1.

The invention as described not only provides a readily available conduit for forming an extend spout functional to reduce if not eliminate dripping, but dispenses in having to acquire, search and provide for such an extension, requiring time and attention when other concerns are more pressing such as preparing for entertaining various parties.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention, which come within the province of those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the aforementioned invention pertains. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the appended claims.