GRAVITY-ORIENTED ONE-WAY VALVE CONTAINER APPARATUS AND METHOD

Abstract

A gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus and method for separation of air from fluids providing an internal bladder, a one-way valve, and air vents allowing automatic opening of the container upon tilting and automatic closing of the container upon return to an upright position, thereby preventing the entry of contaminating air.

Claims

1. A gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus for automatically opening and closing a container of fluid with no intrusion of air, the gravity-oriented one-way valve container comprising: (i) a container body; (ii) at least one ventilation hole in said container body, adapted to allow rapid equilibration of air pressure within said container body; (iii) a bladder mounted inside said container body, adapted to contain fluid and exclude air; and (iv) a valve adapted to seal said bladder when said container body is in a vertical orientation and to unseal said bladder when said container body is in a tilted orientation.

2. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus of claim 1, further adapted for use with a bottle-type beverage container.

3. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an elastic neck and a rigid ring adapted to contract when said container body is in a vertical orientation and expand when said container body is in a tilted orientation.

4. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an air pouch under said bladder, an elastic balloon at the neck of said container body, and an air track between said air pouch and said elastic balloon.

5. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an elastic neck nozzle upon said bladder, and a helical coil surrounding said elastic neck nozzle.

6. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an accordioned neck nozzle upon said bladder, and a rigid ring at the area where said accordioned neck nozzle and said bladder meet.

7. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus of claim 1, further comprising holes in the upper neck of said container body, a neck seat mounted in the lower neck of said container, a ball movably encompassed by the neck of said container body, above said neck seat, and a thread mounted to said ball at one end and to the bottom of said bladder at the other end.

8. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an air pouch under said bladder, a neck seat mounted in the lower neck of said container body, an elastic balloon at the neck of said container body, above said neck seat, and an air track between said air pouch and said elastic balloon.

9. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus of claim 1, further comprising holes in the upper neck of said container body, a neck seat mounted in the lower neck of said container, a ball movably encompassed by the neck of said container body, above said neck seat.

10. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus of claim 1, further comprising multiple ventilation holes at the top of the neck of said container body.

11. A gravity-oriented one-way valve container method for automatically opening and closing a container of fluid with no intrusion of air, comprising: (i) providing a gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus, comprising: (a) a container body; (b) at least one ventilation hole in said container body, adapted to allow rapid equilibration of air pressure within said container body; (c) a bladder mounted inside said container body, adapted to contain fluid and exclude air; and (d) a valve adapted to seal said bladder when said container body is in a vertical orientation and to unseal said bladder when said container body is in a tilted orientation; and (ii) using said gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus, where, in use, when said container body is in a vertical orientation it is sealed, and when said container body is in a tilted orientation it is unsealed.

12. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container method of claim 11, where said gravity-oriented one-way valve container is further adapted for use with a bottle-type beverage container.

13. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container method of claim 11, where said gravity-oriented one-way valve container further comprises an elastic neck and a rigid ring adapted to contract when said container body is in a vertical orientation and expand when said container body is in a tilted orientation.

14. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container method of claim 11, where said gravity-oriented one-way valve container further comprises an air pouch under said bladder, an elastic balloon at the neck of said container body, and an air track between said air pouch and said elastic balloon.

15. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container method of claim 11, where said gravity-oriented one-way valve container further comprises an elastic neck nozzle upon said bladder, and a helical coil surrounding said elastic neck nozzle.

16. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container method of claim 11, where said gravity-oriented one-way valve container further comprises an accordioned neck nozzle upon said bladder, and a rigid ring at the area where said accordioned neck nozzle and said bladder meet.

17. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container method of claim 11, where said gravity-oriented one-way valve container further comprises holes in the upper neck of said container body, a neck seat mounted in the lower neck of said container, a ball movably encompassed by the neck of said container body, above said neck seat, and a thread mounted to said ball at one end and to the bottom of said bladder at the other end.

18. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container method of claim 11, where said gravity-oriented one-way valve container further comprises an air pouch under said bladder, a neck seat mounted in the lower neck of said container body, an elastic balloon at the neck of said container body, above said neck seat, and an air track between said air pouch and said elastic balloon.

19. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container apparatus of claim 1, further comprising holes in the upper neck of said container body, a neck seat mounted in the lower neck of said container, a ball movably encompassed by the neck of said container body, above said neck seat.

20. The gravity-oriented one-way valve container method of claim 11, where said gravity-oriented one-way valve container further comprises multiple ventilation holes at the top of the neck of said container body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein:

[0020] FIG. 1 is a view of a first embodiment of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container of the invention;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a view of a second embodiment of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container of the invention;

[0022] FIG. 3 is a view of a third embodiment of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container of the invention;

[0023] FIG. 4 is a view of a fourth embodiment of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container of the invention;

[0024] FIG. 5 is a view of a fifth embodiment of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container of the invention;

[0025] FIG. 6 is a view of a sixth embodiment of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container of the invention;

[0026] FIG. 7 is a view of a seventh embodiment of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container of the invention; and

[0027] FIG. 8 is a view of an eighth embodiment of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment 10 of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container is shown. Inside a container body 11 having at least one ventilation hole 12 is a bladder 13. The neck of the bladder, near the mouth of the container body 11, is an elastic neck nozzle 14 made of elastic material. A rigid ring 15 is attached at the bottom of the neck, where it meets the bladder 13. When the container is in an upright position, the elastic neck nozzle 14 is in a contracted state, sealing the container. When the container is tilted, the weight of the fluid contained in the bladder 13 pushes the elastic neck nozzle 14 open, and the fluid comes out. When the container is returned to an upright position, the elastic neck nozzle 14 contracts again, and the container is sealed.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 2, a second embodiment 20 of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container is shown. Inside a rigid container body 21 having at least one ventilation hole 22 is a bladder 23. At the bottom of the bladder 23 containing the liquid, there is an air pouch 24 filled with air and attached to the bottom of the liquid bladder at its top and to the rigid outer container at its bottom and is connected with an air track 25 along the side of the rigid container all the way to the neck of the container where it connects to an elastic balloon 26. When the container is vertical it displaces the air by the weight of the liquid from the air pouch 24, through the air track 25, and into the elastic balloon 26, which expands against the neck of the bladder 23 to seal the container. When the container is tilted, the liquid moves away from the bottom of the container towards the neck, the elastic balloon 26 will deflate as air moves back into the air pouch 24 through the air track 25, resulting in the opening of the container.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 3, a third embodiment 30 of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container is shown. Inside a container body 31 having at least one ventilation hole 32 is a bladder 33. The neck of the bladder, near the mouth of the container body 31, is gathered into an elastic neck nozzle surrounded by a helical coil 34 made of metal or plastic, which can be displaced into a larger circumference under pressure but will return to a smaller circumference in the absence of pressure. Also, the weight of the liquid pulls the bladder down and stretches the elastic neck nozzle, further placing it into a closed state. When the container is in an upright position there is no fluid pressure at the elastic neck nozzle, which is held closed by the closed helical coil 34, sealing the container. When the container is tilted, the weight of the fluid contained in the bladder 33 overcomes and displaces the helical coil 34, pushing the elastic neck nozzle open, and the fluid comes out. When the container is returned to an upright position, the helical coil 34 contracts around the elastic neck nozzle again, and the container is sealed.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 4, a fourth embodiment 40 of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container is shown. Inside a container body 41 having at least one ventilation hole 42 is a bladder 43. The neck of the bladder, near the mouth of the container body 41, is an accordioned neck nozzle 44. A rigid ring 45 is attached at the bottom of the neck, where it meets the bladder 43. When the container is in an upright position, the weight of the liquid in the bladder 43 pulls on the accordioned neck nozzle 44, which closes and seals the container. When the container is tilted, the accordioned neck nozzle 44 is relieved of the weight of the fluid, and the accordioned neck nozzle 44 opens, and the fluid comes out.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 5, a fifth embodiment 50 of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container is shown. Inside a rigid container body 51 having at least one ventilation hole 52 is a soft bladder 53. The neck of the rigid container body has holes 54 all along the circumference to let the liquid out when tilted. A ball 55 is attached with a thread 56 to the bottom of the soft bladder 53. When the rigid container body 51 is vertical, the thread 56 will pull the ball 55 down against a neck seat 57, sealing the neck of the bottle. When tilted, the liquid will push the ball 55 towards the other end and liquid will flow through the holes 54.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 6, a sixth embodiment 60 of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container is shown. Inside a container body 61 having at least one ventilation hole 62 is a bladder 63. At the bottom of the bladder 63 containing the liquid, there is an air pouch 64 filled with air and attached to the bottom of the liquid bladder at its top and to the outer container at its bottom and is connected with an air track 65 along the side of the rigid container all the way to the neck of the container where it connects to an elastic balloon 66. When the container is vertical it displaces the air by the weight of the liquid from the air pouch 64, through the air track 65, and into the elastic balloon 66, which expands against a neck seat 67 to seal the container. When the container is tilted, the liquid moves away from the bottom of the container towards the neck, the elastic balloon 66 will deflate as air moves back into the air pouch 64 through the air track 65, resulting in the opening of the container.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 7, a seventh embodiment 70 of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container is shown. Inside a rigid container body 71 having at least one ventilation hole 72 is a soft bladder 73. The neck of the rigid container body has holes 74 all along the circumference to let the liquid out when tilted. A ball 75 is movably mounted inside the neck, above a neck seat 57. When the rigid container body 51 is vertical, the weight of the ball 55 will press down against the neck seat 56, sealing the neck of the bottle. When tilted, the liquid and gravity will push the ball 55 towards the other end and liquid will flow through the holes 54.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 8, an eighth embodiment 80 of the gravity-oriented one-way valve container is shown. The container body has multiple ventilation holes at the top of the neck.

[0036] Many other changes and modifications can be made in the apparatus and method of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I therefore pray that my rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.