CONDIMENT BOTTLE DEVICE

Abstract

A condiment bottle device for dispensing precise amounts of a fluid condiment with no waste includes a bottle that has a bottom end which is open and a top end which is open. A closure is removably attachable to the top end of the bottle for opening or closing the top end. A base is removably attachable to the bottom end of the bottle for closing the bottom end and a plunger is movably attached to the base. The plunger travels upwardly within the bottle when the plunger is manipulated in a dispensing condition to urge the fluid condiment outwardly from the bottle. Conversely, the plunger travels downwardly in the bottle when the plunger is manipulated in a filling condition to facilitate the bottle to be filled with the fluid condiment.

Claims

1. A condiment bottle device for dispensing a fluid condiment by twisting a knob, said device comprising: a bottle having a bottom end being open and a top end being open; a closure being removably attachable to said top end of said bottle for opening or closing said top end; a base being removably attachable to said bottom end of said bottle for closing said bottom end; and a plunger being movably attached to said base, said plunger being positioned within said bottle when said base is attached to said bottle, said plunger traveling upwardly within said bottle when said plunger is manipulated in a dispensing condition wherein said plunger is configured to urge the fluid condiment outwardly from said bottle, said plunger travelling downwardly in said bottle when said plunger is manipulated in a filling condition wherein said plunger is configured to facilitate said bottle to be filled with the fluid condiment.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: said bottle has an outer wall extending between said bottom end and said top end which has a shoulder and a neck adjacent to said top end such that said top end has a lesser diameter than said bottom end; an outer surface of said outer wall has a bottom threaded portion adjacent to said bottom end which extends around a full circumference of said outer wall; said outer surface of said outer wall has a top threaded portion adjacent to said top end which extends around a full circumference of said outer wall; and said bottle is comprised of a translucent material wherein said bottle is configured to facilitate a fluid condiment to be visible in said bottle.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein: said closure includes an annular ring which has a threaded inner surface which threadably engages said top threaded portion of said outer surface of said outer wall of said bottle; said closure includes a closure gasket having a perimeter edge being coupled to said threaded inner surface of said annular ring; said closure gasket has a slot extending through an upper surface and a lower surface of said closure gasket which is surrounds by a flap extending upwardly from said upper surface that is biased into a closed position such that said flap defines a closed cone wherein said closure gasket is configured to inhibit the fluid condiment from passing through said aperture; said flap is urgeable into an open position such that said flap defines an open cone thereby exposing said slot wherein said flap is configured to facilitate the fluid condiment to pass through said slot for applying the fluid condiment to a food item; said closure includes a cap being hingedly coupled a top edge of said annular ring; said cap is positionable in a closed position having said cap lying on said top edge of said annular ring thereby closing said annular ring; said cap is positionable in an open position having said cap angling away from said top edge thereby opening said annular ring; and said cap has a grip which extends into a groove in an outside surface of said annular ring when said cap is in said closed position for removably retaining said cap in said closed position.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein: said base has an upper lip extending upwardly from an upper surface of said base which is coextensive with a perimeter of said base; said upper lip defines an upper space in said base; and said upper lip has an inwardly facing surface being threaded which threadably engages said bottom threaded portion of said outer surface of said outer wall of said bottle for attaching said base to said bottle.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein: said base has a lower lip extending downwardly from a lower surface of said base which is coextensive with said perimeter of said base; said lower lip defines a lower space in said base; said lower lip has a greater thickness than said upper lip; said base has a hole extending through said base; and said hole is centrally located on said base.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said plunger comprises: a knob being positioned in said lower space in said base such that an exterior edge of said knob is spaced from an inwardly facing surface of said lower lip on said base; said knob being positioned over said hole in said base; a screw being coupled to and extending upwardly from a top surface of said knob at point being centrally located on said top surface; said screw extends through said hole in said base such that said screw extends upwardly into an interior of said bottle when said base is attached to said screw; said screw is threaded between a distal end of said screw and a point being spaced from said top surface of said knob; said screw includes a stop which extends around said screw; and said stop is spaced from said knob such that said stop is positioned in said upper space in said base thereby inhibiting said screw from being pulled through said aperture.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said plunger includes: a disk having an aperture extending through an upper side and a lower side of said disk; said screw extends through said aperture in said disk such that a bounding edge of said aperture in said disk threadably engages said screw; said disk travels upwardly along said screw when said screw is rotated in a first direction wherein said disk is configured to urge the fluid condiment upwardly in said bottle; and said disk travels downwardly along said screw when said screw is rotated in a second direction wherein said disk is configured to inhibit the fluid condiment from being urged upwardly in said bottle.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said plunger includes: a disk gasket being applied to a perimeter edge of said disk having said disk gasket extending fully around said perimeter edge; said disk gasket abuts an inside surface of said bottle; and said disk gasket is comprised of a resiliently compressible material thereby facilitating said disk gasket to form a fluid impermeable seal with said inside surface of said bottle wherein said disk gasket is configured to inhibit the fluid condiment from flowing past said disk gasket.

9. A condiment bottle device for dispensing a fluid condiment by twisting a knob, said device comprising: a bottle having a bottom end being open and a top end being open, said bottle having an outer wall extending between said bottom end and said top end which has a shoulder and a neck adjacent to said top end such that said top end has a lesser diameter than said bottom end, an outer surface of said outer wall having a bottom threaded portion adjacent to said bottom end which extends around a full circumference of said outer wall, said outer surface of said outer wall having a top threaded portion adjacent to said top end which extends around a full circumference of said outer wall, said bottle being comprised of a translucent material wherein said bottle is configured to facilitate a fluid condiment to be visible in said bottle; a closure being removably attachable to said top end of said bottle for opening or closing said top end, said closure including: an annular ring which has a threaded inner surface which threadably engages said top threaded portion of said outer surface of said outer wall of said bottle; a closure gasket having a perimeter edge being coupled to said threaded inner surface of said annular ring, said closure gasket having a slot extending through an upper surface and a lower surface of said closure gasket which is surrounded by a flap extending upwardly from said upper surface that is biased into a closed position such that said flap defines a closed cone wherein said closure gasket is configured to inhibit the fluid condiment from passing through said slot, said flap being urgeable into an open position such that said flap defines an open cone thereby exposing said slot wherein said flap is configured to facilitate the fluid condiment to pass through said slot for applying the fluid condiment to a food item; and a cap being hingedly coupled a top edge of said annular ring, said cap being positionable in a closed position having said cap lying on said top edge of said annular ring thereby closing said annular ring, said cap being positionable in an open position having said cap angling away from said top edge thereby opening said annular ring, said cap having a grip which extends into a groove in an outside surface of said annular ring when said cap is in said closed position for removably retaining said cap in said closed position; a base being removably attachable to said bottom end of said bottle for closing said bottom end, said base having an upper lip extending upwardly from an upper surface of said base which is coextensive with a perimeter of said base, said upper lip defining an upper space in said base, said upper lip having an inwardly facing surface being threaded which threadably engages said bottom threaded portion of said outer surface of said outer wall of said bottle for attaching said base to said bottle, said base having a lower lip extending downwardly from a lower surface of said base which is coextensive with said perimeter of said base, said lower lip defining a lower space in said base, said lower lip having a greater thickness than said upper lip, said base having a hole extending through said base, said hole being centrally located on said base; and a plunger being movably attached to said base, said plunger being positioned within said bottle when said base is attached to said bottle, said plunger traveling upwardly within said bottle when said plunger is manipulated in a dispensing condition wherein said plunger is configured to urge the fluid condiment outwardly from said bottle, said plunger travelling downwardly in said bottle when said plunger is manipulated in a filling condition wherein said plunger is configured to facilitate said bottle to be filled with the fluid condiment, said plunger comprising: a knob being positioned in said lower space in said base such that an exterior edge of said knob is spaced from an inwardly facing surface of said lower lip on said base, said knob being positioned over said hole in said base; a screw being coupled to and extending upwardly from a top surface of said knob at point being centrally located on said top surface, said screw extending through said hole in said base such that said screw extends upwardly into an interior of said bottle when said base is attached to said screw, said screw being threaded between a distal end of said screw and a point being spaced from said top surface of said knob, said screw including a stop which extends around said screw, said stop being spaced from said knob such that said stop is positioned in said upper space in said base thereby inhibiting said screw from being pulled through said aperture; a disk having an aperture extending through an upper side and a lower side of said disk, said screw extending through said aperture in said disk such that a bounding edge of said aperture in said disk threadably engages said screw, said disk travelling upwardly along said screw when said screw is rotated in a first direction wherein said disk is configured to urge the fluid condiment upwardly in said bottle, said disk travelling downwardly along said screw when said screw is rotated in a second direction wherein said disk is configured to inhibit the fluid condiment from being urged upwardly in said bottle; and a disk gasket being applied to a perimeter edge of said disk having said disk gasket extending fully around said perimeter edge, said disk gasket abutting an inside surface of said bottle, said disk gasket being comprised of a resiliently compressible material thereby facilitating said disk gasket to form a fluid impermeable seal with said inside surface of said bottle wherein said disk gasket is configured to inhibit the fluid condiment from flowing past said disk gasket.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0011] The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a condiment bottle device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a cap in an open position.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a closure being removed from a bottle.

[0016] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 6 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1 of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 8 is a magnified detail view taken from circle 8 of FIG. 7 of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 9 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 9 thereof, a new condiment device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0022] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 9, the condiment bottle device 10 generally comprises a bottle 12 that has a bottom end 14 which is open and a top end 16 which is open. The bottle 12 has an outer wall 18 extending between the bottom end 14 and the top end 16 which has a shoulder 20 and a neck 22 adjacent to the top end 16 such that the top end 16 has a lesser diameter than the bottom end 14. An outer surface 24 of the outer wall 18 has a bottom threaded portion 26 adjacent to the bottom end 14 which extends around a full circumference of the outer wall 18. Additionally, the outer surface 24 of the outer wall 18 has a top threaded portion 28 adjacent to the top end 16 which extends around a full circumference of the outer wall 18. The bottle 12 is comprised of a translucent material, including but not being limited to glass or plastic, to facilitate a fluid condiment 29 to be visible in the bottle 12.

[0023] A closure 30 is removably attachable to the top end 16 of the bottle 12 for opening or closing the top end 16. The closure 30 includes an annular ring 32 which has a threaded inner surface 34 that threadably engages the top threaded portion 28 of the outer surface 24 of the outer wall 18 of the bottle 12. The closure 30 includes a closure gasket 36 that has a perimeter edge 37 which is coupled to the threaded inner surface 34 of the annular ring 32. The closure gasket 36 has a slot 38 extending through an upper surface 40 and a lower surface 42 of the closure gasket 36 which is surrounded by a flap 44. The flap 44 extends upwardly from the upper surface 40 and flap 44 is biased into a closed position such that the flap 44 defines a closed cone. In this way the closure gasket 36 can inhibit the fluid condiment 29 from passing through the slot 38. Conversely, the flap 44 is urgeable into an open position such that the flap 44 defines an open cone thereby exposing the slot 38. In this way the flap 44 can facilitate the fluid condiment 29 to pass through the slot 38 for applying the fluid condiment 29 to a food item.

[0024] The closure 30 includes a cap 46 that is hingedly coupled a top edge 48 of the annular ring 32. The cap 46 is positionable in a closed position having the cap 46 lying on the top edge 48 of the annular ring 32 thereby closing the annular ring 32. The cap 46 is positionable in an open position having the cap 46 angling away from the top edge 48 thereby opening the annular ring 32. Additionally, the cap 46 has a grip 50 which extends into a groove 52 in an outside surface 54 of the annular ring 32 when the cap 46 is in the closed position for removably retaining the cap 46 in the closed position. The cap 46 has a tab 55 that extends outwardly from the cap 46 which can be gripped for urging the cap 46 into the open position.

[0025] A base 56 is removably attachable to the bottom end 14 of the bottle 12 for closing the bottom end 14. The base 56 has an upper lip 58 which extends upwardly from an upper surface 59 of the base 56 and which is coextensive with a perimeter 60 of the base 56 and the upper lip 58 defines an upper space 62 in the base 56. The upper lip 58 has an inwardly facing surface 64 that is threaded which threadably engages the bottom threaded portion 26 of the outer surface 24 of the outer wall 18 of the bottle 12 for attaching the base 56 to the bottle 12. The base 56 has a lower lip 66 extending downwardly from a lower surface 67 of the base 56 which is coextensive with the perimeter of the base 56 and the lower lip 66 defines a lower space 68 in the base 56. Furthermore, the lower lip 66 has a greater thickness than the upper lip 58 and the base 56 has a hole 70 extending through the base 56 and the hole 70 is centrally located on the base 56.

[0026] A plunger 72 is movably attached to the base 56 and the plunger 72 is positioned within the bottle 12 when the base 56 is attached to the bottle 12. The plunger 72 travels upwardly within the bottle 12 when the plunger 72 is manipulated in a dispensing condition to urge the fluid condiment 29 outwardly from the bottle 12. The plunger 72 travels downwardly in the bottle 12 when the plunger 72 is manipulated in a filling condition to facilitate the bottle 12 to be filled with the fluid condiment 29. The plunger 72 comprises a knob 74 that is positioned in the lower space 68 in the base 56 such that an exterior edge 76 of the knob 74 is spaced from an inwardly facing surface 78 of the lower lip 66 on the base 56. Additionally, the knob 74 is positioned over the hole 70 in the base 56.

[0027] The plunger 72 includes a screw 80 that is coupled to and extends upwardly from a top surface 82 of the knob 74 at a point that is centrally located on the top surface 82. The screw 80 extends through the hole 70 in the base 56 such that the screw 80 extends upwardly into an interior of the bottle 12 when the base 56 is attached to the screw 80. Additionally, the screw 80 is threaded between a distal end 84 of the screw 80 and a point that is spaced from the top surface 82 of the knob 74. The screw 80 includes a stop 86 which extends around the screw 80. The stop 86 is spaced from the knob 74 such that the stop 86 is positioned in the upper space 62 in the base 56 thereby inhibiting the screw 80 from being pulled through the slot 38.

[0028] The plunger 72 includes a disk 88 which has an aperture 90 extending through an upper side 92 and a lower side 94 of the disk 88 and the screw 80 extends through the aperture 90 in the disk 88 such that a bounding edge 89 of the aperture 90 in the disk 88 threadably engages the screw 80. The disk 88 travels upwardly along the screw 80 when the screw 80 is rotated in a first direction to urge the fluid condiment 29 upwardly in the bottle 12. Conversely, the disk 88 travels downwardly along the screw 80 when the screw 80 is rotated in a second direction to inhibit the fluid condiment 29 from being urged upwardly in the bottle 12.

[0029] The plunger 72 includes a disk gasket 96 that is applied to a perimeter edge 97 of the disk 88 having the disk gasket 96 extending fully around the perimeter edge 97 such that the disk gasket 96 abuts an inside surface 98 of the bottle 12. The disk gasket 96 is comprised of a resiliently compressible material, including but not being limited to rubber or silicone, thereby facilitating the disk gasket 96 to form a fluid impermeable seal with the inside surface 98 of the bottle 12. In this way the disk gasket 96 can inhibit the fluid condiment 29 from flowing past the disk gasket 96 thereby ensuring the entire quantity of the fluid condiment 29 can be dispensed from the bottle 12.

[0030] In use, the base 56 is removed from the bottle 12 and the bottle 12 is partially filled with the fluid condiment 29 and the base 56 is reattached to the bottle 12 when the bottle 12 is partially filled. The cap 46 is flipped into the open position and the knob 74 is rotated in a first direction to facilitate the disk 88 to travel upwardly along the screw 80. In this way the fluid condiment 29 is urged to flow outwardly through the slot 38 in the closure gasket 36 for dispensing on a food item. The cap 46 is flipped into the closed position to maintain the freshness of the fluid condiment 29 in the bottle 12. The base 56 can be removed from the bottle 12 at any time to service the plunger 72 or to refill the bottle 12.

[0031] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, device and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0032] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word comprising is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article a does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.