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 Title: |
US5445023:
Safe, accurate and fast measuring device
[ Derwent Title ]
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| Country: |
US United States of America
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| Inventor: |
Reed, Robert R.; Greenville, SC 29605
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| Assignee: |
None
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| Published / Filed: |
1995-08-29
/ 1994-04-15
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| Application Number: |
US1994000228227
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| IPC Code: |
Advanced:
G01F 19/00;
Core:
more...
IPC-7:
G01F 19/00;
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| ECLA Code: |
G01F19/00; G01F19/00A;
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| U.S. Class: |
Current:
073/427;
073/426;
Original:
073/427;
073/426;
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| Field of Search: |
073/426,427,428,429
030/324,326,327
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| Priority Number: |
| 1994-04-15 |
US1994000228227 |
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| Abstract: |
A measuring device consisting of a container or vessel is disclosed in this invention to provide a safe, accurate and fast means to obtain a desired quantity of a fluent material. The fluent material can be any liquid or grandular material that has a relatively flat top surface. The container has a first volumetric portion that contains an exact volume when filled to the level of an overflow weir. A small overflow volume is allowed to pass over the weir into a second volumetric portion of the container. A diaphragm separates the two volumetric portions and is positioned within the container to allow the exact volume to be discharged without discharging the overflow volume. The overflow volume is safely returned to a bulk source container to conserve the fluent material. Only limited dexterity is required to quickly obtain an exact volume; as a safety lip is provided above the top surface of the fluent material which is limited by the weir height above a base of the container. The container is especially useful when toxic or hazardous fluent materials are being dispensed as in a laboratory or manufacturing process. The container of this invention also provides a fast and accurate kitchen measuring device, and multiple measurements can be made using a single container. One embodiment of this invention is disclosed as a spoon for safely obtaining an accurate measure of a fluent material, such as a cooking ingredient or medicine. Another embodiment of this invention allows for a removable portion to make the container system capable of measuring and dispensing different exact volumes.
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| Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Reed, Robert R. ;
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| Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.; Worth, Willie Morris
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| Maintenance Status: |
E3 Expired Check current status
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| INPADOC Legal Status: |
Show legal status actions
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| Family: |
None
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First Claim:
Show all 9 claims |
What is claimed is:
1. An improvement in a single container for safely measuring at least one exact volume of a fluent material including:
- at least one first volumetric portion for receiving and containing up to an exact predetermined volume of said fluent material when a base portion of the container is supported approximately horizontally and when said first volumetric portion is filled with said material;
- at least one overflow weir to limit the elevation of a top surface of the material in each respective first volumetric portion to achieve a respective exact volume of said material;
- at least one safety lip extending above the elevation of both a respective top surface and a respective weir to contain said material within said container; and
- a second volumetric portion to coexist with each respective first volumetric portion in said container which receives and contains any overflow volume from the respective weir after the respective first volumetric portion has been filled to the elevation of said respective top surface, wherein said respective exact volume of said material can be discharged by lifting and rotating said container in a respective first direction by one of a hand and an apparatus, wherein the improvement comprises:
- each of the first volumetric portions being separated from a respective second volumetric portion by a respective thin planar diaphragm, wherein said diaphragm is characterized by an angular orientation with respect to said single container, said angular orientation being such that the overflow volume is retained by said diaphragm when discharging said exact volume, wherein said diaphragm separates the exact volume from the overflow volume and said diaphragm includes said weir to accurately obtain said exact volume.
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| Background / Summary: |
Show background / summary
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| Drawing Descriptions: |
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| Description: |
Show description
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| Forward References: |
Show 4 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one
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