Funnel for receiving prepackaged ground coffee

Abstract

Abstract A FUNNEL HAS UPPER AND LOWER LARGE AND SMALL WELLS WITH A BOTTOM WALL OF THE UPPER WELL EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY BETWEEN THE WELLS AND HAVING AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH A MEMBRANE OF A PACKAGE CONTAINING GROUND COFFEE CAN DROOP INTO THE LOWER WELL AND WITH THE PERIPHERY OF WHICH THE MEMBRANE HAS SEALING ENGAGEMENT. AN ADAPTER PLATE CAN OVERLIE THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE UPPER WELL AND HAS AN OPENING OF LESSER AREA THAN THE OPENING THEREIN TO ACCOMMODATE DIFFERENT OF COFFEE CONTAINING PACKAGES. A HANDLE EXTENDS LATERALLY FROM A SIDE WALL OF THE UPPER WELL. WHEN THE FUNNEL IS FORMED OF INJECTION MOLDED PLASTIC, THE HANDLE IS FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH THE SIDE WALL OF THE UPPER WELL AND THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE LOWER WELL HAS INTEGRAL UPSTANDING RIBS TO PREVENT THE MEMBRANE FROM DROOPING FAR ENOUGH TO CLOSE THE DISCHARGE OPENING IN THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE LOWER WELL. TO IMPROVE THE SEAL WITH THE MEMBRANE THE BOTTOM WELL IS CONNECTED TO THE WALLS OF THE LOWER WELL BY AN INCLINED WALL HAVING A RELATIVELY LARGE CONTACT AREA WITH THE MEMBRANE. VERTICAL FLANGES INTERCONNECT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BOTTOM WALL AND OUTER SIDES OF THE LOWER WALLS TO PROVIDE A SUPPORT. A SUPPORT FLANGE EXTENDS LATERALLY FROM THE UPPER EDGES OF A PAIR OPPOSITE UPPER WALLS WHICH HAVE OFFSET UPPER PORTIONS TO STIFFEN THE SUPPORT FLANGES.

Inventors

• 👤 John C Martin
• 👤 Edward J Kniery

Bibliographic Details