Sometimes a predetermined amount of a powdered substance is measured by measuring the amount in multiples (one or more) of a volume of a measuring cup.

To measure the amount accurately, the cup should be filled completely with the substance, and the substance should be scraped level with the top of the cup. If the cup is not filled completely or overfilled, the measured amount may not be accurate.

Sometimes the accurate measurement of the amount is not critical, but when the substance is for instance a milk formula to be dissolved in water to feed a baby, the concentration may be critical, because an incorrect concentration may lead to malnutrition of the baby.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a powder measure, which includes a body defining a barrel with a cylindrical interior surface and with a mouth at one end of the barrel ; and a displaceable wall member inside the barrel and spaced from the mouth, the barrel and the wall member defining a powder measuring cavity of adjustable volume in the barrel between the mouth and the wall member.

Typically, a cross-sectional area of the mouth is at least equal to a cross- sectional internal area of the barrel. This ensures accurate filling and easy and complete discharging of the powdered substance.

The wall member may be in the form of a plunger having a base or piston portion and a shaft or shank, the plunger being slidably receivable, along a longitudinal axis, in the barrel.

The plunger may frictionally engage the barrel to maintain a set position of the plunger in the barrel, during use.

In one embodiment of the invention, the powder measure includes calibration markings, indicating the position of the plunger in the barrel, and hence, indicating the volume of the defined cavity, the calibration markings being provided on the shank of the plunger.

In another embodiment of the invention, the barrel is translucent or transparent, and the powder measure includes calibration markings on the barrel. The calibration markings may provide a noticeable degree of resistance to the passing of the base, allowing non-visual indication of the position of the base inside the barrel.

In use, the powdered substance may be received in the powder measuring cavity defined by the barrel. and the wall member and the mouth of the body. The powder measure is more suitable for use with powdered substances which are cohesive, such that the static friction between the substance and the interior surface of the barrel is enough to hold the powdered substance in the cavity against the force of gravity.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a powder measure which includes a body defining a powder measuring cavity having a mouth at one end of the body; and a handgrip extending from an end of the body remote from the mouth of the cavity.

The cavity may be cylindrical, with the handgrip extending along an extension of, or offset but parallel to, a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical cavity. The handgrip may thus be perpendicular to the plane of the mouth, or at least at an angle to a perpendicular axis to the plane of the mouth of no more than about 30 °.

Typically, a cross-sectional area of the mouth is at least equal to a maximum cross-sectional internal area of the cavity parallel to the plane of the mouth.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of measuring a defined volume of a powdered substance, the method including the steps of pressing a body defining an open-mouthed powder measurement cavity of defined volume, mouth downwards into a mass of a powdered substance from which a discrete volume is to be dispensed; and removing the body from the mass of powdered substance, the defined volume of powder being retained cohesively within the cavity against the force of gravity.

The volume of the cavity defined by the body may be adjustable.

The method may include the step of adjusting the defined volume of the cavity, before pressing the body into the powdered substance.

The method may also include the step of dispensing the defined volume of substance by adjusting the defined volume of the cavity to a lesser volume after cohesively retaining the substance in the cavity.

The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional exploded view of a powder measure, in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional view of the powder measure in Figure 1 in an assembled state; and Figure 3 shows a three-dimensional view of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates a powder measure in accordance with the invention. The powder measure includes an open ended circular cylindrical body 12 defining a barrel with a circular cylindrical interior surface 32 and defining a mouth 14 at one end of the barrel, and a displaceable closing or wall member in the form of a plunger 16. The plunger 16 has a shank 20 and a base 22. The plunger 16 is receivable along a longitudinal axis 24 in the cylindrical body 12 (see Figure 2).

The body 12 defines a 5mm wide rim 12.1 at an end thereof remote from the mouth 14, and has a wall thickness of about 0.5mm and a length of about 70mm. The rim 12.1 extends slightly inwardly to define a stop for the base 22 when the plunger 16 is pulled back. The shank 20 comprises three equi-angularly spaced fins 20.1 and a reinforcing formation 20.2 about halfway along its length. The plunger 16 also includes a grip or thumb pad 20.3 in the form of a clover leaf.

An outside peripheral surface 30 of the base 22 frictionally engages the inside surface 32 of the body 12 to maintain a set position for the plunger 16 in the body 12, during use.

As can been seen in Figure 1 (and omitted for clarity in Figure 2), calibration markings 26 are provided on an outside surface of the body 12, which is translucent, to indicate the relative position of the plunger 16 in the body 12, thereby giving an indication of the volume of a cavity 18 defined by the plunger 16 and the body 12 (see Figure 2).

In use, the plunger is set to a required position as indicated by arrow 34 in the body 12 by using the calibration markings 26. The body 12 with the plunger 16 set in position is then pushed downwardly into a powdered substance, compressing the powder into the cavity 18, in contrast to a conventional scooping action, thereby filling the cavity 18 to its maximum. Upon removal of the body 12 from the powdered substance the excess substance falls away from the body 12 while the substance in the cavity 18 is cohesively retained therein against the force of gravity, even with the mouth 14 still pointing downwardly.

It is to be appreciated that the properties of the powdered substance with which the powder measure 10 is to be used will determine the characteristics of the cylindrical body 12 in terms of an internal diameter 36 of the mouth 14 and the length of the body 12. In this instance the cylindrical body 12 has been matched to the mouth diameter of a baby feeding bottle (not shown) which is 37mm by selecting a mouth diameter 36 of 25mm. The defined volume of the cavity 18 is then given by ( (Diameter 36) /2) 2 x n x position 34.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 3 as indicated by reference numeral 50. The powder measure 50 includes an open ended circular cylindrical body 52, defining a mouth 54 at one end of the body 52, and a closing or wall member in the form of a fixed base 56, spaced from the mouth 54. It is however to be appreciated that other cylindrical, and even non-cylindrical, e. g. slightly tapered, bodies can be used. The powder measure 50 also includes a handgrip 60 extending from an end of the body 52 remote from the mouth 54, along a longitudinal axis of the body 52.

In the second embodiment the volume of a cavity 58 defined by the diameter of the body 52 and the distance from the base 56 to the mouth 54 is fixed.

The powder measure 50 is used in similar fashion to the powder measure 10, by pushing the body 52, mouth-downwardly, into a powdered substance and then typically pulling it back out of the powdered substance along the same line in which it was pushed, cohesively retaining compressed powder in the cavity 58.

The powder measure 10, as illustrated, advantageously has a mouth which fits into the mouth of a baby feeding bottle and is accurately calibrated. It is thus not necessary to count scoops when measuring a powdered substance such as a milk formula. The powder measure 10 is easy to use, even for illiterate users, and can be used with one hand only. Furthermore, as the plunger 20 will typically be retained inside the body 12 by the rim 12.1, the powder measure 10 is safe for use in the vicinity of small children, as it has no small parts which can be swallowed by such children.

The powder measure 50, as illustrated, can also be provided with a mouth which fits into the mouth of a baby feeding bottle, and is easy to use, even with one hand. It provides accurate and constant measuring of a powdered substance, with little or no spillage. The powder measure 50 is also cheap to manufacture, as a single mould can be used to produce a long tube, which can be cut shorter to manufacture different measures 50 of different dosage volumes.

The base 56 may be non-planar, e. g. frusto-conical or dome-shaped, in order to inhibit the collecting of powdered substance on the base 56 when the powder measure 50 is used to measure the powdered substance.