TITLE

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING UNDESIRED SPILLING OF LIQUIDS FROM A

CONTAINER DESCRIPTION Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a device for preventing undesired spilling of liquids from a container, in particular for preventing drops or spills from a glass for beverages, and for permitting at the same time to pour liquids in and out of the container in order to improve the comfort and safety of users. Description of the prior art

Moving or leaning a container, i.e. a glass for beverages, produces the spilling of liquid from it, since there are no obstacles against the free effect surface of the liquid due to acceleration.

As shown in figure IA, a spilling (G) is normally generated in proximity of the walls of a glass due to a sudden movement thereof, as a result of which the liquid is therefore projected outward from the container. This is the case of containers in environments such as airplanes or ships, where a sudden acceleration, like pitching, yawing or rolling, causes the liquid to spill. This is also the case of drinking from a glass especially a bier glass due to its narrow and elongated shape, wherein the movement conferred to the glass while approaching it to the mouth produces undesired spilling toward the face of the user.

US Patent No. 3,400,855 shows a liquid container, such a tea or coffee cup, with suitable grooves for vertically inserting a rigid member, which divides the volume of the cup in two parts. Some holes on the member let the liquid flow from one side to the other of the cup. The member reduces with its surface the movement of the liquid and

provides a damping effect which reduces spill of liquid from the container.

However, such a solution does not completely solve the problem, because the member is far from the walls and therefore from the points where spilling is normally generated. Moreover, the particular positioning of the member vertically in the middle of the cup creates an obstacle to the user's mouth or for the use of spoons. Further, this prior art document has the drawback that a specific member fits only into a specific container and cannot be adapted to any container. In particular, the member cannot be used for containers, which do not present grooves, such as common glasses or cups.

Other devices exist, like FR2551639, relates to a device for retaining ice cubes in a glass, comprising a central part for retaining the ice cubes while allowing the liquid to pass. The device comprises rigid, but elastically yieldable branches to hold it in position in the glass. Summary of the invention

It is then a feature of the present invention to provide an inexpensive and attractive spill-proof device, which is adaptable to different containers and does not require any modification to the containers. Another feature of the present invention is to provide a spill-proof device which would be easily fixable to the container without disturbing or creating obstacles to the user.

These and other features are accomplished with a spill-proof device, according to the present invention, for a container of liquids, said container having walls defining a receptacle and an opening, said spill-proof device comprising a barrier engaging with said walls of said receptacle in order to provide an obstacle to the

passage of liquid, said barrier having a sheet portion and at least one aperture, said sheet portion preventing the liquid from spilling out of the container and said at least one aperture permitting to pour the liquid in and out of the container.

Other features of the invention are defined below and/or by the dependent claims.

In particular, the barrier can be obtained by folding a sheet element . Advantageously, the device comprises a plurality of apertures, which may be holes and/or cuts and are positioned near the outer edge of the sheet portion which in use is placed in proximity of the walls of the container. The positioning of the apertures near the radial outer edge of the sheet portion has the double effect of allowing the flow of the liquid and of improving the flexibility of the barrier, which becomes less rigid and more adaptable to the walls of the container.

In particular, the apertures can be provided extending obliquely with respect to the radial direction of the device. In this way the apertures offer a better obstacle to spilling, since it usually has radial trajectory rather than an oblique one.

In particular, the device is flexible in order to be inserted into the container substantially perpendicular to the main axis of the container itself and to be engaged with its outer edge against the walls of the container.

Accordingly, the device should comprise a sheet element enough flexible to be inserted into the container and be fixed on the inner walls of the container due to the forces generated by its deformation.

In particular, the sheet element can be made of any material such as metallic, plastic, paper or their combination.

- A -

Preferably, the material has high flexibility, elasticity and resistance to the liquids contained in the container.

Especially for acidic or critical liquids the device may be made by the combination of different materials. In this case, the inner part of the device which can be printed or coloured, is embedded in a second material with a high resistivity to the liquid by using e.g. a laminating technique. The thickness of the sheet element is decided on the basis of the used material in order to achieve a sufficient flexibility of the body.

In particular, a thickness between 0,04 mm to 4 mm could be feasible for the most of materials. It should be noted that the presence of cut apertures is preferred to the single-hole apertures, because they improve the flexibility of the sheet element in proximity of the outer edge, where the device contacts the inner walls of the container. In the special case of a glass for beverage, the device should not hazard the health of the user.

Advantageously, the device can further comprise substances, which can be released in the liquid of the container, i.e. sweetening, heating, cooling, aromatizing, colouring, conserving or medicinal substances.

Advantageously, the device can be provided having means for engaging the walls of the container, for example some click or hook joints, small suckers or gluing substances could be implemented in order to improve the engagement between the device and the container.

In particular, the outer edge of the sheet portion is made or is covered by a rubber or adhesive material.

In a possible exemplary embodiment, the sheet element has a circular close shape, i.e. a round shape, and is

capable to be slightly deformed in order to fit inside against the inner walls of the container. In this case the sheet portion can further comprise a large aperture for permitting a rapid and greater flow of liquid during filling of the container or for permitting the introduction in the container of ingredients or instruments, in the case of container for beverage, i.e. ice cubes, spoons or straws.

Preferably, the large aperture is placed substantially in the middle of the sheet portion, since in correspondence of this position the generation of spilling is minimal, however any other position can be used.

The sheet element advantageously has a flat band shape and is flexible enough to be bent and folded in such a way to form a rotational symmetrical solid, such as a cylindrical or circular crown or toroidal geometry. In this way the device would better adapt and adhere to the inner walls of a container, since the tendency of the device to restore its initial plan shape would force the outer edge against the inner walls of the container.

The flat shape of the sheet element facilitates the production and the packaging of the device, since it can be produced simply by cutting a large plate, avoiding costly printing or moulding process. Moreover this shape allows further process on the surface, such as printing, engraving, overlaying and/or chemical treatments.

Advantageously, the sheet element can be provided having text and/or images, information, ingredients of the liquid or publicity messages easily visible trough the liquid.

In particular, in the case the liquid is not transparent, the device can be used to contain hidden message i.e. codes or lotto numbers, which would be

discovered during pouring out or drinking the liquid.

Moreover the present device can be fixed inside a container at different height from the top to the bottom of the container. It is not necessary for the device to be kept outside of the liquid, since the device carries out an attenuation of the spilling also when completely dipped into the liquid. This is because of the damping effect on the liquid generating by the sheet element of the device.

Accordingly some further bodies or surfaces could be included in the device to improve this effect.

A second object of the invention is a container comprising or structurally combined to the above-mentioned device.

Brief description of the drawings The invention will be made clearer with the description of some its exemplary embodiments, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

Figures IA explains the technical problem of the present invention,

Figures from IB to ID show a first exemplary embodiment of the spill-proof device, according to the invention, applied to a glass for beverages,

Figures 2A and 2B show a possible exemplary embodiment of the spill-proof device of figures IB-ID,

Figures 3A and 3C show another embodiment of the spill-proof device of figures IB-ID,

- Figures from 4A to 4C, figures from 5a to 5d and figures from 6A to 6C show further embodiments of the spill-proof device of figures IB-ID,

Figures from 7A to 7C show some possible embodiments of supports for a plurality of spill-proof

devices, according to the invention.

Description of preferred exemplary embodiments.

With reference to figures from IB to ID, a spill-proof device, according to the present invention, for a container 6 of liquids, mainly comprises a barrier 5 having an outer edge 3 engaging with the walls of the container 6 in order to provide an obstacle to the spilling of liquid L. In particular, the barrier 5 comprises a sheet portion 1 provided with one or several apertures 2, which are shaped and positioned on the sheet portion 1 in such a way that avoids the spilling G, G' of liquid L contained in a glass 6

(figure Ib) but at the same time allows to pour the liquid L in and out of the glass 6 (figures 1C and ID) .

In figures 2A-2B, an alternative exemplary embodiment of the spill-proof device is showed. In particular, in this case the barrier 15 is obtained by folding a sheet element 11, for example a plastic or paper sheet having thickness of about 0.4 mm.

As showed in figure 2A the sheet element 11 can have a curved band shape and be provided with several apertures 12 uniformly distributed along the outer edge 13. The apertures 12 have a light elongate shape with the longer dimension along the outer edge 13.

The barrier 15, which has a light conic geometry, is easily inserted into a container, for example a glass for beverages 16 (figure 2B) , due to its flexibility and elasticity. Once inside the glass 16, the barrier 15 tends to restore its previous shape pressing the outer edge 13 against the inner walls of the container 16. The barrier 15 has further a central aperture 14 larger than the apertures 12 which allows to introduce instruments or ingredients, i.e. ice cubes, spoons or straws inside the glass 16.

The sheet element 11 can also have a weakening line Hd

(dotted line in figure 2A) which allows to easily remove the portion Hf of the sheet element 11 in order to avoid the possibility that two opposite portions of the barrier 15 can be overlapped, covering the apertures 12. A further modification provides latching cuts He and He', which are used to keep the barrier 15 folded; in such a case the weakening line Hd is not necessary, since the position of the fittings would be chosen to exactly overlap the apertures 12. A further exemplary embodiment showed in figure 3a provides a spill-proof device 25 having a sheet element 21 with a close shape, comprising several cuts 22 uniformly distributed along the outer edge 23.

For example, the body 21 is made of 0.8 mm thick paper covered with a light layer of plastic. The cuts 22 extend from the outer edge 23 in a direction oblique to the perpendicular of the outer edge of an angle β (i.e. 30°). The body 21 is enough flexible to be inserted into a container 26 and pressed against its inner walls in order to be fixed inside (figure 3C) . An aperture 24 is produced in the centre of the body 21.

Figure 4a shows another embodiment for the spill-proof device 35. It has a sheet element 31 in the form of a band provided with a long outer edge 33, from where several protrusions 31a having trapezoidal shape extend outwardly. The sheet element 31 is rolled in order to form a cylinder that is inserted in the container. The protrusions 31a are bent inwardly toward the centre of the container for preventing spilling of liquid. Also in this case, the tendency of the device 35 to restore its original planar shape presses the device against the inner walls of the container keeping it fixed therein. Further, in this case the device 35 contacts the container not only in correspondence of its outer edge 33, but also in

correspondence of the middle portion 31b of the sheet element 31. The device 35 can also includes protrusions 31c on the opposite outer edge 33a for damping the movement of the liquid once bent inwardly toward the centre of the container.

Figure 5a shows a spill-proof container 46 including a spill-proof device 45. The container 46 can be fabricated from a strip 46a including a base 46b and an handle 46c, and to which the further strip (41a, 41b) , having the form of the spill-proof device 45, can be attached. The device can include a sheet element 41 with a middle portion 41b attached to the container 46 and a protrusion 41a having a trapezoidal shape and free to be bend along the outer edge 43 toward the centre of the container 46 (figure 5B) . In this way after rolling the container 46, the external portions 41a would provides a spill-proof sheet element 41. Other possible exemplary embodiments of the spill-proof device, according to the invention, are showed in use in figures from 6A to 6D. In particular, the spill-proof device can be provide with a helicoidal-shaped barrier 55, or with a funnel- shaped barrier 65 or 75, or with a corrugated conic barrier 85, as showed in figures 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D respectively.

In figures from 7A to 7C some possible embodiments for a support 100 of the spill-proof device, according to the invention are illustrated.

A first exemplary embodiment of support 100 is provided with elongated elements 102 projecting from a base 101. In this case the large aperture 104 of the spill-proof device 105 engages with the support 100 in correspondence of its elongated elements 102 (figure 7A) .

Another embodiment of support 100 comprises a plurality of cylindrical recesses 110 suitable for receiving a plurality of spill-proof devices 105 through respective

introducing holes 111. The recesses 110 are integral to one another in correspondence of their top surfaces (figure 7B) .

A further exemplary embodiment of support 100 is a cylindrical receptacle 120 provided with a sliding plunger

121 engaging in correspondence of a shaft 122 with the aperture 104 of the spill-proof devices 105 (figure 7C), in order to form a stack thereof.

Various changes may be made in the details of the construction without departing from the wording of the claims. For example, the present device could be adapted for container having a substantial polygonal cross- sectional shape. The apertures and the protrusions could be differently shaped than in the figures in order to improve the aesthetic of the device; for example, like letters, symbols, hearts, stars, chemicals, hazard liquids or similar. More devices could be combined together in a single container to improve their spill-proof effect.

In particular, the dimension of the aperture is determined in order to allow the passage of the liquid, thus avoiding spilling. It is useful to observe that the spilling are drops of liquid have a rather small area (area As comprised between 1 mm ² and 10 mm ² ) . Therefore, the apertures, which have a similar or a smaller section (A <= As), create a reliable obstacle to spilling. This is because it is more feasible that a drop hits the device rather than it completely passes through the aperture.

Therefore, it is preferable to choose a great number and a small dimension of apertures, in such a way to produce a great total opening area (A _TO τ=N*A) with a small single opening area (A) . Apertures with an area (A) between 1 mm ² to 10 mm ² and a total area (A _T oτ) of between 50 mm ² a 1000 mm ² are feasible values for container such cups or glass. In view of the above, the number of

apertures preferably varies from 1 to 1000.

It should be noted that due to its characteristics the device could be used as block for floating object in a container. In the case of container for beverage the device could block ice-cubes or tea leaves, so that they do not exit the container or come in contact with the user.

The invention is not limited to container for beverage such as glasses or cups, but could be used for any liquid container, for example container for paint, tank for fuel, chemicals, hazard liquids or for solid element, for example a bucket for golf balls.

The foregoing description of a specific embodiment will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt for various applications such an embodiment without further research and without parting from the invention, and it is therefore to be understood that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiment. The means and the materials to realise the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.