Fluid container for facilitating dispensing of fluid therefrom and related methods

Abstract

An improved fluid container for facilitating the continuous and uninterrupted dispensing of fluid and related methods. Preferably, the fluid container includes a body having an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion of the body has an aperture formed therein for permitting fluid to be poured into and out of the body. A vent member is disposed in the body. The vent member has a fluid passageway allowing an external gas to pass through the vent member and into the body as fluid is poured out of the body. The vent member is permanently secured to the body.

1 . An apparatus for containing a fluid, said apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a body having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion of said body having an aperture formed therein for permitting liquid to be poured into and out of said body;    (b) a vent member being disposed in said body, said vent member having first and second ends, said first end of said vent member being positioned adjacent said aperture formed in said upper portion of said body, said second end of said vent member being removed from said aperture formed in said upper portion of said body;    (c) said first end and said second end of said vent member each having an opening formed therein;    (d) said vent member having a fluid passageway for connecting said opening formed in said first end to said opening formed in said second end to allow for an external gas to pass through said vent member and into said body as liquid is poured out of said body; and,    (e) said vent member being permanently secured to said body.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 (a) said lower portion of said body being formed such that when said lower portion of said body is set down on a substantially flat surface said body is freestanding.    
   
   
       3 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 (a) said upper portion of said body has a substantially circular horizontal cross-section with a predetermined first area;    (b) said first end of said vent member occupies a minor portion of said first area.    
   
   
       4 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein: 
 (a) said first end of said vent member occupies less than ¼ of said first area.    
   
   
       5 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 (a) said body has at least one sidewall, said vent member is ultrasonically welded to said at least one sidewall of said body.    
   
   
       6 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 (a) said body and said vent member are formed from plastic.    
   
   
       7 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 (a) said body is formed from a transparent material; and, (b) said vent member further including location identifying means so that a user can readily orient said body during pouring such that the vent member is properly positioned.    
   
   
       8 . An apparatus for containing a fluid, said apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a body having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion of said body having a throat section, said throat section having an aperture formed therein for permitting liquid to be poured into and out of said body;    (b) a vent member for permitting an external gas to pass into said body while a liquid is poured out of said body, said vent member being disposed entirely within said body, said vent member having first and second ends, said first end of said vent member being positioned adjacent said aperture formed in said throat section of said upper portion of said body, said second end of said vent member being removed from said aperture formed in said throat section of said upper portion of said body;    (c) securement means for securing said vent member to said body; and,    (d) said securement means for securing said vent member to said body and said vent member being disposed entirely on one side of a vertical plane passing through a center point of said throat section.    
   
   
       9 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein: 
 (a) said throat section having a cross-sectional area less than the cross-sectional area of said lower portion of said body.    
   
   
       10 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein: 
 (a) said vent member is permanently secured to said body.    
   
   
       11 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein: 
 (a) said body has at least one sidewall, said at least one sidewall of said body abuts said vent member along substantially the entire length of said vent member.    
   
   
       12 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein: 
 (a) said body has at least one sidewall, said vent member is permanently secured to said at least one sidewall of said body adjacent said second end of said vent member.    
   
   
       13 . A method of adapting a liquid container to allow for a liquid to be poured from the liquid container while simultaneously allowing air to pass into the liquid container to ensure that the liquid is dispensed in a continuous and uninterrupted manner, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a vent member having first and second ends, said first and seconds ends each having an opening, said vent member further including a passageway connecting said first end to said second end;    (b) forming a liquid container having a body and a closure member for sealing said body, said step of forming said liquid container being performed such that the liquid container is not modified in any manner to accommodate the vent member;    (c) positioning at least a portion of said vent member in said container such that air will pass through the vent member while liquid is being dispensed from the liquid container; and,    (d) permanently securing said vent member to said container.    
   
   
       14 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , including the further step of: 
 (a) filling the liquid container with a liquid, said filling step being performed after said step of permanently securing the vent member to the liquid container.    
   
   
       15 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein: 
 (a) the first end of the vent member is aligned with the uppermost portion of said body prior to step (d) such that when step (d) is performed the first end of the vent member lies in substantially the same horizontal plane as the uppermost portion of said body.    
   
   
       16 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein: 
 (a) the vent member is welded to at least a portion of the body.    
   
   
       17 . The method as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein: 
 (a) the vent member is thermally welded to at least a portion of the body.    
   
   
       18 . The method as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein: 
 (a) the vent member is ultrasonically welded to at least a portion of the body.    
   
   
       19 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein: 
 (a) the vent member is chemically bonded to at least a portion of the body.    
   
   
       20 . An apparatus for containing a fluid, said apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a body having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion of said body having an aperture formed therein for permitting liquid to be poured into and out of said body;    (b) a vent member being disposed in said body, said vent member having a fluid passageway allowing an external gas to pass through said vent member and into said body as liquid is poured out of said body; and,    (b) said vent member being permanently secured to said body.