Universal funnel

Abstract

A universal funnel comprises a tapered hollow body and a tube-like enclosure. The tapered hollow body has an exterior and an interior and has a wide end defining a wide inlet opening and a narrow end defining a narrow outlet opening. The tube-like enclosure has an exterior and an interior and has one end defining an attached end and the other end defining an opened end. The size of the attached end of the tube-like enclosure is larger than the size of the narrow outlet opening of the tapered hollow body. And the size of the attached end of the tube-like enclosure is equal to or smaller than the size of the wide inlet opening of the tapered hollow body. The attached end of the tube-like enclosure is attached to the exterior surface of the tapered hollow body by first introducing the narrow outlet opening of the tapered hollow body into the attached end of the tube-like enclosure till the attached end of the tube-like enclosure is in contact with the exterior surface of the tapered hollow body. The tube-like enclosure is long enough in order to keep the narrow outlet opening of the tapered hollow body inside and away from the opened end of the tube-like enclosure. Therefore, the universal funnel can be used for transferring liquids into bottles or separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, e.g. oil and water; oil is a light weight liquid and water is a heavy weight liquid.

1 - 10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . A universal funnel for transferring a liquid into a long narrow neck bottle, e.g. a wine bottle, and for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, e.g. oil and water, comprising: 
 (a) a tapered hollow body with an exterior and an interior and having a wide end defining a wide inlet opening and a narrow end defining a narrow outlet opening; the exterior adjacent to said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body will be engaged in resting position against the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle so that said tapered hollow body will nest on the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle;    (b) a tube-like enclosure with an exterior and an interior and having one end defining an attached end and the other end defining an opened end; the diameter of said tube-like enclosure is equal to the diameter of said wide inlet opening of said tapered hollow body;    (c) a connection means for attaching said attached end of said tube-like enclosure to the exterior surface of said tapered hollow body by introducing said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body into said attached end of said tube-like enclosure till said attached end of said tube-like enclosure is in contact with the exterior surface of said tapered hollow body; said tube-like enclosure is long enough so that said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body is kept inside of said tube-like enclosure and said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body is kept away from said opened end of said tube-like enclosure for a sufficient distance; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring a liquid into a long narrow neck bottle, said wide inlet opening of said tapered hollow body will receive the liquid; said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body will channel the liquid into the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle; and said tube-like enclosure will serve as a fence remotely surrounding the long narrow neck of the bottle to prevent the universal funnel from falling or tilting off; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, the light weight liquid of the mixture will be concentrated at said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body; a cup will be formed and bounded by said tapered hollow body and said tube-like enclosure for collecting the separated light weight liquid; the space between said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body and said opened end of said tube-like enclosure will prevent the mixture of liquids from flowing over said opened end of said tube-like enclosure while the light weight liquid of the mixture being concentrated and collected.    
   
   
       12 . The universal funnel of  claim 11 , wherein said tube-like enclosure is further extended longitudinally; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring the liquid into the long narrow neck bottle, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the universal funnel from falling or tilting off the long narrow neck of the bottle; and the stability of nesting said tapered hollow body on the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle will be further strengthened; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the mixture of liquids from flowing over said opened end of said tube-like enclosure so that the universal funnel can dip further into the mixture of liquids in which the light weight liquid has a thicker layer.  
   
   
       13 . The universal funnel of  claim 11 , wherein the universal funnel further comprising a spout attached to said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body; said tube-like enclosure is long enough so that said spout is kept inside said tube-like enclosure and also said spout is kept away from said opened end of said tube-like enclosure for a sufficient distance; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring a liquid into a long narrow neck bottle, said spout will be inserted into the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle to facilitate the liquid flow; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, said spout will raise the depth of said cup which is formed and bounded by said tube-like enclosure, said tapered hollow body, and in addition, said spout.  
   
   
       14 . The universal funnel of  claim 13 , wherein said tube-like enclosure is further extended longitudinally; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring the liquid into the long narrow neck bottle, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the universal funnel from falling or tilting off the long narrow neck of the bottle; and the stability of nesting the tapered hollow body on the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle will be further strengthened; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the mixture of liquids from flowing over said opened end of said tube-like enclosure so that the universal funnel can dip further into the mixture of liquids in which the light weight liquid has a thicker layer.  
   
   
       15 . A universal funnel for transferring a liquid into a long narrow neck bottle such as a cork sealed wine bottle and for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, e.g. oil and water, comprising: 
 (a) a tapered hollow body with an exterior and an interior and having a wide end defining a wide inlet opening and a narrow end defining a narrow outlet opening; the exterior adjacent to said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body will be engaged in resting position against the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle so that said tapered hollow body will nest on the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle;    (b) a tube-like enclosure with an exterior and an interior and having one end defining an attached end and the other end defining an opened end; the diameter of said tube-like enclosure is equal to the diameter of said wide inlet opening of said tapered hollow body;    (c) a connection means for attaching said attached end of said tube-like enclosure to the exterior surface of said tapered hollow body by introducing said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body into said attached end of said tube-like enclosure till said attached end of said tube-like enclosure is in contact with the exterior surface of said tapered hollow body; said tube-like enclosure is long enough so that said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body is kept inside of said tube-like enclosure and said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body is kept away from said opened end of said tube-like enclosure for a sufficient distance; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring a liquid into a long narrow neck bottle, said wide inlet opening of said tapered hollow body will receive the liquid; said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body will channel the liquid into the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle; and said tube-like enclosure will serve as a fence remotely surrounding the long narrow neck of the bottle to prevent the universal funnel from falling or tilting off; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, the light weight liquid of the mixture will be concentrated at said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body; a cup will be formed and bounded by said tapered hollow body and said tube-like enclosure for collecting the separated light weight liquid; the space between said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body and said opened end of said tube-like enclosure will prevent the mixture of liquids from flowing over said opened end of said tube-like enclosure while the light weight liquid of the mixture being concentrated and collected.    
   
   
       16 . The universal funnel of  claim 15 , wherein said tube-like enclosure is further extended longitudinally; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring the liquid into the long narrow neck bottle, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the universal funnel from falling or tilting off the long narrow neck of the bottle; and the stability of nesting said tapered hollow body on the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle will be further strengthened; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the mixture of liquids from flowing over said opened end of said tube-like enclosure so that the universal funnel can dip further into the mixture of liquids in which the light weight liquid has a thicker layer.  
   
   
       17 . The universal funnel of  claim 15 , wherein the universal funnel further comprising a spout attached to said narrow outlet opening of said tapered hollow body; said tube-like enclosure is long enough so that said spout is kept inside said tube-like enclosure and also said spout is kept away from said opened end of said tube-like enclosure for a sufficient distance; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring a liquid into a long narrow neck bottle, said spout will be inserted into the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle to facilitate the liquid flow; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, said spout will raise the depth of said cup which is formed and bounded by said tube-like enclosure, said tapered hollow body, and in addition, said spout.  
   
   
       18 . The universal funnel of  claim 17 , wherein said tube-like enclosure is further extended longitudinally; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for transferring the liquid into the long narrow neck bottle, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the universal funnel from falling or tilting off the long narrow neck of the bottle; and the stability of nesting the tapered hollow body on the mouth of the long narrow neck bottle will be further strengthened; whereby, when the universal funnel is used for separating a mixture of liquids of different specific gravities, the extension of said tube-like enclosure will further prevent the mixture of liquids from flowing over said opened end of said tube-like enclosure so that the universal funnel can dip further into the mixture of liquids in which the light weight liquid has a thicker layer.