Sound producing liquid dispenser and liquid pouring devices

Abstract

A sound producing liquid dispenser has a structure sized and configured to seal an opening in a container, a liquid outlet opening for dispensing liquid from the container, one or more air passageway(s) allowing air to flow between the interior and exterior of the container, and a sound producing mechanism located in proximity to the air passageway. A contoured and/or decorative outer housing may be provided. Various types of sound producing mechanisms are useful, including sound chambers formed (at least in part) by perforated walls or reeds and pea whistles. In some embodiments, the sound producing mechanism may be detachable. In particular embodiments, the sound produced during or following a pouring operation sounds like birdsong, and in some embodiments, a contoured outer housing is provided in the form of a bird.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A liquid dispenser comprising:
 a stopper sized and configured to close a container having a liquid reservoir and an opening;   a contoured housing operatively associated with the stopper, the contoured housing having a contoured external configuration in the form of a bird and a hollow interior volume having an interior chamber wall configuration in the form of a bird;   a liquid outlet opening and at least one air opening penetrating the contoured housing, wherein the hollow interior volume provides a liquid pathway accessing the liquid outlet opening and an air pathway accessing the at least one air opening; and   a sound producing mechanism mounted within the hollow interior volume of the contoured housing and configured to produce sound when liquid is poured from the dispenser.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the stopper is sized and configured to fit snugly over the container opening. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the stopper, the liquid outlet opening and the at least one air opening are provided in a liquid dispenser constructed as an integral, unitary element. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the sound producing mechanism is selected from the group consisting of: a sound chamber comprising spaced, perforated walls; a sound chamber comprising a reed; and a sound chamber having at least one perforated wall and enclosing at least one movable ball. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the sound producing mechanism comprises at least one curved plate having at least one air passageway provided in the plate. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the sound producing mechanism comprises at least one sound chamber formed between two spaced plates. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the sound producing mechanism has a generally cylindrical or frustoconical exterior configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the contoured housing is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of: metal, plastic, ceramic, glass, silicone and rubber. 
     
     
         9 . A liquid dispenser comprising:
 a device body having a contoured external configuration forming a hollow interior volume having an interior chamber wall configuration, wherein the contoured external configuration and the interior chamber wall configuration match over at least 50% of the external and interior chamber walls;   a stopper sized and configured to close a container having a liquid reservoir and an opening;   a liquid outlet opening and at least one air opening penetrating the contoured housing, wherein the hollow interior volume provides a liquid pathway accessing the liquid outlet opening and an air pathway accessing the at least one air opening; and   a sound producing mechanism mounted within the device body and configured to produce sound when liquid is poured from the dispenser through the device body.   
     
     
         10 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the contoured external configuration is in the form of a bird. 
     
     
         11 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 10 , wherein the liquid outlet opening is provided at a beak of the bird. 
     
     
         12 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the sound producing mechanism comprises at least one plate having at least one air passageway provided in the plate. 
     
     
         13 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the sound producing mechanism comprises at least one sound chamber formed between two spaced plates. 
     
     
         14 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the sound producing mechanism has a generally cylindrical or frustoconical exterior configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the contoured housing is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of: metal, plastic, ceramic, glass, silicone and rubber. 
     
     
         16 . A liquid dispenser comprising:
 a stopper sized and configured to close a container having a liquid reservoir and an opening;   a contoured housing having an interior chamber communicating with the opening of the container, wherein the interior chamber provides a liquid pathway transiting the stopper and the interior chamber and accessing a liquid outlet opening in the contoured housing, and wherein the interior chamber additionally provides an air pathway transiting the stopper and the interior chamber and accessing at least one air opening; and   a sound producing mechanism mounted in communication with the air passageway and configured to produce sound when liquid is poured from the dispenser, wherein the sound producing mechanism comprises at least one sound chamber formed by at least at least two plates having at least one air passageway provided in each plate.   
     
     
         17 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 16 , wherein the interior chamber is formed by interior walls of the contoured housing. 
     
     
         18 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 16 , wherein the contoured housing is in the form of a bird. 
     
     
         19 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 16 , wherein the stopper, the liquid outlet opening and the at least one air opening are provided in a contoured housing constructed as an integral, unitary element. 
     
     
         20 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 16 , wherein the contoured housing is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of: metal, plastic, ceramic, glass, silicone and rubber.