Adaptable Drinking Nozzle for a Bottle

Abstract

An adaptable drinking nozzle may convert any bottle into a nozzled drinking vessel and may feature a conical elastomeric skirt with parallel fitting rings on an inside of the skirt. The apex of the cone may have a valve to selectively contain the bottle contents. By folding the elastomeric skirt, the drinking nozzle may fit either over or inside the neck of the bottle and seal it against the fitting rings.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of containers and more particularly relates to an elastomeric nozzle which may be adaptably configured to fit on most bottle openings and allow users to drink therefrom.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

People have been storing liquids in bottles and jugs for millennia. They have also adapted bottles so that liquids could be consumed directly from the bottle or jug. However, as easy as this may be, it is still a learned skill. Infants and toddlers often lack the dexterity to drink from any open container until such dexterity is gained. To this end, caps and covers have been developed to better enable toddlers to drink independently. Life events may also occur which leave an individual with some degree of disability which may inhibit the ability to drink from an open container. Also, immediate life situations and activities may also make an open container problematic. In many of these activities, if a consumer wishes to seal a bottle, a cap must be replaced, and then removed for when the consumer wishes to drink. Not only does this consume time, but there is a very real risk of the cap being dropped or mislaid, and thereby becoming lost or contaminated.

Many devices have been developed to seal a bottle. Not all allow for the consumption of the bottle's contents while still in place. Not all are adaptable to multiple bottles. One that is adaptable is described in U.S. Pub. App. No. 2015/0182045, where an elastomeric dome may be placed over or inside a bottle neck opening (as needed) and presents a hole for the access of contained liquids.

However, this hole does not close, and the cover usually requires a straw for ideal access and sealing the hole. The form is also limited as to what size of bottle neck it can accommodate.

The present invention is a drinking nozzle formed of a cover for a bottle having a neck of a given size which presents a valve at its tip from which a contained beverage may be drunk. The valve provides a sealed opening that prevents leakage when not in use. The skirt of the cover may be folded in a manner to allow use on a wider variety of bottle necks. The present invention represents a departure from the prior art in that the drinking nozzle of the present invention allows for use on a wider variety of sizes of bottles and for the selective sealing of the nozzle when not in use to prevent leakage. It also eschews a straw and utilizes the drinking valve in its place.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of bottle covers, an improved adaptable drinking nozzle may provide a bottle cover that allows the user to seal a beverage in the bottle while still accessing the beverage. As such, a new and improved drinking nozzle may comprise an elastomeric, conical cover body which folds to fit the opening of the bottle, a plurality of sealing ridges to assist in the bottle interface, and a valved nozzle at the apex of the conical body to accomplish these objectives.

The more prominent features of the invention have thus been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may better be appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims that follow.

Many objects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in several ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an adaptable drinking nozzle.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the adaptable drinking nozzle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the adaptable drinking nozzle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a transparent front elevation of the adaptable drinking nozzle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a transparent side elevation of the adaptable drinking nozzle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the adaptable drinking nozzle of FIG. 1 being installed upon a bottle.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the adaptable drinking nozzle, after installation on a bottle.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the adaptable drinking nozzle of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the adaptable drinking nozzle of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the adaptable drinking nozzle of FIG. 1 being installed upon an alternate bottle.

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of the adaptable drinking nozzle, after installation on a bottle.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the adaptable drinking nozzle of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the adaptable drinking nozzle is herein described. It should be noted that the articles “a”, “an”, and “the”, as used in this specification, include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

With reference to FIGS. 1-5, a drinking nozzle 10 may be a simple conical elastomeric construction with a skirt 12 and nozzle 16 at the conical apex. A valve slit 18 resides at the tip of the nozzle 16 for access to a contained beverage. Within the body of the skirt 12 are a plurality of parallel fitting rings 14 to aid in the gripping of a bottle neck. The fitting rings 14 may be of any shape and size to allow for the adequate interaction with the bottle opening.

The nozzle 10 may be used in one of two manners. In the first (FIGS. 6-9), the skirt 12 is folded upwards towards the nozzle 16 and positioned on a bottle rim 20. At least one fitting ring 14 would then abut the rim 20. Skirt 12 is then folded over the rim 20. The nozzle 16 is then positioned over the bottle opening and may be used for drinking. In the second manner (FIGS. 10-12), the folded skirt 12 may fit inside the rim 22 of the bottle, and then folded over.

The drinking nozzle may be made of any suitable elastomeric material which will also be non-toxic and suitable for use with foods and beverages, such as silicone. It may also be made through a simple molding process. The drinking nozzle 10 is adaptable to various bottle necks due to the foldable nature of the skirt 12, which may be folded over once, twice, or as needed to fit both the neck of the bottle and to leave the top nozzle 16 exposed for access.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, numerous modifications and variations can be made and still the result will come within the scope of the invention. No limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred.

Claims

1. An adaptable drinking nozzle comprising: a conical, elastomeric body, further comprising: a foldable skirt defining an interior and an exterior;a plurality of parallel fitting rings along the interior of the skirt; anda valve located at an apex of the conical body.

2. The adaptable drinking nozzle of claim 1, further comprising a rim about the valve.

3. The adaptable drinking nozzle of claim 1, further comprising a thicker shoulder between the foldable skirt and the apex of the conical body.

4. The adaptable drinking nozzle of claim 1, the elastomeric body being manufactured of silicone.

5. The adaptable drinking nozzle of claim 1, the fitting rings being a plurality of parallel ridges manufactured inside the interior of the foldable skirt.