Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates in general to beverage containers from which a user drinks. In particular it relates to those beverage containers which have a storage body with a rim, an annular collar secured to that rim, and a circular cap threaded to the central opening of the collar. The collar includes one or more flow apertures, and rotation of the cap in one direction will cause the cap to lower and thus block these flow apertures to seal the container. Rotation of the cap in the opposite direction will cause the cap to rise and thus open the flow apertures to allow drinking.
It is common for a user to be unsure about the amount of rotation of the cap necessary for opening the container for drinking. Too little rotation will restrict flow and make it difficult to drink. Too much rotation, and there is a worry of the cap unexpectedly detaching from the collar and causing a serious spill. It has been known to provide markings on the cap and collar which come into alignment at the suggested optimum rotation, to provide a visual indication for the user. While an improvement, this requires visual inspection. This may be difficult in low light situations. Further, it is a dangerous distraction while driving.
An object of the present invention is to provide a beverage container with an indicator for the open position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage container with a tactile indication upon reaching a properly open position of the inner cover for drinking.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a tactile indicator which also serves to maintain the cap in the properly open position against unintended rotation.
The objects and features of the invention noted above are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and in which:
With reference to
The collar 14 includes an outer wall 22 having a top end 24 and bottom end 26. Spaced from each of these ends 24 and 26 the collar 14 includes an inwardly extending flow ledge 28 which includes at least one flow aperture 30 extending therethrough (
As may be envisioned, with the collar 14 mounted to the base 12, tilting of the combined components will cause liquid stored in the base to flow through one or more of the flow apertures 30, and thereafter flow over the top end 24 of collar 14. This will allow the user to drink the liquid which is stored in the base 12. For containers of this type, however, the true utility comes from selectively preventing this flow. This is the purpose of the cap 16.
As best shown by comparing
The cap plug 44 is intended to interact with the collar shaft 32. In particular, the cap plug 44 and collar shaft 32 will each include an appropriate thread for mating with the other. In the embodiment shown, the cap plug 44 is closely received within the collar shaft 32, and as such the cap plug 44 include the threads on its exterior, and the collar shaft 32 includes the threads on its interior. This arrangement could be reversed, with the collar shaft received within the cap plug. As may be envisioned with reference to
The flow ledge 28 and flow apertures 30 are located radially exterior to the collar shaft 32. The top plate 40 is sized to also extend radially outward so as to overly the flow apertures 30. The cap body 36 further includes a seal ridge 46 extending downward from the top plate 40 at a position adjacent the flow apertures 30. The seal gasket 38 includes on its top face a mating seal groove 48 sized to receive the seal ridge 46 and thus removably mount the seal gasket 38 to the cap body 36. As illustrated best in
The arrangement described to this point is well known in the prior art. The inventive features will be described from this point forward. For reasons which will become clear, it is preferred to limit rotational slipping of the seal gasket 38 with respect to the cap body 36. To that end, the seal ridge 46 may be formed with an irregular free edge and the seal groove 48 have a variable depth for mating with this irregular free edge. Various arrangements are possible, but in the preferred form shown in
The collar 14 includes a collar stop 54 in the form of a small protrusion extending into the annular space between the collar outer wall 22 and the collar shaft 32 adjacent to the flow ledge 28. In fact, in the preferred embodiment shown, the collar stop 54 extends downward to merge with the flow ledge 28. The majority of the seal gasket 38 has a constant outer diameter and is sized such that is spaced radially inward from this collar stop 54 and may thus turn freely with respect to the collar 14. But at least one section of the seal gasket 38 includes a pair of seal stops 56. While not required, it is preferred that seal stops 56 are monolithic extensions of the seal gasket 38 formed during molding of the seal gasket 38. The seal stops 56 preferably extend radially outward a distance that they each overlap a portion of the collar stop 54 (best shown in
While it is possible to provide tactile indication of the fully closed position of the cap 16 (preventing flow), it is felt that the resistance to further rotation upon seating of the seal gasket 38 against the flow ledge 28 will provide adequate tactile indication of the fully closed position. But the properly open position of the cap 16 is more difficult to determine. It is clear that the cap 16 may be rotated sufficiently that it is completely removable from the base 12 (to allow filling for example) and as such the container 10 would be fully open. The fact that the cap 16 may be rotated enough to be removed can cause lingering anxiety in the user as to how far the cap 16 has been rotated—and whether it was rotated too much and may fall free of the collar 14 as the container 10 is tipped for drinking. As may be envisioned, this would typically cause a larger-than-anticipated volume of liquid (potentially very hot liquid) to unexpectedly exit the container 10 in a spill over the user's face. The term “properly open position” is some rotational position of the cap 16 with respect to the collar 14 allowing free flow of liquid through the flow apertures 30 for drinking, while still securely retaining the cap 16 to the collar 14 to prevent such spills.
As such, it is preferred that the tactile indication provided by the collar stop 54 seating between the seal stops 56 be used to determine the properly open position of cap 16. Beginning with the cap 16 in its lowest position with seal gasket 38 closing the flow apertures 30, the notch 58 is rotationally (that is, circumferentially) offset relative to the collar stop 54. As the cap is rotated toward the open position, with the seal gasket uncovering the flow apertures 30, the notch 58 will come closer to the collar stop 54. During this period of rotation the seal gasket 38 does not interfere with the collar stop 54, and as such the cap turn easily upon manual rotation by the user. As the leading one of the seal stops 56 abuts against the collar stop 54, however, rotation of the cap 16 with respect to the collar 14 will become more difficult. The elastic nature of the seal gasket 38, together with appropriate dimensional overlap of the collar stop 54 and seal stops 56, will allow the leading one of the seal stops 56 to deform sufficiently to continue rotation of the cap with some effort. Once the leading one of the seal stops 56 is rotated past (and thus ceases to interfere with) the collar stop 54 there will be a brief moment of noticeably easier rotation immediately followed by rotation once again becoming more difficult as the trailing one of the seal stops 56 comes into interference with the collar stop 54. At this point, the collar stop 54 is received within the notch 58. As may be envisioned, this change in resistance to rotation of the cap 16, with the hard-easy-hard rotation occurring at a specified point of rotation, is noticeable by the user in a tactile sense. Further, the seating of collar stop 54 within notch 58 will assist in preventing further, unintended, rotation of cap 16.
The amount of rotation of the cap 16 from the closed position to the properly open position may vary. It is preferred, however, that the rotation be easily accomplished by the user. As such, it is preferred that the properly open position be between 15 and 90 degrees from the closed position. This amount of rotation is easily achieved without strain on the wrist. Other rotations to achieve the properly open position are of course possible.
While the seal stops 56 may take many geometric forms, comparison of
While not required, it is also preferred that the mating threads on the collar shaft 32 and cap plug 44 have an incline such that the notch 58 will interact with collar stop only once during mounting or dismounting of the cap 16 to collar 14. As shown in
From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objects set forth above together with the other advantages which are inherent within its structure.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth of shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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3393816 | Grimm | Jul 1968 | A |
5147066 | Snider | Sep 1992 | A |
5660302 | Trout | Aug 1997 | A |
6102244 | Kuwano | Aug 2000 | A |
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20100155358 | George | Jun 2010 | A1 |
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20200130904 | Jones | Apr 2020 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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202919352 | May 2013 | CN |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20210153672 A1 | May 2021 | US |