The present disclosure pertains to a bottle closure having a body and a cover with a push button type of trigger.
One aspect of the present disclosure is a bottle closure for releasable attachment to a bottle and for providing hydration to a user. The bottle closure includes a drink spout, a pump mechanism, and a trigger mechanism. The drink spout is adapted and configured to be in fluid communication with a bottle to enable a user to extract a liquid. The pump mechanism is configured to be in fluid communication with a bottle to enable a liquid to be pumped and discharged through a nozzle. The pump mechanism includes a plunger configured to be movable along a first axis to pump a liquid, and the plunger is operatively connected to a first camming surface. The trigger mechanism is operatively connected to the pump mechanism and movable linearly along a second axis between a first trigger position and a second trigger position. The second axis is not parallel with the first axis. The trigger mechanism is configured to actuate the pump mechanism to pump the liquid as the trigger mechanism is moved between the first trigger position and the second trigger position. The trigger mechanism has a second camming surface configured to engage with the first camming surface of the pump mechanism. The first and second camming surfaces are shaped and configured such that motion of the trigger mechanism along the second axis between the first and second trigger positions causes the second camming surface to engage with the first camming surface to move the plunger along the first axis.
Another aspect of the present disclosure is a bottle closure for releasable attachment to a bottle and for providing hydration to a user. The bottle closure includes a first discharge aperture for dispensing a liquid, a body, a pump mechanism, a trigger mechanism, and a second discharge aperture separated from the first discharge aperture. The pump mechanism is supported by the body and includes a variable volume fluid receiving cavity and a plunger reciprocally movable along a first axis and within the fluid receiving cavity between a first plunger position in which the fluid receiving cavity has a first volume and a second plunger position in which the fluid receiving cavity has a second volume smaller than the first volume. The plunger is configured to change the volume of the fluid receiving cavity as the pump mechanism moves between the first plunger position and the second plunger position. The pump mechanism includes a first check valve in a first intake liquid flow path configured for permitting fluid flow to the fluid receiving cavity from the first intake liquid flow path and for checking fluid flow from the pump mechanism to the first intake liquid flow path. The pump mechanism further includes a second check valve in a first discharge liquid flow path configured for permitting fluid flow from the fluid receiving cavity to the first discharge liquid flow path and for checking fluid flow from the first discharge liquid flow path to the fluid receiving cavity. The first discharge liquid flow path terminates at the first discharge aperture. The plunger is operatively connected to a first camming surface such that the plunger is drivable. The trigger mechanism is operatively connected to the pump mechanism and movable linearly along a second axis between a first trigger position and a second trigger position. The second axis is not parallel with the first axis. The trigger mechanism is configured to actuate the pump mechanism to pump the liquid as the trigger mechanism is moved between the first trigger position and the second trigger position. The trigger mechanism has a second camming surface configured to engage with the first camming surface of the pump mechanism. The first and second camming surfaces are shaped and configured such that motion of the trigger mechanism along the second axis between the first and second trigger positions causes the second camming surface to engage with the first camming surface to move the plunger along the first axis. The second discharge aperture is in fluid communication with a second intake liquid flow path.
Further features and advantages, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments disclosed herein, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. In the drawings:
The pump mechanism 128 and the trigger mechanism 130 are supported on a body 132 of the bottle closure 122. The pump mechanism 128 has a discharge aligned with the nozzle 126 to enable a liquid to be pumped from the interior of the bottle and discharged through nozzle. The pump mechanism 128 may be driven by a trigger mechanism 130. The trigger mechanism 130 is adapted and configured to actuate the pump mechanism 128 to pump a liquid as the trigger mechanism 130 is moved between a first trigger position and a second trigger position. The pump and trigger mechanism will be discussed in greater detail below.
The bottle closure 22 may also include a cover 143. The cover 143 of the bottle closure 122 extends at least in part around the body 132, and at least partially covers the pump mechanism 128, and the trigger mechanism 130. With the cover installed 143 on the body 132 to form the bottle closure 122, the cover preferably provides protection for the trigger mechanism 130 and the pump mechanism 128. With the cover 143 removed, the body 132 including the pump mechanism 128 and the trigger mechanism 130 may be exposed as desired for cleaning. Further, with the cover 143 removed, a user may clean the cover 143 and its interior surfaces. The cover 143 may be releasably coupled to the body 132, as will be discussed below. In the alternative, the cover may be permanently attached to the body (e.g., sonically welded together, adhered, or the like).
The bottle closure cover 143 may also include a window 152. The window 152 may be configured to accommodate at least a portion of the trigger mechanism 130. The window 152 allows the trigger mechanism 130 to extend through the window 152 and provides access for the user to manipulate the trigger mechanism 130 to drive the pump mechanism 128 to spray a liquid through the nozzle 126. The trigger mechanism 130 is configured to be actuated by a user and may have a shape that is ergonomic for a fit with a user's finger.
The cover 143 further includes a nozzle opening 153 configured to accommodate the nozzle 126 such that the nozzle can spray a liquid that exits the bottle closure 122. The cover 143, the nozzle opening 153, and the nozzle 126 are configured such that the nozzle 126 does not extend past an outer surface of the cover 143. For example, and without limitation, the first opening 153 may be frustoconical and extend downward from the cover 143. The nozzle 126 may be configured such that, as the pump mechanism 128 is actuated, the nozzle 126 moves within the frustoconical first opening 153. During such movement, the distal end of the nozzle 126 opposite the pump mechanism 128 may be configured to not extend outward past the cover 143 and to extend inward below the frustoconical opening 153, such that the nozzle reciprocates (e.g. vertically in the drawing) within the opening 153.
The cover 143 may further include a drink spout opening 155 configured to accommodate the drink spout 124 such that liquid is dischargeable from the bottle closure 122 through the drink spout 124. A portion of the drink spout 124 is positioned within the drink spout opening 155 such that the drink spout is able to engage and disengage with a passageway to permit and prevent liquid from flowing out of the bottle closure 122 through the drink spout 124.
As best shown in
As best shown in
The trigger mechanism 130 is operatively connected to the pump mechanism 128 and is movable linearly about a second axis A2 between a first trigger position and a second trigger position. The trigger mechanism 130 of bottle closure 122 actuates the pump mechanism 128 to spray liquid through the nozzle 126. The trigger mechanism 130 moves laterally/horizontally between the first and second trigger positions along the axis A2. The trigger mechanism 130 includes a trigger portion 161, a body portion 162, a cam 163, and at least one biasing member 165a,165b.
The second axis A2 and movement of the trigger mechanism between the first and second positions is substantially perpendicular to the first axis A1 and the centerline of the bottle closure (e.g., the second axis is within zero to five degrees of perpendicular to the first axis). For example, and without limitation, the trigger mechanism 130 moves horizontally within the window 152 of the cover 143. The body portion 162 and the window 152 are sized such that the trigger mechanism 130 is guided along the horizontal second axis A2 and remains secured within the cover 143 as it travels between the first trigger position and the second trigger position. For example, and without limitation, a portion of the body 162 of the trigger mechanism 130 disposed within the cover may be larger than the window 152 to prevent the trigger mechanism 130 from the exiting cover 143.
The cam 163 of the trigger mechanism 130 is configured to engage with a cam following surface 167 of the pump mechanism. As the cam 163 moves with the trigger mechanism 130 between the first and second positions, the profile of the cam 163 causes the cam follower 167 to move vertically about the first axis. The cam 163 and the cam following surface 167 function together to transform motion of the trigger mechanism 130 about the second axis into motion of the plunger about the first axis. In the depicted embodiment, the cam surface 163 is an included plane having a constant slope so that the cam surface 163 has a linear cam profile whereby the lateral motion of the trigger mechanism 130 along the second axis is converted to vertical motion in the pump mechanism 128 in the first axis with a linear relationship. In alternative embodiments, the cam surface 163 has a non-linear cam profile. The cam following surface 167 is, for example and without limitation, a cylindrical (e.g., right circular cylinder, oval cross sectioned cylinder, or the like) protrusion from a body of the pump mechanism 128 or other suitable structure and operatively connected, either integrally or monolithically with the plunger 129. The plunger 129 is operatively connected to the cam following surface 167. Force applied to the cam following surface 167 causes the plunger to move towards the second plunger position. A spring causes the plunger to return to the first plunger position.
The spring 165 of the trigger mechanism 130 biases the trigger mechanism 130 toward the first trigger position. In the depicted embodiment, the trigger mechanism 130 includes a first spring 165a and a second spring 165b. The first spring 165a and the second spring 165b are positioned on opposite sides of the pump mechanism 128 such that the springs, the trigger mechanism 130 and pump mechanism 128 are contained within the cover 143. The body portion 162 of the trigger mechanism 130 may have a geometry that accommodates the pump mechanism 128. The body portion 162 may have a central cutout 169 defining between two arms 171. The cutout 169 is sized such that the pump mechanism 128 is receivable within the cutout 169 as the trigger mechanism 130 is moved toward the second trigger position. The two arms 171 of the body portion 162 pass on either side of the pump mechanism 128 as the trigger mechanism 130 is moved toward the second trigger position. The cam surface 163 may be provided on one or both of the arms adjacent to the cut-out.
The bottle closure 122 further includes a lock mechanism 134 engageable with the trigger mechanism 130 to lock and unlock the trigger mechanism 130 to prevent and permit movement of the trigger mechanism 130 between the first and second trigger position. When the lock mechanism 134 is in an engaged position, the trigger mechanism 130 is prevented from moving between the first trigger position and the second trigger position. When the lock mechanism 134 is in a disengaged position, the trigger mechanism 130 is permitted to move between the first trigger position and the second trigger position.
The lock mechanism 134 includes a guide portion 173, detents 175, a lever 177, and a latching portion 179. The guide portion 173 is positioned within a corresponding slot in the cover 143 such that the lock mechanism 134 is guided vertically between the engaged and disengaged positions. One or more detents 175 are positioned on the guide portion 173 and engage with the slot to maintain the lock mechanism 134 in the engaged and disengaged positions until a user overcomes the force of the detent 175 to move the lock mechanism 134. The lock mechanism 134 is movable by a user through the lever 177. The lever 177 extends laterally to provide a surface for user interaction. The latching portion 179 engages and disengages with the trigger mechanism 130 to prevent or permit movement of the trigger mechanism 130 between the first trigger position and the second trigger position. In the depicted embodiment, the latching portion 179 forms a channel that is capable of receiving a corresponding portion (e.g., a flange) of the trigger mechanism 130. When the trigger mechanism is in the first trigger position and the locking mechanism 134 is in the engaged position, the latching portion 179 receives the trigger mechanism 130 such that lateral motion of the trigger mechanism is prevented. When the lock mechanism 134 is moved to the disengaged position, the flange of the trigger mechanism 130 is removed from the channel of the latching portion 179 such that the trigger mechanism 130 is permitted to move laterally between the first trigger position and the second trigger position.
The closure 122 may include a threaded fastener 172 that removably couples the cover 143 to the body 132. The body 132 of the closure 122 may include a bore 174 sized to accommodate the shaft of the fastener 172 and a counter bore 176 sized to accommodate the head of the fastener. The closure 122 may further include an o-ring, gasket, or a like seal positioned within the counterbore. The shaft of the fastener 172 may pass through the o-ring and the head of the fastener 172 may engage with the body of the o-ring such that the o-ring forms a seal between the body 132 and the fastener 172 to prevent liquid from passing through the bore 174. In alternative embodiments, the closure 122 need not include a counterbore 176. The cover 143 includes a threaded receiver 178 that corresponds to the location of the bore 174 in the body 132. The threaded receiver 178 is threaded such that the threaded shaft of the fastener 172 engages with the threaded receiver to securely and removably couple the body 132 to the cover 143. A socket 179 may be formed on a shoulder on an opposite face of the counter bore 176 in the body 132. The threaded receiver 178 may be adapted and configured to fit within the socket 179, and positively align threaded receiver with the bore 174. For example, and without limitation, the threaded receiver 178 may be cylindrical and extend downward from the cover 143 such that, when the cover 143 is engaged with the body 132, the threaded receiver is received in the socket 179. In some embodiments, the threaded receiver 178 is at least partially metallic. For example, and without limitation, the threaded receiver 178 includes a metallic insert being threaded to accommodate the fastener 172. The metallic insert may be formed in a plastic cover 143 (e.g., during an injection molding process), may be inserted into the threaded receiver 178 after the cover 143 is formed and secured (e.g., using adhesive), or otherwise coupled to the cover 143. The metallic threads of the threaded receiver 178 increase the lifespan of the threaded receiver in comparison to plastic threads formed in the threaded receiver 178. In use, a user may unscrew the closure 122 from a bottle 136 (e.g., using the threads 177 in the body 132). Doing so provides access to the fastener 172. The user may unscrew the fastener 172 from the threaded receiver 178. With the fastener 172 unscrewed from the threaded fastener 178, the user may separate the cover 143 from the body 132. With the body 132 and the cover 143 separated, the user may clean the closure 122. The user may reassemble the closure 122 by placing the cover 143 on the body 132, inserting the fastener 172 into the bore and counter bore 174,176, and screwing the fastener 172 into the threaded receiver 178.
The body 32 may include a vent 266 (
As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
It should also be understood that when introducing elements in the claims or in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be open-ended and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, the term “portion” should be construed as meaning some or all of the item or element that it qualifies.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3913844 | Petrovic | Oct 1975 | A |
4095725 | Goncalves | Jun 1978 | A |
4373644 | Bennett | Feb 1983 | A |
4441633 | Bennett | Apr 1984 | A |
4506805 | Marcon | Mar 1985 | A |
4618076 | Silvenis | Oct 1986 | A |
4805812 | Brody | Feb 1989 | A |
4867347 | Wass et al. | Sep 1989 | A |
4932563 | Diamond et al. | Jun 1990 | A |
5016781 | Ten Wolde | May 1991 | A |
5169032 | Steijns et al. | Dec 1992 | A |
5228600 | Steijns et al. | Jul 1993 | A |
5238152 | Maas et al. | Aug 1993 | A |
5297701 | Steijns et al. | Mar 1994 | A |
5542581 | Habora | Aug 1996 | A |
D385792 | Sayers et al. | Nov 1997 | S |
5711461 | Foster | Jan 1998 | A |
5715974 | Foster | Feb 1998 | A |
5722569 | Foster | Mar 1998 | A |
5788125 | Steiner | Aug 1998 | A |
5823395 | Foster | Oct 1998 | A |
5947341 | Montaner | Sep 1999 | A |
D417590 | Kato | Dec 1999 | S |
6003738 | Foster et al. | Dec 1999 | A |
6010034 | Walthers | Jan 2000 | A |
6119888 | Goto et al. | Sep 2000 | A |
6217294 | Amieri et al. | Apr 2001 | B1 |
6244469 | Knickerbocker | Jun 2001 | B1 |
D451023 | Kitamura et al. | Nov 2001 | S |
D492158 | Bodum | Jun 2004 | S |
6983864 | Cagle | Jan 2006 | B1 |
D530609 | Beaver et al. | Oct 2006 | S |
7143958 | Dorney | Dec 2006 | B1 |
D538110 | Kitamura et al. | Mar 2007 | S |
7210602 | Blanchester | May 2007 | B2 |
D547184 | Kim et al. | Jul 2007 | S |
D582779 | Bourne | Dec 2008 | S |
D586183 | Junkel | Feb 2009 | S |
D589743 | Pearson | Apr 2009 | S |
7712618 | Barre et al. | May 2010 | B2 |
7735689 | Alluigi | Jun 2010 | B2 |
D629644 | Zhuang et al. | Dec 2010 | S |
D655581 | Kotani | Mar 2012 | S |
8230888 | Crossdale et al. | Jul 2012 | B2 |
D675060 | Lane | Jan 2013 | S |
D686040 | Lane | Jul 2013 | S |
D686871 | Lane | Jul 2013 | S |
8544691 | Roosel et al. | Oct 2013 | B2 |
D698249 | Nicolas | Jan 2014 | S |
D698657 | Bernstein et al. | Feb 2014 | S |
8657160 | Lashells et al. | Feb 2014 | B2 |
D700515 | Herbst | Mar 2014 | S |
D702505 | Nakatani | Apr 2014 | S |
8684235 | Inaba et al. | Apr 2014 | B2 |
D718626 | Lane | Dec 2014 | S |
D727106 | Lai | Apr 2015 | S |
9028457 | Leach | May 2015 | B2 |
D741637 | Palermo et al. | Oct 2015 | S |
D744290 | Endo | Dec 2015 | S |
D744846 | Koop et al. | Dec 2015 | S |
D747918 | Herbst et al. | Jan 2016 | S |
D758800 | Hayslett et al. | Jun 2016 | S |
D767338 | Jones | Sep 2016 | S |
D772652 | Yao | Nov 2016 | S |
D773255 | Horimoto | Dec 2016 | S |
D784763 | Oshana | Apr 2017 | S |
D786072 | Breit et al. | May 2017 | S |
D789150 | Heiberger | Jun 2017 | S |
D794453 | Boroski et al. | Aug 2017 | S |
D795011 | Pisarevsky | Aug 2017 | S |
D801111 | Eyal | Oct 2017 | S |
D807110 | Lown | Jan 2018 | S |
D828718 | Ksiazek et al. | Sep 2018 | S |
D829054 | Breit et al. | Sep 2018 | S |
D830118 | Ksiazek et al. | Oct 2018 | S |
10518282 | Ksiazek | Dec 2019 | B2 |
20020053577 | Maas | May 2002 | A1 |
20040056049 | Stradella | Mar 2004 | A1 |
20050035154 | Meshberg | Feb 2005 | A1 |
20060113327 | Walters et al. | Jun 2006 | A1 |
20060113329 | Walters et al. | Jun 2006 | A1 |
20070228190 | Tanner | Oct 2007 | A1 |
20080006718 | Junkel | Jan 2008 | A1 |
20090032618 | Hornsby | Feb 2009 | A1 |
20090184177 | Wu et al. | Jul 2009 | A1 |
20090314811 | Dennis | Dec 2009 | A1 |
20110036871 | Tada | Feb 2011 | A1 |
20110284541 | Webster et al. | Nov 2011 | A1 |
20130001323 | Bodet et al. | Jan 2013 | A1 |
20140138410 | Marbet | May 2014 | A1 |
20140346257 | Reetz, III et al. | Nov 2014 | A1 |
20160214125 | Hextall | Jul 2016 | A1 |
20160228899 | Gonzalez et al. | Aug 2016 | A1 |
20160355305 | Hoskins | Dec 2016 | A1 |
20170157632 | Alluigi | Jun 2017 | A1 |
20180290164 | Ksiazek et al. | Oct 2018 | A1 |
20190083996 | Sakata | Mar 2019 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
04539518-0002 | Dec 2017 | EM |
004594836-0001 | Jan 2018 | EM |
2013171906 | Nov 2013 | WO |