This invention relates generally to beverage containers and dispensing lids and, more particularly, to a cap device for use with a container, such as a beverage container, that includes first and second adjacent portions each having a structure different than the other.
Young children often use what is commonly referred to as a sipper or “sippy” cup to drink milk, juice, or water. This type of cup typically includes a traditional container with a lid having a spout and which generally reduces spills. A disadvantage of a sipper container, however, is that the contents of a larger container, such as a milk or juice jug, must first be deposited into the sipper container and a lid must be attached thereto before the child may access those contents through the sipper spout. This is especially inconvenient when traveling and the milk or juice is obtained from a relatively small bottle that does not have its own sipper lid. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a cap device that could be attached directly to a bottle or other beverage container such that the contents of the container need not first be deposited into a traditional sipper container. While such a cap device may be attached directly to bottles at the point of manufacture, it may also be desirable for consumers to have such a cap device independent of any bottle, so as to attach it to a purchased bottle, such as a bottle of juice, as needed such as when traveling. Older children and adults frequently desire to access beverages through a straw or flip up lid. A “sports bottle” is an example of a convenient means by which individuals conveniently carry and access beverages.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a container cap having adjacent lid portions each having a different structure for providing access to the contents of the container or bottle. Further, it would be desirable to have a container cap having both a sipper spout and defining a straw opening so that a toddler, an adult, or an older child may conveniently and selectively access the same beverage container. In addition, it would be desirable to have a container cap with multiple access structures that may be screwed onto existing beverage bottles.
Accordingly, a cap device for use with a beverage container according to the present invention includes a first portion defining an opening for providing access to contents of the container and a cover movable between a closed configuration covering the opening and an open configuration exposing the opening. This first portion may include a straw opening or a larger opening for pouring liquid out of the container. Further, the cap device includes a second portion adjacent the first portion having a trough that defines an access hole. A drinking implement, such as a sipper, may be coupled to the trough that is pivotal between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. The drinking implement includes open first and second ends and defines a drinking channel therebetween. The drinking implement covers and closes the access hole by abutment when at the retracted configuration. The open second end of the drinking implement is adjacent said access hole when at said extended configuration so that the contents of the container may pass through the access hole, open second end, channel, and open first end. The first and second portions of the cap device may be removably coupled to the container, such as in a threaded arrangement. In another embodiment, the cap device may include a combination of both a larger pour opening and straw opening.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a cap device for selectively accessing the contents of a container.
Another object of this invention is to provide a cap device, as aforesaid, that includes first and second portions, each having a structure different than the other for accessing the contents of the container.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a cap device, as aforesaid, having a sipper that enables a young child to drink from the container, the sipper being movable between retracted and extended configurations.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a cap device, as aforesaid, having a straw opening or pour opening that enables a user to more conveniently access the contents of the container, the straw or larger opening being selectively covered when not in use.
A further object of this invention is to provide a cap device, as aforesaid, that enables a child or an adult to access the same beverage container through age appropriate access structures.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.
a is a top view of the cap device as in
b is a sectional view of the cap device taken along line 7b-7b of
a is a side view of a second section of the drinking element as in
b is a sectional view taken along line 8b-8b of
a is a side view of a first section of the drinking implement as in
b is a sectional view taken along line 9b-9b of
A container cap 100 according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to
The means for coupling the first and second portions 110, 120 to the container 10 may include, for example, at least one thread 130 having a configuration complementary to a thread of the container 10 (
Each portion 110, 120 includes means for selectively accessing contents of the container 10. The means of the first portion 110 for selectively accessing the container contents are different from the means of the second portion 120 for selectively accessing the container contents.
As shown in
In one embodiment, shown in
As shown in
The second portion 120 may have a trough 121 defining the access hole 122, and the drinking implement 124 may be coupled to the trough 121, as shown in
A valve 140, as shown in
In another embodiment, shown in
In use, the first and second portions 110, 120 may be coupled to the container or container 10 (e.g., by thread 130), as shown in
If the second portion 120 includes the access hole 122 and the drinking implement 124, the drinking implement 124 may be rotated (i.e., about pivot 126a) from the retracted configuration 124a to the extended configuration 124b. The second section 128 may be rotated relative to the first section 126 (i.e., about pivot 128a) from the retractable configuration 129a (
If the second portion 120 includes the opening 222, the cover 224 may be moved from the closed configuration 224a to the open configuration 224b, and the user may access the contents of the container 10 through the opening 222 when the cover 224 is at the open configuration 224b. Because the opening 222 is different from the opening 112 as noted above, the user may decide to utilize opening 112 or opening 222 based on, for example, intended use.
It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.