DRINKING DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a drinking device for the retronasal perception of an aroma substance. The drinking device comprises a liquid reservoir that is fillable with drinking liquid, a mouthpiece with a mouth end, a transport tube for drinking liquid with an inner cavity which provides a flow connection between the liquid reservoir and the mouth end of the mouthpiece, and an aroma container for adding an aroma substance to an air flow flowing through the aroma container. The aroma container includes at least one air outlet opening which is in flow connection either with at least one aroma inlet opening into the inner cavity of the transport tube or in flow connection with an aroma channel extending up to the mouth end of the mouthpiece. The liquid reservoir may include an attachment that is to be attached to the body or clothing of a user or to a bag to be worn on the body. The transport tube may have a length of at least 15 cm and preferably a length of at least 20 cm.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a drinking device for the retronasal perception of an aroma substance.

PRIOR ART

There is an increasing need to ingest drinking liquids which on the one hand have a pleasant flavor but on the other prevent health risks which could be brought about by the ingestion of substances or stabilizing agents dissolved in the drinking liquid. The ingestion of an increased quantity of calories is also to be avoided.

Water which has been given a slightly fruity aroma has therefore become popular in the last few years. However, in this aromatized water there are also undesired additives such as stabilizing agents and a certain proportion of sugar, which is why these aromatized beverages also have a quantity of calories which is rejected by many users.

A first step towards solving this problem consists in only adding the flavoring aroma to the beverage just before it is consumed. US 2008/028 353 A1 and US 2015/030 726 A1 are examples of dosing systems with which an aroma substance originally provided separately is added to the drinking liquid and dissolved in it immediately before or during the consumption of the beverage. Although this measure allows problems such as the stabilization of the drinking liquid over a prolonged period of time to be avoided, the problem of the undesired ingestion of additives remains.

Since the olfactory sensation plays a significant part in gustatory perception in the consumption of food and beverages, systems to date have attempted to influence the smell perceived while drinking. To that end U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,229 proposes an aroma element which can be attached close to the drink opening in a drinking container so that the aroma element is in the immediate proximity of the nose of the user, who breathes through the nose while drinking and thereby perceives the aroma.

The drinking vessel according to U.S. Pat. No. 8,662,339 B2 also works on the principle that an aroma substance is inhaled through the nose while drinking.

A drinking device for the retronasal perception of an aroma substance is described in WO 2020/126210 A1. In this regard, an exchangeable aroma container through which air can flow, which can be mounted on the head part of a drinking device, as well as an air channel for transporting aromatized air, which extends from the aroma container towards the mouth end, are provided.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on the object of proposing a drinking device which allows the user to have an improved taste experience and which can be used in particular during various leisure activities.

This object is solved by a drinking device comprising the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments follow from the other claims and the following description.

The drinking device according to the invention for the retronasal perception of an aroma substance comprises a liquid reservoir which can be filled with drinking liquid, said liquid reservoir being preferably provided with attachment means for attachment to the body or clothing of a user. Moreover, the drinking device comprises a mouthpiece, a transport tube for drinking liquid with an inner cavity which represents a flow connection between the liquid reservoir and the mouth end of the mouthpiece, wherein the transport tube has a length of at least 15 cm and preferably a length of at least 20 cm, and an aroma container for adding an aroma substance to an air flow flowing through the aroma container, wherein the aroma container comprises at least one air outlet opening which is in flow connection either with at least one aroma inlet opening into the inner cavity of the transport tube for drinking liquid or in flow connection with an aroma channel that is separate from the inner cavity of the transport tube and extends up to the mouth end of the mouthpiece.

The drinking device for the retronasal perception of an aroma substance is thus preferably attachable to the body or clothing of a user or to a bag to be worn on the body and can, for example, be carried as a backpack or in a conventional backpack so that the user has both hands free even during the drinking process. The drinking device can be configured in such a way that the liquid reservoir can be integrated into a backpack or carrier bag as part of the clothing of the user.

An aroma container is provided which is suitable for adding an aroma substance to an air flow flowing through the aroma container.

An essential aspect of the drinking device according to the invention consists in that the aroma substance is perceived retronasally. During drinking, the aroma substance reaches the mouth of the user together with the drinking liquid and subsequently rises retronasally via the pharynx to the olfactory mucosa (regio olfactoria), where it is detected by the receptors situated there and is perceived by the user. The device according to the invention is equally suited for cold or warm drinking liquids.

In the retronasal perception of the aroma substance, advantage is taken of the fact that there is a close correlation between the sense of smell and the sense of taste. The user therefore gains the impression that they are tasting the aroma, even though they are in fact only smelling it retronasally.

The human sense of taste is essentially determined by the retronasal sense of smell. The receptors of the tongue can only distinguish between sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami, whereas the differentiated sense of taste arises in that the gaseous phase of foodstuffs and liquids in the pharynx ascends via the retronasal route and reaches the olfactory mucosa. The sensors located there trigger neurological stimuli which cause a taste impression in the brain. Thus, a person to whose pharynx an aroma is delivered during drinking gains the impression that the beverage is aromatized, since the retronasal smelling process creates the sensation in the brain that the beverage is the source of the aroma, even though the user is ingesting a pure and unadulterated, i.e. non-aromatized, liquid such as water, for example. If the smell is perceived by breathing in through the nose, known as the orthonasal perception of an aroma substance, this impression does not arise to the same extent since the sensation is linked to the breathing rate and thus the user gains the correct impression that they are only smelling the aroma substance, but not tasting it as is the case with retronasal perception.

The liquid reservoir, which is preferably designed to be refillable, can thus contain pure water or carbonated water, while the aroma substance is delivered to the air flow flowing through the aroma container and the drinking liquid either before ingestion by the user or is transported separately to the pharynx of the user. For this purpose, the air outlet opening of the aroma container is either in flow connection with at least one aroma inlet opening into the inner cavity of the transport tube for drinking liquid or in flow connection with an aroma channel that is separate from the inner cavity of the transport tube and extends up to the mouth end of the mouthpiece.

The drinking device according to the invention is equally suitable for drinking liquids having an inherent taste. The existing taste of the drinking liquid can either be intensified by the aroma substance from the aroma container or be supplemented by one or more additional flavor components. If the liquid reservoir contains apple juice, for instance, apple aroma can be added to intensify the taste experience, or an orange aroma for instance can be added in order to create a blend of flavors. In this manner alcoholic beverages such as beer, for instance, can also be provided with additional aroma substances, whereby the particular preferences of a user can be catered for by using a corresponding aroma container in the drinking device according to the invention. In addition, flavors which are not common in the food sector can also be used in the drinking device according to the invention, such as sandalwood known from air fresheners. The added aroma used can be synthetic or natural. It is possible to use aromas, which have been isolated or enriched from a synthetic or natural source, and natural substances such as fresh or processed products, for example, lemon peel, dandelion leaves, licorice or other aromatic substances.

When the air outlet opening of the aroma container is in connection with at least one aroma inlet opening into the inner cavity of the transport tube for drinking liquids, the aromatized air is transported in the form of small air bubbles in the drinking liquid. At the mouth end of the mouthpiece, the drinking liquid mixed with aromatized air is thus ingested by the user.

In the oral cavity of the user, the aromatized air escapes from the surrounding drinking liquid in the form of air bubbles so that it can rise retronasally via the pharynx to the olfactory mucosa. If there is an aroma channel that is separate from the inner cavity of the transport tube and extends up to the mouth end of the mouthpiece, the aromatized air does not have to be segregated from the surrounding drinking liquid first. A further advantage of separately delivering the aromatized air and the drinking liquid to the mouthpiece consists in that an at most negligible mass transfer between the air and the drinking liquid can be avoided.

All solutions described above have in common that the geometries of the transport tube for drinking liquid and of the aroma inlet opening or the aroma channel are adjusted to each other in such a way that, during the drinking process, the aromatized air and the drinking liquid are sucked in at the desired quantitative ratio to each other. In this regard, it is essential, however, that the transport tube has a length of at least 15 cm and preferably at least 20 cm so that the liquid reservoir of the drinking device according to the invention can be arranged at a sufficient distance to the mouthpiece so that it can be carried comfortably on the back, for example.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the liquid reservoir has flexible outer walls. If the liquid reservoir is thus provided in the form of an elastic bubble, it can collapse during the drinking process, whereas an air inlet opening is required in a liquid reservoir with a fixed inner volume to provide the necessary pressure equalization during drinking.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an inner volume of the liquid reservoir is at least 400 ml, i.e. at least 400 ml of drinking liquid can be filled into the liquid reservoir.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the aroma container comprises the mouthpiece. This solution has several advantages. Firstly, the number of parts is reduced due to the integral design of the aroma unit with attached mouthpiece. Furthermore, it can be achieved that the air outlet opening from the aroma container is automatically aligned relative to the aroma inlet opening into the inner cavity of the transport tube for drinking liquid. Another advantage of this solution is that the aromatized air is added to the drinking liquid only in the direct vicinity of the mouth end, and thus there is no undesired mass transfer between the air and the pure drinking liquid. The essential advantage of this solution, however, is that conventional drinking devices can be easily converted and expanded by replacing the existing mouthpieces with a mouthpiece equipped with the aroma container.

According to a preferred embodiment of the container, the aroma container can be moved between an activated position and a non-activated position, wherein in the activated position an air outlet opening of the aroma container is in flow connection with the transport channel for drinking liquid, and in the non-activated position there is no flow connection between the air outlet opening and the transport channel for drinking liquid.

An air inlet opening into the aroma container for a flow through the aroma container is preferably arranged in such a way that it is essentially sealed in the non-activated position of the aroma container.

The possibility of moving the aroma container between an activated position and a non-activated position has the advantage that, if the drinking device is used only occasionally, the period of use of an aroma container can be significantly extended. If there is no flow connection between the air outlet opening and the transport channel for drinking liquid in the non-activated position, there is no flow through the aroma container and the aroma substance remains present in the interior of the aroma container for a significantly longer period.

When providing a drinking device, in which the drinking container can be moved between an activated position and a non-activated position, the drinking device according to the invention further comprises an ergonomically shaped gripping portion on the side of the aroma container, which faces away from the mouthpiece. A user can hold the gripping portion with one hand and move the aroma container between the activated position and the non-activated position with the other hand. Alternatively, the ergonomically shaped gripping portion can also be configured in such a way that at least one of the two movements of the aroma container between the activated position and the non-activated position is possible when using only one hand.

Preferably, the drinking device can be sealed against accidental leaking of the drinking liquid by providing a rotary valve, according to a first preferred alternative, which tightly seals the transport tube for drinking liquid when the rotary valve is actuated. In this regard, a rotary valve can be inserted in a conventional manner into the transport tube for drinking liquid, which is operated by the user by actuating a stopcock or also by actuating a lever.

Since it is important that it is as intuitive as possible for a user to determine whether or not the transport tube is locked, according to a preferred variant, the entire mouthpiece can be pivoted relative to the transport tube, making it clearly apparent that the drinking device is not in the operating position.

An alternative possibility for sealing the drinking device according to the invention is to provide a bite valve at the mouth end. Bite valves are known in the art. Simply biting down on the mouthpiece opens the valve to drink from the drinking device. Providing a bite valve has the advantage that no additional step is required for the user. Once the user has become accustomed to actuating the bite valve during the drinking process, no further actuation step is required and, in particular, it is not possible to forget to actuate a separately provided sealing member after the drinking process.

Another preferred variant is to combine the desired sealing of the transport tube for drinking liquid with the sealing of the aroma container so that it cannot only be prevented that drinking liquid can accidentally leak from the drinking device, but air is also prevented from flowing through the aroma container. To realize this, according to a preferred embodiment, a sealing member in the form of a squeeze seal is provided, the actuation of which is coupled with the movement of the aroma container between the activated position and the non-activated position. In this regard, it seems expedient to provide a squeeze seal since such seals are as a rule actuated by actuating one or more squeeze members in a linear shifting movement by means of tapered contact geometries.

According to an alternative embodiment of the drinking device according to the invention, it comprises a sealing member in the form of a sealing plunger. In this regard, the sealing plunger can be arranged in such a way that it does not only close the inner cavity of the transport tube sectionally, but at the same time also closes the aroma inlet opening into the inner cavity of the transport tube. Simultaneously with the sealing of the transport tube, it can thus also be prevented that there is a flow through the aroma container, without the aroma container having to be movable between an activated position and a non-activated position.

Another alternative for a sealing member of the drinking device according to the invention is that the sealing member comprises at least one one-way valve. In this regard, a one-way valve can be provided very simply in the form of a duckbill valve which interrupts the flow of liquid towards the mouth end and prevents water from entering the aroma container. For this purpose, the one-way valve is provided in the flow direction preferably in front of the aroma inlet opening into the inner cavity of the transport tube. Alternatively, another duckbill valve can also be provided downstream. The advantage of providing at least one one-way valve is that it does not have to be actuated by the user in a separate step, but opens automatically when suction pressure is applied during the drinking process and correspondingly returns automatically to the sealing position after the drinking process is complete.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drinking device according to the invention further comprises a hand pump for building up pressure in the inner cavity of the transport tube. The hand pump can be used for delivering drinking liquid to the mouth end of the mouthpiece also when said mouthpiece is located significantly above the level of the liquid reservoir if a long transport tube for drinking liquid is used. Alternatively, a hand pump can be used for applying pressure to a rigid liquid reservoir if the internal pressure in the liquid reservoir has dropped during the removal of drinking liquid and the user can only drink drinking liquid through the mouth end with increased suction pressure.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tube for liquid is mounted on the liquid reservoir in such a way that it can be pulled out of the liquid reservoir and pushed into the liquid reservoir for a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction of the tube for liquid. In this way, the distance between the liquid reservoir and the mouthpiece of the drinking device can be adjusted to the wishes of a user or special applications.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the transport tube has a plurality of predetermined bending points. Also in this way, the distance between an outlet from the liquid reservoir and into the inner cavity of the transport tube and the mouthpiece can be adjusted according to the needs and wishes of a user.

Another advantage of predetermined bending points is that the drinking device can be transported more safely since unintentional pressure on the transport tube, for example in a bag during transport, does not result in damage to the transport tube, since the bending points allow the transport tube to avoid the action of a force or to adapt to a non-flat contact surface. Furthermore, the drinking device according to the invention can be transported or stored in a particularly space-saving manner.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transport tube can be divided in the longitudinal direction of the transport tube. In this way, there is an access to inner cavity of the transport tube, which can be cleaned easily.

In this regard, it has turned out to be particularly suitable if the transport tube has a film hinge which extends in the longitudinal direction and can be opened in the longitudinal direction. In this way, the two individual elements of the transport tube are connected to each other so that they can be opened, but cannot be lost. The two annular partial sections can be cleaned after opening, e.g. under running water. If the transport tube is made of a sufficiently elastic material such as silicone, for example, the transport tube that is slit along a seam in the longitudinal direction can be opened elastically and automatically returns elastically to the initial position in which, despite the seam extending in the longitudinal direction of the transport channel, a liquid transported in the inner cavity does not leak accidentally at the seam during intended use.

According to a preferred embodiment, the drinking device according to the invention further comprises a receptacle for the aroma container, into which the aroma container can be inserted and which can be mounted on the transport tube. According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the aroma container can be mounted on the transport tube, preferably designed to be clipped on, wherein the aroma container comprises a penetration member suited to penetrate the transport tube when mounting the aroma container on the transport tube and to create the aroma inlet opening. In this way, the aroma container can be used with a conventional drinking device since the transport tube does not have to have a prefabricated aroma inlet opening before mounting the aroma container. Another advantage is that due to the creation of the aroma inlet opening when mounting the aroma container exact positioning of the aroma container is not necessary. The penetration member can have the further function of fixing the position of the aroma container on the transport tube.

Preferably, the drinking device according to the invention comprises a receptacle for the aroma container, into which the aroma container can be inserted and which can be mounted on the transport tube. The receptacle thus acts as a receptacle adapter for the aroma container, into which the aroma container can be easily inserted and also removed again, so that a user is easily enabled to replace aroma containers with different aromas.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drinking device according to the invention further comprises a water filter in flow connection with the transport tube for drinking liquid. Providing a water filter has the advantage that, for example, when using the drinking device according to the invention on a hike, the liquid reservoir can be refilled with water from a suitable body of running water and potential, undesired bacteria, particles and floating particles can be filtered out so that the user does not ingest them during the drinking process.

Preferably, the liquid reservoir of the drinking device according to the invention comprises a heat-insulating jacket. This serves both to keep cold drinking liquid cool for longer in a warm environment, but also made it possible to fill the liquid reservoir with a warm drinking liquid that stays warm longer, since the heat-insulating jacket significantly slows down the heat transfer between the interior of the liquid reservoir and the ambient atmosphere. In the same way, the transport tube can also have a heat-insulating jacket which either surrounds the inner cavity or is provided as additional member around the wall surrounding the inner cavity. A separately provided, heat-insulating jacket can be fixedly mounted on the transport channel for drinking liquid or be detachable from said transport channel.

In the interior of the aroma container, an aroma chamber is located. Preferably, apart from a carrier substance, a head space is also provided in the aroma chamber between the carrier substance and a wall of the aroma container that closes off the aroma chamber. Providing a head space improves the mixing of the aromatized air in the aroma container. The aroma substance can consist of numerous chemical compounds, the mass transfer behavior of which differs from the carrier substance into the head space of the aroma container. Both different transport speeds of different chemical substances may occur and different aromatization compositions may exist within the aroma chamber that can be homogenized within the head space.

Preferably, a nonwoven fabric is provided as a carrier substance, which has high air permeability that is not supposed to lie below 200 l/(m²·s). At the same time, air permeability of the nonwoven fabric at a differential pressure of 100 Pa should preferably not be higher than 500 l/(m²·s). The reason for this is that, if the air permeability is too high, there is the risk that preferred flow paths are formed within the nonwoven fabric so that the air flow exiting from the aroma container would already have a too low degree of aromatization long before the aroma substance has in fact been exhausted. Moreover, the most suitable geometry of the carrier substance as well as the size of the head space may vary depending on the individual aroma substances. Different aroma substances have different chemical structures influencing their behavior with regard to mass transfer and flow properties so that a separate optimization process can be carried out for each individual flavor in order to obtain an optimal taste experience.

Preferably, the thickness of the carrier substance with regard to the height of the aroma chamber is at least 50% and preferably at least 80% of the height between a lower wall of the aroma container and an upper wall.

Preferably, the aroma container has an essentially annular geometry so that the aroma container can be arranged around the transport tube, resulting in a weight distribution that is perceived as particularly comfortable by a user. In this regard, the outer cross-section of the transport tube may deviate from an exact circular shape and the geometry of the aroma container may also deviate from an exact circular shape, to interact with a complementarily shaped transport tube in such a way that only a single radial orientation of the aroma container relative to the transport tube is possible, allowing the exact radial position of the aroma container to be defined relative to the transport tube. In this way, it can be ensured that with regard to the exact radial position the air outlet opening of the aroma container concurs with the aroma inlet opening into the inner cavity of the transport tube for drinking liquid. If the aroma container can be moved between an activated position and a non-activated position, the aroma container can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the transport tube, but not radially moved relative to the transport tube, and thus the flow connection between the air outlet opening and the transport tube for drinking liquid can be interrupted and restored by a simple shifting movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the device according to the invention are apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the enclosed drawings. In these drawings,

FIG. 1 schematically shows the essential components of the drinking device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a drinking device according to FIG. 1 with additional components;

FIGS. 3a and 3b show a further variant of the drinking device according to the invention with a rigid liquid reservoir;

FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c show an embodiment with a transport tube that can be divided; FIG. 4a shows an overall view, FIG. 4b shows that the transport tube can be divided and FIG. 4c shows an enlarged view of the section marked in FIG. 4b;

FIG. 5 shows a first design alternative of a bendable transport tube;

FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c show another alternative of a bendable transport tube; FIG. 6a shows an overall view, FIG. 6b shows the transport tube in a sectional view and FIG. 6c shows an exterior view on the transport tube in the bended state;

FIGS. 7a and 7b show another embodiment of a transport tube which is expandable in the longitudinal direction;

FIGS. 8a and 8b show another configuration of an expandable transport tube;

FIGS. 9a and 9b show a possible mounting of an aroma container on the transport tube;

FIG. 9a shows a partial section through the transport tube and the aroma container mounted thereon and FIG. 9b shows an exploded view of the used adapter;

FIGS. 10a and 10b show a first alternative of a clamping device; FIG. 10a shows the unactuated state and FIG. 10b shows the actuated state in partial section;

FIG. 11 shows a second alternative clamping device in a sectional view;

FIG. 12 shows a third alternative clamping device in a sectional view;

FIGS. 13a, 3b and 3c show a fourth alternative clamping device; FIG. 13a shows a schematic exterior view, FIG. 13b shows a partial sectional view in the unclamped state and FIG. 13c shows the clamped state in a partial sectional view;

FIGS. 14a and 14b show a fifth alternative embodiment of a sealing device;

FIGS. 15a and 15b show a unit for retrofitting existing drinking devices;

FIGS. 16a, 16b and 16c show an alternative possibility for mounting the aroma container on a transport tube, FIG. 15a schematically shows the unmounted state and FIGS. 15b and 15c show the actuation of the aroma container in the mounted state; and

FIGS. 17a and 17b show an exterior view and a sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the drinking device according to the invention with an aroma channel extending to the mouth end.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic exterior view of the essential components of the drinking device 10 according to the invention. The drinking device consists of a liquid reservoir 12, which can be attached to the body or clothing of a user by means of optionally provided attachment means 13, as well as a transport tube 20 with an inner cavity 22, through which the liquid stored inside the liquid reservoir 12 can be transported towards a mouthpiece 26 with a mouth end 28.

The liquid reservoir 12 can suitably have an insulating layer 14 which delays heat transfer between the inner cavity of the liquid reservoir and the ambient atmosphere so that hot or cold drinks filled into the liquid reservoir longer keep the desired temperature difference to the ambient atmosphere. In the same way, the transport tube can also be insulated.

For convenient filling of the drinking liquid into the liquid reservoir 12 by a user, a screw cap 16 is provided to close a filling opening into the liquid reservoir 12.

The transport tube 20 is either attached tightly to an outlet opening 18 of the liquid reservoir or the transport tube 20 extends through the outlet opening 18 and into the interior of the liquid reservoir 12. When the transport tube extends into the interior of the liquid reservoir, the length of the transport tube between the liquid reservoir and the mouth end 26 can be adjusted to the needs of a user.

All embodiments of the invention have in common that the length of the transport tube 20 between the outlet opening 18 and the mouthpiece 26 is preferably more than 35 cm, since otherwise the drinking device is unwieldy for a user.

The attachment of the transport tube 20 to the liquid reservoir 12 can be configured in a non-detachable manner. Alternatively, however, the transport tube 20 can be detachably attached to the liquid reservoir 12. If the transport tube 20 is detachably attached to the liquid reservoir, the fixation can be realized by a screw thread, a bayonet connection, by providing clamps or hose clips, but also by an interference fit and press-fitting.

The core element of the drinking device according to the invention is an aroma container 24 which is provided close to the mouthpiece 26 in the present embodiment example, but can similarly also be provided on or close to the outlet opening 18 of the liquid reservoir 12 or in the course of the transport tube 20 that is at least 15 cm long. The aroma container serves for adding an aroma substance to an air flow flowing through the aroma container. For this purpose, the aroma container has at least one air outlet opening which is in flow connection either with an aroma inlet opening into the inner cavity 22 of the transport tube 20 for drinking liquid or in flow connection with an aroma channel extending, separately from the inner cavity 22 of the transport tube, up to the mouth end 28 of the mouthpiece. In this way, the aroma substance is ingested retronasally and, during drinking, reaches the mouth of the user together with the drinking liquid, where the aroma substance subsequently rises retronasally via the pharynx to the olfactory mucosa, is detected by the receptors situated there and is perceived by the user as a flavor. The preferred structure of the aroma container will be explained in more detail within the description of further embodiments.

The embodiment of the drinking device 10 according to FIG. 2 differs in only a few aspects from the embodiment according to FIG. 1, and therefore only the specific differences will be addressed here.

In the drinking device according to FIG. 2, an attachment means 13 is schematically illustrated which enables attachment of the liquid reservoir 12 on the belt of a user.

Additionally, an ergonomic grip 30 is provided in the drinking device according to FIG. 2, which can be comfortably gripped by a user and which is particularly expedient if the aroma container 24 can be moved between an activated position and a non-activated position in the direction of the arrow A. Thus, a user can grip the ergonomic grip 30 with one hand and move the aroma container 24 between the active position and the non-active position with the other hand by shifting the aroma container 24 in the direction of arrow A. Only in the active position, aromatized air can exit through the air outlet opening of the aroma container, whereas the air outlet opening is closed in the non-activated position, and thus the aroma substance contained in the aroma container can be retained even during longer periods when the drinking device is not being used.

Another aspect of the drinking device shown in FIG. 2 is to provide a hand pump 32 that can be operated by a user to either pressurize the liquid reservoir 12 or deliver the drinking liquid towards the mouth end 28.

FIGS. 3a and 3b each show liquid reservoirs 12 that are not flexible, but constitute rigid vessels. By providing a flexible transport tube 20, said transport tube can be pulled out of the liquid reservoir through the outlet opening 18 and pushed into it again, as illustrated in FIGS. 3a and 3b. In this regard, a relatively short transport tube 20 is shown for ease of illustration. The design of the aroma container 24 as well as the mouthpiece 26 can be the same as in the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 2.

In contrast to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the liquid reservoir 12 does not have a separate filling opening for drinking liquid. The screw cap 16, which is provided for filling in drinking liquid, is provided with the outlet opening 18 for the transport tube 20. Described later by means of various embodiments are various alternatives as to the manner in which the transport tube may be configured so that the transport tube, the length of which is particularly preferably more than 35 cm according to the invention, can be essentially accommodated in the interior of the liquid reservoir 12.

The combined provision of a screw cap for the filling opening and the provision of an outlet opening for the transport tube in the screw cap can, however, also be used in the same way in a flexible liquid reservoir.

In FIGS. 4a to 4c, an option is illustrated how the transport tube 20 can be configured so that it can be cleaned more easily. The drinking device according to the invention is primarily intended for users who wish to drink pure water, but who wish to provide it with certain flavors. Equally, the drinking device according to the invention is also suitable for other cold and hot drinks that require cleaning of the liquid reservoir and of the inner cavity 22 of the transport tube after use. For this purpose, the transport tube 20 can be dividable into two parts 20a and 20b. In this regard, the two U-shaped elements 20a, 20b are inserted into each other via suitable tongue-and-groove connections and moved against each other in the longitudinal direction. The dividable transport tube 20 according to FIGS. 4a to 4c can thus be cleaned easily.

As an alternative to the embodiment of a transport tube, as illustrated in FIGS. 4a to 4c, the transport tube 20 can also have a film hinge and have a tongue-and-groove connection point in the longitudinal direction so that the transport tube 20 can be opened and the wall limiting the inner cavity 22 can be easily cleaned. Said film hinge can also be configured in such a way that the transport tube 20 is made of a flexible material such as silicone, for example, so that it can be opened.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, the transport tube 20 has accordion-like bending points 34, as known from plastic drinking straws. In contrast to plastic drinking straws, however, a plurality of such bending points 34 is provided so that the transport tube can be folded inside the liquid reservoir and/or outside the liquid reservoir in any manner and not be damaged. The solution illustrated in FIG. 5 is of interest if the sections of the transport tube, which are located between said bending points 34, are not sufficiently flexible as such for the transport tube to assume a strongly curved to folded shape. The bending points serve for individually adjusting the transport tube both with regard to the desired length and with regard to the position of the liquid reservoir relative to the mouth of the user.

In FIGS. 6a to 6c, an alternative configuration of the transport tube 20 is illustrated, which has a plurality of narrowings 36 serving as predetermined bending points, as apparent from the illustration according to FIG. 6c. Since the transport tube is provided with an appropriate number of predetermined bending points, said transport tube can be adjusted to different liquid reservoirs with different interior geometries, but can also assume a course outside the liquid reservoir, depending on the attachment of the liquid reservoir to the body or clothing of a user, to conveniently reach the mouth of the user. If, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 6b, the narrowings 36 do not reduce the volume of the inner cavity 22 to an excessive degree, there is only a small additional pressure loss for the transport of the drinking liquid through the inner cavity of the transport tube.

Another possible embodiment of the transport tube 20 is that it is configured in such a way that the length of the transport tube can be reduced or increased. The design of the transport tube illustrated in FIGS. 7a and 7b as expandable tube 38 can be provided only partially or along the entire length of the transport tube 20.

Another possible design option for the entire transport tube 20 or only parts thereof is configuring it as a flexible, spiral-shaped tube 50, as illustrated in FIGS. 8a and 8b, whereby the distance between the mouthpiece 26 and the liquid reservoir can be adjusted as desired to the needs of a user.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 9a and 9b, the aroma container 24 does not extend around the transport tube 20, but is inserted into an adapter 40. For this purpose, an aroma container is inserted in section 40b of the adapter in the direction of the arrow C, whereby the connection between the adapter and the aroma container is established, as illustrated in FIG. 9a.

As shown in the sectional view in FIG. 9a, the aroma container 24 has an air outlet opening 42 which leads, via an aroma passage 46, to the aroma inlet opening 44 opening into the inner cavity 22 of the transport tube 20.

In this regard, the adapter 40 is configured in multiple parts and can consist of parts 40a and 40b that are clipped on around the transport tube 20. In this regard, the aroma passage 46 can comprise a penetration member which penetrates the wall of the transport tube, when the two parts 40a and 40b of the adapter are attached around the transport tube 20, and thus creates the aroma inlet opening 44.

The advantage of the design according to FIGS. 9a and 9b is that the adapter can be used to select any attachment position along the length of the transport tube. Moreover, existing systems with a drinking tube as transport tube can be easily modified since existing systems are not provided with an aroma inlet opening 44 which is automatically created when the adapter is attached to the transport tube.

FIG. 9b additionally shows a mounting attachment 48 which can have a cross-sectional shape deviating from an annular shape, if a not entirely annular aroma container is used, and thus the aroma container 24 can only be inserted in a defined rotational position relative to the adapter, in which the air outlet opening 42 from the aroma container 24 is aligned with the aroma passage 46.

In the embodiment according FIGS. 10a and 10b, a clamping device is provided which is coupled to a movement of the aroma container 24 in the direction of the arrow A. In this regard, the aroma container according to FIG. 10a is located further above in the drawing plane of the figure and thus in the activated position in which a flow connection exists between the air outlet opening from the aroma container and an air inlet opening either into the inner cavity of the transport tube or into a separately provided aroma passage. The clamping device comprises at least one squeeze member 52 which is/are moved towards each other when the aroma container 24 is moved downwards from the activated position into the non-activated position and which, as illustrated in FIG. 10b, squeeze the flexible outer wall of the transport tube 22 so that the inner cavity 22 is sectionally closed. Thus, a user does not have to actuate the clamping device separately, but it is actuated automatically as soon as the aroma container is moved between the activated and non-activated position. The squeeze members can be elastically deformed so that they automatically return to the open position in FIG. 10a as soon as the aroma container is moved back to the activated position. However, a suitable elastic member can also be provided which builds up a pretension with which the two squeeze members are pushed apart.

An alternative embodiment of a clamping device is schematically illustrated in the sectional view in FIG. 11. An aroma container 24 is schematically illustrated, the air outlet opening 42 of which is connected via an aroma passage 46 with the air inlet opening 44 into the inner cavity 22 of the transport tube 20. The clamping device functions in such a way that a squeezing plunger 54 is shifted from a first position not engaged with the outer wall of the transport tube 20 into the second position illustrated in FIG. 11, in which the transport tube is sectionally squeezed together so that the aroma passage 46 is tightly closed in the area of the aroma inlet opening 44.

In contrast to the embodiment according to FIGS. 10a and 10b, in which the clamping device only prevents liquid transport through the inner cavity of the transport tube, the clamping device according to FIG. 11 has the dual function of interrupting both the liquid transport through the inner cavity 22 and preventing the undesired leakage of aroma substance from the aroma container 24, which is brought about in the embodiment according to FIGS. 10a and 10b by shifting the aroma container between the activated position and the non-activated position.

In FIG. 12, another possible configuration of a clamping device is illustrated. In the embodiment according to FIG. 12, at least one one-way valve 56 is located in the inner cavity 22 of the transport tube 20, which opens only when a suction pressure is applied to the mouthpiece 26 and which enables liquid to pass through towards the mouthpiece. The provision of the one-way valve configured as duckbill valve in FIG. 12 has the effect of not only preventing undesirable substances from entering the transport tube through the mouthpiece, but also of being able to interrupt the flow of liquid towards the mouth end.

In the embodiment example according to FIG. 12, two duckbill valves are provided which are located upstream and downstream in relation to the aroma inlet opening 44 into the inner cavity 22. Therefore, the two one-way valves also have the additional effect of preventing undesired leakage of aroma when the drinking device is not used and/or preventing drinking liquid from entering the aroma container 24.

In FIG. 12, the aroma container is shown in partial section, which can extend in an essentially annular manner around the transport tube 20. In this regard, the aroma container 24 has a hollow chamber 82 in which a carrier material 58 is located that is soaked with the aroma substance. In this regard, the carrier material 58 can be a nonwoven fabric. Above the carrier material 58 is a head space 60 which is filled only with air and serves to homogenize the aromatized air. By means of a circumferential gripping edge 64, the aroma container can be easily actuated and, for example, as described in some of the above embodiments, be moved in the direction of the arrow A between an activated and a non-activated position. In FIG. 12, the activated position is illustrated in which the air outlet opening 42 of the aroma container 24 is in flow connection with the aroma inlet opening 44 into the inner cavity 22 of the transport tube 20.

The aroma container consists of the housing halves 62a and 62b which are closed after the carrier material has been inserted and soaked with aroma substance.

In FIGS. 13a to 13c, a further alternative for a clamping device is illustrated. In this regard, a stop valve 66 is used which can be pivoted between the positions illustrated in FIGS. 13b and 13c. In the position illustrated in FIG. 13b, there is an alignment between the passage 70 by means of a rotatable member 68 of the stop valve 66 and the inner cavity 22 so that the liquid can flow through the inner cavity 22 from the liquid reservoir to the mouthpiece 26. In the position illustrated in FIG. 13c, the unit consisting of aroma container 24 and mouthpiece 26 is pivoted by 90° in relation to the adjacent course of the tube 20 for liquid. This has the consequence that, due to the rotatable member 68, the passage 70 is no longer in flow connection with the inner cavity 22 of the transport tube and thus the liquid supply towards the mouthpiece 26 is interrupted. As illustrated in FIGS. 13b and 13d, the two operating states are very easy to recognize for the user so that there is no uncertainty whether the clamping device is open or closed.

An alternative design of a stop valve 66 with a rotatable member 68 and a passage 70 is illustrated in FIGS. 14a and 14b. In this regard, FIG. 14a shows the state in which the liquid can flow through the inner cavity 22 of the transport tube 20. In this operating state, the stop valve 66 has been brought into the open state by means of a lever 71. In this regard, not only the flow connection for drinking liquid within the inner cavity 22 through the passage 70 is established, but also the aroma passage 46 is in connection with a connecting passage 47 which opens into the passage 70 so that in the open state of the sealing device, as illustrated in FIG. 14a, not only the flow of liquid is enabled simultaneously, but also the intake of aromatized air into the liquid flow flowing into the inner cavity.

If the actuating lever 71 is pivoted into the closed position, as illustrated in FIG. 14b, the flow connection in the inner cavity 22 is interrupted by the rotatable member 68 as well as the flow connection between the aroma passage 46 and the connecting passage 47 into the passage 70 is interrupted. Thus, the user can simultaneously prevent the undesired passage of liquid and leakage of aroma by actuating a lever.

In FIGS. 15a and 15b, an embodiment is illustrated which allows convenient modification of existing drinking devices, for example in the form of an existing hydration backpack. In this regard, a unit 72 consisting of the mouthpiece 26, the aroma container 24 and a connecting member 74 is provided, which has a geometry similar to a piece of pipe and is suited to be inserted into the transport tube or be slipped over the transport tube, where it is held by friction fit. Moreover, a holding strap 76 is provided which establishes a fixed connection between the transport tube 20 and the unit 72 so that the unit 72 is fixedly connected with the transport tube. The advantage of this design is that the unit 72 can be cleaned easily. Moreover, the user can decide individually whether to use the attachment or not and thus whether to consume the drink with or without aromatization.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 16a to 16c, the aroma container is attached anywhere in the course between the liquid reservoir and the mouth end. For this purpose, an insert 78a, 78b is provided on both sides of the aroma container 20, by means of which the aroma container can either be inserted into two partial sections of the transport tube 20 or be mounted on the outlet opening of the liquid reservoir and be attached on the opposite side on the transport tube. The inserts 78a, 78b are the ends of a member penetrating the annular aroma container, in which the aroma inlet opening 44 is located. Additionally, an upper stopper 80a and a lower stopper 80b are provided. The upper stopper and the lower stopper serve as stopper when sliding the transport tube sections 20 onto the inserts and as stopper when moving the aroma container 24 between an activated and a non-activated position in the direction of the arrow A. In FIGS. 16b and 16c, the activated position and the non-activated position are illustrated in which the aroma container 24 either abuts at the lower stopper 80b or at the upper stopper 80b, and thus the movement in the direction of the arrow A between the activated position and the non-activated position becomes easier for the user.

In FIGS. 17a and 17b, another embodiment is illustrated in which the transport tube 20 has a separately provided aroma channel 84 in which the aromatized air is transported up to the mouth end 28. The aroma container in the embodiment according to FIG. 17a does not have a completely circular shape, but has a free inner cross-section having a drop shape and thus deviating from the annular shape. In the area of a support flange 90 as a seat for the aroma container, the transport tube is also provided with a drop shape so that the aroma container can only be inserted into the drinking device in the correct angular position relative to the transport tube 20. The mouth end 28, on the other hand, may in turn be circular in shape. Moreover, a lid 88 is provided with which the drinking device can be closed at the mouth end 28, when it is not in use.

In FIG. 17b, it is illustrated how, after correct insertion of the aroma container, the air outlet opening 42 opens into the aroma channel 84 which extends up to the mouth end 28 of the drinking device in parallel to the inner cavity 22. In the configuration according to FIGS. 17a and 17b, which can moreover also be realized in all embodiments described above in which the aroma container is arranged in direct vicinity of the mouthpiece, the aromatized air and the drinking liquid separately enter the mouth of the user so that no segregation of the liquid and the aromatized air has to take place in the oral cavity.

The design of an aroma container which is annular, but deviates from a completely annular shape to define the correct angle position, can also be realized in all of the above embodiments.

The insulation of the liquid reservoir, as described in connection with FIG. 1, can be provided e.g. by means of bubble wrap or a neoprene sleeve. In the same way, the transport tube 20 can also be insulated so that the drinking liquid is not heated or at least heated more slowly by solar radiation during hiking, for example.

Apart from the above-described, specific embodiments for clamping devices, a bite valve could also be provided with which pressure is exerted on the valve with the teeth during the drinking process, whereby the inner cavity opens and the drinking liquid can be sucked.

The attachment means 13 illustrated by means of FIGS. 1 and 2 can be used for configuring the drinking device according to the invention in the form of a hydration backpack, a hydration belt or a belt bag.

In order to have different flavors available during leisure activities, according to another embodiment of the invention that is not shown, it is possible to fixedly attach another aroma container, which is not currently in use, to the liquid reservoir. In this regard, the air outlet opening is preferably closed at the same time so that there is no undesired leakage of aroma.

In the area of the transport tube 20, a water filter can be additionally provided so that impure water can be freed of bacteria, for example, and floating particles can be removed. In the same way, however, lime or other undesirable water components can be removed specifically. For this purpose, the water filter can comprise activated carbon or a membrane known in the art for filtering water.

Claims

1. A drinking device for the retronasal perception of a drinking liquid, comprising: a liquid reservoir that is fillable with drinking liquid;a mouthpiece with a mouth end;a transport tube for drinking liquid with an inner cavity which provides a flow connection between the liquid reservoir and the mouth end of the mouthpiece; whereinthe transport tube has a length of at least 15 cm; andan aroma container for adding an aroma substance to an air flow flowing through the aroma container; whereinthe aroma container includes at least one air outlet opening which is in flow connection either with at least one aroma inlet opening into the inner cavity of the transport tube for drinking liquid or in flow connection with an aroma channel extending up to the mouth end of the mouthpiece.

2. The drinking device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid reservoir has flexible outer walls.

3. The drinking device according to claim 1, wherein the aroma container includes the mouthpiece.

4. The drinking device according to claim 1, wherein the aroma container is movable between an activated position and a non-activated position; wherein in the activated position, the air outlet opening of the aroma container is in flow connection with the transport tube for drinking liquid; andin the non-activated position, there is no flow connection between the air outlet opening and the transport tube for drinking liquid.

5. The drinking device according to claim 4, further comprising an ergonomically shaped grip on a side of the aroma container, which faces away from the mouthpiece.

6. The drinking device according to claim 1, further comprising a bite valve at the mouth end of the mouthpiece.

7. The drinking device according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing member which includes a rotary valve.

8. The drinking device according to claim 4, further comprising a sealing member which includes a squeeze seal, the actuation of which is coupled with the movement of the aroma container between the activated position and the non-activated position.

9. The drinking device according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing member which includes a sealing plunger.

10. The drinking device according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing member which includes at least one one-way valve.

11. The drinking device according to claim 1, further comprising a hand pump configured to build up pressure in the inner cavity of the transport tube.

12. The drinking device according to claim 1, wherein the transport tube is mounted on the liquid reservoir in such a way that the transport tube can be pulled out of the liquid reservoir and pushed into the liquid reservoir for a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction of the transport tube.

13. The drinking device according to claim 1, wherein the transport tube has a plurality of predetermined bending points.

14. The drinking device according to claim 1, wherein the transport tube is configured to be divided in the longitudinal direction of the transport tube.

15. The drinking device according to claim 14, wherein the transport tube has a film hinge which extends in the longitudinal direction and is configured to be opened in the longitudinal direction.

16. The drinking device according to claim 1, further comprising a receptacle for the aroma container, into which the aroma container is insertable and which can be mounted on the transport tube.

17. The drinking device according to claim 1, further comprising a water filter in flow connection with the transport tube for drinking liquid.

18. The drinking device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid reservoir includes a heat-insulating jacket.

19. The drinking device according to claim 20, wherein the attachment includes an attachment configured to be attached to a belt or an attachment configured to be draped over the shoulder of a user or an attachment configured to be carried as a backpack.

20. The drinking device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid reservoir includes an attachment configured to be attached to the body or clothing of a user or to a bag to be worn on the body.

21. The drinking device according to claim 1, wherein the transport tube has a length of at least 20 cm.

22. The drinking device according to claim 7, wherein the rotary valve is configured to be actuated by pivoting the transport tube in the area of the rotary valve or by pivoting a lever.