BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to flow control apparatuses, for example, lids for beverages containers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Open top cups generally used by adults may be unsuitable for use by certain individuals, such as babies and toddlers, whom are more prone to spills. While these individuals may use spill-resistant cups such as training cups or “sippy cups” to reduce accidental spills, these spill-resistant cups may make it more difficult to transition to using open top cups. Spill-resistant cups operate differently from open top cups by utilizing surface tension to prevent liquid from being spilled and releasing liquids when a person sucks on a rim, spout or other opening. However, continued use of such spill-resistant cups may condition individuals to believe that all cups behave in a similar manner, making it more difficult for those individuals to transition to using open top cups that will spill if turned upside down.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 depicts an exploded view of a flow-control lid having an upper portion and a lower portion in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.
FIG. 2 depicts perspective views of components of a flow-control lid in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.
FIG. 3 depicts top views of upper and lower portions of a flow-control lid in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.
FIG. 4 depicts a flow-control lid in various flow positions and corresponding lower portion positioning in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.
FIG. 5 depicts a flow-control lid in various flow positions and corresponding upper portion positioning in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.
FIG. 6 depicts a flow-control lid in a low flow position and corresponding lower portion and upper portion positioning in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.
FIG. 7 depicts a flow-control lid in cross-sectional view in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.
FIG. 8 depicts a gasket of a flow-control lid in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.
FIG. 9 depicts an alternate embodiment of a flow-control lid in in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.
FIG. 10 depicts the flow-control lid of FIG. 9 in various cross-sectional and perspective views in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure describes systems and methods for controlling liquid flow from a bottle or other suitable container. A lid including an upper portion and lower portion may be used to control the flow of liquids from a bottle or other reservoir. The upper and lower portions may engage at various flow-control positions that allow for various amounts of liquid flow from the bottle through the upper lid portion. The upper and lower portions may furthermore be engaged in a locked position that substantially prevents the flow of liquids out of a bottle or other liquid reservoir.
In at least one embodiment, a bottle or other liquid reservoir is attached to a lower lid portion via a threading structure. Corresponding threads on an outside surface of a bottle and inside surface of a lower lid portion may engage to form a liquid-tight seal. A lower lid portion may include various slots that accommodate different rates of liquid flow. For example, a first plurality of elongated slots may be used to provide for a high or relatively higher amount of liquid flow; a second plurality of slots that are shorter and/or fewer in number may be used to provide for a low or relatively lower amount of liquid flow, and so forth. Slots may be arranged at regular intervals in a circular arrangement around a circular lid. A lower lid portion may include a key mating structure that is used for attaching the lower lid portion to an upper lid portion.
In at least one embodiment, an upper lid portion comprises a key that is designed to engage with a key mating structure of a lower lid portion. The key may have one or more elongated bars that may be rotationally engaged with the key mating structure of the lower lid portion. Once the key is rotationally engaged with the key mating structure, the upper and lower lid portions are attached to one another and may be further rotated to align the upper and lower lid portions to various flow-control positions based on the relative position of the upper and lower lid portions. In at least one embodiment, an upper lid portion includes a plurality of slots the plurality of slots may be spaced at regular intervals so that the slots of the upper lid portions may be aligned with any one of the several plurality of slots on the lower lid portion. For example, when the slots of the upper lid portion are aligned with a first plurality of elongated slots of the lower lid portion, it may form a plurality of opening that allows for liquids to be poured out of the bottle and through both the lower and upper portions of the lid.
Such lids may be used by individuals such as toddlers and special needs adults and aid in the development of such individuals' drinking abilities. By providing for various flow control positions, these lids may help toddlers, special needs individuals, etc. to learn how to drink from an open cup without requiring them to have fine-tuned motor controls that would otherwise be needed to control the flow of liquids out of a traditional open top cup.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present disclosure describes systems and methods for controlling liquid flow from a bottle or other suitable container. For various individuals, such as toddlers and small children, bottles and lids described herein may be used to learn how to drink from open top cups without requiring them to have fine-grained control of liquid flow. In contrast to training cups that use surface tension to reduce spills, flow-control cups and lids described herein do not require the user to suck on a rim, spout, opening, etc. to extract liquid from the cup and provides for a drinking experience that is more similar to drinking from an open top cup. As a result, individuals may use flow-control cups and lids described herein to transition towards and learn how to drink from an open top cup with fewer physical challenges. For example, various types of persons including toddlers, persons with disabilities, etc. may benefit from having the ability to drink from a cup without being required to have fine-grained motor control, which the individuals may lack or may be developing. Simultaneously, the user is not required to suck on a rim, spout, opening, etc. for optimal oral development. In various embodiments, flow-control cups and lids have various flow-control positions that allow for relatively greater or lesser amounts of liquid flow, as desired by the user. Further, flow-control cups and lids described herein may be locked so as to prevent liquids from being dispersed from a bottle, such as when the bottle is not in use or in transit.
Various types of cups may be appropriate for various stages of development. For example, infants may initially start with a baby feeding bottle or feeding bottle that typically includes a teat or nipple from which the infant may suck on to extract liquid from the bottle. As the infant grows, new motor skills are learned to drink from an open top cup, including holding the cup in a neutral position when not drinking, and to tilt the cup at a desired angle to allow for a desired amount of liquid to flow out of the cup. Such fine-motor skills may present challenges as the toddler or young child is developing.
In various embodiments, flow-control cups and lids described herein help aid the development of toddlers and young children to transition towards the use of traditional open top cup. Flow-control cups and lids may be used to help toddlers learn how to drink from an open top cup without worrying of excessive liquid flow due to misjudging or poor ability to control angle at which the cup is turned to release liquids. With a flow-control cup or lid, a greater tolerance is provided for the angle at which the user drinks from and aids in the development of the individual and promotes healthy oral hygiene.
A lid may comprise an upper portion and lower portion. The lower lid portion may be coupled to a bottle or liquid reservoir at one end or surface and attached to an upper lid portion at a second end or surface. The upper and lower lid portions may include respective arrangements of slits that may be aligned to allow for a desired amount of liquid flow. For example, by aligning larger slots together, a greater rate of liquid flow may be achieved relative to aligning smaller slots together. Users may control the rate of flow to match a desired or expected amount of liquid flow. For example, for a toddler that is first learning how to use a flow-control cup or lid, a low liquid flow may be desired, so as to allow the toddler to learn the physical properties of fluids and how tilting a cup at greater than a 90 degrees angle can result in liquids being poured out of the cup. The use of a low flow-control configuration may also limit the amount of liquid that is released so as to prevent accidental spilling or choking arising from having too much liquid poured out.
FIG. 1 depicts a diagram 100 of an upper lid 102 and lower lid 104. The upper lid 102 may have an outer rim from which individuals may drink liquid from. The upper lid may be circular in shape and comprise a series of slots extending outward radically from the center of the lid. An upper lid portion may comprise plastic (e.g., high density polyethylene, polypropylene plastic, and the like) and thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) or other suitable polymer materials that are mechanically bonded. The TPE portion of the upper lid portion may function as a gasket 106 to prevent leaking between the upper and lower lid portions and also act as a seal in a locked mode to prevent liquids from passing through the flow slots. The upper lid may have a series of slots that may be aligned with corresponding slots from the lower lid portion to allow for flow-control of liquids, as described in greater detail below. The gasket may be circular in shape and include raised portions that help secure the slots in place and to prevent leakage of liquid. For example, when the slots of the upper lid and corresponding slots of the lower lid are aligned, the raised portions may act as a guide to allow liquids to be dispersed from the bottle outward. Conversely, when the slots of the upper lid are not aligned with corresponding slots of the lower lid, the raised portions may act as a seal to prevent the flow of liquid out of the bottle. The interior wall of the upper lid may comprise small ribs or ridges that couple with corresponding protrusions or notches, for example, as depicted in FIG. 1.
The lower lid may have several different configurations of slots that may be aligned with the upper lid's slots to provide for different flow rates. A lower lid portion may be made of plastic, such as HDPE, PP, or the like. The lower lid portion may be manufactured from a single material. Lower lid may comprise an upper ring that is covered by an inside surface of the upper lid. The exterior of the lower lid's upper ring may include insets that the notches of the upper lid may rest in. These notches may be aligned with different sets of slots or circles of the lower lid to provide for greater resistance when the upper and lower lids are aligned and allow for the upper and lower portions to naturally be positioned at the various aligned slot positions.
In at least one embodiment, a bottle or other liquid reservoir is attached to a lower lid portion via a threading structure. Corresponding threads on an outside surface of a bottle and inside surface of a lower lid portion may engage to form a liquid-tight seal. A lower lid portion may comprise various slots that accommodate different rates of liquid flow. For example, a first plurality of elongated slots may be used to provide for a high or relatively higher amount of liquid flow; a second plurality of slots that are shorter and/or fewer in number may be used to provide for a low or relatively lower amount of liquid flow, and so forth. Slots may be arranged at regular intervals in a circular arrangement around a circular lid. A lower lid portion may comprise a key mating structure that is used for attaching the lower lid portion to an upper lid portion.
FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram 200 of an upper lid 202 and lower lid 204. In various embodiments, a gasket made of soft thermoplastic elastomer is attached to the lower surface of the upper lid, as depicted in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 may furthermore depict a key 206 structure on the lower surface of the upper lid. The key may comprise a raised portion with a key that extends outward from the center of the lid. The length of the key may match or be designed to match the length of an opening of the key mating structure 208 arrangement of the lower lid. As seen in FIG. 2, the lower lid may comprise a key mating structure comprising openings and a securing mechanism. The openings may refer to the slots in the key mating structure that allow for the key of the upper lid to slide through. Once the key is slid into the key mating structure, the upper lid portion may be rotated (e.g., clockwise) so as to engage the upper and lower lid portions together. The key may be long enough so that it cannot be removed from the key mating structure without disengaging the upper and lower lid portions, for example, by rotating clockwise so that the key can be removed from the openings in the key mating structures. While it is described above that the upper lid portion is rotated clockwise so that the upper and lower lid portions are engaged together, variations upon this description are also contemplated within this disclosure—for example, in some cases, the upper lid portion may be rotated counterclockwise to engage the lower lid; in some embodiments, the lower lid portion is rotated to engage the upper lid portion; and so forth.
The upper lid portion may comprise a plurality or series of slots. The slots may be equally spaced and arranged in a radially symmetric manner. For example, FIG. 2 depicts ten equally spaced slots that are each 36 degrees apart from each other. The gasket attached to the lower surface of the upper lid may, likewise, have corresponding cut outs that allow for the flow of liquids through the slots.
The lower lid portions may comprise two or more corresponding pluralities or series of slots. For example, a first series of slots may refer to the ten elongated slots that are located at regular distances from each other (e.g., 36 degrees separation). These may be arranged such that they may be aligned with the slots of the upper lid and allow for the flow of liquids through the slots of both the upper and lower lid when aligned. This first series of slots may allow for a high rate of liquid flow due to the amount of surface area over which liquids may flow through. A second series of slots may refer to the circular slots depicted in FIG. 2 that are spaced equally and offset from the elongated slots. This second series of slots may be offset from the first series of slot and are also located at regular distances from each other—the second series of slots includes ten circular slots that are located at regular distances from each other (e.g., 36 degrees separation). This second series of slots may allow for a medium rate of liquid flow, with a rate of liquid flow that is less than that of the first series of slots due to the lower amount of surface area over which liquids may travel. A third series of five circular slots may allow for a low rate of fluid flow. The third series of circular slots may be offset from the second series of circular slots and be identical or similar in shape and size, except that every other slot is missing (e.g., 72 degrees of separation).
In various embodiments, a lower lid comprises a key structure and an upper lid comprises a corresponding key structure that can be mated to the key structure. For example, a lower lid's key structure and the upper lid's corresponding key structure may be designed as depicted in FIG. 2. In some embodiments, a lower lid's key structure comprises key 206 and an upper lid's corresponding key structure comprises key mating structure 208.
FIG. 3 illustrates a diagram 300 of top-down views of the upper and lower lid portions. In the top half of FIG. 3, a bottom-up view of the lower lid 302 is depicted. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the key mating structure 304 comprises openings 306A and 306B and circular ridges 308A and 308B over which a key of the upper lid portion may be rotated to engage the upper lid with the lower lid. In various embodiments, the key mating structure has two openings that are 180 degrees apart from each other, as depicted in FIG. 3. In some embodiments, a single opening that extends in only one direction. In some embodiments, the key mating structure has multiple openings that are arranged at various angles to one another—for example, the openings may be at a 90 degrees angle so as to allow for the insertion of the key in only one orientation. As depicted in FIG. 3, the two openings in the key mating structure are of different lengths. The openings may be designed to have different lengths to ensure that the key is inserted in a particular orientation (e.g., longer end of the key with the longer opening and shorter end of the key with the shorter opening).
The bottom portion of FIG. 3 depicts the insertion of a key 310 into the key mating structure. The key may be attached to a lower surface of an upper lid and the key mating structure may be bored through the middle of a lower lid. The key may comprise two protruding ends that are oriented 180 degrees from each other. The protruding ends may be sized with a length that is equal to the openings of the key mating structure. More particularly, the length of the keys may be sized so that they extend over the ridges of the key mating structure so that when the key is inserted into the openings and then rotated, that the upper and lower lid portions engage. For example, key 310 may be inserted into key mating structure 304 by placing key end 312A through opening 306A and key end 312B through opening 306B. The key and key mating structure may be designed such that the successful placement of one key end necessitates the successful placement of any other key ends in the key structure. Once the key ends have been inserted into the key mating structure openings, the key structure and upper lid may be rotated clockwise (e.g., from the top-bottom perspective) to engage the upper and lower lids. When the key 310 is rotated, key end 312A slides along ridge 308A and key end 312B slides along ridge 308B. Once the key ends have been rotated over the edges, the upper and lower lid portions are rotationally engaged and may be considered to be coupled together. The upper and lower portions may be decoupled by reversing the rotation (e.g., counterclockwise rotation) so that the key ends are rotated to be over the openings, thereby allowing the upper and lower lid portions to be separated from each other.
FIG. 4 illustrates a diagram 400 depicting the alignment of the slots of the upper lid 402 and lower lid 404. In various embodiments, the upper lid and lower lid may be attached by rotationally engaging a key structure of the upper lid with a key mating structure of the lower lid and rotating the upper lid in a clockwise manner (e.g., from top-down perspective). Then, as the upper lid is being rotated, a rotation marker 406 may be used to help guide the alignment of the upper lid with the lower lid so as to provide flow-control. For example, as the upper lid is being rotated, it may, at some points, be in a misaligned position 410 wherein the elongated slots of the upper lid 402 are offset from each of the series of slots in the lower lid. As the upper lid is further rotated, it may reach an aligned position 420 where the slots of the upper lid are aligned with one of the series or pluralities of slots in the lower lid. As an example, FIG. 4 depicts how the upper lid may be aligned with the ten elongated slots of the lower lid to provide for a high rate of liquid flow. Where the rotation marker 406 is aligned with a series of slots, a graphical icon or indicator may be printed or etched on either lid portion. For example, FIG. 4 depicts how the lower lid 404 has a symbol with three droplets to indicate that when the rotation marker 406 is over the three droplets, the lids are engaged in a flow-control position that allows for a high rate of liquid flow. Two droplets may correspond to a medium rate of liquid flow, one droplet may correspond to a low rate of liquid flow, and a droplet with a cross or slash through it may indicate a locked position where liquid flow is prevented or substantially prevented from being released through the lid arrangement.
FIG. 5 illustrates a diagram 500 in which the upper and lower lids may be aligned according to various flow-control positions. In an example embodiment, the upper lid comprises a plurality of ten elongated slots uniformly distributed in a circular orientation around the upper lid so as to allow for a uniform drinking experience regardless of what orientation a user holds the cup. The lower lid may comprise several different pluralities of slots. Each plurality of slots may be uniformly distributed in a circular orientation similar to the upper lid, wherein the respective pluralities are offset from one another, for example, by 9 degrees. This spacing may be chosen due to the slots being spaced 36 degrees apart from each other and there being 4 different flow control settings (including a flow control setting for the locked position), meaning that 9 degrees provides the greatest amount of separation between any two series of slots in the lower lid.
In at least one embodiment, the lower lid comprises a first series of elongated slots that are evenly spaced apart from each other. For example, if there are ten elongated slots, they are each separated by 36 degrees. The slots of the upper lid may be aligned with this first series of elongated slots of the lower lid to provide for a first rate of liquid flow. A marker may be aligned with an indicator, graphic, or icon, indicating a high rate of liquid flow, as depicted by the three droplets in FIG. 5 and on the left-hand portion of FIG. 5. For example, a fastest flow speed marker is depicted in position 510, where corresponding slots are aligned as shown in top view 512. An intermediate flow speed marker is depicted in position 520, where small holes are revealed as shown in top view 522. A slowest flow speed marker is depicted in position 530, where half of the small holes are revealed as shown in top view 532. Other embodiments may have more or less than half the small holes, where the total number is less than that of the position 522.
In at least one embodiment, the lower lid comprises a second series of circular slots that are evenly spaced apart from each other. For example, if there are ten circular slots, they are each separated by 36 degrees. The slots of the upper lid may be aligned with this second series of elongated slots of the lower lid to provide for a second rate of liquid flow. A marker may be aligned with an indicator, graphic, or icon, indicating a medium rate of liquid flow, as depicted by the two droplets in FIG. 5 and on the middle portion of FIG. 5. The length of the slots may be increased to increase the rate of liquid flow in a particular flow-control position, or decreased to decrease the rate of liquid flow for the flow-control position.
In at least one embodiment, the lower lid comprises a third series of circular slots that are evenly spaced apart from each other. For example, if there are five circular slots, they are each separated by 72 degrees. The slots of the upper lid may be aligned with this third series of elongated slots of the lower lid to provide for a third rate of liquid flow. A marker may be aligned with an indicator, graphic, or icon, indicating a low rate of liquid flow, as depicted by the one droplets in FIG. 5 and on the right-hand portion of FIG. 5. The number of the slots may be increased to increase the rate of liquid flow in a particular flow-control position, or decreased to decrease the rate of liquid flow for the flow-control position.
FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram 600 for a locked mode (e.g., no flow or travel mode, etc.) 610 (and shown in top view 620) in which the upper lid and lower lid engage to create a seal between the lower lid portion and the upper lid portion, thereby substantially preventing liquid flow from the bottle and through the upper lid portion. In at least one embodiment, when the key structure of the upper lid is rotated around the key structure, the ridge of the key mating structure may rise so as to increase the tension between the upper and lower lid portions when the key is fully rotated to engage with the key mating structure. For example, the last 5 to 20 degrees of the ridges may rise so that there is a tighter connection between the upper and lower lids when they are fully rotated together. This may be referred to as a locked flow-control position wherein liquids are prevented from escaping the lid because the rise causes the upper surface of the lower lid to engage with the lower surface of the upper lid, thereby interfering with a liquid's ability to flow outward.
FIG. 7 depicts a diagram 700 in which interference of liquid flow is shown in both locked 720 and unlocked 710 flow-control positions. A locked flow-control position may refer to a flow-control position in which liquid is not allowed to escape the lid or substantially prevented from escaping the lid. An unlocked flow-control positions may refer to one of the flow-control positions depicted in FIG. 5. As depicted in the left-hand portion of FIG. 7, when the upper and lower lids are aligned in an unlocked flow-control position, such as when slots of the upper and lower lids are aligned, the lids are structured to connect such that there is a mechanism that prevents liquid from leaking between the upper and lower lid. This mechanism is engaged in all flow-control positions, as depicted in the left-hand portion of FIG. 7. The mechanism may be implemented using techniques described in EP2459148B1, entitled “CLOSURE SYSTEM FOR A LEAK PROOF BOTTLE FOR BABY FOOD,” which is hereby incorporated by reference. Note that liquid is allowed to penetrate through slots of both the lower and upper lids (e.g., from a bottle or liquid reservoir) in the unlocked flow-control position.
In the right-hand portion of FIG. 7, a locked flow-control position is depicted whereby no liquid flow is allows to pass through the upper and lower lid portions. In at least one embodiment, the upper surface of the lower lid engages with the lower surface of the upper lid at a position where the slots of the upper and lower lids are not aligned. This causes the lower surface of the upper lid to prevent liquids from flowing out via the slots of the lower lid.
FIG. 8 illustrates a diagram 800 of a gasket design, according to at least one embodiment. In at least one embodiment, a gasket made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material forms a bottom part of the upper lid. In various embodiments, the gasket comprises a series of slots equal to the maximum number of slots needed for a flow-control position. The slots of the gasket may be sized to accommodate the largest slots of the lower lid portion. In various embodiments, the gasket comprises raised portions 810 that act as interference and/or guide liquid, depending on the alignment of the slots of the upper lid and lower lid. In at least one embodiment, there are two raised portions forming a first concentric circle that is outside of the slots and a second concentric circle inside of the slits. Additionally, there may be radially extending raised portions to either side of each slot, thereby providing raised portions that enclose each slot.
FIG. 9 depicts an alternate embodiment of a flow-control lid 900 in in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 10 depicts the flow-control lid 900 of FIG. 9 in various cross-sectional and perspective views in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. In FIG. 9, the flow-control lid 900 may be a multi-piece assembly, and may include a base 910 configured to be secured to a cup or bottle, and a removable insert 920. The removable insert 920 may be configured to rotate with respect to the base 910 so as to modify an amount of flow that passes through the flow-control lid 900. For example, the removable insert 920 may rotate counterclockwise to increase flow in the example of FIG. 9, and may rotate clockwise to decrease and/or stop flow in the example of FIG. 9. The base 910 may therefore have a recessed portion in which to receive the removable insert 920, such that a handle portion 922 of the removable insert does not extend past an upper end of the base 910. The removable insert 920 may have a number of openings 924 formed along an inner perimeter, where fluid may flow through the openings 924. As depicted in a first cross-sectional view 930 and a perspective view 934, as the removable insert 920 is rotated, the vertical positioning of the removable insert 920 with respect to the base 910 is modified to allow a greater amount or a reduced amount of fluid to flow through the openings 924. For example, as the removable insert 920 is rotated counterclockwise, the vertical positioning increases, such that an increased amount of the openings 924 is exposed, and additional fluid can flow through the openings 924. When rotated clockwise, the openings 924 are reduced in size as the removable insert 920 moves closer to the base 910. As depicted in a second cross-sectional view 932, a gasket 940 may be disposed between the base 910 and the removable insert 920. In some embodiments, the gasket 940 may be coupled to the base 910, whereas in other embodiments the gasket 940 may be a discrete component. The gasket 940 may provide gaps 942 that are configured to retain liquid and prevent leaks when the removable insert 920 is in the fully closed position. Other embodiments may have different configurations, such as removable inserts that rotate in opposite directions, etc.
While the disclosure has been described with reference to a number of embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, or equivalent arrangements not described herein, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
Patent Application
20230015234
