The present invention relates to a resilient fluid funneling assembly for use with a fluid dispensing vessel, and more specifically, to a resilient fluid funneling assembly which facilitates the delivery of substantially all the liquid contained within a fluid dispensing vessel to the user thereof.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that various liquid dispensing containers and related covers or lids have been fabricated and sold over many decades. For many years, these liquid dispensing containers, and their associated covers or lids, have been designed to meet the particular needs of the users during their various activities. For example, liquid dispensing containers have been specifically designed for assorted events/activities such as running, bicycle riding, hiking, rock climbing, driving an automobile, attendance at sporting events, and the like. Much attention has been directed in these prior art designs to providing a liquid dispensing vessel which permits a user to consume or dispense liquid from the container in a reliable manner during the activity, and which further prevents accidental spilling of the liquid from the container in the event that the drinking vessel is accidentally overturned.
With regard to drinking containers which are going to be typically utilized during an athletic event, much attention has been directed towards developing beverage containers which can be operated by a single hand, and which further simultaneously allows for the equalization of air pressure within the internal cavity of the drinking vessel as the beverage contained within the vessel is consumed.
While many possible designs have been developed to address these assorted needs, several shortcomings have become apparent after prolonged usage of these same prior art products.
For example, many users of these prior art drinking vessels often need to consume the contents of the drinking vessel quickly while engaged in various athletic pursuits. Moreover, many athletes often need to receive large volumes of the fluid to be dispensed in view of the vigorous athletic activity that they are pursuing. The prior art liquid dispensing containers have not, generally speaking, been designed to rapidly deliver large volumes of fluid, or other liquid from the dispensing container, in view of the concern that such liquid, in large volumes, would cause problems in the event that the drinking vessel was accidentally overturned. Consequently, smaller volumes of liquid are typically dispensed from most fluid dispensing containers. Moreover, the complexity of the various designs of the prior art drinking vessels have often impaired the ability of the same drinking vessel to dispense substantially all the contents of the fluid dispensing container. Those skilled in the art will recognize that often a small volume of fluid remains within the fluid dispensing vessel notwithstanding that the user has attempted to drain the entire contents of the same liquid dispensing vessel. In view of the complexity of the prior art devices and other drinking vessels employed, to date, problems often arise regarding how to effectively cleanse such drinking vessels, or fluid dispensing containers, in view of the likelihood that sticky residue or other contamination from the fluid contained within the drinking vessel coats the drinking vessel, or associated lid or cover, and thereby makes them either wholly or partially inoperative or undesirable. This trace residue often encourages the growth of microorganisms and further inhibit the proper operation of any sealing device or other dispensing assembly employed to selectively dispense the liquid or beverage from the fluid dispensing container.
A resilient fluid funneling assembly for use with a fluid dispensing vessel and which avoids the detriments associated with the prior art products, and practices utilized heretofore is the subject matter of the present invention.
A first aspect of the present invention relates to a resilient fluid funneling assembly for use with a fluid dispensing vessel which includes a resilient main body defining, at least in part, a fluid collection region, and wherein a fluid draining aperture is formed in a predetermined location of the main body, and extends therethrough; and an elongated, and resilient fluid draining conduit which cooperates with the main body, and which is further disposed in fluid receiving relation relative to the fluid draining aperture, and wherein the fluid draining conduit has a distal end which delivers a source of fluid which is collected by the fluid collection region to a user.
Still another aspect of the present invention relates to a resilient fluid funneling assembly for use with a fluid dispensing vessel which includes a resilient main body defining a fluid collection region which has a first end, and an opposite second end, and wherein the resilient main body further has a peripheral edge, and wherein a sidewall extends normally, and laterally outwardly relative to the peripheral edge of the resilient main body, and wherein the resilient main body further has a cross sectional dimension which diminishes when measured in a direction extending from the first end, and in the direction of the second end, and wherein a fluid draining aperture is formed in the second end of the resilient main body; and an elongated, and resilient fluid draining conduit which cooperates with the main body, and which further is disposed in fluid receiving relation relative to the fluid draining aperture, and wherein the fluid draining conduit further has a distal end which delivers a source of fluid which is collected by the fluid collection region, from a fluid dispensing vessel, to a user, and wherein the fluid draining conduit further is non-linear in shape, and extends laterally, outwardly relative to the resilient main body, and wherein the fluid draining conduit has a non-uniform, outside facing, cross-sectional dimension, and wherein a flexible, fluid sealing flange extends radially, outwardly, relative to the outwardly facing surface of the fluid draining conduit.
Yet still another aspect of the present invention relates to a resilient fluid funneling assembly for use with a fluid dispensing vessel which includes a fluid dispensing vessel have a main body defining an internal storage cavity, and a threaded neck region which allows access into the internal storage cavity of the fluid dispensing vessel; a source of a fluid to be dispensed and which is stored within the internal storage cavity which is defined by the fluid dispensing vessel; a primary removable cover which releasably, matingly, and screw-threadably cooperates with the threaded neck region of the fluid dispensing vessel, and wherein the primary removable cover further has a top and a bottom surface, and wherein the top surface further has a peripheral edge, and wherein a generally circular shaped, peripheral sidewall depends downwardly from the peripheral edge of the top surface, and wherein an aperture is defined in the top surface thereof, and wherein the bottom surface of the primary removable cover, and the generally circular shaped peripheral sidewall defines a generally cylindrically shaped internal cavity; a selectively movable, secondary cover which is hingedly mounted on the top surface of the primary removable cover, and which further is arranged so as to selectively move along an arcuately shaped path of travel between a first, closed position, and a second, open position, and wherein in the second, open position the selectively moveable secondary cover is spatially oriented relative to the primary removable cover so as to permit access to the top surface of the primary removable cover; a resilient main body defining a fluid collection region which has a first end, and an opposite, second end, and wherein the resilient main body has a peripheral edge, and wherein a sidewall extends normally, laterally outwardly relative to the peripheral edge of the resilient main body, and further is defined, at least in part, by a top peripheral edge, and wherein the resilient main body further has a cross-sectional dimension which diminishes when measured in a direction extending from the first end, and in the direction of the second end thereof, and wherein a fluid draining aperture is formed in the second end of the resilient main body, and wherein the top peripheral edge of the sidewall which is located at the first end of the resilient main body, fluid sealably cooperates with the fluid dispensing vessel when the primary removable cover threadably cooperates with the neck region of the fluid dispensing vessel, and wherein the resilient main body further is sized so as to be wholly received within the generally cylindrically shaped internal cavity which is defined by the primary removable cover; and an elongated, and resilient fluid draining conduit which cooperates with the resilient main body, and which further is disposed in fluid receiving relation relative to the fluid draining aperture, and wherein the fluid draining conduit has a distal end which delivers the source of fluid which is collected by the fluid collection region, from the fluid dispensing vessel, to a user, and wherein the fluid draining conduit further is non-linear in shape, and extends laterally, outwardly relative to the resilient main body, and additionally extends through the aperture defined in the top surface of the primary removable cover, and wherein the fluid draining conduit has a non-uniform, outside facing, cross-sectional dimension, and wherein a flexible, fluid sealing flange extends radially outwardly relative to the outwardly facing surface of the fluid draining conduit, and which further fluid sealably cooperates with the top surface of the primary removable cover so as to impede the passage of the source of fluid there-between, and wherein movement of the selectively movable secondary cover along the arcuately shaped path of travel into the first, closed position effects a forcible bending and/or distortion of at least a portion of the resilient fluid draining conduit in a manner such that the source of the fluid cannot pass to the distal end thereof, and a user cannot gain access to the distal end of the fluid draining conduit, and wherein movement of the secondary cover to the second, open position causes the secondary cover to be spatially oriented in a non-covering orientation relative to the primary removable cover so as to permit access to the distal end of the resilient fluid draining conduit, and wherein the resilient, fluid draining conduit further resiliently urges the selectively moveable, secondary cover, at least in part, along the arcuately shaped path of travel between the first and second positions.
These and other aspects of the present invention will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings.
This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts.” [Article I, Section 8].
A resilient fluid funneling assembly for use with a fluid dispensing vessel is generally indicated by the numeral 10 in the various drawings which are provided. As best seen in
The present invention 10 cooperates with a primary removable cover 20 which releasably, matingly and screw threadably cooperates with the threaded exterior region or portion 14, of the fluid dispensing vessel 11. The primary removable cover 20 has a first or top surface 21, and an opposite, second or bottom surface 22. The top surface 21 is defined, at least in part, by a peripheral edge, and which is generally indicated by the numeral 23. As seen in
As seen in
A selectively movable secondary cover 40 which cooperates with the primary removable cover 20 is illustrated in the drawings. The selectively movable secondary cover 40 has a main body 41 which has a peripheral edge 42 (
The resilient fluid funneling assembly 10 (
The resilient fluid funneling assembly 10 includes an elongated and resilient fluid draining conduit 70 which is mounted on, made integral with, or otherwise cooperates with the resilient main body 60, and which further is disposed in fluid receiving relation relative to the fluid draining aperture 67. The fluid draining conduit 70 has a first end 71, and an opposite second or distal end 72. (
As will be appreciated, from a study of
As seen in the drawings, the sidewall 65 of the resilient main body 60, and which is located at the first end 62, thereof, is semi-circular in shape, and is further located in a closely spaced, juxtaposed relationship relative to a portion of the downwardly depending, or laterally extending, and circular shaped sidewall 30, which forms a portion of the primary moveable cover 20. The resilient main body 60 extends generally radially, inwardly relative to the downwardly depending and circular shaped sidewall 30 of the primary removable cover 20. (
The operation of the described embodiment of the present invention is believed to be readily apparent, and is briefly summarized at this point.
In its broadest aspect, the present invention, relates to a resilient fluid funneling assembly 10 for use with a fluid dispensing vessel 11, which includes, as a first broad aspect, a resilient main body 60 defining, at least in part, a fluid collection region 61, and wherein a fluid draining aperture 67 is formed in a predetermined location of the main body 60 and extends therethrough. Still further the resilient fluid funneling assembly 10, in its broadest aspect, includes an elongated, and resilient fluid draining conduit 70 which cooperates with the main body 60, and which is further disposed in fluid receiving relation relative to the fluid draining aperture 67. The fluid draining conduit 70 has a distal end 72 which delivers a source of fluid 16 which is collected by the fluid collection region 61, to a user.
As seen in the drawings the resilient main body 60 releasably and matingly cooperates, at least in part, with a primary removable cover 20. The primary removable cover 20 further matingly cooperates with a fluid dispensing vessel 11, and wherein the fluid dispensing vessel 11 encloses and stores the source of fluid 16 to be delivered to a user (not shown). In one form of the invention, the resilient fluid draining conduit 70 is non-linear in shape, and extends laterally, outwardly relative to the resilient main body 60, and further fluid sealably passes through an aperture 24 which is formed in the top surface 21, of the primary removable cover 20. As earlier noted, the fluid collection region 61 of the resilient main body 60, has a cross-sectional dimension which diminishes when measured in a direction extending from the peripheral and downwardly or laterally depending sidewall 30 of the primary removable cover 20, and in the direction of the fluid draining aperture 67 which is located radially, inwardly, relative to the peripheral sidewall 30 of the primary removable cover 20.
As earlier discussed, the present invention 10 includes a selectively movable secondary cover 40 which is hingedly mounted on the top surface 21 of the primary removable cover 20, and which further selectively moves along an arcuately shaped path of travel 45, from a first, closed position 46, and which forcibly bends, and or otherwise distorts 77, at least a portion of the resilient fluid draining conduit 70 in a manner such at the source of fluid 16 cannot pass to the distal end 72, thereof (
Therefore it will be seen that the present invention provides a very convenient means by which the total volume of fluid 16 which is received within a fluid dispensing vessel 11 can be delivered to a user for consumption, and no volume of fluid will be left behind in the fluid dispensing vessel 11. The present invention 10 is simple in design, solves a long felt need, and further can be easily removed or detached from the primary removable cover 20 in view of the flexible polymeric material from which it is fabricated, for purposes of cleaning so as to maintain the present invention in a suitable condition for long term use, and to further inhibit or avoid microbial growth or contamination.
In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, and described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims, appropriately interpreted in accordance with the Doctrine of Equivalence.