Patent Grant
8550280
1. Technical Field
The present inventions relate to sealed vessels and, more particularly, relate to a sealed vessel which is opened for drinking or pouring by pressing an actuator of a valve assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Covers for drinking containers that form a sealed vessel and provide a button to be pressed to drink or pour the liquid from the vessel are known to the art. These covers could be used to prevent spilling for urban commuters, especially when placed in a back pack next to an electronic device. In order to open the vessel to drink, an actuator was pressed on the opposite side of the drinking orifice which opened the drinking orifice. Most of the actuators were associated with several mechanisms to change the horizontal movement of the actuator into a vertical movement needed to open the drinking orifice and to provide the spring force to seal both the actuator and the drinking orifice. Once the actuator was pressed, the user could drink from the container through a drinking orifice. After taking a drink, the actuator was released and the container was sealed to prevent leakage. Kenneth J Albert has several patents which illustrate variations of this mechanism (U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,631) (U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,443).
One problem associated with these drinking containers was the number of mechanisms required to provide the movement and provide the necessary spring force. First, the cost to manufacture and assemble multiple pieces increased the cost of a cover assembly for the container. Since liquid also flowed over the valve, the valve needed to be cleaned, which was difficult with so many pieces. In some cases, the mechanism was so complex that the valve assembly could not be removed and could only be cleaned by a dishwashing machine which allowed for an accumulation of undesirable matter. U.S. Pat. No. 7,546,933 is an example of a complex valve assembly which could not be cleaned or removed for cleaning.
Another version of the art of a commonly available product was the pull ring on the center of the cover of the drinking container. A nipple in the middle, when pressed down was sealed, when the nipple is pulled up, the liquid was able to flow through the nipple. Although a simple solution, the valve wore out over time and leaked. Also, the inside of the nipple could not be manually cleaned and the nipple could not be removed. This type of valve was common on disposable containers as well because of the low cost to produce.
Richard Lee (U.S. Pat. No. 7,537,134) constructed a valve using an elongated arm to provide both the seal and the spring force to maintain the seal of the orifice plug. Squeezing the container together pulled the arm down by a string attached to a flexible bridge to open the drinking orifice. Like the aforementioned approaches, an arrangement of several mechanisms changed horizontal motion into vertical motion and the problem of cleaning was not resolved.
There exists a need for a cover assembly for a drinking container that forms a sealed vessel which can be opened by pressing an actuator for a valve mechanism and which can be easily removed and cleaned.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and is not limited by the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements. Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale.
The details of the preferred embodiments will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and is not limited by the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements. Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale.
The details of the preferred embodiments will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
The cover assembly 100 has a cover 101, container seal 115, and a single piece valve beam 120, in which the assembly is rotationally attached to a container 130. The cover 101 has an orifice 102 for drinking or pouring or dispensing, an opening 103 for an actuator button, sealing surface 104 for container seal, threads 105 for attaching to a container, and a stop surface 106 for thread engagement. Besides threads 105, there are other ways to attach the cover assembly to the container such as a snapping or press fitting. The container seal 115 forms a leak-proof seal between the cover 101 and the container 130. The container seal 115 is retained on the cover 101 by sliding over the cover threads 105 to locate on surface 104. The single piece valve beam 120 consists of a plastic beam 121 with an actuator button 122 on one end and a fulcrum 123 located on the other end. In the middle is a projection 124 for sealing the drinking orifice 102 of the cover and opposite the projection 124 is an access arm 125 for removing and inserting the valve beam. The access arm 125 is a handle formed of a size and shape capable of being grasped by the human hand. Elastic material forms a seal pad 126 that attaches to the plastic beam 121 near the button and on the middle projection 124 for sealing by another seal 127. The valve beam 120 assembles to the cover 101 by grasping the access arm 125 and initially inserting the fulcrum end 123 of the beam into the cover 101 and further pressing of the access arm 125 until the actuator button 122 snaps out of the button opening 103 of the cover. Once inserted, the valve beam 120 seals both the drinking orifice 102 and the button opening 103. The cover assembly 100 is attached to the container 130, which holds the media for drinking or pouring, with threads 105 from the cover mating with threads 133 from the container until the top 131 of the container meets the stop surface 106 of the cover and the container seal 115 is engaged with the container seal surface 132 to form a leak-proof vessel.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the single piece valve beam 120 can be easily removed for accessibility to all surfaces and easy cleaning. By pulling on the access arm 125 of the valve beam 120, the button 122 of the valve beam can be pulled through the actuator button opening 103 of the cover to release the valve beam 120. The cover 101 and the valve beam 120 can be either manually cleaned or cleaned by an automatic dish washer. The valve beam 120 is re-inserted by pushing the access arm 125 of the valve beam 120 into the cover 101 until the button 122 snaps through the button opening 103 in the cover thereby sealing the drinking orifice 102 and the button opening 103 in the cover.
The cover assembly 200 consists of the cover 201, single piece valve beam 220, and the container seal 215. An access arm 225 is a handle for removing and inserting the valve beam. Once inserted into the cover 201, the single piece valve beam 220 is positioned such that the button 222 extends through the button opening 203 in the cover with the button seal 226 pressed against the inner surface 210 of the button opening, the fulcrum 223 of the valve beam presses against the inner fulcrum surface 211 on the opposite wall of the inside of the cover, and the centrally located drinking orifice seal 227 presses against the inner drinking orifice surface 212. In this position, the single piece valve beam 220 is deflected between the button and the fulcrum end thereby providing the spring force to press the seals 226 and 227 against their respective surfaces. Since both the drinking seal 227 and the button seal 226 are made of elastic material, the drinking orifice 202 and the button opening 203 simultaneously seal from the deflection force. To achieve a leak-proof sealed vessel, the cover assembly 200 is threaded, or some other known method of attachment like snapping or friction fit, on a container such that the container seal 215 seals the container to the cover assembly.
The media within the container could be any pourable content such as a liquid like water or small solids like pellets. The embodiments discussed reference media, such as water, meant to be consumed by a user during a workout or carried along with the user at work to keep hydrated.
Although sealing is described above as leak-proof with an elastic material 226 and 227, the single piece valve beam 220 could be made without the elastic material and maintain a sealed vessel. If, for example, the media were pellets, then as long as the single piece valve beam 220 did not allow the pellets to pass through either the button opening or the drinking or pouring or dispensing orifice the resulting vessel would be a leak-proof seal. The amount of sealing required can also vary depending on intent. The vessel could be designed to only prevent splashing of the media from the vessel, thereby removing the need for elastic seals.
As shown in
Since the vessel could contain either hot or cold media, the pressure within the sealed vessel can change as the media changes temperature. If the media is hot, then the pressure within the sealed vessel decreases as the media cools, which pulls air into the vessel through the drinking orifice 302 or the button opening 303. If the media is cold, such as ice water, then the pressure within the sealed vessel increases over time as the media warms. This positive pressure can be released by unscrewing the cover 301 or pressing the button 322 during actuation. Since the button opening 303 opening surface area is smaller than the drinking orifice 302, the pressure releases first from the button opening 303 when the button 322 is actuated. If the pressure were released from the drinking orifice 302, then any liquid from drinking previously trapped between the outside of the drinking orifice 302 and the seal 327 would be sprayed out of the drinking orifice 302 when the button 322 is pressed in actuation. When the media is a carbonated beverage, this same positive pressure issue exists.
In an unactuated mode as shown in
The cover 401 may have an appendage or loop to attach a carabineer clip to hold the vessel to a backpack or briefcase. This appendage could be molded into the cover 401 or added as a separate piece.
The valve is actuated, as shown in
In the third, finger embodiment of
The integrally formed arm 743 is cantilevered off of the single piece valve beam from a stem location. The stem location is cantilevered operatively closer to the actuator button 722 than the fulcrum 744 such that, when the actuator button 722 is pressed, the integrally formed arm 743 rotates in a direction opposite a direction to which the single piece valve beam rotates at the fulcrum 744.
The valve beam 620 in
The valve beam 620 could be made in multiple forms accomplishing the same result by connecting the two or more deflection fingers 641 and 642 with an extension to add more rigidity. The valve beam could also be made with only one deflection finger or be made with an extension at the fulcrum end to balance the valve beam during actuation.
In an unactuated mode as shown in
The valve is actuated, as shown in
Besides being of lower cost and having an advantage of disposability, one or more embodiments of the present inventions solve problems of cleaning the valve and valve mechanisms in part because they are removable. Previously coffee stains or residue would build up in the mechanism. All of the first, second, and third embodiments allow for the valve beam to be easily removed by pulling on an access arm, which allows for easy cleaning and access to all surfaces in contact with the drinking fluid. The valve beam can be easily removable without an access arm as well by allowing for finger access to remove the valve beam.
One or more embodiments of the present inventions also solve the problems of release of pressure to atmosphere. Previously, when opened, some would cause liquid to squirt out. One or more embodiments of the present inventions vent to atmosphere at the button and provide a pre-release to atmospheric pressure to abate this squirting.
All of the first, second, and third embodiments can be made using ‘two part injection’ molded of plastic and foam to be fitted together for the valve beam. The valve beam could also be made from spring steel with a seal pad attached to the valve beam.
Although the invention described references a sealed vessel for drinking, the same approach can be applied to larger vessels and non-liquid media. Also, the method of actuation could be changed to centrally locate the button on the vessel by adding a mechanism to remove the valve beam.
Unless stated otherwise, terms such as “first” and “second” are used to arbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or other prioritization of such elements.
Any trademarks listed herein are the property of their respective owners, and reference herein to such trademarks is generally intended to indicate the source of a particular product or service.
Although the inventions have been described and illustrated in the above description and drawings, it is understood that this description is by example only, and that numerous changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the inventions. Although the examples in the drawings depict only example constructions and embodiments, alternate embodiments are available given the teachings of the present patent disclosure.
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| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report under PCT Article 18 and Rules 43 and 44 by Korean Intellectual Property Office for International application No. PCT/US2011/044599, mailed Mar. 7, 2012, pp. 1-3. |
| Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority under PCT Rule 43bis.1 by Korean Intellectual Property Office for International application No. PCT/US2011/044599, mailed Mar. 7, 2012, pp. 1-7. |
| International Preliminary Report on Patentability under PCT Rule 44bis by Korean Intellectual Property Office for International application No. PCT/US2011/044599, mailed Feb. 19, 2013, pp. 1-8. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20120037651 A1 | Feb 2012 | US |
