Patent ID: 9650186
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: B65D,F16F

Claim:
1. A portable container for holding a liquid therein, said container comprising: a hollow vessel including an interior compartment for retaining the liquid; a cap removably coupled to the hollow vessel, said cap comprising a catch and a passageway, said passageway being configured for communicating with said interior compartment; a hinge; a lid pivotally connected to said cap by said hinge, said lid being movable between a fully closed state and an opened state, and vice versa, to selectively close off or open said passage in cap; a spring assembly configured to automatically cause said lid to be pivoted from a fully closed state to an opened state upon the release of said catch, said spring assembly comprising an elongate elastomeric member and an containment area recess having a contact surface, said contact surface being planar and defined by a single plane, said elongate elastomeric member being integrally formed as part of said lid and having an initial shape including a distal free end terminating in a distal surface, said distal surface of said elongate elastomeric member engaging said planar contact surface when said lid is in the fully closed state and being configured to operate bi-modally wherein said elongate elastomeric member operates as a reed and compression spring when said lid is in the fully closed state and operates as a reed spring after said lid has begun opening to carry said lid to its opened state, said distal surface of said elongate elastomeric member being configured for sliding along said planar contact surface when said lid is moved from said opened state to said fully closed state.