Abstract:
A drinking apparatus from which a beverage may be consumed and an expandable device for preventing the beverage from being dispensed from the drinking apparatus to a consumer after a selectable amount of time has elapsed or has substantially elapsed. The expandable device includes a soluble composition and an expandable portion. The expandable portion protrudes from the expandable device to substantially block the dispensation of the beverage from the drinking apparatus upon the partial or full dissolution of the soluble composition by a solvent. By making the beverage available to the consumer for only a limited amount of time, the drinking apparatus reduces the possibility that the consumer, and in particular, a young child, a toddler, or an infant, will drink a spoiled beverage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a drinking apparatus from which a person, and particularly an infant, toddler, or young child, may consume a beverage. More specifically, the present invention relates to a drinking apparatus that allows a person to drink from it for only a selectable amount of time, and then, at the end of that selectable amount of time, automatically prevents the user from drinking from it any further. Even more specifically, the present invention relates to an expandable device, wherein a portion of the expandable device protrudes from the remainder of the expandable device upon the dissolution of a composition by a solvent, and wherein the expandable device is capable of blocking a beverage from flowing from a drinking apparatus to a consumer upon such protrusion by the portion of the expandable device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    A concern shared by many parents is that their child may become sick as a result of consuming a spoiled beverage that has been left unrefrigerated in the child&#39;s bottle, “sippy cup” or similar container for an extended period of time. As any parent knows, young children typically do not consume an entire beverage in a single sitting. A child therefore may take a few sips from a beverage container and then set the beverage container in a discreet location, perhaps behind or under a sofa, on the floor of an automobile, or buried under a pile of toys in a toy chest, for example. In such situations, the child may drink from the container hours, or if it was lost, even days, later. 
         [0005]    The consumption of a beverage that has been left unrefrigerated for an extended period of time, however, can present a grave health problem. Microbes, such as  Escherichia coli  and various  Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella, Yersinia , and  Brucella  species, for example, can contaminate milk and milk-based beverages and cause them to become too spoiled to safely drink in just a few hours at room temperature, or in an even shorter amount of time in an especially warm environment, such as a baby&#39;s nursery or the interior of an automobile on a warm day, for example. The consumption of milk that has been contaminated by one or more of these microbes by infants and children can lead to diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, headache, vomiting, exhaustion or, in the worst of cases, death. 
         [0006]    Unfortunately, there is no existing drinking device that a parent can give to a child with the assurance that the child will not be able to drink a spoiled beverage from it. There is, however, one type of container, namely the insulated container, that is aimed at reducing the likelihood that a child will consume a contaminated beverage. Insulated containers are designed to keep cool beverages cool (and warm beverages warm) for prolonged amounts of time. Insulated containers are insufficient, however, because even though the length of time that they are able to keep a beverage cool is prolonged, it is still limited (i.e., no more than about 12-16 hours or so). Therefore, a child who finds an insulated container that was lost for a period of time that is less than even one day still may be at risk of consuming a highly contaminated, and therefore highly dangerous, beverage. 
         [0007]    Insulated containers are further insufficient because some beverages are capable of spoiling in a matter of hours even when they are cool. It has been shown, for example, that  Streptomyces griseus  grows in, and therefore spoils, apple juice at temperatures that are well below room temperature. (See B. Siegmund et al., Journal of  Agricultural and Food Chemistry,  55:6692-6699 (2007).)  S. griseus  has been shown to produce the toxin valinomycin (See M. A. Andersson et al.,  Applied and Environmental Microbiology,  64:4767-4773 (1998)), which may be hazardous to the nervous system, peripheral nervous system, central nervous system, and eye. 
         [0008]    Insulated containers are even further insufficient because they cannot be used safely with warm beverages. Indeed, it is more dangerous to give to a child a warm beverage in an insulated container than it is to give to a child a warm beverage in an uninsulated container. This is true because warm beverages are generally given to children at a temperature which is about 37° C., and the optimal growth temperature of many microbes is near or within the range of about 30° C.-37° C. A warm beverage in an insulated container therefore would remain within this optimal growth range for an amount of time that is substantially longer than what an uninsulated container could keep the beverage within that range. Therefore, substantially more microbial growth would be expected in an insulated container having a warm beverage than in an uninsulated container having a warm beverage. 
         [0009]    What is needed therefore is a drinking apparatus that allows its user to drink from it for a selectable amount of time, and then, at the end of that selectable amount of time, automatically prevents the user from drinking from it any further. The present invention includes a drinking apparatus and an expandable device that automatically blocks a beverage from flowing from the drinking apparatus by about the end of a selectable amount of time. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a drinking apparatus that is specifically is arranged to allow a consumer, and in particular, a small child, a toddler or an infant, to drink a beverage from it for only a selectable period of time. The apparatus then automatically prevents the consumer from drinking from it any further. This and other objects are achieved with the present invention, which is a drinking apparatus. 
         [0011]    In one specific embodiment, the apparatus includes a beverage vessel, a cap, an optional expandable device holding member, and an expandable device. The cap, which is removably connectable to the beverage vessel, includes a nipple member having a nipple, one or more drinking openings formed through the nipple, and a beverage flow-through mouth, which is opposite the drinking openings. 
         [0012]    The expandable device includes among its other components a first member, a spring, a soluble composition, and an expandable portion. The expandable portion is positioned near the flow-through mouth. In this arrangement, any beverage that is in the beverage vessel is free to pass by the expandable portion and through the openings in the nipple to the consumer. Dissolution of the soluble composition by a solvent added to the expandable device effects gradual movement of the first member and the expandable portion (via the spring) toward the beverage flow-through mouth. By about the end of the selectable amount of time, the first member and the expandable portion will have protruded sufficiently enough from the expandable device to cause at least the expandable portion to block the flow-through mouth. Such blocking of the flow-through mouth prevents the beverage from flowing from within the vessel and through the flow-through mouth to the consumer. 
         [0013]    An alternative embodiment of the drinking apparatus of the present invention is also described. In this alternative embodiment, the drinking apparatus includes a beverage vessel, a cap having a mouth portion which has one or more drinking openings and a flow-through mouth, and an expandable device. The expandable device is removably connectable to the cap and therefore, in this alternative embodiment, the drinking apparatus does not include the optional expandable device holding member. In this alternative embodiment, the expandable device is arranged and functions substantially like as described regarding the other embodiment of the present drinking apparatus to effect blocking of the flow-through mouth to prevent a beverage from flowing from within the vessel and through the flow-through mouth to the consumer at about the end of a selectable amount of time. 
         [0014]    The details of one or more examples related to the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a first side view of a drinking apparatus of the present invention in a specific embodiment, wherein a cap is removably connected to a beverage vessel. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a second side view of the drinking apparatus of  FIG. 1 , wherein the cap and the beverage vessel are shown in phantom to further show an expandable device and an expandable device holding member of the drinking apparatus. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the beverage vessel of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the cap of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the expandable device holding member of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a first side view of the expandable device of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a second side view of the expandable device of  FIG. 2 , wherein a housing member of the expandable device is shown in phantom to allow visualization of an inner chamber of the expandable device. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a first side view of a first member of the expanding device of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a second side view of the first member of  FIG. 8 , wherein a spring and a soluble composition of the invention are associated with the first member. 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the beverage vessel and the expandable device holding member of  FIG. 2 , wherein the expandable device holding member is shown as being removably connected to the beverage vessel at a particular region. 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  is a close-up, side view of the cap and a portion of the beverage vessel of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , wherein the cap, which is shown in phantom, is removably threaded onto the beverage vessel. 
           [0026]      FIG. 12  is a third side view of the drinking apparatus of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , wherein the drinking apparatus contains a beverage that is capable of flowing from inside the beverage vessel through one or more drinking openings to a consumer. 
           [0027]      FIG. 13  is a third side view of the expandable device of  FIG. 2 , wherein the housing member of the expandable device is shown in phantom to allow visualization of the inner chamber, the first member, the second member, the spring, and the soluble composition of the expandable device, and a solvent that is contained within the inner chamber. 
           [0028]      FIG. 14  is a fourth side view of the expandable device of  FIG. 2 , wherein the housing member of the expandable device is shown in phantom to allow visualization of the inner chamber, the first member, the second member, the spring, the soluble composition, and an optional solvent port and sealant cap of the expandable device. 
           [0029]      FIG. 15  is a fifth side view of the expandable device of  FIG. 2 , wherein the housing member of the expandable device is shown in phantom to allow visualization of the inner chamber, the first member, the second member, the spring, and the soluble composition of the expandable device. 
           [0030]      FIG. 16  is a first side view of the cap and expandable device of  FIG. 2 , wherein the expandable device has expanded such that a portion of the expandable device is contained within a beverage flow-through mouth of the cap. 
           [0031]      FIG. 17  is a second side view of the cap and expandable device of  FIG. 2 , wherein the expandable device has expanded such that a portion of the expandable device flushly contacts a lip of the beverage flow-through mouth of the cap. 
           [0032]      FIG. 18  is a side view of a cap of the present invention in an alternative embodiment. 
           [0033]      FIG. 19  is a bottom view of the cap of  FIG. 18 . 
           [0034]      FIG. 20  is a side view of an expandable device of the present invention in an alternative embodiment. 
           [0035]      FIG. 21  is a side view of the expandable device of  FIG. 20  removably connected to the cap of  FIG. 18 , wherein the expandable device and the cap are arranged to allow a beverage to pass through the expandable device and the cap and to a consumer. 
           [0036]      FIG. 22  is a close-up, side view of the expandable device of  FIG. 20  removably connected to the cap of  FIG. 18 , wherein the expandable device is arranged to block a beverage from flowing through the expandable device and the cap and to a consumer. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0037]    The present invention is a drinking apparatus from which a beverage may be consumed. The present drinking apparatus specifically is arranged to allow a consumer, and particularly a small child, a toddler or an infant, to drink a beverage from it for a selectable amount of time. The drinking apparatus then automatically prevents the consumer from drinking from it any further. 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , in a specific embodiment, a drinking apparatus  10  of the present invention includes a beverage vessel  100 , a cap  200 , an expandable device holding member  300 , and an expandable device  400 . 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the beverage vessel  100  includes opening  110 , inner, side surface  120 , outer, side surface  130 , inner, bottom surface  140 , outer, bottom surface  150 , and rim surface  160 . 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the cap  200  includes a nipple member  210 , which has a nipple  212 , one or more drinking openings  214  formed through the nipple  212 , and a beverage flow-through mouth  216 , which is opposite the openings  214 . The cap  200  further includes a connection member  220  for removably connecting the cap  200  to the beverage vessel  100 . The nipple member  210  may be permanently connected to the connection member  220  (and therefore the nipple member  210  may be integral with the connection member  220 ), or the nipple member  210  may be removably connectable to the connection member  220 . For example, when the nipple member  210  is removably connectable to the connection member  220 , the connection member  220  may be in the form of a ring and the nipple member  210  may be removably insertable through the ring and held therein the connection member  220  by contact, such as shown in  FIG. 4 , for example. When the nipple member  210  is permanently or removably connected to the connection member  220 , the beverage flow-through mouth  216  is located at inner surface  230  of the cap  200  and the nipple  212  protrudes away from outer, top surface  240  of the cap  200 . 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the expandable device holding member  300  includes a plurality of beverage ports  310  of selectable size and position that are formed through the expandable device holding member  300 . The expandable device holding member  300  also includes expandable device connecting region  320 . 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the expandable device  400  includes a housing member  410  having an inner chamber  411  and an expandable portion  412 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , included in the chamber  411  are a first member  420 , a second member  430 , a spring  440 , and a soluble composition  450 . 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , the first member  420  includes a top region  422 , which includes contact portion  423  for contacting the expandable portion  412 , and a center region  424 , which includes a spring-retaining portion  425 , and a bottom region  426 , which includes a soluble composition-retaining portion  427 . Referring to  FIG. 9 , the spring  440  surrounds a portion of the center region  424  and the soluble composition  450  surrounds another portion of the center region  424 , such that the spring  440  is more proximal to the top region  422  than is the composition  450 , and the composition  450  is more proximal to the bottom region  426  than is the spring  440 . 
         [0044]    Referring again to  FIG. 7 , the second member  430 , which is removably connectable to, or is permanently fixed to, the expandable device  400  within the chamber  411 , includes a first member-retaining portion  432 . When properly arranged, the first member-retaining portion  432  substantially separates the spring  440  from the composition  450 . 
         [0045]    The expandable device  400  is removably connectable to, or is optionally permanently fixed to, the expandable device holding member  300  at the expandable device connecting region  320 . (Therefore, the expandable device  400  may be, but need not be, integral with the holding member  300 .) The skilled artisan will recognize that when the expandable device  400  is removably connectable to the holding member  300 , the expandable device  400  may be removably connectable to the holding member  300  in any one or more of a variety of ways. For example, the expandable device  400  may be snuggly fit within a portion of the holding member  300 , and thereby removably connectable to the holding member  300  by tension. As another example, each one of the expandable device  400  and the holding member  300  may be threaded, and the expandable device  400  may be securably threaded to, and removed from, the holding member  300  as often as the user of the apparatus  10  desires. 
         [0046]    The expandable device holding member  300  is removably connectable to, otherwise removably associable with, or permanently fixed to, the beverage vessel  100 . (Therefore, the expandable device holding member  300  may be, but need not be, integral with the beverage vessel  100 .) Whereas the expandable device holding member  300  may be positioned at or near the rim surface  160  of the beverage vessel  100 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , it is contemplated that any expandable device holding member of the present invention may be arranged such that it is positioned anywhere along region  134  (which is substantially the height of the vessel  100 ) of the vessel  100 . For example, a particular expandable device holding member may be arranged to fit within the vessel  100  and be removably connectable to, or permanently fixed to, the vessel  100  at inner, side surface  120 . 
         [0047]    The cap  200  is removably connectable to the beverage vessel  100 . The skilled artisan will recognize that there a large variety of ways in which the cap  200  and the beverage vessel  100  may be arranged to allow the cap  200  to be removably connectable to the beverage vessel  100 . In just one example, which is shown in  FIG. 11 , the cap  200  may be threaded on inner, side surface  250  and the beverage holding vessel  100  may be threaded on the outer, side surface  130  at or near region  132 . (Note that for the purpose of clarity, neither the expandable device holding member  300  nor the expandable device  400  are shown in  FIG. 11 .) It is to be understood, however, that the cap  200  is not limited to being connectable to the vessel  200  by such threading. Regardless of how the cap  200  is connectable to the vessel  100 , the beverage flow-through mouth  216  is arranged to face the inner, bottom surface  140  of the vessel  100 . 
         [0048]    Preparing the apparatus  10  for the purpose of allowing a consumer to drink a beverage from it for only a selectable amount of time involves not only connecting the various parts of the apparatus  10  together, but also involves the steps of: (1) adding a beverage to the beverage vessel  100 ; and (2) adding a solvent to the expandable device  400 . (These two steps may be carried out in either order.) Referring to  FIG. 12 , the beverage vessel  100  is capable of containing a beverage  5 . When the expandable device holding member  300  is removably connectable to the beverage vessel  100 , the beverage  5  may be dispensed into the beverage vessel  100  before or after the expandable device holding member  300  is removably connected to the beverage vessel  100 . (Any dispensation of the beverage  5  into the vessel  100  that occurs after the expandable device holding member  300  is connected to the vessel  100  may be achieved, for example, by passing the beverage  5  through the beverage ports  310 .) 
         [0049]    Referring to  FIG. 13 , the expandable device  400  is capable of containing a solvent  451  that is capable of dissolving the composition  450 . The skilled artisan will recognize that the expandable device  400  may be arranged in a variety of ways to receive and contain the solvent  451 . As just one example, a portion of the housing member  410  may be completely or partially removable from the remainder of the housing member  410 . In this arrangement, the solvent  451  can be added into the housing member  410  when that portion is removed from the housing member  410 , with subsequent reconnection of that portion to the remainder of the housing member  410  being sufficient to retain the solvent  451  therein the housing member  410 . As another example, the housing member  410  may include a port, such as solvent port  460  of  FIG. 14 , for example, and may further include a device for sealing the port, such as solvent port sealing cap  462  of  FIG. 14 , for example. It is to be understood, however, that these are meant only to serve as exemplary means for allowing the solvent  451  to be added to, and retained within, the housing member  410 , and therefore that the invention is not limited thereto these examples. Before or after the solvent  451  is added to the expanding device  400 , the expanding device  400  is connected to the expandable device holding member  300 , and the holding member  300  is connected to the vessel  100 . (The nature of the solvent  451  and the effect that adding the solvent  451  to the expandable device  400  has on the expandable device  400  is described below.) 
         [0050]    After the solvent  451  is added to the expandable device  400 , the beverage  5  is added to the vessel  100 , and the expanding device  400  and the holding member  300  are connected to the vessel  100 , the cap  200  then is removably connected to the vessel  100 . In this arrangement, which is shown in  FIG. 12 , the beverage  5  may flow freely from space  180  (i.e., the space contained between the inner, bottom surface  140  of the vessel  100  and the holding member  300 ) to space  190  (i.e., the space contained between the holding member  300  and the drinking openings  214 ), and from space  190  to space  180 , by passing back and forth through the beverage ports  310 . Therefore, at any given time, depending on the amount of the beverage  5  that is contained in the apparatus  10  and the orientation of the apparatus  10 , all of the beverage  5  may be contained in space  180 , all of the beverage  5  may be contained in space  190 , or some of the beverage  5  may contained in space  180  and some of the beverage  5  may contained in space  190 . 
         [0051]    Prior to about the end of the selectable amount of time, the entire expandable device  400  is positioned away from the beverage flow-through mouth  216 . (That is, no portion of the expandable device  400  blocks the mouth  216 .) In this arrangement, the beverage  5  may be dispensed from inside the vessel  100 , through the beverage flow-through mouth  216 , and then through the drinking openings  214  of the nipple  212  and to a consumer, whenever the consumer sucks on the nipple  212 . At about the end of the selectable amount of time, however, the expandable device  400  will have expanded sufficiently enough to block the beverage flow-through mouth  216 . This blocking of the mouth  216  by the expandable device  400  effectively prevents the beverage  5  from flowing from the space  190  to the drinking openings  214 . Therefore, this blocking of the mouth  216  by the expandable device  400  prevents the beverage  5  from being dispensed to the consumer. (It is recognized, however, that in some cases after the mouth  216  is blocked, a small amount of the beverage  5  may be dispensed to the consumer. For example, this may occur when there is some beverage  5  in the nipple  212  at the time of blocking.) 
         [0052]    Specifically, the blocking of the mouth  216  by the expandable device  400  may be achieved as follows. As previously mentioned, at the beginning of the selectable amount of time, a user of the apparatus  10  adds the solvent  451  into the chamber  411  of the expandable device  400 , which includes the soluble composition  450  (which is undissolved at this time), among its other parts. Preferably, but not essentially, the solvent  451  is added in sufficient quantity such as to substantially fill the chamber  411 . During the selectable amount of time, the solvent  451  increasingly dissolves the composition  450 . Referring to  FIG. 15 , as the composition  450  decreases in thickness (in the dimension from the first member-retaining portion  432  to the soluble composition retaining portion  427 ), tension is increasingly released in the spring  440  (i.e., the spring  440  expands). As the spring  440  expands, the spring  440  moves the contact portion  423  in the direction  470  and the contact portion  423  then moves the expandable portion  412  in the direction  470 . When the thickness of the composition  450  has sufficiently decreased or the composition  450  has dissolved altogether, either of which will have occurred at about the end of the selectable amount of time, both the contact portion  423  and the expandable portion  412 , or only the expandable portion  412 , will be moved into such a position with respect to the flow-through mouth  216  such as to entirely or substantially block the beverage  5  from flowing from the space  190  and through the flow-through mouth  216  to the nipple  212 . The consumer is prevented from drinking the beverage  5  from the apparatus  10  whenever the flow-through mouth  216  is substantially blocked. 
         [0053]    Referring to  FIG. 16 , in one example, the blocking of the flow-through mouth  216  is achieved when both the contact portion  423  and the expandable portion  412  enter the flow-though mouth  216 . This entry effectively blocks the beverage  5  from passing into the flow-through mouth  216  at region  217 . 
         [0054]    Referring to  FIG. 17 , in another example, the blocking of the flow-through mouth  216  is achieved when the expandable portion  412  substantially flushly contacts lip  218  of the flow-though mouth  216 . This substantially flush contact effectively blocks the beverage  5  from passing into the flow-through mouth  216  at region  217 . 
         [0055]    As previously mentioned, the length of the selectable amount of time that the beverage  5  is available to the consumer is variable and approximate. For example, the length of the selectable amount of time may be as short as about 30 minutes or it may be as long as several hours. In one embodiment, the length of the selectable amount of time is about 30 minutes to about one hour. In another embodiment, the length of the selectable amount of time is about one hour to about two hours. In yet another embodiment, the length of the selectable amount of time is about one hour. In yet another embodiment, the length of the selectable amount of time is about 90 minutes. In yet another embodiment, the length of the selectable amount of time is about two hours. In yet another embodiment, the length of the selectable amount of time is about two hours to about three hours. In yet another embodiment, the length of the selectable amount of time is about 180 minutes. In yet another embodiment, the length of the selectable amount of time is about three hours. In yet another embodiment, the length of the selectable amount of time is about three hours to about four hours. In yet another embodiment, the length of the selectable amount of time is about two hours to about four hours. In yet another embodiment, the length of the selectable amount of time is more than about four hours. For example, the length of the selectable amount of time may be about five hours, about six hours, about seven hours, or about eight hours or more. 
         [0056]    Further, the length of the selectable amount of time may be dependent upon one or more of a plurality of factors. These factors include, but are not limited to being, the chemical constitution and the conformation and size of the soluble composition  450 , and the chemical constitution, the amount, and the temperature of the solvent  451 . These factors also include the nature of the physical treatment, such as may be made during any optional curing treatment, for example, of the soluble composition  450  during the formation thereof. 
         [0057]    Although the composition  450  and the solvent  451  are meant to remain within the housing member  410  of the expandable device  400  whenever the apparatus  10  is being used, it is recognized that in rare instances the expandable device  400  may fail in a way that causes the composition  450  and/or the solvent  451  to contaminate the beverage  5  and possibly become ingested by the consumer. Therefore, the constitution of each one of the composition  450  and the solvent  451  preferably is one that is harmless to humans. The skilled artisan will recognize that the composition  450  may include any one or more of a large variety of compounds. For example, the composition  450  may be formed partially, substantially or entirely from one or more sugars, such as, but not limited to, sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, or any combination thereof. 
         [0058]    In one example, the composition  450  is a “hard candy” that is formed substantially by corn syrup. A piece of hardened corn syrup (about 98% corn syrup by weight) that is about 5 cm in length by about 2.5 cm in width and about 2 cm in height and that weighs about 12 grams will fully dissolve in tap water (pH of about 6.8) at room temperature (about 20° C.-25° C.) with occasional slight mixing in about two hours. 
         [0059]    The solvent  451  may be, but is not limited to being, water, milk, fruit juice or any other substance that is capable of dissolving the composition  450 . The only limitation of the solvent  451  is that it must be capable of dissolving the composition  450  sufficiently enough to allow the expandable device  400  to adequately block the beverage  5  from passing from the space  190  through the flow-through mouth  216  in the direction toward the nipple  212 . 
         [0060]    The skilled artisan further will recognize that the various portions of the apparatus  10  may be formed by a variety of materials. For example, the expandable portion  412  may be made from any one or more of a variety of materials, and therefore the expandable portion  412  is not limited to being made from any particular material or materials. For example, the expandable portion  412  may be made from natural and/or synthetic soft, stretchable rubber. A portion of the expandable portion  412  also may be formed by a hard substance, such as a metal or a rigid plastic, for example. 
         [0061]    As another example, any portion of the expandable device but the soluble composition may be formed from a plastic and/or a metal. The spring is preferably formed from metal, such as copper, aluminum, stainless steel, for example. However, the spring is not limited to being formed from metal, and therefore the spring may be formed from plastic, for example. 
         [0062]    As yet another example, the beverage vessel  100  may be formed from a plastic and/or a metal. For example, the beverage vessel  100  may be formed from aluminum and/or stainless steel and/or from polyethylene, polypropylene and/or polystyrene, for example. 
         [0063]    As yet another example, the expandable device holding member  300  may be formed from a plastic and/or a metal. For example, the expandable device holding member  300  may be formed from aluminum and/or stainless steel and/or from polyethylene, polypropylene and/or polystyrene, for example. 
         [0064]    Any one or more parts of the apparatus  10 , except for the soluble composition  450 , may be re-usable. That is, any one or more parts of the apparatus  10 , except for the soluble composition  450 , may be designed to be used more than one time. For example, the first member  420  with spring  440  and soluble composition  450  associated therewith may made and offered for sale by a particular manufacturer. In such a case, after the first member  420  with spring  440  and soluble composition  450  have been used once as part of the apparatus  10  (and therefore the soluble composition  450  has dissolved), the used first member  420  with spring  440  (but no composition  450 ) can be refitted with a second soluble composition  450 , which may be made available by the manufacturer separately from the first member  420  and the spring  440 , and again added to the expandable device  400  for subsequent use as part of the apparatus  10 . When any particular part of the apparatus  10  is re-usable, that re-usable part preferably is constructed to withstand washing, such as with soap and water, for example, and either by hand or by machine, including by a mechanical dishwasher. 
         [0065]    Further, any one or more parts of the apparatus  10  may be disposable. That is, any one or more parts of the apparatus  10  may be designed for single-use. After being used, any disposable part then may be replaced with an unused part in a subsequent use of the apparatus  10 . For example, the first member  420  with spring  440  and soluble composition  450  associated therewith may made and offered for sale by a particular manufacturer. In such a case, after the first member  420  with spring  440  and soluble composition  450  have been used once (and therefore the soluble composition  450  has dissolved), the used first member  420  with spring  440  (but having no composition  450 ) can be thrown away by the purchaser of the apparatus  10  and replaced with another, unused first member  420  with spring  440  and soluble composition  450  obtained from the manufacturer. This practice of replacing the first member  420  with spring  440  and soluble composition  450  after every use of the apparatus  10  would be convenient to the purchaser/user of the apparatus  10  and would be financially profitable to the manufacturer of the disposable version of the first member  420  with spring  440  and soluble composition  450 . 
         [0066]    It is further contemplated that the apparatus  10  and its various components are not limited to the forms that have already been described. For example, the skilled artisan will recognize that the cap of the present invention may be in any one of a plurality of forms. The only limitations regarding the cap is that is must include a flow-through mouth that is capable of being blocked by an expanding device of the present invention and at least one drinking opening. In an alternative embodiment, the cap is cap  201  of  FIGS. 18 and 19 . Cap  201  includes, among its other parts, a mouthpiece  212 ′ having one or more drinking openings  214 ′, and a flow-through mouth  216 ′ that is capable of being blocked by an expandable device of the present invention. The cap  201  is removably connectable to the beverage vessel  100 , or to any equivalent of the beverage vessel  100 , as described before. 
         [0067]    An exemplary expandable device that is compatible with the cap  201  is expandable device  401  of  FIG. 20 . Expandable device  401 , which includes among its other components, first member  420 ′, second member  430 ′, the spring  440 , the soluble composition  450 , expandable portion  412 ′, expandable portion contact portion  423 ′, and beverage ports  310 ′, is similar to the expandable device  400 . One difference, however, is that the expandable device  401  is directly and removably connectable to the cap  201 , such as shown in  FIG. 21 , for example. The expandable device  401  therefore does not associate with the optional expandable device holding member  300  or to any embodiment thereof. In just one example, the removable connection between the cap  201  and the expandable device  401  may be achieved by threading each one of the cap  201  at inner, bottom portion  217 ′ of the mouthpiece  212 ′ and the expandable device  401  at the region where the expandable device  401  contacts the inner, bottom portion  217 ′ in such a way that the portion  217 ′ is capable of receiving and securably and removably holding the expandable device  401 . It is to be understood, however, that the expandable device  401  is not limited to being connectable to the cap  201  by such threading. The skilled artisan will recognize that there are a number of ways for removably connecting the expandable device  401  to the cap  201 . 
         [0068]    When the expandable device  401  is removably connected to the cap  201 , the cap  201  may be connected to a vessel  100  that includes the beverage  5  as described before, and the expandable device  401  may be filled with solvent  451  as described before. When the composition  450  in the expandable device  401  is not sufficiently dissolved, the beverage  5  may flow freely from the vessel  100 , through the beverage ports  310 ′, through the mouth  216 ′, and then through the openings  214 ′ to a consumer. At about the end of the selectable period of time after filling the expandable device  401  with the solvent  451 , however, the solvent  451  has partially or fully dissolved the composition  450  and the expandable portion  412 ′ and expandable portion contact portion  423 ′ has blocked the flow-through mouth  216 ′ as described before. For example, see  FIG. 22 , which shows the expandable portion  412 ′ and the expandable portion contact portion  423 ′ as blocking the flow-through mouth  216 ′ by being within the flow-through mouth  216 ′. In this arrangement, the beverage  5  cannot pass from inside the vessel  100  through the mouth  216 ′ (or even through the beverage ports  310 ′ because the expandable portion  412 ′ substantially blocks the beverage ports  310 ′ whenever the expandable portion  412 ′ blocks the mouth  216 ′) to the drinking openings  214 ′, and therefore the beverage  5  cannot be consumed by the consumer. 
         [0069]    It is also contemplated that the present expandable device, in any embodiment shown, described or otherwise provided for herein, and/or the optional expandable device connection member, in any embodiment shown, described or otherwise provided for herein, may be used with existing baby or child drinking containers and drinking systems, such as, for example, the Kinder-Grip® Bottle, the VentAire® Standard Bottle, the First Sipster® Spill-Proof Cup, and the Insulator® Reusable Bottle, each one of which is commercially available from the Playtex® Products, Inc. of Allendale, N.J.; the NUK® Bottle, the Gerber® Reusable Bottle, such as the Clear View™ Nurser Bottle and the Fashion Tints™ Nurser Bottle, the Fun Grips® Soft Starter Spill-Proof Cup, the Fun Grips® Spill-Proof Cup, and the Sip &amp; Smile™ Insulated Cup, each one of which is commercially available from the Gerber® Products Company of Freemont, Mich.; the FunSip™ Spill Proof Cup, the FunSip™ Spill Proof Trainer Cup, and the SipRite™ Spill-Proof Cup, each one of which is commercially available from the Evenflo® Company, Inc. of Piqua, Ohio; the Avent® Natural Feeding Bottle, the Avent® Tempo Natural Feeding Nurser Bottle, and the Magic™ Trainer Cup, each one of which is commercially available from the Philips Avent® Company, Inc. of Glemsford, Suffolk, England; the Foogo™ Sippy Cup, which is commercially available from Thermos® L.L.C. of Rolling Meadows, Ill.; the Tri-Flow® Wide Mouth Bottle, which is commercially available from Munchkin, Inc. of North Hills, Calif.; the Bonne Tender Kare Maxi &amp; Mini Feeders and the Bonne Classic &amp; Cute Feeder, each one of which is commercially available from Bonny Baby Care Pvt. Ltd. of Uttar Pradesh, India; the Futura 250 ml Wideneck Polycarbonate Feeding Bottle and the Futura Non Spill Plastic Sippy (Sipper) Cup, each one of which is commercially available from Mustang Mouldings Pvt Ltd. of Maharashtra, India; the BornFree™ Bisphenol-A Free Plastic Bottle and BornFree™ Bisphenol-A Free Plastic Training Cup, each one of which is commercially available from BornFree™ of Boca Raton, Fla.; the Linco® Standard Baby Feeding Bottle and the Linco® Non-Spill Safety Cup, each one of which is commercially available from Linco® Baby Merchandise Works Co., Ltd. of, Changhua Hsien, Taiwan; or any one of a large plurality of other commercially available drinking containers and drinking container systems. 
         [0070]    While the present invention has been described with particular reference to certain embodiments, it is to be understood that the present invention includes all reasonable equivalents thereof as defined by the following appended claims.