Abstract:
A beverage container has a thermally insulated base defining a reservoir and a cover assembly removably mountable on the base for closing the reservoir. The cover assembly includes a cap defining a recess open to ambient and defines a baffled passage between the recess and the reservoir closeable by a valve assembly including a toggle mechanism actuatable by a push button disposed centrally of the cap and spaced from the recess, for alternately latching the valve in closed and open conditions relative to the passage. The valve assembly includes a gasketed movable valve member engageable with a rigid sharp edge on a valve seat in the closed condition so that the gasket yieldably deforms around the sharp edge to provide a fluid-tight seal.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   This application relates to insulated containers provided with removable covers and, more specifically, to such containers for containing beverages. 
   In recent years, lidded beverage containers, commonly referred to as “travel cups” or “travel mugs”, have become quite popular for use in vehicles or in other applications where the user is in motion. These containers are typically thermally insulated to maintain the temperature of hot or cold beverages, and may be provided with removable covers or lids, which are designed to permit drinking from the vessel while, at the same time, inhibiting accidental spillage of the type which might result from the sloshing of the contents, as during motion of an automotive vehicle or the like. 
   A number of these travel containers are provided with some type of valve mechanism which can be closed to prevent removal of contents through the lid. Some of these containers have automatic valve mechanisms designed to actuate, such as when the container is tipped over or inverted, to prevent the accidental flow of contents therefrom. Others have manually-operated valve mechanisms which may be opened to permit the user to drink beverage from the container and may be closed when not in use. One such latter device has a cover assembly with a large bowl-shaped recess at the upper end, provided at the center thereof with a large opening which receives a push button for actuation of a valve. The valve is of the toggle type, so that alternate pushes of the push button respectively latch the valve in open and closed conditions. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that, when the valve is open, beverage flows over the push button so that the user must operate a wet push button to close the valve. 
   A difficulty with many valved cover assemblies is leakage when the valve is in the closed condition. Another difficulty with many of these prior travel containers is that contents can flow very rapidly from a discharge opening when in use, which may cause accidental spillage, particularly when the user is drinking from the vessel in a moving vehicle subject to unexpected jarring and bouncing. This could be dangerous, particularly if the beverage is very hot. 
   SUMMARY 
   There is disclosed in this application a travel container for beverages which avoids the disadvantages of prior containers, while affording additional structural and operating advantages. 
   An aspect of the disclosed container is that it provides a manually-actuated valve assembly arranged so that, in use, the manual actuation device does not come in contact with dispensed beverage. 
   Another aspect is the provision of a valved container which provides an effective fluid-tight seal in the closed condition. 
   A still further aspect is the provision of a container which provides a baffled discharge passage to inhibit rapid flow of beverage therethrough. 
   In particular, there is disclosed a beverage container comprising: a base defining a beverage-containing reservoir, and a cover assembly removably mountable on the base for closing the reservoir, the cover assembly including a cap defining a recess open to ambient, the cap having an aperture therethrough spaced from the recess, the cover assembly defining a drain/drink passage communicating with the recess, the cover assembly including a valve assembly movable between an open condition providing communication between the reservoir and the passage and a closed condition sealing the passage from the reservoir, the valve assembly including a manually operated actuator mechanism accessible through the aperture. 
   There is also disclosed a beverage container comprising: a base defining a beverage-containing reservoir, a cover assembly removably mountable on the base for closing the reservoir, the cover assembly defining a passage for providing communication between the reservoir and ambient, and a valve assembly carried by the cover assembly and having a valve seat and a valve member movable between a closed condition closing the passage and an open condition opening the passage, one of the valve seat and the valve member including a relatively soft flexible and resilient gasket, another of the valve seat and the valve member including a rigid sharp edge which engages the gasket in the closed condition of the valve member so that the gasket yieldably deforms around the sharp edge for providing a fluid-tight seal. 
   There is also disclosed a beverage container comprising: a base defining a beverage-containing reservoir, and a cover assembly removably mountable on the base for closing the reservoir, the cover assembly defining a passage therethrough for providing communication between the reservoir and ambient, the cover assembly including baffle structure disposed in the passage for inhibiting rapid flow of beverage from the reservoir through the passage. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there is illustrated in the accompanying drawings an embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated. 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of an embodiment of beverage container; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged top plan view of the beverage container of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged bottom plan view of the beverage container of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of the beverage container of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along lines  5 — 5  in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a further enlarged, fragmentary view of the upper portion of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged bottom plan view of the cap of the container of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken generally along the line  8 — 8  in  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged bottom plan view of the cover assembly base of the container of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a sectional view taken generally along the line  10 — 10  in  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 11  is an enlarged, top plan view of the cover assembly top of the container of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a bottom plan view of the cover assembly top of  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 13  is a sectional view taken generally along the line  13 — 13  in  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 14  is a sectional view taken generally along the line  14 — 14  in  FIG. 12 ; and 
       FIG. 15  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  of another embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1–5 , there is illustrated a beverage container, generally designated by the numeral  20 , having an insulated base  21  including a generally cup-shaped inner wall  22  ( FIG. 5 ) terminating at an upper rim  23  provided with a radially outwardly projecting circumferential rib  24 . The base  21  also includes a generally cup-shaped outer wall  25  provided adjacent to its upper end with a radially inwardly projecting annular shoulder  26 , integral at its inner end with an upstanding substantially cylindrical flange  27 , which is fixedly secured to the outer surface of the inner wall  22 , as by welding. The inner and outer walls  22  and  25  may be formed of metal, such as stainless steel, and are spaced apart for cooperation to define therebetween a thermally insulating vacuum space  28 . Secured to the bottom of the outer wall  25  by suitable means is a base pedestal  29 . 
   The base  21  is provided at its upper end with a neck portion  30  including a generally cylindrical wall  31 , which may be formed of a suitable plastic material and is provided along its inner surface with a circumferential groove  32  ( FIG. 5 ) for receiving therein, in snap-fitted engagement, the circumferential rib  24  of the base inner wall  22 . The wall  31  is also provided with an inner annular flange  33  which cooperates with the wall  31  to define therebetween an annular slot  34 , which receives the upper edge of the inner wall  22  and an annular gasket  35 . Projecting upwardly from the upper end of the wall  31  is a cylindrical lip  36 , provided with an internal thread  37 . An annular shoulder  38  is formed in the outer surface of the wall  31  at the base of the lip  36 . A grip sheath  39  formed of a suitable elastomeric material may be over molded on the outer surface of the wall  31  and along the shoulder  38  so that, in assembly, its outer surface is substantially flush with the outer surface of the base outer wall  25 . It can be seen that the base  21  defines therein a beverage containing reservoir  39   a  ( FIG. 5 ). 
   The beverage container  20  also includes a removable cover assembly  40  made up of a bottom  41 , a top  60 , a valve assembly  75 , an actuator assembly  90  and a cap  110 . Referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  6 ,  9  and  10 , the bottom  41  may be of unitary, one-piece, molded plastic construction, and includes an outer cylindrical sidewall  42  provided with an external thread  43 , an intermediate cylindrical wall  44  joined to the outer cylindrical sidewall  42  by an annular bottom wall  45  and by a plurality of equiangularly spaced-apart radial webs  46 , and an inner cylindrical wall  47  joined to the intermediate cylindrical wall  44  by an annular top wall  48 . The inner cylindrical wall  47  is closed at its lower end by a bottom wall  49  having a circular central aperture  50  formed therethrough, the upper or inner end of which is surrounded by an annular recess  51 . The lower end of the intermediate cylindrical wall  44  defines a valve seat  52  in the form of a rigid circular edge, as will be explained more fully below. The intermediate and inner cylindrical walls  44  and  47  and the top wall  48  cooperate to define an open-bottom annular chamber  53 . A vent hole  54  is formed in the top wall  48  adjacent to the intermediate cylindrical wall  44  and communicates with the chamber  53 . Also, communicating with the chamber  53  is a generally semicircular-shaped discharge opening  55  formed in the top wall  48  substantially diametrically opposite the vent hole  54 . Integral with the outer cylindrical sidewall  42  at its upper end and extending laterally outwardly therefrom is an annular flange  56  provided with an upstanding annular rib  57  spaced radially inwardly a slight distance from the outer edge of the flange  56  for cooperation therewith to define an annular shoulder  58 . A notch  59  is formed in the upper end of one of the webs  46  adjacent to the discharge opening  55 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  6  and  11 – 14 , the top  60  may be of unitary, one-piece, molded plastic construction and includes a substantially circular base wall  61 . Depending from the base wall  61  adjacent to its outer edge at two diametrically opposed locations are two pairs of wall structures  62 , each of which is generally trapezoidal in shape and has an open bottom, the wall structures  62  being respectively receivable, in assembly, in corresponding compartments defined in the bottom  41  between the intermediate and outer sidewalls  44  and  42  and between adjacent radial webs  46 . A central, generally circular opening  63  is formed through the base wall  61  and is encircled by a depending cylindrical hub  64  having four equiangularly spaced-apart grooves  65  formed in the inner surface thereof and communicating with the opening  63  and terminating at a shoulder  65   a  intermediate the ends of the hub  64 . Surrounding the upper end of the opening  63  and upstanding from the base wall  61  is an oval-shaped turret  66 . A vent opening  67  is formed through the base wall  61 , radially approximately midway between the opening  63  and the outer edge of the base wall  61 , and is surrounded by an upstanding peripheral cylindrical wall  68 . Depending from the base wall  61  at a location diametrically opposite the vent opening  67  is a generally rectangular tab  69 . A generally semicircular-shaped discharge opening  70  is formed through the base wall  61  between the tab  69  and the central opening  63 . A generally rectangular baffle wall  71  is upstanding from the base wall  61  along the radially outer edge of the discharge opening  70 . An oblong upstanding peripheral wall  72  encircles the discharge opening  70 , the baffle wall  71  and adjacent portions of the upper surface of the base wall  61 . The outer edge of the base wall  61  is under cut along its underside to define an annular shoulder  73 . 
   Referring in particular to  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the valve assembly  75  includes the valve seat  52  of the bottom  41 , described above, and a movable valve member  80 . The valve member  80  may be of unitary, one-piece, molded plastic construction and includes a circular base  81  having an annular groove  82  formed in the bottom thereof and having an annular peripheral groove  83  formed in the sidewall thereof. An elastomeric gasket  84  is received in the groove  83  and projects laterally outwardly a slight distance therebeyond. Preferably, the base  81  along the upper side of the groove  83  has a diameter slight less than the portion thereof along the bottom of the groove  83  to provide clearance for the gasket  84  to engage the valve seat  52 , as can best be seen in  FIG. 6  and as will be explained more fully below. Upstanding from the base  81  is a generally cylindrical wall  85  and a central hollow cylindrical post  86  which projects upwardly well beyond the upper edge of the wall  85  and is provided with a distal end opening  87 . 
   In assembly, after the bottom  41  and the top  60  have been assembled together, the post  86  of the valve member  80  is fitted upwardly through the central aperture  50  in the bottom  41  and the central opening  63  of the top  60 , with the cylindrical wall  85  being received in the annular chamber  53 , as can best be seen in  FIG. 6 . 
   The valve member  80  is disposed for operation by an actuator assembly  90 , which includes a gasket  91  seated in the annular recess  51  of the bottom  41  for fluid-tight sealing engagement with the outer surface of the valve member post  86 . An annular plastic seat  92  is disposed on the gasket  91  for seating the lower end of a helical compression spring  93 , which encircles the post  86 . Engaged with the upper end of the spring  93  is a spinner  94 , which may be of one-piece, molded plastic construction. The spinner  94  has four equiangularly spaced-apart, laterally outwardly projecting arms  95 , respectively disposable in the grooves  65  of the top  60 , each arm  95  being provided at its upper end with an angled cam follower surface  96 . The actuator assembly  90  also includes a pusher  100 , which may be of molded, one-piece plastic construction, and includes a generally cylindrical hub  101  provided with a plurality of equiangularly spaced-apart, and longitudinally extending external ribs  102 , which are respectively disposable in the grooves  65  of the top  60 . The hub  101  is provided at its lower end with eight circumferentially spaced, inclined cam surfaces  103 , alternate ones of which are disposed for camming engagement with the cam following surfaces  96  of the spinner  94 . The hub  101  is integral at its upper with a laterally outwardly projecting oval flange  104  having a central aperture  105  formed therein. The hub  101  is hollow and fits down over the upper end of the valve member post  86 , being secured thereto by a screw  106  which extends through the aperture  105  and threadedly engages in the opening  87  of the post  86 . An oval button  107  overlies the flange  104  and has stakes  108  which may be pressed fitted in openings in the flange  104  for securing the button  107  in place, the flange  104  being shaped and dimensioned to be matably received in the oval turret  66  of the top  60 . The button  107  may be provided with an elastomeric overmold  109 . 
   The actuator assembly  90  is a known type of toggle mechanism which latches the valve member  80  alternately in open and closed conditions with alternate depressions of the pusher  100 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , if the valve assembly  75  is assumed to be in normal closed condition, as illustrated, with the gasket  84  in sealing engagement with the valve seat  52 , the button  107  will project a slight distance upwardly above the upper end of the oval turret  66 , the valve assembly  75  being resiliently held in this closed condition by the spring  93 . When the button  107  is depressed, the pusher  100  and the valve member  80  both move downwardly, pushing the spinner  94  downwardly until it clears the lower ends of the grooves  65  in the top hub  64 , whereupon the camming engagement of the cam surfaces  103  with the cam follower surfaces  96  rotates the spinner  94  45°, bringing its arms  95  out of alignment with the grooves  65 , so that when the button  107  is released, the spring  93  cannot return the spinner  94  to its original position and it is stopped against shoulder  65   a  in the hub  64 , thereby holding the valve member  80  in an open condition, with the gasket  84  spaced from the valve seat  52  to allow the flow of beverage therebetween into the annular chamber  53 . The next time the pusher  100  is depressed the spinner is rotated another 45°, bringing its arms  95  back into alignment with the grooves  65  so that, when the button  107  is released, the spinner can return to its original position, allowing the valve to close. 
   Referring also to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the cover assembly  40  includes a cap  110 , which may be of one-piece, molded plastic construction and has a generally cylindrical peripheral sidewall  111  having a sloping upper edge  112  and being closed at its upper end by a concave upper wall  113  having a deep recess  114  formed therein at one side thereof and open to ambient. Formed through the upper wall  113  centrally thereof is a large oval aperture  115  bounded by a depending oval skirt wall  116  dimensioned to receive therein the oval turret  66  of the top  60 . Formed through the top wall  113  at the lowermost point of the deep recess  114  is a generally kidney-shaped drain/drink opening  117  bounded by a depending skirt wall  118  dimensioned to fit matably inside the peripheral wall  72  of the top  60 . Also formed through the upper wall  113  on the side thereof diametrically opposite the drain/drink opening  117  is a vent opening  119  defined by depending vent tube joined to the skirt wall  116  and to the peripheral wall  111  by a radially extending stiffening web  120 . The peripheral sidewall  111  has a reduced-thickness lower end for forming an annular shoulder  121  on the inner surface thereof ( FIG. 8 ). The vent opening  119  is surrounded by a vent channel  123  which is formed in the upper surface of the upper wall  113  and extends from vent opening  119  to the adjacent side edge of the cap  110 . 
   In assembly, the base inner wall  22  and outer wall  25  are welded together at the flange  27  and a vacuum is pulled from the space therebetween at the bottom and closed off with the base pedestal  29 . The plastic, internally threaded neck portion  30  with the gasket  35  is then snapped over the circumferential rib  24  of the base  21 , after being overmolded with the sheath  39  to provide a good grip. 
   In assembling the cover assembly  40 , the top  60  is fitted over the bottom  41 , with the discharge opening  70  substantially aligned with the discharge opening  55 , and with the vent opening  67  aligned with the vent hole  54 , and with the wall structures  62  respectively received in adjacent ones of the cavities formed between adjacent radial webs  46 . As can best be seen in  FIG. 6 , the shoulder  73  of the top  60  is seated on a complementary shoulder on the bottom  41 , the cylindrical hub  64  is received coaxially within the inner cylindrical wall  47  of the bottom  41  in engagement with the bottom wall  49 , the tab  69  is received in the notch  59 , and the parts are then ultrasonically welded together. Then the cap  110  is fitted over the top  60 , with the oval turret  66  of the top  60  fitted up inside the skirt wall  116  of the cap  110 , and with the lower ends of the vent tube  119  and the skirt wall  118  respectively fitted inside the vent opening peripheral wall  68  and the discharge opening peripheral wall  72  of the top  60 , with the shoulder  58  of the bottom  41  seated against the shoulder  121  of the cap  110 , and with the bottom rib  57  fitted up along the inner surface of the cap peripheral wall  111  above the shoulder  121 . Then the cap  110  is ultrasonically welded to the bottom  41  and the top  60 . An elastomeric gasket  124  is then fitted over the outer cylindrical side wall  42  of the bottom  41  and seated against the flange  56  (see  FIGS. 4 and 6 ). 
   Next, the valve member  80 , with its gasket  84 , is inserted into the bottom  41  from the bottom thereof, as was explained above, with the post  86  extending up through the aligned openings  50  and  63  of the bottom and top, respectively. The wiper gasket  91 , spring seat  92 , spring  93 , spinner  94  and pusher  100  are then inserted into the top oval turret  66  through the cap aperture  115  in the order mentioned, with the spinner arms  95  and the pusher ribs  102  respectively disposed in the grooves  65  of the top cylindrical hub  64 . The pusher  100  is then screwed to the valve member post  86  using the screw  106 , as explained above. The button  107  with its overmold  109  is then press fitted onto the oval flange  104  of the pusher  100 , as explained above, to complete the assembly. 
   In operation, after filling the reservoir  39   a  with beverage, the cover assembly  40  is mounted on the base  21 , the bottom  41  of the cover assembly  40  being threadedly engaged with the lip  36  of the base  21  until the gasket  124  sealingly engages the upper end of the lip  36 , the gasket  124  yieldably deforming over the upper end of the lip  36  to provide a good fluid-tight seal. Then, the valve assembly  75  can be toggled between open and closed conditions utilizing the actuator assembly  90 , in the manner described above. When the valve member  80  is in its closed condition, illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the gasket  84  deforms around the sharp edge of the valve seat  52  to provide a good fluid-tight seal. 
   When the valve assembly  75  is open, beverage in the reservoir  39   a  may flow into the annular chamber  53  in the bottom  41  between the valve member  80  and the valve seat  52  when the beverage container  20  is tilted, in a known manner. In this regard, it will be appreciated that the annular chamber  53 , which forms a generally horizontally disposed chamber, cooperates with the discharge openings  55  and  70  and the skirt wall  118  and the drain/drink opening  117  to form a drain/drink or discharge passage through the cover assembly  40  from the reservoir  39   a  to the drain/drink opening  117 . The aligned discharge openings  55  and  70 , the depending skirt wall  118  of the cap  110  and the drain/drink opening  117  cooperate to form an upright chamber of the discharge passage with inlet (opening  70 ) and outlet (opening  117 ) laterally offset from each other and separated by the baffle wall  71 . It will also be appreciated that the aligned vent hole  54  and vent openings  67  and  119  provide communication between the reservoir  39   a  and ambient when the valve assembly  75  is open, to facilitate discharge of beverage through the discharge passage. Because of the convoluted discharge passage going from generally horizontal to upright chambers, the latter having laterally offset inlet and outlet and being provided with a baffle wall  71 , the rapid discharge of beverage is inhibited so as to minimize the chance of spillage in use. The sloping upper edge  112  of the cap  110  cooperates with the deep recess  114  to form a raised lip  125  (see  FIG. 5 ) which can be received in the user&#39;s mouth to facilitate flow of beverage through the drain/drink opening  117  into the user&#39;s mouth, while minimizing risk of spillage. It will be noted that the button  107  of the actuator assembly  90  is spaced from the deep recess  114  so that it does not come in contact with discharged beverage in use. Also, it will be noted that the vent channel  123  of the cap  110  tends to drain away from the button  107  any beverage which might accidentally be discharged through the vent opening  119  when the valve assembly  75  is open. 
   Referring to  FIG. 15 , there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of beverage container, generally designated by the numeral  20 A, which is substantially identical to the beverage container  20  described above, with the following exceptions. The beverage container  20 A has a valve member  80 A having a base  81 A which slopes downwardly and laterally outwardly from a central region, and in which the cylindrical wall  85  ( FIG. 6 ) has been removed. This prevents collection of liquid on the valve member base and permits easy drainage therefrom. Because of the resulting lowered position of the gasket  84 , the rigid edge  52  forming the valve seat has been formed at the bottom of a cylindrical flange  52 A depending from the annular bottom wall  45 . 
   From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided an improved travel beverage container which includes an effective fluid-tight valve assembly which is push button-actuated, wherein the actuator mechanism is isolated from contact with discharged beverage, and providing a discharge passage which inhibits unduly rapid discharge of beverage in use. 
   The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants&#39; contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.