Abstract:
The present invention provides an athletic hydration system for cyclists which includes up to four containers having inverted fluid-filled bottles contained therein, in which the containers are placed either within the frame of a bicycle or at the rear of the bicycle behind the bicycle seat. A system of valves determines whether a cyclist drinks from one, two, three or all four fluid-filled bottles simultaneously. The athletic hydration system is hygienic, versatile and flexible, and provides adequate hydration over extended periods of time in which quick removal and installation of hydration products are possible by the cyclist while maintaining the speed, cadence and aerodynamic posture of the cyclist.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of bicycles and bicycling and, more particularly, to an aerodynamically compatible hydration system for bicyclists in which a variety of liquids may be dispensed to the cyclist over an extended period of time. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     It is the practice of cyclists to carry water or other beverages to quench thirst and rehydrate the body. The provision of liquids is important to compensate for the body liquids dispensed by cyclists, especially during racing events or long rides. The traditional method of hydration for cyclists has been either to grasp at cups of liquids provided at stations along a race course or to drink from one or two water bottles that are held in cages attached to the bicycle and that periodically require replacement. However, both methods present a problem for cyclists as they attempt to maintain their speed by minimizing the slowing effect resulting from raising the upper torso to drink from an open cup or a bottle. Another problem encountered by cyclists is the need to reach down to remove and replace the bottle, which can compromise control of the bicycle and presents the risk of dropping the bottle. Additionally, a principal shortcoming of traditional water bottles is that they lack sufficient liquid capacity to provide adequate hydration over an extended period, which means the cyclist must stop to refill the bottle(s). The need for larger amounts of water has been addressed, with partial success, by hydration packs that may be worn on the back of the bicyclist like a backpack. However, hydration packs are bulky and limit maneuverability, are very difficult to clean, especially if filled with a sticky sports drink, and thus are likely to harbor bacteria, mold and other unwanted substances. 
     Various attempts to overcome the aforementioned hydration problems encountered by bicyclists have been made, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,095,812; 4,274,566; 5,024,358; 5,115,952; 5,788,134; 6,264,166; 6,401,997; and 6,543,660. One example of the prior art is shown by the Gomber bike mounted hydration system, which consists of one or two bottles of fluid connected to tubing and valves that terminate in a handlebar-mounted pump, which allows the bicyclist to pump water into the mouth by hand squeezing the pump. This system, however, also presents with several problems: it is an open system in which replacement of a bottle requires that the cyclist stop to open the bottle in order to place tubing within the bottle; as an open system, the bottle is subject to becoming infected with bacteria or other microorganisms; and the system is restricted to the use of no more than two bottles of liquid and to only one type of liquid at a time. 
     There exists a need, therefore, for a hydration system for cyclists which provides a variety of fluids and adequate hydration over an extended period of time, and at the same time allows cyclists to maintain their speed and aerodynamic posture while quickly removing and reinstalling new hydration products to provide an almost endless supply of hydration. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention fulfills this need by providing an athletic hydration system for cyclists that is hygienic and versatile, and provides adequate hydration over extended periods of time in which quick removal and installation of hydration products are possible by the cyclists while maintaining the speed, cadence and aerodynamic posture of the cyclists. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the athletic hydration system is comprised of at least two containers which can be placed either within the frame of a bicycle or at the rear of the bicycle behind the bicycle seat. One end of each container has an opening defined therein and the other end has a sleeve-shaped outlet fitting port therein, wherein the open end of the container is capable of having inserted therein an open, inverted fluid-filled bottle. 
     The hydration system also includes at least two container tubing members, in which each container tubing member has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the container tubing member inserts over the sleeve-shaped outlet fitting port of a container. 
     The hydration system further includes a container valve, preferably a three-way valve, having at least two inlet ports and at least one outlet port, in which the container valve has a rotatable lever that rotates 180 degrees around an axis, wherein the second end of one container tubing member inserts over one of the inlet ports of the container valve and the second end of the other container tubing member inserts over the other inlet port of the container valve. When the lever is rotated to a particular position, it opens or closes the inlet and outlet ports of the container valve to allow fluid to flow from one or both inverted bottles in the two containers through the tubing members. 
     The hydration system still further provides a main valve having at least two inlet ports and at least one outlet port, in which the main valve also has a rotatable lever capable of rotating 180 degrees around an axis, which rotates in at least three positions to open or close the inlet and outlet ports of the main valve. The main valve has attached to the inlet ports at least one main valve inlet tubing member, in which the main valve inlet tubing member has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the main valve inlet tubing member inserts over the inlet port of the main valve and the second end inserts over the container valve outlet port. The main valve has attached to the outlet valve a main valve outlet tubing member having a first end and a second end, in which the first end inserts over the outlet port of the main valve and the second end is positioned adjacent to the center of the handlebar of the bicycle and terminates in a push-pull valve which can be inserted into the mouth of a cyclist. When the lever of the main valve is rotated to a particular position, it opens or closes the inlet port of the main valve to allow fluid to flow from the container valve into the main valve outlet tubing member. Thus, depending on the position of the lever of the container valve and the position of the lever of the main valve, the cyclist is able to drink from either bottle or from both bottles simultaneously. 
     In another embodiment, the present invention is comprised of four containers, two bottom containers that fit within the frame of a bicycle and two back containers that are located at the rear of the bicycle behind the bicycle seat. Each of the containers is configured as described above. 
     Additionally, this embodiment of the present invention includes a main valve and two container valves: a bottom valve and a back valve. The three valves are configured as described above, and preferably are three-way valves. Each of the two bottom containers has a tubing member, in which one end of the tubing member inserts over the sleeve-shaped outlet fitting port of the container and the other end of the tubing member inserts over one of the inlet ports of the bottom valve. Each of the two back containers also has a tubing member, in which one end of the tubing member inserts over the sleeve-shaped outlet fitting port of the container and the other end of the tubing member inserts over one of the inlet ports of the back valve. Rotation of the lever on either of the bottom valve or the back valve to an open or closed position opens or closes the inlet and outlet ports of the valves. When in the open position, fluid flows from the inverted bottles in the containers through the tubing members. The main valve has two main valve inlet tubing members. One end of one main valve inlet tubing member inserts over the inlet port of the main valve and the other end inserts in the bottom valve outlet port; and one end of the other inlet tubing member inserts over another inlet port of the main valve and the other end inserts in the back outlet port of the back valve. The main valve has attached to the outlet valve a main valve outlet tubing member having a first end and a second end, in which the first end inserts over the outlet port of the main valve and the second end is positioned adjacent to the center of the handlebar of the bicycle and terminates in a push-pull valve which can be inserted into the mouth of a cyclist. When the lever of the main valve is rotated to a particular position, this opens or closes one or both ports of the main valve to allow fluid to flow from either the bottom valve, the back valve, or from both bottom valve and back valve into the main three-way valve outlet tubing member. Thus, depending on the position of the levers of the bottom container valve, the back container valve and the main valve, the cyclist is able to drink from one bottle, or has the option to drink from any two, three or four bottles simultaneously. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a left plan view of a bicycle showing the athletic hydration system of the present invention attached thereon; 
         FIG. 2  is a right plan view of a bicycle showing the athletic hydration system of the present invention attached thereon; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view of two bottom containers attached within the triangle of the frame of a bicycle, as well as the bottom valve, bottom valve inlet and outlet ports, and bottom inlet and outlet tubing members; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of two back containers attached at the rear of a bicycle, as well as the back valve, back valve inlet and outlet ports, and back inlet and outlet tubing members; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view of the main valve and the main valve inlet and outlet tubing members attached to the inlet and outlet ports of the main valve; 
         FIG. 6  is a rear elevational view of a bicycle showing two back containers behind the rear seat of a bicycle and showing only a portion of one of two bottom containers within the triangle of the frame of the bicycle; and 
         FIG. 7  is a top elevational view of a bicycle showing two back containers behind the rear seat of a bicycle and showing two bottom containers within the triangle of the frame of the bicycle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A complete understanding of the present invention will be obtained from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, wherein like reference characters identify like parts throughout. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the athletic hydration system is comprised of at least two containers which can be placed either at the bottom of a bicycle  10  within a triangle frame  22  of the bicycle  10  provided by a top tube  16 , a down tube  18  and a seat tube  20  of the frame, or at the rear of the bicycle  10  behind a bicycle seat  15 . 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the athletic hydration system is comprised of four containers: a first bottom container  24 , a second bottom container  26 , a first back container  28  and a second back container  30 . At one end of each container there is an opening defined therein  62  and at the other end of each container there is a sleeve-shaped outlet fitting port  34  therein. The open end of each container  62  is capable of having inserted therein an open, inverted fluid-filled bottle  58 . The containers can be fabricated from any suitable material, such as plastic. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a bottom three-way valve  38 , which has two bottom inlet ports  44  and one outlet port  46 , is connected to the bottom containers  24 ,  26  by a first bottom inlet tubing member  31  and a second bottom inlet tubing member  32 , in which one end of each tubing member  31 ,  32  inserts over the sleeve-shaped outlet fitting port  34  and the other end inserts over one bottom inlet port  44 . The tubing members can be fabricated from any suitable material, such as plastic. The bottom container valve  38  has a rotatable lever  45  that rotates 180 degrees around an axis. When the lever  45  of the bottom three-way valve  38  is rotated to one of three positions, it opens, closes or partially opens/closes the inlet ports  44  and outlet port  46  of the bottom container valve  38  to allow fluid to flow from one or both inverted bottles  58  in the two bottom containers  24 ,  26  through the tubing members  31 ,  32 . As a non-limiting example, when the lever  45  is placed in position one, the horizontal inlet port  44  of the bottom three-way valve  38  opens and the vertical inlet port  44  of the bottom three-way valve  38  closes, thus allowing fluid to flow only from the first bottom container  24  through the tubing member  31  and through the horizontal inlet port  44 . When the lever  45  is placed in position two, the horizontal inlet port  44  of the bottom three-way valve  38  closes and the vertical inlet port  44  of the bottom three-way valve  38  opens, thus allowing fluid to flow only from the second bottom container  26  through the tubing member  32  and through the vertical inlet port  44 . When the lever  45  is placed in position three, both the horizontal inlet port  44  and the vertical inlet port  44  of the bottom three-way valve  38  opens, thus allowing fluid to flow through both the first bottom container  24  and the second bottom container  26  through both tubing members  31 ,  32  and through the horizontal and vertical inlet ports  44  of the bottom container three-way valve  38 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , a back three-way valve  40 , which has two back container inlet ports  47  and one outlet port  48 , is connected to the back containers  28 ,  30  by a first back container inlet tubing member  36  and a second back container inlet tubing member  37 . One end of each back tubing member  36 ,  37  inserts over the sleeve-shaped outlet fitting port  34  of each back container  28 ,  30  and the other end inserts over one back container inlet port  44 . The back three-way valve  40  has a rotatable lever  45  that rotates 180 degrees around an axis. When the lever  45  of the back three-way valve  40  is rotated to one of three positions, it opens, closes or partially opens/closes the inlet ports  47  and outlet port  48  of the back three-way valve  40  to allow fluid to flow from one or both inverted bottles  58  in the two back containers  28 ,  30  through the back container tubing members  36 ,  37 . As a non-limiting example, when the lever  45  is placed in position one, the horizontal inlet port  47  of the back three-way valve  40  opens and the vertical inlet port  47  of the back three-way valve  40  closes, thus allowing fluid to flow only from the first back container  28  through the tubing member  36  and through the horizontal inlet port  47 . When the lever  45  is placed in position two, the horizontal inlet port  47  of the back three-way valve  40  closes and the vertical inlet port  47  of the back three-way valve  40  opens, thus allowing fluid to flow only from the second bottom container  30  through the tubing member  37  and through the vertical inlet port  47 . When the lever  45  is placed in position three, both the horizontal inlet port  47  and the vertical inlet port  47  of the back three-way valve  40  opens, thus allowing fluid to flow through both the first back container  28  and the second back container  30  through both tubing members  36 ,  37  and through the horizontal and vertical inlet ports  47  of the back container three-way valve  40 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a main three-way valve  42  having a bottom container inlet port  52 , a back container inlet port  54  and one outlet port  56 . The main valve  42  has a rotatable lever  45  capable of rotating 180 degrees around an axis, which rotates in at least three positions to open or close the inlet  52 ,  54  and outlet ports  56  of the main valve  42 . Attached to the inlet ports  52 ,  54  of the main valve  42  is a main valve inlet tubing member  60 . Each main valve inlet tubing member  60  has a first end and second end, wherein the first end of one main valve inlet tubing member  60  inserts over the bottom container inlet port  52  of the main valve  42  and the second end inserts over the bottom container valve outlet port  46 . The first end of the other main valve inlet tubing member  60  inserts over the back container inlet port  54  of the main valve  42  and the second end inserts over the back container valve outlet port  48 . The main valve  42  has attached to the outlet port  56  a main valve outlet tubing member  49  having a first end and a second end, in which the first end inserts over the outlet port  56  of the main valve  42  and the second end is positioned adjacent to the center of the handlebars  14  of the bicycle  10  and terminates in a push-pull valve  50  which can be inserted into the mouth of a cyclist. Optionally, the main valve outlet tubing member  49  is reinforced with an outer rubber sleeve. When the lever  45  of the main three-way valve  42  is rotated to one of three positions, it opens, closes or partially opens/closes the inlet ports  52 ,  54  to allow fluid to flow from either the bottom containers  24 ,  26  or the back containers  28 ,  30  and into the main valve outlet tubing member  49 . As a non-limiting example, when the lever  45  is placed in position one, the horizontal inlet port  54  of the main three-way valve  42  opens and the vertical inlet port  52  of the main three-way valve  42  closes, thus allowing fluid to flow only from the back containers  28 ,  30  through the tubing members  36 ,  37 , through the horizontal inlet port  54 , through the outlet port  56  and into the main valve outlet tubing member  49 . A cyclist accesses the fluid coming from the back containers by pulling the push-pull valve  50  outward with the mouth. When the lever  45  is placed in position two, the horizontal inlet port  54  of the main three-way valve  42  closes and the vertical inlet port  52  of the main three-way valve  42  opens, thus allowing fluid to flow only from the bottom containers  24 ,  26 , through the tubing members  31 ,  32 , through the vertical inlet port  52 , through the outlet port  56  and into the main valve outlet tubing member  49 . A cyclist accesses the fluid coming from the bottom containers by pulling the push-pull valve  50  outward with the mouth. When the lever  45  is placed in position three, both the horizontal inlet port  54  and the vertical inlet port  56  of the main three-way valve  42  opens, thus allowing fluid to flow through both the back containers  28 ,  30  and the bottom containers  24 ,  26  at the same time, through all four tubing members  31 ,  32 ,  36 ,  37 , through the vertical inlet port  52 , through the main valve outlet port  56  and into the main valve outlet tubing member  49 . A cyclist accesses the fluid coming from both the bottom containers and the back containers by pulling the push-pull valve  50  outward with the mouth. 
     Therefore, depending on the individual positions of each lever of each of the three, three-way valves, the variety of drinking options made available to a cyclist by the present invention at any one time includes accessing fluid from one, two, three or all four containers simultaneously and in any combination. Thus, a cyclist has the option of placing different fluids in one or more containers and thus accessing a mixture of fluids. For example, and without limitation, the bottom containers can contain water and the back containers can contain a sports electrolyte drink. By positioning the levers in a particular position, as described above, fluid can be accessed from one bottom container and one back container simultaneously, allowing the cyclist to drink a mixture of the two fluids, i.e., a sports electrolyte drink diluted with water. 
     The contents of each of the containers can contain, for example, and without limitation, uncarbonated or carbonated fluid such as water, soft drinks, fruit drinks, sports drinks or electrolyte solution drinks. It is contemplated that the fluid-filled bottles placed in the containers of the present invention contain a volume of fluid ranging from about 15 to 30 ounces, preferably 20 ounces of fluid. 
     It is contemplated that the containers of the present invention have a diameter ranging from about 5.0 to 10.0 cm, preferably about 7.5 cm. It also is contemplated that the fluid-filled bottles have a diameter ranging from about 3.0 to 8.0 cm, preferably about 6.5 cm. Therefore, when one of the opened fluid-filled bottles is inverted and inserted into a container, there is a very tight fit, which essentially assures that no contamination of the bottle and/or container occurs. Additionally, because of the inverted position of the fluid-filled bottles, fluid flows from the bottles through the containers, tubing members and into the push-pull valve via gravity, thus not requiring a cyclist to have to suck on the push-pull valve in order to access the fluid therein. 
     The present invention provides a quantity of fluid heretofore not available to a cyclist at one time, allowing the cyclist to have access to hours of hydration before needing to replace one bottle. For example, and without limitation, an average cyclist may drink approximately 20 ounces of fluid per hour of cycling. Thus, the present invention allows for approximately four hours of cycling without the need for the cyclist to replace a bottle of fluid. 
     Additionally, the position of the hydration system of the present invention is aerodynamically compatible with the horizontal posture of a cyclist during a cycling event. In particular, as shown in the rear elevational view depicted in  FIG. 6 , the two bottom containers are placed within the triangle frame  22  of the bicycle  10  so that they do not provide any wind drag while cycling (only shown is the first bottom container  24 ). The back containers also are aligned close to the contours of the bicycle  10  so that they also do not impede the aerodynamic posture of the bicyclist. Similarly, as shown in the top elevational view depicted in  FIG. 7 , the two bottom containers  24 ,  26  are well within the triangle frame  22  of the bicycle and the back containers  28 ,  30  are behind the seat  15  of the bicycle  10  so that the bottom containers  24 ,  26  virtually are not seen from this view and the back containers  28 ,  30  do not take up any additional lateral space, thus all four containers providing no impedance of air drag to the cyclist while cycling so as to maintain the aerodynamic posture of the bicyclist. 
     The present invention therefore provides heretofore unheard of versatility, flexibility and maneuveribility to a cyclist with respect to the selection of fluids the cyclist may access, the amount of fluid the cyclist may access, the lack of contamination of the fluids accessed, the ease of accessing the fluids, and maintaining aerodynamic posture, speed, cadence and endurance of the cyclist. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various alterations in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.