Abstract:
A container for beverages and the like is provided with a lid having a spout through which the beverage can be dispensed and a seal with a closed position in which the seal blocks the spout and an open position in which the spout is open. An actuator is provided that automatically moves said seal between said open and closed positions as said beverage is tilted.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 60/687,831 filed Jun. 6, 2005, incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     a. Field of Invention  
         [0003]     This invention pertains to an improved drinking container with a lid and more particularly, to a container having a lid with an opening that is automatically closed unless the container is tilted to a drinking position.  
         [0004]     b. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     In our busy society, many people prefer to take out various food items in disposable containers, and then consume the food items at their leisure. For example, customers frequently prefer buying beverages, such as tea, coffee, etc. in a disposable cup.  
         [0006]     In order to insure that the contents of the cup are not spilled easily, the cup is covered with a snap-on lid. The customer can then drink from the cup by removing the lid. However, removing and replacing the lid is very inconvenient, especially if a person is walking, driving, etc. In fact, if the container is relatively soft, it is overfilled, or is thin and contains a hot liquid, it is virtually impossible to open and close the container without spilling some of its contents.  
         [0007]     One common solution to this problem is to provide the lid with a spout. For example, it is common to provide the lid with score lines or other means that define tabs or other opening elements in the lid which may be removed to form a spout. The container is then closed so that its contents do not normally spill. The customer can remove the tab and then drink directly through the spout. Some lids are also formed with a round opening covered with a break-away tab. A customer can insert a straw to break off the tab and drink through the opening. However, straws are not very convenient for dispensing hot liquids.  
         [0008]     A problem that occurs with all lids with spouts or other openings is that, once the opening is made in the lid, the contents of the cup can be spilled easily whenever the cup is shaken or turned sideways in any manner.  
         [0009]     Therefore there is a need for a disposable cup with a lid and an opening with a means of reclosing the opening. Preferably, the closing means should open and close automatically, when required. The lid can but does not have to be disposable.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     Briefly, a container for dispensing beverages and the like includes a lid having a spout and mechanism for selectively and automatically opening and closing the spout in response to the tilting of the container. The mechanism includes a seal movable between an open position in which the seal does not interfere with liquid flow through said spout and a closed position in which said seal closes said spout. An actuator is associated with the lid and it pivots about an axle as the container is tilted. The actuator is arranged and constructed to move said seal between said open and closed positions. A rod extends from said actuator and said seal.  
         [0011]     A locking mechanism is optionally provided that controls the movement of the seal and/or the actuator. The locking mechanism is operated by a user to override the operation of the actuator and keep the spout open or closed independently of the attitude or tilt of the container. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a side sectional view of a container lid with a recloseable spout constructed in accordance with this invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2A  shows a vertical cup and the elements of the lid in the closed position;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2B  shows the cup of  FIG. 2A  and its elements tilted to the open position;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a top view of the lid of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of the locking mechanism used for the lid constructed in accordance with this invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5A  shows a side view of the lid closing mechanism with the locking mechanism in the automatic position;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5B  shows a side view of the lid closing mechanism with the locking mechanism in the unlocked position;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5C  shows a side view of the lid closing mechanism with the locking mechanism in the locked position and the closing mechanism in the open position;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  shows in a side view details of an alternate locking mechanism. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]     A preferred embodiment of a beverage cup with an automatically recloseable lid is shown in  FIGS. 1, 2A ,  2 B. The lid  16  is shaped and sized to close a cup  20 . The lid and the cup normally have a generally circular cross-section, but may have other cross-sections as well. Moreover, generally, the lid  16  is either slightly oversized to fit over and snap onto a lip formed on the cup (not shown), or is slightly underside to fit telescopically into the cup and form an interference fit therewith. However, other means may be used to mount the lid on the cup  20 . For example, both may be formed with threads, so that the lid can be twisted on and off. In some instances, the lid could be attached permanently to the cup as well. This structure is advantageous for some cases where the contents of the container are under pressure. In other instances, the lid and the container can be formed into a single unitary closed container.  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the lid  16  is formed with a hole or spout  2 . The hole may be square, oval, rectangular, etc. Moreover, preferably, initially, the hole is closed by a removable section or tab  2 A of the cup to insure that the cup is sealed until the customer wants to drink from the cup. The section  2 A may be defined by a score line that allows the section  2 A to be selectively broken away and separate from the lid  16  to create spout  2 .  
         [0023]     The lid  16  is provided with a mechanism  3  for automatically closing and opening the spout  2 . Mechanism  3  includes a seal  4  that is sized and shaped to fit over the spout  2  preferably from the inside surface of the container. However, the mechanism  3  including seal  4  can also be disposed on the outside of the container  20 , on top of lid  16 . In  FIG. 1  the seal  4  is shown being spaced from the hole for the sake of clarity, however, it should be understood that, preferably the seal  4  abuts the sides of the spout  2  to form an effective closure therefore.  
         [0024]     The mechanism  3  further includes a pivoting actuator  14 . The actuator  14  is rotatably mounted on a horizontal shaft  10 . The shaft  10  is mounted by two support means  11  to lid  16 . The actuator  14  is attached by a hinge  8  and an elongated lever  6  to the seal  4 . The lever  6  may pass through a sleeve or other similar guide means  13  attached to lead  16  to guide and support the lever  6  and allow it to move essentially longitudinally as described in more detail below.  
         [0025]     The hinge  8  may be a separate element, or the actuator  14 , lever  6  and seal  4  may be molded as a single piece with the hinge  8  being a living hinge. The mechanism  3  may also include a stop  12  positioned to limit the rotation of the actuator in the clockwise direction. The stop is also supported by the lid  16  by support means that have been omitted for the sake of clarity.  
         [0026]     The guide means  13  is supported from the lid  16  as shown.  
         [0027]     The actuator  14  may be provided with a weight  14 A at its bottom portion, below the rod  10  to insure that the center of gravity of the actuator is below the shaft  10 . Alternatively, the actuator  14  may be formed or shaped to achieve the same result.  
         [0028]     The various elements of mechanism  3  are preferably made of a plastic material or other light materials that are durable and inexpensive. Moreover, while the various elements of mechanism  3  are shown and described as discrete elements, it should be understood that all or some of the elements of the mechanism  3  may formed as a single unitary piece by molding, casting or other similar methods. As discussed above, the elements of the mechanism  3  are all supported, either directly, or indirectly, from lid  16 .  
         [0029]     Initially, as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2A , the actuator  14  and lever  6  cooperate to position the seal  4  under the spout  2  so that the container  16  is closed. As shown in  FIG. 2B , if the cup  20  is tipped forward, in the direction indicated by the arrow A, gravity causes the actuator  14  to rotate relative to the cup in the opposite direction indicated by the arrow B. As the actuator  14  rotates clockwise, it pulls lever  6  and seal  4  to the right, as indicated by arrow C, thereby uncovering the spout  2 . This action enables the customer to drink from the container  20  through spout  2 . When the customer is finished, he returns the cup to its previous position, causing the actuator  14  to pivot back to its original position. The actuator  14  then causes the seal  4  to return and cover spout  2  again.  
         [0030]     If the cup  20  is tipped in any other direction, the actuator  14  remains in place and does not rotate in the direction opposite to B because of stop  12 , thereby maintaining the spout  2  sealed.  
         [0031]     In another embodiment of the invention, a locking member  18  is also provided for the cup  20 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , this locking member  18  is mounted on the lid and includes a slider  34 . The slider frictionally engages a track or cutout  36  in the lid  16 . The slider  34  can be manually moved along the track between position  34 A, the closed position, and position  34 B, the open position. The slider  34  also has a center position  34 C. In the center position, the slider  34  allows the mechanism  3  to operate in the manner described above.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , slider  34  is terminating with a knob  32  on one end, and a U-shaped horizontal member  38  having two ends  38 A,  38 B. The knob is disposed above the lid  16  so that it can be operated by a user, while the member  38  is disposed below the lid  16  and connected to the knob  32  by a rod  33 .  
         [0033]     In the position of  FIG. 5A , the member  38  is in a neutral position with its ends  38 A,  38 B placed so that they do not interfere with the movement of the actuator  14 . When the slider  34  is pulled back, as shown in  FIG. 5B , the end  38 B of member  38  cooperates with stop  12  to trap the actuator  14  and prevent it from tipping, thereby insuring that the spout  2  remains closed, even if the cup is tipped.  
         [0034]     If the slider  34  is pushed forward, end  38 A engages and rotates the actuator  14  causing the seal  4  to pull back and uncover spout  2  independently of the position of the cup  20 . Biasing means such as springs may be used to ease the movement of the slide and otherwise assist the operation of the closing mechanism  3  and/or locking mechanism  18 .  
         [0035]     In another embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 6 , a locking mechanism  40  is provided that extends through a hole  42  in cover  16 . The mechanism includes a knob  44 , a rod  46  extending downwardly of the knob  44  and a plate  48  with a V-shaped cutout  50 . A spring  52  may be used to bias the mechanism  40  upward toward an unlocked position. The locking mechanism  40  is mounted on the lid  16  at an intermediate position along bar  6 , as position  41  shown in  FIG. 5A .  
         [0036]     In the unlocked position, the lever  6  slides through and is guided by the V-shaped cut-out  50  so that there is substantially no interference with the movement of the lever  6 . If the knob  44  is pushed down, an interference fit is created between the walls of the cut-out  50  and the rod  6  thereby substantially immobilizing the lever  6 . Thereafter, the rod  6  does not move, independently of whether the cup is tipped. If the mechanism  40  is pushed down while the cup is held horizontal, the lever  6  is immobilized with the spout  2  closed. If the cup is tilted forward and then the mechanism  40  is pushed down, the lever  6  is immobilized with the spout  2  opened. The lever  6  is released by pulling the mechanism  40  up to disengage from the lever  6 .  
         [0037]     Obviously numerous modifications may be made to the cup described herein without departing from its scope as defined in the appended claims.