Drinking vessel with adjustable handles

A drinking vessel with adjustable handles for a juvenile is disclosed. The drinking vessel features two handles that can be adjusted apart from each other at varying fixed or articulated angles. Furthermore, the two handles can be adjusted without the intervention of a person disassembling the drinking vessel in order to reorient or readjust the handles. The adjustable handles allow the juvenile to manipulate and hold the drinking vessels with greater flexibility.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to drinking vessels with adjustable handles and in particular to drinking vessels for use juveniles such as infants, toddlers and children.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Before using conventional drinking cups, most infants and children drink from vessels designed specifically for their use, for example, nursers and spill proof cups. To facilitate grasping many of these nursers and spill proof cups have at least one, and more often two handles, permanently affixed to opposite sides of the vessel. When the child holds a handled vessel, her hands are positioned 180° apart. This 180° orientation always causes the hands to be placed at the furthest possible distance between them. Having the hands in this orientation is not always the most comfortable or optimal position for the child. Sometimes it is desirable to have the hands oriented at a different angle, for example, 90°. Having the hands closer together may help facilitate the holding of the vessel.

Although some prior art drinking vessels have adjustable handles, such prior art drinking vessels do not allow the handles to remain fixed once they have been adjusted to a desired setting. For example, the handles of such prior art drinking vessels will undesirably change position when the vessel is dropped onto the floor. Other prior art drinking vessels with locking handles only allow the handles to be readjusted if the entire drinking vessel were disassembled. Thus, there is a need for drinking vessels with adjustable handles that remain locked after the handles have been properly oriented and that can be easily readjusted, if needed, without resorting to disassembling the entire drinking vessel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is a drinking vessel that includes a mouth interface, a first handled section, a second handled section and a container assembled together. Projecting radially from the collars of each handled section are handles for grasping by a juvenile. Each handled section is rotatable at fixed angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the container. The handles can be spaced apart at multiple fixed angles ranging from 0° to 360°. The mouth interface, for example, a nipple or spout, is inserted through and removably attached to the first handled section.

In another aspect of the present invention, the second handled section connects to the first handled section. The first handled section has threads on its inner surface that allows the first handled section to screw onto threads located on the container, thereby securing the assembly of the drinking vessel as well as securing the second handled section in place. The handles of the drinking vessel can be readjusted without the need to completely disengage the threads of the first handled section from that of the container.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, the first handled section includes a guide channel and snap grooves whereas the second handled section includes guide ribs and snap tabs. The guide ribs and snap tabs of the second handled section are received within the guide channel and snap grooves of the first handled section respectively. The guide ribs and guide channel allow the first handled section to be slidingly adjusted with respect to the second handled section when the first handled section is not completely screwed down. The snap tabs and snap groove allows the second handled section to articulate at specific angles with respect to the first handled section.

These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by references to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention features a drinking vessel with articulating, or adjustable, handles. The drinking vessel is appropriate for delivering potable fluids, such as milk, medicine or juice, to a juvenile such as an infant, toddler or child. Such potable fluids can be administered to the child by the mother or the child herself. Additionally, the drinking vessel is appropriate for use by an individual with impaired manual dexterity.

FIGS. 1-3show perspective, exploded perspective and front elevational views respectively of a drinking vessel10with articulating or adjustable handles in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.FIGS. 1 and 2show assembled and exploded perspective views respectively of the drinking vessel10which includes a container12, a first handled section22, a second handled section50and a mouth interface68. The first handled section22and the second handled section50cooperate together to function, among other aspects, as the adjustable handles of the drinking vessel10.

Referring toFIG. 4, the container12has a side wall14, for example cylindrically-shaped or triangularly-shaped, extending longitudinally, along a central longitudinal axis A—A. At the top end of the side wall14is a neck16that is joined by a shoulder18to the container12. The outer periphery of the neck16has an outer thread20formed thereon. The outer thread20allows the container12to be releasably connected to the corresponding inner thread44of the first handled section22which is described in more detail below.

Referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, the first handled section22includes a generally circular first collar24. Projecting radially from the outer surface25of the first collar24at a first junction26is a first handle28. The first handle28is sized and shaped to be a smooth and continuous contour with no sharp edges. For example, the first handle28has an outer convex surface30and an inner concave surface32. Located at or near the first junction26is a gap36that prevents the inner concave surface32from being contiguous with the outer surface of the first collar24. The gap36should be of sufficient width to accommodate a top rim62of the second handled section50as described in more detail below. Furthermore, the gap36should, for example, be no greater in depth than half of the maximum thickness of the first handle28. Any larger depth for the gap36could render the first handle28easily broken or detached from the first collar24.

Both the first handle28and the first collar24can be integrally molded from the same type of material, for example, a non-toxic polymer suitable for drinking vessels as known in the art. This also applies to second handle56and the second collar52which are described in detail below. Examples of suitable polymers include, but are not limited to, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyester, copolyester, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene. Additionally, an elastomeric polymer, such as SANTOPRENE, available from Advanced Elastomer Systems (Akron, Ohio) or KRATON, a styrene-butadiene elastomer from Shell Oil Company (Houston, Tex.) can be overmolded on or onto the handles to provide a gripping surface for improved grasping. Optionally, molded on or onto the handles are a plurality of protuberances which are present to aid grasping by the juvenile. The protuberances, for example, can be concentric rings or ridges or a plurality of discrete bumps.

At the bottom end of the outer surface25of the first collar24is a guide channel38that extends along the entire circumference of the bottom end.

At the top end of the first collar24is an opening40defined by an in-turned top flange42. A mouth interface68(as shown in FIG.1), for example, a nipple or spout as known by one of ordinary skill in the art, is removably inserted through the bottom of the first handled section22through the opening40and held in place by the flange42. The mouth interface68allows the potable liquid to flow therethrough from the container12to the mouth of the juvenile. The mouth interface68directly contacts the juvenile's mouth.

Located on the inner surface27of the first collar24is inner thread44which is configured to be removably engaged with the outer thread20located on the neck16of the container12. Such engagement, for example, can be implemented by screwing the first handled section22in a clockwise fashion onto the neck16of the container12.

Periodically spaced at, near, or on the bottom rim46of the first handled section22are a plurality of snap grooves48. These snap grooves48are used to releasably engage the corresponding snap tabs66on the second handled section50described in more detail below. The bottom rim46has at least, for example, three snap grooves. The greater the number of snap grooves48, the greater the adjustability of the first handle28and a second handle56. For example, the bottom rim46has eight snap grooves48each angularly spaced 45° apart from the next snap groove. This configuration of snap grooves48allows the first handle28and the second handle56to be angularly spaced at 45° intervals, for example 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270°, 315° and 360° angles. Thus, any number and any angle of spacing can be used to configure the snap grooves48.

Referring toFIGS. 7to8, the second handled section50also includes a generally circular collar52. As with the first handled section22, the outer surface53of the second collar52intersects with the second handle56at a second junction54. The dimensions of the second handle56is the same, or nearly same, as that of the first handle28. However, the placement of the second handle56at second junction54is not, for example, identical to the placement of the first handle28at first junction26. The principal differences are that the outer convex surface58of the second handle56is not contiguous with the outer surface53of the second collar52whereas an inner concave surface60of the second handle56is contiguous with the outer surface of the second collar52. Furthermore, there is no gap between the second handle56and the second collar52as there is in the first handled section22. The top of the second handle56is not flush with and higher than the top rim62of the second handled section50.

Located near the top end of the inner surface55of the second collar52of the second handled section50is a plurality of guide ribs64. These guide ribs64are sized such that they are slidingly received within the guide channel38of the first handled section22when the second handled section50is attached to the first handled section22. When the two handled sections22,50are attached, for example by a snap-fit, friction fit, press fit or interference fit, the guide ribs64in the guide channel38keep the two handled sections22,50engaged together. However, the fit between the guide ribs64and the guide channel38is not so tight that the two handled sections22,50are unable to freely rotate with respect to each other about the longitudinal axis A—A.

Protruding inwardly from the inner surface of the bottom end of the second handled section50are a plurality of snap tabs66. The number of snap tabs66are, for example, equal to or less than the number of snap grooves48. Additionally, the snap tabs66, for example, have compatible dimensions such that each snap tab66and its corresponding snap groove48form a complementary snap-fit.

When assembled, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, the second handled section50is connected between the first handled section22and neck16of the container12. The inner thread44of the first handled section22engages the outer thread20of the neck16. Furthermore, the guide ribs64are received in the guide channel38, and the snap tabs66are received in the snap grooves48. Moreover, the top rim62of the second handled section50, for example, is received in the gap36of the first handled section22; this allows the first handle28to be horizontally aligned with the second handle56with respect to the longitudinal axis A—A. For example,FIG. 9, a top plan view of the drinking vessel10, shows the assembled drinking vessel with the first handle28and the second handle56oriented 180° apart.

As the handled sections22,50are screwed down, for example, in a clockwise fashion, onto the neck16of the container12, the second collar52contacts the neck16thereby stopping the vertical travel of the second handled section50. As the first handled section22is being screwed down, the two handled sections22,50are locked, or fixed, into a desired position. The first handled section22seals and secures the mouth interface68onto the container12thereby providing a leak-proof and secure system. The mouth interface68, for example, serves as the final stop for the first collar24while the neck16of the container12, for example serves as the final stop for the second collar52. When the first handled section22is no longer freely rotatable with respect to the second handled section50and thus the first handle28and second handle56are locked into position.

To adjust the handles28,56into a different position, the first handled section22is, for example, rotated, or unscrewed, in a counterclockwise fashion until the first handled section22and the second handled section50are freely rotatable, but not necessarily completely disengaged (i.e., disassembled) from the container12, with respect to each other. The first handle28and the second handle56are then rotated to the desired position such that the snap tabs66index into corresponding snap grooves48. For example,FIG. 10, another top plan view of the drinking vessel10, shows the first handle28and the second handle56oriented 90° apart. The positions of the handles28,56can be repeatedly readjusted without the need to completely disassemble or separate the first handled section22from the second handled section50. This feature provides an advantage over other adjustable handle drinking vessels because the entire drinking vessel does not have to be disassembled in order to change the positions of the handles, thus reducing the potential for any leaks or spills when the handles are being adjusted or readjusted and making the feeding task more convenient for the caregiver. Moreover, because juveniles lack the manual dexterity to unscrew the handled sections22,50from the container12, the juveniles cannot move or change the position of the handles28,56.

Moreover, once the first handled section22and the second handled section50are set into a desired angle or position, they can be removed as a single unit from the container12and remain locked together in such desired angle. For example, if a caregiver sets the angle between the first handled section22and the second handled section50at 135°, the container12can be removed from the handled sections22,50, while the first handled section22and second handled section50remain locked together at 135°.

It is understood that while the present invention has been described in conjunction with the detailed description thereof that the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the following claims. Other aspects, advantages and modifications are within the scope of the claims.