Beverage container closure

A beverage container closure or lid that is adapted for closing an open end of a beverage container. The lid is selectively couplable to the beverage container and includes a selectively openable stopper that when closed, creates a fluid-tight seal between the beverage container and the environment. The stopper may be selectively opened by a user when the user presses a button disposed on a side of the beverage container closure. The stopper is subsequently automatically closed when the user releases the button. Thus, a user may open and close the beverage container closure using a single hand without the need to remove the beverage container closure from the beverage container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed generally to lids for liquid storage vessels such as for beverage or food containers and more particularly to lids with movable components.

2. Description of the Related Art

Prior art lids are typically of one of three types. The first type is a solid unitary lid that does not include openings or apertures through which the contents of a liquid storage vessel may exit the vessel. To drink from the vessel, a user must remove the lid. The second type, which may also be of a unitary construction, includes one or more unobstructed apertures through which the liquid may exit the vessel. In the second type, the apertures are always open. If the vessel is inadvertently tipped or dropped, the contents of the vessel may spill. The third type of lid includes one or more apertures through which the liquid may exit the vessel and a means for selectively opening and closing the apertures. When using the third type of lid, the user may selectively open the apertures to remove the contents from the vessel and selectively close the apertures to maintain the contents inside the vessel. Further, by closing the apertures, the lid may help insulate the contents from the environment outside the vessel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A beverage container closure or lid, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is generally indicated at reference numeral10inFIG. 1. The lid10has a substantially circular main body12that is adapted for closing an open end of a conventional drinking vessel or beverage container (not shown). The beverage container may be any suitable type of container such as the tumbler type (that is, without a handle) for use in automotive beverage receptacles, or for transport in backpacks, book bags, and the like. The lid10is selectively couplable to a beverage container by any suitable means such as threads54disposed on an outer surface of a sidewall52of a lower, downwardly depending portion50. The lid10also includes a flexible ring seal member56positioned adjacent the sidewall52of the lower portion50at a location near a bottom surface of an upper portion14of the main body12. The particular configuration for mating the lid10to a container is a matter of choice for one of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, although threads54and the seal member56have been shown in this embodiment, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any other means for sealing the lid10with respect to a beverage container may be substituted.

The main body12also includes a raised top portion60integrally connected to the upper portion14. The top portion60includes a substantially cylindrical sidewall portion66that includes a raised outwardly flaring circumferential lip70configured for contact with a user's lips when the entire assembly is tipped toward the user, such that the user may drink from a beverage container to which the lid10is attached from any direction. The top portion60also includes a plurality of apertures or openings64configured to permit fluid passage therethrough when a user drinks a beverage. As can be appreciated, the plurality of apertures64may provide for a more even flow of fluid from the beverage container.

The main body12also includes a handle11disposed near a rear portion18(seeFIGS. 2 and 3) of the main body. The handle11includes a loop portion configured to permit a user to carry the lid10or to connect the lid10to other objects. For example, a user may connect a metal loop such as a carabiner to the handle11so that the lid10may be removably connected to a belt, a backpack, a bicycle, or the like.

Fluid communication between the top portion60and the interior of a beverage container is controlled by way of a selectively openable stopper assembly100, which may best be viewed inFIGS. 10 and 11. The stopper assembly100includes a stopper110having a top portion112including an outer band114configured for engagement with a stopper seal102. The stopper seal102may be formed from a flexible material and includes a groove104configured to receive an outer band114of the stopper110, as best seen inFIGS. 8 and 11. Below the top portion112of the stopper110is a body portion115that includes a plurality of vents or slits116disposed therein (seeFIG. 8). Further, extending in a downward direction from the body portion115of the stopper110are two opposing sidewall portions118and120configured to support a crossbar122extending therebetween. As discussed in further detail below, the crossbar122is configured to engage a lever130such that the stopper110may be vertically displaced to selectively position it in an open position (shown inFIG. 9) or a sealed or closed position (shown inFIG. 8).

The stopper assembly100also includes a stopper cover150configured for retaining the stopper seal102within a hollow interior region36of the main body12(seeFIGS. 8 and 9). The stopper cover150includes a base portion152, a raised inner circumferential sidewall158, and a raised outer circumferential sidewall160. The base portion152includes a plurality of spaced apart apertures or openings156disposed therein and located between the inner and outer sidewalls158and160to allow for fluid passage therethrough. Further, the outer sidewall160comprises an engagement portion (e.g., a ridge)162to permit the stopper cover150to engage with a stopper cover engagement portion22of the main body12in a snap fit arrangement, thereby securing the stopper cover150(and the other components of the stopper assembly100) to the main body12of the lid10.

The stopper assembly100further includes a stopper biasing member (e.g., a spring)144configured for biasing the stopper110in the closed position which provides a fluid-tight seal for the lid10. The stopper biasing member144is sized to have a diameter that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the inner sidewall158, such that the stopper biasing member may be positioned over the inner sidewall and in contact with the base portion152and a bottom surface113of the top portion112of the stopper110(seeFIG. 9).

The stopper assembly100further includes the lever130configured for acting on the stopper110to selectively move the stopper between the open position and the closed position. The lever130includes a lower horizontal surface136disposed near a distal end134and a lower cam surface138disposed near a proximal end132. The cam surface138is a ramp shape angled downward toward the proximal end132of the lever130. As described below, the horizontal surface136and the cam surface138engage the crossbar122of the stopper110to move the stopper between the open and closed positions. The lever130further includes a rod140disposed at the proximal end132sized and shaped to be inserted (e.g., press fit) into a recessed portion of a button30(seeFIGS. 8 and 9) configured to permit a user to actuate the lever130by simply pressing the button inward.

The operation of the stopper assembly100is now described with reference toFIGS. 8 and 9, which show cross-sectional left side elevational views of the lid10when the stopper110is in the sealed or closed position (FIG. 8) and the open position (FIG. 9). As can be seen, the stopper assembly100is positioned within the hollow interior region36of the main body12. In this embodiment, the ridge162of the stopper cover150is engaged with the stopper cover engagement portion22disposed in the hollow interior region36of the main body12. For example, the stopper cover150may be press fit or “snapped” into the hollow interior region36of the main body12to retain the stopper cover and the other components of the stopper assembly100.

As shown inFIG. 8, the stopper seal102is in contact with a circumferential stopper seal engagement portion68of the main body12. In this regard, when the stopper100is in the closed position shown inFIG. 8, the stopper assembly100is pressed against the stopper seal engagement portion68by the biasing member144to provide a fluid-tight seal between a container to which the lid10is attached and the environment.

The lever130is situated such that the horizontal surface136near the distal end134is aligned over the crossbar122of the stopper110and the horizontal surface136is biased upward into engagement with the crossbar122by the biasing member144. The proximal end132of the lever130is situated within an opening in a front portion20of the main body12formed by a circumferential wall26located between left and right side lateral sidewalls16thereof. In turn, the button30is coupled to the lever130to allow a user to actuate the lever by pressing on the button. A button biasing member (e.g., a spring)32is positioned over the circumferential wall26in a space34between the wall26and a concentric outer circumferential wall24of the main body12. The button biasing member32is operative to bias the button30and the lever130to the laterally outward position shown inFIG. 8which corresponds to the closed position of the stopper110and tends to bias the lever130toward that position. Further, a button ring seal member28may be disposed around the button30and inward of the circumferential wall26to provide a fluid-tight seal therebetween to prevent leakage to the environment.

In operation, a user may depress the button30which in turn causes the lever130to be displaced in a horizontal direction (from the left to the right in the views shown inFIGS. 8 and 9). As the lever130is displaced, the lower surfaces136and138slidably engage an upper portion123of the crossbar122of the stopper110acting as a cam and cam follower, respectively. Since the surface138slopes downward toward the proximal end132of the lever130, the crossbar122and thus the stopper110are moved in a downward direction as the lever130is displaced inward, as shown inFIG. 9. As can be appreciated, as the stopper110is moved in a downward direction, a gap38is formed between the stopper seal102and the circumferential stopper seal engagement portion68of the main body12such that fluid may pass therethrough.

Since both the lever130and the stopper110are biased by the button biasing member32and the stopper biasing member144, respectively, the stopper110automatically returns to the sealed or closed position once the user removes pressure from the button30and the stopper automatically returns to the closed position shown inFIG. 8. In this regard, the user may open and drink from a beverage container to which the lid10is attached using one hand by simply pressing the button30with a finger while consuming a beverage and releasing the button thereafter to reseal the container. As can be appreciated, the ability to open, drink from, and close a container using only one hand may be desirable for various active users including bicyclists, hikers, and the like.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of this invention. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is solely defined by the appended claims. It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.).