DRINKING CONTAINER SYSTEM AND LID THEREOF

A lid for a drinking container includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion includes two or more chambers and a spout. The lower portion includes a wall and an aperture through the wall. The upper portion is coupled to the lower portion and rotatable relative to the lower portion to bring each of the two or more chambers and the spout into alignment with the aperture of the lower portion for fluidic communication therethrough, the storage chambers being configured to store and selectively release a powder through the aperture.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to drinking containers and, in particular, drinking container systems and lids therefor.

BACKGROUND

The use of powdered supplements has risen in recent years. People use supplements to increase their general health and well-being and also to improve their performance during workouts in the gym. Supplements for general health and well-being include vitamins, athletic greens, and more. Supplements for performance during workouts at the gym include pre-workout powder, protein powder, creatine, and more.

As the use of gym supplements has increased, so has the popularity of gym shakers (e.g., shaker drinking containers). Gym shakers are used to mix a powdered supplement with a liquid. With shaker drinking containers, the user is required to pour the powder into the drinking container when ready and mix it with the liquid. The powders themselves come in tubs, bags, large containers, and other forms that are generally not portable or otherwise not provided in a manner for conveniently carrying to the gym or other workout locations. These tubs can range in size with larger sizes being too large to fit in a standard backpack. It is important to bring supplements on-the-go for a multitude of reasons, including need to be used at specific times throughout the day (e.g., within 30 minutes of working out or with each meal).

From nearly 100 interviews, people address the problem of on-the-go use of powdered supplements in various ways: pouring a single serving of the powdered supplement into a drinking container without liquid (i.e., requiring a later source of water or other liquid), carrying a water drinking container and a separate container of the powdered supplement (i.e., requiring a funnel or other means of emptying the powdered supplement into the drinking container), delayed access to the powdered supplement (e.g., when at home or another storage location), or foregoing powdered supplements altogether (e.g., purchasing premade shakes).

It would therefore be advantageous to provide consumers of powdered supplements a convenient way to bring their powdered supplements, in multiple servings and/or multiple types, with them on-the-go for transport, mixing, and consumption at a gym or other workout location.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein are implementations of a drinking container system and a lid thereof. In one implementation, a lid for a drinking container includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion includes two or more chambers and a spout. The lower portion includes a wall and an aperture through the wall. The upper portion is coupled to the lower portion and rotatable relative to the lower portion to bring each of the two or more chambers and the spout into alignment with the aperture of the lower portion for fluidic communication therethrough, the storage chambers being configured to store and selectively release a powder through the aperture.

Each of the storage chambers may a peripheral wall extending from a lower chamber end to an upper chamber end, the wall may include an upper surface, and the lower chamber end of each of the storage chambers may slide against the upper surface of the wall to seal the storage chamber as the upper portion is rotated relative to the lower portion to bring the two or more chambers into alignment with the aperture. The spout may include another peripheral wall extending from a lower spout end to an upper spout end, the wall may include an upper surface, and the lower spout end of spout may slide against the upper surface of the wall as the upper portion is rotated relative to the lower portion to bring the spout into alignment with the aperture. The upper portion of the lid may include an upper component and a lower component coupled to the upper component, and the upper component may form an upper wall of the storage chambers and the lower component forms a lower wall of the storage chambers.

In an implementation, a lid for a drinking container includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion includes a lower component and an upper component coupled to and positioned above the lower component. The lower component and the upper component form multiple storage chambers for receiving, storing, and selectively releasing powders. The upper portion is rotatably coupled to the lower portion. The lower component forms lower walls that extend below the storage chambers to form lower chamber ends that define lower chamber openings of the storage chambers, and the upper component forms upper walls that extend above the storage chambers to form upper chamber ends that define upper chamber openings of the storage chambers. The lower portion includes a lateral wall that defines an aperture. The upper portion is rotatable relative to the lower portion to align the lower chamber openings with the aperture to release the powders from the storage chambers through the aperture and into a drinking container to which the lid is coupled.

The lateral wall may include an upper surface that engages the lower chamber ends to seal the lower chamber openings of the storage chambers. The upper surface of the lateral wall may be concave.

The upper component and the lower component may be coupled to each other with snap fit interfaces at outer peripheries thereof, proximate a central axis about which the upper portion rotates relative to the lower portion, or both. Each of the lower chamber openings and the upper chamber openings may be kidney shaped.

In an implementation, a drinking container system includes a drinking container and a lid. The lid includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion includes two or more chambers and a spout. The lower portion includes a wall and an aperture through the wall. The upper portion is coupled to the lower portion and rotatable relative to the lower portion to bring each of the two or more chambers and the spout into alignment with the aperture of the lower portion for fluidic communication therethrough, the storage chambers being configured to store and selectively release a powder through the aperture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring generally to the figures, a drinking container system generally includes a drinking container and a lid that is configured to store and selectively release powdered contents into the drinking container. The drinking container includes a main body that defines an interior for storing a liquid and an opening configured for contents to be inserted into and released from the interior. The lid is coupleable to the drinking container to seal the contents therein. The lid further includes a spout and multiple chambers. The spout allows a user to consume or otherwise empty the contents contained in the interior of the drinking container. The multiple chambers are configured to store powdered contents separately from the interior of the drinking container and to selectively release the powdered contents contained therein into the interior of the drinking container.

Referring toFIGS.1-4C, a drinking container system100generally includes a drinking container110and a lid120that couples to the drinking container110to seal liquid contents therein and that further contains powdered material for selective release into the drinking container110.

The drinking container110, for example, includes a main body112and an upper opening114in communication with an interior of the main body112and through which contents are inserted into and removed from the interior the main body112. The drinking container110may further include threads (not illustrated) around the upper opening114, which are configured to threadably couple to the lid120to seal the contents within the interior of the main body112of the drinking container110.

The lid120includes multiple chambers132that are configured to receive, contain, and selectively release a powder (e.g., a powder supplement) into the interior of the drinking container110and a spout136through which the user may remove (e.g., drink) contents of the drinking container110. While two chambers132are depicted, the lid120may include fewer chambers (e.g., one) or more of the storage chambers (e.g., three, four, or more).

The lid120generally includes an upper portion130and a lower portion140, which are cooperatively configured to seal the storage chambers132and the spout136from the interior of the drinking container110and to selectively bring each of the storage chambers132and the spout136into fluidic communication with the interior of the drinking container110. The upper portion130is rotatable relative to the lower portion140to selectively bring each of the storage chambers132and the spout136into fluidic communication with the interior of the drinking container110. More particularly, the lower portion140includes a lateral wall142that separates the storage chambers132and the spout136from the interior of the drinking container110and that defines an aperture142a. As the upper portion130is rotated relative to the lower portion140, the storage chambers132(seeFIGS.4B and4C) and the spout136(seeFIG.4A) are brought into alignment with aperture142athrough the lateral wall142of the lower portion140to, thereby, be in fluidic communication with the interior of the drinking container110via the aperture142a.

The upper portion130of the lid120includes the storage chambers132and the spout136. The first chamber132includes a peripheral wall132athat extends upward (e.g., axially) between lower and upper ends132b,132cof the first chamber132. The lower end132bdefines a lower opening132dof the first chamber132and engages an upper surface142bof the lateral wall142of the lower portion140of the lid120to form a seal therewith to, thereby, seal or otherwise maintain the powder material in the storage chamber132. As the upper portion130is rotated relative to the lower portion140, the lower end132bof the first chamber132maintains contact with the upper surface142bof the wall of the lower portion140to maintain the seal there with until the lower opening132dof the first chamber132comes into alignment with the opening142bin the lateral wall142of the lower portion of the lid120. The lower opening132dmay, as shown, be larger than the aperture142athrough the lateral wall142of the lower portion140of the lid (e.g., the lower opening132dbeing pie-shaped, as shown, and surrounding a circular aperture142a).

The upper end132cof the first chamber132defines an upper opening132ethrough which the powder may be deposited into the first chamber132. The upper portion130further includes a cap132fthat is configured to couple to the upper end132cto seal the upper opening132eof the first chamber132.

The spout136may be configured similar to the storage chambers132albeit with a different cross-sectional shape and/or dimensions (e.g., having a lower opening136dthat has substantially the same shape and size as the aperture142athrough the lateral wall142of the lower portion140of the lid120). For example, the spout136may have a side wall136athat is substantially cylindrical and extends between a lower end136bthat defines the lower opening136dand an upper end136cthat defines an upper opening136eto which a cap136fis coupleable to seal the spout136.

To distinguish between various features and components, labels may be used such as first or second, one and another or, and according to an associated or parent feature. For example, the various upper and lower ends and of the storage chambers132and the spout134and other components, various components and features may be labeled for distinguishing therebetween. For example, the upper end132cof the first chamber132may also be referred to as the first chamber upper end132cor chamber upper end132c, while the upper end136cof the spout136may also be referred to as a third upper end136cor the upper spout end136c.

The lower portion140of the lid120generally includes a tubular portion144and the lateral wall142. The tubular portion144extends axially along a central axis120afrom a lower end to an upper end (not labeled). The tubular portion144is configured to couple to the drinking container110, for example, having threads (not shown) on an inner periphery thereof. To couple the drinking container110to the lid120, an upper end of the drinking container110, having complementary threads, is threadably received by the tubular portion144through the lower end by thereof and by the threads.

The lateral wall142of the lower portion140of the lid120extends laterally across the upper end of the tubular portion144around the inner periphery thereof. The lateral wall142has an upper surface142band a lower surface (not labeled) and defines the aperture142athat extends entirely through the lateral wall142in the axial direction (e.g., generally parallel with the central axis120a). The upper surface142bis smooth to allow the upper portion130to slide thereagainst and form seal therewith and, more particularly, for the lower ends132b,136bof the storage chambers132and the spout136to slide and seal thereagainst.

The upper portion130is rotatable relative to the lower portion140about the central axis120ato selectively bring the storage chambers132and the spout136into alignment with the aperture142aand, thereby, through the lateral wall142of the upper portion130of the lid120and into fluidic communication with the interior of the drinking container110. Thereby, the powdered contents of the storage chambers132is selectively released from the storage chambers132into the interior of the drinking container110(e.g., into water contained therein), and the contents of the interior of the drinking container110may be selectively released from the interior of the drinking container110(e.g., for a user to drink the contents from the spout).

Referring toFIGS.5A-5H, a drinking container system500is an embodiment of the drinking container system100, which includes a drinking container110(not shown) and a lid520, which is an embodiment of the lid120. The lid520generally includes the upper portion130and the lower portion140as described previously with the various features and functions described previously.

As referenced above, the upper portion130of the lid120includes the storage chamber132. Each of the storage chambers132, as described above, is defined by a peripheral wall132athat extends upward between lower and upper ends132b,132cthat define lower and upper openings132d,132eof the storage chamber132. The peripheral wall132agenerally includes an outer section532-1, an inner section532-2, a first radially-extending section532-3, and a second radially extending section532-4. The peripheral wall132amay extend between a lower wall532-5and an upper wall532-6that extend partially below and above, respectively, the storage chamber132. The storage chamber132is defined between inner surfaces of the aforementioned wall sections532-1,532-2,532-3,532-4,532-5,532-6.

The outer section532-1of the peripheral wall132aextends circumferentially about the central axis120aat a constant radius, such the inner surface thereof and/or an outer surface thereof are circular. The inner section532-2may also extend circumferentially about the central axis120aat another constant radius that is smaller than and spaced radially inward of the outer section532-1, for example, when the inner section532-2is configured to receive a post of the lower portion140(as discussed in further detail below) or may be omitted (e.g., with the first and second radially extending sections532-3,532-4intersection each other. Each of the outer section532-1and the inner section532-2extend between the lower wall532-5and the upper wall532-6. The first and second radially extending sections532-3,532-4extend radially between the outer section532-1and the inner section532-2, as well as axially between the lower wall532-5and the upper wall532-6. One or both of the first and second radially extending sections532-3,532-4may be substantially planar and/or be parallel with the central axis120a. The first and second radially extending sections532-3,532-4may be spaced apart rotationally between approximately 90 and 160 degrees (e.g., approximately 140 degrees as shown). As used in this context, approximately means a +/−10 degrees. The first radially extending section532-3may divide (e.g., separate) the first of the storage chambers132from the second of the storage chambers132. The second radially extending section532-4may divide (e.g., separate) the first chamber132from another region containing the spout136.

The lower wall132-5may be sloped downward and inward from the peripheral wall132a(e.g., the various sections thereof) to the lower opening132d, such that gravity will tend to carry the powder contained in the storage chamber132to the lower opening132d.

The lower end132bof the storage chamber, which is formed by the lower wall132-5and is configured to engage the upper surface142bof the lateral wall142of the lower portion140of the lid120. The lower end132bmay include a gasket532g, such as an elastomeric seal, which forms a seal with the upper surface142bof the lateral wall142to prevent release of powder from the storage chamber132.

Referring toFIGS.5C,5D, and5I, the lower opening132dis configured to overlap the aperture142athrough the lateral wall142of the lower portion140of the lid120for the storage chamber132to be in fluidic communication with the interior of the drinking container110. The lower opening132dmay have an inner periphery that is convex (protruding radially inward into the lower opening132d) with a radius from the central axis120athat corresponds to (e.g., is approximately equal to, such as within +/−10% of thereof) the radially inward most edge of the aperture142aof the lower portion140of the lid120. The lower opening132dmay have an outer periphery that is concave (protruding radially outward from the lower opening132d) with another radius from the central axis120athat corresponds to (e.g., is approximately equal to, such as within +/−10% of thereof) the radially outward most edge of the aperture142aof the lower portion140of the lid120. In this manner, as the upper portion130of the lid120is rotated about the central axis120arelative to the lower portion140, the inner and/or outer periphery of the lower opening132dcorrespond to (e.g., be aligned with) the inner and/or outer edges, respectively, of the aperture142aof the lower portion140of the lid120. Between the inner and outer peripheries of the lower opening132d, the lower opening132dmay have a leading and/or trailing peripheries that correspond to leading and/or trailing edges of the aperture142a. For example, as shown, the aperture142ais circular, while the leading and/or trailing peripheries of the lower opening132dare partially circular and of substantially the same dimension (i.e., radius) as the aperture142a. As a result, the lower opening132dmay have a kidney shape. The gasket532gmay follow the periphery of the lower opening132dto have the same shape thereof.

The spout136, as referenced above, generally includes a side wall136athat extends axially between lower and upper ends136b,136cthat define lower and upper openings136e,136e, respectively. The lower end136cmay further include a gasket536gthat surrounds the lower opening136eand engages the upper surface142bof the lateral wall142of the lower portion140of the lid120. The spout136may further be arranged in the region between radially extending sections532-4of the two chambers132.

The upper portion130may be formed of an upper component530aand a lower component530bthat are coupled to each other. By forming the upper portion130from two or more components, such as the upper component530aand the lower component530b, the upper portion130may be formed via conventional injection molding processes, which allow for the geometry the storage chambers132, which is defined between the lower wall532-5extending thereunder and the upper wall532-6extending thereover. The upper component530aand the lower component530bmay be coupled to each at radially outer, radially inward, or both around the central axis120a, for example, using male-female interfaces (e.g., snap-fit). As shown, the upper component530aincludes a peripheral wall530a-1having a circumferential channel (not labeled), while the lower component530bincludes another peripheral wall530b-1that forms a circumferential protrusion (not labeled) that is received and retained in the circumferential channel530a-2(e.g., forming a peripheral snap-fit connection). The peripheral walls530a-1,530b-1of the upper and lower components530a,530bcooperatively form the outer sections532-1of the peripheral wall532athat defines the storage chamber132. As also shown, the upper component530aalso includes a central post530a-2that defines a recess, while the lower component530bincludes a central protrusion530b-2that is received and retained in the recess of the central post530a-2(e.g., forming a central snap-fit connection). The upper component530aand, in particular, the central post530a-2may form the inner section532-2of the peripheral wall530athat defines the storage chamber132. The upper component530afurther includes the upper wall532-6that extends over and defines the storage chamber132. The lower component530bfurther includes the lower wall532-5that extends below and defines the storage chamber132, along with radially extending sections532-3,532-4of the peripheral wall532athat defines the storage chamber132.

Referring toFIGS.5C and5K, the side wall136aof the spout136may be formed cooperatively by the upper component530aand the lower component530b.

The upper portion130of the lid120further includes the caps132ffor the storage chambers132and the cap136ffor the spout136. The caps132f,136fcorrespond in shape to the upper ends132c,136cand/or the upper openings132e,136e. For example, being kidney shaped (i.e., having an inner edge that protrudes radially outward into the opening and/or an outer edge that protrudes radially outward from the opening (as seen inFIGS.5A-5I), being pie-shaped (as shown inFIGS.6A-6F, or circular (as shown for the spout136). The caps132f,136gare rigid structures that snap fit to the upper ends132c,136cto seal the upper openings132e,136eof the storage chambers132and the spout136, respectively. The caps132f,136fmay, as shown, be pivotably coupled to axles (not labeled) that coupled to (e.g., formed with) the upper component530aand about which the caps132f,136gpivot to open and close the upper openings132e,136e. The caps132f,136fmay be configured in other manners, for example, being formed of a flexible material (e.g., an elastomer, such as silicone) and/or being coupled the lid120with a flexible member (e.g., a string or elastomer formed with or coupled to the caps132f,136f). The caps132ffor the storage chambers132may have a radially inward edge that protrudes inward relative to the cap132fand radially outer edge that protrudes outward relative to the cap132f(e.g., being kidney shaped).

Still referring toFIGS.5A-5H, the lower portion140of the lid120generally includes the lateral wall142and the tubular portion144. The lateral wall142defines the aperture142aand includes the upper surface142band the lower surface142c. The aperture142a, as shown, may be circular and correspond in size to the openings132eof the storage chambers132and the spout136.

As referenced above, the upper surface142bof the lateral wall142of the lower portion140of the lid120is engaged by lower ends132b,136bof the storage chambers132and the spout136to form a seal therebetween. The upper surface142bis smooth, such that the seals are maintained as the lower ends132b,136bare maintained as the upper portion130of the lid120is rotated relative to the lower portion140(i.e., to bring each of the storage chambers132and the spout136into alignment and, thereby, fluidic communication with the interior of the drinking container110. The upper surface may be convex, as best seen in the cross-sectional view ofFIGS.5J and5K.

The upper portion130is rotatably coupled to the lower portion140, such that the upper portion130rotates around the central axis120ato selectively bring each of the storage chambers132and the spout136into alignment with aperture142aof the lower portion140of the lid120and, thereby, into selective fluidic communication with the interior of the drinking container110. The upper portion130may be able to rotate with an unlimited range of motion or with a limited range of motion (e.g., the back and forth). The lid120may include indexes at which the upper portion130is hindered from rotating relative to the lower portion140(e.g., requiring more torque to rotate the upper portion130than at locations between the indexes. The indexes may, for example, correspond to rotational orientations at which the spout136is aligned with the aperture142aand/or the lower openings132dof the storage chambers132are aligned with the aperture142a. The indexes may be provided in different manners, for example, by the lower openings132d,136ereceiving a feature surrounding the aperture142aor vice versa, one or more axial protrusions (e.g., a ball detent) extending downward from the upper portion130and being received in an upwardly open recess of the lower portion140or vice versa, or a radial protrusions extending radially outward from the upper portion130and being received in a radial recess of the lower portion140or vice versa.

The upper portion130is rotatably coupled to the lower portion140at an outer periphery, a central axis, or both (as shown). At the outer periphery, the upper portion130of the lid includes a circumferential groove530cextending around the central axis120a(e.g., in the lower component530a), and the lower portion includes a circumferential protrusion540a(e.g., ridge) that extends radially outward from surrounding surfaces and is received by and retained in the circumferential groove530c. The circumferential protrusion540amay be snap fit into the circumferential groove530cto form a rotationally sliding interface therebetween, while pressing the upper portion130and the lower portion140axially against each other (e.g., the lower ends132b,136bof the storage chambers132and the spout136against the upper surface142bof the lateral wall142of the lower portion140of the lid120). At the central axis, the upper portion130of the lid120includes a central recess530dthat is downwardly open, and the lower portion140of the lid120includes a central protrusion540bprotrudes upward from the upper surface142band that is received by and retained in the recess530d. The central protrusion540bmay be snap fit into the circumferential groove530cto form a rotationally sliding interface therebetween, while pressing the upper portion130and the lower portion140axially against each other (e.g., the lower ends132b,136bof the storage chambers132and the spout136against the upper surface142bof the lateral wall142of the lower portion140of the lid120). The snap fit interfaces retain the upper portion130axially against the lower portion140(e.g., the lower ends132bof the storage chambers132against the upper surface142bof the lateral wall), while permitting sliding therebetween for rotation of the upper portion130relative to the lower portion140. The snap fit interfaces between the upper component530aand the lower component530bof the upper portion130do not permit the upper component530ato rotate relative to the lower component530b, such that torque applied to the upper component530acauses the upper portion130of the lid120to rotate and the lower portion140but not the upper component530arelative to the lower component530bof the upper portion130.

The lower surface142cof the wall142is configured to receive and seal against an upper end of the drinking container110. For example, the lower surface142cdefines a circumferential groove that receives the upper end of the drinking container110therein axially (e.g., as the lid120is screwed to the top of the drinking container110).

Referring toFIGS.6A-6F, a drinking container system600is an embodiment of the drinking container system100, which includes a drinking container110(not shown) and a lid620, which is an embodiment of the lid120. The lid620generally includes an upper cap630, a lower cap640, a drink lid636f, a latch660(or the safety-lock), and left and right tub lids632f, which generally correspond to the upper portion130of the lid120, the lower portion of the lid120, the cap136ffor the spout136, and the caps132ffor the storage chambers132, respectively, described previously.

The upper cap630forms two or more chambers632that can be used to store the supplements. The storage chambers632correspond to the storage chambers132described previously. The lower cap640has an opening642a(e.g., a vacancy) that can be in different shapes, forms, and sizes. The opening642acorresponds to the aperture142adescribed previously. As shown, the opening642ain the lower cap640may be a triangular (e.g., shaped like a pizza slice). When aligned the storage chambers632of the upper cap630, the opening642aallows contents of the storage chambers632to pass from the upper cap630through the lower cap640and into the drinking container110(e.g., providing a floor-drop effect when properly aligned). An upper end (e.g., a top) of the lower cap640is cooperatively configured with the upper cap630, such that the upper cap630can slide relative thereto, for example, by rotating about a central axis (e.g., slide, snug fit, snap, or otherwise fit onto). The lower cap640and the upper cap630are held together, for example, in a snap-fit arrangement having a protrusion on a periphery of one of the upper cap630or the lower cap640(e.g., an inner periphery of the upper cap630) that is received in a groove on a periphery of the other of the upper cap630or the lower cap640(e.g., an outer periphery of the lower cap640, as shown). The respective peripheries of the upper cap630and the lower cap640may be circular and concentric about the central axis to facilitate relative rotation therebetween. These ridges are at a height (i.e., in a radial direction relative to the central axis) in which it takes force to snap the two cap pieces together but once together, and unlocked, the upper cap630can rotate freely about the central axis relative to the lower cap640. This rotation allows the user to twist the upper cap630to line up one of its multiple chambers632with the opening642a(e.g., the floor-drop area) of the lower cap640, thus releasing the selected supplement stored in the storage chambers632into the drinking container110and liquid contained therein to create drinkable emulsion or solution.

The lid620may further include the latch660. The interface between the lower and the upper caps640,630enables the latch660(e.g., a safety lock mechanism) to avoid accidental spill or drop into the drinking container110(e.g., by preventing rotation between the upper cap640and the lower cap630. In one embodiment, both the upper and lower cap630,640have features (e.g., corresponding recesses637,647) on them in order to host and slidably receive the latch660, which creates the safety lock. When the two cap pieces fit together and are oriented so that these recesses637,647line up, the latch piece660is able to fit into the encasement created thereby (e.g., being received in the recesses637,647). The latch660, being a generally rigid member, maintains the lid620in a locked position by preventing the upper cap630from rotating relative to the lower cap640. In this locked position, the spout636of the upper cap630is aligned with the opening642aof the lower cap640to allow the user to drink the contents of the drinking container110, while the storage chambers632,634are out of alignment with the opening642aof the lower cap640for the user to store substances in the two or more chambers632of the upper cap630(i.e., openings of the storage chambers632of the upper cap630are then covered by material of the lower cap640surrounding the opening642athereof).

When the user activates the latch660, the upper cap630is then able to freely rotate relative to the lower cap640. The user can then rotate the upper cap630to line up one of its floor openings of the storage chambers632with the opening642aof the lower cap640to allow the substances stored in that corresponding chamber632to fall into the drinking container110.

The lid620and, in particular, the lower cap640, is attached to the lower cap in any suitable manner, such as with a threaded connection that seals the lid620to the drinking container610to prevent escape of liquid from the drinking container610. The user can then rotate the upper cap630back to its original orientation relative to the lower cap640and reactivate the latch (activating the safety lock) to render the lid620in its locked position.

The upper cap630also includes two or more openings, which correspond to and are in communication with the storage chambers632. In one embodiment, the upper cap632includes two openings632a. The upper cap further includes two lids632f, which are hingedly coupled to the upper cap630. The tub lids632fthere is a set of cylindrical protrusions, which are of similar diameter and spacing to corresponding holes632ain the upper cap630so that the tub lids632fcan pivot and selectively fit into the holes632ato seal the contents in the storage chambers632. As shown, the tub lids632frotate about axes that are perpendicular to the central axis about which the upper cap630rotates relative to the lower cap640and which may also be perpendicular to each other 6. In other embodiments, there could be other conventional means, known in the arts, to achieve a similar sealing effect, for example, with the tub lids632fbeing elastomeric and coupled to the upper lid630with an elongated, flexible string or portion of the elastomeric material and formed monolithically with the tub lids632fThe tub lids632fmay be of different shapes and sizes than depicted to correspond with the openings632aof the storage chambers632, such that when they are rotated to be flush with the surface of the storage chambers632of the upper cap, they cover the two or more openings632ain the upper cap632. In a similar fashion to the way the upper and lower caps630,640fit together, the upper cap openings632aand the tub lids632fhave ridges that require force to snap together in order to hold the tub lids632fclosed to seal the openings632a.

The upper lid630further includes a drinking lid636fthat works in a similar fashion to the tub lids632fto seal an opening636aof the spout636. The drinking lid636fincludes cylindrical protrusions that form an axle about which the drinking lid636frotates and includes ridges to releasably couple to the spout636(e.g., snap-fit closure). The drinking lid636fcreates the axle near the front of the upper cap630by the drinking spout636which it is able to rotate about, it also can snap closed firmly onto the drinking spout636in which it covers the opening completely.