Abstract:
A water stop structure is mounted to a water jar. A main body includes a depression bar device, a resiliency device, and a water stop member. The depression bar device includes a movable depression bar that is releasably connectable to a hanger formed on the main body. The resiliency device includes a rod that maintains the depression bar in position with a first resilient element. A second resilient element maintains the rod in position to have the water stop member blocking a water passage of the main body. When the depression bar is depressed to travel through a first stroke, the depression bar disengages from the hanger to form an opening therebetween for easy hanging and use of the water jar. When the depression bar travels through a second stroke, the rod drives the water stop member away from the water passage to allow a user to drink water.

Description:
(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a lid of a water jar, and particularly to a water stop structure of a water jar lid, which, when depressed to travel through a first stroke, opens a hanger to form an opening for hanging and use, and when traveling through a second stroke, opens a water passage for dispensing water from the jar for consuming. 
     (b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Human beings must consume a certain amount of water everyday to maintain sufficient water inside their bodies. A water jar or flask is commonly used to contain and carry water or liquid beverages for convenient and immediate access and replenishment of water and this is particularly good for people doing outdoor activities, such as hiking, mountain climbing, skiing, and bike riding. 
     The water jars or containers for liquid available in the market are often provided with a lid the control discharge and block of water. Besides the basic feature of providing a space for containing and carrying water, a water jar is also assessed for the following two aspects: 
     (1) How to effectively control discharge and stop of water to allow a user to conveniently and efficiently drink water. 
     (2) How to simplify hand carry the jaw in order to realize easy carrying of the jar by hanging the jar to for example a backpack, a bicycle, a belt, or a tree branch. 
     The water jars that are currently available in the market do not meet the needs of the general consumers in these two aspects, and the present invention aims to provide a water jar lid structure that offers both practicability and convenience. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a water jar lid structure, which when subjected to depression in a predetermined stroke opens a water passage to allow easy consumption of water contained therein. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a water jar lid structure, which can be easily hung and used when depressed in a predetermined stroke. 
     To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a structure that comprises main body for mounting to a water jar. The main body forms a water passage, a chamber, and a hanger. A depression bar device comprises a depression bar that is connected to the main body in a movable manner. A resiliency device comprises a rod, a first resilient element, and a second resilient element. The rod is movably received and extends through the chamber of the main body. The first resilient element is set between the depression bar and the rod to maintain the depression bar in a predetermined position. The second resilient element is set between the chamber and the rod to maintain the rod in a predetermined position. A water stop member is coupled to the rod and has one side portion fixed to an underside of the main body. The water stop member comprises a water sealing section that blocks the water passage. When the depression bar is depressed to travel through a first stroke, only the first resilient element is compressed and the water stop member maintains blocking the water passage. When the depression bar is depressed to travel through a second stroke, the rod is caused to have the water stop member separating from the water passage to allow consumption of the water contained in the water jar. 
     The foregoing objective and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. 
     Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view, partially broken, of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention in an assembled form. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view illustrating a depression bar of the present invention undergoing a first stroke. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating the present invention hung on a backpack. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic perspective view illustrating a depression bar of the present invention being further depressed to undergo a second stroke. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic perspective view illustrating an operation of the present invention in pouring water out of a water jar. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , structurally, the present invention comprises a main body  10 , a depression bar device  20  for hand depression, a resiliency device  30  for controlling discharge and stop of water, a water stop member  40  driven by the resiliency device  30 . In use, the depression bar device  20  is depressed to drive the resiliency device  30  to take a two-stage operation, whereby the water stop member  40  allows water to be discharged only when the depression bar device  20  is depressed to move through a deep stroke. 
     The main body  10  forms an internal thread  11  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) and is coupled to a water jar  90  (see  FIG. 4 ) through the internal thread  11 . The main body  10  forms a water outlet port  12  that defines a water passage  121 . Water contained inside the water jar  90  can be poured out through the water passage  121 . The water outlet port  12  forms a U-shaped flange  122  for coupling with the depression bar device  20 . The main body  10  forms a chamber  13  inside which a step  131  (see  FIG. 3 ) is formed. The chamber  13  receives the resiliency device  30  therein. The main body  10  has a top that forms, at one edge thereof, a fixed hanger  14 . The hanger  14  has an open free end forming a hook  141 , which is connectable with the depression bar device  20 . The main body  10  has an underside surface forming a plurality of coupling pegs  15 , which is coupled to the water stop member  40 . 
     The depression bar device  20  comprises a depression bar  21 , which has an end forming a fitting slot  211  engageable with the hook  141 , so as to establish a releasable connection between the depression bar  21  and the hanger  14 . An opposite end of the depression bar  21  receives a pivot  212  extending therethrough for movable connection with the flange  122  of the main body  10 . A lower portion of the depression bar  21  also receives a pivot  213  extending therethrough for movable connection with a link  22 . The link  22  has a lower portion that receives a pivot  221  extending therethrough for movable connection with a carrier  23  movably received in the chamber  13 , whereby when the depression bar  21  is depressed downward, the link  22  is caused to drive the carrier  23  downward (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     The resiliency device  30  comprises a rod  31 , a first resilient element  32 , which serves as a compression spring, a second resilient element  33 , which serves as a compression spring, a ring spacer  34 , and a ring seal  35 . The rod  31  is arranged to have a portion thereof received in the chamber  13 , and another portion of the rod  31  projects under the main body  10 . The rod  31  forms a bore  311  in a center thereof to receive and retain the first resilient element  32  therein in such a way that a top end of the first resilient element  32  projects outside to couple to the carrier  23 . The first resilient element  32  supports the depression bar  21  so as to maintain the depression bar  21  at a predetermined position where, before being depressed, the depression bar  21  is held with a free end A thereof engaging the hanger  14  to form a close-loop configuration (see  FIG. 3 ). The rod  31  forms a radial flange  312  at a top end thereof and a rounded jointing end  313  at a bottom end thereof. The flange  312  is set in contact with an inside wall of the chamber  13  to maintain a gap between the rod  31  and the inside wall of the chamber  13  for receiving the second resilient element  33  that is arranged inside the chamber  13  but fit outside the rod  31 . The step  131  of the chamber  13  supports the spacer  34  and the seal  35  in such a way that upper and lower ends of the second resilient element  33  are respectively supported on the flange  312  of the rod  31  and the spacer  34 , whereby the second resilient element  33  maintains the rod  31  in a predetermined position. The seal  35  provides sealing at an interface where the rod  31  extends through the main body  10  to ensure water tightness and prevent leaking of water. The arrangement of the spacer  34  prevents direct engagement of the second resilient element  33  with the seal  35  and thus protects the functionality of the seal  35  and extends the lifespan thereof. The first resilient element  32  and the second resilient element  33  are both not set in contact with water or other liquids contained in the water jar  90  (see  FIG. 4 ), whereby users can be protected from taking metal corrosion or oil contaminants when they drink water. The second resilient element  33  provides a spring force greater than that of the first resilient element  32 , whereby when the depression bar  21  is depressed in a first stage or stroke of depression, only the first resilient element  32  is caused to undergo compression, but the rod  31  is not moved downward. Thus, the first stroke only opens the depression bar  21  (see  FIG. 4 ). Further and deeper depression of the depression bar  21  causes movement through a second stage or stroke, where the second resilient element  33  is compressed and the rod  31  is moved to remove the water stop member  40  for opening the water passage. 
     The water stop member  40  is of a substantially U-shape and forms a fitting hole  41  at a central portion thereof. The lower, jointing end  313  of the rod  31  is fit into and thus coupled to the fitting hole  41  so as to couple the water stop member  40  and the rod  31  together. The water stop member  40  forms on one limb a mount board  42 , which defines a plurality of coupling holes  421  corresponding to and engaging the coupling pegs  15  on the underside of the main body to secure them together. The water stop member  40 , with one limb coupled to the main body  10 , has another limb forming a water sealing section  43 , to which a food grade and temperature resistant silicone rubber pad  431  is mounted, whereby the silicone rubber pad  431  is set in tight engagement with the water passage  121  to stop water and prevent leaking of water. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , to use the present invention, when the depression bar  21  is depressed to travel through the first stroke, the fitting slot  211  of the depression bar  21  is caused to move away from the connection with the hanger  14 , whereby the close-loop configuration formed by the depression bar  21  and the hanger  14  is broken into an open configuration that sets a wide opening through which a user may hang the water jar  90  on a backpack  80  (see  FIG. 6 ), a bicycle, or a tree branch. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, this opening allows a user to hang the water jar  90  on any rigid article having an outside diameter less than 10 mm. Similarly, the user may readily remove the water jar  90  from where the water jar  90  is hanged. At this time, the first resilient element  32  is compressed by the link  22  that is driven by the depression of the depression bar  21  and potential energy is built up for providing a returning spring force, and also, the rod  31  and the second resilient element  33  are not moved and compressed, maintaining the water stop member  40  in the water sealing condition to ensure no water leaking through the water passage  121  of the main body  10  will occur. If the user does not further depress the depression bar  21  and instead releases the depression bar  21 , due to the removal of the depression force, the depression bar  21  is returned to the original position by the spring force of the first resilient element  32  to resume the close-loop configuration where the depression bar  21  engages the hanger  14 , so as to prevent the water jar  90  from falling off the location where it is hanged. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , after the depression bar  21  has been depressed through the first stroke, if the depression bar  21  is further depressed to travel through the second stroke, then the second resilient element  33  will be compressed and potential energy is built up to provide a returning spring force, and also, the link  22  and the carrier  23  are caused to depress down the rod  31  to lower the rod  31 . Under this condition, the water stop member  40 , due to the right side limb thereof (as viewed in  FIG. 8 ) being fixed, exhibits resiliency, which allows the water sealing section  43  on the left side limb of the water stop member  40  to separate from the water passage  121 , so that water can be poured out of the water jar  90  for consuming by a user (see  FIG. 9 ). When the depression bar  21  is no longer held down and is released, due to the removal of the depression force, the depression bar  21  is returned back to the original position by the spring forces of the first and second resilient elements  32 ,  33 . 
     To conclude, the present invention provides an arrangement of a depression bar device, a resiliency device, and a water stop member to effect a two stage operation of discharge and stop of water, whereby the water jar  90  can be readily hanged or picked up for use for easy drinking of the liquid contained therein. 
     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.