Abstract:
A beverage server comprises a container having a top, a bottom, and side walls joined so as to form a water-tight vessel. The container has a fill opening in the top thereof that provides access to the interior of the container. The container also has a spout formed through a side wall of the container and opening onto the fill opening formed into the top and a handle connected to a side wall of the container opposite the spout. A lid having a top with a skirt wall depending downwardly therefrom is constructed and arranged to be received within the fill opening of the container. The skirt wall has a pour opening formed therethrough that may be aligned with the spout formed through the sidewall of the container to allow liquids to be poured from the beverage server. The lid is rotatable between three positions: a first, open/close position; a second, closed position; and a third, pouring position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/311,440 filed May 14, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,364 and entitled Passenger Beverage Server. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a beverage server that is ideally suited for airline use or to use in situations where a server must be moved a great deal. More specifically, the present invention relates to a beverage server having a three-position lid that, depending on which position the lid is in, can be removed for filing or cleaning of the server, can be closed to conserve liquids within the server, or can be opened to pour beverages from the server. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Pouring beverages during a flight present unique problems. Aircraft often encounter areas of vary air pressure that act on the plane to produce abrupt elevation changes. These pressure differences, or turbulence, result in a bumpy ride for the passengers of the airplane and make it difficult to pour beverages such as coffee or tea that are typically packaged in individual containers. Furthermore, turbulence could actually tip over containers that are resting on a cart&#39;s surface. 
     Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stable beverage server having a low center of gravity and therefore relatively resistant to tipping over. It is another object of the invention to provide a beverage server having a lid that is easily in place and removed yet remains securely in place on the beverage server. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide a lid for a beverage server that can selectively open or close a pour spout in the beverage server so as to prevent accidental spills. 
     These and other objectives and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A beverage server that meets the objectives of the present invention comprises a container having a top, a bottom, and side walls that are joined so as to form a water-tight vessel. The container has a fill opening in the top thereof that provides access to the interior of the container. A spout is formed through a side wall of the container and opens onto the fill opening formed into the top of the container. A handle is connected to a side wall of the container for manipulating the server. A lid having a top with a skirt wall depending downwardly therefrom is constructed and arranged to be received within the fill opening of the container. The skirt wall will preferably form a water resistant seal with the fill opening of the container. 
     This skirt wall has a pour opening formed therethrough that may be aligned with the spout formed through the sidewall of the container to allow liquids to be poured from the beverage server. The pour opening preferably has a plurality of ribs formed thereacross that prevent objects such as ice cubes and tea bags from entering the inner passage of the spout. 
     The lid is rotatable between three positions. The first position of the lid is one in which the skirt wall of the lid may be inserted into and removed from the fill opening. The second position of the lid is one in which the skirt wall of the lid is securely retained in the fill opening of the container and wherein the pour opening of the skirt wall is rotated out of alignment with the spout so as to prevent liquids from exiting the container The third position of the lid is one in which the skirt wall is securely retained within the fill opening of the container and wherein the pour opening of the skirt wall is rotated into alignment with the spout so that liquids may be poured from the container. It is preferable to arrange a handle upon the lid so that when the lid is in its third position, the lid handle is aligned between the spout and the handle. This provides an easy see indication of the position of the lid. The lid will typically rotate between 45 and 90 degrees between its first and third positions. However in the preferred embodiment of the invention the lid will rotate approximately 45 degrees between its first and third positions. 
     The skirt wall of the lid and the wall of the fill opening have cooperating thread structures formed therein that are constructed and arranged to allow the skirt wall of the lid to be removed and inserted into the fill opening when the lid is rotated into its first position and wherein the skirt wall of the lid is securely retained within fill opening when the lid is rotated into its second and third positions. These thread structures preferably take the form of mating male and female threads. The male and female threads of the thread structures may be formed into either the lid or the fill opening of the container as desired. In addition, the pitch of the threads of the thread structures will be relatively shallow and will preferably be angled at approximately zero degrees. 
     A protrusion extending from the skirt wall of the lid is constructed and arranged to engage a plurality of detents formed into the fill opening of the container. The interaction of the protrusion and the detents acts to define and positively locate the lid in each of its three positions. Note that the protrusion and the detents may be interchangeably formed in either the lid or the fill opening. 
     In order to provide for a substantially consistent flow rate of liquids from the server, the lid is provided with an air vent. This air vent is sized relative to the spout such that a substantially consistent flow rate of between 1.5 and 3 ounces of fluid per second may be poured from the spout without regard for the quantity of fluid contained within the server. Preferably the vent and spout will be sized to provide a substantially consistent flow rate of approximately 2 ounces per second. One embodiment of the air vent may include a pointer that is rotatable between a plurality of positions that respectively indicate the type of liquid that is within the container. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a beverage server having a lid constructed and arranged according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the beverage server; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial cross-section of the upper portion of the beverage server having a lid constructed and arranged according the principles of the present invention received in a fill opening thereof; 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of a lid constructed according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the beverage server having received within a fill opening thereof a three position lid of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the beverage server illustrating the fill opening thereof wherein the female thread portions are arranged in a left-handed orientation; 
     FIG. 7 is a front elevation of the lid of the beverage server showing the pour opening thereof; and, 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the fill opening of the beverage server illustrating the detents that define the three positions of the lid of the server. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention, which may be embodied in other specific structure. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a beverage server comprising a container  12  having a handle  14  extending from a rear portion of the container  12  and a spout  16  extending from the container  12  near a top portion of the container. The container  12  has a fill opening  18  into which a lid  20  may be inserted. Preferably the container  12  will be insulated so that beverages placed therein will remain hot or cold as the case may be. 
     The fill opening  18  of the server  10  extends downwardly into the top portion  13  of the container  12 . As can be best seen in FIG. 2, fill opening  18  extends downwardly into top  13  and forms a peripheral wall  22  that extends around the fill opening  18 . The peripheral wall  22  of fill opening  18  is sufficiently large, i.e. has a sufficient height, to provide for the application of means for retaining the lid  20  thereto. In addition, spout  16  has an inner passage  24 , which opens through the peripheral wall  22  of the fill opening  18 . 
     Lid  20  essentially comprises a top  26  that is in the preferred embodiment substantially circular in shape. A top handle  28  extends upwardly from the top  26  to provide a user of the server  10  a means whereby to manipulate the lid  20 . Depending downwardly from the underside of the top  26  is a cylindrical skirt  30 . This skirt  30  comprises retaining means that cooperate with retaining means formed into the peripheral wall  22  of the fill opening  18 , a means for maintaining the lid in one of three positions, and a pour opening  32  formed through the skirt  30  that may be positioned to communicate with passage  24  of spout  16 . 
     A vent  27  is formed through the top  26  of lid  20  to permit atmospheric air to enter the container  12  as liquids are poured therefrom through the spout  16 . It has been found that in pouring liquids from an unvented container  12 , it is necessary to increase the angle at which the container  12  is held to maintain a substantially consistent pour rate. This can be difficult to do in the crowded and sometimes turbulent confines of the aisle of an aircraft. Therefore, the vent  27  and the inner passage  24  of the spout  16  are constructed and arranged to permit a standard pour rate of between 1.5 and 3 ounces of liquid per second regardless of how full the container  12  is. More preferably the pour rate will be approximately 2 ounces of liquid per second. By limiting the flow rate of liquid poured from the server  10 , a user of the server  10  maintains more control thereover. This, in turn, results in fewer spills. Note that the vent  27  illustrated in the Figures is a simple hole bored through the lid top  26 . While this is sufficient for the purposes of controlling the flow of liquids from the server  10 , it is preferred to cover or otherwise protect the vent  27 . Such protection may take the form of a grate or a small cover suspended over the vent  27 . Another embodiment of vent  27  may take the form of a pointer for indicating the type of liquid that is within the container  12 . Such a pointer would preferably be mounted on a stem that is rotatively retained within a vent hole  27 . The gaps formed between the stem of the pointer and the vent hole  27  would then act to allow for the entry of air into the container  12 . The pointer would be rotatable between a plurality of positions that correspond to a particular type of liquid. Each of the positions may be further highlighted by forming letter or other indices into the lid top  26 . One example would include indices for regular coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and other liquids. 
     Skirt  30  of lid  20  is retained within the fill opening  18  by cooperative retaining means that preferably comprise a shallow thread structure formed into the skirt  30  of the lid  20  and into the peripheral wall  22  of fill opening  18 . Preferably a female portion of the thread structure is formed into the peripheral wall  22  of fill opening  18  as illustrated in FIG.  1  and the male portion of the thread structure is formed into the skirt  30  of the lid  20 . Note that the pitch or angle of the thread structures will be relatively shallow and may even be flat. This is to allow for rotation of the lid  20  through its three positions. The thread structure may be right or left handed, but, in accord with common usage, is preferably right handed so as to allow lid  20  to be rotated clockwise as it is inserted. 
     The female thread portion  40  illustrated in FIG. 1 is formed within a recess  41  that extends into the peripheral wall  22 . Female threads  42  extend inwardly from the recessed portion  41  of the peripheral wall  22  to a point that is flush or slightly inset from the surface of the peripheral wall  22 . The female threads  42  do not extend entirely across the recess  41  and there exists an open space  43  within recess  41  that permits the insertion of a male thread element  44 . Typically there will be at least two female thread elements  42  formed in the recess  41  though one female thread element  42  may suffice. Preferably, there will exist two female thread portions  40  in the peripheral wall  22  so that the lid  20  may be securely retained within the fill opening  18 . These female thread portions  40  will be substantially identical. 
     Extending outwardly from the wall  30  of lid  20  are male thread portions  44 . As can be seen in FIG. 4, there are two sets of male thread portions  44  provided on the wall  30  of the lid  20 , the number of sets of male thread portions  44  corresponding to the number of female thread portions  40 . These male thread portions  44  comprise one or more male thread elements  45  that are constructed and arranged to mate with the female thread elements  42  to secure the lid  20  within the fill opening  18 . As indicated above, the pitch of the male and female thread elements  45 ,  42  is relatively shallow. The exact pitch of these thread elements will be limited only by the need to rotate the lid between its three positions without becoming too tight to prevent rotation or becoming so loose as to permit unwanted rotation. 
     The skirt  30  of the lid  20  is sized to fit within the fill opening  18  in a relatively close fitting relationship with the peripheral wall  22  of the fill opening  18 . While a water-tight interface between the lid  20  and container  12  may be desirable, that tight a seal is not necessary. As the skirt  30  of lid is inserted into the fill opening  18 , the lid  30  must be rotated such that male thread elements  45  engage the open area  43  of recesses  41  in the peripheral wall  22 . In this manner, the skirt  30  of the lid  20  may be inserted fully into the fill opening  18 . In addition, it is preferred to set the distance from the underside of the lid top  26  to the male thread elements  45  such that the underside of the lid top  26  will contact the upper surface of the container  12  when the lid  20  is placed thereon. Once the skirt  30  of the lid has been fully inserted into the fill opening  18  the user grasps top handle  28  and rotates the lid  20  in such a manner that the male and female threads engage, thereby preventing lid  20  from being pulled from the fill opening  18 . 
     The position of the lid  20  in which the male thread elements  45  are aligned with and inserted into the open areas  43  of the recesses  40  represents a first position of the lid  20 . This is the first, open/close position of the lid  20 . When the lid  20  is in this position, it may be placed onto, or removed from the container  12  for filling or cleaning the container  12 . 
     Skirt  30  is provided with a protrusion  50  that extends outwardly therefrom for the purpose to positively locating the lid  20  in its three positions. This protrusion  50  is sized and positioned upon skirt  30  so as to be received in an open area  53  of a recess  52  formed into the peripheral wall  22  of the fill opening  18  when the lid  20  is in its first, open/close position. 
     Detents  54  and  56  within recess  52  define positions two and three for the three positioned lid  20 . As lid  20  is rotated clockwise from its first, open/close position, protrusion  50  will encounter detent  54 . Because the material from which the lid  20  and fill opening  18  are fashioned is relatively elastic, protrusion  50  may be forced over and past detent  54  to a position in which the protrusion  50  is located between detents  54  and  56 . As the protrusion  50  is moved past detent  54 , female and male thread elements  42  and  45  will engage one another so as to prevent the lid  20  from being pulled from the fill opening  18 . The position of the lid  20  wherein the protrusion  50  is located between detents  54  and  56  is the second, closed position of the lid  20 . Note that in both its first, open/close position and its second, closed position, pour opening  32  is rotated away from the passage  24  of spout  16 . Therefore, in its first and second positions, no fluid within the container  12  may exit the container through the spout  16 . 
     As the lid  20  is rotated clockwise from its second position, protrusion  50  encounters detent  56 . Again, because of the elastic nature of the lid  20  and the fill opening  18 , protrusion  50  may be rotated over and past detent  56  to a third, pour position. In this third, pour position, pour opening  32  is rotated into alignment with the passage  24  of spout  16  such that fluid within the container  12  may be poured therefrom through spout  16 . Note that the male and female thread portions of the lid  20  and fill opening  18  remain securely engaged so that lid  20  may not be removed from the fill opening  18 . 
     Ribs  33  are secured across the pour opening  32  inside skirt  30  of lid  20 . These ribs  33  do not block the flow of liquids from the container  12  but instead prevent solids such as ice, tea bags or the like from being pour from the container  12  when the lid  20  is in its third, pour position. These ribs  33  are not necessary but are preferably a part of lid  20 . 
     Preferably lid  20  will rotate through no more than 90 degrees in moving between its first and third positions although where the male and female thread portions of the lid  20  and fill opening  18  have a flat pitch larger rotations may be possible. More preferably, the lid  20  will rotate no more than 45 degrees between its first and third positions. Essentially, the range of rotation of the lid  20  is dictated by the relative sizes of the pour opening  32  and passage  24  of spout  16 . Where the pour opening  32  and passage  24  are relatively large, the range of rotation of the lid  20  will be correspondingly large so as to prevent the flow of liquids from the container when the lid is in its first and second positions. Note that the lower edge  31  of skirt  30  is sized so as to form a substantially water resistant seal with the lower portion of the fill opening  18 . In this manner, liquids within a server  10  will not likely spill as the liquids within the container  12  will pass into the lid  20  rather than out of the fill opening  18 . Furthermore, when the lid  20  is in its second, closed position, the pour opening  32  will be rotated away from the spout  16  and it will be difficult for liquids to pass through the pour opening  32 , between the skirt  30  and fill opening  18  and out of spout  16 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the server  10  will be only leak resistant, though, as indicated above, the server  10  may be constructed so as to be substantially spill proof. 
     In use a liquid is placed in the container  12  and the lid  20  is placed in the fill opening  18  of the container  12  in its first, open/close position. The user then grasps the lid handle  28  and rotates the lid  20 , preferably clockwise, so that the male and female thread portions of the lid  20  and fill opening  18  engage each other and protrusion  50  is rotated over and past detent  54  until lid  20  is in its second, closed position wherein protrusion  50  is located between detents  54  and  56 . The user will preferably rotate the lid  20  between 22 and 45 degrees to move the lid  20  from its first position to its second position. With lid  20  in its second, closed position, the server  10  may safely be moved or stored as on an airline beverage cart without fear of unwanted spillage. When the user desires to pour a beverage, the user again grasps the lid handle  28  and rotates the lid  20 , again clockwise, such that protrusion  50  moves over and past detent  56  and protrusion  50  is located between  56  and the edge of the recess  52 . Preferably the user will rotate the lid  20  through 22-45 degrees to move the lid  20  from its second, closed position to its third, open position. Also, it is preferred to arrange the lid handle  28  upon the lid  20  such that the lid handle  28  is aligned between spout  16  and handle  14  when the lid  20  is in its third position. This arrangement allows the user to quickly and reliably determine the position of the lid  20  within fill opening  18 . When the user has finished pouring a beverage from the server  10 , the lid  20  will be moved from its third, open position back to its second, closed position so that liquids in the container  12  may not spill. 
     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.