Abstract:
A disposable sealed drink container suitable for use by a child to imbibe liquids and possessing a shape and size adapted for use in conventional drink dispensing machines including aluminum can vending machines and plastic bottle vending machines. The container includes a sealed impermeable vessel to suitable for containing a beverage, an extended spout designed to resist leakage when tipped and allow fluid to flow when suction is applied, and a protective cap.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This invention relates to containers that are specially adapted for use in can and bottle drink vending machines that enable dispensing of a child&#39;s disposable drinking cup containing beverage and possessing an extended mouthpiece that resists fluid flow when inverted, but allows adequate flow when suction is applied. 
         [0002]    Children&#39;s cups possessing an extended spout for placing in the child&#39;s mouth and drinking from, commonly referred to as “sippy cups” and “sipper cups,” have provided a convenient method of providing beverage to children while reducing spills associated with a young person&#39;s lack of motor skills. Sippy cups possess an extended spout that can be placed in a child&#39;s mouth. The spouts generally restrict fluid flow if the cup is inverted by means of valves and/or possessing small apertures through which the fluid must flow. When suction is applied the resistance to fluid flow is reduced allowing the child to drink. 
         [0003]    Vending machines do not currently dispense drinks contained in drinking bottles or cans suitable for young children. When running errands, caretakers have to pack drinks and bottles for their children. If the young child needs a drink or bottle and the caretaker has not packed any, the caretaker has to sit and hold the cup for the young child, go into a store for a bottle, or even stop the errands altogether and go home. 
         [0004]    Present drink vending machines carry beverages and juices, but the cans and bottles presently available in such vending machines do not sufficiently restrict the flow of liquid to prevent spills if the bottle is inverted. The openings of such bottles and cans are also awkward for a small child to drink from. 
         [0005]    Present sipper cups, while better capable of reducing spills and more biometrically suited for small children than cans or current drink bottles, are not readily adaptable for use in conventional drink vending machines such that a drink machine service company could easily add such a product to a vending machine&#39;s inventory for caretaker&#39;s to conveniently purchase. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Provided is a disposable drinking container suitable for use by a child and adapted to be dispensed from a drink vending machine. The container includes a vessel containing a liquid beverage, a releasable seal attached to the top of the vessel containing the liquid, the vessel having an upper portion having an extended spout, and a removable cap. The container is an appropriate shape and size for dispensing from a vending machine. The shape of the product allows for its use in conventional drink dispensing machines used in theme parks, shopping centers, restaurants and the like including aluminum can dispensing machines and plastic and glass bottle dispensing machines. Ideally the drinking container is lightweight and biodegradable. A releasably attached safety seal protects the contents of the container until the child is ready to consume its contents. 
         [0007]    The extended spout contains an aperture or apertures to allow fluid to flow when suction is applied but resists fluid flow when the cup is inverted. Such function may be accomplished by any means known to those in the art including appropriate selection of the aperture dimensions and employment of valves. The extended spout is dimensioned to comfortably fit in a child&#39;s mouth. The content of the vessel is contained by a safety seal releasably attached to the top of the vessel. The extended spout and safety seal are protected by a removable cap releasably attached to the vessel. In the preferred embodiment of the container, the cap is threadably attached to the vessel and secured with a tamper evident seal extending around the circumference of the interface between the cap and the vessel. 
         [0008]    Typically, a child&#39;s caretaker will purchase the container for the child from a convenient vending machine. The parent then will remove and discard the cap and safety seal. The caretaker then will attach the upper portion of the vessel to the lower portion of the vessel and hand the assembled vessel to the child. The child may then insert the extended spout in his or her mouth, invert the vessel, and suck the beverage from the vessel. The parent will then be able continue with their errands or drive with knowledge that the vessel will reduce or eliminate spills in the event the child was to tip or drop the drink. 
         [0009]    A drink machine service company will be able to add vendible sippy cup products to the available selections on a standard drink machine without the need to invest in new equipment. Such an expansion of their product lines will expand their customer base by attracting caretakers of young children. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The preferred construction of the invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective of the container possessing the shape and size of a standard 20-ounce drink bottle; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the container shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the container possessing the shape and size of a standard 12-ounce drink can; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a vertical section of the container shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the container shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a vertical section of a drink container with a snap on sippy closure having a hinged seal cap, and 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective of the closure shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    As illustrated in the accompanying drawings a disposable drinking container is shown for containing a liquid beverage, suitable for use by a child and adapted to be dispensed from a drink vending machine or equally convenient for a caretaker, may be purchased free standing at any number of locations such as convenience stores, theme parks or restaurants. The container is generally constructed from a resilient polymer based material suitable for use as a beverage container. In the preferred embodiment, the components will be of a biodegradable and/or recyclable material. Other materials may be used, including metal, paper, cardboard, and expanded polymers.  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention with a shape of a standard 20-ounce drink bottle  11 . The outside surface the assembled container  11  approximately defines a surface of revolution about a vertical axis  13 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the container  11  which has a vessel includes an upper portion  41  snap fit onto a lower portion  21 . The container  11  also includes a safety seal  31 , a cap  61 , and a tamper evident seal  71 . The lower portion  21  possesses an opening  25  and an annular rim  23 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the lower portion  21  has external threads  27  possessing a minor diameter greater than the outside diameter of the upper portion  41 , thereby enabling cap  61 , possessing internal threads  63  dimensioned to mate with the external threads  27 , to fit over the rim  23 . Thus there is no interference between the internal threads  63  and the upper portion  41  when the cap  61  is removably secured to the lower portion  21  or removed therefrom. The tamper evident seal  71 , may or may not be present around the circumference of the container  11  covering the joint between the cap  61  and the vessel  21 ,  41  where, if present, would be irreparably damaged upon removal of the cap  61 . 
         [0020]    The upper portion  41  possesses an extended spout  43  adapted to be placed comfortably within a child&#39;s mouth. The extended spout  43  possesses at least one aperture  45  adapted to resist flow of liquid when the vessel  21 ,  41  is tipped or dropped, but allow flow of liquid when suction is applied, such as when the extended spout  43  is placed within a child&#39;s mouth and the child is sucking. The vessel  21 ,  41  may also have a vent aperture  47  adapted to allow air to flow into the vessel  21 ,  41 , but resist the flow of fluid out of the vessel  21 ,  41  when tipped or dropped. The apertures  45 ,  47  may possess one or more valves adapted to resist fluid flow out of the vessel  21 ,  41  when dropped or tipped, but allow fluid to flow when suction is applied to the extended spout  43 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  shows another embodiment of the invention wherein the outside surface of the container  111  possesses the size and shape of a standard 12-ounce drink can. The container  111  includes a lower portion  121  connected to a cap  161 , and a removably secured tamper evident seal  71 .  FIG. 4  shows a vertical section of the container  111  further illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention filled with a liquid  5 , such as a fruit juice, juice cocktail, or milk, and ready for distribution in a standard drink can vending machine. Seal  31  may be constructed from but is not limited to a polymer, metallic foil, or a combination thereof, and is releasably attached to the rim  23  of the vessel  121 ,  41  preferably in a manner that would prevent resealing of the safety seal  31  to the rim  23 . The tamper evident seal  71  is releasably attached to the container  111  such that removal of the cap  161  from the vessel  121 ,  41  would destroy, permanently deform, or break the tamper evident seal  71 .  FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         [0022]      FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate a plastic container  171  dispensable by present day vending machines which has a cylindrical drink containing lower portion or cup  172  and a one piece snap-on top portion  173 . The top portion  173  includes a lid  174  having a snap-on fit with the lower portion  172  and a cap  176  hinged to and interconnected with the lid  174  by a narrow flexible web  177 . The web  177  fits in a slot  181  in the side wall  182  of the cap  176  so that in the closed position of the cap  176  shown in  FIG. 6 , the web  177  aligns with and does not extend radially outward beyond the cylindrical side wall  182  of the cap  176 . The lid  174  has an upstanding sippy or drinking spout  186  with an orfice  187  at its upper end. An annular ridge  188  extends radially outward from the spout  186  near its upper end and present a radially outward facing sealing surface. The lid also has an upstanding vent  191  with an orifice  192  and a radially outward annular ridge  193 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the cap  176  includes downwardly extending cylindrical connectors  196 ,  197 , each of which have a radially inward facing sealing surface. The connectors  196 ,  197  have a snap-on sealing fit with the sippy spout  186  and the vent  191 , respectively, when the cap  176  is in its illustrated closed position. A tamper evident seal  199  completes the sealing of the illustrated sippy drink container. 
         [0023]    It is understood that the vessel  21 ,  41  or  121 ,  41  may be filled with the beverage  5  and sealed with the safety seal  31 . When dispensed the vessel is in an assembled condition as shown by  FIG. 1  or  3 . Upon being dispensed from a standard drink bottle or can vending machine, the caretaker of a small child breaks and discards the tamper evident seal  71  and removes the cap  61  or  161 . The caretaker then unsnaps the upper portion  41  from the lower portion  21  or  121  and lifts pull tab  33  connected to safety seal  31  creating an opening. The caretaker then may discard the safety seal  31 . The caretaker then re-secures the upper portion  41  to the rim  23  of the lower portion  21  or  121  and gives the child the reassembled vessel  21 ,  41  or  121 ,  41  for drinking. Upon completion of consumption of the beverage, the components of the container  11  or  111  may be discarded, recycled, or cleaned and reused by the caretaker. 
         [0024]    It should be understand that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.