Patent Publication Number: US-7712622-B2

Title: Child&#39;s drinking cup

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention is directed toward a drinking cup and more particularly, toward a drinking cup that teaches a child how to drink properly from a cup without spilling the contents thereof. 
   BACKGROUND ART 
   When first learning how to drink from a cup, toddlers begin by continuing to use the sucking action they associate with a nipple. Toddler cups are available and are often referred to as “sippy” cups. These cups generally have a lid with a spout extending upwardly therefrom. They also frequently have some type of valve mechanism associated with the cup that is in fluid communication with the inside of the cup and prevents the child from spilling the liquid contained within the cup when the cup is inverted or is horizontal. The child must suck on the spout in order to obtain any of the liquid contained within the cup. While such cups aid the child in moving forward in his or her development toward using a cup from which to drink, these cups do not aid a child to develop the ability to drink from a typical cup, that is, a cup that does not require a sucking action. 
   In the next stage of the child&#39;s development, he or she begins to learn how to drink from a cup without using a sucking action. U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,992 to Berger et al. discloses a tumbler that seeks to aid a child to use a cup without the sucking action and helps to limit spills. The tumbler includes a recessed lid and an opening formed between the lid and the rim of the tumbler. In order to use the device, a child must place his or her mouth directly over the opening. Should the child place his or her mouth over any other portion of the rim of the tumbler, liquid will spill out of the opening and the child will not be able to drink. 
   Therefore, a need exists for a drinking cup that may be used by a child that will teach the child to drink properly from a cup without using a sucking action and that will help to prevent spills while allowing the child to drink freely from the cup. 
   DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. It is an object of the present invention to provide a drinking cup that teaches a child how to drink properly from a cup. 
   It is another object of the present invention is to provide a drinking cup that prevents spills while teaching a child to drink from the cup. 
   In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a drinking cup that includes an elongated, generally cylindrical housing for holding a liquid. The housing has an inside surface, an outside surface, and a bottom. Also included is an elongated, generally cylindrical insert with an inner surface and an outer surface where the insert fits within the housing and has means for providing an annular space between the outer surface of the insert and the inside surface and the bottom of the housing. The cup further includes a cap removably mounted to the housing. The annular space receives any liquid flowing between the inner surface of the insert and the outer surface of the insert. The cap has a recessed bottom within which a plurality of openings are formed. The openings are in fluid communication with the annular space formed between the insert and the housing. The space providing means of the insert includes a plurality of tabs located on the outer surface of the insert and a plurality of feet extending downwardly from the bottom of the insert. The cap may be removably mounted to the housing by screw threads formed on the cap and the housing. 
   In a second embodiment, the cap and the insert may be molded as one piece and the inner surface of the insert tapers. An annular space is formed between the outer surface of the insert and the inside surface and the bottom of the housing. The bottom of the insert is open and is spaced above the bottom of the housing allowing fluid to flow into the annular space. Screw threads are located adjacent the top of the insert that mate with screw thread formed adjacent the top of the housing. Openings are located in the cap as in the first embodiment so that the cup may be used in the same manner. 
   Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings forms that are presently preferred; it being understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. 
       FIG. 1  is a top front perspective view of the cup of the present invention in a fully assembled form; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the cup of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the cup of the present invention taken through line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the cup of the present invention taken through line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the cup of the present invention taken through line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a partial cross-sectional view of the cup of the present invention taken through line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the cup of the present invention similar to  FIG. 3  but with liquid therein; 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the cup of the present invention similar to  FIG. 7  but showing the cup in an inverted position; 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the cup of the present invention similar to  FIGS. 7 and 8  but showing the cup in a horizontal position; 
       FIG. 10  is a front perspective view of a portion of a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view taken through line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10 ; and 
       FIG. 12  is cross-sectional view of the cup of the second embodiment of the present invention in a horizontal position. 
   

   BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals have been used throughout the various figures to designate like elements, there is shown in  FIG. 1  a drinking cup constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and designated generally as  10 . 
   The cup  10  of the present invention essentially includes three main parts. The first is an elongated, generally cylindrical outer housing  12  for holding a liquid  14 , the housing  12  has an inside surface  16 , an outside surface  18 , and a bottom  20 . The cup  10  further includes an elongated, generally cylindrical insert  22  with an inner surface or wall  24  and an outer surface or wall  26  where the insert  22  fits within the housing  12 . The insert  22  is slightly smaller in diameter than the outer housing  12  so as to provide an annular space  28  between the outer surface  26  of the insert  22  and the inside surface  16  of the outer housing  12 . In addition, the main portion of the insert  22  is slightly shorter than the outer housing so that the bottom edge of the insert  22  is slightly above the bottom wall  20  of the housing and a space is left therebetween. The third main component of the cup  10  is a cap  30  which is removably mounted to the housing  12 . (See  FIG. 3 .) 
   In order to maintain the space  28  between the insert  22  and the housing  12 , the insert  22  is provided with a plurality of tabs  32   a  and  32   b , for example, located on the outer surface  26  of the insert  22 . The insert  22  also includes a plurality of feet  34   a  and  34   b , for example, extending downwardly from the bottom of the insert  22 . (See  FIG. 2 .) These feet maintain the space between the main portion of the insert  22  and the bottom wall  20  of the housing  12 . When the insert  22  is placed within the housing  12  the tabs  32   a  and  32   b  and feet  34   a  and  34   b  allow for fluid communication between the insert  22  and the housing  12 . (See  FIG. 7 .) The annular space  28  receives any liquid flowing between the inner surface  24 , or the inside, of the insert  22  and the outer surface  26 , or the outside, of the insert  22 . 
   The cap  30  has a plurality of openings  36   a - 36   h  formed around the periphery of the bottom wall  38  of the cap  30 . The openings are in fluid communication with the annular space  28  formed between the insert  22  and the housing  12 . (See  FIG. 4 .) The cap  30  is removably mounted to the housing  12  by means of screw threads  40 , for example, formed on the cap  30  and complementary screw threads  42  formed on the housing  12 . (See  FIG. 6 .) As best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the upper edge  44  of the insert  22  seals against the bottom surface  46  of the cap wall  38  when the cap is screwed into place. 
   In order to use the drinking cup of the present invention, the cap  30  is removed from the housing  12  and liquid  14  is poured into the cup. The cap  30  may then be replaced onto the housing  12  and secured thereto. When a child desires to drink from the cup, he or she must tilt the cup onto its side such as shown in  FIG. 9  so that the liquid  14  will flow from the inside surface  24  of the insert  22 , through the annular space  28  formed between the insert  22  and the housing  12 , through any of the openings located in the cap  30 , and into his or her mouth. Obviously, if the child does not tilt the cup enough, the liquid will not flown the cup. Furthermore, if the cup is completely inverted, such as shown in  FIG. 8 , the small amount of liquid that was in the annular space  28  will exit but flow will then stop as the remaining liquid will simply rest on the inside of the wall  38  of the cap  30  and will remain within the interior of the insert  22 . 
   It should also be noted that the wall  38  of the cap  30  is bowed so as to be higher at the center than at the periphery. As a result, any liquid within the cap  30  that remains after the child drinks flows back down through the holes  36   a - h  into the annular space  28 . 
   A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 10-12 . The cup  110  of the second embodiment functions in a manner similar to the cup of the first embodiment but differs as discussed below. 
   In this embodiment the cap  130  and the insert  122  may be molded as one piece. An annular space  128  is formed between the outer surface  126  of the insert  122  and the inside surface  116  of the housing  112 . The bottom  123  of the insert  122  is open and is spaced above the bottom  120  of the housing  112  creating an opening into the annular space  128 . (See  FIG. 12 .) To aid in the flow of liquid toward the bottom of the insert and into the annular space, the inner surface  124  of the insert  122  is tapered. (See  FIG. 11 .) Screw threads  140  are located on the cap  130  adjacent the top of the insert  122  that mate with screw threads formed adjacent the top of the housing  112 . The cap  130  and insert  122  are removably mounted to the housing  112  by means of the screw threads. 
   In this embodiment as in the first embodiment, the cap  130  has a plurality of openings  136   a - 136   f  formed around the periphery of the bottom wall  138  of the cap  130 . (See  FIG. 10 .) The openings are in fluid communication with the annular space  128  formed between the insert  122  and the housing  112 . (See  FIG. 12 .) 
   In order to use the drinking cup, the cap  130  and insert  122  are removed from the housing  112  and liquid  114  is poured into the cup. The cap  130  and insert  122  are then replaced onto the housing  112  and secured thereto. When a child desires to drink from the cup, he or she must tilt the cup onto its side such as shown in  FIG. 12  so that the liquid  114  will flow from the inner surface  124  of the insert  122 , through the annular space  128  formed between the insert  122  and the housing  112 , through any of the openings located in the cap  130 , and into his or her mouth. If the child does not tilt the cup enough, the liquid will not flown the cup. Furthermore, if the cup is completely inverted, the small amount of liquid that was in the annular space  128  will exit but flow will then stop as the remaining liquid will simply rest on the inside of the wall  138  of the cap  130  and will remain within the interior of the insert  122 . As a result, the child learns to hold the cup at the appropriate angle for liquid to properly flow. 
   The present invention allows a child to learn how to drink from a cup without spilling and without using a sucking action. Also, if the cup is inadvertently inverted, minimal spillage will occur. The present invention allows a child to develop a real sense of drinking from a cup. 
   The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention. By way of example and not limitation, the cap, “insert” and the major portion of the housing can be molded or otherwise formed as one piece. With such an arrangement, the bottom wall of the housing could then be removable in order to fill the cup with liquid.