Patent Publication Number: US-9889968-B2

Title: Cup and lid using magnetic-based spill-proof seal

Description:
Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119, the benefit of priority from provisional application 62/154,979, with a filing date of Apr. 30, 2015, is claimed for this non-provisional application. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to travel cups and mugs, and more particularly to a cup and lid that use magnetic force to provide a spill-proof seal. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Travel cups or mugs filled with hot or cold liquids go from home to car, and then on to the office, gym, etc., and vice versa, every day. Regardless of their design, the lid of a travel mug has an opening through which a user drinks. When not being held, these mugs are set down on counters, dashboards, consoles, desks, etc. In general, the surfaces on which a travel cup/mug sits are areas of high activity and/or can be sloped or uneven. As a result, travel cups/mugs are often knocked over. When this occurs, liquid in the cup/mug flows through the lid&#39;s drink opening to create a spill. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cup/mug that will not spill its contents when knocked over. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a cup/mug having a drink opening that remains closed when the cup/mug is upright and when it is knocked over, but opens automatically when one tips the cup/mug to drink therefrom. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious hereinafter in the specification and drawings. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a cup and lid combination includes a liquid-holding container having an open top. A sleeve is disposed about an exterior surface of the container for movement relative to the container. A first magnet is disposed adjacent to the open top of the container for movement relative to the container. A link assembly is coupled to the sleeve and to the first magnet for causing the movement of the sleeve and the movement of the first magnet to be in opposing directions. A drinking lid is disposed on the open top of the container. The drinking lid has a gravity-controlled closure element and a second magnet coupled to the closure element. The first magnet and second magnet are positioned for magnetic interaction to thereby fix a position of the closure element when the sleeve is only subject to the force of gravity. The first magnet and second magnet are positioned for no magnetic interaction when the movement of the sleeve opposes the force of gravity. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the following description of the preferred embodiments and to the drawings, wherein corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded cross-sectional view of a cup and lid combination using a magnetic-based spill-proof seal system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2A  is an isolated schematic view of a sleeve-to-magnet coupling mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2B  is an isolated schematic view of a sleeve-to-magnet coupling mechanism in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2C  is an isolated schematic view of a sleeve-to-magnet coupling mechanism in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a part schematic and part cross-sectional view of a portion of a cup and its lid illustrating the lid&#39;s closure element held in a sealing relationship with the lid&#39;s drink hole using magnetic repulsion in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a part schematic and part cross-sectional view of a portion of a cup and its lid illustrating the lid&#39;s closure element and the cup&#39;s magnet when the cup&#39;s magnet has been moved to a position that permits drinking from the cup. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , the combination of a cup  20  and lid  40  using a magnetic-based spill-proof seal system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown and is referenced generally by numeral  10 . Combination  10  is shown in an exploded view to clearly delineate the features associated with each of cup  20  and lid  40 . The way that these features cooperate to form a spill-proof seal system when lid  40  is coupled to cup  20  will be illustrated and explained later herein. Coupling of lid  40  to the top of cup  20  can be accomplished in a variety of ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     Cup  20  includes a liquid-holding container  22  that can be made from a variety of materials without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, container  22  can be fabricated using materials that provide thermal insulation for a liquid placed therein. Container  22  can also be a variety of shapes and sizes. Container  22  has an open top  22 A and a closed bottom  22 B. Disposed about a portion of the exterior surface of container  22  is an annular sleeve  24  that is also coupled to container  22  in a way that allows a fixed amount of axial travel  26  of sleeve  24  along container  22  as indicated by a two-headed arrow. End points of axial travel  26  can be defined by, for example, a lower stop  22 C and an upper stop  22 D provided on (or integral with) the exterior surface of container  22 . In addition or alternatively, a portion of the inside surface of sleeve  24  could be configured for an indexed relationship with a portion of the outside surface of container  22  (e.g., using tongue-and-groove principles). In terms of a tongue-and-groove indexing scheme, the axial or longitudinal ends of the groove (defined in either in container  22  or sleeve  24 ) define the stops for axial travel  26  of sleeve  24  that will engage a tongue (that is formed on either container  22  or sleeve  24 ). 
     In general, sleeve  24  is disposed over a portion of container  22  that is typically gripped by a user when picking up container  22 . When cup  20  rests on a surface  100  as shown, sleeve  24  is only acted upon by the force of gravity such that sleeve  24  abuts travel stop  22 C and is at its point of axial travel  26  that is closest to closed bottom  22 B. When a user grips sleeve  24  and lifts upward, sleeve  24  travels axially up along container  22  against the force of gravity until sleeve  24  reaches its upward end point of axial travel  26  (e.g., at travel stop  22 D) that is closest to open top  22 A at which point cup  20  is raised off surface  100 . 
     Mounted on or in container  22  near open top  22 A are one or more magnet(s)  28 . For example, magnet(s)  28  can be positioned for sliding axial movement relative to container  22  within a sleeve(s)  22 E defined in the walls of container  22  as shown. By way of an illustrative example, magnet  28  can be a single annular magnetic (i.e., a ring) near open top  22 A. In general, container  22  supports magnet(s)  28  in a way that provides for a fixed amount of axial travel  30  thereof along container  22  as indicated by a two-headed arrow  30 . Axial travel  30  of magnet  28  is controlled by the axial travel  26  of sleeve  24 . In general, axial travel  26  of sleeve  24  towards open top  22 A causes axial travel  30  of magnet  28  towards closed bottom  22 B. Conversely, axial travel  26  of sleeve  24  towards closed bottom  22 B causes axial travel  30  of magnet  28  towards open top  22 A. Accordingly, when cup  20  is resting on surface  10 , sleeve  24  is acted on only by the force of gravity thereby causing sleeve  24  to be at its point along axial travel  26  that is closest to closed bottom  22 B and causing magnet  28  to be at its point along axial travel  30  that is closest to open top  22 A. 
     A sleeve-to-magnet coupling mechanism  32  is provided on or within the side walls of container  22  for the purpose of coupling sleeve  24  to magnet  28 . Coupling mechanism  32  converts the direction of the sleeve&#39;s axial travel  26  into an opposing direction of the magnet&#39;s axial travel  30 . That is, when sleeve  24  moves up and away from closed bottom  22 B, magnet  28  moves down and away from open top  22 A. Conversely, when sleeve  24  moves down towards closed bottom  22 B, magnet  28  moves up towards open top  22 A. 
     A variety of constructions for coupling mechanism  32  could be used to support the above-described opposing axial movements without departing from the scope of the present invention. By way of example, three mechanical coupling mechanisms that support the above-described opposing directions of axial travel  26  and axial travel  30  are illustrated schematically in  FIGS. 2A-2C . In  FIG. 2A , coupling mechanism  32  includes three rods  321 ,  322  and  323  that are linked together via pivot joints or hinges  324  and  325 . More specifically, rod  321  is coupled to sleeve  24  and hingedly coupled to rod  322  at hinge  324 ; rod  323  is coupled to magnet  28  and hingedly coupled to rod  322  at hinge  325 ; and rod  322  is supported via a pivot joint or mount  326  that supports pivot movement as indicated by two-headed arrow  327 . 
     In  FIG. 2B , coupling mechanism  32  includes two rods  331  and  332 , and a rotatable joint  333 . More specifically, rod  331  is coupled to sleeve  24  and pivotally coupled to joint  333  at a pivot  334 ; rod  332  is coupled to magnet  28  and pivotally coupled to joint  333  at a pivot  335 ; and rotatable joint  333  is supported via a pivot mount  336  that supports pivot movement as indicated by two-headed arrow  337 . 
     In  FIG. 2C , coupling mechanism  32  includes a single rod  341  that is pivotally coupled on one end thereof to sleeve  24  at a joint/pivot  342 , and pivotally coupled on the other end thereof to magnet  28  at a joint/pivot  343 . Rod  341  is supported via a pivot mount  344  that supports pivot movement as indicated by two-headed arrow  345 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , lid  40  is the type of lid designed to sip, drink, or pour through. In terms of the present invention, lid  40  has a drink hole  42  that is automatically opened/closed based on the orientation of the lid in accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 8,678,220, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Lid  40  also includes an annular cup interface region  44  that allows lid  40  to be placed on and sealed to open top  22 A. Interface region  44  can define threads, snap-on features, push-to-seal features, etc., that support the coupling of lid  40  to cup  20 . The configuration of interface region  44  and the mating portion of open top  22 A are not limitations of the present invention. 
     The automatic open/close feature of lid  40  disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 8,678,220 is provided by a slidable closure element  46  that is slidably coupled to a canted or sloped region  48  of lid  40 . Briefly, this patent discloses a closure element  46  having a hole  46 A that is not aligned with drink hole  42  when lid  40  is in its upright position (as shown). However, when lid  40  is tipped to a drinking orientation, closure element  46  automatically slides along sloped region  48  until drink hole  42  and hole  46 A are aligned with one another. Briefly, the automatic sliding movement of closure element  46  when lid  40  is tipped is controlled by the force of gravity acting on a weight integrated with or coupled to closure element  46 . In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the weight coupled to closure element  46  is a magnet  50  that experiences magnetic repulsion from magnet  28  when combination  10  is upright on surface  100  or when combination  10  (i.e., lid  40  coupled to cup  20 ) has been knocked over. As will be explained further below, the magnetic repulsion force seals closure element  46  over hole  42  and prevents sliding movement of closure element  46  even when combination  10  is knocked over. However, when combination  10  is lifted by a user gripping sleeve  24 , the magnetic repulsion force is eliminated as upward axial travel  26  of sleeve  24  causes downward axial travel  30  of magnet  28  thereby allowing the weight of magnet  50  to control sliding movement of closure element  46  based on the orientation of lid  40  as described in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 8,678,220. 
     The sealing and spill-proof features of the present invention provided by a magnetic repulsion force are illustrated in  FIG. 3 , whereas the elimination of the magnetic repulsion force is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The north (“N”) and south (“S”) polarities on each of magnet  28  and magnet  50  are shown. It is to be understood that a north-to-north or south-to-south magnetic repulsion could be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. For clarity of illustration, magnets  28  and  50  are shown as single blocks. However, it is to be understood that magnets  28 / 50  could be shaped other than as shown without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, magnets  28 / 50  could be shaped for male-female engagement (e.g., one magnet end is convex and the other magnet end is correspondingly concave) at the same time the repulsion force is in effect to thereby also form a mechanical link between closure element  46  (via magnet  50 ) and magnet  28 . Also, for clarity of illustration, only the exterior wall of container  22  is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , it is assumed that sleeve  24  is not being gripped/lifted by a user such that sleeve  24  is being acted only by the force of gravity whereby sleeve  24  abuts lower stop  22 C and is at its lowest point of axial travel  26  causing magnet  28  to be at its highest point of axial travel  30 . As a result, the north poles of magnets  28  and  50  are in close enough proximity that a magnetic repulsion force F R  pushes closure element  46  up towards sloped region  48 . More specifically, repulsion force F R  pushes closure element  46  against sloped region  48  to thereby keep holes  42  and  46 A in misalignment to effectively seal drink hole  42  when combination  10  is upright (as shown). In addition, if combination  10  is knocked over, sleeve  24  will not move axially by an appreciable amount so that magnetic repulsion force F R  will still operate to seal closure element  46  against sloped region  48  with hole  46 A remaining misaligned with respect to hole  42 . The sealing effect can be enhanced during a “knock over” if magnets  28 / 50  are shaped for male-female engagement as explained above. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , sleeve  24  is assumed to have been gripped by a user and lifted up to overcome the force of gravity such that sleeve  24  attains its highest point of axial travel  26 . As a result, magnet  28  is moved down and away from magnet  50  such that the above-described magnetic repulsion force is eliminated. When this occurs, magnet  50  functions only as a weight thereby allowing lid  40  to operate as described in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 8,678,220. That is, when magnet  50  is functioning solely as a weight, closure element  46  is subject only to the force of gravity and is, therefore, free to automatically control the automatic opening/closing of lid  40  based on the orientation of lid  40  when the user is gripping sleeve  24  and raises combination  10 . At this point, any tipped orientation of lid  40  is purposefully controlled by the user to facilitate drinking or pouring. 
     The advantages of the present invention are numerous. A cup/lid&#39;s drinking hole is only exposed when a user purposefully lifts the cup/lid and purposefully tips same to take a drink or pour out the liquid. At all other times to include when the cup/lid is knocked over, the lid&#39;s closure element is sealed to the lid&#39;s drink hole. 
     Although the invention has been described relative to specific embodiments thereof, there are numerous variations and modifications that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. For example, the magnets could be arranged such that a magnetic attraction force is used to seal the drink hole when the cup/lid are upright on a surface or when the cup/lid has been knocked over. In this type of embodiment, upward movement of the container&#39;s sleeve would remove the magnetic attraction force to thereby allow the lid&#39;s closure element to function as described above. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.