Patent Publication Number: US-5427271-A

Title: Canteen with a spring biased valve actuated by a push button

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is concerned with a canteen which may conveniently be carried on camping trips, picnics, games and the like; and which may be filled, for example, with water, lemonade, or other drinks or liquids. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The canteen of the invention comprises a flip-up cap pivotally mounted on the head of the canteen and which may be opened freely by pushing a button on the side of the head. The top of the head has a peripheral rim which defines a drinking area that is enclosed by the cap, the cap maintaining the drinking area clean and sanitary. A drinking hole is formed in the head at the bottom of the drinking area, and the drinking hole is normally held closed by a plunger. When the push-button is actuated to flip up the cap, it also causes the plunger to move away from the drinking hole. Accordingly, the simple operation of actuating the push-button first causes the cap to flip up to an open position and also causes the drinking hole to open so that the contents of the canteen may be drunk from the drinking area. 
     The plunger is part of a spring-loaded plunger subassembly which is removably mounted within the head, and is easily removed to facilitate easy and thorough cleaning of the subassembly and of the interior of the head. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a canteen representing one embodiment of the invention with its cap in a closed position; 
     FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with the canteen turned ninety degrees on its longitudinal axis; 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the canteen, likewise with its cap closed; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view taken from the top of the canteen and showing the cap in an open position; 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the head of the canteen showing the plunger subassembly in place, and releasably supported by a mounting member which, in turn, is secured to the underside of the head; 
     FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5, but with the plunger subassembly removed; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the removable plunger subassembly; 
     FIG. 8 is a side section of the head, when the cap is in its closed position, and illustrating various mechanisms for coupling the push-button to the plunger subassembly and to the head; and 
     FIG. 9 is a section like FIG. 8, but with the cap flipped up to its open position, and with the plunger displaced from the drinking hole to open the drinking hole. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
     The canteen shown in FIGS. 1-4 includes a cylindrical drink container having an open top and a closed bottom, and the canteen further including a head 12 which is threaded to the open top of container 10. The canteen may conveniently carried by a flexible shoulder strap 14 which is pivotally attached to the upper rim of container 10. 
     A flip-up cap 16 is pivotally mounted on head 12, and when the cap is in the closed position of FIGS. 1-3, it is latched in that position, as will be described. A push-button 18 is mounted on the side of head 12, and when the push-button is actuated it releases the cap 16 and causes it to flip up to its open position of FIG. 4. A peripheral rim on the top of head 12 forms a drinking area 20, the drinking area being covered by cap 16, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, when the cap is closed (FIG. 8) to keep the drinking area in a sanitary condition. As shown in FIG. 9, the upper rim around the drinking area is canted to facilitate drinking. 
     A drinking hole 22 is formed in the bottom of the drinking area. The hole 22 is closed by a plunger 24 when the cap is closed, as shown in FIG. 8. The drinking hole is opened when the cap is flipped up to its open position (FIG. 9) by actuation of push-button 18, and the plunger 24 is held away from the drinking hole to open the drinking hole when the push-button is held in a fully-depressed position. As mentioned above, the contents of the canteen may now be drunk through the drinking hole and by way of the drinking area 20. At any time, the drinking hole 22 may be closed by plunger 24 by releasing push-button 18, and cap 16 may be returned to its closed and latched position of FIG. 8. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, the subassembly 26 which includes plunger 24 is releasably mounted on the underside of head 12 by a holder 28. This permits the subassembly 26 (FIG. 7) and the underside of head 12 (FIG. 6) to be easily removed from the head for cleaning purposes. Holder 28 is mounted on the underside of head 12 by a screw 28a. Holder 28 includes a U-shaped latch 28b which releasably holds the plunger subassembly 26 in place. The plunger subassembly may be removed merely by squeezing the two arms of latch 28b together. 
     As best shown in FIG. 7, subassembly 26 includes a plastic bottom plate 26a and a plastic top plate 26b. The plastic top plate is slidable on plastic posts 26c which are molded to the bottom plate. Plunger 24 is mounted on the top plate 26b and is slidable with the top plate against the bias of a spring 24b. A screw 24c is threaded to the lower end of a post. 24d which extends coaxially through the spring to the plunger 24, the screw acting as a stop. 
     Push-button 18 engages a push-rod 30 which is biased by a spring 32, and which is attached to a cam 34. When the push-button 18 is actuated, cam 34 engages the top plate 26b of the subassembly 26 and causes the top plate 26b to slide on posts 26c against the bias of spring 24b to move plunger 24 away from the drinking hole 22 (FIG. 9). This causes the drinking hole to be opened. Also, as shown in FIG. 8, a latch 16a on top 16 engages a latch 18a. When the push-button 18 is actuated from the position of FIG. 8 to the position of FIG. 9, it moves latch 18a, releasing latch 16a. At the same time, a projection 18b attached to the push-button 18 engages a projection 16c on top 16 to flip up the top of position of FIG. 9. 
     The invention provides, therefore, an improved canteen which includes a flip-up cap that can be opened by actuating a push-button on the side of the head of the canteen. The flip-up cap, when closed, keeps the drinking area on the top of the head in a clean and sanitary condition. The push-button also serves to open a drinking hole in the bottom of the drinking area when it is actuated to its full extent and held in that position. When the push-button is released, a plunger mechanism closes the drinking hole tightly and holds it from leaking. The plunger mechanism is a separate piece to make it easy to wash thoroughly. After washing, the plunger mechanism may be snapped back into place on a holder mounted on the underside of the head. The drinking area is surrounded by a rim which is specially shaped to facilitate drinking from the canteen. 
     It will be appreciated that while a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, modifications may be made. It is intended in the claims to cover all such modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.