Patent Publication Number: US-8985370-B2

Title: Beverage bottle and lid with back button release

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of prior application Ser. No. 13/483,972, filed May 30, 2012. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure is directed to a drink bottle having an outer lid attached to an inner lid by a hinge, the outer lid held closed by a moveable extension engaging with a notch in the outer lid and openable by actuating a push button that moves the extension out of engagement with the notch, the push button having a push button lock to prevent actuation of either the push button or moveable extension. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Personal beverage bottles are becoming ever more popular and have moved beyond the common beverage bottle packed with a school lunch or in a lunch box. Gyms are tilled with members exercising, and many members bring their own beverage bottles for hydration. Hikers, bikers, walkers, commuters, tourists and many others carry beverage bottles as they go on their way. An increasingly common feature of the beverage bottles is a drink nozzle or spout that offers the ability to drink from the bottle without complete removal of the lid from the bottle. Another feature of some drink bottles is a cover for the drink spout or nozzle to keep the spout or nozzle clean between drinking. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides a beverage bottle with a removable lid wherein the lid has an inner lid with a drink spout and an outer lid or cover that is hinged to selectively cover and seal the drink spout. The outer lid may be latched to the inner lid when in the closed positioned. A push button on the inner lid can be operated, when in an unlocked condition (as will be described in further detail below), to release the latched outer lid, permitting the outer lid to open so as to permit drinking from the drink spout. The push button is mounted on a pivot structure and connected on one side to one end of a lid slide. The other end of the lid slide extends to a portion on the inner lid opposite to the hinge and forms a catch extension that engages with a catch notch in the outer lid to hold or latch the outer lid closed. On pressing on one end of the push button towards the radial center of the bottle, the other end of the push button moves away from the radial center of the bottle and pulls the lid slide with it. The catch extension at the end of the lid slide opposite the push button moves out of engagement from the catch notch in the outer lid, thereby permitting the outer lid to open. A push button lock is mated to the lid slide and is configured to selectively lock the lid slide in place, which inhibits the operation of the push button release by removing the user&#39;s ability to depress the push button, actuate the lid slide, and/or move the catch extension out of engagement with the catch notch in the outer lid. 
     In one embodiment, a lid biasing element causes the outer lid to be moved toward the fully open position. The biasing element may be made of a flexible, resilient material that, after being deformed, moves back into its original shape. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, the lid slide is biased toward a latching position by a deformable portion of the spout that functions as a biasing element so that the catch extension that holds the outer lid in the closed position protrudes into its engagement position except when a release force is exerted on the push button. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top, rear isometric view showing an embodiment of a drink bottle and lid of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a top, front isometric view of an embodiment of a removable lid of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded isometric view of an embodiment of a removable lid of the present disclosure including a separate view of an O-ring spring; 
         FIG. 4  is a back elevation view of an embodiment of a removable lid of the present disclosure, showing a handle, push button, a push button lock in a locked position, and an outer lid in a closed position; 
         FIG. 5  is a back elevation view of an embodiment of a removable lid as shown in  FIG. 4 , showing the push button lock in an unlocked position and the outer lid in an unlatched and partially open position, including section line A-A along which the cross sections of  FIGS. 6 and 9  are taken; 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom, left side isometric view of an embodiment of a removable lid of the present disclosure, having the tower cover and the combined gasket and drink spout removed; 
         FIG. 7  is a right side cross-sectional view of the removable lid of  FIG. 4  having the outer lid in the closed position; 
         FIG. 8  is a top cross-sectional view of the removable lid of  FIG. 4  in the closed position with the push button lock in a locked position including separate views of the locking elements; 
         FIG. 9  is a top cross-sectional view of the removable lid of  FIG. 4  in the closed position with the push button lock in an unlocked position; 
         FIG. 10  is a right side cross-sectional view of the removable lid of  FIG. 4  having the outer lid in the fully open position with the push button in a depressed position, the lid slide actuated, and the catch extension retracted. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various embodiments now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments. However, this invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense. 
     Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The phrase “in one embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. Furthermore, the phrase “in another embodiment” does not necessarily refer to a different embodiment, although it may. Thus, as described below, various embodiments of the invention may be readily combined without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. 
     In addition, as used herein, the term “or” is an inclusive “or” operator, and is equivalent to the term “and/or,” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term “based on” is not exclusive and allows for being based on additional factors not described, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, throughout the specification, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references. The meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on.” 
     Referring first to  FIG. 1 , a beverage bottle  10  includes a bottle body  12  to which is attached a removable lid  14 . The bottle body  12  may be of any suitable material, including metal, plastic, glass, rubber and combinations thereof and may be insulated or un-insulated. In the illustrated embodiment, the bottle body  12  is formed from a plastic or other polymer material, which produces a flexible and/or squeezable bottle body  12 . In an alternate embodiment, the bottle body  12  may be formed of an insulated stainless steel body part on the bottom of which is fastened a plastic or rubber base (not shown). In yet another embodiment, the bottle body  12  may be of a double-walled construction, between which is an evacuated space, forming a so-called vacuum bottle. The removable lid  14  of the present invention may be used on a flexible bottle, as illustrated, or on a rigid bottle. The flexible bottle permits the user to squeeze the bottle to force the beverage from the bottle, while the rigid bottle requires the user to draw the liquid out of the bottle through suction or by pouring the liquid from the bottle. As disclosed above, the bottle body  12  may include a base that provides protection for the bottom of the bottle body  12  as well as providing a relatively wide surface on which the beverage bottle  10  is rested when standing. The base may be constructed of a plastic material, such as polypropylene, although other materials are of course possible. The bottle body  12  may have a smooth or contoured surface that may be provided with patterns, such as by printing, painting, embossing or otherwise. 
     The removable lid  14  may be secured to a mouth (not shown) of the bottle body  12  by a threaded connection, as disclosed in the illustrated embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  6  and  9 . Threads are formed about the mouth (not shown) of the bottle body  12  and complimentary threads  15  are formed within the removable lid  14  so that the lid  14  may be threadably attached to and detached from the bottle body  12 . The bottle body  12  may be a narrow-mouth bottle or a wide-mouth bottle. The removable lid  14  depicted in the drawing figures is configured to be used on a wide-mouth bottle. While the above embodiment discloses threaded structures used to attach the lid  14  to the bottle body  12 , it should not be read to limit the manner in which the lid  14  may be attached to the bottle body  12 . Accordingly, in alternate embodiments, the lid  14  may be attached to the bottle body  12  by alternate attaching or fastening structures, such as a snap-on lid that fits onto a rim on the bottle, a bayonet attachment, or other lid attachment structures. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in one embodiment, the removable lid  14  includes: an outer lid  16 ; an inner lid  18 ; a lid slide  20  disposed within the inner lid  18 ; a push button  22  connected to the lid slide  20  for selectively actuating the lid slide  20 ; a push button lock  24  connected to the lid slide  20  for selectively locking the push button  22  to prevent it from being depressed and to prevent the lid slide  20  from being actuated; and a hinge  26  that connects the outer lid  16  to the inner lid  18 . The removable lid  14  further includes a flexible drink spout  28  that has a gasket  30  disposed at a lower end thereof, the drink spout  28  extending through the inner lid  18  such that the gasket  30  is located internal to the inner lid  18 . A handle  32  may be attached to the inner lid  18  and/or the outer lid  16  to provide a convenient method of carrying the bottle  10  or attaching the bottle  10  to a backpack, gym bag or the like. In one embodiment, the handle  32  is attached about the outer ends of the hinge  26 , thus permitting the handle  32  to be a hinged handle. The handle  32  and outer lid  16  share the hinge  26  so that only one hinge pin need be provided for both elements. 
     Referring further to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the inner lid  18  may be comprised of an upper cover  34  and a lower cover  36 . The upper cover  34  may take many different configurations. In one embodiment, the upper cover  34  is primarily shaped as an upside down cup, having a substantially closed top surface  38 , except for a spout opening  40  disposed therein, and a cylindrical sidewall  42  extending downward from an outer perimeter thereof. The top surface  38  of the upper cover  34  has a decreased diameter, such that a recessed outer peripheral edge  44  is formed around all, or part, of the outer circumference of the top surface  38 . 
     A catch extension opening  48  is formed in an upper portion of the cylindrical side wall  42  that is perpendicular and adjacent to the recessed outer edge  44  of the upper cover  38 . Also disposed in the cylindrical sidewall  42 , located radially opposite to the catch extension opening  48 , is a push button opening  50  (see  FIG. 5 ), which is surrounded at its perimeter by a push button frame  52 . The push button frame  52  serves to aid in properly seating and containing the push button  22  when the removable lid  14  is assembled and protects the button, for example if the bottle is dropped or bumped against an object. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  6 , and  7 , the lower cover  36  of inner lid  18  is located internal to the upper cover  34 , such that a perimeter of an upper surface  56  of the lower cover  36  (see  FIG. 3 ) is seated against and/or mated to the internal bottom surface  58  of the recessed edge  44  (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ), which acts as a stand-off, so as to form a lid slide compartment between the upper cover  34  and the lower cover  36 . This lid slide compartment has the catch extension opening  48  disposed in the sidewall  42  at one side of the compartment and the push button opening  50  (see  FIG. 5 ) disposed in the sidewall  42  at the opposite side. The lower cover  36  includes a lower cover protrusion  60  that extends upward from the upper surface  56  of the lower cover  36  and resides inside the compartment between the upper cover  34  and the lower cover  36 . The lower cover  36  also includes a lower cover spout opening  62  that is aligned with the spout opening  40  in the upper cover  34 . 
     The lid slide  20  is a slider mechanism that is responsible for keeping the outer lid  16  latched closed when the lid is placed in the closed position. The lid slide  20  is located within the lid slide compartment formed between the mated upper and lower covers  34  and  36 , and slidably engages with both the push button opening  50  (see  FIG. 5 ) and the catch extension opening  48  disposed in the upper cover  34 . One end of the lid slide  20  contains a catch extension  64  that slidably engages with the catch extension opening  48 . The opposite end of the lid slide  20  contains a push button engagement extension  66  that slidably engages with the push button opening  50 . Further disposed in the lid slide  20  is a lid slide spout opening  68 , that is generally aligned with the spout openings  40  and  62  in both the upper and lower covers  34  and  36 , and includes a biasing edge  69  protruding inward into the spout opening  68 . The lid slide  20  further includes a bottom recess  73  (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ) disposed in a bottom surface of the lid slide  20  that provides clearance for, and covers, the lower cover protrusion  60  that, when assembled, extends upward from the upper surface  56  of the lower cover  36  and into the lid slide compartment. The lid slide&#39;s bottom recess  73  allows the lid slide  20  to slide over the lower cover protrusion  60  within the slide compartment without making contact with the lower cover protrusion  60 . The lid slide  20  further includes a lock hinge pin  70  disposed in a cylindrical recess  72  located in an upper surface of the lid slide  20 . The lock hinge pin  70  permits the lid slide  20  to hingeably mate with the push button lock  24 . The lid slide also includes a top recess  74  disposed in a top surface of the lid slide  20 , into which the push button lock  24  will be seated when mated thereto, such that the top surface of the push button lock  24  does not protrude much higher, if at all, above the top surface of the lid slide  20 . This will help to ensure that the lid slide  20  and mated push button lock  24  will have a consistently smooth sliding action within the lid slide compartment. The lid slide further includes a lock protrusion opening  75  that creates a passage between the bottom recess  73  and the top recess  74  of the lid slide  20 . 
     The push button  22  is a button that is used to actuate the lid slide  20  to open the outer lid  16 . The push button  22  includes a pivot connection  76  that holds the push button  22  within the push button frame  52  by a pivot pin  78  that is slidably engaged through complimentary holes located in both the frame and pivot connection  76 . Pivot connection  76  and mated pivot pin  78  divide the push button  22  into an upper end  80  and a lower end  82  thereby allowing a rotational rocking movement of the push button  22  around the pivot connection  76 . In this manner, the push button  22  acts as a lever. A slide engagement extension  84  extends from the upper end  80  of the push button  22  and engages with the push button engagement extension  66  located at the end of the lid slide  20 . With the slide engagement extension  84  mated with the push button engagement extension  66  of the lid slide  20 , the push button  22  can pivot about the pivot connection  76  to pull on the push button engagement extension  66  of the lid slide  20 , thereby slidably actuating the lid slide  20 , as well as the extension and retraction of the catch extension  64  from within the catch extension opening  48  located at the opposite end of the lid slide  20 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-9 , in one embodiment, the push button lock  24  is a locking lever that serves to place the push button  22  and the lid slide  20  in either a locked or unlocked condition. The locked condition prevents the push button  22  from being depressed and the catch extension  64  at the end of the lid slide  20  from retracting back into the catch extension opening  48  in the upper cover. The unlocked condition permits a user to depress the push button  22 , thereby actuating the lid slide  20 , and retracting the catch extension  64  back into the catch extension opening  48 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , the push button lock  24  has a knurled thumb switch  86 , a lever arm  88  connected at one end to the thumb switch, a lock hinge cylinder  90  connected to the opposite second end of the lever arm  88 , and a push button lock protrusion  92  disposed on the lever arm between the thumb switch and hinge cylinder and extending downward from the lever arm  88 . The push button lock  24  is mated to the lid slide  20  by the insertion of the lock hinge cylinder  90  over the lock hinge pin  70  disposed on the lid slide  20 , and the insertion of the lock protrusion  92  into the lock protrusion opening  75  in the lid slide  20  (see FIGS.  3  and  6 - 10 ). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  7 , and  10 , the flexible drink spout  28  is the spout through which a user accesses and removes fluids held in the assembled beverage bottle  10 . The spout  28  is formed from a pliable material, such as a food-grade silicon rubber that flexes and bends readily. The flexible drink spout  28  may be comprised of a short drinking tube that extends from an open top end, or mouth  94 , which mouth is located external to the inner lid  18 , through the spout openings  40 ,  62 , and  68  in each of the upper cover  34 , lid slide  20 , and lower cover  36 , and is connected at a bottom open end  96  to the gasket  30 . The gasket  30  is thus located internal to the inner lid  18  and is seated against a bottom surface the lower cover  36 . The diameter of the gasket  30  is approximately the same as that of the lower cover  36  and is otherwise configured to be large enough to cover the mouth of the bottle body  12  to which the removable lid  14  will be attached. The drink spout  28  provides user access to the fluid or beverage held within the interior of body bottle  12 , when the bottle  10  is fully assembled 
     As disclosed previously, the inner lid may further include threads  15  formed within or on the lower interior surface of the sidewall  42 , as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , for mating with complimentary threads (not shown) disposed about the mouth of the bottle body  12 . In one embodiment, referring to  FIGS. 2-7 , the removable lid  14  may also optionally include a drink counter that is comprised of a rotating dial  98  disposed on the exterior surface of the open bottom end of the sidewall  42  of the inner lid  18 . The dial  98  includes a plurality of sequential numbers, beginning with the number “1”, disposed thereon. Adjacent to the rotating dial  98  and disposed on or in the outer surface of the sidewall  42  is a dial indicator  102 , such as a raised or recessed dot, hash mark, or arrow. In alternate embodiments, the dial indicator  102  can also be a marking made with ink, paint, or other applied markings, or any combination of raised protrusions, recesses, or markings. The rotating dial can be rotated such that each number will sequentially align with the dial indicator. The dial is intended to allow users of the bottle  10  to keep track of the number of bottles of fluid they have drank in a given time period, such as the number of bottles of water a user has drank during a given day. However, it is to be understood that alternate configurations of the drink dial are contemplated as being within the scope of this disclosure, such as a drink dial containing markings permitting a user to track the total number of ounces, or other fluid volume measurements, consumed. Further still, in additional alternate embodiments of the inner lid  18  a rotating dial and complimentary indicator, as disclosed above, is not present. Rather, in alternate embodiments the inner lid  18  does not include any drink counter of any type. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 ,  7  and  10 , the outer lid  16 , similar to the inner lid  18 , is generally cup-shaped and has a closed top end and generally cylindrical sidewall(s) extending downward therefrom, ending in the substantially open circumferential lower edge  46  that mates with the recessed edge  44  of the inner lid  18 , when the lid is in a closed position. The outer lid  16  further includes a pair of outer lid hinge tabs  104  disposed on the outer surface of the outer lid  16  and a lid biasing element retention hook  106  extending from an inner surface of the outer lid  16 . Complimentary to the lid hinge tabs  104  is an inner lid hinge barrel  108  that is integrally connected to the top surface  38  of the inner lid  18 . The lid hinge tabs  104  are positioned on either side of hinge barrel  108  and a hinge pin  110  is disposed through a center pin hole in the hinge tabs  104  and the mated hinge barrel  108  to form the lid hinge  26 . In one embodiment, a “U” shaped handle  32  having handle hinge barrels disposed at each end of the “U” shape is positioned such that the handle hinge barrels are generally located on the outsides of the lid hinge tabs  104 . A hinge pin  110  is inserted through the handle hinge barrels, the lid hinge tabs  104 , and the hinge barrel  108 , so as to form the hinge  26  for the lid, as well as a hinged handle. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the outer lid further includes a spout seal  118  for sealing the open mouth  94  of the spout  28  when the outer lid  16  is in a closed position. The shape of the spout seal  118  is complimentary to the shape of the mouth  94  of the spout  30 , such that when the outer lid  16  is closed, the spout seal  118  mates with the mouth  94  of the spout  28 . In one embodiment, the mouth  94  of the spout  28  is circular in shape and the spout seal  118  is in the form of a complimentary-shaped raised circular ring that extends or protrudes from the inner top surface of the outer lid  16  and has an outer side wall that is tapered from the base of the protruding ring toward the center of the ring. The taper permits the protruding end of the spout seal  118  to be guided inside of the mouth of the spout  28  when the outer lid  16  is closed, while the tapered sides of the spout seal  118  apply a force sufficient to provide a liquid tight seal against the internal edges of mouth  94  of the spout  28 , when the spout seal  118  is fully seated upon closing of the outer lid  16 . The compression forces applied to the lid by the spout may cause the lid to open when the latch is released. In addition, the outer lid  16  includes a catch notch  120  that is disposed on the interior surface of the circumferential lower edge  46  near the bottom of the outer lid  16 . Lastly, the outer lid  16  may also include structures (not shown) to help guide the spout  28  such that it will be properly seated against or around the spout seal  118  when closing the outer lid  16 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-5 , the removable lid  14  further includes a lid biasing element  112  that is disposed around the biasing element retention hook  106  on the interior of the outer lid  16 , passes through a pair of outer lid slots  114  disposed in the outer lid  16  between the hinge tabs  104 , passes between each end of the hinge pin  110  and the top surface  38  of the inner lid  18 , and is retained in a biasing element retention slot  116  disposed at the base of the hinge barrel  108  on the inner lid  18 . In its free state, lid biasing element  112  takes the shape of an O-ring and is made of a flexible material that is resilient, such as rubber or silicone, and biases the outer lid  16  toward the fully open position by exerting tension forces on both the retention hook  106  from the outer lid  16  and the retention slot  116  from the inner lid  18 . When the outer lid  16  is in the closed position, the lid biasing element  112  is stretched and bent almost 180-degrees back on itself as it extends from the biasing element retention slot  116  and around the ends of the hinge pin  110  to connect with biasing element retention hook  106 . Since lid biasing element  112  is stretched, it exerts tension forces that cause the outer lid  16  to move toward the open position and to be retained there when the outer lid  16  is unlatched and free to move about the hinge  26 . In alternate embodiments, the lid biasing element  112  may be made of other suitable materials and have other configurations that provide similar functionality. The biasing element  112  may provide the primary force for moving the outer lid  16  to the fully open position, or the outer lid  16  may be moved toward the fully open position by the user and retained there by the biasing element  112 . The force of the biasing element  112  on the outer lid  16  may be easily overcome by the user in order to move the outer lid  16  to the closed position. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  6 , and  7 , to assemble the removable lid  14  the push button lock  24  is mated with the lid slide  20  by inserting the lock protrusion  92  on push button lock  24  into the lock protrusion opening  75  in the lid slide  20 , and mating the lock hinge cylinder  90  of the push button lock  24  with the lock hinge pin  70  on the lid slide  20 . When these two components are mated, the lock protrusion  92  protrudes downward through the protrusion opening  75  in the lid slide  20  and into the bottom recess  73  of the lid slide  20 . Next, the push button  22  is mated with the lid slide  20  by engaging the slide engagement extension  84  on the push button  22  with the push button engagement extension  66  at the end of the lid slide  20 . The assembled lid slide  20 , push button lock  24 , and push button  22  are then assembled into the upper cover  34 , by inserting the end of the lid slide  20  with the catch extension  64  into the push button opening in the sidewall  42  of the upper cover  34  until the catch extension protrudes through the catch extension opening  48  and the push button is fully seated into the push button frame  52 . The pivot pin  78  is then inserted through the push button frame  52  in the upper cover  34  and the push button  22  to hingeably connect them together and prevent the removal of the push button  22 , lid slide  20 , and push button lock  24 . In this condition, the spout openings  40  and  68  in both the lid slide  20  and the upper cover  34  are aligned. 
     Referring Further to  FIGS. 3 and 7 , the lower cover  36  is next inserted into the upper cover  34  from the open bottom end of the upper over  34  such that (1) the lower cover spout opening  62  is aligned with the spout openings  68  and  40  in both the lid slide  20  and the upper cover  34 , and (2) the lower cover protrusion  60  is directed upward and protrudes into the bottom recess  73  of the lid slide  20 . Accordingly, both the lower cover protrusion  60  and the push button lock protrusion  92  now reside in the space defined by the bottom recess  73  in the lid slide  20 . Depending on the positioning of the push button lock  24 , the lower cover protrusion  60  may selectively interfere with the free linear movement of the push button lock protrusion  92  when attempting to depress the push button to slidably actuate the lid slide  20 . The lower cover  36  is further seated in place such that a perimeter of the upper surface  56  of the lower cover  36  is seated against and/or mated to the internal bottom surface  58  of the recessed edge  44  of the upper cover  34 . The properly seated lower cover  36  may be permanently affixed to the upper cover  34  by, for example, sonic welding the lower cover  36  to the upper cover  34 , or other such known techniques. Various seals may also be used to prevent liquids from passing between the various components that form the inner lid  18 . In alternate embodiments, the lower cover  36 , gasket  30 , and spout  28  may be manufactured so as to form a single-piece lower cover  36 . The spout can be installed now or later as described hereinafter. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-5  and  7 , the handle  32  may be optionally mated to the outer lid  16  so that integral guide pins at the ends of the “U” shaped handle are seated inside the hinge tabs  104  of the outer lid  16 . The outer lid hinge tabs  104  are next aligned with each end of the inner lid hinge barrel  108 . The lid biasing element  112  is inserted into the biasing element retention slot  116  at the base of the inner lid hinge barrel  108  of the inner lid  18 , through the outer lid slots  114 , and stretched over the biasing element retention hook  106  in the outer lid  16 . The lid hinge pin  110  is then inserted into the aligned hinge components, such that the biasing element  112  passes between the hinge pin  110  and the top surface  38  of the inner lid  18 . The rotating dial is also snapped in place at the bottom of the inner lid  18 . 
     Lastly, the combined spout  28  and gasket  30  are installed in one of two ways. In a first way, the disk-shaped gasket  30  is folded or rolled and is stuffed from above through the spout openings  40 ,  68 , and  62  in the upper cover, lid slide, and lower cover respectively. Once the gasket  30  is through the spout openings, it is pulled to seat the spout  28  in place and the gasket  30  is flattened within the inner lid so that it is seated against the lower cover  36  to form a seal over the mouth of the bottle. In a second way, the spout  28  is inserted from the open bottom end of the inner lid  18  upwards through the spout openings  62 ,  68 , and  40  of each of the lower cover  36 , the lid slide  20 , and the upper cover  34 , until the gasket  30  is properly seated against the bottom surface of the lower cover  36  and the spout  28  fully extends through the spout opening  40  in the upper cover  34 . With the removable lid fully assembled, a user may proceed to use the bottle  10 . While the above disclosure provides for various steps to assemble the removable lid  14  and bottle  10 , it should be understood the various assembly steps may be performed in a different order than those disclosed above, or fewer or additional assembly steps may be performed, depending on the specific configuration of the removable lid and bottle. 
     In operation, the bottle functions as follows. In one embodiment, with the removable lid  14  in a closed position, the user removes the removable lid  14  from the bottle body  12 , for example, by unscrewing the threads  15  on the inner surface of the sidewall  42  of the lid  14  from the threads disposed on the outer surface of the bottle neck (not shown). After the user fills the bottle with the chosen beverage, the lid  14  is re-attached to the bottle body  12 . When the removable lid  14  is attached to the bottle body  12 , the gasket  52  covers the mouth of the bottle body  12  and is sandwiched between the top surface of the mouth of the bottle and the bottom surface of the lower cover  36  of the removable lid  14  with sufficient force to provide a liquid tight seal between the mouth of the bottle and the gasket  30 . This liquid tight seal prevents fluid from leaking out of the assembled beverage bottle  10  at the mating surfaces of the bottle body  12  and removable lid  14 , and only permits fluid to exit the assembled bottle  10  through the spout  28  when the outer lid  16  is in an open position. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , when the outer lid  16  is in a closed position, a circumferential lower edge  46  of the outer lid  16  mates with the recessed edge  44  on the upper cover  34  of the inner lid  18  so as to shield the top surface  38  of the inner lid  18  from dirt and contamination and to enclose the spout  28  within the interior of the outer lid  16 . Furthermore, in the closed position the outer lid  16  seals the mouth  94  of the spout  28  by mating the spout seal  118  into and against the open mouth  94  of the spout  28 . When the spout seal  118  and mouth  94  of the spout are mated, the inner surface of the mouth  94  of the spout  30  is stretched slightly around the tapered outer surface of the mated spout seal  118 . This ensures that when the outer lid  16  is closed, there is sufficient force between the tapered outer surface of the spout seal  118  and the inner surface of the mouth  94  of the spout  28  to form a liquid tight seal with the mouth  94  of the spout  28 , thus preventing any liquid from escaping from within the bottle  10  while the outer lid  16  is closed. The outer lid is kept in the closed position over the inner lid  18  by the engagement of the catch extension  64 , which is located at the end of the lid slide  20  and generally protrudes from the catch extension opening  48  in the inner lid  18 , with the catch notch  120  disposed in the outer lid  16 . While the illustrated embodiments show a notch in the outer lid and an extension on the end of the lid slide, in alternative embodiments, alternative structures may be utilized for maintaining the lid in a closed position, such as reversing the locations of the notch and extension, or use of other mechanical or magnetic locking mechanisms and features. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  7 - 9 , to open the removable lid  14  and gain access to the beverage contained in the bottle  10 , the push button lock  24  must first be placed into an unlocked position, which in one embodiment corresponds to the thumb switch  86  being rotated to the left side of the push button  22  above the icon depicting an unlocked padlock  122  (see  FIG. 5 ). This in turn rotates the lever arm  88  of the push button lock  24  clockwise (when viewed from in a top-down view) and moves the attached push button lock protrusion  92  out of alignment with the lower cover protrusion  60 , so that when the lid slide is actuated, the push button lock protrusion will slide with the lid slide  20  without making contact with the lower cover protrusion  60  (see  FIG. 9 ) that remains stationary. With the push button lock  24  in the unlocked position, the user is able to push on the lower end  82  of the push button  22  towards the radial center of the removable lid  14 . Pushing on the button  22  rotates the push button  22  about the pivot connection  76  and causes the upper end  80  of the push button  22 , as well as the slide engagement extension  84  extending from the upper end  80  of the push button  22 , to move radially outward. The slide engagement extension  84  on the push button  22  thus pulls on the mated push button engagement extension  84  at the end of the lid slide  20  in the same direction. This motion in turn actuates the lid slide  20 , causing the catch extension  64  disposed at the opposite end of the lid slide  20  (1) to slidably be retracted into the inner lid  18  through the catch extension opening  48 , and (2) to disengage from the catch notch  120  in the outer lid  16 , which releases the outer lid  16  from the closed and latched position so that it may move to the open position. The removable lid is shown in cross section in  FIG. 10  depicting the push button  22  in a depressed condition, the connected lid slide  20  in the slidably actuated and retracted position, and the outer lid  16  shown in the open position. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 10 , generally, the catch extension  64  disposed at an end of the lid slide  20  extends through and protrudes from the catch extension opening  48 , except when the push button  22  is depressed and causes the catch extension  64  to be pulled into catch opening  48 . When the push button  22  is released, the catch extension  64  is automatically biased back into its previous state/position and again protrudes from within the catch extension opening  48 . To achieve the automatic return of the catch extension to its protruding position, the flexible spout  28  that passes through the spout openings  62 ,  68 , and  40  in each of the lower cover  36 , the lid slide  20 , and the upper cover  34  acts as a biasing element on the lid slide, forcing the catch extension on the lid slide to protrude from the catch extension opening in the upper cover. The biasing is achieved as a result of the reactionary force from the side wall of the drink spout  28 , after the sidewall of the spout  28  is depressed slightly inward toward a center of the spout  28  by the biasing edge  69  of the lid slide spout opening  68 . At all times, the biasing edge  69 , which is disposed in the lid slide spout opening  68  nearest the catch extension  64 , applies a slight force against the sidewall of the flexible drink spout  28  passing there through, causing the sidewall to indent inward toward the center of the drink spout at the location of the biasing edge  69 . This in turn causes the sidewall of the spout  28  to apply a force in the opposite direction, back against the biasing edge  69  of the lid slide  20  and toward the catch extension  64  on the lid slide  20  and catch extension opening  48  in the upper cover  34 . Accordingly, in this manner, the spout  28  also acts as a biasing mechanism for the outer lid latching mechanism to keep the catch extension  64  biased to protrude from the catch extension opening  48  without requiring an additional biasing element. Thus, catch extension  64  can be moved out of engagement with the catch notch  120 , but is biased back into its original position by the spout  28  applying a force on the lid slide  20 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  4 , and  7 , when the outer lid is in a closed position, the lid biasing element  112  is stretched around the hinge pin  110  and is at all times under tension, which is in turned transferred to the biasing element retention slot  116  of the inner lid  18  and the biasing element retention hook  106  of the outer lid  16 . When the push button is depressed and the catch extension is disengaged from the catch notch in the outer lid, the tension in the lid biasing element  112 , as applied to both the biasing element retention slot  116  of the inner lid  18  and the biasing element retention hook  106  of the outer lid  16 , causes the outer lid  116  to automatically rotate on its own into an open position, where some of the tension in the lid biasing element  112  is relieved. The outer lid  16  may be held in this open position by the remaining tension in the lid biasing element  112 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , when the outer lid  16  is in the fully open position, a projection  105  extending from the back of the biasing element retention hook  106  on the outer lid  16  bears against the inner lid hinge barrel  108  and catches on a ridge  107  on the hinge barrel  108  to retain the outer lid  16  in the open position. 
     With the outer lid in the open position, the spout seal  118  in the outer lid  16  is rotated away from the mouth  94  of the drink spout  28  and the drink spout  28  is open and accessible to the user. The user may drink from the bottle  10  by tipping the top of the bottle, and accordingly, the mouth  94  of the spout  28  toward him, like a drinking glass or typical soda bottle, and sipping the beverage from the mouth  94  of the spout  28  as it exits through the spout  28 . In the case of flexible bottle bodies  12 , the user may drink from the bottle  10  by squeezing the bottle body  12  and forcing the beverage out through the spout  28  into the user&#39;s mouth, or by a combination of both aforementioned techniques. When the user drinks through the drink spout  28 , the liquid passes from within the bottle body  12  over the fluid tight gasket  30 , into the bottom end  96  of the spout  28  that is connected to the gasket  30 , and out the mouth  94  of the spout  28 . If the present lid is to be used on a flexible squeeze bottle body  12  in which the user squeezes the bottle to force the beverage from the drink spout  28 , as disclosed above, no venting holes are needed. In addition, if the present lid is to be used with rigid bottle configurations, because of the larger diameter of the drink spout  28  and the ability to sip on one side or edge of the spout  28 , leaving an air gap between the user&#39;s upper lip and the opposite side of the spout, no separate venting hole is needed. 
     However, in still alternate embodiments (not depicted), the removal of liquid from the bottle  10  may cause a negative air pressure within the bottle  10 , especially for rigid bottle configurations in which the spout may be completely covered by the mouth of a user. In such embodiments, it is contemplated that a vent hole may be optionally provided through the inner lid, through which air may flow into the bottle to prevent the buildup of such negative pressure, thereby making drinking from the bottle easier. Such a vent hole would be sealed off upon closing of the outer lid  16  to prevent fluid from leaking there through when the outer lid  16  is in the closed position. In such an embodiment, sealing the vent hole when the outer lid  16  is closed helps prevent leaking of the liquid from the drink bottle  10 , for example when the bottle is stored on its side such as when placed into a school locker or gym bag. When the outer lid  16  is opened, the vent hole is unsealed, permitting the flow of air into the interior of the bottle  10  when a user drinks from the spout  28 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4-5  and  7 - 10 , to close the outer lid  16 , the user rotates the lid about hinge  26  until the catch notch  120  in the outer lid  16  re-engages with the catch extension  64  protruding through the catch extension opening  48  in the inner lid  18 . If the user wants to ensure that the push button  22  won&#39;t be accidentally depressed at an inopportune time, say for example when the bottle is laying on its side while inside a backpack or other bag, he can rotate the push button lock  24  to a locked position, which in one embodiment corresponds to the thumb switch  86  being slidably rotated to the right side of the push button  22  above the icon depicting a locked padlock  124  (see  FIG. 4 ). This in turn rotates the lever arm  88  of the push button lock  24  counterclockwise when viewed from in a top-down view) and forces the attached push button lock protrusion  92  to slip behind the lower cover protrusion  60 , such that the push button lock protrusion  92  is placed in direct contact with, and in radial alignment with, the stationary lower cover protrusion  60  (see  FIG. 8 ). With the two protrusions  92  and  60  in direct contact and alignment with each other, relative to the sliding direction of the lid slide  20 , when the user attempts to depress the push button to actuate the lid slide  20 , the lower cover protrusion  60  interferes with the sliding movement of the push button lock protrusion  92  that would otherwise move with the lid slide  20 , thus preventing any movement or actuation of the lid slide  20 , and accordingly, any movement of the push button  22 . Thus, when the push button lock  24  is in the locked position, it is not possible to either depress the push button  22  or actuate the lid slide  20 , and therefore, the catch extension  64  cannot disengage from the catch notch  120  and the outer lid  16  will remain in the closed and latched position. 
     The outer lid  16  and inner lid  18  are of polypropylene in one embodiment, but may be made of any number of plastics such as PET, HDPE, LDPE or other polyesters. The release button  22  may be of polypropylene or another material. As noted above, the drink spout  28  is made of silicone rubber. Other materials are of course possible and are encompassed within the scope of the present invention. 
     Thus, there has been shown and described a drink bottle having a removable lid that has a drink spout and, in certain embodiments, a lockable cover or outer lid over the drink spout. Although other modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art, it is the intention of the inventor to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of his contribution to the art.