Patent Publication Number: US-7913869-B2

Title: Container cap

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 11/854,368 filed on Sep. 12, 2007 entitled Container Cap. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to beverage containers and dispensing lids and, more particularly, to a cap device for use with a container, such as a beverage container, that includes first and second adjacent portions each having a structure different than the other. 
     Young children often use what is commonly referred to as a sipper or “sippy” cup to drink milk, juice, or water. This type of cup typically includes a traditional container with a lid having a spout and which generally reduces spills. A disadvantage of a sipper container, however, is that the contents of a larger container, such as a milk or juice jug, must first be deposited into the sipper container and a lid must be attached thereto before the child may access those contents through the sipper spout. This is especially inconvenient when traveling and the milk or juice is obtained from a relatively small bottle that does not have its own sipper lid. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a cap device that could be attached directly to a bottle or other beverage container such that the contents of the container need not first be deposited into a traditional sipper container. While such a cap device may be attached directly to bottles at the point of manufacture, it may also be desirable for consumers to have such a cap device independent of any bottle, so as to attach it to a purchased bottle, such as a bottle of juice, as needed such as when traveling. Older children and adults frequently desire to access beverages through a straw or flip up lid. A “sports bottle” is an example of a convenient means by which individuals conveniently carry and access beverages. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to have a container cap having adjacent lid portions each having a different structure for providing access to the contents of the container or bottle. Further, it would be desirable to have a container cap having both a sipper spout and defining a straw opening so that a toddler, an adult, or an older child may conveniently and selectively access the same beverage container. In addition, it would be desirable to have a container cap with multiple access structures that may be screwed onto existing beverage bottles. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, a cap device for use with a beverage container according to the present invention includes a first portion defining an opening for providing access to contents of the container and a cover movable between a closed configuration covering the opening and an open configuration exposing the opening. This first portion may include a straw opening or a larger opening for pouring liquid out of the container. Further, the cap device includes a second portion adjacent the first portion having a trough that defines an access hole. A drinking implement, such as a sipper, may be coupled to the trough that is pivotal between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. The drinking implement includes open first and second ends and defines a drinking channel therebetween. The drinking implement covers and closes the access hole by abutment when at the retracted configuration. The open second end of the drinking implement is adjacent said access hole when at said extended configuration so that the contents of the container may pass through the access hole, open second end, channel, and open first end. The first and second portions of the cap device may be removably coupled to the container, such as in a threaded arrangement. In another embodiment, the cap device may include a combination of both a larger pour opening and straw opening. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, a “spout portion” includes a drinking implement that is pivotal in a frontward and rearward movement such that a front face of the drinking implement rests against or is adjacent to a bottom of the trough in a retracted configuration. An upper surface of the cap device defines a cavity adjacent to and in communication with the trough, the cavity having a configuration suitable to receive the finger of a person such that the drinking implement may be selectively moved between the retracted and extended configurations. If a “pour portion” is included with the spout portion, the spout portion accounts for a substantially larger area of the cap device  300  than the pour portion such that the drinking implemented is generally centered on the cap device when at an extended configuration. 
     Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a cap device for selectively accessing the contents of a container. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a cap device, as aforesaid, that includes first and second portions, each having a structure different than the other for accessing the contents of the container. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide a cap device, as aforesaid, having a sipper that enables a young child to drink from the container, the sipper being movable between retracted and extended configurations. 
     Yet another object of this invention is to provide a cap device, as aforesaid, having a straw opening or pour opening that enables a user to more conveniently access the contents of the container, the straw or larger opening being selectively covered when not in use. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide a cap device, as aforesaid, that enables a child or an adult to access the same beverage container through age appropriate access structures. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cap device in use with a beverage container according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the cap device as in  FIG. 1  removed from the container and showing a drinking implement in a retracted configuration; 
         FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the cap device as in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the cap device as in  FIG. 2  with the drinking implement in an extended configuration; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the cap device as in  FIG. 4  with a second section of the drinking implement in a locked configuration; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the cap device as in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7   a  is a top view of the cap device as in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7   b  is a sectional view of the cap device taken along line  7   b - 7   b  of  FIG. 7   a;    
         FIG. 8   a  is a side view of a second section of the drinking element as in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8   b  is a sectional view taken along line  8   b - 8   b  of  FIG. 8   a;    
         FIG. 9   a  is a side view of a first section of the drinking implement as in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 9   b  is a sectional view taken along line  9   b - 9   b  of  FIG. 9   a;    
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a cap device according to another embodiment of the present invention with respective covers in closed configurations; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the cap device as in  FIG. 10  with respective covers in open configurations; 
         FIG. 12  is a cap device in use with a beverage container according to another embodiment of the present invention and illustrated with a drinking implement at an extended configuration; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the cap device as in  FIG. 12  removed from the container and with the drinking implement in a retracted configuration; 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a cap device according to another embodiment of the present invention having a spout portion and a pour portion; 
         FIG. 15  is an isolated view on an enlarged scale of the cap device as in  FIG. 14  with a cover of the pour portion being illustrated at an open configuration and the drinking implement of the spout portion being illustrated at retracted configuration; 
         FIG. 16  is an isolated view on an enlarged scale of the cap device as in  FIG. 14  with a cover of the pour portion being illustrated at a closed configuration and the drinking implement of the spout portion at an extended configuration; 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a cap device in use with a beverage container as in  FIG. 13  except that the drinking implement is pivotally movable side to side rather than in a forward and rearward movement, said drinking implement being illustrated in a retracted configuration; and 
         FIG. 18  is another perspective view as in  FIG. 17  with the drinking implement being illustrated at an extended configuration. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A container cap  100  according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 11  of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, according to the current invention, a cap device  100  for use with a container  10  includes first and second portions  110 ,  120  and means for coupling the first and second portions  110 ,  120  to the container  10 . The first and second portions  110 ,  120  are adjacent one another. “Container” is used herein to refer to any beverage container (i.e., a cup, bottle, jar, or any other appropriate container). 
     The means for coupling the first and second portions  110 ,  120  to the container  10  may include, for example, at least one thread  130  having a configuration complementary to a thread of the container  10  ( FIG. 3 ), a snap-fit configuration, and/or any other appropriate fastener. 
     Each portion  110 ,  120  includes means for selectively accessing contents of the container  10 . The means of the first portion  110  for selectively accessing the container contents are different from the means of the second portion  120  for selectively accessing the container contents. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 through 11 , the first portion means may include an opening  112  defined in the first portion  110  for providing access to contents of the container  10  and a cover  114  that is pivotal between a closed configuration  114   a  and an open configuration  114   b . When at the closed configuration  114   a  ( FIGS. 4 through 7   a  and  FIG. 10 ), the cover  114  covers the opening  112 ; when at the open configuration  114   b  ( FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  11 ), the cover  114  exposes the opening  112 . The opening  112  may include a straw opening  112 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , or a pour opening  112 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . A “straw opening” is an opening that is sized to receive a straw or otherwise restrict an outpouring of contents from the container  10 , while a “pour opening” is an opening that is relatively larger and unrestricted. 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 2 through 9   b , the second portion means may include an access hole  122  defined by the second portion  120  and a retractable drinking implement  124 . The drinking implement  124  is a structure that allows contents of the container  10  to be selectively directed out of the container  10 , such as sipper. The drinking implement  124  may be rotatable between a retracted configuration  124   a  ( FIG. 2 ) and an extended configuration  124   b  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ), and the drinking implement  124  may have open first and second ends  125   a ,  125   b  and define a drinking channel  125   c  therebetween ( FIGS. 8   b  and  9   b ). The drinking implement  124  may close the access hole  122  (i.e., by abutment) when at the retracted configuration  124   a , and the open second end  125   b  may be adjacent the access hole  122  when at the extended configuration  124   b  to allow contents of the container  10  to pass through the access hole  122 , the open second end  125   b , the channel  125   c , and the open first end  125   a.    
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 through 6  and  FIGS. 8   a  through  9   b , the drinking implement  124  may include first and second sections  126 ,  128 . The first section  126  is pivotal (i.e., about pivot  126   a ) to move the drinking implement  124  between the retracted and extended configurations  124   a ,  124   b , and the second section  128  is rotatable relative to the first section  126  (i.e., about pivot  128   a ) to move between a retractable configuration  129   a  ( FIGS. 2 and 4 ) and a locking configuration  129   b  ( FIG. 5 ). The configuration of the second section  128  may make the drinking implement  124  movable to the retracted configuration  124   a  only when the second section  128  is at the retractable configuration  129   a , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , and the second section  128  may lock the first portion cover  114  at the closed configuration  114   a  (i.e., by abutment) when at the locking configuration  129   b , as shown in  FIG. 5 . It is understood, however, that the second section  128  need not lock the first portion cover  114  if the first portion cover  114  were to, alternatively, not include a configuration that resulted in it being in abutment with the second section  128 , for example if the cover  114  was less than a full hemispherical configuration. 
     The second portion  120  may have a trough  121  defining the access hole  122 , and the drinking implement  124  may be coupled to the trough  121 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 through 7   b . The trough  121  may allow the second portion  120  and the first portion cover  114  to collectively define a generally planar surface  121   a  when the cover  114  is at the closed configuration  114   a . Such a generally planar surface  121   a  may be visually pleasing and/or functionally useful (e.g., for storage, shipment, ease of use, etc.). Such a trough  121  and/or planar surface  121   a  may not be required to utilize the cap device  100 , however. It should also be understood that rotation of the second section  128  of the drinking implement  124  is to center it relative to a peripheral edge of the second portion  120  for more convenient use by a user desiring to drink therefrom ( FIG. 5 ). 
     A valve  140 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 7   b , or an internal straw extending inside the container  10  (not shown) may be coupled to the access hole  122  to vary the functionality of the drinking implement  124 . If the valve  140  is included, for example, the drinking implement  124  may act as a sipper implement (i.e., a spill-proof outlet), such as for use by children or in travel situations. If the straw is included, for example, the drinking implement  124  may pass the container&#39;s contents from the container  10  without tipping the container  10  if the user sucks from the drinking implement  124 ; in other words, the drinking implement  124  may be used as a typical straw. 
     In another embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the second portion means may include an opening  222  in the second portion  120  for providing access to contents of the container  10 , and a cover  224  that is rotatable between a closed configuration  224   a  and an open configuration  224   b . When at the closed configuration  224   a  ( FIG. 10 ), the cover  224  covers the opening  222 ; when at the open configuration  224   b  ( FIG. 11 ), the cover  224  exposes the opening  222 . The opening  222  may be a straw opening  222  or a pour opening  112 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     In use, the first and second portions  110 ,  120  may be coupled to the container or container  10  (e.g., by thread  130 ), as shown in  FIG. 1 . The cover  114  of the first portion  110  may be moved from the closed configuration  114   a  to the open configuration  114   b , and the user may access the contents of the container  10  through the opening  112  when the cover  114  is at the open configuration  114   b.    
     If the second portion  120  includes the access hole  122  and the drinking implement  124 , the drinking implement  124  may be rotated (i.e., about pivot  126   a ) from the retracted configuration  124   a  to the extended configuration  124   b . The second section  128  may be rotated relative to the first section  126  (i.e., about pivot  128   a ) from the retractable configuration  129   a  ( FIGS. 2 and 4 ) to the locking configuration  129   b  ( FIG. 5 ), and when at the locking configuration  129   b , the second section  128  may lock the cover  114  closed by abutment. This may keep the contents of the container  10  from spilling out the first portion opening  112  inadvertently. The drinking implement  124  may be used as described above to access the contents of the container  10  when at the extended configuration  124   b.    
     If the second portion  120  includes the opening  222 , the cover  224  may be moved from the closed configuration  224   a  to the open configuration  224   b , and the user may access the contents of the container  10  through the opening  222  when the cover  224  is at the open configuration  224   b . Because the opening  222  is different from the opening  112  as noted above, the user may decide to utilize opening  112  or opening  222  based on, for example, intended use. 
     Another embodiment of the cap device  300  is shown in  FIGS. 12 to 18  of the accompanying drawings, the design of which is substantially similar to the designs described above except as specifically described below. More particularly, a container cap device  300  according to this embodiment may include a portion that will be referred to hereafter as a “spout portion.” The spout portion  310  includes a trough  312  extending downwardly from an upper surface  302 , the trough  312  defining an access hole. A drinking implement  316 , such as a sipper spout, is coupled to the trough  312  and is pivotal within the trough between retracted and extended configurations. While the drinking implement  316  and trough  312  may have a configuration and construction substantially similar to that previously described and shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , it may alternatively have a construction as shown in  FIGS. 12-18  and as described in more detail below. 
     With specific reference to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the drinking implement  316  includes opposed front  318  and rear  320  walls and opposed side walls  322  extending therebetween. The front wall  318  rests against or substantially adjacent to a lower surface of the trough  312  when the drinking implement  316  is at the retracted configuration. It is appreciated that the rear wall  320  of the drinking implement  316  is generally planar with the upper surface  302  of the spout portion  310  when at the retracted configuration. The drinking implement  316  may be pivotal about a fastener or integrated hinge  324  that extends between the side walls  322  along a lower extent of the front  318  and rear  320  walls of the drinking implement  316 . 
     In addition, the upper surface  302  of the spout portion  310  may define a cavity  326  adjacent to and in communication with the trough  312 . Preferably, the cavity  326  includes a configuration suitable to receive a finger of a person such that the drinking implement  316  may be selectively moved more easily from the retracted configuration ( FIG. 13 ) to the extended configuration ( FIG. 12 ). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 14-16 , a portion that will be referenced herein as the “pour portion”  330 , may be situated adjacent to the spout portion  310 . Having a construction substantially similar to the portion  110  described previously, the pour portion  330  defines an opening  332  for providing access to contents within a container and a cover  334  that is pivotal between a open configuration exposing the opening  332  ( FIG. 15 ) and a closed configuration covering the opening  332  ( FIG. 16 ). The opening  332  may be configured for receiving a straw or a larger opening suitable for pouring the contents from a container. It should be appreciated that the spout portion  310  accounts for a larger proportion of the cap device  300  than the pour portion  330 . In other words, a mathematical area of the spout portion  310  is greater than an area of the pour portion  330 . 
     It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.