Patent Abstract:
A drinking vessel with adjustable handles for a juvenile is disclosed. The drinking vessel features two handles that can be adjusted apart from each other at varying fixed or articulated angles. Furthermore, the two handles can be adjusted without the intervention of a person disassembling the drinking vessel in order to reorient or readjust the handles. The adjustable handles allow the juvenile to manipulate and hold the drinking vessels with greater flexibility.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to drinking vessels with adjustable handles and in particular to drinking vessels for use juveniles such as infants, toddlers and children.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Before using conventional drinking cups, most infants and children drink from vessels designed specifically for their use, for example, nursers and spill proof cups. To facilitate grasping many of these nursers and spill proof cups have at least one, and more often two handles, permanently affixed to opposite sides of the vessel. When the child holds a handled vessel, her hands are positioned 180° apart. This 180° orientation always causes the hands to be placed at the furthest possible distance between them. Having the hands in this orientation is not always the most comfortable or optimal position for the child. Sometimes it is desirable to have the hands oriented at a different angle, for example, 90°. Having the hands closer together may help facilitate the holding of the vessel.  
         [0003]     Although some prior art drinking vessels have adjustable handles, such prior art drinking vessels do not allow the handles to remain fixed once they have been adjusted to a desired setting. For example, the handles of such prior art drinking vessels will undesirably change position when the vessel is dropped onto the floor. Other prior art drinking vessels with locking handles only allow the handles to be readjusted if the entire drinking vessel were disassembled. Thus, there is a need for drinking vessels with adjustable handles that remain locked after the handles have been properly oriented and that can be easily readjusted, if needed, without resorting to disassembling the entire drinking vessel.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     One aspect of the present invention is a drinking vessel that includes a mouth interface, a first handled section, a second handled section and a container assembled together. Projecting radially from the collars of each handled section are handles for grasping by a juvenile. Each handled section is rotatable at fixed angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the container. The handles can be spaced apart at multiple fixed angles ranging from 0° to 360°. The mouth interface, for example, a nipple or spout, is inserted through and removably attached to the first handled section.  
         [0005]     In another aspect of the present invention, the second handled section connects to the first handled section. The first handled section has threads on its inner surface that allows the first handled section to screw onto threads located on the container, thereby securing the assembly of the drinking vessel as well as securing the second handled section in place. The handles of the drinking vessel can be readjusted without the need to completely disengage the threads of the first handled section from that of the container.  
         [0006]     In yet another aspect of the present invention, the first handled section includes a guide channel and snap grooves whereas the second handled section includes guide ribs and snap tabs. The guide ribs and snap tabs of the second handled section are received within the guide channel and snap grooves of the first handled section respectively. The guide ribs and guide channel allow the first handled section to be slidingly adjusted with respect to the second handled section when the first handled section is not completely screwed down. The snap tabs and snap groove allows the second handled section to articulate at specific angles with respect to the first handled section.  
         [0007]     These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by references to the following specification, claims and appended drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a drinking vessel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the container of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of the first handled section of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of the first handled section of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of the second handled section of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a bottom perspective view of the second handled section of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1  with the handles spaced oriented 180° apart; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is a top plan view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1  with the handles spaced 90° apart. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]     The present invention features a drinking vessel with articulating, or adjustable, handles. The drinking vessel is appropriate for delivering potable fluids, such as milk, medicine or juice, to a juvenile such as an infant, toddler or child. Such potable fluids can be administered to the child by the mother or the child herself. Additionally, the drinking vessel is appropriate for use by an individual with impaired manual dexterity.  
         [0020]      FIGS. 1-3  show perspective, exploded perspective and front elevational views respectively of a drinking vessel  10  with articulating or adjustable handles in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  FIGS. 1 and 2  show assembled and exploded perspective views respectively of the drinking vessel  10  which includes a container  12 , a first handled section  22 , a second handled section  50  and a mouth interface  68 . The first handled section  22  and the second handled section  50  cooperate together to function, among other aspects, as the adjustable handles of the drinking vessel  10 .  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the container  12  has a side wall  14 , for example cylindrically-shaped or triangularly-shaped, extending longitudinally, along a central longitudinal axis A-A. At the top end of the side wall  14  is a neck  16  that is joined by a shoulder  18  to the container  12 . The outer periphery of the neck  16  has an outer thread  20  formed thereon. The outer thread  20  allows the container  12  to be releasably connected to the corresponding inner thread  44  of the first handled section  22  which is described in more detail below.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the first handled section  22  includes a generally circular first collar  24 . Projecting radially from the outer surface  25  of the first collar  24  at a first junction  26  is a first handle  28 . The first handle  28  is sized and shaped to be a smooth and continuous contour with no sharp edges. For example, the first handle  28  has an outer convex surface  30  and an inner concave surface  32 . Located at or near the first junction  26  is a gap  36  that prevents the inner concave surface  32  from being contiguous with the outer surface of the first collar  24 . The gap  36  should be of sufficient width to accommodate a top rim  62  of the second handled section  50  as described in more detail below. Furthermore, the gap  36  should, for example, be no greater in depth than half of the maximum thickness of the first handle  28 . Any larger depth for the gap  36  could render the first handle  28  easily broken or detached from the first collar  24 .  
         [0023]     Both the first handle  28  and the first collar  24  can be integrally molded from the same type of material, for example, a non-toxic polymer suitable for drinking vessels as known in the art. This also applies to second handle  56  and the second collar  52  which are described in detail below. Examples of suitable polymers include, but are not limited to, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyester, copolyester, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene. Additionally, an elastomeric polymer, such as SANTOPRENE, available from Advanced Elastomer Systems (Akron, Ohio) or KRATON, a styrene-butadiene elastomer from Shell Oil Company (Houston, Tex.) can be overmolded on or onto the handles to provide a gripping surface for improved grasping. Optionally, molded on or onto the handles are a plurality of protuberances which are present to aid grasping by the juvenile. The protuberances, for example, can be concentric rings or ridges or a plurality of discrete bumps.  
         [0024]     At the bottom end of the outer surface  25  of the first collar  24  is a guide channel  38  that extends along the entire circumference of the bottom end.  
         [0025]     At the top end of the first collar  24  is an opening  40  defined by an in-turned top flange  42 . A mouth interface  68  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ), for example, a nipple or spout as known by one of ordinary skill in the art, is removably inserted through the bottom of the first handled section  22  through the opening  40  and held in place by the flange  42 . The mouth interface  68  allows the potable liquid to flow therethrough from the container  12  to the mouth of the juvenile. The mouth interface  68  directly contacts the juvenile&#39;s mouth.  
         [0026]     Located on the inner surface  27  of the first collar  24  is inner thread  44  which is configured to be removably engaged with the outer thread  20  located on the neck  16  of the container  12 . Such engagement, for example, can be implemented by screwing the first handled section  22  in a clockwise fashion onto the neck  16  of the container  12 .  
         [0027]     Periodically spaced at, near, or on the bottom rim  46  of the first handled section  22  are a plurality of snap grooves  48 . These snap grooves  48  are used to releasably engage the corresponding snap tabs  66  on the second handled section  50  described in more detail below. The bottom rim  46  has at least, for example, three snap grooves. The greater the number of snap grooves  48 , the greater the adjustability of the first handle  28  and a second handle  56 . For example, the bottom rim  46  has eight snap grooves  48  each angularly spaced 45° apart from the next snap groove. This configuration of snap grooves  48  allows the first handle  28  and the second handle  56  to be angularly spaced at 45° intervals, for example 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270°, 315° and 360° angles. Thus, any number and any angle of spacing can be used to configure the snap grooves  48 .  
         [0028]     Referring to FIGS.  7  to  8 , the second handled section  50  also includes a generally circular collar  52 . As with the first handled section  22 , the outer surface  53  of the second collar  52  intersects with the second handle  56  at a second junction  54 . The dimensions of the second handle  56  is the same, or nearly same, as that of the first handle  28 . However, the placement of the second handle  56  at second junction  54  is not, for example, identical to the placement of the first handle  28  at first junction  26 . The principal differences are that the outer convex surface  58  of the second handle  56  is not contiguous with the outer surface  53  of the second collar  52  whereas an inner concave surface  60  of the second handle  56  is contiguous with the outer surface of the second collar  52 . Furthermore, there is no gap between the second handle  56  and the second collar  52  as there is in the first handled section  22 . The top of the second handle  56  is not flush with and higher than the top rim  62  of the second handled section  50 .  
         [0029]     Located near the top end of the inner surface  55  of the second collar  52  of the second handled section  50  is a plurality of guide ribs  64 . These guide ribs  64  are sized such that they are slidingly received within the guide channel  38  of the first handled section  22  when the second handled section  50  is attached to the first handled section  22 . When the two handled sections  22 ,  50  are attached, for example by a snap-fit, friction fit, press fit or interference fit, the guide ribs  64  in the guide channel  38  keep the two handled sections  22 ,  50  engaged together. However, the fit between the guide ribs  64  and the guide channel  38  is not so tight that the two handled sections  22 ,  50  are unable to freely rotate with respect to each other about the longitudinal axis A-A.  
         [0030]     Protruding inwardly from the inner surface of the bottom end of the second handled section  50  are a plurality of snap tabs  66 . The number of snap tabs  66  are, for example, equal to or less than the number of snap grooves  48 . Additionally, the snap tabs  66 , for example, have compatible dimensions such that each snap tab  66  and its corresponding snap groove  48  form a complementary snap-fit.  
         [0031]     When assembled, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the second handled section  50  is connected between the first handled section  22  and neck  16  of the container  12 . The inner thread  44  of the first handled section  22  engages the outer thread  20  of the neck  16 . Furthermore, the guide ribs  64  are received in the guide channel  38 , and the snap tabs  66  are received in the snap grooves  48 . Moreover, the top rim  62  of the second handled section  50 , for example, is received in the gap  36  of the first handled section  22 ; this allows the first handle  28  to be horizontally aligned with the second handle  56  with respect to the longitudinal axis A-A. For example,  FIG. 9 , a top plan view of the drinking vessel  10 , shows the assembled drinking vessel with the first handle  28  and the second handle  56  oriented 180° apart.  
         [0032]     As the handled sections  22 ,  50  are screwed down, for example, in a clockwise fashion, onto the neck  16  of the container  12 , the second collar  52  contacts the neck  16  thereby stopping the vertical travel of the second handled section  50 . As the first handled section  22  is being screwed down, the two handled sections  22 ,  50  are locked, or fixed, into a desired position. The first handled section  22  seals and secures the mouth interface  68  onto the container  12  thereby providing a leak-proof and secure system. The mouth interface  68 , for example, serves as the final stop for the first collar  24  while the neck  16  of the container  12 , for example serves as the final stop for the second collar  52 . When the first handled section  22  is no longer freely rotatable with respect to the second handled section  50  and thus the first handle  28  and second handle  56  are locked into position.  
         [0033]     To adjust the handles  28 ,  56  into a different position, the first handled section  22  is, for example, rotated, or unscrewed, in a counterclockwise fashion until the first handled section  22  and the second handled section  50  are freely rotatable, but not necessarily completely disengaged (i.e., disassembled) from the container  12 , with respect to each other. The first handle  28  and the second handle  56  are then rotated to the desired position such that the snap tabs  66  index into corresponding snap grooves  48 . For example,  FIG. 10 , another top plan view of the drinking vessel  10 , shows the first handle  28  and the second handle  56  oriented 90° apart. The positions of the handles  28 ,  56  can be repeatedly readjusted without the need to completely disassemble or separate the first handled section  22  from the second handled section  50 . This feature provides an advantage over other adjustable handle drinking vessels because the entire drinking vessel does not have to be disassembled in order to change the positions of the handles, thus reducing the potential for any leaks or spills when the handles are being adjusted or readjusted and making the feeding task more convenient for the caregiver. Moreover, because juveniles lack the manual dexterity to unscrew the handled sections  22 ,  50  from the container  12 , the juveniles cannot move or change the position of the handles  28 ,  56 .  
         [0034]     Moreover, once the first handled section  22  and the second handled section  50  are set into a desired angle or position, they can be removed as a single unit from the container  12  and remain locked together in such desired angle. For example, if a caregiver sets the angle between the first handled section  22  and the second handled section  50  at 135°, the container  12  can be removed from the handled sections  22 ,  50 , while the first handled section  22  and second handled section  50  remain locked together at 135°.  
         [0035]     It is understood that while the present invention has been described in conjunction with the detailed description thereof that the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the following claims. Other aspects, advantages and modifications are within the scope of the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0