Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses a dispensing closure cap having a pivoting spout cooperating with an insert; however, the dispensing closure cap lacks a vent and is not described as cooperating with a straw. The insert includes a main disc body formed with a semispherical socket formation in which an outlet hole is provided. The spout includes a spherical base portion from which extends an arm portion. An outlet passageway extends through the base portion and the arm portion. The outlet hole of the insert is sealed by a plug that is attached at its lower end inside a recess provided in the base of the spout. <CIT> discloses a spill-proof cap or lid for a standard beverage container, such as a soft drink, water and other liquid bottle, includes a housing which is configured to fit over the container opening. The housing includes top and bottom, each of which includes a recess. A spout is mounted in the top recess and is pivotable between open and closed positions. A flow control section extends generally vertically in the bottom recess for receiving a flow control member. The flow control member is removably positioned in the flow control section and includes a flow control valve and an air intake valve. The spout includes at least one passageway which is in fluid communication with the bottom recess through a passageway extending between the top and bottom of the housing.

In view of the foregoing, a straw lid valve assembly in accordance with independent claim <NUM> is provided.

<FIG> depicts a straw lid valve assembly <NUM> including a cap <NUM>, a spout <NUM>, and a valve member <NUM>. The cap <NUM> is configured to connect with a drinking vessel <NUM> to close an upper opening <NUM> of the drinking vessel <NUM>. The spout <NUM> pivotally connects with the cap <NUM>. The spout <NUM> is pivotal between a drinking position shown in <FIG> and a closed position shown in <FIG>. The valve member <NUM> is received in the cap <NUM> so as to cooperate with the spout <NUM> to provide selective fluid communication between the drinking vessel <NUM> and ambient through the spout <NUM> and the valve member <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, in the illustrated embodiment, the cap <NUM> is an assembly including a top cap <NUM>, a bottom cap <NUM>, and an insulation insert <NUM>. When assembled, the top cap <NUM> connects with the bottom cap <NUM> with the insulation insert <NUM> disposed between the top cap <NUM> and the bottom cap <NUM>. When assembled, the cap <NUM> includes a valve receiving passage <NUM> (<FIG>) configured to selectively receive the valve member <NUM>. <FIG> depicts the straw lid valve assembly <NUM> disassembled in a manner that can be accomplished by a person to clean the straw lid valve assembly <NUM>. <FIG> depicts the cap <NUM> in an exploded view, however, after the cap <NUM> is finally assembled, e.g., in a manufacturing facility, the cap <NUM> is not intended to be disassembled in the manner shown in <FIG>.

With reference back to <FIG>, the top cap <NUM> includes an upper wall <NUM> that is circular in plan view in the illustrated embodiment. An outer side wall <NUM>, which is cylindrical in the illustrated embodiment, depends downwardly from a periphery of the upper wall <NUM>. The top cap <NUM> further includes a spout receiving recess <NUM> that is rectangular in plan view in the illustrated embodiment. The spout receiving recess <NUM> is defined by opposing recess side walls <NUM>, <NUM> which depend vertically downward from the upper wall <NUM>. The spout receiving recess <NUM> is also defined by a recess floor <NUM>, which is planar and horizontally oriented in the illustrated embodiment. The spout receiving recess <NUM> also includes a distal end wall <NUM> and a proximal end wall <NUM> (<FIG>), both of which depend downwardly from the upper wall <NUM>. The top cap <NUM> also includes a downwardly depending valve receiving wall <NUM> which defines the valve receiving passage <NUM>.

The spout <NUM> and the cap <NUM> include cooperating axle features to pivotally connect the spout <NUM> with the cap <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the top cap <NUM> includes axles <NUM>, <NUM> each extending inwardly from a respective opposing recess side wall <NUM>, <NUM>. The axles <NUM>, <NUM> define a pivot axis <NUM> (<FIG>) about which the spout <NUM> pivots with respect to the cap <NUM>. The top cap <NUM> further includes concave surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> disposed on opposite sides of the valve receiving passage <NUM> when the cap <NUM> is assembled. The concave surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> substantially follow a radius emanating from the pivot axis <NUM>.

The bottom cap <NUM> includes a lower wall <NUM> that is circular in plan view in the illustrated embodiment. The lower wall <NUM> includes a valve receiving opening <NUM> that defines a portion of the valve receiving passage <NUM>. An inner wall <NUM> extends upwardly from the lower wall <NUM>. The bottom cap <NUM> also includes an upper wall <NUM> extending radially outward from the inner wall <NUM>. The bottom cap <NUM> also includes an outer wall <NUM>, which is cylindrical in the illustrated embodiment, extending upwardly and downwardly from the upper wall <NUM>. With reference to <FIG>, internal threads <NUM> are provided on the outer wall <NUM> beneath the upper wall <NUM> to facilitate connecting the cap <NUM> to the drinking vessel <NUM> (<FIG>). The outer wall <NUM> of the bottom cap <NUM> is received within the outer side wall <NUM> of the top cap <NUM> when the cap <NUM> is assembled.

With reference back to <FIG>, the insulation insert <NUM> includes a U-shaped lower body section <NUM>. The U-shaped lower body section <NUM> includes a recess <NUM> corresponding with the valve receiving passage <NUM> when the cap <NUM> is finally assembled. The insulation insert <NUM> also includes opposing segments <NUM>, <NUM> on opposite sides of the recess <NUM>. Each opposing segment <NUM>, <NUM> includes respective internal walls <NUM>, <NUM> defining respective elongate voids <NUM>, <NUM>.

The spout <NUM> includes a base <NUM> and an extension <NUM> extending from the base <NUM>. An inner passage <NUM> extends through the base <NUM> and the extension <NUM>. The inner passage <NUM> is in fluid communication with the drinking vessel <NUM> when the spout <NUM> is in the drinking position (<FIG>) and is closed off from the drinking vessel <NUM> when the spout <NUM> is in the closed position (<FIG> and <FIG>).

The base <NUM> is rounded in the illustrated embodiment. The base <NUM> includes a convex outer surface <NUM>. When the spout <NUM> is connected with the cap <NUM>, the convex outer surface <NUM> follows the radius emanating from the pivot axis <NUM> about which the spout <NUM> pivots with respect to the cap <NUM>.

The extension <NUM> extends from the base <NUM>. A flange <NUM> extends away from the extension <NUM> in a direction generally perpendicular to the longest dimension of the inner passage <NUM>. A finger recess <NUM> is provided in the flange <NUM> to receive a finger or thumb to facilitate pivotal movement of the spout <NUM> with respect to the cap <NUM>. A bump <NUM> also extends from the extension <NUM> in a direction generally opposite that to which the flange <NUM> extends from the extension <NUM>. The bump <NUM> operates as a vent closure when the spout <NUM> is in the closed position (see <FIG>).

As mentioned above, the spout <NUM> and the cap <NUM> include cooperating axle features to pivotally connect the spout <NUM> with the cap <NUM>. The axle features include the axles <NUM>, <NUM> and circular recesses <NUM>, <NUM>, which in the illustrated embodiment are provided in the base <NUM> of the spout <NUM>. Each axle <NUM>, <NUM> is received within a respective circular recess <NUM>, <NUM>, which allows the spout <NUM> to pivot with respect to the cap <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the spout <NUM> further includes channels <NUM>, <NUM>. Each channel <NUM>, <NUM> emanates from a respective circular recess <NUM>, <NUM>. Each channel <NUM>, <NUM> has a width that is slightly larger than a diameter of the respective axle <NUM>, <NUM> and approximately equal to a diameter of the circular recess <NUM>, <NUM> from which it emanates. Each axle <NUM>, <NUM> is receivable in a respective channel <NUM>, <NUM> to allow for selective removal of the spout <NUM> from the cap <NUM> when pulled in a direction parallel with the length of each channel <NUM>, <NUM>.

Each of the channels <NUM>, <NUM> is oriented such that removal of the spout <NUM> from the cap <NUM> is precluded when the spout <NUM> is in the drinking position. As seen when comparing <FIG>, when the spout <NUM> is in the closed position (<FIG>) a user can grasp the flange <NUM> and pull the spout <NUM> with respect to the cap <NUM> in a direction (arrow <NUM>) aligned with the length (longest dimension) of each channel <NUM>, <NUM>. In doing so, the axles <NUM>, <NUM> are pulled from the circular recess <NUM>, <NUM> and enter the channels <NUM>, <NUM> until the spout <NUM> is removed from the cap <NUM>. In contrast, as seen in <FIG> with the spout <NUM> in the drinking position, each channel <NUM>, <NUM> is oriented such that pulling the spout <NUM> with respect to the cap <NUM> in the direction (arrow <NUM>) aligned with the length of each channel <NUM>, <NUM> is precluded because the spout <NUM> is in contact with the cap <NUM>, which precludes removal in that direction. With the spout <NUM> removed from the cap <NUM>, the axles <NUM>, <NUM> can be aligned with the channels <NUM>, <NUM> and the spout <NUM> can be pushed toward the cap <NUM> in a direction aligned with the length of each channel <NUM>, <NUM> until the axles <NUM>, <NUM> are received in the circular recesses <NUM>, <NUM>.

The axle features shown in the illustrated embodiment can be reversed in that axles similar to the axles <NUM>, <NUM> can be provided on the spout <NUM> and the circular recesses and channels can be provided on the cap <NUM>.

Both the cap <NUM> and the spout <NUM> can be made from relatively more rigid plastics as compared to the plastic from which the valve member <NUM> is made. In the illustrated embodiment, the valve member <NUM> is made from a resilient material, such as silicone. The valve member <NUM> includes a main valve body <NUM> which is an integrally formed solid piece of silicone. The main valve body <NUM> fills the valve receiving passage <NUM> and seals against an inner side of the valve receiving passage <NUM>. The valve receiving passage <NUM> extends through the cap <NUM> from the lower wall <NUM> to the recess floor <NUM> of the spout receiving recess <NUM>. The allows for a large opening in the cap <NUM>, which can be more easily cleaned, as compared to straw lid cap assemblies in which the straw connects with a more permanent feature on the cap.

The valve member <NUM> includes an uppermost surface <NUM>, which is planar in the illustrated embodiment. The valve member <NUM> also includes a lower surface <NUM>, which is also planar in the illustrated embodiment. A vent passage <NUM> extends from a lower vent opening <NUM> provided in the lower surface <NUM> to an upper vent opening <NUM> provided in the uppermost surface <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the upper vent opening <NUM> is closed by the bump <NUM> when the spout <NUM> is in the closed position. The vent passage <NUM> is open to ambient when the spout <NUM> is in the drinking position.

A drink passage, which includes a lower passage <NUM> and an upper passage <NUM> extends through the main valve body <NUM>. The drink passage includes a shoulder <NUM> between the lower passage <NUM> and the upper passage <NUM>, which has a diameter less than the lower passage <NUM>. The lower passage <NUM> begins at a lower drink opening <NUM> provided in the lower surface <NUM>. The drink passage also includes an upper drink opening <NUM> that is surrounded by a flexible sealing ring <NUM>, which will be described in more detail below. The shoulder <NUM> is axially offset from the flexible sealing ring <NUM>, which allows the flexible sealing ring <NUM> to flex toward the shoulder <NUM> to provide an adequate seal to prevent liquid from leaking from the straw lid valve assembly <NUM>. The lower passage <NUM> is configured to receive a straw <NUM> within the lower passage <NUM>. The straw <NUM> is inserted so as to contact the shoulder <NUM> and the flexible sealing ring <NUM> is offset axially above the top end of the straw <NUM> when the straw <NUM> is inserted, which allows for desirable movement of the flexible sealing ring <NUM>.

The valve member <NUM> is received in the valve receiving passage <NUM> of the cap <NUM> so as to be in an operative position (shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>) in which the valve member <NUM> can cooperate with the spout <NUM> to provide for selective communication between the inner passage <NUM> of the spout <NUM> and the straw <NUM>. The valve member <NUM> includes a concave bearing surface <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the concave bearing surface <NUM> follows the radius emanating from the pivot axis <NUM> when the valve member <NUM> is received in the operative position in the cap <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, when the flexible sealing ring <NUM> is not in contact with the concave bearing surface <NUM>, an outer convex surface <NUM> surrounds the upper drink opening <NUM>. As seen in <FIG>, the flexible sealing ring <NUM> and the outer convex surface <NUM>, which is no longer convex, are biased towards a concave configuration when in contact with the convex outer surface <NUM> of the spout <NUM> to provide adequate sealing. Additionally, the outer convex surface <NUM> of the flexible sealing ring <NUM> deforms toward a concave configuration when in contact with the convex outer surface <NUM> of the spout <NUM> and a lowermost edge <NUM> of the flexible sealing ring <NUM> is spaced from the shoulder <NUM> when the flexible sealing ring <NUM> is in the concave configuration. As such, the flexible sealing ring <NUM> provides a self-adjusting seal that is under light pressure that is capable of conforming to the shape of the convex outer surface <NUM> of the spout, which allows for some misalignment of the convex outer surface <NUM> with respect to the concave bearing surface <NUM> of the valve member <NUM>. As such, the likelihood of leaks in the straw lid valve assembly <NUM> is mitigated. While the figures depict the outer convex surface <NUM> surrounds the upper drink opening <NUM>, the flexible sealing ring <NUM> may work as well where its outer surface follows the contour of the concave bearing surface <NUM>. In this configuration, it is still desirable to have the lowermost edge <NUM> of the flexible sealing ring <NUM> spaced from the shoulder <NUM> when the flexible sealing ring <NUM> is in the concave configuration similar to that shown in <FIG>.

The valve member <NUM> includes a downward flange <NUM> depending downwardly from the lower surface <NUM>. A recess <NUM> is provided in the downward flange <NUM>, which allows a user to grip the downward flange <NUM> when removing the valve member <NUM> from the cap <NUM>. The valve member <NUM> further includes a lower outer flange <NUM> that defines an outer recess <NUM> that cooperates with the bottom cap <NUM> when the valve member <NUM> is received in the cap <NUM> in the operative position.

The valve member <NUM> is receivable in and removable from the cap <NUM>, which facilitates cleaning. Also, the spout <NUM> is removable from the cap <NUM>, which also facilitates cleaning. Moreover, the valve member <NUM> includes the drink passage <NUM>, <NUM> and the vent passage <NUM> both of which are in fluid communication with the drinking vessel <NUM> through the straw <NUM> when the cap <NUM> is connected with the drinking vessel <NUM> and the valve member <NUM> is received in an operative position in the cap <NUM>. The valve member <NUM> is receivable in the valve receiving passage <NUM> such that the uppermost surface <NUM> of the valve member <NUM> is exposed to ambient when the spout <NUM> is in the drinking position and the valve member <NUM> is received in the operative position in the cap <NUM>. In many traditional straw valve assemblies, the vent opening in provided in a more rigid cap.

Claim 1:
A straw lid valve assembly (<NUM>) comprising:
a cap (<NUM>) configured to connect with a drinking vessel (<NUM>), the cap including a valve receiving passage (<NUM>);
a spout (<NUM>) pivotally connected with the cap (<NUM>) and pivotal about a pivot axis (<NUM>) between a drinking position and a closed position, the spout (<NUM>) including an inner passage (<NUM>) that is in fluid communication with the drinking vessel (<NUM>) when in the drinking position and is closed off from the drinking vessel when in the closed position; and
a valve member (<NUM>) received in the cap (<NUM>), and the valve member including a drink passage (<NUM>, <NUM>) and a vent passage (<NUM>) both of which are in fluid communication with the drinking vessel (<NUM>) when the cap is connected with the drinking vessel and the valve member (<NUM>) is received in an operative position in the cap, wherein the valve member is received in the valve receiving passage (<NUM>) such that an uppermost surface (<NUM>) of the valve member is exposed to ambient when the spout (<NUM>) is in the drinking position and the valve member is received in the operative position in the cap, wherein the valve member (<NUM>) includes an upper vent opening (<NUM>) for the vent passage (<NUM>), characterized in that the spout (<NUM>) includes a vent closure (<NUM>) that closes the vent opening (<NUM>) when the spout is in the closed position