Patent ID: 7686182

Claim:
A resiliently operable bottle cap for water bottles and the like, said bottle cap comprising: a body having a threaded inner surface removably engageable with an open end portion of a beverage bottle, said body further having a monolithically formed top surface provided with an aperture centrally formed therein and axially aligned with a longitudinal axis passing through the bottle; a lid directly conjoined to said body and positioned over the aperture for preventing foreign objects from entering the bottle, said lid being offset below a top surface of said body for minimizing accidental contact therewith during non-use conditions; means for detaching said lid from said body in such a manner that a first perimeter portion of said lid becomes disengaged from an inner perimeter of the aperture while a second perimeter portion of said lid remains directly affixed to the inner perimeter of the aperture and thereby defines a linear fulcrum axis about which said lid can be repeatedly articulated during operating conditions; and a gasket formed from non-corrosive material directly lines the inner perimeter of the aperture so that fluids cannot seep between said gasket and the inner perimeter of the aperture, said gasket being permanently affixed to the aperture in such a manner that said lid selectively and directly engages said gasket after said lid is detached from said body; wherein said detaching means is initially disengaged from said body by exerting a downwardly directed force towards said lid, said lid thereafter being selectively articulated by placing a user's lips against said detaching means so that the user may quickly and readily pivot said detaching means without using the user's hands; wherein said detaching means comprises an actuator arm directly and monolithically formed with said lid and protruding upwardly therefrom wherein said arm terminates at a predetermined height above said top surface of said body, said actuator arm having monolithically formed first and second portions directly conjoined to said top surface of said body and said lid respectively, said arm further having a notch formed adjacent the fulcrum axis and extending across a width of the aperture for assisting the user to readily articulate said second portion between raised and lowered positions defined above and below the aperture respectively; and a deformably resilient spring member having opposed end portions directly connected to said arm and situated subjacent said top surface, said spring member being selectively adaptable between compressed and equilibrium positions in such a manner that said arm automatically returns to the raised position after the user articulates said arm to the lowered position.