Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02219618 1997-10-27
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
DRINKING CUP ~ND ~,OVER WITH FLOW CONTROL ELEMENTS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present lnvention relates to de~ices
en~ployed to prepare yo~mg children to transfer ~r~m
10 drinking liquids i~rom a nippled bottle to drinking liquids
from an open topped cup or similar container. Sinilar
devices are also employed to assist certain physi_ally
handicapped individuals and typically consist of ~ cup
having a cover including special f~eatures intended to
15 facili~ate the ingestion of liquid from the cup wl~ile
minimizing the amount of liquid spilled from the cup. The
cover for the drinking cup typically includes a spout
allowing withdrawal of liquid from the container c~nd one or
more vent apertures allowing air into the covered container
as liquid is withdrawn.
2. Descri~tion of the Prior Art
In an e~fort to reduce further the amount of
liquid spilled from an upset drinking cup, some covers have
incorporated valves to control the amount of air admitted
into the cup during the drinking process and valves to
control the amount o~ liquid released from the cup. These
valves, when operating in the intended manner,
substantially eliminate accidental spills ~rom the cup.
Examples of such cups are to be found in Morano, u. s .
Patent No. 5,542,670; Belanger, U.S. Patent No. 5,079,013;
Coy, U.S. Patent No. 4,946,062; Paz, U.S. Patent
No. 3,739,938; and, Rice, U.S. Patent No. 2,608,841.
Some o~ the prior art devices require
manipulation of element, of the cup in order to achieve
optimal controlled vent:ing and sealing o~ the container.
It has been recognized that young children and others which
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would benefit from employing such training cups are not
capable of reliably operating such manual valving devices.
As a result, vent control has increasingly employed
structures which would automatically achieve the desired
effects. There has also been a recognition that many of
the prior art devices involved parts which were di~icult
to reliably manufacture, required significant assembly and
were difficult to clean. Thus, designs have been sought
which minimize the number of parts while reliably achieving
all of the desired valving functions to arrive at a truly
dripless container while employing a minimum of materials.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a drinking cup oE the pre~ent
invention employs a body portion to which is removably
attached a cover having an outer perimeter which is
generally symmetric about a centrally located axis. The
cover includes a drinking spout offset to one side of said
axis and a vent aperture offset to the opposite side of
said axis. The drinking spout and the vent aperture are
each surrounded by wall members which depend generally away
from an interior surface of the cover. An air inlet flow
control valve is coupled to the wall member surrounding the
vent aperture while a liquid outlet flow control valve is
coupled to the wall member surrounding the liquid outlet or
spout.
Each of the Elow control valves comprises a
domed elastomeric member containing a slit allowing for
passage of a selected fluid through the domed portion. The
domed portions of each of the flow control valves is
surrounded by a circular isolating channel. Outside of
each circular isolating channels is a perimetral portion
for connecting the flow control valve to the depending wall
portion of the cover. The perimetral portion connecting
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the flow control valve to the depending wall portion can
take the form of either an outwardly facing surfa~e adapted
to engage the interior of the depending wall portion or an
inwardly facing surface adapted to engage the exterior of
the depending wall portion.
The domed po]tion of each of the valves is
preferably formed i-rom a substantially uniform thickness oi-
elastomeric material s~1ch as 6070 silicone rubber having a
hardness of approximately 70 Shore A. The radius defining
the domed portion of each flow control valve is greater
than the radius of the circular isolating channel
surrounding each domed portion so that the domed portion
constitutes less than a hemisphere. The slit in the domed
portion occupies between about 25 to about 45% of the
diameter of the domed portion and is centered on the most
protuberant part of the domed portion. In this manner, the
~luid passing through the slit can achieve substantially
only a one-way passage since the domed curvature
substantially prevents any backilow oi fluid through the
flow control valve. Additionally, with the slit occupying
less than the full diameter of the domed portion, some
minim~l vacuum must be applied on the convex side of the
domed portion in order to achieve sufficient elastomeric
displacement to allow the intended fluid, whether liquid or
air, to pass through the slit. In the absence of such a
vacuum, the sides of the slit are maintained in contiguous
contact thereby preventing any transfer of liquid or air
across the respective ilow control valve.
In a preferred embodiment, coupling means are
provided for coupling the two flow control valves together.
The coupling means can comprise a handle portion integrally
attached to the perimetral portion of the flow control
valve and including joining means for joining the handle
portion of one of the flow control valves to the handle
portion oi- the other oi- the ~low control valves. The
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coupling means can also have the ~orm o~ a contimlous
bridge between the two flow control valves. Preferably,
the joining means separably co-engages the handle portions
so that either one or both of the flow control vaLves can
be removed from the cover for cleaning or in situations
where less restriction of the ~low o~ one or both ~luids
throu~h the cover is desired.
In a particu]arly preferred embodiment, the
coupling means comprises a diaphragm having an outer edge
positioned between an upper edge o~ the body portion and a
lower inner edge of the cover so as to provide a ,eal
between the body portion and cover. The diaphragm also
isolates the interior ~urface of the cover from t~le
contents of the drinking cup thereby reducing the
possibility o~ residual ~ood contamination ~rom retained
material ln interior corners of the cover.
One feature of a drinking cup in accordance with
the present invention is a body portion which includes a
narrow waist integrally~ ~ormed with a broadened bLse which
enhances the overall ability of the cup to resist tipping
and spilling. The narrow waist portion also has ~he
advantage o~ allowing the small hands of a young child to
more easily manipulate the container as a whole.
Another ~eature of the present invention is the
control o~ the exit of liquid from the drinking cup using
flow control valves which are formed ~rom low cos_, safe
materials which are easily cleaned and secured to the
interior of the drinking cup in such a manner as 1-o
significantly diminish the likelihood o~ a valve defeating
manipulation by a child while employing the drink:Lng cup.
These and other features and advantages will
become apparent to those skilled in the art upon
consideration of the following description of the preferred
embodiments exemplifying the best mode of the invention.
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The description refers to the accompanying figures
illustrating the preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a drinking
cup in accordance with the present invention part:Lally
broken away to reveal the location of the flow control
valves coupled to the interior surface of the cover.
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the cover shown
in FIG. 1 with the flow control valves removed to reveal
the interior structure of the vent aperture and spout.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a first
preferred embodiment of the flow control valves joined by a
co-engagement of the handle portions.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the structure
shown in FIG. 3 taken along line 4-4.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a second
preferred embodiment of the flow control valves joined by
an integral continuous bridge.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the structure
shown in FIG. 5 taken along line 6-6.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view si~ilar to
FIGS. 4 and 6 of the air inlet flow control valve of the
present invention.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view similar to
FIGS. 4 and 6 of the liquid outlet flow control valve of
the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a third preferred
e3~bodiment in accordance with the present invention
depicting a cover for a drinking cup and a contin1l0us
bridge having a diaphragm.
FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a fourth
preferred e3~bodiment in accordance with the present
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invention depicting a cover for a drinking cup ancL a
continuous bridge having a diaphragm and a graspable tab.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view o~ another
embodiment of the flow control valves of the present
invention clepicted as joined together with an attachment
member.
FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the structure
shown in FIG. 11 taken along line 12-12 but depict:ed as
mounted to the cover.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A drinking cup 10 in accordance with the present
invention is shown in FIG. 1 to comprise a body portion 12
and a cover 14 removably attached to the body port:ion 12.
The body portion 12 is preferably shaped to inclucle a
concave sidewall 16 dei-ining a narrow waist 18 supported by
a broader base 20. An upper margin, not shown, oi-- body
portion 12 projects inside a skirt portion 22 of cover 14
which includes threads or other features well known in the
art permitting a releasable locking engagement between the
body portion 12 and the cover 14.
The cover 14 includes a top wall 24 whi,~h
includes an upwardly projecting spout 26. Distal end 28 of
spout 26 includes a plurality of holes 30 which can be seen
in FIG. 2. The spout 26 is shown to be offset to the lei-t
side of the cover 14 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A vent
aperture 32, offset to the right side of cover 14" allows
air to enter the covered drinking cup as liquid e.~its the
covered drinking cup through holes 30. A first wall
member 34 depends generally away from an interior
surface 36 of top wall 24 surrounding the vent aperture 32.
A second wall member 38 surrounds the outlet hole, 30 as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
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Air inlet flow control valve 40 is secured to
first wall member 34, while liquid outlet ~low con.trol
valve 42 is secured to second wall member 38. As shown in
FIG 1, the flow control valves 40 and 42 are independent
o~ each other and inclucle first and second handle
portions 44 and 46, respectively, which facilitate the
removal o~ the ~low control valves ~rom supportinc. first
and second wall members 34 and 38, respectively.
Alternative embodiments ~or the flow control
valves 40 and 42 are shown in FIGS. 3 through 12. Liquid
outlet flow control valve 42 comprises an elastomcric ~irst
domed portion 48 containing a first slit 49 for al.lowing
the passage of a selected fluid out of drinking cup 10
through ~irst domed portion 48. Similarly, air inlet flow
control valve 40 comprises an elastomeric second cLomed
portion 50 containing a second slit 51 ~or allowing the
passage of air into drinking cup 10 through seconcL domed
portion 50 while liquid passes out o~ drinking cup 10.
Each o~ ~irst and second domed portions 48 and 50 is
surrounded by a perimetral portion 52 which connects flow
control valves 40 and 42 to first and second wall members
34 and 38, respectively. By appropriately selecti.ng the
interior dimensions o~ perimetral portions 52, each o~ ~low
control valves 40 and 42 may be disposed to surround a
portion of ~irst and second wall members 34 and 38,
respectively.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, first and second
handle portions 44 and 46 are unitarily joined to an edge
o~ the perimetral portion 52. First and second handle
portions 44 and 46 can be dimensioned to overlap as shown
in FIGS. 3 and 4 and to include joining means for joining
~irst and second handle portions 44 and 46 together. The
joining means shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 comprises an
aperture 54 in second handle portion 46 and a
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protuberance 56 in first handle portion 44 which can
project through the aperture 54.
In the alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. 5
and 6, the coupling means can take the form of a continuous
5 bridge 58 joining together upper edges of perimetral
portions 52 of flow control valves 40 and 42.
As shown in more detail in FIG. 7, first domed
portion 48 oE air inlet flow control valve 40 is surrounded
by a generally circular first isolating channel 60 which
10 enhances the ability of Lirst domed portion 48 to ~lex in
response to changes in pressure. First isolating
channel 60 may be disposed to project generally oppositely
from first wall member 34, that is, facing away from first
wall member 34 which supports the air inlet flow control
valve 40 with respect to interior surface 36 of cover 14.
It will be understood that first isolating channel 60 may
alternatively be disposed in confronting relationship to
first wall member 34. First isolating channel 60 has a
diameter "D" which is shown to be less than twice the
20 defining radius "R" of first domed portion 48 of 2ir inlet
flow control valve 40 so that first domçd portion 48
co~nprises less than a hemisphere. The width "W" of first
slit 49 controlling the inward flow of air into drinking
cup 10 through air inlet flow control valve 40 is about 60%
25 to about 85% of the defining radius "R" of first clomed
portlon 48 and is about 35% to about 40g~ of the diameter
"D" of ~irst isolating channel 60.
Referring to FIG. 8, second domed portion 50 of
liquid outlet flow control valve 42 is surrounded by a
30 generally circular second isolating channel 62 wh-ch
enhances the ability of second domed portion 50 to flex in
response to changes in pressure. Second isolatin(~
channel 62 may be disposed to confront second wal:l member
38 which supports the liquid outlet flow control ~Jalve 42
35 with respect to interior surface 36 of cover 14.
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Alternatively, second isolating channel 62 may be disposed
to project generally oppositely from second wall mernber 38,
that is, facing away from second wall mernber 38 which
supports the liquid outlet flow control valve 42 with
respect to interior suriace 36 of cover 14. The second
isolating channel 62 has a diameter "D" which is shown to
be less than twice the defining radius "R" of second domed
portion 50 of liquid ou1-let flow control valve 42 so that
second domed portion 50 comprises less than a hemisphere.
The width "W" of second slit 51 controlling the outward
flow of the liquid through liquid outlet flow control valve
42 is about 50% to aboul- 70% of the defining radius "R" of
second domed portion 50 and is about 60% of the diameter
"Dr' of second isolating channel 62.
It will be additionally noted that in each of
the illustrated er~odiments, the overall size of liquid
outlet flow control valve 42 is larger than air inlet flow
control valve 40. In the illustrated preferred
ernbodiments, the air in:Let flow control valve 40 is between
about 60% to about 85% of the size of liquid outlet flow
control valve 42.
In an embodiment of the invention illustrated in
FIG. 9, continuous bridge 58 joining the upper edges of
perimetral portions 52 of flow control valves 40 and 42 is
in the form of a diaphragm 70 having an outer edge 72
positioned adjacent to an interior edge 74 of cover 14 so
as to provide a seal be1ween body portion 12 and the
cover 14. The diaphragrn 70 also isolates interior
surface 36 of cover 14 from the contents of drinking
cup 10, thereby reducing the possibility of residual food
contamination from retained material in interior corners 76
of the cover 14.
Depicted in FIG. 10 is a fourth embodiment of
the present invention, depicting cover 14 having coupling
means including diaphragm 70 mounted to air inlet flow
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-- 10 --
control valve 40 and liquid outlet flow control vaLve 42.
Diaphragm 70 defines outer edge 72 capable of providing a
seal between body portion 12 and cover 14, when cover 14 is
attached to body portion 12. Graspable, elongated tab 80,
de~ining tab hole 82, is attached to diaphragm 70 so at to
project generally away from interior surface 36 of cover
14, facilitating removal of air inlet flow control valve 40
from first wall member ,4 and liquid outlet ~low c~ntrol
valve 42 from second wall member 38. By appropriately
selecting the interior dimensions o~ perimetral portions
52, each of flow contro] valves 40 and 42 may be disposed
to ~it within a portion o~ ~irst and second wall members 34
and 38, respectively.
Illustrated in FIGS. 11-12 ls another e~bodiment
of the present invention, illustrating the flow control
valves as joined together with generally planar attachment
member 86 having graspable projecting portion 88.
Although, as depicted in FIG. 12, projecting portion 88
~orms a generally arched con~iguration as seen in cross
section, it will be recognized that projecting ~ortion 88
may have other configurations so that the cross-sectional
profile presented by projecting portion 88 may include, for
example, arches of various heights and profiles utilizing
at least one curve, along with profiles utilizi~Lg at least
one straight line. The dimensions of attachment member 86
and especially the planar dimensions of projecting portion
88 may be chosen to be sufficiently large so that when the
flow control valves are joined together with attachment
member 86, the resulting structure is too large to be
easily swallowed. Attachment member 86 is attached between
air inlet flow control -valve 40 and liquid outlet flow
control valve 42 so that a plane defined by attachment
member 86 is disposed to be generally normal to interior
surface 36 of top wall 24, and so that projecting portion
88 projects generally away from interior surface --,6, that
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is, generally towards body portion 12 when cover 14 is
mounted to body portion 12. In this way, provisio]~ of
attachment member 86 fac:ilitates essentially simultaneous
removal of air inlet flow control valve 40 from first wall
member 34 and liquid outlet flow control valve 42 from
second wall member 38 b~ grasping projecting portion 88 and
pulling attachment member 86 away from cover 14. ~oreover,
by choosing ~im~n~ions of attachment memrber 86 so that
projecting portion 88 is disposed to project a substantial
distance from the flow control valves, easy grasping of
attachment member 86 for removal of the flow control valves
is accomplished.
The present invention having been described in
its preferred embodiments, it is clear that the present
invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and
em~bodiments within the ability of those skilled in the art
and without the exercise of the inventive faculty.
Accordingly, the scope of the present invention i~ defined
as set forth by the scope of the following claims.
