Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02610734 2007-12-05
1
CLOSURE FOR A DRINKING BOTTLE
The present invention relates to a closure for a drinking flask in accordance
with the
introductory portion of claim 1.
Closures for drinking flasks of the art are sufficiently known and find use
especially
in the fields of leisure and specifically sports. Numerous designs of the
applicant, in
which a drinking nipple is supported axially displaceable moveable in a cap
part, are
present in the marked. In order to extract a liquid one pulls the drinking
nipple out
by ones teeth whereby an opening for the extraction of the liquid present in
the flask
is produced.
Such closures do excellently satisfy their object indeed but have, however,
the
drawback that they are relatively cumbersome to operate.
A further drawback consists in that if one forgets to bring the drinking
nipple after
the drinking again into the closed position, such can follow in an undesired
escaping
of liquid out of the drinking flask.
The object of the present invention consisted in providing a closure for a
drinking
flask which does not feature the above mentioned drawbacks.
This object is met by the features of the characterizing portion of claim 1.
Further
embodiments of the invention are defined in further claims.
The drinking closure in accordance with the invention features the advantage
in
conparison with the prior art of a more simple and more convenient
operability.
Furthermore, in comparison with the prior art, the risk of an undesired
escaping of
liquid due to a unintentional leaving the drinking closure open after the drir-
king is
practically done away with.
CA 02610734 2007-12-05
2
An embodiment of the present invention is explained still more in detail with
reference to figures. There is illustrated in:
Fig. 1 a drinking flask with a drinking closure mounted thereto, in a side
view;
Fig. 2 a view from below of the arrangement according to Fig. 1, in an in part
transparent illustration;
Fig. 3 a section along the line B-B of Fig. 2 through the closure according to
the
invention, with the sliding part in the drinking position;
Fig. 4 a section along the line B-C of Fig. 2 through the closure according to
the
invention, with the sliding part in the shut position;
Fig. 5 a section along the line A-C of Fig. 2 through the closure according to
the
invention and an upper portion of the drinking flask, with the sliding part
in the shut position;
Fig. 6 a section along the line M-M of Fig. 2 through the closure according to
the invention, with the sliding part in a drinking position; and
Fig. 7 the enlarged detail X of Fig. 3.
Figure 1 illustrates in a side view a drinking flask 1 with a closure V in
accordance
with the invention mounted thereto. The drinking flask 1 is basically a known
substantially cylinder shaped receptacle for the receipt of liquids. The
closure V is
set onto the neck of the drinking flask 1 and mounted thereto. The calotte
shaped
hood 3 which is pivotally mounted to the closure cap 2 through a hinge 30
protects
CA 02610734 2007-12-05
3
the shut-off and opening device K (not visible in Fig. 1) located inside the
hood 3
against dirt and impacts.
Fig. 2 illustrates a view of the arrangement according to Fig. 1 from below in
an in
part transparent illustration. Abutments 24 which are described in detail in
Fig. 4
extend in a plane and are arranged staggered circularly relative to each other
project
from the inner wall of the closure cap. Between any two respective abutments a
hole
27 is located.
In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a section along line B-B according to Fig. 2
through the
closure V according to the invention, whereby the sliding part 5 is located in
a
drinking position. The closure V consists firstly of a closure cap 2, as well
as of a
shut - off and opening device K connected to the closure cap 2. The shut - off
and
opening device K includes a stationary part 4 which is stationary relative to
the
closure cap 2, as well as a sliding part 5 which is slidable in a direction
towards the
closure cap 2 and away from the closure cap 2, respectively.
The stationary part 4 and the sliding part 5 cooperate in such a manner that
an
opening is formed for a flowing out of the liquid from the flask between the
stationary part 4 and the sliding part 5 if the sliding part 5 is located in
predetermined positions which in this text are termed drinking positions
relative to
the stationary part 4, and that this opening is closed if the sliding part 5
is located in
a predetermined position relative to the stationary part 4 which is in this
text termed
shut position.
The sliding part 5 is slidable from the shut position illustrated in Fig. 4
into a
drinking position illustrated in Fig. 3, whereby the sliding part 5 is located
in the
shut position in an outer position relative to the closure cap 2 and in the
drinking
position in an inner position relative to the closure cap 2.
CA 02610734 2007-12-05
4
For the transitions from the shut position into the drinking position the
sliding part 5
is to be moved from the outer position inwards, i.e. towards the closure cap 2
into an
inner position, whereby the movement towards the inside proceeds against the
resistance of resetting means in form of springs 9 which operate with a
direction of
action outwards, thus away from the closing cap 2, onto the sliding part. The
displacing of the sliding part 5 from the shut into the drinking position
proceeds
generally by the mouth of the user.
Quite obviously other means instead of the springs 9 may be foreseen which
strive
to move the sliding part 5 towards the outside away from the closure cap 2 and
into
the shut position.
In the shut position the closure V is leak tight closed against the
surroundings and
no liquid can exit out from the inside of the flask, whereas in the drinking
position
liquid present in the drinking flask I can exit the drinking flask 1 through
the
passage opening 52 towards the outside.
At the shut-off and opening device K a axis of symmetry S can be defined
around
which the stationary part 4 and the sliding part 5 are arranged, whereby the
stationary part 4 and the sliding part 5 possess a symmetry of rotation
relative to the
axis of rotation S.
The stationary part 4 is designed in principle in the shape of a mushroom and
includes a cylinder shaped shaft 40 which passes in direction of the free end
into a
in principle hemispherical plug section 41. The shaft 40 of the stationary
part 4
extends in the direction away from the closing cap 2 outwards (in the drawing
upwards). The stationary part 4 is equipped at its inner end with a collar 6
of an in
principle circular cross section. Several connecting rods 60 which are
circularly
staggered relative to each other are affixed to the collar 6, which extend
inwards
towards the closing cap 2 and connect the stationary part 4 in such a manner
to the
CA 02610734 2007-12-05
closing cap 2 that the stationary part 4 is mounted to the closing cap 2
stationary
relative to the closing cap 2.
The sliding part 5 arranged coaxially around the shaft 40 of the stationary
part 4 has
the shape of the jacked of a truncated cone which is terminated at the outlet
end 50
of the sliding part 5 by a rounded surface 51. The rounded surface 51 is
provided
with a passage opening 52 arranged concentrically to the rounded surface so
that the
sliding part possesses a volcano - like outer contour. The shaft 40 of the
sliding part
5 projects through the passage opening, whereby the plug portion 41 is located
with
a portion which has a larger diameter than the passage opening 52 outside of
the
sliding part 5.
The sliding part 5 includes at its inside a central tube like passage 54 which
opens at
the one hand through the passage opening 52 at the outlet end 50 of the
sliding part
5 towards the outside and at the other hand is in a flow communication with
the
inside of the drinking flask 1.
A inner area 53 of the portion of the sliding part 5 for receipt into the
mouth is
followed by first sleeve part 7 of a in principle cylindrical shape, as well
as a second
sleeve part 8 arranged coaxially to the first sleeve part 7 of also a in
principle
cylindrical shape.
The closing cap 2 possesses a cylinder shaped center part 26 arranged around
the
sleeve part 8 of which the outer side is provided with an outer thread 22.
The closing cap 2 includes a annular channel shaped first guiding groove 20 in
which the inner end 70 of the first sleeve part 7 is received and is guided
therein
axially displaceable relative to the axis of symmetry S.
CA 02610734 2007-12-05
6
Furthermore, a second, also annular channel shaped guiding groove 21 is
foreseen at
the closing cap 2 into which the inner end 80 of the second sleeve part 8
projects
and is guided therein axially displaceable relative to the axis of symmetry S.
Thus, the sliding part 5 can be displaced through the guides formed between
the first
guiding groove 20 and the inner end 70 of the first sleeve part 7 as well as
between
the second guiding groove 21 and the inner end 80 of the second sleeve part 8
in a
relative to the axis of symmetry S in the axial direction away from the
closing cap 2,
thus outwards (in the drawing upwards), as well in the direction towards the
closing
cap 2, thus inwards (in the drawing downwards) around the stationary first
opening
part 4.
The innermost position of the sliding part 5 illustrated in Fig. 3 is reached
when the
inner end 70 of the first sleeve part 7 strikes the bottom of the first guide
groove 20.
In this position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the sliding part 5 assumes a
drinking position
because a annular gap is formed between the shaft 40 and the through opening
52
through which liquid can exit from the inside of the drinking flask 1 towards
the
outside which can be specifically clear seen in Fig. 7 which illustrates the
enlarged
detail X according to Fig. 3.
Springs 9 are foreseen at the closure which act with a direction of action
outwards,
i.e. away from the closure cap 2 towards the plug section 41 onto the sliding
part 5
and strive to urge the sliding part 5 with the exit opening 50 against the
plug section
41 acting as abutment.
Fig. 4 illustrates the sliding part 5 in the shut-off position in which the
edge of the
through opening 52 acing outwards is pressed under the influence of the force
of the
springs against the plug section 41. In this outermost position which the
sliding part
can assume the through opening 52 is completely shut off by the plug section
41.
CA 02610734 2007-12-05
7
For instance collar shaped sealing elements may be placed at the through
opening
52. In order to open the trough opening 52 the sliding part 5 must be moved
inwards
thus against the closing cap 2- against the restoring force of the springs 9,
whereby
the mentioned annular gap for the exiting of the liquid is formed between the
shaft
40 and the trough opening 52 because the plug section is reduced inwards. I.e.
a
drinking position between stationary part 4 and sliding part 5 is arrived at
as soon as
the sliding part 5 is moved from the shut - off position inwards.
When the user releases again the sliding part 5 which has been moved inwards
the
sliding part is moved again under the influence of the restoring force of the
spring 9
in to the shut - off position illustrated in Fig. 4.
In order to equalize the negative pressure produced during the drinking a
aeration
channel is foreseen which includes a annular gap portion 23 which is formed
between the outer side of the cylinder shaped sleeve part 8 and the inner wall
25 of
the closure cap 2. The annular gap portion 23 opens at the top into the hollow
chamber 90 which communicates with the ambient air.
The lower end 80 of the sleeve part 8 is provided with a sealing lip of an
elastic
material formed rotation symmetric relative to the axis of symmetry S and as a
truncated cone, which extends from the sleeve part 8 towards the inner wall 25
of
the closing cap 2, presses with a pressing on force against the inner wall of
the
closing cap and closes in the shut - off position the annular gap channe123
tightly in
such a manner that neither air can penetrate trough the aeration channel from
the
outside into the inside of the flask nor liquid can leak trough the aeration
channel
outwards.
The air is aspirated during the drinking action through the hollow chamber 90
and
from there further trough the annular gap portion 23 and the aeration gap
formed
between the sealing lip 81 and the inner all 25 of the closing cap 2 and
reaches
CA 02610734 2007-12-05
8
finally through the holes 27 foreseen at the bottom of the second guiding
groove 21
the inside of the flask.
Deforming elements project from the inner wall 25 of the closing cap 2 which
in the
presently illustrated embodiment are formed as abutments 24 of an elliptical
cross -
section. lf the sliding part 5 is located in the shut - off position the
sealing lip 81 is
located further outwards in front of the abutments. If now the sliding part 5
is
moved inwards, thus into a drinking position, the edge of the sealing lip 81
abutting
the inner wall of the closure cap comes initially to contact the abutments 24
and is
guided upon a continued inwards movement of the sliding part 5 over the
abutments, whereby as a result of the movement between the sealing lip 81 and
the
abutments the sealing lip 81 is deformed elastically.
The setting of the deformation, i.e. the specification of the properties of
the elements
which take part in the deformation which are relevant for the deformation
(such as
e.g. shape, positioning and size of the deforming elements; elasticity and
shape of
the sealing lip 81) proceeds in such a manner that in drinking positions
aeration gaps
between the sealing lip 81 and the inner wall of the closure cap 2 are formed
under
the influence of the as generally known negative pressure produced in the
inside of
the flask during the drinking procedure. Because these aeration gaps are
produced
only at a negative pressure in the inside of the flask it is ensured that no
liquid can
leak from the inside of the flask through the aeration channel towards the
outside.
Fig. 5 illustrates the upper end of a drinking flask I onto the flask neck of
which the
closure V is mounted. The outer thread 22 of the closure cap 2 engages an
inner
thread 11 foreseen on the inner side of the flask neck.
Fig. 6 illustrates a further section through the closure V according to the
invention
along the line M - M according to Fig. 2, whereby the sliding part is in a
drinking
position.
CA 02610734 2007-12-05
9
Fig. 7 illustrates the enlarged detail X of Fig. 3.
