Beverage container closure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10023366-B2
Application number	US-201615080137-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2016
Priority date	Nov 15, 2010
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A beverage container closure or lid that is adapted for closing an open end of a beverage container. The lid is selectively couplable to the beverage container and includes a selectively openable stopper that when closed, creates a fluid-tight seal between the beverage container and the environment. The stopper may be selectively opened by a user by the user pressing a button disposed on a side of the beverage container closure. The stopper is subsequently automatically closed when the user releases the button. Thus, a user may open and close the beverage container closure using a single hand without the need to remove the beverage container closure from the beverage container.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drinking container for use by a user, comprising:
a container body having a container cavity, a removable lid covering the container cavity, the lid having a drink aperture and a vent aperture, the lid having an unlocked state and a locked state;
a trigger assembly controlling fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture and vent aperture, the trigger assembly having a button member movable by the user to actuate opening of the drink aperture when the lid is in the unlocked state to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture, and not sufficiently movable by the user to actuate opening of the drink aperture when the lid is in the locked state, the button member being movable to actuate opening of the vent aperture when the lid is in the unlocked state to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the vent aperture, and not movable to actuate opening of the vent aperture when the lid is in the locked state; and
a locking member positioned to prevent actuating movement of the button member when the lid is in the locked state.

2. The drinking container of claim 1 , wherein when the lid is in the locked state, the locking member and the button member are at least partially aligned to prevent sufficient movement of the button member by the user to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture, and when the lid is in the unlocked state, the locking member and the button member are sufficiently out of alignment to permit movement of the button member by the user to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture.

3. The drinking container of claim 2 , wherein the locking member is movable between a first position and a second position, when the locking member is moved to the first position, the locking member and the button member are at least partially aligned to prevent sufficient movement of the button member by the user to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture, and when the locking member is moved to the second position, the locking member and the button member are sufficiently out of alignment to permit movement of the button member by the user to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture.

4. The drinking container of claim 1 , wherein the button member is movable by the user in a first direction to actuate opening of the drink aperture when the lid is in the unlocked state, and wherein one of the locking member and the button member is movable relative to the other in a second direction different from the first direction, the one of the locking member and button member being movable in the second direction is movable in the second direction between a first position and a second position, and when moved to the first position, the locking member and the button member are at least partially aligned in the first direction to prevent sufficient movement of the button member by the user in the first direction to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture, and when moved to the second position, the locking member and the button member are sufficiently out of alignment in the first direction to permit movement of the button member by the user in the first direction to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture.

5. A drinking container for use by a user, comprising:
a container body having a container cavity, a removable lid covering the container cavity, the lid having a drink aperture and a vent aperture, the lid having an unlocked state and a locked state;
a trigger assembly controlling fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture and vent aperture, the trigger assembly having a button member movable by the user in a first direction to actuate opening of the drink aperture when the lid is in the unlocked state to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture, and not sufficiently movable by the user in the first direction to actuate opening of the drink aperture when the lid is in the locked state, the button member being movable in the first direction to actuate opening of the vent aperture when the lid is in the unlocked state to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the vent aperture, and not movable by the user in the first direction to actuate opening of the vent aperture when the lid is in the locked state; and
a locking member positioned to prevent actuating movement of the button member when the lid is in the locked state.

6. The drinking container of claim 5 , wherein when the lid is in the locked state, the locking member and the button member are at least partially aligned in the first direction to prevent sufficient movement of the button member by the user in the first direction to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture, and when the lid is in the unlocked state, the locking member and the button member are sufficiently out of alignment in the first direction to permit movement of the button member by the user in the first direction to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture.

7. The drinking container of claim 6 , wherein one of the locking member and the button member is movable relative to the other in a second direction oriented transverse to the first direction, the one of the locking member and button member being movable in the second direction is movable in the second direction between a first position and a second position, and when moved to the first position, the locking member and the button member are at least partially aligned in the first direction to prevent sufficient movement of the button member by the user in the first direction to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture, and when moved to the second position, the locking member and the button member are sufficiently out of alignment in the first direction to permit movement of the button member by the user in the first direction to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture.

8. The drinking container of claim 5 , wherein one of the locking member and the button member is movable relative to the other in a second direction different from the first direction, the one of the locking member and button member being movable in the second direction is movable in the second direction between a first position and a second position, and when moved to the first position, the locking member and the button member are at least partially aligned in the first direction to prevent sufficient movement of the button member by the user in the first direction to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture, and when moved to the second position, the locking member and the button member are sufficiently out of alignment in the first direction to permit movement of the button member by the user in the first direction to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture.

9. A locking mechanism operable by a user for a drinking container having a container body defining a container cavity, and a lid having a drink aperture and a vent aperture, and covering the container cavity, the lid having an unlocked state and a locked state, the locking mechanism comprising:
a button member movable by the user to actuate opening of the drink aperture when the lid is in the unlocked state to allow fluid communication between the container cavity and the drink aperture and to actuate opening of the vent aperture when the lid

Assignees

• Pacific Market Int Llc

Inventors

• Gilbert Tyler Sean
• Sims Randy

Classifications

• B65D43/02

  Removable lids or covers (with means for piercing, cutting, or tearing a frangible inner closure B65D51/22) · CPC title

• B65D43/26 Primary

  Mechanisms for opening or closing, e.g. pedal-operated {(for refuse receptacles B65F1/1623)} · CPC title

• B65D2251/0087

  of the 47-type · CPC title

• B65D53/02

  Collars or rings · CPC title

• A47G19/2272

  from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers · CPC title