Bite-actuated mouthpieces and drink vessels including bite-actuated mouthpieces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11345523-B2
Application number	US-201916425740-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2019
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

Bite-actuated mouthpieces and drink vessels including bite-actuated mouthpieces are disclosed. Bite-actuated mouthpieces comprise a body comprising a dispensing wall, one or more sidewalls extending from the dispensing wall that with the dispensing wall define an internal volume, and an inlet to the internal volume. The self-sealing exit is biased toward a closed configuration and is configured to be selectively reconfigured from the closed configuration to an open configuration responsive to user-applied compressive forces to opposing bite regions. The dispensing wall has a dispensing face opposite the internal volume, and in some examples, the dispensing face is concave.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bite-actuated mouthpiece, comprising:
a body, comprising:
a dispensing wall, wherein the dispensing wall comprises a self-sealing exit;
one or more sidewalls extending from the dispensing wall, wherein the one or more sidewalls and the dispensing wall define an internal volume, and further wherein the one or more sidewalls comprise opposing bite regions; and
an inlet to the internal volume;

wherein the self-sealing exit is selectively configured to transition between a closed configuration, in which the self-sealing exit is closed and drink liquid in the internal volume may not be dispensed through the self-sealing exit, and an open configuration, in which the self-sealing exit is open and drink liquid in the internal volume may be dispensed through the self-sealing exit;
wherein the self-sealing exit is biased toward the closed configuration and is configured to be selectively reconfigured from the closed configuration to the open configuration responsive to user-applied compressive forces to the opposing bite regions;
wherein the dispensing wall has a dispensing face opposite the internal volume, wherein the dispensing face is concave, and wherein the dispensing wall has a dispensing-wall thickness;
wherein the bite-actuated mouthpiece has a longitudinal axis that extends through the inlet, the internal volume, and the self-sealing exit;
wherein the dispensing wall meets the one or more sidewalls at an acute angle and wherein the dispensing-wall has a thickness that continually increases from a minimum thickness at the one or more sidewalls to a maximum thickness at the longitudinal axis; and
wherein the dispensing wall comprises an interior surface that faces the internal volume and comprises a pair of elongate projections that extend from the interior surface.

2. The bite-actuated mouthpiece of claim 1 ,
wherein the bite-actuated mouthpiece has a first lateral dimension and a second lateral dimension that is perpendicular to the first lateral dimension;
wherein the first lateral dimension and the second lateral dimension are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
wherein the self-sealing exit comprises at least one slit;
wherein the at least one slit is parallel to the second lateral dimension;
wherein when the self-sealing exit is in the closed configuration, opposing faces of the at least one slit are engaged together to restrict liquid flow through the self-sealing exit, and when the self-sealing exit is in the open configuration, the opposing faces of the at least one slit are separated to permit liquid flow through the self-sealing exit; and
wherein a maximum width of the body in the first lateral dimension at the dispensing wall is greater than a maximum width of the body in the second lateral dimension at the dispensing wall.

3. The bite-actuated mouthpiece of claim 2 , wherein the at least one slit consists of a single slit; wherein the single slit is parallel to the second lateral dimension; and wherein the opposing bite regions extend generally in the first lateral dimension.

4. The bite-actuated mouthpiece of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing wall has an interior surface that faces the internal volume; and wherein the interior surface extends from the one or more sidewalls at an angle of at least 45°.

5. The bite-actuated mouthpiece of claim 1 ,
wherein the bite-actuated mouthpiece has a first lateral dimension and a second lateral dimension that is perpendicular to the first lateral dimension;
wherein the first lateral dimension and the second lateral dimension are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
wherein the dispensing wall has an interior surface that faces the internal volume;
wherein a transition between the interior surface and the one or more sidewalls has a radius of curvature;
wherein the radius of curvature at a first cross-section of the body that contains the longitudinal axis and that is in the first lateral dimension is greater than at a second cross-section of the body that contains the longitudinal axis and that is in the second lateral dimension.

6. The bite-actuated mouthpiece of claim 1 ,
wherein the dispensing face has an outer region that is proximate to the one or more sidewalls and an inner region that is positioned radially inward relative to the outer region; and
wherein at one or more cross-sections containing the longitudinal axis, the dispensing face is straight within the outer region and arcuate within the inner region.

7. The bite-actuated mouthpiece of claim 1 ,
wherein the self-sealing exit comprises at least one slit;
wherein the pair of elongate projections extend from the interior surface along the at least one slit and at least partially define the at least one slit;
wherein each of the pair of elongate projections comprises a planar region that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and
wherein the planar region spans less than an entirety of the respective elongate projection.

8. The bite-actuated mouthpiece of claim 1 ,
wherein the self-sealing exit comprises at least one slit;
wherein the pair of elongate projections extend from the interior surface along the at least one slit and at least partially define the at least one slit;
wherein each of the pair of elongate projections comprises three planar regions including first and second planar regions extending from the one or more sidewalls and a third planar region extending between the first and second planar regions; and
wherein the third planar region is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

9. The bite-actuated mouthpiece of claim 1 ,
wherein the one or more sidewalls have a sidewall thickness;
wherein at one or more cross-sections of the one or more sidewalls that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the sidewall thickness is not uniform;
wherein the bite-actuated mouthpiece has a first lateral dimension and a second lateral dimension that is perpendicular to the first lateral dimension;
wherein the first lateral dimension and the second lateral dimension are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and
wherein at one or more cross-sections of the one or more sidewalls that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the sidewall thickness is greater in the first lateral dimension than in the second lateral dimension.

10. A bite-actuated mouthpiece, comprising:
a dispensing wall comprising a self-sealing exit at least partially defined by a pair of elongate projections extending from an interior surface of the dispensing wall;
one or more sidewalls extending from the dispensing wall, wherein the one or more sidewalls and the dispensing wall define an internal volume, wherein the interior surface of the dispensing wall faces the internal volume, and wherein the one or more sidewalls comprise opposing bite regions; and
an inlet to the internal volume;
wherein the self-sealing exit is selectively configured to transition between a closed configuration, in which the self-sealing exit is closed and drink liquid in the internal volume cannot be dispensed through the self-sealing exit, and an open configuration, in which the self-sealing exit is open and drink liquid in the internal volume can be dispensed through the self-sealing exit;
wherein the self-sealing exit is biased toward the closed configuration and is configured to transition from the closed configuration to the open configuration in response to compressive forces on the opposing bite regions;
wherein the dispensing wall has a dispensing face opposite the internal volume and wherein the dispensing wall has a dispensing-wall thickness;
wherein the bite-actuated mouthpiece has a longitudinal axis that extends through the inlet, the internal volume

Assignees

• Camelbak Products Llc

Inventors

• Campbell Derek
• Mar Eric
• Luhrs Thomas R

Classifications

• A45F3/166

  Hydration systems incorporated in a backpack · CPC title

• B65D85/72

  for edible or potable liquids, semiliquids, or plastic or pasty materials · CPC title

• B65D47/2018 Primary

  comprising a valve or like element which is opened or closed by deformation of the container or closure · CPC title

• B65D47/066 Primary

  the spout being either flexible or having a flexible wall portion, whereby the spout is foldable between a dispensing and a non-dispensing position (B65D47/2043 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D47/2031 Primary

  the element being formed by a slit, narrow opening or constrictable spout, the size of the outlet passage being able to be varied by increasing or decreasing the pressure (B65D47/2025 takes precedence) · CPC title