Beverage container closure with venting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9364110-B2
Application number	US-201514616558-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2015
Priority date	Dec 5, 2011
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

A beverage container closure or lid adapted for closing an open end of a beverage container. The lid is 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 opened by pressing a button disposed on a side of the beverage container closure. The stopper is subsequently automatically closed when the button is released. Thus, the 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. The beverage container closure includes an actuating lever configured to press the button when a user applies a force to the lever. By utilizing the mechanical advantage provided by the lever, a user is able to selectively open and close the stopper using a relatively low amount of force.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lid for use with a drinking vessel containing a liquid, comprising:
a main body selectively couplable to the drinking vessel, the main body including an upper portion having a drinking opening configured to permit fluid passage therethrough when the lid is coupled to the drinking vessel, the main body further including a sidewall having an actuating member opening formed by an actuating member opening wall that extends through the sidewall;
a stopper movably coupled to the main body and configured for upward displacement into a closed position wherein the stopper engages a portion of the main body and covers the drinking opening to prevent fluid passage therethrough, and downward displacement into an opened position wherein the stopper is spaced apart from the portion of the main body to allow fluid passage through the drinking opening, the stopper having a cam follower;
an actuating member extending through the actuating member opening, the actuating member being movably coupled to the main body, the actuating member being movable inward and outward, and having a cam surface positioned to slidably engage the cam follower of the stopper during inward movement of the actuating member to cause the cam surface to move the cam follower downward which moves the stopper to the opened position, and being positioned such that during outward movement of the actuating member the cam surface permits the cam follower to move upward which moves the stopper to the closed position;
a seal member coupled to the actuating member and positioned within the actuating member opening between the actuating member and the actuating member opening wall when the actuating member is disposed in an outward position to provide a fluid-tight seal that prevents fluid passage through the actuating member opening, and as the actuating member is moved inward the seal member moves inward to a position at least partially out of the actuating member opening to break the fluid-tight seal prior to the cam surface moving the cam follower downward which moves the stopper to the opened position; and
a lever rotatably coupled to the main body and configured wherein when a first force is applied to the lever, the lever is operative to apply a second force to the actuating member to cause the actuating member to move inward.

2. The lid of claim 1 , wherein the lever is coupled to the main body by a hinge and is configured to receive the first force at a first portion of the lever spaced apart from the hinge and is configured to apply the second force to the actuating member at a second portion of the lever positioned between the hinge and the first portion.

3. The lid of claim 2 , wherein the first portion is positioned relative to the second portion such that the second force is greater than the first force.

4. The lid of claim 1 , further comprising:
a stopper biasing member coupled to the stopper and configured to bias the stopper upward into the closed position in response to outward movement of the actuating member; and
an actuating member biasing member operatively coupled to the actuating member and configured to bias the actuating member to move outward and allow the stopper biasing member to move the stopper upward into the closed position.

5. The lid of claim 1 , wherein the actuating member is biased toward the outward position and the stopper is biased toward the closed position.

6. The lid of claim 1 , further comprising:
a button disposed on the sidewall of the main body, the button being coupled to the actuating member such that pressing on the button moves the actuating member inward, wherein the lever is configured to apply the second force to the button when in the actuating position and the first force is applied to the lever.

7. A lid for use with a drinking vessel containing a liquid, comprising:
a main body selectively couplable to the drinking vessel, the main body including an upper portion having a drinking opening configured to permit fluid passage therethrough when the lid is coupled to the drinking vessel, the main body further including a sidewall having an actuating member opening formed by an actuating member opening wall that extends through the sidewall;
a stopper movably coupled to the main body and configured for upward displacement into a closed position wherein the stopper engages a portion of the main body and covers the drinking opening to prevent fluid passage therethrough, and downward displacement into an opened position wherein the stopper is spaced apart from the portion of the main body to allow fluid passage through the drinking opening, the stopper having first and second cam followers spaced apart from each other;
an actuating member extending through the actuating member opening, the actuating member being movably coupled to the main body, the actuating member being movable inward and outward, and having first and second cam surfaces spaced apart from each other, the first and second cam followers of the stopper being positioned to be slidably engaged by the first and second cam surfaces of the actuating member, respectively, during inward movement of the actuating member to move the first and second cam followers downward which moves the stopper to the opened position, and being positioned such that during outward movement of the actuating member the first and second cam surfaces permit the first and second cam followers to move upward which moves the stopper to the closed position;
a seal member coupled to the actuating member and positioned within the actuating member opening between the actuating member and the actuating member opening wall when the actuating member is disposed in an outward position to provide a fluid-tight seal that prevents fluid passage through the actuating member opening, and as the actuating member is moved inward the seal member moves inward to a position at least partially out of the actuating member opening to break the fluid-tight seal prior to the first and second cam surfaces moving the first and second cam followers downward which moves the stopper to the opened position; and
a lever rotatably coupled to the main body and configured wherein when a first force is applied to the lever, the lever is operative to apply a second force to the actuating member to cause the actuating member to move inward.

8. The drinking vessel and lid assembly of claim 7 , wherein the lever is coupled to the main body by a hinge and is configured to receive the first force at a first portion of the lever spaced apart from the hinge and is configured to apply the second force to the actuating member at a second portion of the lever positioned between the hinge and the first portion.

9. The drinking vessel and lid assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first portion is positioned relative to the second portion such that the second force is greater than the first force.

10. The drinking vessel and lid assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:
a button disposed on a sidewall portion of the main body, the button being coupled to the actuating member such that pressing on the button moves the actuating member inward, wherein the lever is configured to apply the second force to the button when in the actuating position and the first force is applied to the lever.

11. A lid for use with a drinking vessel containing a liquid, comprising:
a main body selectively couplable to the drinking vessel, the main body including an upper portion having a drinking opening configured to permit fluid passage therethrough when the lid is coupled to the drinking vessel, the main body further including a sidewall having an actuating member opening formed by an actuating member open

Assignees

• Pacific Market Int Llc

Inventors

• George Sarah Danger

Classifications

• A47J41/0022

  the stopper comprising two or more pieces movable relatively to each other for opening or closing the dispensing passage · CPC title

• B65D2251/009

  of the 51-type · CPC title

• B65D39/0052

  made in more than one piece (B65D39/02, B65D39/04, B65D39/06, B65D39/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• A47G19/2272 Primary

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

• B65D47/248

  the valve being opened or closed by imparting a motion to the valve stem (B65D47/244, B65D47/245 take precedence) · CPC title