Travel container having drinking orifice and vent aperture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9808102-B2
Application number	US-201615192893-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 18, 2005
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A container is provided with a lid having a push-button trigger mechanism that operates both a drink seal for a drinking opening and a vent seal for a vent opening. The trigger translates in a straight line transverse to a longitudinal axis of the container body during the entire movement of the trigger to define a straight-line actuation stroke. The vent opening is initially opened during a first portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger, and the drink opening is initially opened during a second portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drinking container comprising:
a container body having a cavity and defining a longitudinal axis; and
a lid assembly configured to cover the cavity, the lid assembly including:
a lid body including a top surface and at least one side surface, the lid body defining a vent aperture and a drink aperture, the drink aperture extending through the top surface;
a shutter configured to block the drink aperture in the top surface;
a vent seal configured to prevent fluid communication between the vent aperture and the cavity; and
a push-button trigger supported by the side surface of the lid body and positioned on an opposite side of the longitudinal axis from the drink aperture, the push-button trigger having a linear actuation stroke translating in a straight line transverse to the longitudinal axis and a touch surface oriented perpendicular to the linear actuation stroke; and
the push-button trigger being mechanically connected to the shutter and the vent seal and configured to open and close the shutter and vent seal during the linear actuation stroke, wherein the vent seal is initially actuated during a first portion of the linear actuation stroke of the push button,
wherein the linear actuation stroke passes through a vertical plane passing through a portion of the shutter, the vent seal, and the push-button trigger; and
wherein the shutter is initially actuated during a second portion of the linear actuation stroke of the push-button trigger.

2. The drinking container of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal axis defines a central axis of the container body and lies within the vertical plane.

3. The drinking container of claim 2 , wherein the vertical plane bisects the shutter, the vent seal, and the push-button trigger.

4. The drinking container of claim 3 , wherein the vent aperture is located on the top surface of the lid body.

5. The drinking container of claim 3 , further comprising a vent chamber between the vent seal and the vent aperture.

6. The drinking container of claim 5 , wherein the trigger extends at least partially through the vent chamber.

7. The drinking container of claim 5 , wherein the vent chamber has a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of the vent aperture.

8. The drinking container of claim 3 , further comprising:
a first spring member connected to the shutter and exerting a force on the shutter towards a closed position, and
a second spring member connected to the push-button trigger and exerting a force on the push-button trigger to move the vent seal towards a closed position.

9. The drinking container of claim 8 , wherein the shutter moves transverse to the straight line translation of the linear actuation stroke of the push-button trigger upon movement of the shutter from a closed to an open position.

10. The drinking container of claim 9 , further comprising:
a vent chamber between the vent seal and the vent aperture, wherein the push-button trigger extends at least partially through the vent chamber.

11. The drinking container of claim 10 , wherein the vent chamber has a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of the vent aperture.

12. The drinking container of claim 11 , wherein the push-button trigger translates in a straight line transverse to the longitudinal axis in response to a generally perpendicular force applied to the touch surface.

13. The drinking container of claim 12 , wherein the vent aperture extends through the top surface of the lid body.

Assignees

• Ignite Usa Llc

Inventors

• Pinelli Steven N

Classifications

• A47G19/2272 Primary

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

• B65D43/26

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

• B65D2543/00046

  Drinking-through lids · CPC title

• B65D43/02

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

• B65D2251/0018

  of the 43-type · CPC title