CN116424721A

CN116424721A - Cap assembly for beverage container

Info

Publication number: CN116424721A
Application number: CN202310031625.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: M·莱恩; T·奥贡罗; D·博罗斯基
Original assignee: Thermos China Housewares Co Ltd; Thermos LLC
Current assignee: Thermos China Housewares Co Ltd; Thermos LLC
Priority date: 2022-01-12
Filing date: 2023-01-10
Publication date: 2023-07-14
Also published as: AU2023200109A1; CA3186179A1; TW202334004A; EP4212450A3; US20230219720A1; EP4212450A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a cap assembly for a beverage container, in particular to a beverage container system. The beverage container system includes a lid assembly to selectively close the beverage container. The cap assembly includes a cap cover and a lower cap. The cap is sealed against the drinking rim of the lower cap.

Description

Cap assembly for beverage container

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/298,713, filed on 1 month 12 2022, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a cap assembly for a beverage container.

Background

Certain beverage containers are known to use caps having a closure feature or structure to prevent or reduce spillage or leakage of the fluid contained in the beverage container. Such conventional closure features may leak or fail to provide a reliable closure. Such conventional closure features may have only a single beverage opening pattern. Such conventional containers may also not cover or protect the drinking surface of the beverage container from contamination.

Disclosure of Invention

Certain aspects of a cap assembly for a beverage container are shown and described. In one aspect, a cap assembly is described. The cap assembly includes a lower cap and a cap cover. The lower cap is configured to engage or connect to an upper portion or neck region of the beverage container. The cap is configured to engage or connect to and seal against the lower cap.

The lower cover includes one or more openings or fluid passages. The opening or fluid passageway is configured to fluidly connect to the interior volume of the beverage container. When the cap is engaged or connected to the lower cap, the cap seals against a drinking rim, top edge, mouth or other drinking surface of the lower cap to provide a leak-proof cap assembly. When the cap is engaged or connected to the lower cap, the stop portion of the cap is positioned over the one or more openings or fluid passages. The lower cap is configured to dispense beverage from the beverage container when the cap is removed from the lower cap. The user can drink directly from the lower cover.

In other aspects, a cap assembly for a beverage container is described. The cap assembly includes a lower cap. The lower cap is configured to connect or engage around an upper portion or neck region of the beverage container. The lower cover has a central wall. The central wall has an opening for the fluid passage. The cap assembly includes a cap cover. The cap is configured to connect or engage with the lower cap. The cap is configured to seal against the inside surface of the drinking rim of the lower cap.

In other aspects, a cap assembly for a beverage container is described. The cap assembly includes a lower cap. The lower cap is configured to be connected or joined to a beverage container. The lower cover has a central wall. The central wall has a smaller opening for the fluid passage and a larger opening for the fluid passage. The cap assembly includes a cap cover. The cap is configured to connect or engage with the lower cap. The cap is configured to seal against the lower cap.

In other aspects, a cap assembly for a beverage container is described. The cap assembly includes a first lower cap. The first lower cap is configured to be connected or joined to a beverage container. The first lower cover has a first center wall. The first central wall has a first opening for the fluid passage. The cap assembly includes a cap cover. The cap is configured to connect or engage with the first lower cap. The cap is configured to seal against the first lower cap. The cap assembly includes a second lower cap. The second lower cap is configured to connect or engage the beverage container in place of the first lower cap. The second lower cover has a second center wall. The second central wall has a second opening for the fluid passage. The cap is configured to connect or engage with the second lower cap. The cap is configured to seal against the second lower cap. In certain aspects, the first opening is a different size or shape than the second opening.

In other aspects, a beverage container system is described that includes any of the lid assemblies of the present disclosure, as well as a beverage container.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage container system.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an upper portion of the beverage container system.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the cap assembly and the beverage container.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the cap assembly and the beverage container.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the beverage container system.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the beverage container system with the cap removed.

Fig. 7 is an upper view of the cap assembly.

Fig. 8 is a lower perspective view of the cap assembly.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the cap assembly.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the cap assembly.

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the cap separated from the lower cap.

Fig. 12 is an upper perspective view of the cap.

Fig. 13 is a lower perspective view of the cap.

Fig. 14 is a lower perspective view of the cap.

Fig. 15 is an upper perspective view of the lower cover.

Fig. 16 is a side view of the lower cover.

Fig. 17 is a top view of the lower cover.

Fig. 18 is a first alternative lower cover.

Fig. 19 is a second alternative lower cap with vent holes.

Detailed Description

For purposes of this application, any expression (e.g., "upper," "middle," "lower," "outer," "inner," "above," "below," "bottom," "top," etc.) describing a relative position refers to an aspect of the invention as illustrated, but such expression is not limiting of the orientation in which embodiments may be used.

The beverage container system 10 will now be described with reference to fig. 1-19. The beverage container system 10 includes a container 20 containing a beverage and a lid assembly 50 that selectively closes the beverage container 20. The cap assembly 50 may be engaged with the beverage container 20 to form the beverage container system 10. The cap assembly 50 controls the flow of drink fluid from the beverage container 20.

The cap assembly 50 includes a lower cap 100 and a cap cover 200. The lower cap 100 includes one or more openings 110 to provide fluid access from the container 20. The cap 200 is connected or joined to the lower cap 100 to seal against the drinking rim 132 or a surface of the lower cap 100 to primarily prevent or reduce leakage of fluid from the beverage container system 10. The connection or engagement of the cap 200 with the lower cap 100 on the beverage container 20 substantially seals the liquid in the beverage container 20. When the cap 200 is fully attached or engaged to the lower cap 100, the beverage container system 10 is substantially leak-proof.

Depending on the drinking style or user preference, the lower lid 100 may include many different forms, configurations, or kinds, all of which may operate with the same lid 200 and the same beverage container 20. The lower cover 100 may include one or more openings 110 having different sizes, shapes, etc. Optionally, the lower cap 100 may include a vent, a nozzle, a slow flow opening, a one-port sized opening, and/or an opening for receiving a straw.

In this regard, the openings 110 include a larger opening 110A and a smaller opening 110B. The larger opening 110A is suitable for consumption or swallowing in large volumes, while the smaller opening 110B is suitable for slower consumption, such as sip. Larger opening 110A may be used in conjunction with cold beverages, while smaller opening 110B may be used in conjunction with hot beverages. In this regard, the larger opening 110A is approximately 180 degrees from the smaller opening 110B, i.e., on approximately the opposite side of the lower cover 100. The user orients or rotates the beverage container system 10 so that they can select from which beverage opening 110 they like to drink. Of course, in other aspects, one or more of the openings 110 may have uniform dimensions. In other aspects, one or more openings 110 may have a semi-circular, oval, elliptical, tear-drop shape, geometric shape, pseudo-natural shape, or other shape. In other aspects, one or more openings 110 may have a combination of different shapes. In other aspects, the maximum axis of one of the openings 110 may be substantially perpendicular to the maximum axis of the other opening 110. Additionally, in other aspects, the one or more openings 110 may be sized to receive a straw. In addition, only a single opening 110 may be present in the lower cover 100.

As described below, the lower cover 100 and the cover 200 may be removably connected or engaged with each other. In this regard, the lower cap 100 is removably connected or engaged to the beverage container 20 to retain the cap assembly 50 to the beverage container 20. As shown in fig. 3, to fill the container 20 with beverage, the lower cap 100 may be unscrewed from the beverage container 20, which may also remove the cap 200 from the beverage container 20. The user may also remove the cap 200 from the lower cap 100 and the beverage container 20 before unscrewing the lower cap 100 from the beverage container 20. In other aspects, the beverage container 20 may be filled by directing water through an opening in the lower cap 100.

The cover 200 will now be described. The cap 200 is shown in isolation in fig. 12-14. Referring to fig. 5, in this aspect, the cover 200 includes an inner sidewall 230 and an outer sidewall 235 joined by an upper wall 240. A space 245 is formed between the inner sidewall 230 and the outer sidewall 235. When the cap 200 is joined to the lower cap 100, the drinking rim 132 of the lower cap 100 fits into the space 245 and is covered by the space 245 and the underside of the upper wall 240, which helps to reduce dirt, contamination, bacteria, etc. from contacting the drinking rim 132. The space 245 may serve as a removable cover over the drinking rim 132.

In this regard, as shown in fig. 4, the cover 200 is removably coupled to the lower cover 100. In this regard, the cover 200 forms a stop portion 210 that fits into the central region 115 of the lower cover 100 and covers one or more openings 110 in the lower cover 100. The central region 115 may include a cup-like or generally open shape to receive the stop portion 210. The stop portion 210 nests within the central region 115 of the lower cap 100. The stopper portion 210 may be configured to help isolate the contents of the container 20, for example, by including a compartment filled with air, foam, vacuum space, insulation blocks, or other isolation structures.

In this regard, the cover 200 includes a handle 220 extending from an upper wall 240 of the cover 200. In other aspects, the handle 220 may be omitted. The outer surface of the outer sidewall 235 may include a textured surface to provide a friction grip for a user to rotate the cap 200.

In this regard, the inner sidewall 230 of the cap 200 includes external threads 232. When the cap cover 200 is coupled to the lower cap 100, the external screw threads 232 are screw-coupled with the internal screw threads 133 of the lower cap 100.

In this regard, as shown in fig. 5 and 6, the cap 200 includes an inner rim 205 between an inner sidewall 230 and an outer sidewall 235. Referring to fig. 11, the inner rim 205 positions the gasket 208 against the generally circular inner diameter 131 of the drinking rim 132 to provide a seal to prevent or reduce leakage. When the cap 200 is fully screwed or fully engaged to descend to the lower cap 100, the gasket 208 is compressed against the upper portion of the generally circular inner diameter 131 of the drinking rim 132. In other aspects, the cap 200 may seal against the drinking rim 132 or an upper or outer portion of the lower cap 100. In other aspects, the cap 200 is connected or joined to the lower lid 100 to seal against the top edge, mouth, or other drinking surface of the lower lid 100. Gasket 208 may include seals, compressible members, or other elastomeric members that primarily prevent or reduce leakage. The gasket 208 may be shaped to include a gasket body and a gasket flange, wherein the gasket flange is flexible and seals against the lower cover 100 or some portion thereof. In other aspects, the gasket 208 may include one or more fins that extend generally outwardly, i.e., generally perpendicular to the central vertical axis of the beverage container 20. Such fins may bend and/or flex to make sealing contact against the generally circular inner diameter 131 when the cap 200 is screwed to the lower cap 100.

One benefit of certain aspects of the present invention is that the sealing connection between the cap 200 and the lower cap 100 does not occur exactly at the beverage opening, which allows flexibility in the size and shape of the beverage opening. Thus, the same cap cover 200 may also be used on the lower cap 100 having various shapes and beverage opening configurations.

Another benefit of certain aspects of the present invention is that the sealing connection of the cap 200 does not occur at the top of the drinking rim 132, which does not limit or restrict the size and shape of the drinking rim 132.

The lower cover 100 will now be described. The lower cover 100 is shown in isolation in fig. 15-17. The lower cap 100 includes one or more openings 110 to provide fluid access. The cover 200 is removably engaged or connected to the lower cover 100 over the one or more openings 110. The lower cap 100 may include any number of openings 110 or other fluid passages.

In this regard, the lower cover 100 includes an inner sidewall 130 and an outer sidewall 140. In this regard, the inner sidewall 130 forms a generally circular inner diameter 131 having internal threads 133 that threadably engage the external threads 232 of the cap 200. The internal threads 133 and the external threads 232 may include a linear interlocking arrangement, a helical arrangement, or other insertion and rotational or twist locking arrangement as shown.

The inner side wall 130 further transitions into a drinking rim 132. The inner sidewall 130 of the lower cap 100 defines a central region 115. The central region 115 is configured to removably receive a stop portion 210 of the cap 200. The lower cover 100 forms a central wall 120 extending from an inner side wall 130. The central wall 120 includes one or more openings 110. The center wall 120 may extend from one side of the inner sidewall 130 to the other side of the inner sidewall 130.

In this regard, the lower cover 100 includes an inner sidewall 130 and an outer sidewall 140. A space 145 is formed between the inner sidewall 130 and the outer sidewall 140. When the lower cap 100 is engaged or connected to the beverage container 20, the space 145 receives the upper portion or neck region 24 of the beverage container 20.

The stop portion 210 of the cap 200 includes a lower surface 250, the lower surface 250 covering the one or more openings 110 when the cap 200 is joined to the lower cap 100. The lower surface 250 may include a generally planar surface that covers the generally planar upper surface 122 of the central wall 120 of the lower cover 100. In alternative aspects, the lower surface 250 and the central wall 120 may have other configurations, such as such configurations that are diagonal to one another or the surfaces may not be parallel. One benefit of this is that the orientation of the surfaces need not be parallel, as the lower surface 250 and the central wall 120 need not be in contact. The beverage container system 10 generally includes an open configuration for drinking, and a storage configuration. In the open configuration, the cover 200 is normally disengaged from the lower cover 100. In the storage configuration, the cap 200 is engaged to the lower cap 100 and the gasket 208 is compressed against the generally circular inner diameter 131 of the drinking rim 132.

The inner sidewall 130 of the lower cap includes external threads 135 positioned on a generally circular outer diameter 137 of the lower cap 100. The external threads 135 are threadably engaged with the internal threads 30 of the beverage container 20.

In this regard, the lower cap 100 is threadably engaged with the beverage container 20. Referring to fig. 2, the wall 22 of the upper portion or neck region 24 of the beverage container 20 includes an inner surface 25 having internal threads 30. The internal threads 30 of the beverage container 20 receive the external threads 135 of the lower cap 100 to engage the lower cap 100 to the beverage container 20. The beverage container 20 includes a wall 22 defining an interior volume 35 to contain a beverage. The wall 22 of the upper portion or neck region 24 of the beverage container 20 includes an inner surface 25 having internal threads 30.

The gasket 180 is engaged to a bottom outer diameter 185 of the lower cap 100. In this regard, an outer groove 190 adjacent the bottom outer diameter 185 retains the washer 180. Gasket 180 seals against beverage container 20 when lower cap 100 is threaded onto beverage container 20.

In other aspects, the lower cap 100 may be engaged to the beverage container 20 other than by a threaded engagement, including a snap-fit engagement, a friction engagement, a bayonet engagement, or other engagement configured to selectively attach the lower cap 100 to the beverage container 20.

In other aspects, the cap 200 may be engaged to the lower cap 100 in other ways than a threaded engagement, including a snap-fit engagement, a friction engagement, a bayonet engagement, or other engagement configured to selectively attach the cap 200 to the lower cap 100.

In other aspects, the relative positions of the internal and

external threads

133, 135 of the lower cap 100 and the external threads 232 of the cap 200 may be reversed such that the cap 200 is threadably engaged with the external threads of the lower cap 100 using the internal threads.

In this regard, the container 20 has an insulated double wall configuration. In other aspects, the container 20 comprises a non-insulated single or multi-layer configuration or other insulated configuration. The container 20 may be formed from a moldable food grade plastic, thermoplastic, stainless steel, other metals and metal alloys, other plastics, or any combination thereof.

Referring to fig. 18, a second lower cap 101 is shown that includes four beverage openings 111 equally distributed about the diameter of the central wall 120 so that a user may drink from either side of the beverage container 20.

Referring to fig. 19, the third lower cap 102 is shown for use with a hot beverage, including a beverage opening 112 and a vent 113 to facilitate flow and reduce the vacuum formed within the beverage container 20.

It is understood, therefore, that this disclosure is not limited to the particular aspects described herein, but is capable of numerous changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, many other advantages of applicants' disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and the following claims.

Claims

1. A cap assembly, comprising:

a lower cap configured to connect or engage around an upper portion or neck region of a beverage container; the lower cover having a central wall with an opening for a fluid passage; and

a cap configured to connect or engage with the lower cap and to seal against an inside surface of the drinking rim of the lower cap.

2. The lid assembly of claim 1, wherein the lower lid includes an inner sidewall and the central wall extends from the inner sidewall.

3. The cap assembly of claim 2, wherein the central wall includes an additional opening for a fluid passage, and the opening and the additional opening are of different shapes or sizes.

4. The cap assembly of claim 2, wherein the cap forms a stop portion; wherein the cap is configured to connect or engage with the lower cap such that the stop portion covers the opening in the central wall.

5. The cap assembly of claim 4, wherein the inner sidewall and the central wall define a central region configured to receive a stop portion of the cap.

6. The cap assembly of claim 1, further comprising a vent hole in the central wall.

7. The cap assembly of claim 1, further comprising an additional opening in the central wall.

8. The cap assembly of claim 1, wherein the cap includes an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall.

9. The lid assembly of claim 8, wherein a space is formed between the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall, and the space is configured to receive a drinking rim of the lower lid when the lid is joined to the lower lid.

10. The lid assembly of claim 8, wherein a gasket is positioned between the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall, and the gasket seals against the drinking rim of the lower lid.

11. The lid assembly of claim 10, wherein the gasket is positioned on an outer surface of the inner sidewall and the gasket seals against an inner surface of the drinking rim of the lower lid.

12. The lid assembly of claim 8, wherein an inner rim is between the inner and outer side walls, and the inner rim locates a gasket configured to seal against a generally circular inner diameter of the drinking rim.

13. The cap assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner sidewall of the cap includes external threads configured to threadably engage the internal threads of the lower cap.

14. The cap assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner sidewall of the lower cap includes external threads configured to threadably engage with the internal threads of the beverage container.

15. A beverage container system comprising the cap assembly of claim 1 and further comprising a beverage container, and the opening is configured to fluidly connect to an interior volume of the beverage container.

16. A cap assembly, comprising:

a lower cap configured to be connected or joined to a beverage container; the lower cover has a central wall with a smaller opening for the fluid passage and a larger opening for the fluid passage; and

a cap configured for connection or engagement with the lower cap, and configured for sealing against the lower cap.

17. The cap assembly of claim 16, wherein a user can selectively drink from the smaller opening or the larger opening by orienting the cap assembly.

18. The cap assembly of claim 16, wherein the cap cover is configured to seal against the drinking rim of the lower cap.

19. A cap assembly, comprising:

a first lower cap configured to be connected or joined to a beverage container; the first lower cover has a first central wall with a first opening for the fluid passage;

a cap configured for connection or engagement with the first lower cap, and configured for sealing against the first lower cap;

a second lower cap configured to be connected or joined to the beverage container in place of the first lower cap; the second lower cover has a second central wall with a second opening for a fluid passage; and

the cap is configured to connect or engage with the second lower cap and the cap is configured to seal against the second lower cap.

20. The cap assembly of claim 19, wherein the first opening is a different size or shape than the second opening.