EP1457145A1 - Flow restictor for spill proof drinking cup - Google Patents

Flow restictor for spill proof drinking cup Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1457145A1
EP1457145A1 EP04004618A EP04004618A EP1457145A1 EP 1457145 A1 EP1457145 A1 EP 1457145A1 EP 04004618 A EP04004618 A EP 04004618A EP 04004618 A EP04004618 A EP 04004618A EP 1457145 A1 EP1457145 A1 EP 1457145A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
flow restrictor
path
cap
liquid
drinking
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP04004618A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
designation of the inventor has not yet been filed The
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sun Shine Children Products Ltd
Original Assignee
Sun Shine Children Products Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sun Shine Children Products Ltd filed Critical Sun Shine Children Products Ltd
Publication of EP1457145A1 publication Critical patent/EP1457145A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D47/00—Closures with filling and discharging, or with discharging, devices
    • B65D47/04—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps
    • B65D47/06—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
    • A47G19/00—Table service
    • A47G19/22—Drinking vessels or saucers used for table service
    • A47G19/2205—Drinking glasses or vessels
    • A47G19/2266—Means for facilitating drinking, e.g. for infants or invalids
    • A47G19/2272—Means for facilitating drinking, e.g. for infants or invalids from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a flow restrictor for minimizing accidental spilling of liquid from a drinking cup, a cap with such a flow restrictor, and a drinking cup incorporating such a cap.
  • Such an invention finds special, though not exclusive, application in providing spill-proof cups for babies and toddlers.
  • a flow restrictor for a liquid said restrictor having a first end; a second end; and a path with an inlet at said first end and all outlet at said second end, said path allowing the passing of said liquid from said inlet to said outlet, wherein said path has a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being upstream of said second portion, and wherein the distance between said first portion and said second end is shorter than the distance between said second portion and said second end.
  • a cap for a drinking cup said cap including a drinking spout and a flow restrictor in a liquid communicable relationship with said drinking spout, said restrictor having a first end, a second end, and a path with an inlet at said first end and an outlet at said second end, said path allowing the passing of a liquid from said inlet to said outlet, wherein said path has a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being upstream of said second portion, and wherein the distance between said first portion and said second end is shorter than the distance between said second portion and said second end.
  • a drinking cup including a container with an open end and a space adapted to contain a liquid; a cap releasably engaged with said container, said cap including a drinking spout; a flow restrictor releasably engaged with said cap, said restrictor being in a liquid communicable relationship with said space of said container and said drinking spout of said cap; wherein said flow restrictor has a first end, a second end, and a path with an inlet at said first end and leading to said space of said container, and an outlet at said second end and leading to said drinking spout of said cap, said path allowing the passing of said liquid from said inlet to said outlet, wherein said path has a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being upstream of said second portion, and wherein the distance between said first portion and said second end is shorter than the distance between said second portion and said second end.
  • a drinking cup according to the present invention is shown and generally designated as 10.
  • the cup 10 includes a base 12 with a space for containing liquid, e.g. water or milk.
  • the base 12 is threadedly engageable with a cap 14 for covering the base 12.
  • the cap 14 has a drinking spout 16 through which the content in the base 12 may be drawn out by a sucking force.
  • the drinking spout 16 has a generally cylindrical portion 18 extending downwardly from a generally planar surface 20 of the cap 14.
  • the cylindrical portion 18 has a space 22 receiving a flow restrictor 24, to be discussed further below.
  • the flow restrictor 24 has a base part, generally designated as 26, and as shown in Figs. 2A to 2E, and an outer part to be discussed below.
  • the base part 26 is made of a thermoplastic material, e.g. polypropylene.
  • the base part 26 of the flow restrictor 24 includes a base plate 28, from which a post 30 extends, said post 30 being perpendicular to a major surface of the base plate 28.
  • the top end 31 of the post 30 is of a larger diameter than that of the body of the post 30.
  • Around the part where the post 30 joins the plate 28 is a raised ring portion 32 distributed with a number of holes 34.
  • FIG. 3A, and 3C to 3F Various views of an outer part 36 of the flow restrictor 24 is shown in Fig. 3A, and 3C to 3F.
  • the outer part 36 is made of a thermoplastic elastomer.
  • the outer part 36 is generally cylindrical in shape, with a continuous trough 40 on its outer surface joining an upper end 42 and an opposite lower end 44.
  • the trough 40 is of a rectangular cross-section.
  • a number of pins 38 which are formed integrally with the outer part 36, extend from the lower end 44 of the outer part 36. These pins 38 are numbered, sized and configured to be each fitted within a respective hole 34 in the ring portion 32 of the base part 26, for properly aligning the outer part 36 with the base part 26 for forming the flow restrictor 24.
  • the outer part 36 is over-molded onto the base part 26, so that the outer part 36 and the base part 26, once assembled, cannot be separated.
  • Fig. 3B such shows a two-dimensional view of the surface contour of the outer part 36 of the flow restrictor 24, with the pins 38 removed for clarity purpose.
  • the trough 40 has an inlet S at the lower end 44 of the outer part 36, first leading towards the upper end 42 of the outer part 36 and parallel to the longitudinal axis L-L of the outer part 36.
  • the trough 40 then turns 90° into a path M which is parallel to both the upper end 42 and the lower end 44 of the outer part 36.
  • the trough 40 then makes two 180° turns, at P and Q respectively, and subsequently leads into a path N which is parallel to both the upper end 42 and the lower end 44 of the outer part 36.
  • the trough 40 then turns 90°, heading towards and eventually reaching the upper end 42 of the outer part 36, and exits at the outlet T. It can be seen that the path M is upstream of the path N, and the distance m between the path M to the upper end 42 is small than the distance n between the path N and the upper end 42.
  • Figs. 4A to 4D such show various views of the flow restrictor 24, formed of over-molding of the outer part 36 onto the base part 26.
  • the outer circumferential surface of the outer part 36 are exposed for frictional engagement with an inner surface 35 of the cylindrical portion 18 of the drinking spout 16. Because of the resilient nature of the thermoplastic elastomer with which the outer part 36 is made, there is effectively no space between the inner surface 35 of the cylindrical portion 18 of the drinking spout 16 and the outer part 36 except the channel formed between the trough 40 and the inner surface 35. Liquid contained in the base 12 can thus only exit the cup 10 via the drinking spout 16 by travelling through the channel.
  • the liquid can exit the cup 10 only if it is drawn by a sucking pressure applied at the outlet T. It was found in experiments that the amount of water drawn from such a cup 10 incorporated with a flow restrictor 24 with a trough 40 of a length of 127 mm and a cross-sectional area of 3.4 mm 2 , at a sucking pressure of 4 inch of mercury (i.e. the equivalence of 13,545.5 Pa) and for 10 seconds, was 43.3 g (in a first experiment), 53.7 g (in a second experiment) and 48 g (in a third experiment), all within the range of 15 g to 100 g.
  • the flow restrictor 24 is easy to manufacture, and does not contain any movable part which is prone to wear and tear.
  • the flow restrictor 24 may also be removed from the cap 14 so as to enable both the cap 14 and the restrictor 24 to be thoroughly cleaned.
  • a tube 40 is integrally formed with the cap 14 and leading into the space 22 of the cap 14.
  • the tube 40 has a central channel 44 leading from the space 22 of the cap 14 to the outside environment. It can be seen that if and when the drinking cup 10 is upside down, the cap 14 will assume the orientation as shown in Fig. 5.
  • a reservoir 46 will be formed between the outer surface of the tube 40 and the inner surface 35 of the of the cylindrical portion 18 of the drinking spout.
  • Table 2 shows the results of experiments conducted on the amount of water which exited from the cup 10 incorporated with the flow restrictor 24 (with a trough 40 of a length of 127 mm and a cross-sectional area of 3.4 mm 2 ) and the tube 40, when it was allowed to free fall:

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Pediatric Medicine (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
  • Table Devices Or Equipment (AREA)
  • Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)
EP04004618A 2003-03-07 2004-03-01 Flow restictor for spill proof drinking cup Withdrawn EP1457145A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US383315 1982-05-28
US10/383,315 US20040173623A1 (en) 2003-03-07 2003-03-07 Flow restrictor, a cap with such a flow restrictor, and a drinking cup with such a cap

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1457145A1 true EP1457145A1 (en) 2004-09-15

Family

ID=32771551

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP04004618A Withdrawn EP1457145A1 (en) 2003-03-07 2004-03-01 Flow restictor for spill proof drinking cup

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US20040173623A1 (zh)
EP (1) EP1457145A1 (zh)
CN (1) CN100398031C (zh)

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050167438A1 (en) * 2004-02-02 2005-08-04 Max Minyayev Secure spill-proof configuration for child training cup
US20100314349A1 (en) * 2007-05-14 2010-12-16 Xueban Chen Bottle cap
US8333299B2 (en) 2009-05-22 2012-12-18 Handi-Craft Company Leak resistant drinking cup
US9138088B2 (en) * 2009-05-22 2015-09-22 Handi-Craft Company Leak resistant drinking cup
US8678228B2 (en) * 2012-06-28 2014-03-25 Zak Designs, Inc. Liquid metering assembly
US9883759B2 (en) * 2014-01-09 2018-02-06 Goverre, Inc. Closeable beverage lid
GB201401497D0 (en) 2014-01-29 2014-03-12 Jackel Int Ltd Valve assembly

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2914214A (en) * 1957-06-20 1959-11-24 Albert A Messinger Non-spillable cup
US4915250A (en) * 1987-08-24 1990-04-10 Hayes Jr George W Nonvented spill-proof lid
GB2285622A (en) * 1994-01-18 1995-07-19 Roderic John Ensor Container and drinking lid
US5598945A (en) * 1995-10-10 1997-02-04 Gracy; Mark S. Non vented spill-proof lid
GB2317608A (en) * 1996-09-30 1998-04-01 Michael John Flynn Spill resistant cup
WO2001012031A1 (en) * 1999-08-14 2001-02-22 Royal Industries (Thailand) Plc Spill-proof cup
US6202877B1 (en) * 1998-10-20 2001-03-20 Playtex Products, Inc. Lip-openable spill-proof container

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US523172A (en) * 1894-07-17 Electric-railway crossing-insulator
US3102651A (en) * 1960-10-03 1963-09-03 Arthur H Boese Flow control neck or head
US4043360A (en) * 1975-07-16 1977-08-23 Incontrol Ltd. Pressure reducing device for fluids
US4022384A (en) * 1975-12-08 1977-05-10 Hancor, Inc. Irrigation tubing
IL55533A0 (en) * 1978-09-07 1978-12-17 Lego Lemelstrich Ltd Improved drip emitter
US4506423A (en) * 1980-12-24 1985-03-26 Hitachi, Ltd. Method of producing a fluid pressure reducing device
US4466462A (en) * 1982-02-01 1984-08-21 Caterpillar Tractor Co. Circuitous path flow restrictor
US5048723A (en) * 1983-12-30 1991-09-17 Seymour Charles M Bottled water opener and flow controller
AU1506888A (en) * 1987-04-21 1988-10-27 Lazarus, J.H. Pressure compensating emitters for drip irrigation systems
US4795052A (en) * 1987-08-24 1989-01-03 Hayes Jr George W Spill-proof lid
US5156680A (en) * 1991-07-30 1992-10-20 Rockwell International Corporation Flow restrictor for a fluid
DE4136985C1 (zh) * 1991-11-11 1993-05-13 Marsteller & Killmann Gmbh & Co Kg, 4300 Essen, De
US5339982A (en) * 1993-03-08 1994-08-23 Genin Trudeau Canteen for children
US5542670A (en) * 1995-07-17 1996-08-06 Playtex Products, Inc. Flow control element and covered drinking cup
US5706972A (en) * 1996-01-16 1998-01-13 Sousa; Nuno J. Self-closing beverage lid
CN2270699Y (zh) * 1996-09-25 1997-12-17 王琮怀 瓶盖
US5706973A (en) * 1997-01-30 1998-01-13 E. S. Robbins Corporation Drinking cup and cover with flow control elements
CN2288930Y (zh) * 1996-12-23 1998-08-26 石本威 防止液体外漏的可吸式容器
US5897013A (en) * 1997-04-14 1999-04-27 Playtex Products, Inc. Straw for drinking cup
US5890620A (en) * 1997-08-14 1999-04-06 Belcastro; Domenic Automatically sealing cup
US6607092B2 (en) * 1998-02-06 2003-08-19 Playtex Products, Inc. Cup assembly with retaining mechanism
US6050445A (en) * 1998-02-06 2000-04-18 Playtex Products, Inc. Leak-proof cup assembly with flow control element
US6336566B1 (en) * 1998-11-06 2002-01-08 Erik Lipson Drink container with molded straw and method of manufacture
JP2002002751A (ja) * 1999-12-30 2002-01-09 Johnson & Johnson Consumer Co Inc 溢れ防止供給装置用改良エラストマー弁
EP1265517B1 (en) * 2000-03-16 2005-09-14 Cosco Management, Inc. Spill proof training cup
FR2814215B1 (fr) * 2000-09-18 2003-06-27 Snecma Moteurs Dispositif doseur autonettoyant
US6732882B2 (en) * 2002-05-08 2004-05-11 Niko Products, Inc. No-spill cover assemly for a drink container

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2914214A (en) * 1957-06-20 1959-11-24 Albert A Messinger Non-spillable cup
US4915250A (en) * 1987-08-24 1990-04-10 Hayes Jr George W Nonvented spill-proof lid
GB2285622A (en) * 1994-01-18 1995-07-19 Roderic John Ensor Container and drinking lid
US5598945A (en) * 1995-10-10 1997-02-04 Gracy; Mark S. Non vented spill-proof lid
GB2317608A (en) * 1996-09-30 1998-04-01 Michael John Flynn Spill resistant cup
US6202877B1 (en) * 1998-10-20 2001-03-20 Playtex Products, Inc. Lip-openable spill-proof container
WO2001012031A1 (en) * 1999-08-14 2001-02-22 Royal Industries (Thailand) Plc Spill-proof cup

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN100398031C (zh) 2008-07-02
US20040173623A1 (en) 2004-09-09
CN1530050A (zh) 2004-09-22

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