US20170253396A1 - Dual drink mode lid assembly for a container - Google Patents
Dual drink mode lid assembly for a container Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20170253396A1 US20170253396A1 US15/061,312 US201615061312A US2017253396A1 US 20170253396 A1 US20170253396 A1 US 20170253396A1 US 201615061312 A US201615061312 A US 201615061312A US 2017253396 A1 US2017253396 A1 US 2017253396A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- actuation
- lid assembly
- seal
- base member
- base
- 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.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- 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
- B65D47/08—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages having articulated or hinged closures
- B65D47/0857—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages having articulated or hinged closures made separately from the base element provided with the spout or discharge passage
- B65D47/0866—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages having articulated or hinged closures made separately from the base element provided with the spout or discharge passage and elastically biased towards the closed position only
-
- 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
-
- 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
- B65D43/00—Lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
- B65D43/02—Removable lids or covers
-
- 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
- B65D43/00—Lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
- B65D43/14—Non-removable lids or covers
- B65D43/16—Non-removable lids or covers hinged for upward or downward movement
-
- 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
- B65D43/00—Lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
- B65D43/14—Non-removable lids or covers
- B65D43/22—Devices for holding in closed position, e.g. clips
-
- 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
- B65D47/20—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge
-
- 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
- B65D47/32—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with means for venting
-
- 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
- B65D51/00—Closures not otherwise provided for
- B65D51/18—Arrangements of closures with protective outer cap-like covers or of two or more co-operating closures
-
- 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
- B65D2231/00—Means for facilitating the complete expelling of the contents
- B65D2231/02—Precut holes or weakened zones
- B65D2231/022—Precut holes or weakened zones for permitting the insertion of a tubular contents-removing device, e.g. a drinking straw
-
- 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
- B65D2251/00—Details relating to container closures
- B65D2251/0003—Two or more closures
- B65D2251/0006—Upper closure
- B65D2251/0018—Upper closure of the 43-type
- B65D2251/0021—Upper closure of the 43-type of the B65D43/16-type
-
- 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
- B65D2251/00—Details relating to container closures
- B65D2251/0003—Two or more closures
- B65D2251/0006—Upper closure
- B65D2251/0025—Upper closure of the 47-type
-
- 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
- B65D2251/00—Details relating to container closures
- B65D2251/0003—Two or more closures
- B65D2251/0006—Upper closure
- B65D2251/0028—Upper closure of the 51-type
-
- 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
- B65D2251/00—Details relating to container closures
- B65D2251/0003—Two or more closures
- B65D2251/0068—Lower closure
- B65D2251/0081—Lower closure of the 43-type
-
- 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
- B65D2251/00—Details relating to container closures
- B65D2251/0003—Two or more closures
- B65D2251/0068—Lower closure
- B65D2251/0087—Lower closure of the 47-type
-
- 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
- B65D2251/00—Details relating to container closures
- B65D2251/0003—Two or more closures
- B65D2251/0068—Lower closure
- B65D2251/009—Lower closure of the 51-type
-
- 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
- B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
- B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
- B65D2543/00018—Overall construction of the lid
- B65D2543/00046—Drinking-through lids
-
- 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
- B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
- B65D41/02—Caps or cap-like covers without lines of weakness, tearing strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices
- B65D41/04—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers secured by rotation
- B65D41/0435—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers secured by rotation with separate sealing elements
- B65D41/0442—Collars or rings
-
- 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
- B65D51/00—Closures not otherwise provided for
- B65D51/24—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes
- B65D51/246—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes provided with eating utensils or spatulas
Definitions
- This disclosure relates generally to a lid assembly for containers, and more particularly, to a re-closable dual drink mode lid assembly for beverage containers.
- Refillable beverage containers typically include a removable lid that includes a fluid aperture, and a consumer typically fills the interior of the container (e.g., an insulated container) with a beverage (e.g., juice or iced coffee) when the lid is removed.
- a beverage e.g., juice or iced coffee
- the consumer typically tips the container to allow the beverage to pass through the fluid aperture, and the consumer sips the beverage as the beverage exits the fluid aperture.
- refillable beverage containers can include a selective sealing mechanism coupled to the lid that allows fluid to pass through the fluid aperture only when the sealing mechanism is in a desired position.
- a typical sealing mechanism includes a lever or button that is displaced by the consumer prior to (or while) sipping the beverage, and the lever or button displaces a seal member away from the fluid aperture.
- the seal member of the sealing mechanism that is adjacent to or within the fluid aperture obstructs the fluid aperture in both the open and locked positions, and therefore a straw may not be inserted.
- a locking mechanism e.g., a slide lock that selectively covers a fluid aperture
- the locking mechanism must typically be placed or locked into an open position prior to inserting the straw through the drinking aperture. If the consumer forgets to lock the locking device after the removal of the straw, the fluid aperture remains unobstructed and tipping over the container will cause the beverage to spill out of the fluid aperture.
- a lid assembly is adapted to be removably coupled to a container, and the lid assembly includes a base member that extends from a first end to an open second end along a lid reference axis.
- a base axis extends through a portion of the base member adjacent to the lid reference axis, and the base axis is normal to the lid reference axis.
- a fluid aperture is defined in a portion of the base member.
- the lid assembly also includes an actuation member coupled to the base member, the actuation member extending from a first end and a second end.
- the seal member rotates relative to the base portion from a sealed position to a first open position and from the sealed position to a second open position.
- the sealing portion In the sealed position, the sealing portion is disposed adjacent to or in contact with a portion of the base member surrounding the fluid aperture.
- the seal axis of the seal member In the first open position, the seal axis of the seal member is disposed at a first angular distance from the base axis of the base member.
- the seal axis of the seal member In the second open position, the seal axis of the seal member is disposed at a second angular distance from the base axis of the base member, the second angular distance being greater than the first angular distance.
- the engagement portion of the actuation member contacts the engagement portion of the seal member, thereby displacing the seal member from the sealed position to the first open position.
- the seal member is adapted to pivot from the sealed position to the second open position by contact from a straw being inserted through the fluid aperture and into an interior of the container.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a lid assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of the disclosure
- FIG. 2A is a side view of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 2B is a top view of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 , with an actuation member removed;
- FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 , taken along line 2 C- 2 C of FIG. 2B ;
- FIG. 2D is a bottom view of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3A is a bottom view of an embodiment of a seal member of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3B is a side view of the seal member of FIG. 3A ;
- FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the seal member of FIG. 3A , taken along line 3 C- 3 C of FIG. 3A ;
- FIG. 3D is a perspective view of the seal member of FIG. 3A ;
- FIG. 4A is a bottom view of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 4B is a top view of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 , with the actuation member installed;
- FIG. 5A is a side cross-sectional view of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 , with a seal member in a sealed position;
- FIG. 5B is a side cross-sectional view of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 , with the seal member in a first open position;
- FIG. 5C is a side cross-sectional view of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 , with the seal member in a second open position;
- FIG. 6A is a top view of an actuation member of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 6B is a side cross-sectional view of the actuation member of FIG. 6A ;
- FIG. 6C is a bottom view of the actuation member of FIG. 6A ;
- FIG. 6D is a front view of the actuation member of FIG. 6A ;
- FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 , secured to a container;
- FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 , with the actuation member in a first actuation position;
- FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of the lid assembly of FIG. 1 , with the actuation member in a second actuation position.
- a lid assembly 10 may be adapted to be removably secured to a container 12 .
- Lid assembly 10 may include a reference axis 17 that generally corresponds to a longitudinal axis of the container 12 when the lid assembly 10 is secured to the container 12 .
- the container 12 includes an interior 44 that is configured to hold a liquid.
- the lid assembly 10 includes a drink hole or fluid aperture (not shown in FIG. 7 ) through which a consumer may access liquid stored in the interior 44 of the container 12 .
- the lid assembly 10 may include a base member 14 that extends from a first end 13 to an open second end 15 along the lid reference axis 17 .
- the base 14 includes a base axis 16 extends through a portion of the base member 14 adjacent to the lid reference axis 17 , and the base axis 16 in one embodiment may be substantially normal to the lid reference axis 17 .
- the fluid aperture 18 is formed in a portion of the base member 14 .
- the lid assembly 10 also includes an actuation member 20 extending from a first end 22 to a second end 24 , and, as illustrated in FIG. 6B , which is a side cross-sectional view of the actuation member 20 taken along line 6 B- 6 B in FIG. 6A , the actuation member 20 has an engagement portion 26 disposed at or adjacent to the second end 24 or between the first end 22 and the second end 24 .
- the actuation member 20 is pivotably displaceable from a first actuation position or closed position (illustrated in FIG. 5A ) to a second actuation position or a first open position (illustrated in FIG.
- the lid assembly 10 further includes a seal member 28 , and as illustrated in FIG. 3A , the seal member 28 extends along a seal axis 30 from a first end 32 to a second end 34 . As illustrated in FIG. 4A , the seal member 28 is pivotably coupled to the base member 14 at or adjacent to the first end 32 of the seal member 32 .
- a sealing portion 36 of the seal member 28 may be disposed between the first end 32 and the second end 34 , and an engagement potion 38 of the seal member 28 is disposed between the first end 32 and the second end 34 (e.g., between the sealing portion 36 and the first end 32 ).
- the seal member 28 rotates relative to the base portion from a sealed position (illustrated in FIG. 5A ) to a first open position (illustrated in FIG. 5B ) or from the sealed position or first position (illustrated in FIG. 5A ) to a first open position or second position (illustrated in FIG. 5B ), and to a second open position or a third position (illustrated in FIG. 5C ).
- the second position FIG.
- the sealing portion 36 is disposed adjacent to or in contact with a portion 40 of the base member 14 surrounding the fluid aperture 18 .
- the sealing portion 36 is in contact with a drink seal 301 .
- the fluid aperture 18 of the base member 14 is sealed or substantially sealed by the sealing portion 36 such that fluid within the interior 44 of the container 12 is prevented (or hindered) from exiting through the fluid aperture 18 if the container 12 .
- the consumer pivots the actuation member 20 from the first actuation position ( FIG. 5A ) to the second actuation position ( FIG. 5B ), and the engagement portion 26 of the actuation member 20 contacts the engagement portion 38 of the seal member 28 to displacing the seal member 28 from the sealed position to the first open position.
- the seal axis 30 of the seal member 28 is disposed at a first angular distance ⁇ 1 from the base axis 16 of the base member 14 , thereby allowing fluid from an interior 44 of the container to pass through the fluid aperture 18 .
- the consumer may drink directly from the fluid aperture 18 .
- the consumer may wish to use a straw (that may be stored or secured to the lid assembly 10 by a straw attachment portion 142 ) to drink liquid in the container.
- a straw that may be stored or secured to the lid assembly 10 by a straw attachment portion 142
- the consumer may insert an end of the straw 42 through the fluid aperture 18 towards a bottom of the container 12 .
- the end of the straw 42 may contact a portion of the seal member 28 to pivot the seal member 28 from the sealing position (of FIG. 5A ) to the second open position illustrated in FIG. 5C .
- the seal axis 30 of the seal member 28 is disposed at a second angular distance ⁇ 2 from the base axis 16 of the base member 28 , and the second angular distance ⁇ 2 being greater than the first angular distance ⁇ 1 .
- the lid assembly 10 allows a consumer to drink directly through the fluid aperture 18 or to easily transition to the use of the straw 42 that is conveniently attached to the lid assembly 10 .
- the seal member 18 may be maintained in the sealing position (for example, by a biasing member 140 of FIG. 4A ) to prevent inadvertent spills if the container 12 falls over.
- the base member 14 extends from the first end 13 to an open second end 15 along the lid reference axis 17 .
- the base member also includes a top surface 46 (illustrated in FIG. 2B ) and a bottom surface 48 (illustrated in FIG. 2D ) opposite the top surface.
- the top surface 46 and the bottom surface 48 of the base member 14 may generally extend in a direction normal to the lid reference axis 17 , and the lid reference axis 17 may extend in a vertical (i.e., along or parallel to the Z-axis of the reference coordinate system of FIGS. 2C and 7 ) or substantially vertical direction when the container 12 is upright.
- the top surface 46 and the bottom surface 48 may have any suitable shape or combination of shapes to allow the base member 14 to act as a support for the actuation member 20 and/or the seal member 28 and to provide a barrier between the interior 44 of the container 12 and the outside of the lid assembly 10 .
- portions of the bottom surface 48 and the top surface 46 may be planar and/or contoured or otherwise curved.
- a portion 50 of the top surface 46 may be planar or substantially planar and may be downwardly angled so as to define a drinking recess 72 that surrounds or partially surrounds the fluid aperture 18 . As illustrated in FIG.
- a perimeter edge 52 may define an outward perimeter of the top surface 46 of the base member 14 , and the perimeter edge 52 may have any suitable shape or combination of shapes.
- the perimeter edge 52 may have a generally circular shape.
- the base member 14 may be a single part or may be an assembly of two or more parts that cooperate to form the base member 14 .
- the fluid aperture 18 may extend through the base member 14 from the top surface 46 to the bottom surface 48 .
- a portion of the fluid aperture 18 may be provided by a boss 54 extending away from the bottom surface 48 of the base member 14 , and an inner surface 55 of the boss 54 may define the portion of the fluid aperture 18 .
- the portion 40 of the base member 14 surrounding the fluid aperture 18 (that is contacted by the sealing portion 36 of the seal member 28 in the sealed position) may be an end portion of the boss 54 , or the drink seal 301 ( FIGS. 5A-5C ).
- the base axis 16 may extend through or immediately adjacent to the end portion of the boss 54 (or through or immediately adjacent to the drink seal 301 ), and the base axis 16 may intersect and/or be normal to the lid reference axis 17 .
- the fluid aperture 18 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape or combination of shapes, and the cross sectional shape may vary (when viewed in a direction parallel to or along the lid reference axis 17 ) provided that it permits fluid flow therethrough.
- the fluid aperture 18 may have the cross-sectional shape of a circle or that of an oval.
- the lid assembly 10 may also include a skirt portion 58 that may downwardly extend from a portion of the bottom surface 48 of the base member 14 . More specifically, the skirt portion 58 may extend along the lid reference axis 17 from a radially (i.e., normal to the lid reference axis 17 ) outer portion 60 of the bottom surface 48 of the base member 14 to the open second end 15 of the base member 14 .
- the skirt portion 58 may be at least partially defined by an interior surface 63 and an exterior surface 64 , and the exterior surface 64 may be outwardly offset (in a direction away from the lid reference axis 17 ) from the interior surface 63 when viewed along the lid reference axis 17 .
- the skirt portion 58 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape or combination of shapes (when viewed normal to the lid reference axis 17 ).
- the interior surface 63 and/or the exterior surface 64 of the skirt portion 58 may be cylindrical.
- a threaded portion 57 of the interior surface 63 of the skirt portion 58 may be adapted to engage a threaded portion of the container 12 .
- the threaded portion 57 may be on the exterior surface 54 of the skirt portion 58 or both the interior surface 63 and the exterior surface 64 .
- a circumferential seal 303 may extend around a portion of the interior surface 63 of the skirt portion 58 above the threaded portion 57 to prevent leakage when the lid assembly 10 is secured to the container 12 .
- the base member 14 may also include a straw attachment portion 142 that may be coupled to a portion of the skirt portion 58 (and/or a portion of a ridge portion 59 that will be described in more detail below) and may be adapted to releasably secure the straw 42 to the base member 14 .
- the straw attachment portion 142 may include or comprise a first projection 146 a and a second projection 146 b that radially extend from the skirt portion 58 .
- first projection 146 a and the second projection 146 b may outwardly extend (e.g., extend in a direction normal or substantially normal to the lid reference axis 17 ) from the exterior surface 63 of the skirt portion 58 .
- the first projection 146 a and the second projection 146 b may define a gap 148 therebetween, the gap 148 being sized to receive a portion of the straw 42 .
- the first projection 146 a and the second projection 146 b are shaped and dimensioned to releasably secure the straw within the gap 148 when the straw is not in use.
- the first projection 146 a and the second projection 146 b are fixed to the skirt portion 58 such that a reference axis R bisecting the first projection 146 a and the second projection 146 b makes an angle ⁇ (e.g., between approximately 10° and approximately 45) with the recess axis 80 (when viewed along the lid reference axis 17 ).
- a reference axis R bisecting the first projection 146 a and the second projection 146 b makes an angle ⁇ (e.g., between approximately 10° and approximately 45) with the recess axis 80 (when viewed along the lid reference axis 17 ).
- first projection 146 a and the second projection 146 b may both be rotatable and/or displaceable about a circumference of the skirt portion 58 .
- first projection 146 a and the second projection 146 b may both be formed on a collar (not shown) that may be disposed round all or part of the circumference of the skirt portion 58 , and the collar may be rotatable relative to the skirt portion 58 such that the consumer can position the first projection 146 a and the second projection 146 b (and the straw 42 stored therebetween) in a desired radial position.
- the base member 14 may also include the ridge portion 59 that may upwardly extend from a portion of the top surface 46 of the base member 14 . More specifically, the ridge portion 59 may extend along the lid reference axis 17 from a radially outer portion 62 (illustrated in FIG. 2B ) of the top surface 46 of the base member 14 to the first end 13 of the base member 14 , as illustrated in FIG. 2C . The ridge portion 59 may completely or partially surround the top surface of the base member 14 .
- the ridge portion 59 may be at least partially defined by an interior surface 69 and an exterior surface 70 , and the exterior surface 70 may be outwardly offset (in a direction away from the lid reference axis 17 ) from the interior surface 69 when viewed along the lid reference axis 17 .
- the ridge portion 59 may have a cross-sectional shape (when viewed normal to the lid reference axis 17 ) that may correspond to the shape of the radially outer portion 62 of the top surface 46 .
- the interior surface 69 and/or the exterior surface 70 of the ridge portion 59 may be cylindrical or generally cylindrical.
- the interior surface 69 and/or the exterior surface 70 of the ridge portion 59 may have a circular cross-sectional shape when viewed along the lid reference axis 17 .
- the diameter of the circle corresponding to the interior surface 69 and/or the exterior surface 70 of the ridge portion 59 may vary along the lid reference axis 17 .
- the exterior surface 70 may have a slight concave shape and the interior surface 69 may have a slight convex shape. Of course, other shapes are also possible.
- a lid recess 66 may be disposed in the base member 14 , and the lid recess 66 may be positioned and dimensioned to receive the actuation member 20 such that the engagement portion 26 of the actuation member 20 is at least partially disposed within an actuation aperture 68 when the actuation member 20 is in the second actuation position (of FIG. 5B ).
- the lid recess 66 may include or be partially defined by a planar or substantially planar recess surface 74 (that may be normal or substantially normal to the lid reference axis 17 ) that may be downwardly offset (e.g., along the lid reference axis 17 and towards the second end 15 of the base member 14 ) from the top surface 46 of the base member 14 .
- the lid recess 66 may extend from a first end 76 (adjacent to or at the radially outer portion 62 of the top surface 46 of the base member 14 ) to a second end 78 along an recess axis 80 that may be normal to (and may intersect) the lid reference axis 17 .
- the second end 78 of the lid recess 66 may be disposed between the lid reference axis 17 and the first end 76 , and the second end may be adjacent to the lid reference axis 17 .
- the lid recess 66 may be defined by a pair of side walls 82 a , 82 b that may be parallel to the recess axis 80 and may be separated by a distance W that is slightly greater than a corresponding width of the actuation member 20 .
- a vent aperture 67 may extend through the recess surface 74 (e.g., extend from the recess surface 74 to and through the bottom surface 48 ), and a diameter of the vent aperture 67 may be between 5% and 15% of the distance W.
- the actuation aperture 68 may be disposed through the recess surface 74 (e.g., extend from the recess surface 74 to and through the bottom surface 48 ), and the actuation aperture 68 may generally extend along an axis that may be disposed along (and may be normal to) the recess axis 80 .
- a recess counterbore 84 may surround (e.g., symmetrically surround) the actuation aperture 68 , and the recess counterbore 84 may include a counterbore surface 86 that may be planar or substantially planar and may be offset from the recess surface 74 .
- the actuation aperture 68 (and recess counterbore 84 ) may have any suitable shape to accommodate the engagement portion 26 of the actuation member 20 , such as a circular shape (when viewed normal to the recess surface 74 ).
- a first distance between a center point of the actuation aperture 68 and the second end 78 of the lid recess 66 may be less than a second distance between the center point of the actuation aperture 68 and the first end 76 of the lid recess 66 .
- a pair of coupling tabs 88 a , 88 b may downwardly extend (e.g., extend along the lid reference axis 17 ) from the bottom surface 48 of the base member 14 .
- Each of the coupling tabs 88 a , 88 b may have any shape or geometry to pivotably couple to the seal member 28 at or adjacent to the first end 32 of the seal member 28 , as illustrated in FIG. 4A .
- each coupling tab 88 a , 88 b may have an aperture that receives a corresponding projection 90 a , 90 b of a corresponding first and second arm portion 93 a , 93 b of the seal member 28 .
- each coupling tab 88 a , 88 b may have a projection inserted into a corresponding aperture of the corresponding first and second arm portion 93 a , 93 b of the seal member 28 .
- the lid assembly 10 may also include the actuation member 20 .
- the actuation member 20 may extend from the first end 22 to the second end 24 along an actuator axis 90 , and the actuator axis 90 may be aligned with the recess axis 80 (of FIG. 2B ) when the actuation member 20 is coupled to the base member 14 .
- the first end 22 of the actuation member 20 may be disposed at or adjacent to the first end 76 of the lid recess 66 (of FIG.
- the actuation member 20 may include a center portion 91 that extends between a pair of elongated side surfaces 92 a , 92 b that may extend along the actuator axis 90 , and the elongated side surfaces 92 a , 92 b may be separated by a transverse distance that is slightly less than the distance W separating the side walls 82 a , 82 b of the lid recess (of FIG. 2B ).
- the center portion 90 may be substantially planar and may have a top surface 94 and a bottom surface 96 opposite the top surface 94 .
- the top surface 94 is substantially aligned with the top surface 46 of the base member 14 .
- the actuation member 20 is pivotably displaceable relative to the base member 14 from the first actuation position (illustrated in FIG. 5A ) to the second actuation position (illustrated in FIG. 5B ) by a consumer.
- the consumer may pivot the second end 24 of the engagement portion 20 about a pivot axis 98 , and the pivot axis 98 may be normal to the actuator axis 90 and to the lid reference axis 17 .
- the actuation member 20 may be pivotably coupled to the base member 14 in any suitable manner. For example, as illustrate in FIG.
- each of a pair of projections 97 a , 97 b may extend from a corresponding one of the side surfaces 92 a , 92 b along the pivot axis 98 , and each of the pair of projections 97 a , 97 b may be received in a corresponding aperture or depression in the corresponding one of the side walls 82 a , 82 b of the lid recess 66 (illustrated in FIG. 2B ).
- the actuation member 20 has the engagement portion 26 disposed at or adjacent to the second end 24 of the actuation member 20 or between the first end 22 and the second end 24 of the actuation member 20 .
- the engagement portion 26 may be any feature or combination of features that is adapted to contact the engagement portion 38 of the seal member 28 such that when the actuation member 20 displaces (e.g., pivots about the pivot axis 98 ) from the first actuation position to the second actuation position, the engagement portion 26 of the actuation member 20 acting on the engagement portion 38 of the seal member 28 and thereby displaces the seal member 28 from the sealed position to the first open position.
- the engagement portion 26 may be disposed at an end portion 103 of a protrusion 99 that extends along a protrusion axis 100 from a first end 101 to a second end 102 .
- the first end 101 of the protrusion 99 may be adjacent to the bottom surface 96 of the center portion 91 of the actuation member 20 and the end portion 103 (and the engagement portion 26 ) may be at or adjacent to the second end 102 .
- the end portion 103 of the protrusion 99 may have a pointed portion 104 , and an end of the pointed portion 104 may be the engagement portion 26 .
- the end portion 103 of the protrusion may be sized and dimensioned to be disposed within (and through) the actuation aperture 68 of the lid recess 66 of the lid member 14 when the actuation member 20 pivots about from the first actuation position to the second actuation position.
- the first end 101 and the second end 102 of the protrusion 99 may be separated along the protrusion axis 100 by a distance D.
- the distance D may be any suitable distance that allows the engagement portion 26 of the protrusion 99 to contact the engagement portion 38 of the seal member 28 to displace the seal member 20 from the sealed position to the first open position when the actuation member 20 pivots about from the first actuation position to the second actuation position.
- the distance D may be any suitable distance in which the engagement portion 26 does not contact (and/or not displace) the engagement portion 38 of the seal member 28 when the actuation member 20 is in the first actuation position.
- a securing portion 106 may be coupled to the actuation member 20 , and the securing portion 106 may be adapted engage a retaining portion 108 of the base member 14 to provide a detent force that prevents an accidental pivoting of the actuation member 20 from the first actuation position to the second actuation position. More specifically, the securing portion 106 may extend from a first end 110 to a second end 112 along a securing axis 114 , and an intermediate point 116 may be disposed between the first end 110 and the second end 112 .
- the securing portion 106 may include a body portion 118 that may be non-movably secured to the projection 99 and a head portion 120 that may be movable or displaceable (e.g., along the securing axis 114 ) relative to the body portion 118 .
- One end of the head portion 120 may have a hemispherical or ball shape, thus forming a ball-piston.
- the body portion 118 may include a shaft 122 that extends from the second end 112 to the intermediate point 116 , and a cup portion 124 may be coupled to the shaft 122 and may extend from the intermediate point 116 towards the first end 110 .
- the head portion 120 may be at least partially disposed within the cup portion 124 , and a first end 126 of the head portion 120 may be rounded or contoured and adapted to engage the retaining portion 108 .
- the head portion 120 may be biased away from the intermediate point 116 along the securing axis 114 by a biasing member 128 and the biasing member 128 may disposed in any suitable location to directly or indirectly act on the head portion 120 to provide such a biasing force.
- the biasing member 128 may be a spring (e.g., a leaf spring, dome spring, or coil spring) disposed between the head portion 120 and a surface of the cup portion 124 .
- the head portion 120 of the securing portion 106 may be engaged with or disposed within a portion of the retaining portion 108 of the base member 14 .
- the retaining portion 108 may be a feature formed on or coupled to the base member 14 , and the retaining portion 108 may be formed on or coupled to a surface or a portion of the lid recess 66 .
- the retaining portion 108 may have the shape if a cup or a dish (e.g., a concave shape) that intersects (or may be symmetrical about) the securing axis 114 when the actuation member 20 is in the first actuation position.
- the cup-shaped retaining portion 108 is shaped and dimensioned to correspond to (and receive) the first end 126 of the head portion 120 .
- the retaining portion 108 may have a ridge 130 offset from the recess surface 74 of the lid recess 66 at an upper portion of the cup-shaped retaining portion 108 , and the ridge 130 may be an upper lip of the concave retaining portion 108 .
- the first end 126 of the head portion 120 comes in contact with the ridge 130 of the retaining portion 108 , and this gradual contact forces the head portion 120 towards the shaft 122 along the securing axis 114 against the biasing force provided by the biasing member 120 .
- this contact against the biasing force provides a detent force that prevents an accidental pivoting of the actuation member 20 from the first actuation position to the second actuation position.
- the first end 126 of the head portion 120 rotates past the ridge 130 and into the second actuation position illustrated in FIG. 8B .
- the first end 126 of the head portion 120 begins to come in contact with the ridge 130 of the retaining portion 108 as the actuation member begins to rotate.
- the first end 126 of the head portion 120 rotates past the ridge 130 as the actuation member 20 pivots into the first actuation position.
- the actuation member 20 may also have a vent projection 144 adapted to cooperate with the vent aperture 67 of the base member 14 (illustrated in FIG. 2B ) to safely vent any hot gasses contained in the interior 44 of the container 12 prior to a consumer drinking from the fluid aperture 18 .
- the vent projection 144 may extend away from the bottom surface 96 , and may be dimensioned and position such that an end portion of the vent projection 144 may be inserted (or adapted to be inserted) into a top portion of the vent aperture 67 extending through the recess surface 74 (illustrated in FIG. 2B ) when the actuation member 20 is in the first actuation position.
- the end of the vent projection 144 disengages from the top portion of the vent aperture 67 prior to (or as) the engagement portion 26 of the actuation member 20 engages the engagement portion 38 of the seal member 28 to begin to rotate the seal member 28 form the sealed position to the first open position. More specifically, in the closed position, there is a gap 305 ( FIG. 2C ) between the engagement portion 26 and the engagement portion 38 . In some embodiments, the gap 305 may be approximately 0.5 mm.
- the actuation member 20 may be rotated a small amount, which allows the vent projection 144 to disengage from the vent aperture before the engagement portion 26 contacts the engagement portion 38 to begin rotating the seal member 28 .
- This action results in pre-venting of pressure within the container 12 before the fluid aperture 18 is opened. Accordingly, while the fluid aperture 18 is still sealed by the seal member 28 , hot gasses from within the interior 44 of the container may exit through the unobstructed vent aperture 67 and to the atmosphere.
- the lid assembly 10 further includes the seal member 28 , and as illustrated in FIG. 3A , the seal member 28 extends along a seal axis 30 from a first end 32 to a second end 34 .
- the seal member 28 may include a main portion 132 and the first and second arm portions 93 a , 93 b disposed at opposite sides of the main portion 132 .
- the main portion 132 may extend along the seal axis 30 from a point at or adjacent to the first end 32 to the second end 34 .
- the main portion 132 may be planar or substantially planar and may have a top surface 133 and a bottom surface 134 , and the seal axis 30 may extend along the top surface 133 .
- a portion of the top surface 133 may include the sealing portion 36 of the seal member 28 , and the sealing portion 36 may be disposed between the first end 32 and the second end 34 of the seal member 28 .
- the seal axis 30 may intersect (e.g., bisect) the sealing portion 36 .
- the sealing portion 36 may have any shape and dimensions to allow the sealing portion to sealingly engage (e.g., be disposed adjacent to or in contact with) the portion 40 of the base member 14 surrounding the fluid aperture 18 when the seal member 28 is in the sealed position of FIG. 5A .
- the sealing portion 36 may be a planar portion of the top surface 133 .
- the main portion 132 may also include the engagement potion 38 of the seal member 28 .
- the engagement potion 38 of the seal member 28 may be disposed at any suitable location of the seal member 28 such that when the actuation member 20 pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position, the engagement portion 26 of the actuation member 20 is able to contact and/or engage the engagement portion 38 of the seal member 28 to displace the seal member 28 from the sealed position to the first open position.
- the engagement potion 38 of the seal member 28 may be disposed on a portion of the main portion 132 that is along the seal axis 30 between the first end 32 of the seal member 28 and the second end 34 of the seal member 28 , and the engagement potion 38 may be between the sealing portion 36 and the first end 32 .
- the engagement potion 38 may be a surface of a concave depression 136 that downwardly extends from the top surface 133 of the main portion 132 .
- the main portion 132 may also include a tab 136 that may extend away from the bottom surface 134 of the main portion, and the tab 136 may be adapted to be grabbed by a consumer to pivot the seal member 28 away from the fluid aperture 18 to allow the portion 40 surrounding the fluid aperture 18 to be cleaned.
- the seal member 28 may also include the first and second arm portions 93 a , 93 b that may be coupled to opposite sides of the main portion 132 , and the first and second arm portions 93 a , 93 b may be symmetrically disposed about the seal axis 30 .
- Each of the first and second arm portions 93 a , 93 b may be planar and may extend in a direction normal to the main portion 132 (e.g., normal to the seal axis 30 ).
- First and second projections 90 a , 90 b of may extend from a corresponding arm portion 93 a , 93 b , and the first and second projections 90 a , 90 b may be coaxially aligned with a seal rotation axis 138 .
- the seal rotation axis 138 may be normal to (and/or offset from) the seal axis 30 .
- a least one biasing member 140 may act on a portion of the seal member 28 and/or the base member 14 to bias the sealing portion 36 of the seal member 28 towards (or into sealing engagement with) the portion 40 of the base member 14 surrounding the fluid aperture 18 .
- a first and second biasing member 140 a , 140 b (which may be a torsional spring) may be coupled to (e.g., at least partially disposed around) each of the first and second projections 90 a , 90 b of the arm portions 93 a , 93 b of the seal member 28 .
- a first end of each of the first and second biasing member 140 a , 140 b may be coupled to or contact a portion of the bottom surface 48 of the base member 14 , and a second end of each of the first and second biasing member 140 a , 140 b may be coupled to or contact a portion of a corresponding one of the first and second arm portions 93 a , 93 b of the seal member 28 .
- the total biasing force provided by the at least one biasing member 140 must be less than the detent force (which, as previously explained, is generated when the securing portion 106 of the actuation member 20 engages the retaining portion 108 of the base member 14 ) so that the seal member 28 does not force the actuation member 20 from the second actuation position to the first actuation position. Moreover, the biasing force provided by the at least one biasing member 140 must allow the seal member 28 to be capable of rotating at approximately 90 ° to allow easy cleaning of the seal member 28 .
- each of the first and second projections 90 a , 90 b of the arm portions 93 a , 93 b of the seal member 28 may be disposed a corresponding one of the coupling tab 88 a , 88 b (see FIG. 2D ) of the base member 14 to pivotably couple the seal member 28 to the base member 14 such that the seal member 28 is capable of pivoting about the seal rotation axis 138 from the sealed position (illustrated in FIG. 5A ) to the first open position (illustrated in FIG. 5B ) and/or from the sealed position (illustrated in FIG. 5A ) to the second open position (illustrated in FIG. 5C ).
- the sealing portion 36 of the seal member 28 is disposed adjacent to or in contact with the portion 40 of the base member 14 surrounding the fluid aperture 18 , as illustrated in FIG. 5A , and the seal axis 30 of the seal member 28 may be coaxially aligned with or disposed parallel to (and vertically aligned with) the base axis 16 of the base member 14 .
- the fluid aperture 18 of the base member 14 is sealed or substantially sealed by the sealing portion 36 such that fluid within the interior 44 of the container 12 is prevented (or hindered) from exiting through the fluid aperture 18 unless the actuation member 20 is displaced from the first actuation position to the second actuation position or a straw 42 is inserted into the fluid aperture 18 , as illustrated in FIG. 5C .
- the actuation member 20 is displaced from the first actuation position to the second actuation position or a straw 42 is inserted into the fluid aperture 18 , as illustrated in FIG. 5C .
- the actuation member 20 may initially be in the first actuation position ( FIG. 5A ), and the seal member 28 may be in the sealed position described above.
- the consumer displaces the first end 22 of the actuation member 20 relative to the base member 14 to pivot the actuation member 20 from the first actuation position to the second actuation position as previously described, which causes the engagement portion 26 of the actuation member 20 to engage or contact the engagement portion 38 of the seal member 28 to pivot the seal member 28 about the seal rotation axis 138 from the sealed position illustrated in FIG. 5A to the first open position illustrated in FIG.
- the seal axis 30 of the seal member 28 is disposed at a first angular distance ⁇ 1 from the base axis 16 of the base member 14 .
- the first angular distance ⁇ 1 may be any suitable angle that allows fluid to flow from the interior 44 of the container 12 through the fluid aperture 18 and into the drinking recess 72 .
- the first angular distance ⁇ 1 may be, for example, an angle between 5° and 45° and may be, in one aspect, an angle between 10° and 30°.
- the consumer When the consumer is finished drinking liquid directly out of the fluid aperture 18 of the container 12 , the consumer displaces the first end 22 of the actuation member 20 relative to the base member 14 to pivot the actuation member 20 from the second actuation position to the first actuation position. This action causes the engagement portion 26 of the actuation member 20 to retract into or towards the actuation aperture 68 , which thereby allows the engagement portion 38 of the seal member 28 to rotate towards the fluid aperture 18 under the force of the biasing member 140 .
- the consumer may also wish to drink a liquid from the container 12 using a straw 42 .
- the consumer may remove the straw from the straw attachment portion 142 and insert an end of the straw 42 through the fluid aperture 18 towards a bottom of the container 12 .
- the end of the straw 42 may contact a portion of the seal member 28 (e.g., a portion adjacent to the sealing portion 36 of the main portion 132 ), and further downward movement of the end of the straw 42 into the interior 44 of the container will continue to pivot the seal member 28 (against the biasing force provided by the biasing member 140 acting on the seal member 28 ) about the seal rotation axis 138 until the end of the straw 42 clears the second end 34 of the seal member 42 , and the seal member 42 is maintained in this second open position (illustrated in FIG.
- the seal axis 30 of the seal member 28 is disposed at a second angular distance ⁇ 2 from the base axis 16 of the base member 28 , and the second angular distance ⁇ 2 typically being greater than the first angular distance ⁇ 1 .
- the second angular distance ⁇ 2 may be any angle that allows the end of the straw 42 to be disposed at a desired location within the interior 44 of the container 12 .
- the second angular distance ⁇ 2 may be, for example, an angle between 20° and 80° and may be, in one aspect, an angle between 35° and 70°.
- the straw 42 When the consumer removes the straw 42 from the fluid aperture 18 , the straw 42 no longer maintains provides a force on the seal member 28 that is opposite to and greater than the biasing force provided by the biasing member 140 , and the force provided by the biasing member 140 pivots the seal member 28 about the seal rotation axis 138 from the second open position to the sealed position.
- the seal member 28 could be in the first open position when the straw 42 is inserted into the fluid aperture 18 and still displace to the second open position.
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Abstract
A lid assembly is adapted to be removably coupled to a container, and the lid assembly includes an actuation member and a seal member each pivotably coupled to a base member. In a sealed position, a sealing portion of the seal member seals a fluid aperture. When the actuation member pivots from a first actuation position to a second actuation position, an engagement portion of the actuation member contacts an engagement portion of the seal member to displace the seal member from the sealed position to a first open position in which the seal member is disposed at a first angle from the base member. When a straw is inserted through the fluid aperture, the straw pivots the seal member from the sealed position to a second open position in which the seal member is disposed at a second angle from the base member.
Description
- This disclosure relates generally to a lid assembly for containers, and more particularly, to a re-closable dual drink mode lid assembly for beverage containers.
- Refillable beverage containers typically include a removable lid that includes a fluid aperture, and a consumer typically fills the interior of the container (e.g., an insulated container) with a beverage (e.g., juice or iced coffee) when the lid is removed. To drink the beverage, the consumer typically tips the container to allow the beverage to pass through the fluid aperture, and the consumer sips the beverage as the beverage exits the fluid aperture. To prevent the beverage from spilling out of the fluid aperture if the container is accidentally tipped, refillable beverage containers can include a selective sealing mechanism coupled to the lid that allows fluid to pass through the fluid aperture only when the sealing mechanism is in a desired position. A typical sealing mechanism includes a lever or button that is displaced by the consumer prior to (or while) sipping the beverage, and the lever or button displaces a seal member away from the fluid aperture.
- In some instances, it may be desired to drink the beverage with a straw instead of drinking directly through the fluid aperture. Typically, the seal member of the sealing mechanism that is adjacent to or within the fluid aperture obstructs the fluid aperture in both the open and locked positions, and therefore a straw may not be inserted. However, in instances when a locking mechanism is included (e.g., a slide lock that selectively covers a fluid aperture), the locking mechanism must typically be placed or locked into an open position prior to inserting the straw through the drinking aperture. If the consumer forgets to lock the locking device after the removal of the straw, the fluid aperture remains unobstructed and tipping over the container will cause the beverage to spill out of the fluid aperture.
- A lid assembly is adapted to be removably coupled to a container, and the lid assembly includes a base member that extends from a first end to an open second end along a lid reference axis. A base axis extends through a portion of the base member adjacent to the lid reference axis, and the base axis is normal to the lid reference axis. A fluid aperture is defined in a portion of the base member. The lid assembly also includes an actuation member coupled to the base member, the actuation member extending from a first end and a second end. The actuation member has an engagement portion disposed at or adjacent to the second end or between the first end and the second end, and the actuation member is displaceable relative to the base member from a first actuation position to a second actuation position. The lid assembly further includes a seal member coupled to the base member, and the seal member extends along a seal axis from a first end to a second end, the seal member being pivotably coupled to the base member at or adjacent to the first end of the seal member. A sealing portion of the sealing member is disposed between the first end and the second end of the seal member, and an engagement potion of the seal member is disposed between the first end and the second end of the seal member. The seal member rotates relative to the base portion from a sealed position to a first open position and from the sealed position to a second open position. In the sealed position, the sealing portion is disposed adjacent to or in contact with a portion of the base member surrounding the fluid aperture. In the first open position, the seal axis of the seal member is disposed at a first angular distance from the base axis of the base member. In the second open position, the seal axis of the seal member is disposed at a second angular distance from the base axis of the base member, the second angular distance being greater than the first angular distance. When the actuation member displaces from the first actuation position to the second actuation position, the engagement portion of the actuation member contacts the engagement portion of the seal member, thereby displacing the seal member from the sealed position to the first open position. In addition, the seal member is adapted to pivot from the sealed position to the second open position by contact from a straw being inserted through the fluid aperture and into an interior of the container.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a lid assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of the disclosure; -
FIG. 2A is a side view of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 2B is a top view of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 , with an actuation member removed; -
FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 , taken alongline 2C-2C ofFIG. 2B ; -
FIG. 2D is a bottom view of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3A is a bottom view of an embodiment of a seal member of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3B is a side view of the seal member ofFIG. 3A ; -
FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the seal member ofFIG. 3A , taken alongline 3C-3C ofFIG. 3A ; -
FIG. 3D is a perspective view of the seal member ofFIG. 3A ; -
FIG. 4A is a bottom view of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 4B is a top view of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 , with the actuation member installed; -
FIG. 5A is a side cross-sectional view of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 , with a seal member in a sealed position; -
FIG. 5B is a side cross-sectional view of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 , with the seal member in a first open position; -
FIG. 5C is a side cross-sectional view of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 , with the seal member in a second open position; -
FIG. 6A is a top view of an actuation member of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 6B is a side cross-sectional view of the actuation member ofFIG. 6A ; -
FIG. 6C is a bottom view of the actuation member ofFIG. 6A ; -
FIG. 6D is a front view of the actuation member ofFIG. 6A ; -
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 , secured to a container; -
FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 , with the actuation member in a first actuation position; and -
FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of the lid assembly ofFIG. 1 , with the actuation member in a second actuation position. - Initially turning to
FIG. 7 , alid assembly 10 may be adapted to be removably secured to acontainer 12.Lid assembly 10 may include areference axis 17 that generally corresponds to a longitudinal axis of thecontainer 12 when thelid assembly 10 is secured to thecontainer 12. Thecontainer 12 includes an interior 44 that is configured to hold a liquid. Thelid assembly 10 includes a drink hole or fluid aperture (not shown inFIG. 7 ) through which a consumer may access liquid stored in theinterior 44 of thecontainer 12. - Referring now to
FIGS. 1 and 2C , thelid assembly 10 may include abase member 14 that extends from afirst end 13 to an opensecond end 15 along thelid reference axis 17. Thebase 14 includes abase axis 16 extends through a portion of thebase member 14 adjacent to thelid reference axis 17, and thebase axis 16 in one embodiment may be substantially normal to thelid reference axis 17. Thefluid aperture 18 is formed in a portion of thebase member 14. - As illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 6A , thelid assembly 10 also includes anactuation member 20 extending from afirst end 22 to asecond end 24, and, as illustrated inFIG. 6B , which is a side cross-sectional view of theactuation member 20 taken alongline 6B-6B inFIG. 6A , theactuation member 20 has anengagement portion 26 disposed at or adjacent to thesecond end 24 or between thefirst end 22 and thesecond end 24. Theactuation member 20 is pivotably displaceable from a first actuation position or closed position (illustrated inFIG. 5A ) to a second actuation position or a first open position (illustrated inFIG. 5B ) when thefirst end 22 of theengagement portion 20 is pivoted relative to thebase member 14. As illustrated inFIGS. 3A to 3C and 4A , thelid assembly 10 further includes aseal member 28, and as illustrated inFIG. 3A , theseal member 28 extends along aseal axis 30 from afirst end 32 to asecond end 34. As illustrated inFIG. 4A , theseal member 28 is pivotably coupled to thebase member 14 at or adjacent to thefirst end 32 of theseal member 32. A sealingportion 36 of theseal member 28 may be disposed between thefirst end 32 and thesecond end 34, and anengagement potion 38 of theseal member 28 is disposed between thefirst end 32 and the second end 34 (e.g., between the sealingportion 36 and the first end 32). Theseal member 28 rotates relative to the base portion from a sealed position (illustrated inFIG. 5A ) to a first open position (illustrated inFIG. 5B ) or from the sealed position or first position (illustrated inFIG. 5A ) to a first open position or second position (illustrated inFIG. 5B ), and to a second open position or a third position (illustrated inFIG. 5C ). Generally, the second position (FIG. 5B ) allows fluid to exit thefluid aperture 18 for a consumer to sip from thelid assembly 10, while the third position (FIG. 5C ) allows theseal member 28 to pivot far enough to allow a straw to be inserted through thefluid aperture 18, for accessing fluid in thecontainer 12. - More specifically, in the sealed position illustrated in
FIG. 5A , the sealingportion 36 is disposed adjacent to or in contact with aportion 40 of thebase member 14 surrounding thefluid aperture 18. In particular, the sealingportion 36 is in contact with adrink seal 301. In this sealed position, thefluid aperture 18 of thebase member 14 is sealed or substantially sealed by the sealingportion 36 such that fluid within theinterior 44 of thecontainer 12 is prevented (or hindered) from exiting through thefluid aperture 18 if thecontainer 12. - When the consumer wants to drink directly from the
fluid aperture 18, the consumer pivots theactuation member 20 from the first actuation position (FIG. 5A ) to the second actuation position (FIG. 5B ), and theengagement portion 26 of theactuation member 20 contacts theengagement portion 38 of theseal member 28 to displacing theseal member 28 from the sealed position to the first open position. In the first open position illustrated inFIG. 5B , theseal axis 30 of theseal member 28 is disposed at a first angular distance θ1 from thebase axis 16 of thebase member 14, thereby allowing fluid from an interior 44 of the container to pass through thefluid aperture 18. In this first open position, the consumer may drink directly from thefluid aperture 18. - Instead of drinking directly from the
fluid aperture 18, the consumer may wish to use a straw (that may be stored or secured to thelid assembly 10 by a straw attachment portion 142) to drink liquid in the container. In such a case, the consumer may insert an end of thestraw 42 through thefluid aperture 18 towards a bottom of thecontainer 12. The end of thestraw 42 may contact a portion of theseal member 28 to pivot theseal member 28 from the sealing position (ofFIG. 5A ) to the second open position illustrated inFIG. 5C . In the second open position, theseal axis 30 of theseal member 28 is disposed at a second angular distance θ2 from thebase axis 16 of thebase member 28, and the second angular distance θ2 being greater than the first angular distance θ1. Accordingly, thelid assembly 10 allows a consumer to drink directly through thefluid aperture 18 or to easily transition to the use of thestraw 42 that is conveniently attached to thelid assembly 10. Importantly, when the consumer is not drinking, such as when thestraw 42 is removed from thefluid aperture 18, theseal member 18 may be maintained in the sealing position (for example, by a biasingmember 140 ofFIG. 4A ) to prevent inadvertent spills if thecontainer 12 falls over. - Turning to the
lid assembly 10 in more detail, and referring toFIGS. 2A to 2D , thebase member 14 extends from thefirst end 13 to an opensecond end 15 along thelid reference axis 17. The base member also includes a top surface 46 (illustrated inFIG. 2B ) and a bottom surface 48 (illustrated inFIG. 2D ) opposite the top surface. Thetop surface 46 and thebottom surface 48 of thebase member 14 may generally extend in a direction normal to thelid reference axis 17, and thelid reference axis 17 may extend in a vertical (i.e., along or parallel to the Z-axis of the reference coordinate system ofFIGS. 2C and 7 ) or substantially vertical direction when thecontainer 12 is upright. Thetop surface 46 and thebottom surface 48 may have any suitable shape or combination of shapes to allow thebase member 14 to act as a support for theactuation member 20 and/or theseal member 28 and to provide a barrier between the interior 44 of thecontainer 12 and the outside of thelid assembly 10. For example, portions of thebottom surface 48 and thetop surface 46 may be planar and/or contoured or otherwise curved. As illustrated inFIG. 2B and 2C , aportion 50 of thetop surface 46 may be planar or substantially planar and may be downwardly angled so as to define adrinking recess 72 that surrounds or partially surrounds thefluid aperture 18. As illustrated inFIG. 2B , aperimeter edge 52 may define an outward perimeter of thetop surface 46 of thebase member 14, and theperimeter edge 52 may have any suitable shape or combination of shapes. For example, theperimeter edge 52 may have a generally circular shape. Thebase member 14 may be a single part or may be an assembly of two or more parts that cooperate to form thebase member 14. - As illustrated in
FIG. 2C , thefluid aperture 18 may extend through thebase member 14 from thetop surface 46 to thebottom surface 48. A portion of thefluid aperture 18 may be provided by aboss 54 extending away from thebottom surface 48 of thebase member 14, and aninner surface 55 of theboss 54 may define the portion of thefluid aperture 18. Theportion 40 of thebase member 14 surrounding the fluid aperture 18 (that is contacted by the sealingportion 36 of theseal member 28 in the sealed position) may be an end portion of theboss 54, or the drink seal 301 (FIGS. 5A-5C ). Thebase axis 16 may extend through or immediately adjacent to the end portion of the boss 54 (or through or immediately adjacent to the drink seal 301), and thebase axis 16 may intersect and/or be normal to thelid reference axis 17. Thefluid aperture 18 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape or combination of shapes, and the cross sectional shape may vary (when viewed in a direction parallel to or along the lid reference axis 17) provided that it permits fluid flow therethrough. For example, thefluid aperture 18 may have the cross-sectional shape of a circle or that of an oval. - As illustrated in
FIG. 2C , thelid assembly 10 may also include askirt portion 58 that may downwardly extend from a portion of thebottom surface 48 of thebase member 14. More specifically, theskirt portion 58 may extend along thelid reference axis 17 from a radially (i.e., normal to the lid reference axis 17)outer portion 60 of thebottom surface 48 of thebase member 14 to the opensecond end 15 of thebase member 14. Theskirt portion 58 may be at least partially defined by aninterior surface 63 and anexterior surface 64, and theexterior surface 64 may be outwardly offset (in a direction away from the lid reference axis 17) from theinterior surface 63 when viewed along thelid reference axis 17. Theskirt portion 58 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape or combination of shapes (when viewed normal to the lid reference axis 17). For example, theinterior surface 63 and/or theexterior surface 64 of theskirt portion 58 may be cylindrical. A threadedportion 57 of theinterior surface 63 of theskirt portion 58 may be adapted to engage a threaded portion of thecontainer 12. In other embodiments, the threadedportion 57 may be on theexterior surface 54 of theskirt portion 58 or both theinterior surface 63 and theexterior surface 64. Acircumferential seal 303 may extend around a portion of theinterior surface 63 of theskirt portion 58 above the threadedportion 57 to prevent leakage when thelid assembly 10 is secured to thecontainer 12. - As illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2B , thebase member 14 may also include astraw attachment portion 142 that may be coupled to a portion of the skirt portion 58 (and/or a portion of aridge portion 59 that will be described in more detail below) and may be adapted to releasably secure thestraw 42 to thebase member 14. As illustrated inFIG. 2B , thestraw attachment portion 142 may include or comprise afirst projection 146 a and asecond projection 146 b that radially extend from theskirt portion 58. That is, thefirst projection 146 a and thesecond projection 146 b may outwardly extend (e.g., extend in a direction normal or substantially normal to the lid reference axis 17) from theexterior surface 63 of theskirt portion 58. Thefirst projection 146 a and thesecond projection 146 b may define agap 148 therebetween, thegap 148 being sized to receive a portion of thestraw 42. Thefirst projection 146 a and thesecond projection 146 b are shaped and dimensioned to releasably secure the straw within thegap 148 when the straw is not in use. In some embodiments, thefirst projection 146 a and thesecond projection 146 b are fixed to theskirt portion 58 such that a reference axis R bisecting thefirst projection 146 a and thesecond projection 146 b makes an angle α (e.g., between approximately 10° and approximately 45) with the recess axis 80 (when viewed along the lid reference axis 17). By placing thestraw attachment portion 142 in this range, the likelihood that a consumer would attempt to drink from thefluid aperture 18 with thestraw 42 attached to thelid assembly 10 is reduced or eliminated because thestraw 42 is in the consumer's field of view and the consumer will observe thestraw 42 before bringing thestraw 42 into contact with his or her face. In other embodiments, thefirst projection 146 a and thesecond projection 146 b may both be rotatable and/or displaceable about a circumference of theskirt portion 58. For example, thefirst projection 146 a and thesecond projection 146 b may both be formed on a collar (not shown) that may be disposed round all or part of the circumference of theskirt portion 58, and the collar may be rotatable relative to theskirt portion 58 such that the consumer can position thefirst projection 146 a and thesecond projection 146 b (and thestraw 42 stored therebetween) in a desired radial position. - As illustrated in
FIG. 2C , thebase member 14 may also include theridge portion 59 that may upwardly extend from a portion of thetop surface 46 of thebase member 14. More specifically, theridge portion 59 may extend along thelid reference axis 17 from a radially outer portion 62 (illustrated inFIG. 2B ) of thetop surface 46 of thebase member 14 to thefirst end 13 of thebase member 14, as illustrated inFIG. 2C . Theridge portion 59 may completely or partially surround the top surface of thebase member 14. Theridge portion 59 may be at least partially defined by aninterior surface 69 and anexterior surface 70, and theexterior surface 70 may be outwardly offset (in a direction away from the lid reference axis 17) from theinterior surface 69 when viewed along thelid reference axis 17. In some embodiments, theridge portion 59 may have a cross-sectional shape (when viewed normal to the lid reference axis 17) that may correspond to the shape of the radiallyouter portion 62 of thetop surface 46. As illustrated inFIGS. 2A and 2C , theinterior surface 69 and/or theexterior surface 70 of theridge portion 59 may be cylindrical or generally cylindrical. That is, theinterior surface 69 and/or theexterior surface 70 of theridge portion 59 may have a circular cross-sectional shape when viewed along thelid reference axis 17. However, the diameter of the circle corresponding to theinterior surface 69 and/or theexterior surface 70 of theridge portion 59 may vary along thelid reference axis 17. For example, theexterior surface 70 may have a slight concave shape and theinterior surface 69 may have a slight convex shape. Of course, other shapes are also possible. - Referring to
FIGS. 2B, 2C, and 2D , alid recess 66 may be disposed in thebase member 14, and thelid recess 66 may be positioned and dimensioned to receive theactuation member 20 such that theengagement portion 26 of theactuation member 20 is at least partially disposed within anactuation aperture 68 when theactuation member 20 is in the second actuation position (ofFIG. 5B ). Specifically, thelid recess 66 may include or be partially defined by a planar or substantially planar recess surface 74 (that may be normal or substantially normal to the lid reference axis 17) that may be downwardly offset (e.g., along thelid reference axis 17 and towards thesecond end 15 of the base member 14) from thetop surface 46 of thebase member 14. Thelid recess 66 may extend from a first end 76 (adjacent to or at the radiallyouter portion 62 of thetop surface 46 of the base member 14) to asecond end 78 along an recess axis 80 that may be normal to (and may intersect) thelid reference axis 17. Thesecond end 78 of thelid recess 66 may be disposed between thelid reference axis 17 and thefirst end 76, and the second end may be adjacent to thelid reference axis 17. - As illustrated in
FIG. 2B , thelid recess 66 may be defined by a pair ofside walls actuation member 20. Avent aperture 67 may extend through the recess surface 74 (e.g., extend from therecess surface 74 to and through the bottom surface 48), and a diameter of thevent aperture 67 may be between 5% and 15% of the distance W. In addition, theactuation aperture 68 may be disposed through the recess surface 74 (e.g., extend from therecess surface 74 to and through the bottom surface 48), and theactuation aperture 68 may generally extend along an axis that may be disposed along (and may be normal to) the recess axis 80. Arecess counterbore 84 may surround (e.g., symmetrically surround) theactuation aperture 68, and therecess counterbore 84 may include acounterbore surface 86 that may be planar or substantially planar and may be offset from therecess surface 74. The actuation aperture 68 (and recess counterbore 84) may have any suitable shape to accommodate theengagement portion 26 of theactuation member 20, such as a circular shape (when viewed normal to the recess surface 74). A first distance between a center point of theactuation aperture 68 and thesecond end 78 of thelid recess 66 may be less than a second distance between the center point of theactuation aperture 68 and thefirst end 76 of thelid recess 66. - As illustrated in
FIG. 2D , a pair ofcoupling tabs bottom surface 48 of thebase member 14. Each of thecoupling tabs seal member 28 at or adjacent to thefirst end 32 of theseal member 28, as illustrated inFIG. 4A . For example, with reference toFIG. 4A , eachcoupling tab projection second arm portion seal member 28. In other example embodiments, eachcoupling tab second arm portion seal member 28. - As illustrated in
FIGS. 1, 6A to 6D , thelid assembly 10 may also include theactuation member 20. As illustrated inFIG. 6A , theactuation member 20 may extend from thefirst end 22 to thesecond end 24 along anactuator axis 90, and theactuator axis 90 may be aligned with the recess axis 80 (ofFIG. 2B ) when theactuation member 20 is coupled to thebase member 14. As illustrated inFIG. 4B , thefirst end 22 of theactuation member 20 may be disposed at or adjacent to thefirst end 76 of the lid recess 66 (ofFIG. 2B ) and thesecond end 24 of theactuation member 20 may be disposed at or adjacent to thesecond end 78 of the lid recess 66 (ofFIG. 2B ). Referring toFIG. 6A , theactuation member 20 may include acenter portion 91 that extends between a pair of elongated side surfaces 92 a, 92 b that may extend along theactuator axis 90, and the elongated side surfaces 92 a, 92 b may be separated by a transverse distance that is slightly less than the distance W separating theside walls FIG. 2B ). Thecenter portion 90 may be substantially planar and may have atop surface 94 and abottom surface 96 opposite thetop surface 94. When theactuation member 20 is in the first actuation position, thetop surface 94 is substantially aligned with thetop surface 46 of thebase member 14. - The
actuation member 20 is pivotably displaceable relative to thebase member 14 from the first actuation position (illustrated inFIG. 5A ) to the second actuation position (illustrated inFIG. 5B ) by a consumer. For example, the consumer may pivot thesecond end 24 of theengagement portion 20 about apivot axis 98, and thepivot axis 98 may be normal to theactuator axis 90 and to thelid reference axis 17. Theactuation member 20 may be pivotably coupled to thebase member 14 in any suitable manner. For example, as illustrate inFIG. 6A , each of a pair ofprojections pivot axis 98, and each of the pair ofprojections side walls FIG. 2B ). - As illustrated in
FIG. 6B and 6D , theactuation member 20 has theengagement portion 26 disposed at or adjacent to thesecond end 24 of theactuation member 20 or between thefirst end 22 and thesecond end 24 of theactuation member 20. Theengagement portion 26 may be any feature or combination of features that is adapted to contact theengagement portion 38 of theseal member 28 such that when theactuation member 20 displaces (e.g., pivots about the pivot axis 98) from the first actuation position to the second actuation position, theengagement portion 26 of theactuation member 20 acting on theengagement portion 38 of theseal member 28 and thereby displaces theseal member 28 from the sealed position to the first open position. - For example, as illustrated in
FIG. 6B and 6D , theengagement portion 26 may be disposed at anend portion 103 of aprotrusion 99 that extends along aprotrusion axis 100 from afirst end 101 to asecond end 102. More specifically, with reference toFIG. 6B , thefirst end 101 of theprotrusion 99 may be adjacent to thebottom surface 96 of thecenter portion 91 of theactuation member 20 and the end portion 103 (and the engagement portion 26) may be at or adjacent to thesecond end 102. Theend portion 103 of theprotrusion 99 may have a pointedportion 104, and an end of the pointedportion 104 may be theengagement portion 26. Theend portion 103 of the protrusion may be sized and dimensioned to be disposed within (and through) theactuation aperture 68 of thelid recess 66 of thelid member 14 when theactuation member 20 pivots about from the first actuation position to the second actuation position. - Still referring to
FIG. 6B , thefirst end 101 and thesecond end 102 of theprotrusion 99 may be separated along theprotrusion axis 100 by a distance D. The distance D may be any suitable distance that allows theengagement portion 26 of theprotrusion 99 to contact theengagement portion 38 of theseal member 28 to displace theseal member 20 from the sealed position to the first open position when theactuation member 20 pivots about from the first actuation position to the second actuation position. In addition, the distance D may be any suitable distance in which theengagement portion 26 does not contact (and/or not displace) theengagement portion 38 of theseal member 28 when theactuation member 20 is in the first actuation position. - As illustrated in
FIG. 8A , a securingportion 106 may be coupled to theactuation member 20, and the securingportion 106 may be adapted engage a retainingportion 108 of thebase member 14 to provide a detent force that prevents an accidental pivoting of theactuation member 20 from the first actuation position to the second actuation position. More specifically, the securingportion 106 may extend from afirst end 110 to asecond end 112 along a securingaxis 114, and anintermediate point 116 may be disposed between thefirst end 110 and thesecond end 112. The securingportion 106 may include abody portion 118 that may be non-movably secured to theprojection 99 and ahead portion 120 that may be movable or displaceable (e.g., along the securing axis 114) relative to thebody portion 118. One end of thehead portion 120 may have a hemispherical or ball shape, thus forming a ball-piston. Thebody portion 118 may include ashaft 122 that extends from thesecond end 112 to theintermediate point 116, and acup portion 124 may be coupled to theshaft 122 and may extend from theintermediate point 116 towards thefirst end 110. Thehead portion 120 may be at least partially disposed within thecup portion 124, and afirst end 126 of thehead portion 120 may be rounded or contoured and adapted to engage the retainingportion 108. Thehead portion 120 may be biased away from theintermediate point 116 along the securingaxis 114 by a biasingmember 128 and the biasingmember 128 may disposed in any suitable location to directly or indirectly act on thehead portion 120 to provide such a biasing force. For example, the biasingmember 128 may be a spring (e.g., a leaf spring, dome spring, or coil spring) disposed between thehead portion 120 and a surface of thecup portion 124. - When the
actuation member 20 is in the first actuation position, thehead portion 120 of the securingportion 106 may be engaged with or disposed within a portion of the retainingportion 108 of thebase member 14. For example, the retainingportion 108 may be a feature formed on or coupled to thebase member 14, and the retainingportion 108 may be formed on or coupled to a surface or a portion of thelid recess 66. The retainingportion 108 may have the shape if a cup or a dish (e.g., a concave shape) that intersects (or may be symmetrical about) the securingaxis 114 when theactuation member 20 is in the first actuation position. The cup-shapedretaining portion 108 is shaped and dimensioned to correspond to (and receive) thefirst end 126 of thehead portion 120. The retainingportion 108 may have aridge 130 offset from therecess surface 74 of thelid recess 66 at an upper portion of the cup-shapedretaining portion 108, and theridge 130 may be an upper lip of theconcave retaining portion 108. - As a consumer begins to pivot the
actuation member 20 from the first actuation position (illustrated inFIG. 8A ) to the second actuation position (illustrated inFIG. 8B ), thefirst end 126 of thehead portion 120 comes in contact with theridge 130 of the retainingportion 108, and this gradual contact forces thehead portion 120 towards theshaft 122 along the securingaxis 114 against the biasing force provided by the biasingmember 120. Thus, this contact against the biasing force provides a detent force that prevents an accidental pivoting of theactuation member 20 from the first actuation position to the second actuation position. As the consumer continues to pivot the actuation member to the second actuation position, thefirst end 126 of thehead portion 120 rotates past theridge 130 and into the second actuation position illustrated inFIG. 8B . To pivot theactuation member 20 from the second actuation position to the first actuation position, thefirst end 126 of thehead portion 120 begins to come in contact with theridge 130 of the retainingportion 108 as the actuation member begins to rotate. Thefirst end 126 of thehead portion 120 rotates past theridge 130 as theactuation member 20 pivots into the first actuation position. - As illustrated in
FIGS. 6B and 6C , theactuation member 20 may also have avent projection 144 adapted to cooperate with thevent aperture 67 of the base member 14 (illustrated inFIG. 2B ) to safely vent any hot gasses contained in theinterior 44 of thecontainer 12 prior to a consumer drinking from thefluid aperture 18. Thevent projection 144 may extend away from thebottom surface 96, and may be dimensioned and position such that an end portion of thevent projection 144 may be inserted (or adapted to be inserted) into a top portion of thevent aperture 67 extending through the recess surface 74 (illustrated inFIG. 2B ) when theactuation member 20 is in the first actuation position. In use, when the consumer begins to pivot theactuation member 20 from the first actuation position towards the second actuation position, the end of thevent projection 144 disengages from the top portion of thevent aperture 67 prior to (or as) theengagement portion 26 of theactuation member 20 engages theengagement portion 38 of theseal member 28 to begin to rotate theseal member 28 form the sealed position to the first open position. More specifically, in the closed position, there is a gap 305 (FIG. 2C ) between theengagement portion 26 and theengagement portion 38. In some embodiments, thegap 305 may be approximately 0.5 mm. As a result, theactuation member 20 may be rotated a small amount, which allows thevent projection 144 to disengage from the vent aperture before theengagement portion 26 contacts theengagement portion 38 to begin rotating theseal member 28. This action results in pre-venting of pressure within thecontainer 12 before thefluid aperture 18 is opened. Accordingly, while thefluid aperture 18 is still sealed by theseal member 28, hot gasses from within theinterior 44 of the container may exit through theunobstructed vent aperture 67 and to the atmosphere. Therefore, when theseal member 28 disengages from theportion 40 of thebase member 14 surrounding thefluid aperture 18, no significant amount of gasses vent through thefluid aperture 18, thereby avoiding injuring a consumer that may be beginning to drink as theactuation member 20 is pivoted out of the first actuation position. - As illustrated in
FIGS. 3A to 3D and 4A , thelid assembly 10 further includes theseal member 28, and as illustrated inFIG. 3A , theseal member 28 extends along aseal axis 30 from afirst end 32 to asecond end 34. Theseal member 28 may include amain portion 132 and the first andsecond arm portions main portion 132. Themain portion 132 may extend along theseal axis 30 from a point at or adjacent to thefirst end 32 to thesecond end 34. Themain portion 132 may be planar or substantially planar and may have atop surface 133 and abottom surface 134, and theseal axis 30 may extend along thetop surface 133. A portion of thetop surface 133 may include the sealingportion 36 of theseal member 28, and the sealingportion 36 may be disposed between thefirst end 32 and thesecond end 34 of theseal member 28. Theseal axis 30 may intersect (e.g., bisect) the sealingportion 36. The sealingportion 36 may have any shape and dimensions to allow the sealing portion to sealingly engage (e.g., be disposed adjacent to or in contact with) theportion 40 of thebase member 14 surrounding thefluid aperture 18 when theseal member 28 is in the sealed position ofFIG. 5A . For example, the sealingportion 36 may be a planar portion of thetop surface 133. - The
main portion 132 may also include theengagement potion 38 of theseal member 28. Theengagement potion 38 of theseal member 28 may be disposed at any suitable location of theseal member 28 such that when theactuation member 20 pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position, theengagement portion 26 of theactuation member 20 is able to contact and/or engage theengagement portion 38 of theseal member 28 to displace theseal member 28 from the sealed position to the first open position. For example, theengagement potion 38 of theseal member 28 may be disposed on a portion of themain portion 132 that is along theseal axis 30 between thefirst end 32 of theseal member 28 and thesecond end 34 of theseal member 28, and theengagement potion 38 may be between the sealingportion 36 and thefirst end 32. Theengagement potion 38 may be a surface of aconcave depression 136 that downwardly extends from thetop surface 133 of themain portion 132. Themain portion 132 may also include atab 136 that may extend away from thebottom surface 134 of the main portion, and thetab 136 may be adapted to be grabbed by a consumer to pivot theseal member 28 away from thefluid aperture 18 to allow theportion 40 surrounding thefluid aperture 18 to be cleaned. - The
seal member 28 may also include the first andsecond arm portions main portion 132, and the first andsecond arm portions seal axis 30. Each of the first andsecond arm portions second projections corresponding arm portion second projections seal rotation axis 138. Theseal rotation axis 138 may be normal to (and/or offset from) theseal axis 30. - As illustrated in
FIG. 4A , a least one biasingmember 140 may act on a portion of theseal member 28 and/or thebase member 14 to bias the sealingportion 36 of theseal member 28 towards (or into sealing engagement with) theportion 40 of thebase member 14 surrounding thefluid aperture 18. For example, a first and second biasingmember second projections arm portions seal member 28. A first end of each of the first and second biasingmember bottom surface 48 of thebase member 14, and a second end of each of the first and second biasingmember second arm portions seal member 28. The total biasing force provided by the at least one biasingmember 140 must be less than the detent force (which, as previously explained, is generated when the securingportion 106 of theactuation member 20 engages the retainingportion 108 of the base member 14) so that theseal member 28 does not force theactuation member 20 from the second actuation position to the first actuation position. Moreover, the biasing force provided by the at least one biasingmember 140 must allow theseal member 28 to be capable of rotating at approximately 90° to allow easy cleaning of theseal member 28. - As previously explained, each of the first and
second projections arm portions seal member 28 may be disposed a corresponding one of thecoupling tab FIG. 2D ) of thebase member 14 to pivotably couple theseal member 28 to thebase member 14 such that theseal member 28 is capable of pivoting about theseal rotation axis 138 from the sealed position (illustrated inFIG. 5A ) to the first open position (illustrated inFIG. 5B ) and/or from the sealed position (illustrated inFIG. 5A ) to the second open position (illustrated inFIG. 5C ). More specifically, in the sealed position, the sealingportion 36 of theseal member 28 is disposed adjacent to or in contact with theportion 40 of thebase member 14 surrounding thefluid aperture 18, as illustrated inFIG. 5A , and theseal axis 30 of theseal member 28 may be coaxially aligned with or disposed parallel to (and vertically aligned with) thebase axis 16 of thebase member 14. In this sealed position, thefluid aperture 18 of thebase member 14 is sealed or substantially sealed by the sealingportion 36 such that fluid within theinterior 44 of thecontainer 12 is prevented (or hindered) from exiting through thefluid aperture 18 unless theactuation member 20 is displaced from the first actuation position to the second actuation position or astraw 42 is inserted into thefluid aperture 18, as illustrated inFIG. 5C . Thus if thecontainer 12 andlid assembly 10 is knocked over when not in use, substantial leakage of fluid from theinterior 44 of thecontainer 12 out of thefluid aperture 18 is limited or prevented. - In use, as mentioned previously, the
actuation member 20 may initially be in the first actuation position (FIG. 5A ), and theseal member 28 may be in the sealed position described above. When the consumer desires to drink a liquid directly out of thecontainer 12, the consumer displaces thefirst end 22 of theactuation member 20 relative to thebase member 14 to pivot theactuation member 20 from the first actuation position to the second actuation position as previously described, which causes theengagement portion 26 of theactuation member 20 to engage or contact theengagement portion 38 of theseal member 28 to pivot theseal member 28 about theseal rotation axis 138 from the sealed position illustrated inFIG. 5A to the first open position illustrated inFIG. 5B , theseal axis 30 of theseal member 28 is disposed at a first angular distance θ1 from thebase axis 16 of thebase member 14. The first angular distance θ1 may be any suitable angle that allows fluid to flow from theinterior 44 of thecontainer 12 through thefluid aperture 18 and into thedrinking recess 72. The first angular distance θ1 may be, for example, an angle between 5° and 45° and may be, in one aspect, an angle between 10° and 30°. - When the consumer is finished drinking liquid directly out of the
fluid aperture 18 of thecontainer 12, the consumer displaces thefirst end 22 of theactuation member 20 relative to thebase member 14 to pivot theactuation member 20 from the second actuation position to the first actuation position. This action causes theengagement portion 26 of theactuation member 20 to retract into or towards theactuation aperture 68, which thereby allows theengagement portion 38 of theseal member 28 to rotate towards thefluid aperture 18 under the force of the biasingmember 140. - The consumer may also wish to drink a liquid from the
container 12 using astraw 42. In this case, the consumer may remove the straw from thestraw attachment portion 142 and insert an end of thestraw 42 through thefluid aperture 18 towards a bottom of thecontainer 12. The end of thestraw 42 may contact a portion of the seal member 28 (e.g., a portion adjacent to the sealingportion 36 of the main portion 132), and further downward movement of the end of thestraw 42 into the interior 44 of the container will continue to pivot the seal member 28 (against the biasing force provided by the biasingmember 140 acting on the seal member 28) about theseal rotation axis 138 until the end of thestraw 42 clears thesecond end 34 of theseal member 42, and theseal member 42 is maintained in this second open position (illustrated inFIG. 5C ) by contact with the outside circumferential surface of thestraw 42 as thestraw 42 is further inserted into the interior 44 of the container until the end reaches a desired depth. In this second open position (FIG. 5C ), theseal axis 30 of theseal member 28 is disposed at a second angular distance θ2 from thebase axis 16 of thebase member 28, and the second angular distance θ2 typically being greater than the first angular distance θ1. The second angular distance θ2 may be any angle that allows the end of thestraw 42 to be disposed at a desired location within theinterior 44 of thecontainer 12. The second angular distance θ2 may be, for example, an angle between 20° and 80° and may be, in one aspect, an angle between 35° and 70°. - When the consumer removes the
straw 42 from thefluid aperture 18, thestraw 42 no longer maintains provides a force on theseal member 28 that is opposite to and greater than the biasing force provided by the biasingmember 140, and the force provided by the biasingmember 140 pivots theseal member 28 about theseal rotation axis 138 from the second open position to the sealed position. As previously explained, such an automatic sealing of thefluid aperture 18 when thestraw 42 is removed from thefluid aperture 18 prevents accidental spilling of fluid from thecontainer 12 if thecontainer 12 is accidentally knocked over. Theseal member 28 could be in the first open position when thestraw 42 is inserted into thefluid aperture 18 and still displace to the second open position. - While various embodiments have been described above, this disclosure is not intended to be limited thereto. Variations can be made to the disclosed embodiments that are still within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (24)
1. A lid assembly for a container, the lid assembly comprising:
a base member having a fluid aperture disposed in a portion of the base member;
an actuation member coupled to the base member, the actuation member having an engagement portion, the actuation member being displaceable relative to the base member from a first actuation position to a second actuation position;
a seal member coupled to the base member, the seal member being pivotably coupled to the base member, the seal member including an engagement portion and a sealing portion, and the seal member being rotatable relative to the base portion from a sealed position to a first open position and from the sealed position to a second open position,
wherein in the first open position, a seal axis of the seal member is disposed at a first angular distance from a base axis of the base member,
wherein in the second open position, the seal axis of the seal member is disposed at a second angular distance from the base axis of the base member, the second angular distance being greater than the first angular distance.
2. The lid assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuation member is elongated and pivots relative to the base member from the first position to the second position about a pivot axis disposed between a first end and a second end of the actuation member.
3. The lid assembly of claim 2 , wherein the actuation member pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position when the first end of the actuation member is displaced away from a surface of the base member.
4. The lid assembly of claim 1 , wherein an engagement portion of the actuation member is disposed at an end portion of a projection.
5. The lid assembly of claim 1 , wherein an engagement portion of the seal member is disposed between a first end of the seal member and a sealing portion of the seal member.
6. The lid assembly of claim 1 , wherein the seal member rotates about a pivot axis that extends adjacent to a first end of the seal member, the pivot axis being normal to a seal axis, wherein the seal axis is offset from the pivot axis of the seal member.
7. The lid assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member coupled to the base member and to the sealing member, the biasing member biasing the sealing portion of the sealing member towards the fluid aperture of the base member.
8. The lid assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuation member is pivotably displaceable from the first actuation position to the second actuation position about a pivot axis disposed between a first end and a second end of the actuation member.
9. The lid assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base member includes a cylindrical skirt portion coaxially-aligned with a lid reference axis.
10. The lid assembly of claim 9 , wherein a first projection and a second projection radially extend from the skirt portion, the first projection and the second projection defining a gap therebetween, the gap being adapted to receive the straw and the first projection and the second projection adapted to secure the straw within the gap.
11. The lid assembly of claim 1 , wherein the engagement potion of the seal member is disposed at or adjacent to a first end of the seal member or between the first end and a second end of the seal member.
12. The lid assembly of claim 1 , wherein a vent aperture is disposed through the base member, and a vent projection disposed on the actuation member is adapted to engage the vent aperture when the actuation member is in the first actuation position and the vent projection is adapted to be spaced apart from the vent aperture when the actuation member is in the second actuation position.
13. The lid assembly of claim 1 , wherein a pair of coupling tabs extend from a bottom surface of the base member, and each of the pair of coupling tabs has an aperture that receives a corresponding projection of a corresponding first and second arm portion of the seal member to pivotably secure the seal member to the base member.
14. The lid assembly of claim 1 , wherein a securing portion is coupled to the actuation member, and the securing portion is adapted to engage a retaining portion of the base member to provide a detent force when the actuation member is pivoted from the first actuation position to the second actuation position.
15. The lid assembly of claim 14 , wherein the securing portion includes a head portion having an end portion that is rounded or contoured, and wherein the retaining portion is cup shaped and adapted to receive the end portion of the head portion when the actuation member is in the first actuation position, and wherein the head portion slides over a ridge of the retaining portion as the actuation member pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position.
16. The lid assembly of claim 15 , wherein a biasing member biases the head portion into contact with the ridge as the actuation member pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position.
17. The lid assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first angular distance is an angle between 5° and 45° and the second angular distance is an angle between 20° and 80°.
18. The lid assembly of claim 17 , wherein the first angular distance is an angle between 10° and 30° and the second angular distance is an angle between 45° and 70°.
19. A lid assembly for a container, the lid assembly comprising:
a base member, a fluid aperture being defined in a portion of the base member;
an actuation member coupled to the base member, the actuation member having an engagement portion, the actuation member being displaceable relative to the base member from a first actuation position to a second actuation position;
a securing portion coupled to the actuation member, the securing portion being adapted to engage a retaining portion of the base member to provide a detent force;
a vent aperture disposed through the base member;
a vent projection disposed on the actuation member, the vent projection being adapted to engage the vent aperture when the actuation member is in the first actuation position and the vent projection being adapted to be spaced apart from the vent aperture when the actuation member is in the second actuation position;
a seal member coupled to the base member, the seal member being pivotably coupled to the base member, and the seal member including an engagement portion, wherein the seal member rotates relative to the base portion from a sealed position to a first open position and from the sealed position to a second open position; and
a biasing member coupled to the base member and the sealing member that biases the sealing portion of the sealing member towards the fluid aperture of the base member,
wherein when the actuation member displaces from the first actuation position to the second actuation position, the engagement portion of the actuation member contacts the engagement portion of the seal member, thereby displacing the seal member from the sealed position to the first open position.
20. The lid assembly of claim 19 , wherein the securing portion includes a head portion having an end portion that is rounded or contoured, and wherein the retaining portion is cup shaped and adapted to receive the end portion of the head portion when the actuation member is in the first actuation position, and wherein the head portion contacts a ridge of the retaining portion as the actuation member pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position.
21. The lid assembly of claim 20 , wherein a pair of coupling tabs extend from a bottom surface of the base member, and each of the pair of coupling tabs has an aperture that receives a corresponding projection of a corresponding first and second arm portion of the seal member to pivotably secure the seal member to the base member.
22. A lid assembly for a container, the lid assembly comprising:
a base member having a fluid aperture and a retaining portion, the base member being adapted to be removably coupled to the container;
an actuation member coupled to the base member, the actuation member being displaceable relative to the base member from a first actuation position to a second actuation position;
a securing portion coupled to the actuation member and adapted to engage the retaining portion of the base member to provide a detent force when the actuation member is pivoted from the first actuation position to the second actuation position,
wherein the securing portion includes a head portion having an end portion that is rounded or contoured, and wherein the retaining portion is cup-shaped and adapted to receive the end portion of the head portion when the actuation member is in the first actuation position, and wherein the head portion slides over a ridge of the retaining portion as the actuation member pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position.
24. The lid assembly of claim 23, wherein a securing biasing member biases the head portion into contact with the ridge as the actuation member pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position.
25. The lid assembly of claim 23, further comprising:
a seal member coupled to the base member, the seal member being pivotably coupled to the base member, wherein the seal member rotates relative to the base portion from a sealed position to a first open position and from the sealed position to a second open position; and
a sealing biasing member coupled to the base member and the sealing member that biases the sealing portion of the sealing member towards the fluid aperture of the base member,
wherein the force provided by the sealing biasing member is sufficient to close the seal member when the actuation member is in the first actuation position, but the force provided by the securing biasing member prevents the sealing biasing member from closing the seal member when the actuation member is in the second actuation position.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US15/061,312 US20170253396A1 (en) | 2016-03-04 | 2016-03-04 | Dual drink mode lid assembly for a container |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US15/061,312 US20170253396A1 (en) | 2016-03-04 | 2016-03-04 | Dual drink mode lid assembly for a container |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20170253396A1 true US20170253396A1 (en) | 2017-09-07 |
Family
ID=59723216
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US15/061,312 Abandoned US20170253396A1 (en) | 2016-03-04 | 2016-03-04 | Dual drink mode lid assembly for a container |
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US (1) | US20170253396A1 (en) |
Cited By (20)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
USD818312S1 (en) * | 2017-06-23 | 2018-05-22 | Can't Live Without It, LLC | Drink-through cap for a beverage bottle |
US10159368B2 (en) * | 2017-05-17 | 2018-12-25 | Shin-Shuoh Lin | Multifunctional mug cap with a sipper and straw |
US20190106255A1 (en) * | 2017-10-06 | 2019-04-11 | Lifetime Brands, Inc. | Tiltable lid assembly |
USD850259S1 (en) * | 2015-12-15 | 2019-06-04 | Dart Industries Inc. | Lid with flip top cap |
USD851445S1 (en) * | 2017-04-06 | 2019-06-18 | Pacific Market International, Llc | Beverage container lid |
USD860715S1 (en) | 2018-09-17 | 2019-09-24 | Otter Products, Llc | Lid for a beverage container |
USD862977S1 (en) | 2018-01-08 | 2019-10-15 | Otter Products, Llc | Lid for a beverage container |
USD862976S1 (en) * | 2017-05-09 | 2019-10-15 | Otter Products, Llc | Lid for a beverage container |
USD863874S1 (en) | 2018-01-08 | 2019-10-22 | Otter Products, Llc | Lid for a beverage container |
USD880241S1 (en) * | 2018-03-13 | 2020-04-07 | Pacific Market International, Llc | Beverage container |
USD885841S1 (en) | 2018-09-17 | 2020-06-02 | Otter Products, Llc | Beverage container |
US10683147B2 (en) | 2017-10-13 | 2020-06-16 | Pacific Market International, Llc | Beverage container lid with adjustable flow rate |
USD902650S1 (en) * | 2019-07-04 | 2020-11-24 | Shen Zhen Quick Fit Plastic Co., Ltd | Dust proof lid with straw |
USD902657S1 (en) | 2018-09-17 | 2020-11-24 | Otter Products, Llc | Beverage container |
USD904122S1 (en) | 2018-09-17 | 2020-12-08 | Otter Products, Llc | Beverage container |
US20210130051A1 (en) * | 2019-11-05 | 2021-05-06 | Runway Blue, Llc | Lid for a drinking vessel with integrated venting mechanism |
USD925290S1 (en) | 2019-07-22 | 2021-07-20 | Otter Products, Llc | Beverage container |
USD937037S1 (en) * | 2019-09-30 | 2021-11-30 | Shuangma Plastic Manufacturing Inc | Cover |
USD952399S1 (en) * | 2019-09-30 | 2022-05-24 | Shuangma Plastic Manufacturing Inc | Cover |
US20240025605A1 (en) * | 2015-10-30 | 2024-01-25 | Yeti Coolers, Llc | Closure and Lid and Method of Forming Closure and Lid |
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Cited By (25)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20240025605A1 (en) * | 2015-10-30 | 2024-01-25 | Yeti Coolers, Llc | Closure and Lid and Method of Forming Closure and Lid |
USD850259S1 (en) * | 2015-12-15 | 2019-06-04 | Dart Industries Inc. | Lid with flip top cap |
USD851445S1 (en) * | 2017-04-06 | 2019-06-18 | Pacific Market International, Llc | Beverage container lid |
USD871134S1 (en) * | 2017-04-06 | 2019-12-31 | Pacific Market International, Llc | Beverage container lid |
USD862976S1 (en) * | 2017-05-09 | 2019-10-15 | Otter Products, Llc | Lid for a beverage container |
US10159368B2 (en) * | 2017-05-17 | 2018-12-25 | Shin-Shuoh Lin | Multifunctional mug cap with a sipper and straw |
USD858199S1 (en) | 2017-06-23 | 2019-09-03 | Can't Live Without It, LLC | Beverage bottle with drink-through cap |
USD818312S1 (en) * | 2017-06-23 | 2018-05-22 | Can't Live Without It, LLC | Drink-through cap for a beverage bottle |
US20190106255A1 (en) * | 2017-10-06 | 2019-04-11 | Lifetime Brands, Inc. | Tiltable lid assembly |
US10683147B2 (en) | 2017-10-13 | 2020-06-16 | Pacific Market International, Llc | Beverage container lid with adjustable flow rate |
USD862977S1 (en) | 2018-01-08 | 2019-10-15 | Otter Products, Llc | Lid for a beverage container |
USD863874S1 (en) | 2018-01-08 | 2019-10-22 | Otter Products, Llc | Lid for a beverage container |
USD880241S1 (en) * | 2018-03-13 | 2020-04-07 | Pacific Market International, Llc | Beverage container |
USD880232S1 (en) * | 2018-03-13 | 2020-04-07 | Pacific Market International, Llc | Beverage container |
USD880242S1 (en) * | 2018-03-13 | 2020-04-07 | Pacific Market International, Llc | Beverage container |
USD880942S1 (en) * | 2018-03-13 | 2020-04-14 | Pacific Market International, Llc | Beverage container |
USD860715S1 (en) | 2018-09-17 | 2019-09-24 | Otter Products, Llc | Lid for a beverage container |
USD902657S1 (en) | 2018-09-17 | 2020-11-24 | Otter Products, Llc | Beverage container |
USD904122S1 (en) | 2018-09-17 | 2020-12-08 | Otter Products, Llc | Beverage container |
USD885841S1 (en) | 2018-09-17 | 2020-06-02 | Otter Products, Llc | Beverage container |
USD902650S1 (en) * | 2019-07-04 | 2020-11-24 | Shen Zhen Quick Fit Plastic Co., Ltd | Dust proof lid with straw |
USD925290S1 (en) | 2019-07-22 | 2021-07-20 | Otter Products, Llc | Beverage container |
USD937037S1 (en) * | 2019-09-30 | 2021-11-30 | Shuangma Plastic Manufacturing Inc | Cover |
USD952399S1 (en) * | 2019-09-30 | 2022-05-24 | Shuangma Plastic Manufacturing Inc | Cover |
US20210130051A1 (en) * | 2019-11-05 | 2021-05-06 | Runway Blue, Llc | Lid for a drinking vessel with integrated venting mechanism |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: IGNITE USA, LLC, ILLINOIS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:COON, ROBERT C.;WODKA, DANIEL M.;REEL/FRAME:039537/0882 Effective date: 20160817 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |