US20210219756A1

US20210219756A1 - Flow control assembly and cup

Info

Publication number: US20210219756A1
Application number: US17/154,586
Authority: US
Inventors: Zhifeng Liao
Original assignee: Guangzhou Xintian Trading Co Ltd
Current assignee: Guangzhou Xintian Trading Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-01-20
Filing date: 2021-01-21
Publication date: 2021-07-22
Also published as: CN111096635A

Abstract

The present invention provides a flow control assembly for a cup, comprising: a flow regulator located inside the cup, configured to cooperate with an outlet pipe of the cup, wherein the flow regulator is movable relative to the outlet pipe, and water quantity corresponding to the outlet pipe can be adjusted by changing relative position of the flow regulator and the outlet pipe; and a handle connected with the flow regulator, wherein the handle comprises a gripping portion located outside a cover of the cup and a shaft connected at one end with the gripping portion and at the other end with the flow regulator, and wherein the gripping portion is configured to control movement of the flow regulator via the shaft under external force. By providing a handle on the cover, the quantity of water at the water outlet can be easily adjusted without opening the cup body.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of drinking cups, in particular to the field of cups for children use, and more specifically, to a flow control assembly and a cup comprising the flow control assembly.

BACKGROUND

Water cups in daily life can be a plastic cup, a glass cup, a ceramic cup, or a thermos cup made of a special material. Although they have brought us many choices, children generally prefer to use a feeding bottle since it can overcome the shortcoming of children's inadequate control in drinking water, prevent children from being choked during drinking, and avoid rapid flow of hot water during drinking which scalds children.
Most of existing water cups for infants and young children are straw cups. However, such cups have a water outlet with a single diameter and therefore cannot meet the drinking needs of infants and young children of various ages. In particular, for a baby over 12-month old having experienced the transition from breastfeeding to natural drinking, a long time use of straw cups may lead to poor development of his oral teeth. In the other hand, traditional water cups easily cause children to choke because the water flow cannot be controlled.
For example, Chinese patent application CN201822070084.2 discloses a flow control assembly and a cup comprising the flow control assembly, in which the flow control assembly comprises a first assembly comprising a first partition and a first hollow portion, and a second assembly comprising a second partition, wherein the second assembly is connected with the first assembly by a pivot so that the second assembly is rotatable around the pivot, and wherein during rotation of the second assembly around the pivot, the size of the intersection of the second partition and the first hollow portion is variable.
With the flow control assembly provided in the above-mentioned patent application, water flow can be adjusted. However, the operation is not particularly convenient during the water flow adjusting process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a flow control assembly and a cup comprising the flow control assembly, which can solve the technical problem in the prior art that it is inconvenient to adjust the water quantity flowing out of the cup. By providing a handle on the cover of the cup, the water quantity at the outlet of the cup can be easily adjusted without opening the cup body, providing a very convenient operation.
In order to achieve the above objectives, in one aspect, the present invention provides a flow control assembly, comprising: a flow regulator located inside the cup, configured to cooperate with an outlet pipe of the cup, wherein the flow regulator is movable relative to the outlet pipe, and water quantity corresponding to the outlet pipe can be adjusted by changing relative position of the flow regulator and the outlet pipe; and a handle connected with the flow regulator, wherein the handle comprises a gripping portion located outside a cover of the cup and a shaft connected at one end with the gripping portion and at the other end with the flow regulator, and wherein the gripping portion is configured to control movement of the flow regulator via the shaft under external force.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flow regulator comprises a partition fixedly connected with the shaft and configured to cooperate with the outlet pipe, and wherein the partition comprises a through portion and a blocking portion, and during rotation of the partition about the shaft, the cooperation of the through portion and blocking portion with the outlet pipe can be adjusted.
In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outlet pipe comprises a hollow extension extending from a water outlet of the cup to the inside of the cup, and an end of the hollow extension is engaged with the partition.
In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the through portion comprises a through hole in the partition and/or a gap in an edge of the partition, and the blocking portion comprises a blocking board in the partition that can block water flow.
In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the partition comprises a plurality of through holes of different sizes, and each of the through holes can be rotated to a position below an end of the outlet pipe.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flow regulator comprises a partition, wherein the partition is configured to have different radial dimensions in directions perpendicular to the shaft, and wherein an end of the outlet pipe is provided with a deformable hose, the deformation of which can be adjusted by moving the partition along a radial direction of the shaft, so as to adjust the water quantity corresponding to the outlet pipe.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flow regulator comprises a membrane valve located in the outlet pipe, and the membrane valve is configured to cooperate with the shaft, such that the size of an opening of the membrane valve that allows water flow can be adjusted by the shaft.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a side wall of the outlet pipe is provided with an opening, the flow regulator comprises a sealing portion connected with the shaft, and the size of the opening that allows water flow can be controlled by changing relative position of the sealing portion and the opening.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flow regulator is provided with a non-circular through hole, the shaft is provided with an axial extension having a shape corresponding to that of the through hole, and the flow regulator is fixedly connected with the axial extension of the shaft via the through hole.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flow control assembly further comprises an anti-detaching member, wherein the anti-detaching member is engaged with the shaft, and the flow regulator is located between the gripping portion and anti-detaching member.
In another aspect, the present invention further provides a cup, comprising: anyone flow control assembly as provided above; and a cover comprising a water outlet and a member for installing the flow control assembly, wherein the member for installing the flow control assembly comprises a portion for connecting with the shaft.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cup further comprises: an indicating member located on the cover, wherein the indicating member is configured to correspond to the position of the handle for indicating water quantity at the water outlet.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an outlet pipe is located below the water outlet and comprises a hollow pipe extending from the water outlet to the inside of the cup, at least part of the hollow pipe is located inside the cover, and water inside the cup is directed to flow through the outlet pipe to the water outlet.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the water outlet is surrounded by a curved surface made of a hard material.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a curved sealing portion is formed by surrounding of the curved surface and is configured to contact with the inside of oral cavity, the curved sealing portion is configured as a water flow blocking portion, and water in the cup is directed to flow into the oral cavity only through the water outlet.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cup further comprises: a sealing cover for sealing the water outlet in the cover, wherein the sealing cover is provided with a sealing member that is engagable with the water outlet.
Using the above technical solution provided by the present application, by providing a handle on the outer side of the cover, the movement (or rotation) of the handle on the outer side of the cover can be adjusted without opening the cup body, thereby the relative position of the flow regulator and the outlet pipe can be adjusted by the handle via its linkage with the shaft, so as to easily adjust the quantity of water at the water outlet of the cup. Further, the gripping portion of the cup is not in direct contact with drinking water, and thus can be kept clean. Moreover, the flow control assembly itself, and the flow control assembly and the cover of the cup can be assembled simply, and also can be easily disassembled and cleaned.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be explained in the subsequent description, and partly become obvious from the description, or be understood by implementing the technical solutions of the present invention. The objects and other advantages of the present invention can be achieved and obtained through the structures and/or processes specifically pointed out in the description, claims, and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a water cup according to Example 1 of the present application.

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural view of a water cup according to Example 1 of the present application, with the cover opened.

FIG. 3 is a first exploded schematic view of a flow control assembly according to Example 1 of the present application.

FIG. 4 is a second exploded schematic view of a flow control assembly according to Example 1 of the present application.

FIG. 5 is a third exploded schematic view of a flow control assembly according to Example 1 of the present application.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a partial section of a flow control assembly according to Example 1 of the present application.

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural view of a flow control assembly installed to the cover of a water cup according to Example 1 of the present application.

FIG. 8 is a schematic structural view of a handle in a flow control assembly according to Example 1 of the present application.

FIG. 9 is a first schematic structural view of a partition of a flow control assembly according to Example 1 of the present application.

FIG. 10 is a second schematic structural view of a partition of a flow control assembly according to Example 1 of the present application.

FIG. 11 is a schematic structural view of an anti-detaching member of a flow control assembly according to Example 1 of the present application.

FIG. 12 is a first schematic view of a flow control assembly installed to the cover of a water cup according to Example 1 of the present application.

FIG. 13 is a second schematic view of a flow control assembly installed to the cover of a water cup according to Example 1 of the present application.

FIG. 14 is an exploded schematic view of a flow control assembly according to Example 2 of the present application.

FIG. 15 is a schematic structural view of a flow control assembly according to Example 2 of the present application.

FIG. 16 is an exploded schematic view of a flow control assembly according to Example 3 of the present application.

FIG. 17 is an exploded schematic view of a flow control assembly according to Example 4 of the present application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples, so as to understand how the present invention uses technical means to solve technical problems and achieve the technical effect. The implementation process can be fully understood and implemented accordingly. It should be noted that these specific descriptions are only for those skilled in the art to more easily and clearly understand the present invention, rather than a limited interpretation of the present invention; and as long as there is no conflict, the various embodiments of the present invention and the features in the various embodiments can be combined with each other, and the resulting technical solutions are within the scope of the present invention.
It should be understood that, although terms first, second, and the like may be used to describe components in the embodiments of the present invention, these components should not be limited to these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish components from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of the embodiments of the present invention, “first” may also be referred to as “second”, and similarly, “second” may also be referred to as “first”, such as first protrusion and second protrusion, first handle and second handle. It is similar for the limitations to other components. The components restricted by these different limitations can be configured to have the same structure or different structures according to actual requirements in the embodiments.
The technical solutions of the present invention are described in detail below through the drawings and specific embodiments.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of the present application provides a water cup comprising a flow control assembly configured to adjust the quantity of water flowing out to the water outlet 174 of the cup. For example, the flow control assembly can be configured to adjust the size of an outlet pipe connected to the outlet, or to block part of the outlet pipe, or to adjust the quantity of water flowing into the outlet pipe. These different implementations will be further described in detail below in conjunction with different embodiments.
A cover 170 comprising a water outlet 174 and a member for installing the flow control assembly is also provided. The member for installing the flow control assembly comprises a portion for connecting with a shaft, which facilitates the assembling of the flow control assembly with the cover 170.
In a preferred embodiment of the present application, the flow control assembly is detachably assembled with the cover 170, and the cover 170 and the main body 110 of the water cup are generally fitted with threads or snaps. In this way, after opening the cover 170, the flow control assembly can be easily taken out for cleaning. It is obvious that this application is not limited to this embodiment.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cup is further provided with a pair of handles 120, so that children can better grasp the cup. The water outlet 174 is surrounded by a curved surface 176 at the bottom and the curved surface 176 is made of a hard material. By hard material it is meant that the material is slightly harder than the material of a straw in the prior art, and it is thus not easy to be deformed when children bite the water outlet 174 and the corresponding curved surface 176. Specifically, the curved surface can be made of plastic. The specific curvature of the curved surface 176 can be an inclined surface or an arc-shaped surface, or a combination thereof. For the specific structure of the curved surface 176, the specific shape can be such that the entire water outlet 174 and the curved surface 176 are surrounded by a “duckbill shape”. However, the present application is not limited to this and does not impose any specific restriction on it. Take the duckbill-shaped water outlet as an example, as compared with the outlet of a traditional cup (such as a straw type), the duckbill-shaped water outlet itself can limit the water flow. Moreover, with a duckbill-shaped water outlet, when children drink water, the water can be aligned with the mouth and the liquid will not enter the nasal cavity. Further, since the water outlet is surrounded by the curved surface 176, the flow control is more accurate because the direction of water flow is controlled in 360° direction.
In a preferred implementation of this embodiment, a curved sealing portion is formed by surrounding of the curved surface 176 an is in contact with the inside of the oral cavity, and the curved sealing portion is configured as a water flow blocking portion, and the water in the cup flows into the oral cavity only through the water outlet. In this way, a fully surrounding “duckbill shape” is formed, which, compared with the prior art where only a part of the curved surface is formed as a “duckbill shape”, can prevent the water from being splashed to the un-surrounded portion when the water flows out of the cup. It can also make it easier for children to touch the curved surface with their upper forehead, which provides a better transition from the straw-type water cup, and promotes the perception of the upper forehead, which is more helpful for children's development.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, in the present application, the cup further comprises an indicating member 172 located on the cover 170. The indicating member 172 corresponds to the position of a handle 140, and specifically, corresponds to a protrusion of a gripping portion 146 of the handle 140, so that the protrusion of the gripping portion 146 is pointing to the indication of water quantity. For example, the text such as “large, medium, small” and also an arrow showing the direction of flow adjustment can be provided on the indicating member 172, so as to clearly indicate the water quantity at the outlet of the cup.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the water cup provided in the present application further comprises a sealing cover 130 for sealing the water outlet 174 in the cover. The sealing cover 130 is provided with a sealing member 132 that abuts against the water outlet. When the sealing cover 130 is closed, the inside of the sealing member 132 abuts against the water outlet 174 so that water will not leak out. The sealing member 132 can be a flat surface or a sealing ring that extends into the inner of water outlet 174. Further, the sealing cover 130 can be rotated around a shaft 150 at one end, so that after the sealing cover 130 is opened, it will still be connected to the cup. Moreover, the sealing cover 130 is provided with a locking member 162 at the other end. The locking member 162 matches with a locking portion 164 on the cover 170 of the cup. Regarding how the locking member 162 matches with the locking portion 164, it can be designed with reference to existing water cups, which will not be further explained here.
The following is a further explanation of the flow control assembly in conjunction with the following examples.

EXAMPLE 1

As shown in FIGS. 3-13, the flow control assembly provided in this example comprises a flow regulator configured to cooperate with an outlet pipe of the cup. The flow regulator is movable relative to the outlet pipe, and the water quantity corresponding to the outlet pipe can be adjusted by changing the relative position of the flow regulator and the outlet pipe. In this example, the flow regulator cooperating with the outlet pipe of the water cup, is intended that the flow regulator is engaged with a certain part of the outlet pipe or is located inside the outlet pipe to regulate the flow of water through the outlet pipe. The specific structure can be specifically determined in different implementations. Moreover, the outlet pipe mentioned in this example is intended a pipe analog through which the water flows from inside the cup to the water outlet. The structure and position of the outlet pipe can be configured to be different in different implementations. Further, the specific structure of the flow regulator varies in different embodiments. The flow regulator is configured to be able to move, and the way of movement includes but is not limited to rotation.
A first handle 140 connected with the flow regulator is provided. One end of the first handle 140 is provided with a gripping portion 146. The first handle 140 further comprises a shaft connected with the gripping portion. The shaft comprises an end portion 142, an engaging portion 143, a first protrusion 144, a cylindrical portion 148, and a second protrusion 149 as mentioned below. The gripping portion 146 is located outside the cover 170 of the cup, the flow regulator (for example, the partition mentioned below) is located inside the cup, and the shaft is connected with the flow regulator. The gripping portion 146 receives the action of external force, and through the shaft, controls the movement of the flow regulator. The first handle 140 mentioned in this example is not limited to have a “hand” shape, but can be provided with a structure that allows it to be more easily grasped by a hand. For example, the gripping portion 146 can be provided as a protrusion extending upward from a plane, so that the hand can easily grasp the protrusion and controls movement of the first handle 140, such as the rotation mentioned in this example. Other embodiments can also be configured to facilitate up-down movement.
In this way, during the process of the gripping portion 146 being rotated or pushed down, the force can be transmitted to the flow regulator connected to the shaft, such that the flow regulator can adjust the quantity of water allowed to flow through the outlet pipe, so as to adjust the water quantity corresponding to the outlet pipe.
As shown in FIGS. 3-6, the flow regulator in this example comprises a first partition 210 (hereinafter referred to as the partition in this example). The partition 210 cooperates with the outlet pipe (the extending portion from the water outlet 174 to the inside of the cup that allows water flow, for example, the channel surrounded by the inner wall extending vertically downward from the water outlet in FIG. 6). The partition 210 comprises a through portion and a blocking portion. The partition 210 is fixedly connected with the shaft. During the rotation of the partition about the shaft, the cooperation of the through portion and blocking portion in the partition 210 and the outlet pipe of the cup can be adjusted. In other words, adjustment can be made to determine whether the through portion or blocking portion is located below the outlet pipe, and to determine the size (such as area) of the through portion or blocking portion located below the outlet pipe. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the size of the water outlet that allows water to flow can be determined by adjusting which part of the partition 210, i.e., the through portion or blocking portion, is in contact with an extension below the outlet pipe. For example, FIG. 12 shows that the blocking portion is in contact with the extension below the outlet pipe so that water cannot flow out. FIG. 13 shows that through portion is facing the extension below the outlet pipe so that water can flow out. When the through portion and the blocking portion both partly contacts with the extension below the outlet pipe, the water flow can be specifically determined by adjusting the size of the through portion facing the extension below the outlet pipe.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-13, the outlet pipe 190 is located below the water outlet 174. The outlet pipe 190 comprises a hollow pipe extending from the water outlet to the inside of the cup, and at least part of the hollow pipe is located inside the cover 179. The water flows through the outlet pipe 190 to the outlet. It should be noted that, for other embodiments, for example, in FIGS. 14, 15, and 16, in addition to the hollow pipe, the outlet pipe further comprises a portion that restricts the flow of water from the inside of the cup. In FIG. 17, in addition to the hollow pipe, the outlet pipe further comprises a deformable pipe. However, at the connection with the water outlet, an outlet pipe formed by a surrounding hollow pipe is always provided, which can prevent the water flow from suddenly increasing or splashing after the water flows out. Moreover, it provides a better control to the water flow, avoiding the situation that the water flow cannot be controlled when it can be well controlled inside the cup.
With the above structure, water in the cup flows to the water outlet only through the outlet pipe, so that water will not flow out directly from the handle that adjusts water flow, so as to avoid water from contacting with the gripping portion that is touched by the hand and keep the water clean. Further, water will not flow to the gripping portion of the handle during drinking.
In a preferred implementation of this example, the outlet pipe comprises a hollow extension extending from the water outlet 174 to the inside of the cup (for example, the hollow cylinder located below the water outlet 174 in FIG. 12), and the end of the hollow extension abuts against the partition.
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in this example, the through portion comprises a first through hole 214, a second through hole 216, a third through hole 218 in the partition 210, and a gap 219 in the edge of the partition (it is obvious that only one of the through holes and gap can be provided), and the blocking portion comprises a blocking board in the partition that can block the flow of water. A hollow portion through which the shaft can pass is provided at the center of the partition 210. The hollow portion is configured as a non-circular first through hole, the shaft is provided with an axial extension (i.e., a first protrusion 144) having a shape corresponding to the shape of the first through hole, and the flow regulator is fixedly connected with the axial extension of the shaft through the first through hole. Specifically, the partition 210 is provided with a hollow portion 212 extending downward from the top, so that the shaft can pass through the partition 210. The lower end of the partition is provided with a “D” shaped opening 217, and as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the first handle 140 is also provided with a “D” shaped first protrusion 144. In this way, the partition will not rotate freely when the shaft is being rotated by the gripping portion 146.
As shown in FIGS. 3-8, below the gripping portion 146 of the first handle 140, it is further provided with: a cylindrical portion 148 that cooperates with the portion in the cover 170 for connecting with the shaft 178, and a second protrusion 149 (a radially extending ring) that cooperates with the hollow portion 212 of the partition 210. The second protrusion 149 also abuts against the upper surface of the “D” shaped opening 217, and acts as a sealing. Further, and a sealing ring 230 is further provided above the second protrusion 149, further preventing water from leaking out of the cover along the shaft.
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in this example, the partition 210 comprises a plurality of through holes (first through hole 214, second through hole 216, and third through hole 218) of different sizes, and each of the through holes (the first through hole 214, the second through hole 216, or the third through hole 218) can be rotated to a position below the end of the outlet pipe. In this way, the shaft can be rotated by rotating the first handle 140, thereby the water flow can be controlled via choosing the holes of different sizes, so as to block water flow, or to allow a small, medium, or large water flow.
As shown in FIGS. 3-8 and 11, in the embodiment of this example, the flow control assembly further comprises an anti-detaching member 220, wherein the anti-detaching member 220 is engaged with the shaft, and the flow regulator (such as the partition 210) is located between the gripping portion 146 and anti-detaching member 220. Specifically, an engaging portion 143 (a U-shaped pillar) is provided above the end 142 of the shaft, and a second gap 222 is provided in the anti-detaching member 220. The second gap 222 is also U-shaped, and the size of the end is larger than the U-shaped portion. In this way, the anti-detaching member 220 can prevent the first handle 140 from being separated from the partition 210 during use of the water cup.
Using the above technical solution provided by this example, by providing a handle on the outer side of the cover, the movement (or rotation) of the handle on the outer side of the cover can be adjusted without opening the cup body, thereby the relative position of the flow regulator and the outlet pipe can be adjusted by the handle via its linkage with the shaft, so as to easily adjust the quantity of water at the water outlet of the cup. Further, the gripping portion in the flow regulator is not in direct contact with drinking water, and thus can be kept clean. Moreover, the flow control assembly itself, and the flow control assembly and the cover of the cup can be assembled simply, and also can be easily disassembled and cleaned.

EXAMPLE 2

In this example, the way to adjust water quantity by the flow control assembly is different from that in Example 1. The structures of the other parts of the cup may be the same and the details are not repeated here.
As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, in this example, the flow regulator comprises a first partition 250. The edges of the first partition 250 are all in contact with the side wall of the cup body, so that water can flow to the outlet only via a through hole in the partition. In this example, the hollow portion of the first partition 250 itself also serves as a part of the outlet pipe. A membrane valve 252 is provided in the outlet pipe. The membrane valve 252 cooperates with the shaft that is coupled or integrally formed with an annular engaging member, with the radial dimension of the annular member being larger than the dimension of the membrane valve 252 in the axial direction. The size of the opening of the membrane valve that allows water flow can thus be adjusted by the shaft. For example, the membrane valve 252 in this example is fixed on the partition 250 on one end, and is free on the other end, so that water can flow through a through hole 256 in the side wall of the partition 250, then through the membrane valve 252, and finally to the outlet pipe below the water outlet 174 (in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 15).
An elastic member (such as a spring) 254 is provided below the membrane valve to allow the membrane valve 252 to keep open and facilitate the flow of water. However, by pressing down a second handle 240, the membrane valve 252 is sealed by the annular engaging member 242 (the solid black portion in FIG. 14 or 15) on the shaft, and the more handle is pressed down, the more the membrane valve 252 is sealed by the first partition 250 until it is completely sealed. It is obvious that a locking member that cooperates with the second handle 240 can also be provided, for example, in the form of a groove on the side wall of the cover cooperating with a protrusion on the side wall of the shaft. The position of the second handle 240 can be locked by the locking member after the second handle is pressed down. It is obvious that the membrane valve 252 is not limited to be fixed on one end, and may also be fixed on all the edges with an opening in the center. The membrane valve 252 may be made of silica gel, but the specific material and structure are not limited in this example.

EXAMPLE 3

In this example, the way to adjust water quantity by the flow control assembly is different from that in Example 1. The structures of the other parts of the cup may be the same and the details are not repeated here.
As shown in FIG. 16, in this example, similar to Example 2, the hollow portion of the second partition 260 is also configured as a part of the outlet pipe, and the side wall of this part of the outlet pipe is provided with an opening 262. The flow regulator comprises a sealing portion 264 connected with the shaft (for example, the solid black portion in FIG. 16, a sealing ring 264 made of silicone and surrounding the shaft). By changing relative position of the sealing portion 264 and the opening, how much the opening is sealed by the sealing portion 264 can be adjusted, so that the size of the opening that allows water flow can be controlled and thereby the water quantity at the water outlet of the cup can be adjusted.

EXAMPLE 4

In this example, the way to adjust water quantity by the flow control assembly is different from that in Example 1. The structures of the other parts of the cup may be the same and the details are not repeated here.
As shown in FIG. 17, in this example, the flow regulator comprises a second partition 410. The second partition 410 is configured to have different radial dimensions in directions perpendicular to the shaft (i.e., in the radial directions). For example, it can be provided with an inclined side as in FIG. 17, or a gap similar to that in Example 1, or an arc-shaped side or other shapes. The end of the outlet pipe below the water outlet 174 is provided with a deformable hose 180, for example, with a material and structure similar to the straw in a conventional water cup. The deformable hose 180 is arranged on a side wall of a pipe formed integrally with the water outlet. The handle 140 in this example can be configured to be the same as that in Example 1. The second partition 410 moves along the radial direction of the shaft to adjust the amount of deformation of the deformable hose, for example, by changing the pressing force of the second partition 410 on the deformable hose 180 to adjust the water flow that is allowed by the deformable hose 180, so that the water quantity corresponding to the outlet pipe can be adjusted.
It is obvious that this example can also be configured to have a plurality of different deformable hoses respectively connected to the outlet pipe below the water outlet 174, in which whether it is allowed to supply water to the outlet pipe or the amount of water that it is allowed to supply can be respectively controlled for each deformable hose, thereby adjusting the water quantity at the water outlet 174 of the cup.
It should be noted that the various methods mentioned in the present application for adjusting water quantity can also be combined with each other to form more methods, and these new combinations also fall within the scope of the present application.
Finally, it should be noted that the above description only discloses the best embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention in any form. Any person skilled in the art can make many possible changes and simple replacements to the technical solution of the present invention using the methods and technical solution disclosed above without departing from the scope of the present invention, which fall in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A flow control assembly for a cup, comprising:

a flow regulator located inside the cup, configured to cooperate with an outlet pipe of the cup, wherein the flow regulator is movable relative to the outlet pipe, and water quantity corresponding to the outlet pipe can be adjusted by changing relative position of the flow regulator and the outlet pipe; and

a handle connected with the flow regulator, wherein the handle comprises a gripping portion located outside a cover of the cup and a shaft connected at one end with the gripping portion and at the other end with the flow regulator, and wherein the gripping portion is configured to control movement of the flow regulator via the shaft under external force.

2. The flow control assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow regulator comprises a partition fixedly connected with the shaft and configured to cooperate with the outlet pipe, and wherein the partition comprises a through portion and a blocking portion, and during rotation of the partition about the shaft, the cooperation of the through portion and blocking portion with the outlet pipe can be adjusted.

3. The flow control assembly of claim 2, wherein the outlet pipe comprises a hollow extension extending from a water outlet of the cup to the inside of the cup, and an end of the hollow extension is engaged with the partition.

4. The flow control assembly of claim 2, wherein the through portion comprises a through hole in the partition and/or a gap in an edge of the partition, and the blocking portion comprises a blocking board in the partition that can block water flow.

5. The flow control assembly of claim 4, wherein the partition comprises a plurality of through holes of different sizes, and each of the through holes can be rotated to a position below an end of the outlet pipe.

6. The flow control assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow regulator comprises a partition, wherein the partition is configured to have different radial dimensions in directions perpendicular to the shaft, and wherein an end of the outlet pipe is provided with a deformable hose, the deformation of which can be adjusted by moving the partition along a radial direction of the shaft, so as to adjust the water quantity corresponding to the outlet pipe.

7. The flow control assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow regulator comprises a membrane valve located in the outlet pipe, and the membrane valve is configured to cooperate with the shaft, such that the size of an opening of the membrane valve that allows water flow can be adjusted by the shaft.

8. The flow control assembly of claim 1, wherein a side wall of the outlet pipe is provided with an opening, the flow regulator comprises a sealing portion connected with the shaft, and the size of the opening that allows water flow can be controlled by changing relative position of the sealing portion and the opening.

9. The flow control assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow regulator is provided with a non-circular through hole, the shaft is provided with an axial extension having a shape corresponding to that of the through hole, and the flow regulator is fixedly connected with the axial extension of the shaft via the through hole.

10. The flow control assembly of claim 1, further comprising an anti-detaching member, wherein the anti-detaching member is engaged with the shaft, and the flow regulator is located between the gripping portion and anti-detaching member.

11. A cup, comprising:

the flow control assembly of claim 1; and

a cover comprising a water outlet and a member for installing the flow control assembly, wherein the member for installing the flow control assembly comprises a portion for connecting with the shaft.

12. The cup of claim 11, further comprising: an indicating member located on the cover, wherein the indicating member is configured to correspond to the position of the handle for indicating water quantity at the water outlet.

13. The cup of claim 11, wherein an outlet pipe is located below the water outlet and comprises a hollow pipe extending from the water outlet to the inside of the cup, at least part of the hollow pipe is located inside the cover, and water inside the cup is directed to flow through the outlet pipe to the water outlet.

14. The cup of claim 11, wherein the water outlet is surrounded by a curved surface made of a hard material.

15. The cup of claim 14, wherein a curved sealing portion is formed by surrounding of the curved surface and is configured to contact with the inside of oral cavity, the curved sealing portion is configured as a water flow blocking portion, and water in the cup is directed to flow into the oral cavity only through the water outlet.

16. The cup of claim 14, further comprising: a sealing cover for sealing the water outlet in the cover, wherein the sealing cover is provided with a sealing member that is engagable with the water outlet.