Hydration system with improved fluid reservoir
Hydration systems with improved fluid reservoirs. The reservoirs include a fill port with a neck having an opening through which drink fluid may be inserted into the reservoir's internal compartment. The hydration systems also include a drink tube through which a user may draw drink fluid from the reservoir. The hydration systems further include a cap that selectively seals the opening. In some embodiments, the opening has a diameter of at least 2.5 inches. In some embodiments, the opening has a diameter of at least 3 inches. In some embodiments, the cap is threaded onto the neck. In some embodiments, the hydration systems include wrench assemblies and/or support members that extend around the neck and which may be selectively used to assist in sealing or unsealing of the cap onto the opening and/or to position the reservoir.
1 . A personal hydration system, comprising:
a flexible reservoir adapted to be received into a body-mountable pack and having a body portion with an internal compartment adapted to receive drink fluid, wherein the reservoir includes an exit port and a fill port, and further wherein the fill port includes a neck having an opening through which drink fluid may be added to and removed from the compartment;
a removable cap adapted to selectively seal the opening of the neck, wherein the opening has a diameter of at least 2.5 inches;
an elongate drink tube coupled to the exit port of the reservoir and adapted to receive drink fluid therefrom; and
a self-sealing mouthpiece adapted to selectively dispense drink fluid from the drink tube to a user, wherein the mouthpiece is selectively configured between a closed position, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to prevent drink fluid from being dispensed therethrough, and a dispensing position, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to permit drink fluid to be dispensed therethrough, wherein the mouthpiece is adapted to be configured from the closed position to the dispensing position responsive to compressive forces applied thereto, and further wherein the mouthpiece is biased to automatically return from the dispensing position to the closed position.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the opening has a diameter of at least 3 inches.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the opening has a diameter in the range of 3 and 5 inches.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the opening has an area of at least 5 square inches.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the opening has an area of at least 8 square inches.
6 . The system of claim 1 , further including a pack with a pack compartment sized to receive the reservoir.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the pack further includes a strap assembly adapted to secure the pack on a user's body.
8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the pack compartment includes an outer surface with an opening through which the neck extends when the body of the reservoir is received within the pack compartment.
9 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising a support member extending around the neck, wherein the support member includes a handle projecting generally away from the neck, and further wherein at least a portion of the handle extends outside of the pack compartment and over the outer surface.
10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a manually actuated on/off valve intermediate the mouthpiece and the reservoir and adapted to selectively prevent drink fluid from being dispensed through the mouthpiece, wherein the on/off valve is selectively configured between a closed configuration, in which drink fluid is prevented from being dispensed through the mouthpiece regardless of the position of the mouthpiece, and an open configuration, in which drink fluid may flow through the drink tube to the mouthpiece and be selectively dispensed therefrom.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cap includes a plug portion adapted to extend into the opening of the neck.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the neck includes internally extending threads, and the plug portion includes externally extending threads that are adapted to engage the threads on the neck to secure the cap on the neck.
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the neck includes externally extending threads, and the plug portion includes internally extending threads that are adapted to engage the threads on the neck to secure the cap on the neck.
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the cap further includes at least one recess extending into the plug portion.
15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cap includes at least a pair of recesses that extend into the neck and a handle portion that extends generally between the at least a pair of recesses.
16 . The system of claim 1 , further including a tether adapted to couple the cap to the fill port, and further wherein at least a portion of the tether extends into the compartment of the reservoir when the cap is sealingly engaged with the neck.
17 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a wrench assembly coupled to the fill port and including a handle projecting generally away from the fill port, wherein the wrench assembly is retained against rotation relative to the neck.
18 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a wrench assembly coupled to the fill port and extending around the neck, wherein the wrench assembly includes a handle projecting generally away from the neck, wherein the cap is adapted to be removed from the neck by rotation of the cap in a first direction, and further wherein the wrench assembly is coupled to the neck such that the wrench assembly is retained against rotation relative to the neck, thereby providing a counter lever to assist in the removal of the cap from the neck and the attachment of the cap onto the neck to form a seal therewith.
19 . The system of claim 18 , further comprising at least one fastening mechanism adapted to removably couple the wrench assembly to the fill port.
20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the wrench assembly is rotatably coupled to the fill port and adapted to be selectively rotated relative to the neck within a defined range of positions.
21 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the wrench assembly is fixedly secured to the fill port and thereby not adapted to be removed therefrom and reattached thereto.
22 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the wrench assembly is removably coupled to the fill port and adapted to be selectively coupled thereto in a plurality of defined rotational positions.
23 . A personal hydration system, comprising:
a flexible reservoir adapted to be received into a body-mountable pack and having a body portion with an internal compartment adapted to receive drink fluid, wherein the reservoir includes an exit port and a fill port, and further wherein the fill port includes a neck having an opening through which drink fluid may be added to and removed from the compartment;
a removable cap adapted to selectively seal the opening of the neck, wherein the opening has an area of at least 5 square inches;
an elongate drink tube coupled to the exit port of the reservoir and adapted to receive drink fluid therefrom; and
a self-sealing mouthpiece adapted to selectively dispense drink fluid from the drink tube to a user, wherein the mouthpiece is selectively configured between a closed position, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to prevent drink fluid from being dispensed therethrough, and a dispensing position, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to permit drink fluid to be dispensed therethrough, wherein the mouthpiece is adapted to be configured from the closed position to the dispensing position responsive to compressive forces applied thereto, and further wherein the mouthpiece is biased to automatically return from the dispensing position to the closed position.
24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the opening has an area of at least 8 square inches.
25 . The system of claim 23 , further comprising a wrench assembly coupled to the fill port and including a handle projecting generally away from the neck, wherein the wrench assembly is retained against rotation relative to the neck.
26 . The system of claim 23 , further comprising a wrench assembly coupled to the fill port and extending around the neck, wherein the wrench assembly includes a handle projecting generally away from the neck, wherein the cap is adapted to be removed from the neck by rotation of the cap in a first direction, and further wherein the Wrench assembly is coupled to the neck such that the wrench assembly is retained against rotation relative to the neck, thereby providing a counter lever to assist in the removal of the cap from the neck and the attachment of the cap onto the neck to form a seal therewith.
27 . The system of claim 23 , further including a pack with an internal compartment sized to receive the reservoir, wherein the pack includes a strap assembly adapted to secure the pack on a user's body.
28 . The system of claim 27 , wherein the pack compartment includes an outer surface with an opening through which the neck extends when the body of the reservoir is received within the pack compartment.
29 . The system of claim 28 , further comprising a support member extending around the neck, wherein the support member includes a handle projecting generally away from the neck, and further wherein at least a portion of the handle extends outside of the pack compartment and over the outer surface.
30 . The system of claim 23 , further comprising a manually actuated on/off valve intermediate the mouthpiece and the reservoir and adapted to selectively prevent drink fluid from being dispensed through the mouthpiece, wherein the on/off valve is selectively configured between a closed configuration, in which drink fluid is prevented from being dispensed through the mouthpiece regardless of the position of the mouthpiece, and an open configuration, in which drink fluid may flow through the drink tube to the mouthpiece and be selectively dispensed therefrom.
31 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the cap includes a plug portion adapted to extend into the opening of the neck.
32 . The system of claim 31 , wherein the neck includes internally extending threads, and the plug portion includes externally extending threads that are adapted to engage the threads on the neck to secure the cap on the neck.
33 . The system of claim 31 , wherein the neck includes externally extending threads, and the plug portion includes internally extending threads that are adapted to engage the threads on the neck to secure the cap on the neck.
34 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the cap includes at least a pair of recesses that extend into the neck and a handle portion that extends generally between the at least a pair of recesses
35 . A personal hydration system, comprising:
a flexible reservoir adapted to be received into a body-mountable pack and having a body portion with an internal compartment adapted to receive drink fluid, wherein the reservoir includes a fill port, and further wherein the fill port includes a neck having an opening through which drink fluid may be added to and removed from the compartment;
a removable cap adapted to selectively seal the opening of the neck, wherein the opening has a diameter of at least 2.5 inches;
an elongate drink tube coupled to the reservoir and adapted to receive drink fluid therefrom for dispensing to a user; and
a self-sealing mouthpiece adapted to selectively dispense drink fluid from the drink tube to a user, wherein the mouthpiece is selectively configured between a closed position, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to prevent drink fluid from being dispensed therethrough, and a dispensing position, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to permit drink fluid to be dispensed therethrough, wherein the mouthpiece is adapted to be configured from the closed position to the dispensing position responsive to compressive forces applied thereto, and further wherein the mouthpiece is biased to automatically return from the dispensing position to the closed position.