Drink containers
View Patent ↗Drink containers with mouthpiece assemblies having a dispensing configuration and a stowed configuration. A mouthpiece assembly defines a liquid passage through which drink liquid may be dispensed when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration and includes means for selectively restricting the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. In some examples, the means for selectively restricting the flow of drink liquid include a tube that at least partially defines the liquid passage and which includes a crimping region. The crimping region may be constructed of a resiliently and reversibly deformable material that is adapted to restrict the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece assembly includes a means for automatically releasing the mouthpiece assembly from its stowed configuration to a dispensing configuration.
1. A drink container, comprising:
a liquid container having a neck with an opening and having an internal compartment sized to hold a volume of potable drink liquid; and
a cap assembly removably coupled to the liquid container, the cap assembly comprising:
a base removably coupled to the neck of the liquid container and including a through-passage extending through the base;
a first catch structure coupled to the base;
a mouthpiece assembly extending through the through-passage of the base and defining a liquid passage through which drink liquid from the liquid container may selectively flow, and further defining an inlet through which drink liquid in the internal compartment may enter the liquid passage and an outlet through which drink liquid from the internal compartment of the liquid container is selectively dispensed from the liquid passage;
wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively positioned between a dispensing configuration, in which the liquid passage permits drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment at least into the liquid passage, and a stowed configuration, in which the liquid passage restricts the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage;
wherein the mouthpiece assembly is biased to the dispensing configuration;
wherein the mouthpiece assembly comprises a mouthpiece portion, an anchor portion, and a tube portion that extends between the mouthpiece portion and the anchor portion, wherein the mouthpiece portion, the tube portion, and the anchor portion are constructed as a unitary assembly;
wherein the mouthpiece portion that includes the outlet;
wherein the tube portion defines at least a portion of the liquid passage for drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment to the mouthpiece portion;
wherein the tube portion includes a crimping region constructed of a resiliently deformable material;
wherein the crimping region is configured to restrict the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration;
wherein the anchor portion is sized to restrict passage of the anchor portion through the through-passage of the base of the cap assembly; and
further wherein the mouthpiece assembly includes a rigid collar member that is pivotally coupled to the base; wherein the tube portion of the mouthpiece assembly extends through the rigid collar member; and wherein the rigid collar member includes a second catch structure configured to be selectively engaged with the first catch structure to retain the mouthpiece assembly in the stowed configuration; and
a user release mechanism configured to automatically disengage the first and second catch structures upon actuation of the user release mechanism and thereby release the mouthpiece assembly to move via its bias from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration; wherein the base of the cap assembly defines a pair of opposed channels; wherein the user release mechanism includes a sliding member that is configured to reversibly translate along the base to selectively disengage the first and the second catch structures; wherein the sliding member includes a pair of opposed tabs that slide within the pair of opposed channels as the sliding member translates along the base; wherein the user release mechanism further includes a user engagement pad that is coupled to the sliding member for selective engagement by a user; and further wherein the user release mechanism includes at least one biasing member that urges the sliding member and user engagement pad away from a position where the sliding member disengages the first and the second catch structures.
2. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece portion, the tube portion, and the anchor portion are constructed as a unitary assembly of the resiliently deformable material.
3. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the user release mechanism is mechanically connected to the first catch structure.
4. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a sidewall with an aperture, and wherein the user engagement pad is in the form of a push button that extends through the aperture.
5. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the sliding member further includes a collar engagement portion with a tab that projects away from the sliding member for selective engagement with the second catch structure.
6. The drink container of claim 5 , wherein when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and upon actuation of the user release mechanism, the collar engagement portion is configured to translate relative to the rigid collar member and cause the first catch structure to disengage the second catch structure and thus permit the rigid collar member to pivot due to the bias of the mouthpiece assembly.
7. The drink container of claim 6 , wherein the mouthpiece portion includes a seat for the rigid collar member in which the rigid collar member engages the mouthpiece portion, wherein the seat restricts relative movement between the mouthpiece portion and the rigid collar member.
8. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the rigid collar member includes a stop surface that does not engage the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and that engages the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration to define a dispensing position of the mouthpiece portion.
9. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the crimping region at least partially biases the mouthpiece assembly to the dispensing configuration.
10. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly further includes a handle that projects away from the base of the cap assembly and a pair of lateral guards that at least partially define a stowing region that receives at least a portion of the mouthpiece assembly between the pair of lateral guards when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration.
11. The drink container of claim 10 , wherein the handle further includes a dust cover portion that extends between the lateral guards and which extends across the outlet when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration.
12. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece portion includes a bite-actuated mouthpiece.
13. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece portion permits a user to draw drink liquid from the drink container by sucking upon the mouthpiece portion when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration but not when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration.
14. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the anchor portion includes a plurality of flanges that are sized and shaped to provide a friction-fit arrangement with the through-passage, and further wherein the anchor portion is sized such that it will not pass through the through-passage.
15. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece assembly further includes a projecting tab that extends from the anchor portion and provides a region for being grasped by a user.
16. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the drink container includes a straw with a first end that extends into the liquid container and a second end that extends into the anchor portion and is retained therein by a friction-fit arrangement.
17. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly further includes: an air return assembly configured to permit air from external the drink container to enter the internal compartment of the liquid container without having to pass through the liquid passage of the mouthpiece assembly, wherein the mouthpiece portion is positioned directly above the air return assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and is not positioned directly above the air return assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration.
18. The drink container of claim 17 , wherein the air return assembly includes an air return valve in the form of a pressure-actuated valve that selectively permits air from external the drink container to enter the internal compartment of the liquid container.
19. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively coupled to and decoupled from the base of the cap assembly via an underside of the base but not via a top side of the base.
20. A drink container, comprising:
a liquid container having a neck with an opening and having an internal compartment sized to hold a volume of potable drink liquid; and
a cap assembly removably coupled to the liquid container, the cap assembly comprising:
a base removably coupled to the neck of the liquid container and including a through-passage extending through the base;
a first catch structure coupled to the base;
a mouthpiece assembly extending through the through-passage of the base and defining a liquid passage through which drink liquid from the liquid container may selectively flow, and further defining an inlet through which drink liquid in the internal compartment may enter the liquid passage and an outlet through which drink liquid from the internal compartment of the liquid container is selectively dispensed from the liquid passage;
wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively positioned between a dispensing configuration, in which the liquid passage permits drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment at least into the liquid passage, and a stowed configuration, in which the liquid passage restricts the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage;
wherein the mouthpiece assembly is biased to the dispensing configuration;
wherein the mouthpiece assembly comprises a mouthpiece portion, an anchor portion, and a tube portion that extends between the mouthpiece portion and the anchor portion, wherein the mouthpiece portion, the tube portion, and the anchor portion are constructed as a unitary assembly;
wherein the mouthpiece portion includes the outlet;
wherein the tube portion defines at least a portion of the liquid passage for drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment to the mouthpiece portion;
wherein the tube portion includes a crimping region constructed of a resiliently deformable material;
wherein the crimping region is configured to restrict the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration;
wherein the anchor portion is sized to restrict passage of the anchor portion through the through-passage of the base of the cap assembly; and
further wherein the mouthpiece assembly includes a rigid collar member that is pivotally coupled to the base; wherein the tube portion of the mouthpiece assembly extends through the rigid collar member; and wherein the rigid collar member includes a second catch structure configured to be selectively engaged with the first catch structure to retain the mouthpiece assembly in the stowed configuration; and
a user release mechanism configured to automatically disengage the first and second catch structures upon actuation of the user release mechanism and thereby release the mouthpiece assembly to move via its bias from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration; wherein the base includes a sidewall with an aperture, and further wherein the user release mechanism includes a user engagement pad in the form of a push button that extends through the aperture.
21. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the mouthpiece portion, the tube portion, and the anchor portion are constructed as a unitary assembly of the resiliently deformable material.
22. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the rigid collar member includes a stop surface that does not engage the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and that engages the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration to define a dispensing position of the mouthpiece portion.
23. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the crimping region at least partially biases the mouthpiece assembly to the dispensing configuration.
24. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the cap assembly further includes a handle that projects away from the base of the cap assembly and a pair of lateral guards that at least partially define a stowing region that receives at least a portion of the mouthpiece assembly between the pair of lateral guards when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration.
25. The drink container of claim 24 , wherein the handle further includes a dust cover portion that extends between the lateral guards and which extends across the outlet when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration.
26. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the mouthpiece portion includes a bite-actuated mouthpiece.
27. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the mouthpiece portion permits a user to draw drink liquid from the drink container by sucking upon the mouthpiece portion when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration but not when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration.
28. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the anchor portion includes a plurality of flanges that are sized and shaped to provide a friction-fit arrangement with the through-passage, and further wherein the anchor portion is sized such that it will not pass through the through-passage.
29. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the mouthpiece assembly further includes a projecting tab that extends from the anchor portion and provides a region for being grasped by a user.
30. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the drink container includes a straw with a first end that extends into the liquid container and a second end that extends into the anchor portion and is retained therein by a friction-fit arrangement.
31. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the cap assembly further includes: an air return assembly configured to permit air from external the drink container to enter the internal compartment of the liquid container without having to pass through the liquid passage of the mouthpiece assembly, wherein the mouthpiece portion is positioned directly above the air return assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and is not positioned directly above the air return assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration.
32. The drink container of claim 31 , wherein the air return assembly includes an air return valve in the form of a pressure-actuated valve that selectively permits air from external the drink container to enter the internal compartment of the liquid container.
33. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively coupled to and decoupled from the base of the cap assembly via an underside of the base but not via a top side of the base.