Drink containers and cap assemblies
View Patent ↗Drink containers include a liquid container and a cap assembly removably coupled to the liquid container. Cap assemblies include a body that defines a drink outlet for dispensing drink liquid, and an operational assembly that is operatively coupled to the body and that has at least an open configuration permitting drink liquid to be dispensed and a closed configuration restricting drink liquid from being dispensed. In some embodiments, the operational assembly also has a cleaning configuration in which portions of the operational assembly are spaced away from the body of the cap assembly for cleaning. In some embodiments, the operational assembly is positioned predominantly on the exterior of the body of the cap assembly.
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 body, the body defining a drink outlet through which drink liquid may be selectively dispensed to a user; and
an operational assembly operatively coupled to the body and predominantly positioned external of the body when the cap assembly is coupled to the liquid container, the operational assembly having a closed configuration in which drink liquid is restricted from exiting the internal compartment via the drink outlet, an open configuration in which drink liquid is permitted to exit the internal compartment via the drink outlet, and a cleaning configuration, wherein the operational assembly is coupled to the body in the open configuration, the closed configuration, and the cleaning configuration, wherein the operational assembly includes:
an actuator configured to be selectively engaged by a user to selectively reconfigure the operational assembly from the closed configuration to the open configuration; and
an outlet closure operatively coupled to the actuator and configured to be selectively translated relative to the body of the cap assembly responsive to user engagement of the actuator, to restrict drink liquid from exiting the liquid container via the drink outlet when the operational assembly is in the closed configuration, to permit drink liquid to exit the liquid container via the drink outlet when the operational assembly is in the open configuration, and to be selectively pivoted relative to the body of the cap assembly, and away from the drink outlet to reconfigure the operational assembly to the cleaning configuration.
2. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the body has an upper surface that is external to the internal compartment when the cap assembly is coupled to the liquid container, and further wherein the outlet closure is coupled to the actuator by at least one elongate member that extends along the upper surface when the operational assembly is in the open configuration and when the operational assembly is in the closed configuration.
3. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the operational assembly is restricted from being reconfigured to the cleaning configuration when the cap assembly is coupled to the liquid container.
4. The drink container of claim 3 , wherein the actuator is configured to be selectively pivoted relative to the body of the cap assembly among a range of pivotal positions, wherein the actuator is restricted to a subset of the range of pivotal positions when the cap assembly is coupled to the liquid container, and wherein the operational assembly is restricted from being reconfigured to the cleaning configuration when the actuator is positioned within the subset of the range of pivotal positions.
5. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the outlet closure is positioned generally on an upper side of the body of the cap assembly when the operational assembly is in the closed configuration and when the operational assembly is in the open configuration, wherein the outlet closure includes a distal end region that extends into and plugs the drink outlet when the operational assembly is in the closed configuration and is retracted at least partially from the drink outlet when the operational assembly is in the open configuration.
6. The drink container of claim 5 , wherein when the cap assembly is coupled to the liquid container, the outlet closure is restricted from being removed entirely from the drink outlet responsive to user engagement of the actuator.
7. The drink container of claim 6 , wherein restriction of the outlet closure from being removed entirely from the drink outlet restricts the operational assembly from being configured to the cleaning configuration responsive to user engagement of the actuator.
8. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the body of the cap assembly defines a generally bowl-shaped upper surface and a mouth engagement region, wherein the upper surface defines a drink spout from the drink outlet to the mouth engagement region, and wherein the drink spout is positioned and sized to expose drink liquid to ambient air when drink liquid is dispensed from the drink outlet to a user's mouth that is engaged with the mouth engagement region.
9. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the outlet closure includes a pair of members that extends from proximate the actuator to a distal tip of the outlet closure and along an upper side of the body of the cap assembly when the operational assembly is in the closed configuration and when the operational assembly is in the open configuration, and wherein the pair of members defines a space between the members that is sized to receive at least a portion of a user's nose when the user is drinking from the drink container.
10. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the body of the cap assembly further defines a vent through which gas may be selectively released from the internal compartment of the liquid container, and wherein the operational assembly further includes:
a vent closure configured to restrict gas from entering and exiting the liquid container via the vent when the operational assembly is in the closed configuration and to permit gas to enter and exit the liquid container via the vent when the operational assembly is in the open configuration, wherein the vent closure is configured to pivot when the operational assembly reconfigures between the closed configuration and the open configuration.
11. The drink container of claim 10 , wherein the operational assembly is configured such that selective actuation of the actuator to reconfigure the operational assembly from the closed configuration to the open configuration results in the outlet closure permitting drink liquid to exit the liquid container via the drink outlet simultaneously with the vent closure permitting gas to enter and exit the liquid container via the vent.
12. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the operational assembly is biased toward the closed configuration from the open configuration.
13. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the operational assembly is configured to be selectively and temporarily retained in the open configuration without requiring maintained actuation of the actuator by a user.
14. The drink container of claim 1 ,
wherein the operational assembly further includes a locking mechanism that includes a housing configured to be selectively engaged by a user to selectively and temporarily retain the operational assembly in the open configuration; and
wherein the body includes a projection configured to cooperate with the locking mechanism to selectively and temporarily retain the operational assembly in the open configuration, and wherein the housing is configured to be selectively retained against the projection when the operational assembly is locked in the open configuration.
15. The drink container of claim 14 , wherein the projection is a ramped projection that extends at an angle away from the drink outlet, and further wherein the operational assembly is configured to be reconfigured from the closed configuration to the open configuration and retained in the open configuration by the locking mechanism responsive to a user urging the housing away from the drink outlet and over the ramped projection.
16. The drink container of claim 14 , wherein the housing defines a spring that engages the body of the cap assembly and that is configured to bias the housing away from the body of the cap assembly when a user selectively releases the locking mechanism so that the operational assembly returns to the closed configuration.
17. The drink container of claim 14 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured to permit the operational assembly to return to the closed configuration upon a user selectively actuating the actuator.
18. The drink container of claim 14 ,
wherein the body of the cap assembly further defines a vent through which gas may be selectively released from the internal compartment of the liquid container; and
wherein the housing of the locking mechanism extends over the vent.
19. The drink container of claim 18 , wherein the operational assembly further includes:
a vent closure configured to restrict gas from entering and exiting the liquid container via the vent when the operational assembly is in the closed configuration and to permit gas to enter and exit the liquid container via the vent when the operational assembly is in the open configuration, wherein the vent closure is configured to pivot when the operational assembly reconfigures between the closed configuration and the open configuration; and
wherein the housing of the locking mechanism extends over the vent closure.
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 body, the body defining a drink outlet through which drink liquid may be selectively dispensed to a user; and
an operational assembly operatively coupled to the body and predominantly positioned external of the body when the cap assembly is coupled to the liquid container, the operational assembly having a closed configuration in which drink liquid is restricted from exiting the internal compartment via the drink outlet, and an open configuration in which drink liquid is permitted to exit the internal compartment via the drink outlet, wherein the operational assembly includes:
an actuator configured to be selectively engaged by a user to selectively reconfigure the operational assembly from the closed configuration to the open configuration; and
an outlet closure positioned generally on an upper side of the body of the cap assembly and operatively coupled to the actuator, wherein the outlet closure includes a distal end region that extends into and plugs the drink outlet when the operational assembly is in the closed configuration to restrict drink liquid from exiting the liquid container via the drink outlet and that is retracted at least partially from the drink outlet when the operational assembly is in the open configuration to permit drink liquid to exit the liquid container via the drink outlet, wherein the outlet closure is configured to be selectively translated laterally across the body of the cap assembly responsive to user engagement of the actuator, wherein the outlet closure includes a pair of spaced-apart members that extend from proximate the actuator to the distal end region and along the upper side of the body of the cap assembly.
21. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the pair of members defines a space between the members that is sized to receive at least a portion of a user's nose when the user is drinking from the drink container.
22. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the body of the cap assembly defines a generally bowl-shaped upper surface and a mouth engagement region, wherein the upper surface defines a drink spout from the drink outlet to the mouth engagement region, and wherein the drink spout is positioned and sized to expose drink liquid to ambient air when drink liquid is dispensed from the drink outlet to a user's mouth that is engaged with the mouth engagement region.
23. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the operational assembly is configured to be selectively and temporarily retained in the open configuration without requiring maintained actuation of the actuator by a user.
24. 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 body, the body defining a drink outlet through which drink liquid may be selectively dispensed to a user; and
an operational assembly, wherein the operational assembly includes an outlet closure with a distal end region that selectively prevents drink liquid from exiting the liquid container via the drink outlet, and further wherein the operational assembly includes means for selective reconfiguration of the operational assembly between (i) a closed configuration in which the outlet closure prevents drink liquid from exiting the internal compartment via the drink outlet, (ii) an open configuration in which the outlet closure is translated from the closed configuration and permits drink fluid to exit the internal compartment via the drink outlet, and (iii) a cleaning configuration in which the outlet closure is pivoted away from the body of the cap assembly; wherein the operational assembly is coupled to the body in the open configuration, the closed configuration, and the cleaning configuration.
25. The drink container of claim 1 , wherein the outlet closure is configured to selectively seal the drink outlet from external the body of the cap assembly.
26. The drink container of claim 2 , wherein the elongate member is connected to the actuator by a first pin, and further wherein the actuator is connected to the body of the cap assembly by a second pin that is spaced apart from the first pin.
27. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the outlet closure is configured to selectively seal the drink outlet from external the body of the cap assembly.
28. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the pair of members are connected to the actuator by a first pin, and further wherein the actuator is connected to the body of the cap assembly by a second pin that is spaced apart from the first pin.
29. The drink container of claim 20 , wherein the outlet closure is further configured to be pivoted relative to the body of the cap assembly, and away from the drink outlet to reconfigure the operational assembly to a cleaning configuration, and further wherein the operational assembly is coupled to the body in the open configuration, the closed configuration, and the cleaning configuration.
30. The drink container of claim 29 , wherein the operational assembly is restricted from being reconfigured to the cleaning configuration when the cap assembly is coupled to the liquid container.
31. The drink container of claim 30 , wherein the actuator is configured to be selectively pivoted relative to the body of the cap assembly among a range of pivotal positions, wherein the actuator is restricted to a subset of the range of pivotal positions when the cap assembly is coupled to the liquid container, and wherein the operational assembly is restricted from being reconfigured to the cleaning configuration when the actuator is positioned within the subset of the range of pivotal positions.
32. The drink container of claim 29 , wherein when the cap assembly is coupled to the liquid container, the outlet closure is restricted from being removed entirely from the drink outlet responsive to user engagement of the actuator.
33. The drink container of claim 32 , wherein restriction of the outlet closure from being removed entirely from the drink outlet restricts the operational assembly from being configured to the cleaning configuration responsive to user engagement of the actuator.
34. The drink container of claim 24 , wherein the outlet closure is configured to selectively seal the drink outlet from external the body of the cap assembly.
35. The drink container of claim 24 , wherein the operational assembly is restricted from being reconfigured to the cleaning configuration when the cap assembly is coupled to the liquid container.
36. The drink container of claim 35 , wherein the means for selective reconfiguration of the operational assembly includes an actuator configured to be selectively engaged by a user to selectively reconfigure the operational assembly between the open configuration, the closed configuration, and the cleaning configuration, wherein the actuator is configured to be selectively pivoted relative to the body of the cap assembly among a range of pivotal positions, wherein the actuator is restricted to a subset of the range of pivotal positions when the cap assembly is coupled to the liquid container, and wherein the operational assembly is restricted from being reconfigured to the cleaning configuration when the actuator is positioned within the subset of the range of pivotal positions.
37. The drink container of claim 36 , wherein when the cap assembly is coupled to the liquid container, the outlet closure is restricted from being removed entirely from the drink outlet responsive to user engagement of the actuator.
38. The drink container of claim 37 , wherein restriction of the outlet closure from being removed entirely from the drink outlet restricts the operational assembly from being configured to the cleaning configuration responsive to user engagement of the actuator.
39. The drink container of claim 24 , wherein the outlet closure is positioned generally on an upper side of the body of the cap assembly when the operational assembly is in the closed configuration and when the operational assembly is in the open configuration, wherein the outlet closure includes a distal end region that extends into and plugs the drink outlet when the operational assembly is in the closed configuration and is retracted at least partially from the drink outlet when the operational assembly is in the open configuration.