Portable beverage container with self opening hinged lid

1. A portable container for holding a liquid therein, said container comprising:

a) a hollow vessel including an interior compartment for retaining the liquid:

b) a cap member removably coupled to the hollow vessel and including a passage therein for communicating with the interior compartment, said cap member having an outer periphery;

c) a lid, having an upper wall pivotally connected to said cap member by a hinge and movable between a fully closed state and an opened state, and vice versa, to selectively close off or open the passage in said cap member; and

d) a spring assembly configured to automatically cause said lid to be pivoted from a fully closed state to an opened state upon the release of a catch, said spring assembly comprising an elongate elastomeric spring member and a containment area recess, said recess forming a portion of said cap member and being open at said periphery of said cap member, said recess having a contact surface, said elongate elastomeric spring member and a portion of said upper wall being an integrally molded as unit, said elongate elastomeric spring member having an initial shape including a distal free end terminating in a distal surface, said distal surface of said elongate elastomeric spring member engaging said contact surface when said lid is in the fully closed state and being configured to operate bi-modally wherein said elongate elastomeric spring member operates as a reed and compression spring when said lid is in the fully closed state and operates as a reed spring after said lid has begun opening to carry said lid to its opened state.

2. The portable container of claim 1 whereupon when said lid is in the fully closed state said elastomeric member pushes against said contact surface to cause said elongate elastomeric spring member to flex from said initial shape and be in compression to store energy therein.

3. The portable container of claim 2 wherein said spring assembly is arranged when the catch is released to enable the energy stored in said elongate spring elastomeric member to be released, whereupon said elongate elastomeric spring member pushes off of said contact surface to automatically cause said lid to pivot from its fully closed state toward its opened state, with said elongate elastomeric spring member transitioning from said flexed and compressed state to an unflexed state when said lid is in the opened state.

4. The portable container of claim 1 wherein said member at which said containment area recess is located comprises a cap for the vessel.

5. The portable container of claim 4 wherein said containment area recess is located adjacent said hinge.

6. A portable container for holding a liquid therein, said container comprising:

a) a hollow vessel including an interior compartment for retaining the liquid;

b) a cap member removably coupled to the hollow vessel and including a passage therein for communicating with the interior compartment;

c) a lid coupled to said spring assembly and pivotally connected to said member by a hinge, said lid being movable between a fully closed state and an opened state, and vice versa, to selectively close off or open the passage in said cap member; and

d) a spring assembly configured to automatically cause said lid to be pivoted from a fully closed state to an opened state upon the release of a catch, said spring assembly comprising an elongate elastomeric member and a containment area recess having a contact surface, said contact surface comprising a bottom contact surface of said containment area recess, said containment area recess additionally comprising a front contact surface extending generally normal to said bottom contact surface at a forward end of said bottom contact surface, said containment area recess being open and unobstructed at a rear end of said bottom contact surface, said elongate elastomeric member being integrally formed as part of said lid and having an initial shape including a distal free end terminating in a distal surface, said member removably coupled to said vessel including said containment area recess, said distal surface of said elongate elastomeric member engaging said contact surface when said lid is in the fully closed state and being configured to operate bi-modally wherein said elongate elastomeric member operates as a reed and compression spring when said lid is in the fully closed state and operates as a reed spring after said lid has begun opening to carry said lid to its opened state.

7. The portable container of claim 6 wherein said distal surface of said elongate elastomeric member engages said bottom contact surface when said lid is in the fully closed state and is spaced from said bottom contact surface when said lid is in the opened state.

8. The portable container of claim 6 wherein said distal surface of said free end of said elongate elastomeric member pushes against said bottom contact surface and another surface of said elongate elastomeric member adjacent said distal surface pushes against said front contact surface to cause said elongate elastomeric member to bend slightly and be in compression to store energy therein when said lid is in the fully closed state and operates as a reed spring with said elongate elastomeric member reassuming its initial shape after said lid has begun opening to carry said lid to the opened state.

9. The portable container of claim 8 wherein when contact is made by said distal surface with said bottom contact surface as said lid is being moved into a closed position said distal surface slides along said bottom contact surface until said front contact surface is contacted by and pushes against the another surface of said elongate elastomeric member as said lid is moved into its fully closed state.

10. The portable container of claim 1 wherein said initial shape of said elongated elastomeric member is linear.

11. A spring assembly for use in a product having a hollow body and a lid pivotably connected to the body by a hinge to selectively close off or expose the interior of the body, said spring assembly being configured to automatically cause the lid to be pivoted from a fully closed state to an opened state upon the release of a catch, said spring assembly comprising:

a) an elongate elastomeric member; and

b) a containment area recess having a contact surface, said contact surface comprising a bottom contact surface of said containment area recess, said containment area recess additionally comprising a front contact surface extending generally normal to said bottom contact surface at a forward end of said bottom contact surface, said containment area recess being open and unobstructed at a rear end of said bottom contact surface, said elongate elastomeric member having an initial shape including a distal free end terminating in a distal surface, said distal surface of said elongate elastomeric member engaging said contact surface when said lid is in the fully closed state and being configured to operate bi-modally wherein said elongate elastomeric member operates as a reed and compression spring when said lid is in the fully closed state and operates as a reed spring after said lid has begun opening to carry said lid to its opened state.

12. The spring assembly of claim 11 whereupon when the lid is in the fully closed state said elastomeric member pushes against said contact surface to cause said elastomeric member to flex and be in compression to store energy therein.

13. The spring assembly of claim 12 wherein said spring assembly is arranged when the catch is released to enable the energy stored in said elongate elastomeric member to be released, whereupon said elongate elastomeric member pushes off of said contact surface to automatically cause said lid to pivot from its fully closed state toward its opened state, with said elongate elastomeric member transitioning from said flexed and compressed state to an unflexed state when said lid is in the opened state.

14. The spring assembly of claim 11 wherein said distal surface of said elongate elastomeric member engages said bottom contact surface when said lid is in the fully closed state and is spaced from said bottom contact surface when said lid is in the opened state.

15. The spring assembly of claim 11 wherein said distal surface of said free end of said elongate elastomeric member pushes against said bottom contact surface and another surface of said elongate elastomeric member adjacent said distal surface pushes against said front contact surface to cause said elastomeric member to bend slightly and be in compression to store energy therein when said lid is in the fully closed state and operates as a reed spring with said elongate elastomeric member reassuming its initial shape after said lid has begun opening to carry said lid to the opened state.

16. The spring assembly of claim 15 wherein when contact is made by said distal surface with said bottom contact surface as said lid is being moved into a closed position said distal surface slides along said bottom contact surface until said front contact surface is contacted by and pushes against the another surface of said elongate elastomeric member as said lid is moved into its fully closed state.

17. The spring assembly of claim 11 wherein said initial shape of said elongated elastomeric member is linear.

18. The spring assembly of claim 17 wherein said elongated elastomeric member comprises a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or another copolymers or a physical mix of polymers having both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties.

19. The spring assembly of claim 15 wherein the product comprises a hollow vessel and a cap for the vessel and wherein said containment area recess is located in the cap.