GB2562280A - A drinking vessel - Google Patents
A drinking vessel Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2562280A GB2562280A GB1707533.4A GB201707533A GB2562280A GB 2562280 A GB2562280 A GB 2562280A GB 201707533 A GB201707533 A GB 201707533A GB 2562280 A GB2562280 A GB 2562280A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- lid
- liquid container
- drinking vessel
- inner portion
- rim
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G19/00—Table service
- A47G19/22—Drinking vessels or saucers used for table service
- A47G19/2205—Drinking glasses or vessels
- A47G19/2266—Means for facilitating drinking, e.g. for infants or invalids
- A47G19/2272—Means for facilitating drinking, e.g. for infants or invalids from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Pediatric Medicine (AREA)
- Closures For Containers (AREA)
Abstract
A non-spill drinking vessel 1 comprising a liquid container 2 and a lid 3 for the liquid container, wherein: the liquid container 2 has an open mouth 10 at an upper end: the lid comprises a relatively rigid inner portion 4 and relatively flexible outer portion 5; the inner portion 4 of the lid has a lower end arranged to engage with the mouth 8 of the liquid container 2 and an upper end in the form of a circumferential rim 8; the outer portion 5 is in the form of a flexible band extending around the inner portion 4; the inner and outer portions of the lid 3 define between them a passageway 11 in the lid for a liquid, with the outer portion 5 of the lid forming a seal with the rim 8 of the inner portion 4 of the lid 3, sealing an upper part of the passageway 11 in the region of a rim of the drinking vessel; and wherein, in use when the lid 3 is fitted to the liquid container 3, the passageway 11 in the lid is in fluid connection with liquid in the liquid container 2 and the action of sucking on the rim may cause the seal to open and liquid to be drawn out of the liquid container 2, through the passageway in the lid and past the seal. The vessel may be used as a training aid for young children.
Description
A Drinking Vessel
The present invention relates to a drinking vessel, of the type generally referred to as a “non-spill” drinking vessel and commonly used by very young children and the physically and/or mentally impaired.
Traditionally, non-spill drinking vessels, particularly those for children, have been in the form of a beaker with a lid to close the beaker, the lid being provided with a spout through which a child can suck liquid from within the beaker.
More recently non-spill drinking vessels have been designed which more closely resemble an open beaker or cup, where a user sucks on a rim of the drinking vessel.
An example of such a non-spill drinking vessel is disclosed in European Patent Application, Publication Number EP2265152A. This discloses a beaker with a lid which, when assembled on the beaker, provides a rim to the beaker. A concave web of the lid extends inwardly from the rim across the mouth of the beaker. On top of the web of the lid is a resilient flexible membrane which is retained in a concave space defined by the web. The membrane, although flexible, is fairly stiff and is pre-formed so as to act to seal apertures in the web, which apertures would otherwise permit liquid to flow out of beaker. The membrane however permits liquid to be drawn through the apertures in the web by the action of a person sucking on the edge of the membrane, in the region of the rim, drawing liquid out from under the membrane to the rim.
An advantage of the above type of non-spill drinking vessel is that when it is used by a child, the child drinks from it in a similar manner to drinking from a normal beaker or cup, thus thereby providing a useful training aid for the child.
Also, in the case of an adult, the adult may feel more dignified in drinking from a vessel which more closely resembles a normal cup, than they perhaps would drinking from one that more closely resembled a traditional child’s beaker. In addition, drinking from a rim of a drinking vessel may provide a generally more familiar and enjoyable experience than sucking from a traditional type of child’s beaker.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved drinking vessel of the above general type.
According to the present invention there is provided a drinking vessel comprising a liquid container and a lid for the liquid container, wherein: the liquid container has an open mouth at an upper end; the lid comprises a relatively rigid inner portion and relatively flexible outer portion; the inner portion of the lid has a lower end arranged to engage with the mouth of the liquid container and an upper end in the form of a circumferential rim; the outer portion of the lid is in the form of a flexible band extending around the inner portion; the inner and outer portions of the lid define between them a passageway in the lid for a liquid with the outer portion of the lid forming a seal with the rim of the inner portion of the lid, sealing an upper part of the passageway in the region of a rim of the drinking vessel; and wherein, in use when the lid is fitted to the liquid container, the passageway in the lid is in fluid connection with liquid in the liquid container and the action of sucking on the rim may cause the seal to open and liquid to be drawn out of the liquid container, through the passageway in the lid and past the seal.
An advantage of the present invention is that it permits liquid to be drawn from inside the liquid container up the outside of the inner portion of the lid, avoiding the need to provide an internal membrane across the top of the lid through which liquid is to be sucked from the container, as for example per the arrangement disclosed in European Patent Application, Publication Number EP2265152A. This is advantageous because, with a drinking vessel in accordance with the present invention, a drinking experience may be achieved which is not too dissimilar to that obtained when drinking from a normal cup or beaker, because the user sucks or sips from the rim of the drinking vessel. Furthermore, by placing the seal at the rim of the drinking vessel, a central area internal of the peripheral rim may be left unobstructed, such that the experience of drinking from the vessel of the present invention again more closely resembles that experienced when drinking from a normal cup.
Due to the flexible portion forming the seal being an outer portion of the lid, the seal may not only be arranged to be broken by the action of sucking on the rim of the drinking vessel, but it may also be arranged to be broken by the action of rolling back the flexible outer portion of the lid, with the upper lip, teeth or gum of a user. This may permit a user to drink from the vessel while exerting very little or possibly no sucking force. This may be particularly advantageous for some small children, or other users who find it particularly difficult to suck from a container. Where the seal is broken by the action of a lip, teeth or gum on the flexible outer portion of the lid, it may be possible to merely sip at the liquid as it emerges from the seal rather than having to forcibly suck on the rim to force the seal to open.
Advantageously the passage in the lid is circumferential and extends completely around the inner portion of the lid, to permit a user to drink from any point around the rim of the drinking vessel. This is advantageous for it permits a user to drink from any point on the rim of the vessel, again in a similar manner to drinking from a conventional cup or beaker.
Advantageously, when the lid is on the liquid container, the outer portion of the lid extends from the rim of the inner portion of the lid to the mouth of the liquid container and seals with the mouth of the liquid container. In this manner the flexible outer portion of the lid may not only provide a seal with the rim of the inner portion, which seal is to be broken to permit liquid to be drawn from the liquid container, but the flexible outer portion may also provide a seal with the mouth of the container, or the top of the container, which may also enable the passageway within the lid of the container to be formed entirely by the flexible outer portion extending from the mouth of the container to the rim of the inner portion. This avoids the need for any additional seal between the liquid container and the lid of the liquid container. Furthermore, it may also avoid the need for any further components to form the passageway in the lid.
Preferably the outer portion of the lid has an inwardly protruding lip at its upper edge, which lip extends over and seals with the rim of the inner portion of the lid. This provides a particularly effective seal as the flexible material of the outer portion of the lid may be arranged to be in slight vertical tension, to urge the inwardly protruding lip downward into contact with the upper surface of the rim of the inner portion of the lid. This arrangement also makes it relatively easy to break the seal, by urging the lip outwardly by the use of the upper lip, teeth or gum of a user.
Preferably the inner portion of the lid includes a web portion which, when the lid is on the liquid container, extends over the mouth of the liquid container. The provision of a web portion enables the central portion of the inner portion of the lid to be relatively thin and thus saving on material. It may also permit a vent to be conveniently located in a central region. The vent may be in the form of a relatively flexible insert located in the web, the vent being in the form of a zero closure valve formed in the flexible insert, the zero closure valve being arranged to open in response to a pressure differential being established between the inside and the outside of the drinking vessel.
The location of the vent in the central portion of the web ensures that the vent will normally be above the level of the liquid when a user is drinking from the drinking vessel, regardless of the side of the drinking vessel from which the user is drinking.
The lid may be arranged to screw into the mouth of the liquid container, in order to substantially seal the liquid container and preferably the inner portion of the lid is arranged to fit at least partially inside the mouth of the liquid container, to form a second liquid passageway between the internal surface of the liquid container and an external surface of the inner portion of the lid, which second liquid passageway is in fluid communication with the liquid passageway in the lid. This arrangement permits the outer portion of the lid, in combination with the liquid container to provide a passage up the outside face of the inner portion of the lid, such that the combined passages extend from within the liquid container to the seal at the rim, providing the advantage that when the lid is removed from the container and the two portions of the lid are separated, all portions forming the passageway may be fully exposed to assist in cleaning of the drinking vessel.
With the immediately above arrangement it may be preferable to provide a plurality of recessed, substantially vertical, channels circumferentially spaced around the external surface of the inner portion of the lid, in the region that fits inside the mouth of the liquid container, which recesses define a plurality of second passageways each in fluid connection with the first passageway. The provision of such circumferentially spaced vertical channels creates second passageways to convey liquid from the liquid container to the passageway in the lid, irrespective of the side from which a user is drinking. Furthermore, where the lid screws onto the liquid container, the inner portion of the lid may have a screw thread arranged to engage a screw thread on the internal surface of the liquid container, where the screw thread on the inner portion of the lid is discontinuous in the region of the second passageways. Thus the second passageways are not impeded by the presence of the screw thread and the function of the screw thread is not impeded by the discontinuous regions. In the context of the present specification reference to a screw thread is to be interpreted to include a continuous screw thread or any rudimentary screw thread including a lug finish screw thread.
The liquid container and the inner and outer portions of the lid may be moulded with the inner portion of the lid and possibly the liquid container being formed of polypropylene. The outer portion of the lid may be formed of silicone.
One example of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures of which:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a drinking vessel in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the top of the drinking vessel of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a cross-section along the line A-A of the drinking vessel of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the liquid container of the drinking vessel of Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a flexible insert for the lid of the drinking vessel of Figure 1;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of an inner portion of the lid of the drinking vessel of Figure 1; and
Figure 7 is a perspective view of an outer flexible portion of the lid of the drinking vessel of Figure 1.
Referring to Figure 1, a drinking vessel, indicated generally as 1, comprises a liquid container 2 (shown separately in the perspective view of Figure 4) and a lid 3. As can be seen from Figure 1, in combination with the plan view of Figure 2 and the cross-section of Figure 3, the lid 3 comprises an inner portion 4 (shown separately in the perspective view of Figure 6) moulded from relatively rigid polypropylene. This has an external wall portion 5 with a discontinuous screw thread 6 formed thereon and a web portion 7, extending across the top of the liquid container 2.
The external wall portion 5 of the inner portion 4 of the lid 3 extends upwards and terminates in a circumferential rim 8. The screw thread 6, on the external wall portion 5, engages with a screw thread 9 on the inner surface of a mouth 10 of liquid container 2, as shown in Figure 3.
As can be most clearly seen from Figure 6, the inner portion 4 of the lid 5 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical recesses 11 which, when the lid 3 is on the liquid container 2, each open at their lower end into the interior of the liquid container 2. Each recess 11 extends upwardly to a free space at the top of the external wall portion 5, where a plurality of outwardly extending lugs define a circumferential channel 22 in fluid communication with the vertical recesses 11.
The lid 3 additionally comprises an outer portion 12 (shown separately in the perspective view of Figure 7) formed of flexible silicone. This is in the form of a band which is stretched over and encompasses an upper portion of the inner portion 4 of the lid 3. An upper edge of the outer portion 12 of the lid 3 forms a lip 13 which extends over the circumferential rim 8 of the inner portion 4 to define an upper circumferential rim of the drinking vessel 1. The outer portion 12 of the lid 3 is slightly under tension, by the action of being stretched over the inner portion 4 of the lid 3. This tension acts both radially and axially, urging the lip 13 downwardly into contact with the circumferential rim 8 of the inner portion 4 on of the lid 3. A vertical wall portion 14 of the outer portion 12 on the lid 3 extends downwardly to a shoulder 15 which, when the lid 3 is on the liquid container 2 (as shown in Figure 3) forms a seal with the mouth 10 of the liquid container 2.
The vertical wall portion 14, in extending over the vertical recesses 11 in the inner portion 4, defines a plurality of passageways extending from liquid container 2 to the circumferential channel 22, which is also formed as a result of the vertical wall portion 14 extending over the lugs 21 and the free space thus created at the top of the external wall portion 5 of the inner portion 4 of the lid 3. This is in the vicinity of the rim 8 where the lip 13 of the outer portion 12 seals with the rim 8 of the internal portion 4, closing the top of the circumferential channel 22 and thus the passageways formed by the vertical recesses 11.
An aperture 16 is provided in the central portion of the web portion 7 of the inner portion 4 of the lid 3, in which a circular flexible insert 17 (shown separately in the perspective view of Figure 5) sealingly engages. The insert 17 has two zero closure valvesl 8 formed in it, formed by cross-cuts 19 in thinner and thus more flexible regions of the insert 17. These permit air to be drawn into the liquid container 2, to replace any liquid removed from the liquid container 2.
In use, a user sucks on the upper rim, indicated generally as 20 in Figure 3, of the drinking vessel 1, causing liquid to be drawn from within the liquid container 2 up respective ones of the vertical recesses 11, into the circumferential channel 22 and out of the drinking vessel between the circumferential rim 8 of the inner portion 4 of the lid 3 and the lip 13 of the outer portion 12 of the lid 3, ensuring liquid is not easily spilt from the container at other times. To assist in drinking, the lip 13 may also be drawn outwardly by a person’s upper lip, teeth or gum, the action of which will cause the seal to be broken and permit liquid to freely flow out of a passage then created between the circumferential rim 8 of the inner portion 4 of the lid 3 and the lip 13, reducing the suction effort, or possibly eliminating the suction effort, required to draw liquid out of the drinking vessel 1.
One example of a drinking vessel in accordance with the present invention has been described above, by way of example only. It will be appreciated that many modifications and alternative embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, which fall within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (15)
1. A drinking vessel comprising a liquid container and a lid for the liquid container, wherein: the liquid container has an open mouth at an upper end; the lid comprises a relatively rigid inner portion and relatively flexible outer portion; the inner portion of the lid has a lower end arranged to engage with the mouth of the liquid container and an upper end in the form of a circumferential rim; the outer portion is in the form of a flexible band extending around the inner portion; the inner and outer portions of the lid define between them a passageway in the lid for a liquid, with the outer portion of the lid forming a seal with the rim of the inner portion of the lid, sealing an upper part of the passageway in the region of a rim of the drinking vessel; and wherein, in use when the lid is fitted to the liquid container, the passageway in the lid is in fluid connection with liquid in the liquid container and the action of sucking on the rim may cause the seal to open and liquid to be drawn out of the liquid container, through the passageway in the lid and past the seal.
2. A drinking vessel as claimed in claim 1 wherein the seal between the inner and outer portions of the lid is arranged to be broken by the action of sucking on the rim of the drinking vessel or by rolling back the outer portion of the lid with the lips, teeth or gums of a user, to permit a user to drink from the drinking vessel.
3. A drinking vessel as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the passage in the lid is circumferential and extends completely around the inner portion of the lid, to permit a user to drink from any point around the rim of the drinking vessel.
4. A drinking vessel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein, when the lid is on the liquid container, the outer portion of the lid extends from the rim of the inner portion of the lid to the mouth of the liquid container and seals with the mouth of the liquid container.
5. A drinking vessel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the outer portion of the lid has an inwardly protruding lip at its upper edge, which lip extends over and seals with the rim of the inner portion of the lid.
6. A drinking vessel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the inner portion of the lid includes a web portion which extends over the mouth of the liquid container when the lid is on the liquid container.
7. A drinking vessel as claimed in claim 6 wherein the lid comprises a vent located in a central region of the web.
8. A drinking vessel as claimed in claim 7 wherein the lid comprises a relatively flexible insert located in the web, the vent being in the form of a zero closure valve formed in the flexible insert, the zero closure valve being arranged to open in response to a pressure differential being established between the inside and the outside of the drinking vessel.
9. A drinking vessel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the lid is arranged to screw into the mouth of the liquid container.
10. A drinking vessel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the inner portion of the lid is arranged to fit at least partially inside the mouth of the liquid container to form a second liquid passageway between the internal surface of the liquid container and an external surface of the inner portion of the lid, when the lid is on the liquid container, which second liquid passageway is in fluid communication with the liquid passageway in the lid.
11. A drinking vessel as claimed in claim 10 wherein a plurality of recessed substantially vertical channels are circumferentially spaced around the external surface of the inner portion of the lid, in the region that fits inside the mouth of the liquid container, which recesses define a plurality of second passageways each in connection with the first passageway.
12. A drinking vessel as claimed in claim 11 wherein the inner portion of the lid has a screw thread arranged to engage a screw thread on the internal surface of the liquid container, wherein the screw thread on the inner portion of the lid is discontinuous in the region of the second passageways.
13. A drinking vessel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the liquid container and the inner and outer portions of lid are formed by being moulded.
14. A drinking vessel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the inner portion of the lid is polypropylene.
15. A drinking vessel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the outer portion of the lid is silicone.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1707533.4A GB2562280B (en) | 2017-05-11 | 2017-05-11 | A drinking vessel |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1707533.4A GB2562280B (en) | 2017-05-11 | 2017-05-11 | A drinking vessel |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB201707533D0 GB201707533D0 (en) | 2017-06-28 |
| GB2562280A true GB2562280A (en) | 2018-11-14 |
| GB2562280B GB2562280B (en) | 2021-12-08 |
Family
ID=59201659
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1707533.4A Expired - Fee Related GB2562280B (en) | 2017-05-11 | 2017-05-11 | A drinking vessel |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2562280B (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2020095011A1 (en) * | 2018-11-06 | 2020-05-14 | Bb Ipr Limited | A drinking vessel |
| US11937716B2 (en) | 2021-07-09 | 2024-03-26 | Target Brands, Inc. | Sippy cup having a spoutless training lid assembly |
| USD1021563S1 (en) | 2021-07-09 | 2024-04-09 | Target Brands, Inc. | Combined sippy cup and handle base |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2401857A (en) * | 2002-01-18 | 2004-11-24 | Austen Charles Miller | Training cup with valved lid |
| WO2015057871A1 (en) * | 2013-10-16 | 2015-04-23 | Munchkin, Inc. | Non-spill drinking container |
-
2017
- 2017-05-11 GB GB1707533.4A patent/GB2562280B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2401857A (en) * | 2002-01-18 | 2004-11-24 | Austen Charles Miller | Training cup with valved lid |
| WO2015057871A1 (en) * | 2013-10-16 | 2015-04-23 | Munchkin, Inc. | Non-spill drinking container |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2020095011A1 (en) * | 2018-11-06 | 2020-05-14 | Bb Ipr Limited | A drinking vessel |
| US11937716B2 (en) | 2021-07-09 | 2024-03-26 | Target Brands, Inc. | Sippy cup having a spoutless training lid assembly |
| USD1021563S1 (en) | 2021-07-09 | 2024-04-09 | Target Brands, Inc. | Combined sippy cup and handle base |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB201707533D0 (en) | 2017-06-28 |
| GB2562280B (en) | 2021-12-08 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20220511 |