HK1249749B - Bottle with drink-through cap - Google Patents

Description

Bottle with drink-through cap

Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to containers for holding liquids and lids for containers. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to the technology of lids for containers such as bottles, jars and flasks.

Background Art

Bottles are very common drinking containers and are particularly useful for individuals transporting liquids such as water, coffee, and sports drinks. However, carrying and drinking from bottles can sometimes present challenges for users. Many bottles have screw-on lids, particularly those that provide insulation. One problem associated with such screw-on lids is that they typically require two hands to unscrew, making it difficult or inconvenient to do so when engaged in activities such as hiking or other activities where having a free hand is not always possible. Some bottle caps offer a drink-through configuration, but these have limitations, including complex manufacturing processes and difficulty cleaning due to small or otherwise inaccessible conduits through which fluid is discharged.

Summary of the Invention

The technology disclosed herein is to provide a closure for containers such as bottles, jars, and flasks for holding liquids that provides a seal while also facilitating one-handed access to the contents of the container.

According to the principles disclosed herein, a beverage bottle lid may include a butterfly valve that selectively allows fluid to exit the bottle, provides good isolation, supports a wider opening, and is configured to be operated by a user with one hand. The lid may include a sipping area located on the front or front side of the lid. The lid's lip may be angled so that the rear portion or back side is lower than the front portion or front side. The rear side may be aligned with the control side (non-pour side) of the butterfly valve to make it easier for a user to open the butterfly valve with one hand and pour fluid from the bottle through the opposite front side of the bottle. The top surface of the butterfly valve may be lower than the back side of the lip to minimize the possibility of inadvertent opening of the butterfly valve. In one embodiment, the butterfly valve may be configured to extend across the entire opening of the container portion of the beverage bottle and pivot substantially across the middle of the opening. The O-ring surrounding the butterfly valve may be colored so that the O-ring is visible when the butterfly valve is in the open position, thereby easily recognizing that the lid is open. A splash guard may be provided below the butterfly valve to prevent liquid from spilling from the top of the butterfly valve during drinking. A vent may be included to facilitate smooth drinking. A pivot stop and a detent may be included to define open and closed positions.

One embodiment of a beverage bottle may include a container portion configured to hold a fluid. The container portion may include an open end and a closed end. A lid may be configured to fit over the open end of the container portion. The lid may include a butterfly valve configured to prevent fluid from exiting the bottle when in a closed position and to allow fluid to exit the beverage bottle directly into a user's mouth when in an open position.

One embodiment of a lid for drinking a beverage from a container can be configured to fit over an opening of a container holding the beverage, the lid including a butterfly valve configured to prevent fluid from being discharged from the container when in a closed position and to enable fluid to be discharged from the container when in an open position.

One embodiment of a method for manufacturing a bottle may include providing a butterfly valve member having a top side, a bottom side, and a sidewall extending between the top and bottom sides, wherein the sidewall may include a groove around the periphery of the butterfly valve member. An O-ring may be retained within the groove of the butterfly valve member. The butterfly valve member may be engaged with a butterfly valve support structure. The butterfly valve support structure may be engaged with a lid frame.

In one embodiment, a beverage bottle includes: (a) a container portion configured to contain a fluid, the container portion including an open end and a closed end; and (c) a lid configured to fit over the open end of the container portion, the lid including an opening and a butterfly valve positioned within the opening to prevent the fluid from exiting the bottle when in a closed position and to enable the fluid to exit the beverage bottle when in an open position.

In one embodiment, the cap includes an inner sidewall defining an opening, and the butterfly valve includes a disc-shaped member having a top surface, a sidewall having an outer surface, a groove extending along a perimeter of the outer surface, and an O-ring disposed within and retained by the groove such that the O-ring contacts the inner sidewall to prevent fluid from exiting the bottle when the butterfly valve is in a closed position.

In one embodiment, the O-ring is configured to enable the butterfly valve to be positioned in a variable position between the closed position and a maximum open position.

In one embodiment, the O-ring is a contrasting color different from that of the disc-shaped member, thereby enabling a user to easily see that the butterfly valve is in the open position.

In one embodiment, the butterfly valve further comprises a pivot point disposed substantially in the middle of the opening of the open end of the container portion of the beverage bottle.

In one embodiment, the cover includes a side wall and a lip at a top of the side wall, the side wall being higher on the front side than the back side, and wherein the butterfly valve is oriented to allow fluid to drain from the front side.

In one embodiment, the top of the butterfly valve is located below a lip on the rear side of the side wall.

In one embodiment, the cover further comprises a butterfly valve support structure, and the butterfly valve is coupled to the butterfly valve support structure.

In one embodiment, the butterfly valve support structure includes a pivot post extending from the butterfly valve, and wherein the butterfly valve member includes a pair of pivot point structures extending on opposite sides of the side wall of the butterfly valve member, the pivot point structures being configured to enter the rotation member support to enable the butterfly valve member to rotate from the closed position to the open position, and vice versa.

In one embodiment, a bottle cap includes: (a) a body having (1) an inner sidewall defining an opening through which liquid can flow, and (2) attachment structure for attaching a core to a bottle neck; and (b) a butterfly valve disposed in the opening, the butterfly valve being received in pivotal engagement with the core and being pivotable between open and closed positions.

In one embodiment, the core further comprises a pivot stop that controls the degree of pivoting of the butterfly valve by defining open and closed positions of the butterfly valve.

In one embodiment, the body includes a splash guard baffle located on one side of the opening to prevent fluid from flowing over the butterfly valve when the butterfly valve is in the open position.

In one embodiment, the splash guard comprises a vent hole that is exposed to the atmosphere when the butterfly valve is in the open position.

In one embodiment, the butterfly valve carries an O-ring around its periphery, the O-ring providing a seal between the butterfly valve and the side wall when the butterfly valve is in the closed position.

In one embodiment, the body includes a housing receiving the body therein.

In one embodiment, the body is made of plastic and the housing is made of metal.

In one embodiment, the bottle cap includes: (a) an internal pivot stop that controls the degree of pivoting of the butterfly valve by defining the open and closed positions of the butterfly valve; and (b) a splash guard located internally and on one side of the opening to prevent liquid from flowing over the butterfly valve when the butterfly valve is in the open position. The body, the pivot stop, and the splash guard are integrally formed.

In one embodiment, the bottle cap comprises a shell in which the body is received, wherein the body is made of plastic and the shell is made of metal material.

In one embodiment, an assembly comprises a bottle and a bottle cap according to any of the above embodiments.

In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a bottle includes: (a) providing a butterfly valve member having a top side, a bottom side, and a sidewall extending between the top side and the bottom side, the sidewall defining a groove around the periphery of the butterfly valve member; (b) retaining an O-ring through the groove of the butterfly valve member; (c) engaging the butterfly valve member with a butterfly valve support structure; (d) engaging the butterfly valve support member with a lid frame portion; and (e) engaging the lid frame portion with a container portion of the bottle.

In one embodiment, engaging the butterfly valve member with a butterfly valve support structure includes inserting a pivot point member of the butterfly valve into a pivot point structure of the butterfly valve support structure to enable rotation of the butterfly valve member.

In one embodiment, engaging the butterfly valve support structure with the cover frame portion includes pressing the butterfly valve support structure into the cover frame portion.

In one embodiment, engaging the butterfly valve support structure includes aligning the butterfly valve support member so that the butterfly valve member opens to a sipping area below a front lip of the lid frame portion.

In one embodiment, engaging the butterfly valve member with the butterfly valve support structure includes engaging a pivot point member of the butterfly valve member with a pivot point structure of the cover frame portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein by reference and in which:

1A is a rear perspective view of an illustrative drink-through cap with a butterfly valve in a closed position on an illustrative beverage bottle.

FIG1B is a rear perspective view of the drink-through cap of the butterfly valve of FIG1A in a closed position;

FIG1C is a front view of the direct drinking lid of FIG1A ;

FIG1D is a rear view of the direct drinking lid of FIG1A ;

FIG1E is a right side view of the direct drinking lid of FIG1A ;

FIG1F is a left side view of the direct drinking lid of FIG1A ;

FIG1G is a top view of the direct drinking lid of FIG1A ;

FIG1H is a rear perspective view of the drink-through lid of FIG1A with the butterfly valve in an open position;

FIG2A is a cross-sectional view of the butterfly valve of the illustrative drink-through lid in its open position;

FIG2B is a cross-sectional view of the illustrative drink-through lid of FIG2A with the butterfly valve in its closed position;

FIG2C is a cross-sectional view of a detail of an illustrative drink-through lid with a liner;

FIG2D is a cross-sectional view of a detail of an illustrative drink-through lid with sealant;

FIG3A is a perspective view of another illustrative drink-through lid with a butterfly valve;

FIG3B is a perspective view of the illustrative drink-through lid of FIG3A with the butterfly valve removed; and

4 is a flow chart of an illustrative method of assembly of a drink-through lid with a butterfly valve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG1A shows an illustrative beverage bottle 100 for use by a user. The illustrative beverage bottle 100 may include a container or vessel portion 102 and a lid 104 configured to enable a user to drink the contained fluid within the beverage bottle without removing the lid 104 from the container portion 102. The lid 104 may include a lid frame, shell, or outer layer 106 that defines an exterior portion of the lid 104, as described in more detail below in conjunction with FIG2A-2B . The lid 104 may include a rear lip 108a and a front lip 108b, wherein the rear lip 108a is lower than the front lip 108b relative to a horizontal plane. In an alternative embodiment, the front lip 108a and the rear lip 108b are at the same height. Alternative configurations of the front and rear lips 108a and 108b are also possible.

The lid 104 also includes a lid 110. The lid 110 may be formed of or operable as a butterfly valve, thereby enabling the lid 110 to be switched between a closed position and an open position. To support and enable the lid to be switched, pivot or rotation points 112a and 112b may be included. A user can switch the lid 110 from the closed position to the open position by pressing on the rear lid portion 114a, which causes the front lid portion 114b to pivot upward. Opening the butterfly valve, of course, allows fluid to flow from the container portion 102 through the lid 110. Conversely, to close the lid 110, the user can press on the front lid portion 114b, which closes the butterfly valve, thereby preventing fluid from flowing out of the container portion 102 through the lid 110. In one embodiment, the cover 110 can be configured to provide a variable degree of opening (e.g., 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, or other). As a result of using an O-ring surrounding the cover 110, the variable degree of adjustment can be set by the friction created by the O-ring. By having a lower rear lip 108a, the user can more easily open the cover 110.

The lid 104 may include ribs 116a-116n (collectively, 116) disposed on the frame portion 106. The ribs 116 provide strength and a decorative appearance to the lid frame portion 106 by hardening the material (e.g., metal) used to form the lid frame portion 106. The ribs 116 also provide a decorative feature. It should be understood that the ribs 116 may have alternative shapes and sizes beyond those shown. It should also be understood that the lid frame portion 106 may lack the ribs 116 so that the lid frame portion 106 is flat and featureless.

In one embodiment, a feature 118 may be disposed on the top surface of cover 110. In this embodiment, feature 118 is shown as round. However, feature 118 may be any other shape, such as a logo or other geometric or non-geometric shape, thereby being decorative in nature. By feeling feature 118, feature 118 may also provide the user with a sense of where the switch is located. Feature 118 is illustrated as concave. In an alternative embodiment, feature 118 may be convex. In yet another embodiment, feature 118 may be a combination of convex or concave.

Referring to FIG. 1B , a rear perspective view of the drink-through lid 104 of FIG. 1A is shown with the lid 110 in the closed position. As previously described, because the lid 110 is positioned within the lid 104 below the front lip 108b or at or below the height of the rear cover portion 114a, the user of the bottle 100 can easily operate the lid 110 with one hand, thereby freeing up the user's other hand. Because the front lip 108b is at a higher height than the top of the front cover portion 114b, the user can use the sipping area 119 of the lid 104 when drinking from the bottle 100. Once the user has finished drinking from the bottle, they can press the front cover portion 114b to close the lid 110. Furthermore, because the lid 110 is configured and operated as a butterfly valve, the user can more easily operate the lid 110, thereby enabling the use of one hand when using the bottle 100.

Referring to FIG1C , a front view of the drink-through lid 104 of FIG1A is shown. As shown, the front lip 108b extends above the front cover portion 114a, thereby providing a sipping area 119 ( FIG1B ) that enables a user to drink from an exposed area of the lid 104 rather than directly from the drink-through cover 110. The presence of the sipping area 119 also enables the use of a butterfly valve that provides a variable opening, allowing the user to control or meter the flow rate and/or flow rate of the fluid from the bottle 100.

Referring to Figure 1D, a rear view of the drink-through lid 104 of Figure 1A is shown. Since the rear lip 108a is lower than the front lip 108b, the sipping area 119 is clearly visible, thereby providing drinking from the lid 104 for the user.

1E , the right side of the drink-through lid 104 of FIG. 1A is shown. Referring to FIG. 1F , the left side of the drink-through lid 104 of FIG. 1A is shown.

Referring to FIG1G , a top view of the drink-through lid 104 of FIG1A is shown. The sipping area 119 is shown as having a steeper slope than the slope on the opposite side below the rear lip 108a. This steeper slope provides additional control for the user when drinking from the lid 104, as the steeper slope is more consistent with a conventional drinking cup.

1H , a rear perspective view of the drink-through lid 104 of FIG. 1A is shown with the lid 110 in an open position. The rear cover portion 114 a is tilted downward and positioned below the inner lip 130 of the lid 104. The front cover portion 114 b is tilted downward and positioned above the inner lip 130. In the open position, liquid within the bottle can flow through the lid 110.

2A-2D , further details and aspects of the technology disclosed herein are described.

In FIG2A , an illustrative drink-through lid 200 incorporating the features of lid 104 is shown in cross-section. Lid 200 includes an inner core 202 positioned within an outer frame, outer layer, or shell 204. Inner core 202 is preferably made of a durable molded plastic, such as polypropylene. The outer shell is made of a durable material, preferably a metal such as stainless steel or aluminum, and more preferably, stainless steel. The stainless steel may be brushed or coated.

The inner core 202 preferably has a tubular skirt 206 with an inner surface 208 having integrally molded threads 210 for threaded engagement with mating threads on the neck of a container, such as the bottle 102 shown in Figure 1A. However, other mating structures are contemplated, such as a quick-disconnect structure.

Furthermore, while this document describes in detail a preferred structure having an inner core housed within an outer shell, it will be appreciated that the inner core may be formed from an exterior similar to the exterior of the outer shell, such that a separate outer shell is not necessary. However, when the outer shell is formed from a durable material such as metal, preferably stainless steel, such an outer shell provides additional protection against damage such as bending or other abrasion, and provides a cleaner surface for drinking from. Therefore, as used herein and in the claims, a lid "body" may be simply a component such as the inner core, a component similar to the inner core, or a combination of an inner core and an outer shell.

The inner core 202 has an upper end 212 from which extends an inner lip 213. The inner lip 213 extends from a circular inner sidewall 214 that surrounds and defines the perimeter of an opening 215 in the lid 200. The lip 213, together with the sipping portion of the outer shell 204, provides the inner lip 130 described above.

As shown, the sidewall 214 is generally perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cover 200. In contrast, the inner lip 213 is inclined and has an oblique angle relative to the vertical or longitudinal axis of the cover 200.

The upper end 212 includes a curved portion 216 that connects and bridges the inner sidewall 214 and the tubular skirt 206. The bottom side of the curved portion 216 includes a circular groove 218 in which the rim of the bottle's opening is received. These features are all integrally molded together to form the unitary inner core 202.

Supported within opening 215 is a pivoting cover or butterfly valve 220, which includes an upper or top wall 222 exposed to or from the opening, and a peripheral sidewall 224. Preferably, both opening 215 and butterfly valve 220 are circular in horizontal cross-section. However, it will be appreciated that they may have other cross-sectional shapes, such as hexagonal and complex shapes. In all instances, it is preferred that butterfly valve 220 be supported so that it pivots about its central pivot line, although pivot lines located outside the center of the butterfly valve are encompassed by the disclosed technology.

As shown, butterfly valve 220 includes two pivot posts 226 extending in opposite directions from the butterfly valve's pivot line. These pivot posts engage and extend into openings or holes in sidewall 214 of opening 215. A perspective view of a pivot post 326, such as pivot post 226, can be seen in conjunction with the embodiment of Figures 3A and 3B .

Preferably, pivot post 226 includes rounded ends and a length such that the butterfly valve can be inserted into engagement with hole 228 and easily ejected from hole 228, allowing butterfly valve 220 to be removed for cleaning. Furthermore, when the butterfly valve is inserted into position, the engagement is sufficiently secure that the butterfly valve 220 will not eject from engagement without sufficient human effort or its equivalent. In other words, the weight of the liquid in the bottle is not sufficient to cause the butterfly valve to disengage. Alternatively, the pivot post may have squared ends.

As can be appreciated, the butterfly valve 220 can optionally have two holes or recesses in its peripheral side wall 224, and the pivot post can extend from the side wall 214 into the openings.

As further illustrated, the butterfly valve 220 also includes a peripheral groove or notch 230 surrounding the peripheral sidewall 224, which receives a gasket or O-ring 232 therein. As will be appreciated, the sidewall is sized to have an outer diameter no greater than the diameter of the opening 215, and the gasket or O-ring 232 provides a seal between the sidewall 214 and the sidewall 224 when the butterfly valve is in the closed position. The gasket or O-ring 232 is preferably made of rubber, silicone, or any other suitable material. The gasket or O-ring 232 may be a different color than the sidewall 224. Preferably, the sidewall 220 and O-ring 232 are contrasting colors so that the O-ring 232 is easily visible when the butterfly valve 220 is in the open position.

Although the butterfly valve 220 could have the shape of a solid button, in the illustrated embodiment, the butterfly valve 220 is molded with a hollow bottom side. Therefore, the sidewall 224 is tubular. This reduces the amount of material in the butterfly valve 220 and reduces its weight. As a result, the butterfly valve 220 has the overall shape of a screw-on or crimp-on bottle cap.

For reasons that will be better understood below, the peripheral sidewall is asymmetrical about the butterfly valve's pivot line. As best seen in FIG. 2A , a front portion 224a, extending forward of the pivot line toward the front or drinking lip of the lid 200, has a first, relatively short height, while a rear portion 224b, extending rearward of the pivot line toward the rear lip of the lid 200, has a second, relatively long height. Consequently, the butterfly valve 220 is thinner at the front portion 224a than at the rear portion 224b.

The greater thickness of butterfly valve 220 is due to two differences. Assuming a horizontal line passing through butterfly valve 220 when it is in its closed position, the sidewalls in rear portion 224b extend higher than the top surface in front portion 224a. Similarly, the sidewalls 224 extend further below the horizontal line in rear portion 224b than in front portion 224a.

The higher elevation of the top surface in the rear portion 224b facilitates opening of the butterfly valve 220 by the fingers of the hand holding the bottle by the cap 220. The butterfly valve is easier to reach and more leverage can be applied by the fingers.

The peripheral sidewall 224 preferably has an outer peripheral surface 234 shaped so that the butterfly valve 220 has a small gap 235 between the outer surface 234 and the remaining structure of the inner core, with the gap being maintained throughout the entire arc of travel of the butterfly valve 220 as it pivots between the closed and open positions, and vice versa. Of course, at least when the butterfly valve 220 is in the closed position, the gap 235 is slightly smaller than the amount of the gasket or O-ring protruding from the notch 230.

The upper portion or top surface 238 of the top wall 222 of the butterfly valve 220 is smoothly concave in profile. Because this profile better conforms to the rounded shape of a fingertip, this allows for a greater surface area of contact between the finger and the surface 238. With a larger surface area of contact, the pressure exerted by the depressing action of the fingertip is more distributed across the surface 238, and therefore across the butterfly valve 220, thereby facilitating easier and smoother rotation of the butterfly valve about its pivot point.

To control or define the open and closed positions of the butterfly valve 220, the inner core 202 includes integrally molded stops 240 and 242 located on each opposing side of the inner core 202. Stop 240 provides a horizontal surface 240a on which the butterfly valve 220 rests when in the closed position. Stop 242 provides an oppositely angled surface 242a on which the butterfly valve 220 rests when in the open position. In this embodiment, stops 240 and 242 are molded as a single, continuous member protruding from the bottom edge of the sidewall 214 and from the inner surface 208, respectively. However, they may be separate from one another. Because the stops should not excessively impede the flow of liquid, they may extend only into the exterior inlet opening 215 to provide a stopping function.

To prevent liquid from flowing out of the butterfly valve 220 when the bottle is tilted and the butterfly valve 220 is in the open position, the inner core 202 preferably includes an integrally molded splash guard 250. The splash guard 250 is located behind the opening 215 of the cap 250. As can be seen in Figures 2A and 2B, the splash guard 250 has a curved outer surface 252 facing the butterfly valve 220. This surface 252 is curved to provide a concave surface that receives the convexly curved outer surface 234 of the sidewall 224 of the butterfly valve 220. The curvature of the surface 252 of the splash guard 250 is not constant, but rather varies (decreases) from the bottom edge 253 to the inner sidewall 214, so that when the butterfly valve is in the open position, the gap between the inner side 232 of the butterfly valve sidewall 214 and the splash guard 250 is larger at the inner sidewall 214 than at the bottom edge 253.

Splash guard 250 includes a vent 260 located at the bottom edge of the inner sidewall 214 of opening 215. When butterfly valve 220 is in the open position, vent 260 is exposed to the atmosphere. As liquid flows out, vent 260 allows air to flow into the bottle, preventing a vacuum from building up, thereby allowing the liquid to flow out smoothly. The gap between butterfly valve 220 and splash guard 250 allows air to enter vent 260. The gap is sized to allow air to enter vent 260 while also allowing the butterfly valve to cover a substantial portion of the splash guard. Vent 260 is shown as preferably rectangular, but other shapes are contemplated.

The butterfly valve 220 and splash guard 250 also include a snap feature for locking the butterfly valve in its open and closed positions. At the bottom edge of the rear portion 224b of the side wall 224, the side wall includes a protrusion 270. In this embodiment, the protrusion is rounded and has a slightly hook-like or clef-note-like cross-section. The protrusion 270 protrudes slightly beyond the gap between the outer surface 234 of the side wall 224 and the splash guard 250 and is located at the lower end of the splash guard. As a result, the protrusion actually contacts the pivoting of the butterfly valve and provides some resistance to the pivoting. However, this resistance is slight and easily overcome by a user's finger. Therefore, when pivoting toward the open position, the protrusion rubs against the splash guard 250. However, once the projection 270 is pivoted over the splash guard 250, the projection 270 extends beyond the lower edge 253 of the splash guard as the snap action occurs. The butterfly valve is then maintained in the open position by the projection 270.

When the butterfly valve 220 is pivoted to the closed position, the user applies a force sufficient to overcome the resistance of the protrusion 270, and the protrusion 270 again moves into contact with the splash guard 250. The roundness of the protrusion helps the applied force overcome the resistance and hooking action of the protrusion 270 on the bottom edge of the splash guard 250. When the butterfly valve 220 reaches the closed position, the protrusion snaps into the vent hole 260 and secures the butterfly valve 220 in the closed position.

Due to the smaller thickness of the front portion 224a of the side wall 224, and in particular the smaller extent of extension below the horizontal line, when the butterfly valve 220 is in the open position, a larger gap is provided between the inner side wall 214 and the butterfly valve 220. This enables more liquid to flow out of the cover 220.

2C and 2D illustrate details that may be included in cover 200. In both figures, it can be seen that there may be a gap between shells 204 and inner core 202 just above bend 216. In FIG2C , this gap is partially filled with a gasket or O-ring 280. In FIG2D , the gap is illustrated as being filled with a sealant 282, such as a silicone sealant.

FIG3A shows another type of lid embodying the principles of the technology disclosed herein. In this lid 300, a relatively wide outer lip 302 is not sloped, nor is a rim, which is configured with different front and rear heights to provide a drinking lip. Furthermore, lid 300 includes an internal recess or channel 304 within lip 306. This recess effectively serves as a spout.

Otherwise, the butterfly 320 and the rest of the inner core construction are constructed in a similar manner as the butterfly valve 220 and inner core 202, and therefore will not be discussed further in too much detail here.

In Figure 3B, stops 340 and 342 can be easily seen, as well as splash guard 350. Likewise, butterfly 300 is shown in perspective view, with its pivot posts 332 and 334.

Similar to butterfly valves 110 and 220, the top surface of butterfly valve member 320 may define a feature 338, such as a notch or protrusion, that allows the user to sense where the center of the top surface of butterfly valve 320 is located. Feature 338 may also provide a decorative or ornamental finish to the bottle. Because butterfly valve 320 is a single component, cleaning butterfly valve 320 and cap 300 is easy and does not require special tools. Thus, in at least one embodiment, there are no hidden cavities, unlike typical beverage bottles. Furthermore, disassembly of cap 300 for cleaning or repair is also easy for the user, as there are only two or three components, depending on whether the user removes the O-ring from butterfly valve 320.

Referring to FIG. 4 , an illustrative process 300 for assembling a drinking lid is shown. Process 300 begins at step 302 by providing a butterfly valve component having a top side, a bottom side, and a sidewall extending between the top and bottom sides. The sidewall may define a groove around the perimeter of the butterfly valve component. At step 304, an O-ring may be retained by the groove of the butterfly valve component. At step 306, the butterfly valve component may be engaged with a butterfly valve support structure. At step 308, the butterfly valve support structure may be engaged with a lid frame portion, and at step 310, the lid frame portion may be engaged with the container portion of the bottle to form a complete bottle.

When engaging the butterfly valve member with a butterfly valve support structure, a pivot point member can be inserted into the pivot point structure of the butterfly valve support structure, thereby enabling the butterfly valve member to rotate. The butterfly valve support structure can be engaged with the lid frame by pressing the butterfly valve support structure into the lid frame. Engaging the butterfly valve support structure can include aligning the butterfly valve support structure so that the butterfly valve member opens toward a sipping area below the front lip of the lid frame. The butterfly valve member can be engaged with the butterfly valve support structure by engaging the pivot point member of the butterfly valve member with the pivot point structure of the lid frame.

The foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the following claims and the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

The above description is of one or more preferred embodiments for implementing the technology disclosed herein, and the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by this description. Instead, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the following claims.

Claims (21)

1. A beverage bottle, comprising: A container portion configured to contain fluid, the container portion including an upper end and a closed lower end, wherein the upper end includes a container opening; and A lid, configured to fit into the upper end of the container portion, the lid comprising: Including the front part of the front lip and the back part of the back lip, An outer sidewall extends around the periphery of the cover between the front and rear portions and defines the cover height at the rear lip and the cover height at the front lip. An inner wall defining a periphery extending through the cap opening of the cap, allowing fluid to flow from the beverage bottle through the cap opening when the cap is partially fitted with the container. A butterfly valve, the butterfly valve including a valve sidewall defining an outer periphery of the butterfly valve, wherein the butterfly valve is seated within the cap opening such that an inner sidewall of the cap is adjacent to and extends around the valve sidewall, wherein the butterfly valve is configured to (i) seal the cap opening to prevent fluid from exiting the beverage bottle when the butterfly valve is in a closed position and (ii) unseal the cap opening to allow fluid to exit the beverage bottle along the butterfly valve when the butterfly valve is in an open position. 2. The beverage bottle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The butterfly valve includes a disc-shaped member having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein a valve sidewall extends between the top and bottom surfaces of the disc-shaped member. The butterfly valve also includes a groove extending along the valve sidewall and an O-ring deployed within and retained by the groove, such that the O-ring contacts the inner sidewall of the cap to prevent fluid from exiting the beverage bottle through the cap opening when the butterfly valve is in the closed position. 3. The beverage bottle according to claim 2, wherein the O-ring is configured to allow the butterfly valve to be placed in a variable position between the closed position and the maximum open position. 4. The beverage bottle according to claim 2, wherein the O-ring is a contrasting color to the disc-shaped component, thereby making it easy for the user to observe that the butterfly valve is in the open position. 5. The beverage bottle according to claim 2, wherein when the cap is fitted to the upper end of the container portion, the butterfly valve includes a pivot point disposed in the middle of the container opening. 6. The beverage bottle according to claim 1, wherein the cap height of the front lip is greater than the cap height of the rear lip, and wherein the butterfly valve is oriented to allow the fluid to drain from the front of the cap into the beverage bottle. 7. The beverage bottle according to claim 1, wherein the cap further includes a butterfly valve support structure, and wherein the butterfly valve is supported within the cap opening by the butterfly valve support structure. 8. The beverage bottle according to claim 7, wherein the butterfly valve comprises a pair of pivots extending outward from opposite sides of the butterfly valve, and wherein the butterfly valve support structure receives the pair of pivots such that the butterfly valve rotates from a closed position to an open position, and vice versa. 9. A bottle cap, comprising: A body comprising a front portion, a rear portion, and a periphery, the periphery being defined by an outer side wall and an inner side wall extending between the front portion and the rear portion, the inner side wall defining a periphery extending from the cap of the body of the bottle cap, wherein when the cap is engaged with a beverage bottle, fluid can flow from the beverage bottle through the cap; and A butterfly valve includes a valve sidewall defining an outer periphery of the butterfly valve, wherein the butterfly valve is seated within a cap opening such that an inner sidewall of the cap is adjacent to and extends around the valve sidewall, wherein the butterfly valve is configured to (i) seal the cap opening when the butterfly valve is in a closed position to prevent fluid from leaving the beverage bottle when the beverage bottle is attached to the cap, and (ii) unseal the cap opening when the butterfly valve is in an open position to allow fluid to leave the beverage bottle along the butterfly valve when the beverage bottle is attached to the cap. The butterfly valve is accommodated to pivotally engage the body and is pivotable between open and closed positions. 10. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body further comprises at least one pivot stop member, the at least one pivot stop member controlling the pivoting degree of the butterfly valve. 11. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body further includes a splash guard located on one side of the cap opening. 12. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 11, wherein the splash protection includes a vent hole that is exposed to the atmosphere when the butterfly valve is in the open position. 13. The bottle cap of claim 9, wherein the butterfly valve has an O-ring surrounding the valve sidewall, the O-ring providing a seal between the butterfly valve and the inner sidewall of the body when the butterfly valve is in the closed position. 14. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 9, further comprising: At least one internal pivot stop, the internal pivot stop controlling the pivoting degree of the butterfly valve; and A splash guard is located inside the opening of the cover and on one side of the opening. The main body, the at least one internal pivot stop, and the splash protection are integral components. 15. The bottle cap of claim 14, further comprising a shell housing the body, wherein the body comprises plastic and the shell comprises a metal material. 16. An assembly comprising a bottle and a cap according to claim 9. 17. A method for manufacturing a bottle cap, the method comprising: A butterfly valve component is provided, the butterfly valve component having a top side, a bottom side, and a valve sidewall extending between the top side and the bottom side, the valve sidewall defining the outer periphery of the butterfly valve; and Join the butterfly valve component to the cover frame portion; The cap frame includes an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall, the outer sidewall extending around the periphery of the cap frame, and the inner sidewall defining the periphery of a cap opening extending through the cap frame. The butterfly valve is seated within the cap opening such that the inner sidewall of the cap is adjacent to and extends around the valve sidewall. The butterfly valve is configured to (i) seal the cap opening when the butterfly valve member is in a closed position to prevent fluid from leaving the beverage bottle when the beverage bottle is attached to the cap, and (ii) unseal the cap opening when the butterfly valve member is in an open position to allow fluid to exit the beverage bottle attached to the cap along the butterfly valve member. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the butterfly valve component includes a pair of pivots extending outward from opposite sides of the butterfly valve component, and engaging the butterfly valve component with the cover frame includes engaging the pair of pivots with the cover frame. 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising retaining an O-ring within a groove in the valve sidewall, wherein the groove surrounds the outer periphery of the butterfly valve component. 20. The beverage bottle of claim 1, wherein the splash protection is located on one side of the cap opening to prevent liquid from flowing through the butterfly valve when the butterfly valve is in the open position, and wherein the splash protection includes a vent that is exposed to the atmosphere when the butterfly valve is in the open position. 21. The beverage bottle of claim 1, wherein the butterfly valve further comprises a rear valve portion and a front valve portion, wherein in the open position, the rear valve portion extends into the cap opening and at least partially through the cap opening, such that the front valve portion extends above the rear valve portion.