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US20050167437A1 - Drinking aid - Google Patents

Drinking aid Download PDF

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Publication number
US20050167437A1
US20050167437A1 US11/015,510 US1551004A US2005167437A1 US 20050167437 A1 US20050167437 A1 US 20050167437A1 US 1551004 A US1551004 A US 1551004A US 2005167437 A1 US2005167437 A1 US 2005167437A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
drinking
pressure
mouthpiece
aid according
top piece
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.)
Abandoned
Application number
US11/015,510
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Hans Struckmeier
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Novatex GmbH
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Assigned to NOVATEX GMBH reassignment NOVATEX GMBH ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: STRUCKMEIER, HANS
Publication of US20050167437A1 publication Critical patent/US20050167437A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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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

Definitions

  • the invention pertains to a drinking aid for removable attachment to a drinking vessel, especially to a drinking cup or a beverage bottle.
  • a drinking aid of the type indicated above is generally known and is frequently used to make it easier for small children, elderly people, and sick people to drink from containers.
  • the drinking aid has for this purpose a top piece, which is connected detachably to the drinking vessel.
  • a mouthpiece, through which the small child or person can suck liquid or thin nutritive broth, is formed on the top piece.
  • the mouthpiece is usually equipped with an anti-leak device in the form of a valve.
  • the task of the present invention is to improve the drinking aid of the type indicated above in such a way that the pressure inside a drinking vessel equipped with the inventive drinking aid can equalize during the drinking process itself, whereas the escape of liquid from the drinking vessel can be more-or-less completely prevented at the same time.
  • the invention accomplishes this task by means of a drinking aid with the features according to a drinking aid for removable attachment to a drinking vessel, especially to a drinking cup or a beverage bottle, with a top piece, which can be connected to the drinking vessel to form a liquid-tight seal, which top piece has a mouthpiece for drawing up the liquid and an anti-leak device for sealing the mouthpiece toward the outside, characterized in that the drinking aid has a pressure-equalization valve adjacent to the mouthpiece.
  • the inventive drinking aid is equipped not only with an anti-leak device on the mouthpiece but also with a pressure-equalization valve, by means of which the pressure inside the drinking vessel can be equalized, where the inventive drinking aid can be applied to any type of drinking vessel (cup, bottle, etc.).
  • Providing the pressure-equalization valve makes it possible for the pressure to be equalized very effectively even when the difference between the pressure in the drinking vessel and the outside pressure is very small.
  • the top piece and the mouthpiece are usually made of a soft, elastic material such as a plastic or natural rubber material.
  • the top piece of the drinking aid is preferably designed so that it can be removed from and reattached to the drinking aid.
  • the anti-leak device preferably forms a single unit with the mouthpiece and has a drinking slot, which closes by itself when not in use as a result of the natural tension of the material out of which the anti-leak device is made. As a result, the drinking slot is sealed very effectively as soon as the small child or the patient is no longer sucking on the mouthpiece.
  • the pressure-equalization valve is especially preferable for the pressure-equalization valve to be designed in the form of a dome, especially in the form of a hemispherical shell.
  • the valve preferably projects into the drinking vessel and has a valve slot. Because the dome-shaped pressure-equalization valve projects into the drinking vessel, the ambient pressure acting from the outside pretensions the dome inward, i.e., toward the interior of the drinking vessel, whenever a negative pressure is present inside the container. This pretensioning facilitates the opening of the valve slot.
  • the shape of the valve slot, the shape of the dome, and the thickness of the material it is possible to predetermine the negative pressure at which the pressure-equalization valve will open and vent the drinking vessel.
  • the closing behavior of the anti-leak device and the closing behavior of the pressure-equalization valve are coordinated with each other in such a way that a slight negative pressure remains in the drinking vessel even after the pressure has equalized.
  • the anti-leak device will close reliably, and no liquid will drip out of the mouthpiece after use.
  • the inventive drinking aid has a cap which can be removably attached to the drinking vessel and which at least partially encloses the top piece. After it has been attached to the container, this cap pretensions the top piece against the edge of the opening of the drinking vessel to form a liquid-tight seal.
  • the cap it is especially advantageous for the cap to cover the top piece completely and to have a spout, into which the mouthpiece is inserted.
  • the mouthpiece which is usually made of an elastic material, is protected from the teeth of the small child and will accordingly have a longer life-span.
  • an outward-projecting sealing section to be formed on the mouthpiece, which sealing section rests under pretension against the inside wall of the spout to from a seal.
  • the remaining liquid running down the mouthpiece cannot get between the cap and the top piece.
  • air is prevented from being drawn in through the gap between the outside surface of the mouthpiece and the inside surface of the spout.
  • FIG. 1 shows a partial, cross-sectional side view of a first exemplary embodiment of an inventive drinking aid, which is removably attached to a beverage bottle;
  • FIG. 2 shows a top view of the threaded cap of the inventive drinking aid according to FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional side view of the top piece
  • FIG. 4 shows a top view of the top piece according to FIG. 3 ;
  • FIG. 5 shows a partial, cross-sectional side view of a second exemplary embodiment of an inventive drinking aid with a mouthpiece, which is removably attached to a beverage bottle.
  • FIG. 1 shows a partial, cross-sectional side view of a first exemplary embodiment of an inventive drinking aid 10 , which is removably attached to a beverage bottle 12 , serving as a drinking vessel.
  • the drinking aid 10 has a top piece 14 , made of an elastic grade of plastic or of a rubber material, which is attached removably by means of a threaded cap 16 to the beverage bottle 12 .
  • the top piece 14 is designed with a mouthpiece 18 , which is oval in cross section (see FIG. 2 ).
  • the mouthpiece merges into the flat side of the top piece 14 , which rests on the beverage bottle 12 .
  • the free end of the mouthpiece 18 projecting from the beverage bottle 12 is closed by an anti-leak device 20 in the form of a membrane, which forms a concave recess 22 in the mouthpiece 18 .
  • an anti-leak device 20 in the form of a membrane, which forms a concave recess 22 in the mouthpiece 18 .
  • a drinking slot 24 is provided, which opens when suction is applied to the mouthpiece 18 and which closes again afterwards through the natural elasticity of the material of the anti-leak device 20 , as long as the negative pressure produced by sucking on the mouthpiece 18 is not too strong. The escape of liquid from the beverage bottle 12 is thus effectively prevented.
  • An inward-projecting pressure-equalization valve 26 in the form of a hemispherical shell 28 is provided on the bottom surface of the top piece 14 , adjacent to the opening in the mouthpiece 18 .
  • the pressure-equalization valve 26 has a valve slot 30 , by means of which negative pressure in the interior of the beverage bottle 12 can be equalized whenever suction is applied to the mouthpiece 18 .
  • the closing behavior of the drinking slot 24 of the anti-leak device 20 and the closing behavior of the valve slot 30 of the pressure-equalization valve ( 26 ) are coordinated with each other in such a way that, after the pressure has equalized, there is still a slight negative pressure in the beverage bottle 12 , which prevents liquid from dripping out of the drinking slot 24 .
  • the threaded cap 16 has a cover 32 , which almost completely covers the flat surface of the top piece 14 .
  • a spout 34 into which the mouthpiece 18 of the top piece 14 is inserted, projects upward from the cover 32 , the end of the mouthpiece 18 being more-or-less flush with the open end of the spout 34 .
  • a circumferential sealing section 36 is provided on the outside surface of the mouthpiece 18 , which section rests under pretension against the inside surface of the spout 34 .
  • a pressure-equalization opening 38 is provided in the cover 32 . After the threaded cap 16 has been attached to the beverage bottle 12 , this opening is aligned with the pressure-equalization valve 26 . Air can thus enter through the pressure-equalization valve 26 and resupply the interior of the beverage bottle 12 .
  • a sealing surface 40 is provided on the bottom part of the top piece 14 .
  • this sealing surface comes to rest in a fluid-tight manner against the top end of the beverage bottle 12 , i.e., against the edge which forms the boundary around the opening of the beverage bottle 12 .
  • FIG. 5 shows a modified embodiment of the drinking aid 10 according to the invention.
  • the threaded cap 16 ′ is not equipped with a spout 34 .
  • the threaded cap 16 ′ serves here only to attach the top piece 14 to the beverage bottle 12 .
  • the liquid is taken up only through the soft mouthpiece 18 of the top piece 14 .
  • the drinking slot opens under the effect of the negative pressure in the mouth, as a result of which liquid flows out of the beverage bottle 12 into the mouth.
  • the negative pressure produced inside the beverage bottle 12 as a result of the decrease in the volume of liquid is equalized from the outside by way of the pressure-equalization opening 38 and the valve slot 30 of the pressure-equalization valve 26 even if the pressure differences are very small.
  • a drinking aid 10 with a high level of functionality is obtained as a result of the special design of the pressure-equalization valve 26 in the form of a hemispherical shell 28 , which offers both a highly effective sealing properties against the escape of liquid and good pressure-equalizing behavior.
  • the coordination between the drinking slot 24 and the valve slot 30 a slight residual vacuum or slight negative pressure remains in the beverage bottle 12 , as a result of which liquid is prevented from leaking out of the beverage bottle 12 .

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Pediatric Medicine (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
US11/015,510 2003-12-17 2004-12-17 Drinking aid Abandoned US20050167437A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE20319637.6 2003-12-17
DE20319637U DE20319637U1 (de) 2003-12-17 2003-12-17 Trinkhilfe

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20050167437A1 true US20050167437A1 (en) 2005-08-04

Family

ID=31984861

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/015,510 Abandoned US20050167437A1 (en) 2003-12-17 2004-12-17 Drinking aid

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US20050167437A1 (de)
EP (1) EP1543751A1 (de)
DE (1) DE20319637U1 (de)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20060261064A1 (en) * 2005-05-17 2006-11-23 Insta-Mix, Inc., Subsidiary A (Dba Umix, Inc.) Non-spill container with flow control structure including baffle and elastic membrane having normally-closed pinholes
US20090250461A1 (en) * 2008-04-04 2009-10-08 Yves Syrkos Liquid container
US20100294772A1 (en) * 2006-03-28 2010-11-25 Barry Edward Fred Judge Closures
WO2012036745A3 (en) * 2010-09-16 2012-05-10 Hakim Nouri E No-spill drinking products
WO2012092643A1 (en) * 2011-01-07 2012-07-12 Roux Gabriel Hendrik Geriatric cup feeder and method of use
USD725434S1 (en) 2012-11-20 2015-03-31 Dart Industries Inc. Flip-top straw tumbler
CN104887013A (zh) * 2015-06-26 2015-09-09 广西大学 负压防漏水杯
US20170251850A1 (en) * 2016-03-03 2017-09-07 Ignite Usa, Llc No-spill drinking container
WO2023049766A1 (en) * 2021-09-21 2023-03-30 The Coleman Company, Inc. Spill-resistant tumbler

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102007048732A1 (de) 2007-10-11 2009-04-16 Matthias Szelersky Trinkhilfe
DE102009047449B4 (de) * 2009-12-03 2011-09-01 Christoph Protte Aufsetzeinheit für Getränkeflaschen

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6050445A (en) * 1998-02-06 2000-04-18 Playtex Products, Inc. Leak-proof cup assembly with flow control element
US6102245A (en) * 1992-04-07 2000-08-15 Haberman; Mandy Nicola Drinking vessel with valve
US6230923B1 (en) * 2000-09-01 2001-05-15 Lineo Baby Merchandise Work's Co., Ltd. Drinking bottle provided with a flexible liquid-sucking member adapted to serve as a drinking straw
US6321931B1 (en) * 1997-08-21 2001-11-27 Nouri E. Hakim No-spill drinking cup apparatus
US6607092B2 (en) * 1998-02-06 2003-08-19 Playtex Products, Inc. Cup assembly with retaining mechanism

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0838184A1 (de) * 1996-10-25 1998-04-29 Robbins, Edward S. III Trinkbecher und Deckel mit Strömungsregulierenden Elementen

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6102245A (en) * 1992-04-07 2000-08-15 Haberman; Mandy Nicola Drinking vessel with valve
US6321931B1 (en) * 1997-08-21 2001-11-27 Nouri E. Hakim No-spill drinking cup apparatus
US6050445A (en) * 1998-02-06 2000-04-18 Playtex Products, Inc. Leak-proof cup assembly with flow control element
US6422415B1 (en) * 1998-02-06 2002-07-23 Playtex Products, Inc. Leak-proof cup assembly with flow control element
US6607092B2 (en) * 1998-02-06 2003-08-19 Playtex Products, Inc. Cup assembly with retaining mechanism
US6230923B1 (en) * 2000-09-01 2001-05-15 Lineo Baby Merchandise Work's Co., Ltd. Drinking bottle provided with a flexible liquid-sucking member adapted to serve as a drinking straw

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20060261064A1 (en) * 2005-05-17 2006-11-23 Insta-Mix, Inc., Subsidiary A (Dba Umix, Inc.) Non-spill container with flow control structure including baffle and elastic membrane having normally-closed pinholes
US20070051727A1 (en) * 2005-05-17 2007-03-08 Insta-Mix, Inc., Subsidiary A (Dba Umix, Inc.) Beverage Container With Integral Flow Control Member Having Vent And Outlet Pinhole Membranes And Safety Button
US20100294772A1 (en) * 2006-03-28 2010-11-25 Barry Edward Fred Judge Closures
US20090250461A1 (en) * 2008-04-04 2009-10-08 Yves Syrkos Liquid container
US9555938B2 (en) 2008-04-04 2017-01-31 Quebec Inc./Syrkoss Liquid container
WO2012036745A3 (en) * 2010-09-16 2012-05-10 Hakim Nouri E No-spill drinking products
US20140299613A1 (en) * 2011-01-07 2014-10-09 Gabriel Roux Geriatric Cup Feeder and Method of Use
JP2014509212A (ja) * 2011-01-07 2014-04-17 ヘンドリック ルー，ガブリエル 老人用カップフィーダおよび使用方法
CN103547193A (zh) * 2011-01-07 2014-01-29 盖布里埃尔·亨德里克·鲁 老人喂杯与使用方法
US20160045046A1 (en) * 2011-01-07 2016-02-18 Gabriel Hendrik Roux Geriatric Cup Feeder and Method of Use
AU2011354495B2 (en) * 2011-01-07 2016-05-05 Gabriel Hendrik ROUX Geriatric cup feeder and method of use
CN103547193B (zh) * 2011-01-07 2016-07-13 盖布里埃尔·亨德里克·鲁 老人喂杯与使用方法
WO2012092643A1 (en) * 2011-01-07 2012-07-12 Roux Gabriel Hendrik Geriatric cup feeder and method of use
USD725434S1 (en) 2012-11-20 2015-03-31 Dart Industries Inc. Flip-top straw tumbler
CN104887013A (zh) * 2015-06-26 2015-09-09 广西大学 负压防漏水杯
US20170251850A1 (en) * 2016-03-03 2017-09-07 Ignite Usa, Llc No-spill drinking container
US10420433B2 (en) * 2016-03-03 2019-09-24 Ignite Usa, Llc No-spill drinking container
WO2023049766A1 (en) * 2021-09-21 2023-03-30 The Coleman Company, Inc. Spill-resistant tumbler

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE20319637U1 (de) 2004-03-04
EP1543751A1 (de) 2005-06-22

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: NOVATEX GMBH, GERMANY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:STRUCKMEIER, HANS;REEL/FRAME:016459/0038

Effective date: 20050322

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION