U.S. patent application number 11/028877 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-02 for travel beverage container.
Invention is credited to Burns, Clay, Dibdin, Steven, Escobar, Juan.
Application Number | 20050115977 11/028877 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34619722 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050115977 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dibdin, Steven ; et
al. |
June 2, 2005 |
Travel beverage container
Abstract
A beverage container has a thermally insulated base defining a
reservoir and a cover assembly removably mountable on the base for
closing the reservoir. The cover assembly includes a cap defining a
recess open to ambient and defines a baffled passage between the
recess and the reservoir closeable by a valve assembly including a
toggle mechanism actuatable by a push button disposed centrally of
the cap and spaced from the recess, for alternately latching the
valve in closed and open conditions relative to the passage. The
valve assembly includes a gasketed movable valve member engageable
with a rigid sharp edge on a valve seat in the closed condition so
that the gasket yieldably deforms around the sharp edge to provide
a fluid-tight seal.
Inventors: |
Dibdin, Steven; (Brooklyn,
NY) ; Burns, Clay; (New York, NY) ; Escobar,
Juan; (New York, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SEYFARTH SHAW LLP
Suite 4200
55 East Monroe Street
Chicago
IL
60603-5803
US
|
Family ID: |
34619722 |
Appl. No.: |
11/028877 |
Filed: |
January 5, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11028877 |
Jan 5, 2005 |
|
|
|
10633799 |
Aug 4, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/714 ;
220/254.1; 222/509; 222/518 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 19/2272
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/714 ;
220/254.1; 222/518; 222/509 |
International
Class: |
A47G 019/22 |
Claims
1-10. (canceled)
11. A beverage container comprising: a base defining a
beverage-containing reservoir, a cover assembly removably mountable
on the base for closing the reservoir, the cover assembly defining
a passage for providing communication between the reservoir and
ambient, and a valve assembly carried by the cover assembly and
having a valve seat and a valve member movable between a closed
condition closing the passage and an open condition opening the
passage, one of the valve seat and the valve member including a
relatively soft flexible and resilient gasket, another of the valve
seat and the valve member including a rigid sharp edge which
engages the gasket in the closed condition of the valve member so
that the gasket yieldably deforms around the sharp edge for
providing a fluid-tight seal.
12. The container of claim 11, wherein the gasket is included on
the valve member and the sharp edge is disposed on the valve
seat.
13. The container of claim 12, wherein the container has a central
axis, the valve member moving axially of the container between its
open and closed conditions.
14. The container of claim 13, wherein the valve member moves
toward the reservoir in moving from its closed condition to its
open condition.
15. The container of claim 11, wherein the cover assembly is
threadedly engageable with the base.
16. The container of claim 15, and further comprising a cover
gasket disposed between the cover assembly and the base and
engageable with both to provide a fluid-tight seal
therebetween.
17. The container of claim 11, wherein the base includes a
reservoir portion and an annular neck portion which is snap-fitted
onto the reservoir portion.
18-22. (canceled)
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] This application relates to insulated containers provided
with removable covers and, more specifically, to such containers
for containing beverages.
[0002] In recent years, lidded beverage containers, commonly
referred to as "travel cups" or "travel mugs", have become quite
popular for use in vehicles or in other applications where the user
is in motion. These containers are typically thermally insulated to
maintain the temperature of hot or cold beverages, and may be
provided with removable covers or lids, which are designed to
permit drinking from the vessel while, at the same time, inhibiting
accidental spillage of the type which might result from the
sloshing of the contents, as during motion of an automotive vehicle
or the like.
[0003] A number of these travel containers are provided with some
type of valve mechanism which can be closed to prevent removal of
contents through the lid. Some of these containers have automatic
valve mechanisms designed to actuate, such as when the container is
tipped over or inverted, to prevent the accidental flow of contents
therefrom. Others have manually-operated valve mechanisms which may
be opened to permit the user to drink beverage from the container
and may be closed when not in use. One such latter device has a
cover assembly with a large bowl-shaped recess at the upper end,
provided at the center thereof with a large opening which receives
a push button for actuation of a valve. The valve is of the toggle
type, so that alternate pushes of the push button respectively
latch the valve in open and closed conditions. A disadvantage of
this arrangement is that, when the valve is open, beverage flows
over the push button so that the user must operate a wet push
button to close the valve.
[0004] A difficulty with many valved cover assemblies is leakage
when the valve is in the closed condition. Another difficulty with
many of these prior travel containers is that contents can flow
very rapidly from a discharge opening when in use, which may cause
accidental spillage, particularly when the user is drinking from
the vessel in a moving vehicle subject to unexpected jarring and
bouncing. This could be dangerous, particularly if the beverage is
very hot.
SUMMARY
[0005] There is disclosed in this application a travel container
for beverages which avoids the disadvantages of prior containers,
while affording additional structural and operating advantages.
[0006] An aspect of the disclosed container is that it provides a
manually-actuated valve assembly arranged so that, in use, the
manual actuation device does not come in contact with dispensed
beverage.
[0007] Another aspect is the provision of a valved container which
provides an effective fluid-tight seal in the closed condition.
[0008] A still further aspect is the provision of a container which
provides a baffled discharge passage to inhibit rapid flow of
beverage therethrough.
[0009] In particular, there is disclosed a beverage container
comprising: a base defining a beverage-containing reservoir, and a
cover assembly removably mountable on the base for closing the
reservoir, the cover assembly including a cap defining a recess
open to ambient, the cap having an aperture therethrough spaced
from the recess, the cover assembly defining a drain/drink passage
communicating with the recess, the cover assembly including a valve
assembly movable between an open condition providing communication
between the reservoir and the passage and a closed condition
sealing the passage from the reservoir, the valve assembly
including a manually operated actuator mechanism accessible through
the aperture.
[0010] There is also disclosed a beverage container comprising: a
base defining a beverage-containing reservoir, a cover assembly
removably mountable on the base for closing the reservoir, the
cover assembly defining a passage for providing communication
between the reservoir and ambient, and a valve assembly carried by
the cover assembly and having a valve seat and a valve member
movable between a closed condition closing the passage and an open
condition opening the passage, one of the valve seat and the valve
member including a relatively soft flexible and resilient gasket,
another of the valve seat and the valve member including a rigid
sharp edge which engages the gasket in the closed condition of the
valve member so that the gasket yieldably deforms around the sharp
edge for providing a fluid-tight seal.
[0011] There is also disclosed a beverage container comprising: a
base defining a beverage-containing reservoir, and a cover assembly
removably mountable on the base for closing the reservoir, the
cover assembly defining a passage therethrough for providing
communication between the reservoir and ambient, the cover assembly
including baffle structure disposed in the passage for inhibiting
rapid flow of beverage from the reservoir through the passage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the
subject matter sought to be protected, there is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings an embodiment thereof, from an inspection of
which, when considered in connection with the following
description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its
construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be
readily understood and appreciated.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of
beverage container;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the beverage
container of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the beverage
container of FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 4 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of the
beverage container of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along
lines 5-5 in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a further enlarged, fragmentary view of the upper
portion of FIG. 5;
[0019] FIG. 7 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the cap of the
container of FIG. 4;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken generally along the line
8-8 in FIG. 7;
[0021] FIG. 9 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the cover assembly
base of the container of FIG. 4;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken generally along the line
10-10 in FIG. 9;
[0023] FIG. 11 is an enlarged, top plan view of the cover assembly
top of the container of FIG. 4;
[0024] FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view of the cover assembly top of
FIG. 11;
[0025] FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken generally along the line
13-13 in FIG. 12;
[0026] FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken generally along the line
14-14 in FIG. 12; and
[0027] FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of another
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1-5, there is illustrated a beverage
container, generally designated by the numeral 20, having an
insulated base 21 including a generally cup-shaped inner wall 22
(FIG. 5) terminating at an upper rim 23 provided with a radially
outwardly projecting circumferential rib 24. The base 21 also
includes a generally cup-shaped outer wall 25 provided adjacent to
its upper end with a radially inwardly projecting annular shoulder
26, integral at its inner end with an upstanding substantially
cylindrical flange 27, which is fixedly secured to the outer
surface of the inner wall 22, as by welding. The inner and outer
walls 22 and 25 may be formed of metal, such as stainless steel,
and are spaced apart for cooperation to define therebetween a
thermally insulating vacuum space 28. Secured to the bottom of the
outer wall 25 by suitable means is a base pedestal 29.
[0029] The base 21 is provided at its upper end with a neck portion
30 including a generally cylindrical wall 31, which may be formed
of a suitable plastic material and is provided along its inner
surface with a circumferential groove 32 (FIG. 5) for receiving
therein, in snap-fitted engagement, the circumferential rib 24 of
the base inner wall 22. The wall 31 is also provided with an inner
annular flange 33 which cooperates with the wall 31 to define
therebetween an annular slot 34, which receives the upper edge of
the inner wall 22 and an annular gasket 35. Projecting upwardly
from the upper end of the wall 31 is a cylindrical lip 36, provided
with an internal thread 37. An annular shoulder 38 is formed in the
outer surface of the wall 31 at the base of the lip 36. A grip
sheath 39 formed of a suitable elastomeric material may be over
molded on the outer surface of the wall 31 and along the shoulder
38 so that, in assembly, its outer surface is substantially flush
with the outer surface of the base outer wall 25. It can be seen
that the base 21 defines therein a beverage containing reservoir
39a (FIG. 5).
[0030] The beverage container 20 also includes a removable cover
assembly 40 made up of a bottom 41, a top 60, a valve assembly 75,
an actuator assembly 90 and a cap 110. Referring to FIGS. 4, 6, 9
and 10, the bottom 41 may be of unitary, one-piece, molded plastic
construction, and includes an outer cylindrical sidewall 42
provided with an external thread 43, an intermediate cylindrical
wall 44 joined to the outer cylindrical sidewall 42 by an annular
bottom wall 45 and by a plurality of equiangularly spaced-apart
radial webs 46, and an inner cylindrical wall 47 joined to the
intermediate cylindrical wall 44 by an annular top wall 48. The
inner cylindrical wall 47 is closed at its lower end by a bottom
wall 49 having a circular central aperture 50 formed therethrough,
the upper or inner end of which is surrounded by an annular recess
51. The lower end of the intermediate cylindrical wall 44 defines a
valve seat 52 in the form of a rigid circular edge, as will be
explained more fully below. The intermediate and inner cylindrical
walls 44 and 47 and the top wall 48 cooperate to define an
open-bottom annular chamber 53. A vent hole 54 is formed in the top
wall 48 adjacent to the intermediate cylindrical wall 44 and
communicates with the chamber 53. Also, communicating with the
chamber 53 is a generally semicircular-shaped discharge opening 55
formed in the top wall 48 substantially diametrically opposite the
vent hole 54. Integral with the outer cylindrical sidewall 42 at
its upper end and extending laterally outwardly therefrom is an
annular flange 56 provided with an upstanding annular rib 57 spaced
radially inwardly a slight distance from the outer edge of the
flange 56 for cooperation therewith to define an annular shoulder
58. A notch 59 is formed in the upper end of one of the webs 46
adjacent to the discharge opening 55.
[0031] Referring to FIGS. 4, 6 and 11-14, the top 60 may be of
unitary, one-piece, molded plastic construction and includes a
substantially circular base wall 61. Depending from the base wall
61 adjacent to its outer edge at two diametrically opposed
locations are two pairs of wall structures 62, each of which is
generally trapezoidal in shape and has an open bottom, the wall
structures 62 being respectively receivable, in assembly, in
corresponding compartments defined in the bottom 41 between the
intermediate and outer sidewalls 44 and 42 and between adjacent
radial webs 46. A central, generally circular opening 63 is formed
through the base wall 61 and is encircled by a depending
cylindrical hub 64 having four equiangularly spaced-apart grooves
65 formed in the inner surface thereof and communicating with the
opening 63 and terminating at a shoulder 65a intermediate the ends
of the hub 64. Surrounding the upper end of the opening 63 and
upstanding from the base wall 61 is an oval-shaped turret 66. A
vent opening 67 is formed through the base wall 61, radially
approximately midway between the opening 63 and the outer edge of
the base wall 61, and is surrounded by an upstanding peripheral
cylindrical wall 68. Depending from the base wall 61 at a location
diametrically opposite the vent opening 67 is a generally
rectangular tab 69. A generally semicircular-shaped discharge
opening 70 is formed through the base wall 61 between the tab 69
and the central opening 63. A generally rectangular baffle wall 71
is upstanding from the base wall 61 along the radially outer edge
of the discharge opening 70. An oblong upstanding peripheral wall
72 encircles the discharge opening 70, the baffle wall 71 and
adjacent portions of the upper surface of the base wall 61. The
outer edge of the base wall 61 is under cut along its underside to
define an annular shoulder 73.
[0032] Referring in particular to FIGS. 4 and 6, the valve assembly
75 includes the valve seat 52 of the bottom 41, described above,
and a movable valve member 80. The valve member 80 may be of
unitary, one-piece, molded plastic construction and includes a
circular base 81 having an annular groove 82 formed in the bottom
thereof and having an annular peripheral groove 83 formed in the
sidewall thereof. An elastomeric gasket 84 is received in the
groove 83 and projects laterally outwardly a slight distance
therebeyond. Preferably, the base 81 along the upper side of the
groove 83 has a diameter slight less than the portion thereof along
the bottom of the groove 83 to provide clearance for the gasket 84
to engage the valve seat 52, as can best be seen in FIG. 6 and as
will be explained more fully below. Upstanding from the base 81 is
a generally cylindrical wall 85 and a central hollow cylindrical
post 86 which projects upwardly well beyond the upper edge of the
wall 85 and is provided with a distal end opening 87.
[0033] In assembly, after the bottom 41 and the top 60 have been
assembled together, the post 86 of the valve member 80 is fitted
upwardly through the central aperture 50 in the bottom 41 and the
central opening 63 of the top 60, with the cylindrical wall 85
being received in the annular chamber 53, as can best be seen in
FIG. 6.
[0034] The valve member 80 is disposed for operation by an actuator
assembly 90, which includes a gasket 91 seated in the annular
recess 51 of the bottom 41 for fluid-tight sealing engagement with
the outer surface of the valve member post 86. An annular plastic
seat 92 is disposed on the gasket 91 for seating the lower end of a
helical compression spring 93, which encircles the post 86. Engaged
with the upper end of the spring 93 is a spinner 94, which may be
of one-piece, molded plastic construction. The spinner 94 has four
equiangularly spaced-apart, laterally outwardly projecting arms 95,
respectively disposable in the grooves 65 of the top 60, each arm
95 being provided at its upper end with an angled cam follower
surface 96. The actuator assembly 90 also includes a pusher 100,
which may be of molded, one-piece plastic construction, and
includes a generally cylindrical hub 101 provided with a plurality
of equiangularly spaced-apart, and longitudinally extending
external ribs 102, which are respectively disposable in the grooves
65 of the top 60. The hub 101 is provided at its lower end with
eight circumferentially spaced, inclined cam surfaces 103,
alternate ones of which are disposed for camming engagement with
the cam following surfaces 96 of the spinner 94. The hub 101 is
integral at its upper with a laterally outwardly projecting oval
flange 104 having a central aperture 105 formed therein. The hub
101 is hollow and fits down over the upper end of the valve member
post 86, being secured thereto by a screw 106 which extends through
the aperture 105 and threadedly engages in the opening 87 of the
post 86. An oval button 107 overlies the flange 104 and has stakes
108 which may be pressed fitted in openings in the flange 104 for
securing the button 107 in place, the flange 104 being shaped and
dimensioned to be matably received in the oval turret 66 of the top
60. The button 107 may be provided with an elastomeric overmold
109.
[0035] The actuator assembly 90 is a known type of toggle mechanism
which latches the valve member 80 alternately in open and closed
conditions with alternate depressions of the pusher 100. Referring
to FIG. 6, if the valve assembly 75 is assumed to be in normal
closed condition, as illustrated, with the gasket 84 in sealing
engagement with the valve seat 52, the button 107 will project a
slight distance upwardly above the upper end of the oval turret 66,
the valve assembly 75 being resiliently held in this closed
condition by the spring 93. When the button 107 is depressed, the
pusher 100 and the valve member 80 both move downwardly, pushing
the spinner 94 downwardly until it clears the lower ends of the
grooves 65 in the top hub 64, whereupon the camming engagement of
the cam surfaces 103 with the cam follower surfaces 96 rotates the
spinner 94 45.degree., bringing its arms 95 out of alignment with
the grooves 65, so that when the button 107 is released, the spring
93 cannot return the spinner 94 to its original position and it is
stopped against shoulder 65a in the hub 64, thereby holding the
valve member 80 in an open condition, with the gasket 84 spaced
from the valve seat 52 to allow the flow of beverage therebetween
into the annular chamber 53. The next time the pusher 100 is
depressed the spinner is rotated another 45.degree., bringing its
arms 95 back into alignment with the grooves 65 so that, when the
button 107 is released, the spinner can return to its original
position, allowing the valve to close.
[0036] Referring also to FIGS. 7 and 8, the cover assembly 40
includes a cap 110, which may be of one-piece, molded plastic
construction and has a generally cylindrical peripheral sidewall
111 having a sloping upper edge 112 and being closed at its upper
end by a concave upper wall 113 having a deep recess 114 formed
therein at one side thereof and open to ambient. Formed through the
upper wall 113 centrally thereof is a large oval aperture 115
bounded by a depending oval skirt wall 116 dimensioned to receive
therein the oval turret 66 of the top 60. Formed through the top
wall 113 at the lowermost point of the deep recess 114 is a
generally kidney-shaped drain/drink opening 117 bounded by a
depending skirt wall 118 dimensioned to fit matably inside the
peripheral wall 72 of the top 60. Also formed through the upper
wall 113 on the side thereof diametrically opposite the drain/drink
opening 117 is a vent opening 119 defined by depending vent tube
joined to the skirt wall 116 and to the peripheral wall 111 by a
radially extending stiffening web 120. The peripheral sidewall 111
has a reduced-thickness lower end for forming an annular shoulder
121 on the inner surface thereof (FIG. 8). The vent opening 119 is
surrounded by a vent channel 123 which is formed in the upper
surface of the upper wall 113 and extends from vent opening 119 to
the adjacent side edge of the cap 110.
[0037] In assembly, the base inner wall 22 and outer wall 25 are
welded together at the flange 27 and a vacuum is pulled from the
space therebetween at the bottom and closed off with the base
pedestal 29. The plastic, internally threaded neck portion 30 with
the gasket 35 is then snapped over the circumferential rib 24 of
the base 21, after being overmolded with the sheath 39 to provide a
good grip.
[0038] In assembling the cover assembly 40, the top 60 is fitted
over the bottom 41, with the discharge opening 70 substantially
aligned with the discharge opening 55, and with the vent opening 67
aligned with the vent hole 54, and with the wall structures 62
respectively received in adjacent ones of the cavities formed
between adjacent radial webs 46. As can best be seen in FIG. 6, the
shoulder 73 of the top 60 is seated on a complementary shoulder on
the bottom 41, the cylindrical hub 64 is received coaxially within
the inner cylindrical wall 47 of the bottom 41 in engagement with
the bottom wall 49, the tab 69 is received in the notch 59, and the
parts are then ultrasonically welded together. Then the cap 110 is
fitted over the top 60, with the oval turret 66 of the top 60
fitted up inside the skirt wall 116 of the cap 110, and with the
lower ends of the vent tube 119 and the skirt wall 118 respectively
fitted inside the vent opening peripheral wall 68 and the discharge
opening peripheral wall 72 of the top 60, with the shoulder 58 of
the bottom 41 seated against the shoulder 121 of the cap 110, and
with the bottom rib 57 fitted up along the inner surface of the cap
peripheral wall 111 above the shoulder 121. Then the cap 110 is
ultrasonically welded to the bottom 41 and the top 60. An
elastomeric gasket 124 is then fitted over the outer cylindrical
side wall 42 of the bottom 41 and seated against the flange 56 (see
FIGS. 4 and 6).
[0039] Next, the valve member 80, with its gasket 84, is inserted
into the bottom 41 from the bottom thereof, as was explained above,
with the post 86 extending up through the aligned openings 50 and
63 of the bottom and top, respectively. The wiper gasket 91, spring
seat 92, spring 93, spinner 94 and pusher 100 are then inserted
into the top oval turret 66 through the cap aperture 115 in the
order mentioned, with the spinner arms 95 and the pusher ribs 102
respectively disposed in the grooves 65 of the top cylindrical hub
64. The pusher 100 is then screwed to the valve member post 86
using the screw 106, as explained above. The button 107 with its
overmold 109 is then press fitted onto the oval flange 104 of the
pusher 100, as explained above, to complete the assembly.
[0040] In operation, after filling the reservoir 39a with beverage,
the cover assembly 40 is mounted on the base 21, the bottom 41 of
the cover assembly 40 being threadedly engaged with the lip 36 of
the base 21 until the gasket 124 sealingly engages the upper end of
the lip 36, the gasket 124 yieldably deforming over the upper end
of the lip 36 to provide a good fluid-tight seal. Then, the valve
assembly 75 can be toggled between open and closed conditions
utilizing the actuator assembly 90, in the manner described above.
When the valve member 80 is in its closed condition, illustrated in
FIG. 6, the gasket 84 deforms around the sharp edge of the valve
seat 52 to provide a good fluid-tight seal.
[0041] When the valve assembly 75 is open, beverage in the
reservoir 39a may flow into the annular chamber 53 in the bottom 41
between the valve member 80 and the valve seat 52 when the beverage
container 20 is tilted, in a known manner. In this regard, it will
be appreciated that the annular chamber 53, which forms a generally
horizontally disposed chamber, cooperates with the discharge
openings 55 and 70 and the skirt wall 118 and the drain/drink
opening 117 to form a drain/drink or discharge passage through the
cover assembly 40 from the reservoir 39a to the drain/drink opening
117. The aligned discharge openings 55 and 70, the depending skirt
wall 118 of the cap 110 and the drain/drink opening 117 cooperate
to form an upright chamber of the discharge passage with inlet
(opening 70) and outlet (opening 117) laterally offset from each
other and separated by the baffle wall 71. It will also be
appreciated that the aligned vent hole 54 and vent openings 67 and
119 provide communication between the reservoir 39a and ambient
when the valve assembly 75 is open, to facilitate discharge of
beverage through the discharge passage. Because of the convoluted
discharge passage going from generally horizontal to upright
chambers, the latter having laterally offset inlet and outlet and
being provided with a baffle wall 71, the rapid discharge of
beverage is inhibited so as to minimize the chance of spillage in
use. The sloping upper edge 112 of the cap 110 cooperates with the
deep recess 114 to form a raised lip 125 (see FIG. 5) which can be
received in the user's mouth to facilitate flow of beverage through
the drain/drink opening 117 into the user's mouth, while minimizing
risk of spillage. It will be noted that the button 107 of the
actuator assembly 90 is spaced from the deep recess 114 so that it
does not come in contact with discharged beverage in use. Also, it
will be noted that the vent channel 123 of the cap 110 tends to
drain away from the button 107 any beverage which might
accidentally be discharged through the vent opening 119 when the
valve assembly 75 is open.
[0042] Referring to FIG. 15, there is illustrated an alternative
embodiment of beverage container, generally designated by the
numeral 20A, which is substantially identical to the beverage
container 20 described above, with the following exceptions. The
beverage container 20A has a valve member 80A having a base 81A
which slopes downwardly and laterally outwardly from a central
region, and in which the cylindrical wall 85 (FIG. 6) has been
removed. This prevents collection of liquid on the valve member
base and permits easy drainage therefrom. Because of the resulting
lowered position of the gasket 84, the rigid edge 52 forming the
valve seat has been formed at the bottom of a cylindrical flange
52A depending from the annular bottom wall 45.
[0043] From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been
provided an improved travel beverage container which includes an
effective fluid-tight valve assembly which is push button-actuated,
wherein the actuator mechanism is isolated from contact with
discharged beverage, and providing a discharge passage which
inhibits unduly rapid discharge of beverage in use.
[0044] The matter set forth in the foregoing description and
accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and
not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown
and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the
broader aspects of applicants' contribution. The actual scope of
the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following
claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior
art.
* * * * *