U.S. patent application number 11/994413 was filed with the patent office on 2010-05-27 for drinking support system.
Invention is credited to Amit Ben-Sasson.
Application Number | 20100127004 11/994413 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37604880 |
Filed Date | 2010-05-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100127004 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ben-Sasson; Amit |
May 27, 2010 |
DRINKING SUPPORT SYSTEM
Abstract
A drinking support system for delivering liquid to an individual
in which one or more bottles are each connected through a sealing
cap using a tube to the individual on demand. The cap is elastic
and contains sealing and anchoring elements to matches a variety of
respective sealing surfaces. Through the cap a tube is inserted,
mechanically supported by a conical support.
Inventors: |
Ben-Sasson; Amit; (Kohav
Michael, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YORAM TSIVION
P.O. BOX 1307
PARDES HANNA
37111
IL
|
Family ID: |
37604880 |
Appl. No.: |
11/994413 |
Filed: |
July 2, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
July 2, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IL06/00765 |
371 Date: |
January 1, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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60695426 |
Jul 1, 2005 |
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60698497 |
Jul 13, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/703 ;
220/737 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 19/2222 20130101;
A47G 21/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/703 ;
220/737 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/22 20060101
A47G019/22; B65D 25/00 20060101 B65D025/00 |
Claims
1. A drinking support system for delivering liquid to an
individual, said system comprising: at least one liquid reservoir;
an elastic cap for sealing said reservoir, wherein said cap
comprises: at least one sealing and anchoring element at least one
of which matches respective at least one sealing surface of said at
least one reservoir; a passage for a drinking tube; a tube for
delivering liquid from said reservoir to said individual, and a
physical conical support for said drinking tube wherein said
support is attached at its base to a platform.
2. A drinking support system as in claim 1 wherein said liquid
reservoir is a narrow bottlenecked bottle.
3. A drinking support system as in claim 1 wherein said liquid
reservoir is a wide bottlenecked bottle.
4. An elastic cap for sealing a container of liquids wherein said
cap is capable of being sealingly engaged with at least one sealing
region of said container.
5. A cap for sealing a container of liquids as in claim 4 wherein
said cap is sealingly engaged with six lateral and one horizontal
sealing regions of said container, and wherein said container is a
drink bottle.
6. A cap for sealing a container of liquids as in claim 4 wherein
said cap is sealingly engaged with an internal surface of said
container.
7. A cap for sealing a container of liquids as in claim 4 wherein
said cap is sealingly engaged with an internal surface of said
container and with at least one external sealing region of said
bottle.
8. A cap for sealing a container of liquids as in claim 4 wherein a
mouthpiece is directly connected to an aperture in said cap.
9. A drinking support system as in claim 1 wherein said elastic cap
is non homogeneous, comprising different zone materials.
10. A drinking support system as in claim 9 wherein the horizontal
upper layer of said cap is rigid whereas the anchoring regions in
the lateral sections of the cap are elastic.
11. A mechanical conical support for at least one drinking tube
wherein said support retains said at least one drinking tube in a
position for the free end of said tube to be picked up by an
individual, and wherein the base of said mechanical support is
accommodated for attaching to a support whereby said individual is
able to release said free end without losing said free end.
12. A mechanical conical support for at least one drinking tube as
in claim 11 wherein two tubes are retained.
13. A mechanical conical support for at least one drinking tube as
in claim 11 wherein one tube is spiral.
14. A mechanical conical support for at least one drinking tube as
in claim 11 wherein said mechanical conical support is engaged with
a bar of a bicycle.
15. A mechanical conical support for at least one drinking tube as
in claim 11 wherein the position of said support is adjustable by
said individual.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is in the field of auxiliary
appliances for performers of physical activity and sports. The
present invention provides a convenient system for the support of
drinking through tubes. More specifically the invention is a
drinking appliance for bicycle riders.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Continuous physical activity results in dehydration through
loss of water through sweat. The replenishment of body water
through drinking while performing sports and physical exertion
requires the person involved to set aside other activity and spend
time on finding a source of drink and then partaking of said
beverage. However, for those engaged in sport activities the
non-interruption of the activity may be crucial for succeeding in
the competition in which they are engaged. Also, noncompetitive
people may prefer a having handsfree water drinking source for
satisfying their thirst. The present invention provides a solution
for implementing handfree drinking while permitting physical
activity to continue by the performer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1A is a schematic isometric description of a narrow
bottleneck of a bottle that is typically used in a system
implementing the present invention.
[0004] FIG. 1B is a schematic side view of a sealing cap of the
invention applied to a bottle;
[0005] FIG. 1C is a cross sectional view in a narrow bottleneck
sealed by a sealing cap of the invention, with a drinking tube
inserted;
[0006] FIG. 1D is a detailed cross sectional view in the sealing
arrangement of FIG. 1C;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view in a sealing cap possessing
internal and external sealing regions;
[0008] FIG. 3A is a cross sectional view in the upper part of a
wide bottlenecked container sealed by a sealing cap of the
invention;
[0009] FIG. 3B is a cross sectional view in the upper part of a
wide bottlenecked container sealed by a sealing cap of the
invention, describing the sealing regions;
[0010] FIG. 4A is an isometric view of a conical drinking tube
support showing straight drinking tube inserted and seat
accommodated for handlebar of a bicycle;
[0011] FIG. 4B is an isometric view of a conical drinking tube
support showing a spiral drinking tube resting its spiral son the
conical support.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0012] The present invention is a drinking support system providing
for handsfree delivery of fluids to an individual, in which a
single or a plurality of water/liquid reservoirs deliver their
contents typically on demand. Usually one or more tubes for drawing
water from the reservoirs are made available to the drinker, who
can repeatedly engage her/himself in sipping liquid from the
reservoirs.
[0013] One aspect of the invention is a water container cap,
inclusive of a to through passage for a drinking tube. The cap can
be applied to the orifices of a variety of water containers such as
bottles or canteens. The use of such a cap obviates the need to
exchange caps and drinking tubes for specific water containers
available.
[0014] Typically soft drink and water bottles orifices have an
either small is (referred to as 28 or 30 millimeter neck size), or
30 millimeter neck size. Wider orifice sizes are less common but
commonly occur. In accordance with the present invention three
classes of adaptable caps are provided. Category "a" caps are such
caps that hermetically seal small neck size bottle. In FIG. 1A to
which reference is now made a schematic description of bottleneck
22 of the category is shown. There are typically several sealing
regions applicable in such bottles, that the cap of the invention
may engage, all, some or one, to seal the liquid passageway from
the bottle through the drinking tube. Sealing region 24 is the
horizontal surface at the topmost part of the bottleneck. All other
sealing surfaces in the bottle are associated with the vertical
surface of the bottle neck. Accordingly sealing region 26 is the
peripheral section below the horizontal surface and above screw
thread 28. Below the thread, smooth circumferential zone 30 is a
potential sealing zone. Peripheral ridge 32 is typically slanted
but can also be used for sealing. Smooth circumferential area 34
below ridge 32 can be used for sealing as well. Peripheral ridge 36
is typically a most prominent topographic element on the
bottleneck, making it a candidate of choice for sealing purposes.
Smooth circumferential area 38 below ridge 36 can be used for
sealing as well. For accomplishing high-quality sealing it is
required that two to surfaces are tightly juxtaposed without
leaving any spaces in between. The sealing cap must be anchored
sufficiently tightly to the bottle in order to prevent juxtaposed
sealing surfaces from separating. The ridges and thread on the
bottleneck are utilized for such anchoring. In FIG. 1B to which
reference is now made, bottle top 42 is shown with cap 44 of the
invention covering the bottle neck, while drinking tube 46 passes
through from the outside to the inner side of the bottle, typically
reaching the bottom. In FIG. 1C to which reference is now made, a
cross sectional view in the bottleneck, sealing cap and drinking
tube is shown, showing the intricate association between the cap
and the bottle neck features. This association is shown more
clearly in FIG. 1D to which reference is now made. A cross
sectional view in the cap engaged with sealing regions in the
bottle is shown. The right side of cap 44 is shown hatched in the
section, while the symmetrical left half of the cap is not shown to
enhance the neck topography. Sealing region 24 is shown fully
engaged by cap 44 in the right side of the drawing. Sealing region
26 is abutted by a complementary ridge in the cap (shown in the
right side), thread 28 is unmatched, and is not used in sealing.
All the other topographic features of the bottle cap as explained
in FIG. 1A above are present and numbered the same in FIG. 1D. All
sealing regions are matched by an equivalent part in the cap. The
top most sealing region, 24, which is the horizontal surface at the
top of the bottle, is abutted from above and from the inside of the
bottle by cap element 62. It should be noted that the drinking tube
held by the cap is also sealed by the cap.
[0015] In another aspect of the system of the invention, category
"b" caps include a substantial internal sealing structural element
in addition to the external neck sealing elements or in some
embodiments only internal sealing elements may be provided. In FIG.
2 to which reference is now made, a cross sectional view in a
bottle neck 68--cap 70--drinking tube 72 assembly is shown.
Internal sealing structure 74 is shown on the left side without the
external sealing structure. In this example, the external sealing
elements of the cap are exactly as shown above, but in other
embodiments there may be no lateral external sealing elements at
all. In the left side of the drawing, symmetrical with the right
side, the bottle wall and external sealing structure was removed to
emphasize internal sealing elements 76, 78, and 80. Upper sealing
surface 82 is usually a preferred sealing site because by sealing
the orifice of the bottle, the delivery of liquid from the bottle
is stopped at the origin. Different varieties of the cap exist
implementing various numbers and size of internal sealing
elements.
[0016] In another aspect of the system of the invention, category
"c" caps are provided which seal bottles with larger than usual
orifices, referred to also as wide bottlenecked bottles. The
diameter of such large orifice is in the range of 30-40
millimeters, or even in the range of 50-70 millimeters. As can be
seen in FIG. 3A-B to which reference is now made, the cap in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention is capable of
sealing orifices of varying large sizes. Cap 92, shown without the
left half, tightly wraps drinking tube 94, providing sealing. On
the left hand side of the drawing in FIG. 3A, the bottle neck
external topography is exposed, showing thread 96 which as can be
seen on the right hand side, is not engaged by the internal sealing
elements of the cap. The sealing elements of the cap are better
seen in FIG. 3B, showing upper sealing surface 102, topmost lateral
sealing element 104, and the rest of the lateral sealing elements
106, 108 and the lowest 110.
[0017] The tube ending in the container may be set to the lowest
point in the container or to any height in the bottle up to the cap
itself. The other side of the tubing may be very short, just enough
to attach a mouthpiece to it, or it may be made as a very long
connection between the cap and the mouthpiece, for example if the
container, one or more are kept in back of the vehicle and the
mouthpiece is kept in the driver's mouth.
[0018] Other Cap Features
[0019] The cap of the invention is preferably flexible and elastic,
typically made of a flexible thermoplastic resin, rubber, silicone
rubber and/or thermoplastic elastomers. However, the cap in some
embodiments is non-homogenous or it may be made composed of
different structural zones. For example, the sealing regions can be
made of softer resin while the structural body of anchoring
elements such as the sealing element clinging to ridge 36 of rigid
resin. A vent is typically a perforation in the upper plain of the
cap but it may be a one way valve inserted in a specially prepared
hole in the cap. In some embodiments a gasket is inserted in the
cap to seal the upper sealing region of the container. In some
embodiments the cap is made such the horizontal upper zone
superposed above the upper sealing region of the bottle is rigid
whereas the anchoring regions in the lateral sections of the cap
are elastic. In some embodiments the cap is entirely rigid in.
[0020] In some embodiments of the present invention a mouthpiece is
directly connected to the cap having a connection with the void of
the container below, to with or without a tube reaching inside the
container.
[0021] Drinking Tube Support
[0022] Another aspect of the invention is a drinking tube support
member, as shown in FIGS. 4A-B, to which reference is now made. In
FIG. 4A conical mechanical support 128 is shown into which straight
drinking tube 130 is inserted. Typically, the drinking tube bears a
mouthpiece 132. In a most prevalent case, the conical mechanical
support of the invention is to be attached to a bar of a bicycle,
and to accommodate to such bar, bar adapter 134 is included at the
bottom of the conical mechanical support. The conical mechanical
support once engaged with the handle bar of bicycle can be locked
in situ for example by a flexible band arrangement or by one or
more screws. In FIG. 4B, conical mechanical support 128 is wrapped
by a spiral section of the drinking tube. The tubing can be picked
up using the mouthpiece 132. In the direction of arrow 136 the
tubing leads to a water reservoir, not shown. A straight tubing as
previously described may be included but not shown here. The
conical mechanical support once attached to a handlebar of the
bicycle permits the rider to adjust the inclination and positioning
of the mechanical support, to easily pick up the free end a,
release it and pick up again conveniently.
[0023] Applications of the Invention
[0024] The drinking support system of the invention is implemented
in association with mobile platforms. Typically a bicycle, boat,
tractor, car or any bag, typically a bag worn on the back such as
rucksack or knapsack. The users may be grouped into characteristic
implementation of the drinking need. Athletes requiring free hands
over long periods are an obvious group. Working people requiring
free hands over long periods of time, such as manual abourers,
farmers, typists and computer technicians. Disabled individuals can
make use of a system of the invention, because the system lends
itself easily to application in a wheelchair environment. Hard
working scholars, office workers or students is may also find the
system useful for support drinking over long sitting periods.
[0025] Recreational uses such as trekkers, hunters, and any outdoor
garners, soldiers watchmen and the like are potential users of the
system of the invention.
* * * * *