U.S. patent application number 12/658814 was filed with the patent office on 2011-08-18 for flip straw bottle cap with loop handle storage spout.
Invention is credited to Elisa Chen.
Application Number | 20110198361 12/658814 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44368934 |
Filed Date | 2011-08-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110198361 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen; Elisa |
August 18, 2011 |
Flip straw bottle cap with loop handle storage spout
Abstract
A flip straw bottle cap with a pivotal spout configured to
position at an obtuse angle for drinking from a bottle and stored
vertically in a crevice flush against one side of the loop handle
when not in use. The loop handle has a keyhole to attach a
carabiner using a key chain. The cap is adaptable to fit any bottle
mouth diameter.
Inventors: |
Chen; Elisa; (New York,
NY) |
Family ID: |
44368934 |
Appl. No.: |
12/658814 |
Filed: |
February 16, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/709 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2231/005 20130101;
A47G 19/2266 20130101; B65D 51/242 20130101; B65D 47/065
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/709 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/22 20060101
A47G019/22 |
Claims
1. A drinking cap assembly for a drinking bottle comprising: a loop
handle member configured to attach anatomically to the mouth of a
drinking bottle member through a gasket member and concentric
spiral screw thread members at the base of the said loop handle
member; said loop handle member adapted to receive a flip straw
spout member positioned on one side of the said loop handle member;
said flip straw spout member capable of movement between a vertical
and obtuse angle about the base of the said loop handle member;
said flip straw member stored vertically in a crevice on one side
of the said loop handle member; and a straw member traversing from
the tip of the said flip straw spout member through the inside of
said drinking bottle member.
2. The drinking cap assembly for a drinking bottle as in claim 1
wherein the concentric spiral screw members at the base of the said
loop handle member are configured to anatomically screw into the
inside lining of the mouth of the said drinking bottle member.
3. The drinking cap assembly for a drinking bottle as in claim 1
wherein the concentric spiral screw members at the base of the said
loop handle member are configured to anatomically screw into the
inside lining of the mouth of the said drinking bottle member of
any diameter.
4. The drinking cap assembly for a drinking bottle as in claim 1
wherein the said straw member traversing from the tip of the said
flip straw spout member through the inside of the said drinking
bottle member is constructed of one piece.
5. The drinking cap assembly for a drinking bottle as in claim 1
wherein the said straw member traversing from the tip of the said
flip straw spout member ends at the base of the said loop handle
member and is connected to another longer straw member that
traverses through the said drinking bottle member.
6. The drinking cap assembly for a drinking bottle as in claim 1
further comprising a keyhole on the top handle portion of said loop
handle member.
7. The drinking cap assembly for a drinking bottle as in claim 6
wherein the said keyhole on the said loop handle member may receive
a key chain member holding a carabiner.
8. The drinking cap assembly for a drinking bottle as in claim 1
wherein the said drinking bottle member is made of stainless steel
or other suitable material.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to drinking bottle
caps. More particularly, the invention relates to a flip straw
bottle cap for use with a drinking bottle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Within the last several decades concerns with the quality of
drinking water and water borne illnesses had spawned an industry
marketing bottled water variously labeled, drinking water, spring
water, glacier water and the like. However, although the water in
these marketed bottles may be free of environmental contaminants,
the bottles themselves are for the most part made of polycarbonate
plastic which is manufactured using the chemical, bisphenol A
(BPA). Studies have found that BPA leaches into the water contained
in these bottles and appears in the urine of people who drink from
these bottles. Studies have also shown that ingestion of BPA has
adverse health effects in humans.
[0003] Concerns about health and illnesses related to drinking
water and other liquids from polycarbonate bottles among the
current eco-conscious generation has seen an increase in the
manufacture and use of refillable stainless steel bottles that can
be used for both hot and cold drinks. These reusable stainless
steel bottles in addition to being BPA-free also cut down the cost
of disposable plastic bottles.
[0004] Concomitant with the advent of the stainless steel and other
thermally insulated BPA-free reusable bottles, a new generation of
bottle caps has emerged to facilitate drinking directly from the
bottle without the need to open the cap. These bottle caps fall
mainly into two categories. One type of bottle cap provides an
openable lid for a beverage container as described in U.S. Pat. No.
6,763,964. The second type of cap assembly for a reusable bottle
uses a straw feature to sip the liquid from the bottle. The
simplest of these involves the insertion of a straw into an
aperture provided on the lid. U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 2009/0065464,
shows a cap device for use with a container or bottle with the dual
features of a sipper spout and an opening for the insertion of a
straw or for pouring liquid out of the container or bottle. Some
drinking bottle caps with straw assemblies are integrated with the
bottle or beverage container and are also well known in the art.
Examples of these include, U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 2008/0006600, U.S.
Pat. No. 6,443,324, U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,126, U.S. Pat. No.
5,520,304, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,909 to name a few.
[0005] A variety of stainless steel drinking bottles with bottle
caps integrating straw attachments are popularly marketed under
various brand names as for example, Nathan's, Ironman and others.
They are generically referred to as flip straw bottles. The
drinking spout on these bottle caps can be flipped up for the
drinking mode and flipped down to lay flat horizontally on the top
surface of the bottle cap when not in use.
[0006] The bottle cap of the present invention is an improvement
over the flip straw bottles and other prior art mentioned thus far,
and fulfills the deficiencies in the prior art for a spill proof,
compact and unobtrusive flip straw bottle cap for use with a
reusable stainless steel or other drinking bottle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention relates to a flip straw bottle cap
that can be used with a drinking bottle without the need to unscrew
the cap to drink from the bottle. In a preferred embodiment the
bottle cap of the present invention has concentric grooves at its
base that facilitates screwing of the cap to the interior of the
bottle as compared to the prior art bottle caps that require
attachment of the cap through the outside grooves of a drinking
bottle.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drinking
flip straw spout configured and integrated into the base of the
bottle cap is capable of movement between an obtuse and vertical
angle. When positioned vertically for storage, the flip straw spout
nestles flush into an anatomically matching crevice configured on
one side of the loop handle of the cap structure. In the vertical
stored position the flip straw spout is leak proof when the bottle
is held upside down.
[0009] In this preferred embodiment of the invention, when
preparing to drink from the bottle, the flip straw spout can be
extracted with one finger from the storage crevice on the side of
the loop handle and positioned at an obtuse angle for sipping
liquid from the bottle.
[0010] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a single
drinking straw starting at the tip of the flip straw spout
traverses the length of the interior of the drinking bottle and
facilitates flow of liquid through the straw in response to a
sucking motion at the flip straw spout end. In a related
embodiment, the drinking straw starting at the tip of the flip
straw spout ends at the base of the bottle cap and is connected to
a longer piece of straw traversing the length of the drinking
bottle to provide the same convenience of sipping liquid from the
bottle through the flip straw spout on the cap.
[0011] In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a
keyhole at the top end of the loop handle diagonally across from
the flip straw spout end provides for the use of a carabiner
through a keychain link. The bottle can thus be hooked to a pair of
jeans or other clothing or a backpack or hung from the bicycle bar,
gym equipment and the like.
[0012] The features thus described in these embodiments and
additional features and advantages of the present invention will
become obvious to one skilled in the art when viewed in conjunction
with the ensuing description of the drawings, detailed description
of the invention, and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention
showing a perspective view of the flip straw bottle cap assembly
with the section of the bottle cap straw emerging from the base of
the cap assembly and attached to the longer drinking straw section
that traverses the drinking bottle.
[0014] FIG. 2 shows another perspective view of the flip straw
bottle cap of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the flip straw bottle
cap of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 is an exploded side view of the flip straw bottle cap
of the present invention showing the crevice space that stores the
flip straw spout when not in use with the flip straw spout detached
at an obtuse angle to the space.
[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates the flip straw bottle cap of the present
invention screwed to the top of a drinking bottle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The object of the present invention is to provide a spill
proof, compact and unobtrusive flip straw drinking spout cap
assembly for use with a reusable portable drinking bottle made of
stainless steel or other eco friendly material. The extension of
the flip straw spout at an obtuse angle from its vertical stored
position inside the loop handle crevice, allows the user to drink
from the bottle through the spout without unscrewing the cap
assembly or tilting the bottle resulting in spillage as happens
with other cap assemblies. An additional feature of convenience is
that the drinking spout can be dislodged from its storage space and
inserted back with the use of just one finger.
[0019] Referring now to the drawings, more particularly to FIG. 1,
there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the present
invention 10. The flip straw spout 12 is presented in the open,
obtuse angle, drinking position relative to the vertical loop
handle 14. In this embodiment of the invention, the straw assembly
is in two sections. The flip straw starting at the tip of the
drinking spout 12 emerges through the base of the cap assembly and
is connected at 18 to another longer section of drinking straw 20
that traverses the length of the drinking bottle. In an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, the drinking straw starting at
the tip of the drinking spout is a one piece straw that emerges
through the base of the cap assembly and traverses the length of
the drinking bottle. The concentric spiral screw threads 16 are
configured for anatomical attachment to the inside of the drinking
bottle when the cap is in use. The loop handle 14 of the cap
assembly has a keyhole 22 through which a key ring holding a
carabiner can be inserted.
[0020] FIG. 2 shows another perspective view of the flip straw cap
assembly 10 of the present invention. This view also shows a gasket
24 above the concentric spiral screw thread section 16 that acts as
a seal between the base of the cap assembly and the bottle
mouth.
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross sectional view of the cap
assembly of the present invention, 10 with the flip straw spout 12
in the open obtuse position and a view of the spout orifice and its
intersection with the bottom cap assembly.
[0022] FIG. 4 shows an exploded side view of the cap assembly 10
with a frontal view of the crevice space 26 on the side of the loop
handle 14 used for the storage of the flip straw drinking spout 12
when not in use.
[0023] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the flip straw bottle cap
10 of the present invention screwed to the mouth of a bottle 28 as
conceptualized for its use with a drinking bottle.
[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flip
straw cap assembly is constructed of BPA--free and food grade
plastic or other suitable material.
[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the diameter of
the base of the cap assembly can be constructed to fit bottle
mouths of various diameters.
[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
straw traversing the drinking cap assembly and the drinking bottle
can be detached for cleaning and reused.
[0027] The foregoing description of the invention through its
figures and preferred embodiments should not be construed to limit
the scope of the invention. It should be understood and obvious to
one skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention thus
described may be further modified without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that
follow.
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