U.S. patent application number 13/320741 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-22 for dispensing cap.
Invention is credited to Antoine Cahen, Philippe Cahen.
Application Number | 20120067890 13/320741 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41722773 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120067890 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cahen; Antoine ; et
al. |
March 22, 2012 |
DISPENSING CAP
Abstract
A top of or for a cup or mug for containing a flowable substance
therein. The top includes a covering body arranged to cover the cup
or mug, with the body having a peripheral part with a
trough-opening for an outflow of flowable substance and with an air
through-opening for an inflow of air. The top also includes a lid
movable relative to the covering body between an open position for
allowing this outflow and this inflow, and a closed position for
preventing them, the lid having a first part and a second part for
obturating in the closed position the outflow through-opening and
the inflow through-opening, respectively. These inflow and outflow
through-openings are located opposite to one another on the
peripheral part of the covering body. The lid extends in the closed
position from adjacent the inflow through-opening across the
covering body to adjacent the outflow through-opening.
Inventors: |
Cahen; Antoine; (Lausanne,
CH) ; Cahen; Philippe; (Lausanne, CH) |
Family ID: |
41722773 |
Appl. No.: |
13/320741 |
Filed: |
May 20, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
May 20, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2010/056930 |
371 Date: |
November 15, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/254.3 ;
220/713 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2543/00046
20130101; A45F 3/18 20130101; B65D 81/3869 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/254.3 ;
220/713 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/22 20060101
A47G019/22; B65D 51/18 20060101 B65D051/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 20, 2009 |
EP |
09160738.2 |
Claims
1.-15. (canceled)
16. A top of or for a cup or mug for containing a flowable
substance therein, the top comprising: a covering body arranged to
cover the cup or mug opening, the body having a peripheral part
that includes a through-opening for an outflow of flowable
substance from the cup or mug and an air through-opening for an
inflow of air into the cup or mug; and a lid movable relative to
the covering body between an open position for allowing the outflow
and inflow, and a closed position for preventing the outflow and
inflow, with the lid having a first part and a second part for
obturating in the closed position the outflow through-opening and
the inflow through-opening, respectively, wherein the inflow
through-opening and the outflow through-opening are located
opposite to one another on the peripheral part of the covering
body, the lid extending in the closed position from adjacent the
inflow through-opening across the covering body to adjacent the
outflow through-opening.
17. The top of claim 16, wherein the lid is pivotally mounted on
the covering body adjacent the inflow through-opening.
18. The top of claim 17, wherein the lid has a first extremity that
is pivotally mounted on the covering body and a second extremity
arranged to be secured against the covering body in the closed
position.
19. The top of claim 17, wherein the second extremity has a
protrusion or a recess cooperating with a corresponding respective
recess or protrusion of the covering body for securing the lid
against the covering body in the closed position.
20. The top of claim 16, wherein the lid in its open position is
arranged to extend down along a generally upright wall of the cup
or mug, which wall is adjacent the covering body so that during use
for drinking, the cup or mug may be held and the lid may be secured
against the wall single-handed.
21. The top of claim 16, wherein the covering body comprises a base
and wherein the peripheral part of the body comprises one or more
outward protrusions extending from the base
22. The top of claim 21, wherein the outflow through-opening is
located on an outward protrusion.
23. The top of claim 21, wherein the inflow through-opening is
located on the base.
24. The top of claim 21, wherein the outflow through-opening is
located on an annular outward protrusion.
25. The top of claim 24, wherein the annular outward protrusion
generally forms an open ring on the covering body with facing
ends.
26. The top of claim 25, wherein the lid is pivotally mounted on
the covering body between the facing ends.
27. The top of claim 25, wherein the inflow through-opening is
located on the base between the facing ends.
28. The top of claim 16, wherein the lid extends, in the closed
position, diametrically across the covering body.
29. The top of claim 16, wherein the lid has a rigid structural
member and at least one resiliently deformable obturating member
for obturating the inflow or the outflow through-openings, with the
resiliently deformable obturating member optionally being generally
coextensive with the rigid structural member.
30. The top of claim 16, wherein the lid has a resiliently
deformable plug or protrusion for obturating the inflow or the
outflow through-opening.
31. The top of claim 16, which is removably securable on the cup or
mug by screwing or force fitting thereon.
32. A cup or mug in combination with the top of claim 16.
33. The cup or mug of claim 32 which is integral with the top,
wherein the cup or mug has a removable bottom for filling or
refilling.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to field of liquid receptacles
suitable for transportation and for dispensing liquid and other
flowable materials whenever and wherever needed. In particular, the
present invention relates to travelling cups or mugs having a top
or cap with a closable opening for dispensing beverages such as
cappuccinos, milky coffees, cafe latte and macchiato, chocolate and
other hot beverages including soups and liquid baby food.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Travelling cups or mugs for drinking with a dispensing cap,
are well known in the art. Typically, such a cap has a covering
body extending over the mug's or cup's mouth with an opening
allowing the passage of liquid when a user wants to drink. When the
travelling cup or mug is not being used to drink, this opening can
be obturated by a movable lid connected to the covering body.
[0003] Examples of covering bodies with a movable lid for
dispensing liquid from a container are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,950,848, U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,607, U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,353, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,495,015, U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,350, U.S. Pat. No.
5,348,201, U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,793, U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,337, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,899,902, U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,747, U.S. Pat. No.
4,742,928, U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,873, U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,266, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,625,898, U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,928, U.S. Pat. No.
4,124,151 and EP 0 078 322.
[0004] In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,607 discloses a container
with a dispensing cap. The dispensing cap is pivotally mounted on a
base attached to the container, the base having an outflow
through-opening that can be opened and closed by the dispensing
cap. The pivotal rotation of the dispensing cap is controlled by a
trigger and regulated by a guide wall member, which are arranged to
retain the pivotable cap in an open position until a user manually
moves the cap into the closed position.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,902 discloses a lid for a liquid
container that has a liquid spout with a cover adapted to fit over
the spout in friction fit relationship that can be removed and
refitted single-handed. It is inter-alia mentioned that the lid may
further include a small aperture or hole to release built-up air
pressure.
[0006] The use of such small additional apertures for the inlet of
air while liquid is dispensed via the spout is known to facilitate
the dispensing of liquid. However, such air inlets involve the risk
of unwanted liquid spills therethrough, especially during
drinking.
[0007] There is therefore still a need to provide a reliable system
that is simple for carrying a beverage and handy and reliable for
drinking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Therefore, the invention relates to a top of or for a
container for containing a flowable substance. The top may be a
wall integral with a container or typically a removable cap. The
container may be of any kind, for example with an insulation,
typically of the thermos type. In a preferred embodiment, the
container is a drinking mug or cup, typically with a bottom, a
generally upright sidewall and a generally circular mouth that is
fit to be covered by such a top.
[0009] Typically a cup or mug for drinking has a capacity in the
range of 50 to 1000 ml, e.g. 150 to 500 ml, and an upper diameter,
e.g. the mouth of the cup or mug, in the range of 3 to 15 cm, in
particular 5 to 10 cm.
[0010] The top has: a covering body arranged to cover the
container, the body having a peripheral part with a trough-opening
for an outflow of flowable substance from the container and with an
air through-opening for an inflow of air into the container; as
well as a lid movable relative to the covering body between an open
position for allowing such outflow and inflow, and a closed
position for preventing such outflow and inflow.
[0011] The lid has a first part and a second part for obturating in
the closed position the outflow through-opening and the inflow
through-opening, respectively.
[0012] The flowable material may typically be a fluid such as a
beverage, in particular hot or cold beverages such as coffee, tea,
hot chocolate, milk-based beverages, soft or alcoholic drinks,
lemonade, soups, baby food, etc.
[0013] In accordance with the invention, the inflow through-opening
and the outflow through-opening are located opposite to one another
on the peripheral part of the covering body, the lid extending in
the closed position from adjacent the inflow through-opening across
the covering body to adjacent the outflow through-opening.
[0014] Hence, the spaced apart opposite positioning of these
through-openings on the top reduces the risks of undesirable spills
of flowable material via the air inflow through-opening during the
dispensing of flowable material. Furthermore, the combination of
the obturating sealing parts on the same lid member allows
simultaneous opening and closing of the through-openings by the
same lid member.
[0015] The lid may be pivotally mounted on the covering body, in
particular adjacent the inflow thorough-opening. Typically, the lid
has a first extremity that is pivotally mounted on the covering
body and a second extremity arranged to be secured against the
covering body in the closed position, the second extremity having
in particular a protrusion or a recess cooperating with a
corresponding respective recess or protrusion of the covering body
for securing the lid against the covering body in the closed
position. Securing the lid in the closed position may for instance
be achieved via a clipping, snap-fit, hooking, press-button or
other equivalent fastening mechanism.
[0016] In an advantageous embodiment, the lid in its open position
is arranged to extend down along a generally upright wall of the
container on which the covering body is located, the container wall
being adjacent to the covering body. Hence, when the inflow and
outflow through-openings are open, e.g. for drinking, a user may
safely hold the lid against the container wall with the same hand
he uses for gripping the container itself. Therefore, to avoid that
the open lid moves freely and possibly bothers the user while
drinking, no separate mechanism is needed to secure the lid in its
open position, the open lid and the container being held
simultaneously single-handed by the user.
[0017] The covering body typically has a base. The peripheral part
of the body may comprise one or more outward protrusions extending
from the base, the outflow through-opening being in particular
located on an outward protrusion. The inflow through-opening may be
located on the base. The outflow through-opening may be configured
to fit human lips to facilitate drinking via the opening.
[0018] For instance, the outflow through-opening is located on an
annular outward protrusion. The annular outward protrusion may
generally form an open ring on the covering body with facing ends.
The lid can be pivotally mounted on the covering body between these
facing ends and/or the inflow through-opening may be located on the
base between these facing ends. In this manner, the pivotable
connecting part of the lid may have an outer surface that is
generally flush with the annular protrusion so as to close the
corresponding loop on the covering body. Hence, unwanted hooking of
the top with its environment is minimised by avoiding any part that
may stick out when the lid is in its closed position.
[0019] In its closed position, the lid normally extends
diameterally across the covering body, from the peripheral part on
one side of the covering body, via the middle of the covering body
to the facing opposite side of the peripheral part.
[0020] The lid may have a rigid structural member and at least one
resiliently deformable obturating member for obturating the inflow
and/or the outflow through-openings, optionally the resiliently
deformable obturating member is generally coextensive with the
rigid structural member. The lid can have a plug or protrusion, in
particular a resiliently deformable plug or protrusion, for
obturating the inflow or the outflow through-opening. In
particular, the lid may have a pair of such plugs or protrusions
for obturating the through-openings. A portion of the lid may form
a cap for covering a tubularly protruding outlet or inlet forming
one of such through-openings in the covering body. Various
configurations may be contemplated to shape the through-openings in
the covering body and the cooperating obturating parts of the
lid.
[0021] In a first embodiment of the invention, the top is removably
securable on a corresponding container, in particular by screwing
or force fitting thereof on the container. In a second embodiment
of the invention, the top is integral with the container, the
container having in particular a removable bottom for refilling
thereof. It is also possible to use the outflow through-opening of
the covering body for refilling the container.
[0022] A further aspect of the invention concerns a container that
has a top as described above, in particular a mug or cup having
such a top for dispensing a beverage contained in the mug or
cup.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The invention will now be described with reference to the
schematic drawings, wherein:
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a container with a
top according to the invention; and
[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of part of the
container with its top shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] In FIGS. 1 and 2, a removable top 1 with a lid 20 is shown
fitted onto a container 2 in the form of a mug, for containing a
flowable material such as coffee, tea, hot or cold chocolate or a
soft drink. In FIG. 1, lid 20 is shown in its closed position on
top 1. In FIG. 2, lid 20 is in its open position.
[0027] Container 2 has insulating walls formed of a generally
upright outer sidewall 3 extending from a bottom 5 and joined at
the upper end 8 to an inner wall that is generally u-shaped in
cross-section. An insulating cavity 7 extends between inner wall 4
on the one hand, and sidewall 3 and bottom 5 on the other hand.
Mouth 9 of container 2 is generally circular.
[0028] Furthermore, container 2 has a generally frusto-conical
inner rim 6 into which removable top 1 is force-fitted as described
in greater details below.
[0029] Removable top 1 has a covering body 10 that extends over
substantially the entire mouth 9 of container 2. Furthermore, top 1
has an elongated lid 20 that has a first extremity 20a which is
pivotally mounted on covering body 10. Lid 20 has a general shape
of a strip profiled to fit the shape of covering body 10 when lid
20 is in its closed position.
[0030] Covering body 10 has an outflow through-opening 11 for the
outflow of liquid from container 2 and an inflow through-opening 12
for the inflow of air into container 2 to compensate for the
outflowing liquid. Outflow through-opening 11 is formed on an
annular ring 13 protruding outwards from base 14. Ring 13 is open
and has two facing ends 15, one of which being shown in FIG. 2.
Inflow through-opening 12 is located on base 14 inbetween ends 15
of annular ring 13.
[0031] Lid 20 is movable in rotation around its extremity 20a
inbetween ends 15 of ring 13. Lid 20 is rotatable from an open
position, as shown in FIG. 2, for allowing the outflow via opening
11 and the inflow via opening 12, to a closed position, as shown in
FIG. 1, for preventing such outflow and inflow. For this purpose,
lid 20 has a plug 21 for obturating outflow through-opening 11 and
a protrusion 22 for obturating inflow through-opening 12 when lid
20 is in its closed position.
[0032] Inflow through-opening 11 and outflow through-opening 12 are
located opposite to one another on a peripheral part of the
covering body 10, lid 20 extending in the closed position from
adjacent inflow through-opening 12 across covering body 10 to
adjacent outflow through-opening 11.
[0033] Lid 20 has a second extremity 20b arranged to be secured
against covering body 10 in the closed position. Second extremity
20b has a protrusion 23 cooperating with a corresponding respective
recess 16 in ring 13 of covering body 10 for securing lid 20
against the covering body 10 in the closed position. In its closed
position, lid 20 extends diametrally across covering body 10, i.e.
from inbetween ends 15 of ring 13, over a middle part of base 14
and over ring 13. Base 14 has a recess 14a for receiving lid 20 in
the closed position.
[0034] As illustrated in FIG. 2, lid 20 in its open position is
arranged to extend down along generally upright wall 3 of container
2. Hence, when a user holds container 2 for drinking, e.g.
single-handed, he may at the same time secure movable lid 20
against wall 3 by properly seizing container 2 with lid 20.
[0035] Lid has a rigid structural member 25 and at least one
resiliently deformable obturating member 26. Obturating member 26
incorporates plug 21 and protrusion 22 for obturating inflow and
outflow through-openings 11,12. Resiliently deformable obturating
member 26 is generally coextensive with rigid structural member
25.
[0036] Top 1 is removably securable on container 2. For this
purpose, covering body 10 has a circular peripheral upright wall 17
that extends down into mouth 9 of container 2. Wall 17 has an
integral peripheral outwardly extending flange 18 for the
horizontal proper positioning of top 1 against inner rim 6 of
container 2. Base 14 of covering body 10 extends horizontally over
inner rim 6 for positioning covering body 10 generally above mouth
9. A sealing ring 19, e.g. made of an elastic or elastomer
material, is located between peripheral wall 17 and inner rim 6 so
as to provide an assembly impervious to the flowable material held
in container 2. Typically, sealing ring 19 is mounted onto
peripheral wall 17 and urged against inner rim 6 when top 1 is
force-fitted on container 2.
[0037] In a variation, it is of course possible to provide
corresponding threads on the rim of the container and on the top to
be able to screw the top onto or into the container. Alternatively,
it is also possible to provide a top part that is integral with the
container and an arrangement for filling and refilling the mug with
flowable material, e.g. via the outflow through-opening or via a
separate dedicated inlet or via the bottom of the container that
can be fitted with a separable foot.
* * * * *