U.S. patent application number 14/211365 was filed with the patent office on 2015-07-02 for spill resistant transition cup.
This patent application is currently assigned to No Spill Technologies, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is No Spill Technologies, LLC. Invention is credited to Armond Albert Kaiser, David Christopher Salles, JR., Steven Swisher.
Application Number | 20150182047 14/211365 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53480429 |
Filed Date | 2015-07-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150182047 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Salles, JR.; David Christopher ;
et al. |
July 2, 2015 |
SPILL RESISTANT TRANSITION CUP
Abstract
A spill resistant cup comprising: a substantially hollow lower
body with at top and a bottom, where the bottom of the lower body
is closed and the top of the lower body is open; a substantially
hollow upper body with a top and a bottom, where the top of the
upper body is closed and the bottom of the upper body is open, the
open bottom of the upper body corresponds to the open top of the
lower body such that the upper body and the lower body together
form a single vessel, and the top of the upper body has an opening,
where the opening has a smaller diameter than the upper body; and
an opening between the lower body and the upper body, where the
opening has a smaller diameter than the lower body and the upper
body. Fluid in the lower body may travel through the opening
between the lower body and the upper body and into the upper body
and then may travel through the opening in the top of the upper
body when the cup is tipped sufficiently, but the fluid will not
exit the cup significantly if the cup merely falls over.
Inventors: |
Salles, JR.; David Christopher;
(Slidell, LA) ; Kaiser; Armond Albert;
(Diamondhead, MS) ; Swisher; Steven; (Tulsa,
OK) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
No Spill Technologies, LLC |
Slidell |
LA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
No Spill Technologies, LLC
Slidell
LA
|
Family ID: |
53480429 |
Appl. No.: |
14/211365 |
Filed: |
March 14, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61790803 |
Mar 15, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/719 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 19/2266
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/22 20060101
A47G019/22 |
Claims
1. A spill resistant cup comprising: a substantially hollow lower
body with a top and a bottom, where the bottom of the lower body is
closed and the top of the lower body is open; a substantially
hollow upper body with a top and a bottom, where: the top of the
upper body is closed and the bottom of the upper body is open; the
open bottom of the upper body corresponds to the open top of the
lower body, such that the upper body and the lower body together
form a single vessel; and the top of the upper body has an opening,
where the opening has a smaller diameter than the upper body; and
an opening between the lower body and the upper body, where the
opening has a smaller diameter than the lower body and the upper
body; such that fluid in the lower body may travel through the
opening between the lower body and the upper body and into the
upper body and then may travel through the opening in the top of
the upper body when the cup is tipped sufficiently, but the fluid
will not exit the cup significantly if the cup merely falls
over.
2. The spill resistant cup of claim 1 where the bottom of the lower
body has one or more straight edges such that when the cup tips
over it tends to rest on one of the one or more straight edges.
3. The spill resistant cup of claim 2 where the opening in the top
of the upper body does not align with any of the one or more
straight edges of the bottom of the lower body.
4. The spill resistant cup of claim 1 where the upper body has a
diameter and the lower body has a diameter and where the diameter
of the upper body is greater than the diameter of the lower
body.
5. The spill resistant cup of claim 1 where the upper body and the
lower body are substantially hollow.
6. The spill resistant cup of claim 1 further comprising an arcuate
lip projecting upward from the upper body such that the lip
simulates a section of a rim of a drinking glass.
7. The spill resistant cup of claim 6 where the opening in the top
of the upper body is adjacent the lip.
8. The spill resistant cup of claim 6 further comprising a second
opening in the top of the upper body.
9. The spill resistant cup of claim 1 where the top of the upper
body is bowl-shaped.
10. The spill resistant cup of claim 9 further comprising a lid
that fits atop the bowl-shaped top of the upper body.
11. The spill resistant cup of claim 1 further comprising an insert
located adjacent the top of the lower body, where the opening
between the lower body and the upper body is located in the
insert.
12. The spill resistant cup of claim 11 where the insert has a
recess and the lower body has a projection that fits within the
recess such that the insert may be placed within the lower body
only if the recess aligns with the projection.
13. The spill resistant cup of claim 11 where the insert has a
downwardly projecting trough attached thereto.
14. The spill resistant cup of claim 13 where the trough angles
backward away from the insert such that fluid in the lower body may
travel up the trough only if the cup is tilted past 90.degree..
15. The spill resistant cup of claim 11 where the upper body has a
downwardly projecting trough attached thereto, where the trough
extends from the top of the upper body to the insert.
16. The spill resistant cup of claim 1 where the upper body has a
downwardly projecting trough attached thereto, where the trough
extends from the opening in top of the upper body to the opening
between the upper body and the lower body such that fluid may flow
from the lower body, through the opening between the upper body and
the lower body, along the trough, and out of the cup at the opening
in the top of the upper body when the cup is tipped
sufficiently.
17. The spill resistant cup of claim 1 where: the lower body is
generally pyramid shaped such that the lower body has a flat
bottom, a plurality of triangular sides joined by a plurality of
corners, and an apex, where the open top of the lower body is
located at the apex.
18. The spill resistant cup of claim 17 where the upper body has a
downwardly projecting trough attached thereto, where the trough
extends from the opening in the top of the upper body to the
opening between the upper body and the lower body, and where the
trough aligns with one of the corners of the lower body.
19. The spill resistant cup of claim 18 further comprising a
funnel-like structure extending from the opening in the top of the
upper body to the trough, such that the funnel-like structure
extends from the opening in the top of the upper body to the trough
and the trough extends from the funnel-like structure to the
opening in the bottom of the upper body, where the funnel-like
structure has a wide end and a narrow end and where the narrow end
is adjacent the trough.
20. The spill resistant cup of claim 1 where the upper body
comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, where the lower
portion is attached to the base.
21. The spill resistant cup of claim 20 where the upper portion of
the upper body has a threaded lower edge and where the lower
portion of the upper body has a threaded upper edge such that the
upper portion attached to the lower portion by screwing the
threaded lower edge to the threaded upper edge.
22. The spill resistant cup of claim 1 where the top of the upper
body has a protrusion located opposite the opening such that the
protrusion prevents the cup from resting upside down on the top of
the upper body.
23. A spill resistant cup comprising: a substantially closed vessel
with an exterior shape and an interior shape defining an interior
space, where the vessel has a top and an opposing bottom, where the
vessel has a widest point located nearer the top than the bottom,
and where the vessel is shaped such that it has one or more
predictable landing positions, where a landing position is a
position in which the cup comes to rest when placed on a surface
other than on its bottom; a drinking lip protruding from the top of
the vessel, where the drinking lip is positioned such that it is
not down when the cup is in any of the predictable landing
positions; an opening in the top of vessel with a width narrower
than the top of the vessel; and a point of constriction between the
top and the bottom of the vessel such that the interior shape of
the vessel, the exterior shape of the vessel, an insert within the
vessel, or a combination thereof make the interior space narrowest
at the point of constriction.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE
[0001] This application is based on and claims priority to U.S.
Application No. 61/790,803 filed Mar. 15, 2013.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates generally to a cup, and more
particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a spill resistant
transition cup.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] The transition from baby bottles to drinking from a regular
cup is difficult for children. The mechanism of drinking is
different, and a cup must be held more carefully than a baby bottle
to prevent spills. Many children stop drinking from baby bottles
before they have the dexterity necessary to drink from a cup
without spilling its contents. One common solution is the sippy
cup. A sippy cup typically has a lid with a spout and a valve,
through which the contents of the cup may be drunk. The valve helps
prevent spills should the sippy cup tip over.
[0006] The valve forces a user to suck on the spout, making the
mechanism of drinking from a sippy cup similar to that of drinking
from a baby bottle. The sucking process can also cause excruciating
inner ear pain in children that are experiencing sinus congestion
and/or infections. The valve is often made of silicone or a similar
substance that must be separately washed. Washing a valve may be
quite difficult due to its shape, and thus sippy cup valves are
frequently less than ideally clean and often require regular
replacement. Constantly sucking on sippy cup spouts may adversely
affect the development of a child's teeth and mouth. Similarly,
chewing on a sippy cup spout, as often happens, may not be healthy
for the child. The use of a sippy cup may also discourage a child
from learning how to properly drink from a regular cup, as the
sippy cup may be held at any angle while drinking without
spilling.
[0007] Other populations would likewise benefit from a cup that is
spill resistant, such as the elderly and those with dexterity
issues.
[0008] Based on the foregoing, it is desirable to provide an
alternative to the sippy cup that provides a proper transition from
a baby bottle to a standard drinking cup.
[0009] It is further desirable to provide a cup that simulates the
feeling of drinking from a regular cup while providing some spill
resistance.
[0010] It is further desirable to provide a spill resistant cup
that does not have a valve.
[0011] It is further desirable to provide a spill resistant cup
that encourages children to learn how to hold a cup properly while
drinking from it to prevent spills.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] In general, in a first aspect, the invention relates to a
spill resistant cup comprising: a substantially hollow lower body
with at top and a bottom, where the bottom of the lower body is
closed and the top of the lower body is open; a substantially
hollow upper body with a top and a bottom, where the top of the
upper body is closed and the bottom of the upper body is open, the
open bottom of the upper body corresponds to the open top of the
lower body such that the upper body and the lower body together
form a single vessel, and the top of the upper body has an opening,
where the opening has a smaller diameter than the upper body; and
an opening between the lower body and the upper body, where the
opening has a smaller diameter than the lower body and the upper
body. Fluid in the lower body may travel through the opening
between the lower body and the upper body and into the upper body
and then may travel through the opening in the top of the upper
body when the cup is tipped sufficiently, but the fluid will not
exit the cup significantly if the cup merely falls over.
[0013] The upper body may have a diameter greater than the diameter
of the lower body. The upper body and the lower body may be hollow.
The cup may further comprise an arcuate lip projecting upward from
the upper body such that the lip simulates a section of a rim of a
drinking glass. The opening in the top of the upper body may be
adjacent the lip. The cup may further comprise a second opening in
the top of the upper body. The cup may further comprise a cover
attached to the top of the upper body such that the cover may
temporarily cover the opening in the top of the upper body. The
cover may be slideably attached to the top of the upper body such
that the cover may slide over the opening to cover it, or the cover
may be a snap-through plug that snaps into the opening. The top of
the upper body may be bowl-shaped. The cup may further comprise a
lid that fits atop the bowl-shaped top of the upper body.
[0014] The cup may further comprise an insert located adjacent the
top of the lower body, where the opening between the lower body and
the upper body is located in the insert. The insert may have a
recess and the lower body may have a projection that fits within
the recess such that the insert may be placed within the lower body
only if the recess aligns with the projection. The insert may have
a downwardly projecting trough attached thereto. The trough may
angle backward away from the insert such that fluid in the lower
body may travel up the trough only if the cup is tilted past
90.degree.. Alternately, the upper body may have a downwardly
projecting trough attached thereto, where the trough extends from
the top of the upper body to the insert, or to the opening between
the upper body and the lower body if there is no insert, such that
fluid may flow from the lower body, through the insert and/or the
opening between the upper body and the lower body, along the
trough, and out of the cup at the opening in the top of the upper
body when the cup is tipped sufficiently.
[0015] The lower body may be generally pyramid, upside-down
pyramid, or prism shaped. If the lower body is generally pyramid
shaped, the lower body may have a flat bottom, a plurality of
triangular sides joined by a plurality of corners, and an apex,
where the open top of the lower body is located at the apex. The
upper body may have a downwardly projecting trough attached
thereto, where the trough extends from the opening in the top of
the upper body to the opening between the upper body and the lower
body, and where the trough aligns with one of the corners of the
lower body. The cup may further comprise a funnel-like structure
extending from the opening in the top of the upper body to the
trough, such that the funnel-like structure extends from the
opening in the top of the upper body to the trough and the trough
extends from the funnel-like structure to the opening in the bottom
of the upper body, where the funnel-like structure has a wide end
and a narrow end and where the narrow end is adjacent the
trough.
[0016] The upper body may comprise an upper portion and a lower
portion, where the lower portion is attached to the base. The upper
portion of the upper body may have a threaded lower edge and the
lower portion of the upper body may have a threaded upper edge such
that the upper portion attached to the lower portion by screwing
the threaded lower edge to the threaded upper edge.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the spill
resistant cup;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a back view of the first embodiment of the spill
resistant cup;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the
spill resistant cup;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a wireframe perspective view of the first
embodiment of the spill resistant cup;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the first embodiment of the spill
resistant cup;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a top view of the first embodiment of the spill
resistant cup;
[0023] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the
first embodiment of the spill resistant cup;
[0024] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the top portion of the first
embodiment of the spill resistant cup;
[0025] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the lid of the first
embodiment of the spill resistant cup;
[0026] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the
spill resistant cup;
[0027] FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the second embodiment of the
spill resistant cup;
[0028] FIG. 12 is a top view of the second embodiment of the spill
resistant cup;
[0029] FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the second embodiment of the
spill resistant cup;
[0030] FIG. 14 is a side cut away view of the second embodiment of
the spill resistant cup;
[0031] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the
spill resistant cup;
[0032] FIG. 16 is an exploded view of the third embodiment of the
spill resistant cup;
[0033] FIG. 17 is an exploded view of the third embodiment of the
spill resistant cup from a different angle than that shown in FIG.
16;
[0034] FIG. 18 is a top view of the third embodiment of the spill
resistant cup;
[0035] FIG. 19 is a bottom view of the third embodiment of the
spill resistant cup;
[0036] FIG. 20 is a side cut away view of the third embodiment of
the spill resistant cup;
[0037] FIG. 21 is an exploded view of a fourth embodiment of the
spill resistant cup; and
[0038] FIG. 22 is a side cut away view of the fourth embodiment of
the spill resistant cup.
[0039] Other advantages and features will be apparent from the
following description and from the claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0040] The devices and methods discussed herein are merely
illustrative of specific manners in which to make and use this
invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting in scope.
[0041] While the devices and methods have been described with a
certain degree of particularity, it is to be noted that many
modifications may be made in the details of the construction and
the arrangement of the devices and components without departing
from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that
the devices and methods are not limited to the embodiments set
forth herein for purposes of exemplification.
[0042] In general, in a first aspect, the invention relates to a
spill resistant cup with a bottom portion 1 and a top portion 2, as
seen in FIGS. 1 through 20. The spill resistant cup may also have a
lid 3, as seen in FIGS. 1 through 3. The bottom portion 1 may have
two sections: a pyramid, shaped section 4 and a hemispherical
section 5, as seen in FIGS. 1 through 3 and 7 and in FIGS. 15
through 17. Alternately, the pyramid-shaped section 4 may have a
different shape, such as an upside-down pyramid shape or a prism
shape. Alternately, the bottom portion 1 may not have
pyramid-shaped section or a hemispherical section, as seen in FIGS.
10 through 14, but rather may comprise a single section. The top
portion 2, with the lid 3 in place if there is a lid 3, may be
generally hemispherical. If the bottom portion 1 has a
hemispherical section 5, the top portion 2 and the hemispherical
section 5 of the bottom portion 1, along with the lid 3 if there is
a lid 3, may generally form a sphere mounted atop the pyramid of
the pyramid-shaped section 4 of the bottom portion 1. The lid 3 may
be shaped such that an opening 6 is provided between the lid 3 and
the top potion 2, seen in FIGS. 1 through 3 and 7. The top portion
2 may have a lip 7 adjacent the opening 6. If there is no lid 3,
the top portion 2 may house the opening 6, as seen in FIGS. 10
through 17.
[0043] Alternately, the top portion 2 and the hemispherical section
5 of the bottom portion 1, and optionally the lid 3 as discussed
above, may generally form a three dimensional structure other than
a sphere, such as an ellipsoid, a prolate spheroid, a character's
head, or any other desired shape. Likewise, the top portion 2 may
not be hemispherical regardless of the presence of a hemispherical
section 5 in the bottom portion 1. In either case, each of the
sections herein described as hemispherical may be not actually
hemispherical but rather shaped like a portion of the three
dimensional structure and/or other shape. For example, in FIGS. 10
through 20, the top of the hemisphere is concave rather than
convex. For the sake of simplicity, this structure is referenced as
hemispherical throughout this application; however, this language
is not limiting and the aspects of the invention described as such
are equally applicable to any three dimensional structure, whether
spherical/hemispherical or not.
[0044] FIGS. 7, 11, 16, and 17 show the bottom portion 1 without
the top portion 2 attached. The bottom portion 1 may be hollow,
such that it may hold fluid for drinking. The bottom portion 1 may
have a triangular bottom 8, as shown in the FIGS. 5 and 19;
alternately, the bottom 8 may be any polygon, allowing the
pyramid-shaped section 4 to have any desired number of sides. This
would allow the spill resistant cup to settle quickly if tipped
over. Another alternative is for the bottom 8 to be circular or
otherwise at least partially curved, as shown in FIGS. 10 through
14, such that the pyramid-shaped section 4 is cylindrical, conical,
or has any other desired shape. If the bottom 8 is partially
curved, it may ideally have at least one flat portion to allow the
spill resistant cup to settle along that side if tipped over. For
example, the cup shown in FIGS. 10 through 14 has two flat
portions, allowing the cup to settle on one of those two sides.
Another alternative is for the bottom portion 1 to omit the
hemispherical section, again as shown in FIGS. 10 through 14. If
so, the top portion 2 may similarly not be hemispherical.
[0045] If the bottom 8 is a polygon, as in FIGS. 1 through 4 and 15
through 17, the pyramid-shaped section 4 may have a plurality of
triangular sides 9 joined by corners 10. The corners 10 may be
rounded. The apex 11 of the pyramid-shaped section 4 may be open
into the hemispherical section 5, such that fluid may flow from the
pyramid-shaped section 4 into the hemispherical section 5 and vice
versa. A rim 12 may extend upward from the hemispherical section
5.
[0046] The hemispherical section 5 may be actually hemispherical,
forming half of a sphere with the top portion 2 and lid 3 forming
the other half of the sphere, or may be more or less than half of a
sphere, with the top portion 2 and lid 3 forming the remainder of
the sphere. The sphere formed by the hemispherical section 5, the
top portion 2, and the lid 3 may have a diameter larger than the
width of the pyramid-shaped section 4. Thus, when the spill
resistant cup tips over, the top of the spill resistant cup may be
inclined upward, discouraging spills.
[0047] FIG. 8 shows the top portion 2 without the bottom portion 1
and lid 3. As seen in FIG. 8 and the wireframe view in FIG. 4, the
top portion 2 may have an exterior portion 13 shaped like a
spherical section and an interior portion 14 shaped like a funnel,
where the interior portion 14 is joined to the exterior portion 13
along their upper edges. Extending downward from the interior
portion 14 may be a trough 15. When the spill resistant cup is
fully assembled, the trough 15 may extend through the hemispherical
section 5 of the bottom section to the apex 11 of the
pyramid-shaped section 4 of the bottom portion 1, allowing fluid to
flow out of the pyramid-shaped section 4, along the trough 15,
along the interior portion 14 of the top portion 3, and out of the
spill resistant cup, when the cup is angled properly.
[0048] Alternately, the trough 15 may be attached to a separate
middle portion 17 that fits between the bottom portion 1 and top
portion 2, as seen in FIGS. 11 and 14. The trough 15 may angle
backward from top to bottom, discouraging fluid from traveling up
the trough 15 unless the cup is tipped past 90.degree.. The middle
portion 17 may have an opening 18 at the top of the trough 15,
allowing fluid to flow from the trough 15 into the top portion 2
when the cup is tipped sufficiently, and allowing fluid to flow
from the top portion 2 into the bottom portion 1 when the cup is
upright. The middle portion 17 may angle down inward toward the
opening 18 to encourage fluid in the top portion 2 to enter the
bottom portion 1 via the opening 18, as seen in FIG. 14. The middle
portion 17 may have a notch 19 that fits onto a protrusion 20 on
the inside of the bottom portion 1 to ensure proper alignment of
the trough 15, as seen in FIG. 11. The top portion 2 may have an
opening 6 adjacent the lip 7, such that fluid entering the top
portion 2 from the bottom portion 1 via the opening 18 in the
middle portion 17 may exit the cup and be drunk by the user at the
lip 7, as from an ordinary cup. The top portion 2 may also have an
opening 21 at its center to allow the cup to be filled easily
without removing the top portion 2 from the bottom portion 1.
[0049] Alternately, the trough 15 may be located within the top
portion 2 rather than the bottom portion 1, as seen in FIG. 20. The
trough 15 may extend from the opening 6 in the top portion 2 to an
opening 23 in an insert 24 located within the bottom portion 1. In
particular, the insert 24 may be located where the pyramid-shaped
section 4 meets the hemispherical section 5.
[0050] Alternately, the cup may not have a trough, as shown in FIG.
21. The cup may have an insert 25 that fits within the top of the
bottom portion 1 and separates the bottom portion 1 from the top
portion 2. The insert 25 may have an opening 26 therein that allows
fluid to flow past the insert 25. The insert 25 may be thicker
around its outer edges than around the opening, as shown FIG. 26,
such that both the top and bottom surfaces of the insert 25 angle
inward, encouraging the flow of fluid through the opening 26
whether the cup is right side up (where fluid flows from the top
portion 2 to the bottom portion 1) or upside down (where fluid
flows from the bottom portion 1 to the top portion 2). Optionally,
the trough 15 may be integral to the wall of the cup. If so, the
cup may have a bottle neck shape either in the bottom portion 1 or
the top portion 2. This cup design promotes the transfer of fluid
past the insert 25 when such transfer is desirable.
[0051] The opening 26 may be centered in the insert 25, as shown,
or may be located anywhere else along the insert 25 as desired. The
top portion 2 may or may not have an opening 21, as shown in FIG.
10; if it does, the opening 21 and the opening 26 may or may not be
aligned. The opening 26, as well as the opening 21, may be located
anywhere along a shared center line. Both landing positions share a
horizontal diameter. By misaligning the two holes along this
diameter, spurting fluid from shaking or tipping misses the
uppermost opening 21 and is contained in the top portion 2. This
applies to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 through 14, as
well.
[0052] In any of the embodiments, the cup may further comprise a
cover 25 located such that it may slide over the opening 6 to
further prevent spills when the cup is not in use or slide away
from the opening 6 when the cup is in use, thus allowing fluid to
flow out of the opening 6 to be drunk by the user. The cover 25 may
be seen in FIGS. 15 through 18.
[0053] The bottom portion 1 may have a rim 12 extending upward and
the top portion 2 may have a rim 16 extending downward, such that
top portion 2 may attach to the bottom portion 1 along the rims 12
and 16, respectively. The rims 12 and 16 may form a twist lock,
such that the top portion 2 may be placed on the bottom portion 1
and twisted a short distance, causing the twist lock of rims 12 and
16 to engage, thus preventing the top portion 2 from being removed
from the bottom portion 1 without untwisting. Alternately, the rims
12 and 16 may be threaded such that they may be joined to each
other by twisting. Alternately, the rims 12 and 16 may have any
other appropriate mechanism for attaching to one another such that
the top portion 2 may be secured to the bottom portion 1 via the
rims 12 and 16. The spill resistant cup may have a gasket (not
shown) located at the rims 12 and 16 to prevent leakage of fluid
from the cup.
[0054] As seen in FIGS. 4 and 20, the trough 15 may aligned such
that, when the top portion 2 is fully secured to the bottom portion
1 with the rims 12 and 16 fully engaged with each other, the trough
15 lines up with one of the corners 10 of the pyramid-shaped
section 4 of the bottom portion 1. Thus, if the fully assembled
spill resistant cup tips over, it will settle along one of the
sides 9 of the pyramid-shaped section 4 and any fluid that travels
through the apex 11 from the pyramid-shaped section 4 into the
hemispherical section 5 will not travel along the trough 15, but
rather into the body of the hemispherical section 5 itself. Upon
righting the spill resistant cup, the fluid that has traveled into
the hemispherical section 5 may return to the pyramid-shaped
section 4 due to gravity and the geometry of the spill resistant
cup.
[0055] As noted above, the top portion 2 may have a lip 7. The lip
7 may extend from the top portion 2 and may be aligned with the
trough 15, such that the trough 15 is properly aligned for fluid
transfer when the cup is used with the lip 7 at the user's mouth.
The lip 7 may be generally shaped like a portion of the rim of a
regular cup; thus, drinking from the spill resistant cup at the lip
7 replicates the feeling of drinking from a regular cup. This
provides for an easier transition between using the spill resistant
cup and using a regular cup. The lip 7 also provides an easy
indicator of the proper alignment of the trough 15.
[0056] FIG. 9 shows the lid 3. The lid 3 may be generally shaped
like a spherical cap, such that the lid 3 may fit against the
spherical section that is the exterior portion 13 of the top
portion 2 to complete a hemisphere. As noted above, the lid 3 may
have an opening 6, which may be located along one of its edges.
When the lid 3 is in place on the spill resistant cup, fluid
traveling from the pyramid-shaped section 4 along the trough 15 and
along the interior portion 14 of the top portion 3 may exit the
spill resistant cup via the opening 6. The lid 3 may be placed on
the spill resistant cup in such a way that the opening 6 is
adjacent the lip 7, allowing a user to drink from the cup at the
lip 7 through the opening 6.
[0057] Whereas, the devices and methods have been described in
relation to the drawings and claims, it should be understood that
other and further modifications, apart from those shown or
suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this
invention.
* * * * *