Drink bottles

• US 10,023,365 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CamelBak Products LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CamelBak Products LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: Choi, Robert, Forsman, Barley A., Galten, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Braden, Shawn M
• Application Number:
  US15/287,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20170021982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 220714, 220707, 220705, 220709, 2202543
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/20 of flexible material; Collapsible or stackable cups
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2266 Means for facilitating drinking, e.g. for infants or invalids
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2272 from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/065 with hinged, foldable or pivotable spouts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/066 the spout being either flexible or having a flexible wall portion, whereby the spout is foldable between a dispensing and a non-dispensing position B65D47/2043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/2031 the element being formed by a slit, narrow opening or constrictable spout, the size of the outlet passage being able to be varied by increasing or decreasing the pressure B65D47/2025 takes precedence

Abstract

Drink bottles, or drink containers with cap assemblies that include a drink spout. In some embodiments, the drink spout is pivotally coupled to a base of the cap assembly. In some embodiments, the drink spouts include mouthpieces, including self-sealing and/or bite-actuated mouthpieces. In some embodiments, the cap assembly includes a handle, which may include at least one guard for the drink spout and/or mouthpiece. In some embodiments, the drink containers include a manual on/off valve. In some embodiments, the dispensing spout includes a mount for the mouthpiece and/or cooperates with the cap to provide a manual on/off valve to selectively restrict flow of drink fluid from the drink container regardless of the drink spout'"'"'s and/or mouthpiece'"'"'s configuration. In some embodiments, the drink containers include a drink tube extending from external of the drink containers and/or an air return system.

Claims

1. A drink container, comprising:

a fluid container having a neck with an opening and a wall structure extending generally away from the neck;

wherein the fluid container includes an internal compartment sized to hold potable drink fluid, and further wherein the fluid container has a collapsible construction in which the wall structure includes walls that are configured to be urged toward each other responsive to squeezing of the fluid container by a user'"'"'s hand; and

a cap assembly removably coupled to the fluid container to cover the opening, the cap assembly comprising;

a cap assembly base coupled to the neck of the fluid container;

a drink spout extending in at least a defined orientation relative to the cap assembly base and having an outlet, wherein the drink spout defines at least a portion of a fluid conduit for drink fluid to flow from the fluid container through the drink spout;

a self-sealing mouthpiece fluidly coupled to the drink spout and including a sealable opening through which drink fluid may be selectively dispensed from the drink container to the user responsive to the user squeezing the wall structure of the fluid container, wherein the mouthpiece is selectively configured between a mouthpiece closed configuration, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to prevent drink fluid from being dispensed therethrough, and an open configuration, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to permit drink fluid to be dispensed therethrough, wherein the mouthpiece is biased to automatically return from the open configuration to the mouthpiece closed configuration, and further wherein the mouthpiece is further adapted to emit drink fluid from the fluid container responsive to the user squeezing the wall structure of the fluid container; and

a manual on/off valve adapted to selectively restrict the flow of drink fluid from the fluid container through the outlet of the drink spout;

wherein the on/off valve includes a rotatable mechanism that selectively obstructs a portion of the fluid conduit upstream from the outlet of the drink spout when the on/off valve is in a valve closed configuration, and further wherein rotation of at least the drink spout relative to the cap assembly base selectively configures the on/off valve to a dispensing configuration, in which drink fluid may flow through the on/off valve to the outlet of the drink spout.

2. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the wall structure of the fluid container is configured to collapse inwardly such that opposed portions of the wall structure contact each other as drink fluid is dispensed from the drink container.

3. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the sealable opening is defined by at least one slit.

4. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the sealable opening is defined by at least two intersecting slits.

5. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece is a resilient mouthpiece.

6. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the drink spout extends in a fixed orientation relative to the cap assembly base.

7. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece includes a valve assembly that defines the sealable opening.

8. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece includes a bite-actuated mouthpiece that is adapted to be urged from the mouthpiece closed configuration to the open configuration responsive to a user biting upon the mouthpiece.

9. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the internal compartment has a capacity of at least 6 fluid ounces of potable drink fluid.

10. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the internal compartment has a capacity of drink fluid, wherein the capacity is in a range of 12-36 fluid ounces.

22. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the drink spout has a central axis and further wherein rotation of at least the drink spout relative to the cap assembly base and about the central axis selectively configures the on/off valve to a dispensing configuration, in which drink fluid may flow through the on/off valve to the outlet of the drink spout.

11. A drink container, comprising:

a fluid container having a neck with an opening and a wall structure extending generally away from the neck;

wherein the fluid container includes an internal compartment sized to hold potable drink fluid, and further wherein the fluid container has a collapsible construction in which the wall structure includes walls that are configured to be urged toward each other responsive to squeezing of the fluid container by a user'"'"'s hand; and

a cap assembly removably coupled to the fluid container to cover the opening, the cap assembly comprising;

a cap assembly base coupled to the neck of the fluid container;

a drink spout extending in at least a defined orientation relative to the cap assembly base and having an outlet, wherein the drink spout defines at least a portion of a fluid conduit for drink fluid to flow from the fluid container through the drink spout;

a valve assembly fluidly coupled to the drink spout and including a sealable opening through which drink fluid may be selectively dispensed from the drink container to a user, wherein the valve assembly is selectively configured between a valve assembly closed configuration, in which the valve assembly is adapted to prevent drink fluid from being dispensed therethrough, and an open configuration, in which the valve assembly is adapted to permit drink fluid to be dispensed therethrough, wherein the valve assembly is biased to automatically return from the open configuration to the valve assembly closed configuration, and further wherein the valve assembly is further adapted to emit drink fluid from the fluid container responsive to a user squeezing the fluid container; and

a manual on/off valve that is adapted to selectively restrict the flow of drink fluid from the fluid container through the outlet of the drink spout;

wherein the on/off valve includes a rotatable mechanism that selectively obstructs a portion of the fluid conduit upstream from the outlet of the drink spout when the on/off valve is in an on/off valve closed configuration, and further wherein rotation of at least the drink spout relative to the cap assembly base selectively configures the on/off valve to a dispensing configuration, in which drink fluid may flow through the on/off valve to the outlet of the drink spout.

12. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the valve assembly includes a resilient valve that defines the sealable opening.

13. The drink container of claim 12, wherein the valve assembly further includes a mouthpiece.

14. The drink container of claim 13, wherein the mouthpiece is a resilient mouthpiece.

15. The drink container of claim 13, wherein the mouthpiece is a bite-actuated mouthpiece that is adapted to be urged from the valve assembly closed configuration to the open configuration responsive to a user biting upon the mouthpiece.

16. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the drink spout extends in a fixed orientation relative to the cap assembly base.

17. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the internal compartment has a capacity of at least 6 fluid ounces of potable drink fluid.

18. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the internal compartment has a capacity of drink fluid, wherein the capacity is in a range of 12-36 fluid ounces.

19. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the wall structure of the fluid container is configured to collapse inwardly such that opposed portions of the wall structure contact each other as drink fluid is dispensed from the drink container.

20. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the sealable opening is defined by at least one slit.

21. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the sealable opening is defined by at least two intersecting slits.

23. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the drink spout has a central axis and further wherein rotation of at least the drink spout relative to the cap assembly base and about the central axis selectively configures the on/off valve to a dispensing configuration, in which drink fluid may flow through the on/off valve to the outlet of the drink spout.