Cup assembly

• US 20040222230A1
• Filed: 02/18/2004
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Playtex Products Incorporated (Edgewell Personal Care Company)
• Original Assignee: Playtex Products Incorporated (Edgewell Personal Care Company)
• Inventors: Samson, Ilan, Lieberman, Joshua
• Granted Patent: US 7,147,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/711
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2272 from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers

Abstract

A cup for reducing or eliminating spillage or shake-out is provided. The cup has a cap and a spill and shake-out inhibiting element. The spill and shake-out inhibiting element is a dispensing tunnel, which provides for the formation of a pressure differential between the inside of the cup and the atmosphere when fluid begins to flow through the dispensing tunnel. The pressure differential, when it reaches a predetermined level, prevents further flow or movement of the fluid through the dispensing tunnel until additional suction is applied by the user. The diameter of the dispensing tunnel is small enough to effectively prevent air bubbles from flowing past the fluid in the dispensing tunnel.

Claims

1. A valve for a cup having a cap and an inner volume, the valve comprising:

a passageway having first and second ends, said first end being open and in fluid communication with the inner volume of the cup, said second end being open and in fluid communication with atmosphere, wherein said passageway has a cross-sectional area that is small enough to substantially prevent air from flowing past fluid in said passageway when the cup is tilted or inverted, wherein said passageway is disposed in a first planar section having a first longitudinal axis, wherein the cap is disposed in a second planar section having a second longitudinal axis, and wherein said first and second longitudinal axes are substantially parallel.

2. The valve of claim 1, wherein said passageway has a length and a dispensing volume, and wherein said length and said dispensing volume are large enough to substantially prevent spillage or shake-out of the fluid from the inner volume of the cup when the cup is tilted or inverted.

3. The valve of claim 1, wherein said cross-sectional area is substantially uniform along said passageway.

4. The valve of claim 1, wherein said cross-sectional area is substantially circular.

5. The valve of claim 1, wherein said passageway is at least partially formed from a first channel and a second channel, and wherein said first and second channels are sealingly connectable.

6. The valve of claim 5, wherein said first and second channels have substantially the same path, and wherein said first channel forms a lower portion of said passageway and said second channel forms an upper portion of said passageway.

7. The valve of claim 6, wherein at least one of said first and second channels is formed on the cap.

8. The valve of claim 7, wherein said at least one of said first and second channels is substantially disposed on only half of the cap.

9. The valve of claim 1, wherein said passageway has a serpentine-like path.

10. The valve of claim 1, wherein said passageway is at least partially formed from a first channel and a second channel that are sealingly connectable, wherein said first and second channels have substantially the same path and form lower and upper portions of said passageway, and wherein said first channel is formed on a disc and said second channel is formed on the cap.

11. The valve of claim 10, wherein said disc is removably connectable to the cap.

12. The valve of claim 11, wherein said disc is flexible.

13. The valve of claim 12, wherein said disc has a surface, and wherein said first channel has sealing beads disposed along said path of said first channel that extend beyond said surface.

14. The valve of claim 11, wherein said disc has a first orientation structure, wherein the cap has a second orientation structure, and wherein said first and second orientation structures align said first and second channels when said disc is connected with the cap.

15. A cap for a cup having an inner volume, the cap comprising:

a top wall having a first connecting structure that removably connects the cap with the cup; and

a valve having a passageway with first and second ends, said first end being open and in fluid communication with the inner volume of the cup, said second end being open and in fluid communication with atmosphere, wherein said passageway has a cross-sectional area that is small enough to substantially prevent air from flowing past fluid in said passageway when the cup is tilted or inverted, wherein said passageway is disposed in a first planar section having a first longitudinal axis, wherein the cap is disposed in a second planar section having a second longitudinal axis, and wherein said first and second longitudinal axes are substantially parallel.

16. The cap of claim 15, wherein said passageway has a length and a dispensing volume, and wherein said length and said dispensing volume are large enough to substantially prevent spillage or shake-out of the fluid from the inner volume of the cup when the cup is tilted or inverted.

17. The cap of claim 15, wherein said cross-sectional area is substantially uniform along said passageway.

18. The cap of claim 15, wherein said cross-sectional area is substantially circular.

19. The cap of claim 15, further comprising a spout in fluid communication with said second end of said passageway.

20. The cap of claim 15, wherein said passageway is at least partially formed from a first channel and a second channel, and wherein said first and second channels are sealingly connectable.

21. The cap of claim 20, wherein said first and second channels have substantially the same path, and wherein said first channel forms a lower portion of said passageway and said second channel forms an upper portion of said passageway.

22. The cap of claim 21, wherein at least one of said first and second channels is formed on the cap.

23. The cap of claim 22, wherein said at least one of said first and second channels is substantially disposed on only half of the cap.

24. The cap of claim 15, wherein said passageway has a serpentine-like path.

25. The cap of claim 15, wherein said passageway is at least partially formed from a first channel and a second channel that are sealingly connectable, wherein said first and second channels have substantially the same path and form lower and upper portions of said passageway, and wherein said first channel is formed on a disc and said second channel is formed on the cap.

26. The cap of claim 25, wherein said disc is removably connectable to the cap.

27. The cap of claim 26, wherein said disc is flexible.

28. The cap of claim 27, wherein said disc has an upper surface, and wherein said first channel has sealing beads disposed along said path of said first channel that extend beyond said upper surface.

29. The cap of claim 26, wherein said disc has a first orientation structure, wherein the cap has a second orientation structure, and wherein said first and second orientation structures align said first and second channels when said disc is connected with the cap.

30. A bottle assembly comprising:

a cap having a top wall and a first connecting structure;

a cup having an inner volume and a second connecting structure, said first and second connecting structures connecting said cap with said cup; and

a valve having a passageway with first and second ends, said first end being open and in fluid communication with said inner volume of said cup, said second end being open and in fluid communication with atmosphere, wherein said passageway has a cross-sectional area that is small enough to substantially prevent air from flowing past fluid in said passageway when said cup is tilted or inverted, wherein said passageway is disposed in a first planar section having a first longitudinal axis, wherein said cap is disposed in a second planar section having a second longitudinal axis, and wherein said first and second longitudinal axes are substantially parallel.

31. The bottle assembly of claim 30, wherein said passageway has a length and a dispensing volume, and wherein said length and said dispensing volume are large enough to substantially prevent spillage or shake-out of said fluid from said inner volume of said cup when said cup is tilted or inverted.

32. The bottle assembly of claim 30, wherein said cross-sectional area is substantially uniform along said passageway.

33. The bottle assembly of claim 30, wherein said cross-sectional area is substantially circular.

34. The bottle assembly of claim 30, wherein said cap has a spout in fluid communication with said second end of said passageway.

35. The bottle assembly of claim 30, wherein said passageway is at least partially formed from a first channel and a second channel, and wherein said first and second channels are sealingly connectable.

36. The bottle assembly of claim 35, wherein said first and second channels have substantially the same path, and wherein said first channel forms a lower portion of said passageway and said second channel forms an upper portion of said passageway.

37. The bottle assembly of claim 36, wherein at least one of said first and second channels is formed on said cap.

38. The bottle assembly of claim 37, wherein said at least one of said first and second channels is substantially disposed on only half of said cap.

39. The bottle assembly of claim 30, wherein said passageway has a serpentine-like path.

40. The bottle assembly of claim 30, wherein said passageway is at least partially formed from a first channel and a second channel that are sealingiy connectable, wherein said first and second channels have substantially said same path and form lower and upper portions of said passageway, and wherein said first channel is formed on a disc and said second channel is formed on said cap.

41. The bottle assembly of claim 40, wherein said disc is removably connectable to said cap.

42. The bottle assembly of claim 41, wherein said disc is flexible.

43. The bottle assembly of claim 42, wherein said disc has an upper surface, and wherein said first channel has sealing beads disposed along said path of said first channel that extend beyond said upper surface.

44. The bottle assembly of claim 41, wherein said disc has a first orientation structure, wherein said cap has a second orientation structure, and wherein said first and second orientation structures align said first and second channels when said disc is connected with said cap.

45. The bottle assembly of claim 30, wherein said cap has a circumferential sidewall surrounding said top wall, and wherein said first connecting structure is on said circumferential sidewall.

46. The bottle assembly of claim 45, wherein at least a portion of said top wall is recessed with respect to said circumferential sidewall to form a lip.

47. The bottle assembly of claim 46, wherein said lip circumscribes said top wall and has an opening therethrough, and wherein said opening is in fluid communication with said second end of said passageway.

48. The bottle assembly of claim 30, wherein said first end of said passageway is disposed substantially adjacent to said second end of said passageway.

49. A bottle assembly comprising:

a cap having a top wall, a circumferential sidewall, and a first connecting structure, said circumferential sidewall surrounding said top wall, said first connecting structure being disposed on said circumferential sidewall;

a cup having an inner volume and a second connecting structure, said first and second connecting structures connecting said cap with said cup; and

a valve having a passageway with first and second ends, said first end being open and in fluid communication with said inner volume of said cup, said second end being open and in fluid communication with atmosphere, wherein at least a portion of said top wall is recessed with respect to said circumferential sidewall to form a lip, wherein said lip at least partially circumscribes said top wall and has an opening therethrough, and wherein said opening is in fluid communication with said second end of said passageway.

50. The bottle assembly of claim 49, wherein said passageway has a cross-sectional area that is small enough to substantially prevent air from flowing past fluid in said passageway when said cup is tilted or inverted.

51. The bottle assembly of claim 50, wherein said passageway is disposed in a first planar section having a first longitudinal axis, wherein said cap is disposed in a second planar section having a second longitudinal axis, and wherein said first and second longitudinal axes are substantially parallel.

52. The bottle assembly of claim 50, wherein said passageway has a length and a dispensing volume, and wherein said length and said dispensing volume are large enough to substantially prevent spillage or shake-out of said fluid from said inner volume of said cup when said cup is tilted or inverted.

53. A bottle assembly comprising:

a cap having a top wall and a first connecting structure, said top wall having an upper surface;

a cup having an inner volume and a second connecting structure, said first and second connecting structures connecting said cap with said cup; and

a valve having a passageway with first and second ends, said first end being open and in fluid communication with said inner volume of said cup, said second end being open and in fluid communication with atmosphere, wherein said passageway has a cross-sectional area that is small enough to substantially prevent air from flowing past fluid in said passageway when said cup is tilted or inverted, wherein said passageway is substantially disposed below said upper surface of said cap.

54. The bottle assembly of claim 53, wherein said passageway is disposed in a first planar section having a first longitudinal axis, wherein said cap is disposed in a second planar section having a second longitudinal axis, and wherein said first and second longitudinal axes are substantially parallel.

55. The bottle assembly of claim 53, wherein said passageway has a length and a dispensing volume, and wherein said length and said dispensing volume are large enough to substantially prevent spillage or shake-out of said fluid from said inner volume of said cup when said cup is tilted or inverted.