Personal hydration system

• US 20050029313A1
• Filed: 05/06/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fiskars Brands Incorporated (Fiskars Oyj Abp)
• Original Assignee: Fiskars Brands Incorporated (Fiskars Oyj Abp)
• Inventors: Robins, Duncan G., Somers, Micah T., Hallee, Nathaniel R.
• Application Number:
  US10/839,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20050029313A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/490
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2003/166 Hydration systems attached to the body by straps, e.g. incorporated in a backpack
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/04 Sacks or packs carried on the body by means of two straps passing over the two shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/20 of flexible material; Collapsible or stackable cups
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00131 wearable by a person, e.g. as a backpack or helmet

Abstract

A mouthpiece is provided for a personal hydration system having a fluid supply tube. The mouthpiece includes a hollow body having a first opening with a first area at a first end to engage the fluid supply tube in a substantially leak-free manner, and a second opening with a second area larger than the first area at a second end. A removable valve cap is coupled to the body in a substantially leak-free manner and includes a diaphragm adjacent the second opening. A slit through the diaphragm permits passage of fluid when the slit is in a first position and opposes passage of fluid when the slit is in a second position.

Claims

1. A mouthpiece for a personal hydration system having a fluid supply tube, the mouthpiece comprising:

a hollow body portion having a first opening with a first area at a first end configured to engage the fluid supply tube in a substantially leak-free manner, and a second opening with a second area larger than the first area at a second end;

a removable valve cap portion coupled to the body portion in a substantially leak-free manner and having a diaphragm adjacent the second opening;

a slit through the diaphragm configured to substantially oppose passage of fluid in a first position and to permit passage of fluid in a second position.

2. The mouthpiece of claim 1 where the hollow body portion, the valve cap, and the diaphragm are resiliently deformable.

3. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein the first opening forms a substantially circular shape and the second opening forms a substantially rectangular shape.

4. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein the first position is an undeformed position and the second position is a deformed position.

5. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein an interior surface of the hollow body has portion comprises at least one ridge extending longitudinally between a first location proximate the first opening and a second location proximate the second opening.

6. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein the hollow body portion further comprises a wall having a thickness that increases with distance from the first opening.

7. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein the hollow body portion further comprises at least one ridge configured to locate a clamp.

8. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein the hollow body portion has a length extending between the first end and the second end that is at least one-and-a-half inches.

9. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein the diaphragm further comprises an inwardly protruding ridge proximate the slit.

10. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein the valve cap portion further comprises a wall extending from the diaphragm and configured to removably attach to the hollow body portion.

11. The mouthpiece of claim 10 wherein the wall further comprises at least one ridge oriented perpendicular to the slit.

12. The mouthpiece of claim 10 wherein the wall further comprises indentations adjacent to ends of the slit.

13. The mouthpiece of claim 10 wherein the wall further comprises a lip extending at least partially along an end of the wall opposite the diaphragm.

14. The mouth piece of claim 1 wherein the valve cap portion has a first flexibility and the hollow body portion has a second flexibility that is less flexible than the first flexibility.

15. The mouthpiece of claim 1 further comprising a tether attached to the hollow body portion and the valve cap portion.

16. A mouthpiece for a personal hydration system to provide fluid to a user, comprising:

a first portion having a first opening at a first end for receiving a liquid, and a second opening at a second end;

a second portion having a wall configured to substantially surround the first portion proximate the second end and a diaphragm substantially perpendicular to the wall and configured to cover the second end;

a linear aperture having adjacent sides extending at least partially across the diaphragm, the adjacent sides configured to contact one another when the second portion is not in use by the user to substantially prevent fluid flow and the adjacent sides configured to separate to form an opening configured to permit fluid flow to the user; and

a ridge extending at least partially along the diaphragm and intersecting the linear aperture.

17. The mouthpiece of claim 16 wherein the linear aperture is substantially closed when the diaphragm is an undeformed shape.

18. The mouthpiece of claim 17 wherein the linear aperture is opened when the diaphragm is in a deformed shape.

19. The mouthpiece of claim 18 wherein the diaphragm is transformable from the undeformed shape to the deformed shape when subjected to a force from the user'"'"'s mouth and the diaphragm is transformable from the deformed shape to the undeformed shape when the user releases the force.

20. The mouthpiece of claim 19 wherein the first portion further comprises an internal surface having at least one rib configured to maintain at least one flow passage through the first portion when the diaphragm is in the deformed state.

21. The mouthpiece of claim 19 wherein the at least one rib is a pair of adjacent ribs extending substantially parallel along one side of the internal surface.

22. The mouthpiece of claim 16 wherein the first portion is a body and the second portion is a valve cap.

23. The mouthpiece of claim 22 wherein the wall of the valve cap is resiliently stretchable over the second end of the body portion.

24. The mouthpiece of claim 16 wherein the wall further comprises a first recess and a second recess substantially orthogonal to and adjacent opposite ends of the linear opening.

25. The mouthpiece of claim 16 wherein the diaphragm further comprises a first section of increased thickness and a second section of increased thickness substantially orthogonal to and adjacent opposite ends of the linear opening.

26. A flow regulating device for controlling the delivery of fluid from a reservoir to a user, comprising:

a hollow body having an inlet end configured for attachment to a tube to receive fluid from the reservoir and an outlet end;

a valve having a side wall and an end wall, and coupled to the outlet end of the body;

a reclosable aperture in the end wall configured to open in a fishmouth profile when the valve is activated by the user; and

at least one rib formed along an internal surface of the body and configured to maintain a passage for fluid flow through the body when the valve is activated by the user.

27. The flow regulating device of claim 26 wherein the reclosable aperture is a slit in the end wall of the valve.

28. The flow regulating device of claim 26 wherein the inlet end is substantially circular.

29. The flow regulating device of claim 26 wherein the outlet end is substantially rectangular.

30. The flow regulating device of claim 26 wherein the at least one rib is two ribs extending at least partially between the inlet end and the outlet end.

31. The flow regulating device of claim 26 wherein the body and the valve are formed from resiliently deformable materials.

32. The flow regulating device of claim 27 wherein the side wall comprises recesses formed substantially perpendicular to the slit.

33. The flow regulating device of claim 27 wherein the end wall comprises sections of increased thickness disposed substantially perpendicular to the slit and an opposite sides of the slit.

34. The flow regulating device of claim 26 wherein the side wall comprises at least one ridge configured to engage at least one groove on the body.

35. The flow regulating device of claim 26 wherein the valve is configured to permit fluid to flow through the body in a first direction toward the user and to permit air to flow through the body in a second direction toward the reservoir.