DRINKING CONTAINER, VENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20090071926A1
• Filed: 04/01/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amikam Berkovitch, Tamir Tirosh
• Original Assignee: Coralinda Trading Corporation
• Inventors: BERKOVITCH, AMIKAM, TIROSH, TAMIR
• Granted Patent: US 8,684,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 215/11.400
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/04 with means for supplying air

Abstract

The present invention relates to a drinking apparatus including a vent system that removably connects to a drinking container The vent system is used to create a variety of leak resistant drinking containers, such as toddler drinking cups, baby bottles, and other drinking containers. The vent system includes a substantially rigid disc portion and base portion, the base portion including base air vent channels merging into an integral one-way valve. The vent system provides passage for air from the exterior of the bottle to the interior of the bottle, but it does not allow liquid to exit the bottle via the vent system. An optional anti-bubble tube may be used with the vent system to provide for air entering the inverted container to reach an air pocket formed in the bottom portion of the container.

Claims

1. A vent system for drinking containers, comprising:

a substantially rigid disc portion having a substantially planar lower surface;

a base portion including a plurality of base vent channels merging into a single, integral unidirectional valve that, in an open position, allows air to enter the drinking container and, in a closed position, prevents liquid flowing out of the container into the base vent channels;

wherein a combination of the disc portion and the base portion form air vent channels between said planar lower surface of the disc portion and said base vent channels that allow air to enter the container through the valve, and to form liquid openings that allow liquid to exit the container.

2. The vent system according to claim 1, wherein the base portion further comprises a plurality of base liquid openings, wherein the disc portion comprises a plurality of disc liquid openings, and a combination of the plurality of base liquid openings and the plurality of disc liquid openings form the liquid openings.

3. The vent system according to claim 1, wherein the disc liquid openings comprise descending members and the base liquid openings are formed by base liquid opening channels that are complementary in shape to the descending members.

4. The vent system according to claim 3, wherein the descending members seal against the base liquid opening channels.

5. The vent system according to claim 1, and further comprising an anti-bubble tube extending to nearly a bottom of portion of the container, said anti-bubble tube being releasably coupleable to said base portion and circumscribing said valve, wherein the anti-bubble tube traps a volume of air surrounding the valve when the valve is in a closed position, so as to create a “

diving bell”

effect within the anti-bubble tube.

6. The vent system according to claim 5, wherein said anti-bubble tube comprises a heat sensor of a thermally reactive material to indicate a temperature of a liquid in the container.

7. The vent system according to claim 5, wherein said anti-bubble tube has a lower section and an upper section, wherein the upper section generally surrounds the valve, and wherein the lower section has a larger volume than the upper section.

8. A drinking container comprising:

a liquid container; and

a vent system coupled to said liquid container, said vent system comprising;

a substantially rigid disc portion having a substantially planar lower surface;

a base portion including a plurality of base vent channels merging into a single, integral uni-directional valve that, in an open position, allows air to enter the liquid container and, in a closed position, prevents liquid flowing out of the container into the base vent channels;

wherein a combination of the disc portion and the base portion form air vent channels between said planar lower surface of the disc portion and said base vent channels that allow air to enter the container through the valve, and to form liquid openings that allow liquid to exit the container.

9. The drinking container according to claim 8, further including a nipple and a collar, wherein the collar is threadably connected to the container, and connecting the collar to the container seals the nipple against the vent system, and wherein air passes in between a threaded region of a neck of the bottle and a threaded region of the collar and air enters the vent channel openings.

10. The drinking container according to claim 8, further including a spout and a collar, wherein the collar is threadably connected to the container, and connecting the collar to the container seals the spout against the vent system, and wherein air passes in between a threaded region of a neck of the bottle and a threaded region of the collar and air enters the vent channel openings.

11. The drinking container according to claim 8, and further comprising an anti-bubble tube extending to nearly a bottom of portion of the container, said anti-bubble tube being releasably coupleable to said base portion and circumscribing said valve, wherein the anti-bubble tube traps a volume of air surrounding the valve when the valve is in a closed position, so as to create a “

diving bell”

effect within the anti-bubble tube.

12. A method for manufacturing a vent system for a drinking container, the method comprising:

providing a substantially rigid disc portion having a substantially planar lower surface;

providing a base portion including a plurality of base vent channels merging into a single, integral unidirectional valve that, in an open position, allows air to enter the drinking container and, in a closed position, prevents liquid flowing out of the container into the base vent channels; and

coupling said disc portion to said base portion to form air vent channels between said planar lower surface of the disc portion and said base vent channels that allow air to enter the container through the valve, and to form liquid openings that allow liquid to exit the container.

13. The method according to claim 12, and further comprising releasably coupling an anti-bubble tube to said base portion and circumscribing said valve, said anti-bubble tube extending to nearly a bottom of portion of the container, wherein the anti-bubble tube traps a volume of air surrounding the valve when the valve is in a closed position, so as to create a “

diving bell”

effect within the anti-bubble tube.