TRAVEL CONTAINER HAVING DRINKING ORIFICE AND VENT APERTURE

• US 20110309095A1
• Filed: 08/09/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coleman Company Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ignite USA LLC (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Pinelli, Steven N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,590,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/715
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2272 from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0018 of the 43-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0028 of the 51-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0081 of the 43-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/009 of the 51-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00046 Drinking-through lids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/02 Removable lids or covers with means for piercing, cutting, or tearing a frangible inner closure B65D51/22
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/20 linearly slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/26 Mechanisms for opening or closing, e.g. pedal-operated for refuse receptacles B65F1/1623
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/32 with means for venting
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/18 Arrangements of closures with protective outer cap-like covers or of two or more co-operating closures B65D51/247 takes precedence

Abstract

An insulated container is provided with a lid having a push-button trigger mechanism that operates both a shutter for a drinking orifice and a vent seal for a vent opening. The trigger has an actuation stroke. The vent seal is initially actuated during a first portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger to transition the vent seal from the closed position to the open position, and the shutter is initially actuated during a second portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger to transition the shutter from the closed position to the open position. Further, the shutter remains in the closed position during the initiation of the first portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger.

Claims

1. A drinking container comprising:

a container body having a container cavity, a removable lid covering the container cavity, the lid having a top surface having a drink aperture and a vent aperture extending therethrough, a shutter operably closing the drink aperture from the container cavity, a vent seal operably closing a separate vent chamber from the container cavity, the vent chamber being positioned between the chamber cavity and the top surface of the lid, the lid further having a trigger mechanically connected to both the shutter and the vent seal to open and close the shutter and vent seal during actuation of the trigger, the trigger extending through a trigger opening, and a trigger seal sealing the container cavity from the trigger opening.

2. The drinking container of claim 1, wherein the trigger is a push-button mechanism.

3. The drinking container of claim 1, wherein the trigger opening is located in a side wall of the lid.

4. The drinking container of claim 1, wherein the portion of the trigger operably connected to the shutter and the vent seal has a generally linear actuation stroke transverse to a longitudinal axis of the container body, wherein the vent aperture is opened during a first portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger, and wherein the drink aperture remains closed during the first portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger so that pressure within the container cavity is initially released through the vent chamber and out the vent aperture.

5. The drinking container of claim 1, wherein the initial opening of the vent aperture occurs at a point prior in time to the initial opening of the drink aperture so that pressure is initially released from the vent aperture.

6. The drinking container of claim 1, wherein the drink aperture is initially opened after the vent aperture.

7. A lid for a drinking container having a container body defining a container cavity, the lid covering the container cavity and the lid comprising:

a lid body having a drink aperture and a separate vent aperture; and

,

a trigger mechanism mechanically connected to a drink aperture shutter seal, a vent seal, and a trigger seal, the trigger mechanism moving the shutter seal and the vent seal from a closed position to an open position, the trigger seal maintaining a seal between the trigger mechanism and the lid body in the open position and in the closed position of the trigger mechanism.

8. The lid of claim 7, wherein the trigger mechanism has an actuation stroke, wherein the actuation stroke of the trigger mechanism opens the vent aperture first and opens the drink aperture second to allow pressure within the container cavity to be released initially through the vent aperture.

9. The lid of claim 7, the lid body having a top surface, and the drink aperture and vent aperture extending through the top surface of the lid body.

10. The lid of claim 9, the lid body having a sidewall and the trigger mechanism extending through an aperture in the sidewall, the trigger seal sealing the container cavity from the aperture.

11. The lid of claim 7, further comprising a vent chamber between the vent seal and the vent aperture, the vent chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of the vent aperture.

12. The lid of claim 7, wherein the trigger mechanism comprises a push-button actuated actuator extending from the lid.

13. The lid of claim 7, further comprising a spring member connected to the shutter seal to exert a force on the shutter seal toward the closed position, and a separate spring member connected to the trigger mechanism to exert a force on the trigger mechanism toward the closed position.

14. The lid of claim 7, further comprising a deflector plate adjacent the vent aperture, wherein the deflector plate directs vapor being expelled out of the vent aperture transverse to a longitudinal axis of the container body.

15. A drinking container comprising:

a container body having a container cavity, a removable lid covering the container cavity, the lid further having a drink aperture providing access to the container cavity, a vent aperture providing access to a separate vent chamber positioned between the container cavity and the vent aperture, a shutter providing a seal for the drink aperture, and a vent seal providing a seal for and closing access to the vent chamber adjacent the container cavity.

16. The drinking container of claim 15, wherein the drink aperture and the vent aperture extend through a top surface of the lid.

17. The drinking container of claim 16, wherein the vent chamber is located between the top surface of the lid and the container cavity, the vent seal being positioned between the vent chamber and the container cavity.

18. The drinking container of claim 15, wherein the lid further comprises a push-button trigger mechanically connected to the shutter and the vent seal to open and close the shutter and vent seal during actuation of the trigger, the trigger having a trigger seal to close a trigger opening.

19. The drinking container of claim 18, wherein the portion of the trigger operably connected to the shutter and the vent seal has a generally linear actuation stroke transverse to a longitudinal axis of the container body, wherein the vent aperture is opened during a first portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger, and wherein the drink aperture remains closed during the first portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger so that pressure within the cavity is initially released through the vent cavity and out the vent aperture.

20. The drinking container of claim 18, wherein the shutter, the vent seal and the trigger seal are normally positioned in the closed position, and wherein actuation of the trigger mechanism transitions the shutter and vent seal to the open position while maintaining the trigger seal in a sealed orientation.

21. The drinking container of claim 18, wherein the trigger seal maintains a seal between the trigger mechanism and the body of the lid when the drink aperture and vent aperture are opened and closed.

22. The drinking container of claim 18, further comprising a spring member connected to the shutter to exert a force on the shutter toward the closed position, and a spring member connected to the trigger mechanism to exert a force on the trigger mechanism toward the closed position.

23. A lid for a drinking container having a container body with a container cavity, the lid covering an opening to the container cavity and the lid comprising:

a lid body having a drink aperture and a separate vent aperture;

a push button trigger adapted to open the drink aperture and the vent aperture, a portion of the trigger extending out a trigger opening;

a vent seal connected directly to the trigger, wherein the trigger moves the vent seal from a closed position to an open position to exhaust pressure out of the vent aperture; and

,

a trigger seal connected directly to the trigger, wherein the trigger seal maintains a seal between the trigger and the lid body when the vent seal is opened to seal liquid from escaping from the container cavity through the trigger opening.

24. The lid of claim 23, wherein the trigger extends generally horizontally through the trigger opening.

25. A drinking container having a container body with a container cavity and an opening to the container cavity, the drinking container comprising:

a lid removably covering the container cavity, the lid having a drink aperture;

a trigger operably connected to a shutter that seals the drink aperture, a portion of the trigger extending out a trigger opening; and

,

a trigger seal connected directly to the trigger, wherein actuation of the trigger moves the shutter from a closed position to an open position, and wherein the trigger seal maintains a seal between the trigger and the lid when the shutter is opened to seal liquid from escaping from the container cavity through the trigger opening.

26. The drinking container of claim 25, further comprising a separate vent aperture extending through the lid.

27. The drinking container of claim 25, further comprising a vent seal connected directly to the trigger.

28. The drinking container of claim 25, wherein actuation of the trigger moves the vent seal from a closed position to an open position, and wherein the trigger seal maintains a seal between the trigger and the lid body when the vent seal is opened to seal liquid from escaping from the container cavity through the trigger opening.

29. A drinking container having a container body with a container cavity and an opening to the container cavity, the drinking container comprising:

a lid removably covering the container cavity, the lid having a drink aperture and a shutter sealing the drink aperture, a separate vent aperture and a vent seal sealing the vent aperture, and a separate trigger aperture and a trigger seal sealing the trigger aperture;

a trigger capable of opening the drink aperture and the vent aperture, the trigger having an actuation stroke, the vent aperture being first opened during a first portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger and the drink aperture being first opened during a second portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger, and wherein the drink aperture remains closed during the first portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger to allow pressure within the cavity to be initially released through the vent cavity and out the vent aperture.

30. The drinking container of claim 29, wherein the trigger seal is connected directly to the trigger, and wherein the trigger seal maintains a seal between the trigger and the lid when the shutter is opened to seal liquid from escaping from the container cavity through the trigger aperture.

31. The drinking container of claim 29, wherein the trigger is a push-button trigger and wherein a portion of the trigger extends through the trigger aperture.

32. A drinking container comprising:

a container body having a container cavity;

a removable lid covering the container cavity, the lid having a drink aperture and a vent aperture, a shutter that is moveable between a closed position and an open position to open and close the drink aperture, and a vent seal that is moveable between a closed position and an open position to open and close the vent aperture;

a trigger mechanically connected to the shutter and the vent seal;

a first spring member connected to the shutter to exert a force on the shutter toward the closed position; and

,

a second spring member connected to the trigger mechanism to exert a force on the trigger mechanism toward the closed position.

33. The drinking container of claim 32, the trigger having an actuation stroke, wherein the vent aperture is opened during a first portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger, wherein the drink aperture is opened during a second portion of the actuation stroke of the trigger, and wherein the initial opening of the vent aperture occurs at a point prior in time to the initial opening of the drink aperture so that pressure is initially released from the vent aperture.

34. The drinking container of claim 32, further comprising a trigger seal connected to the trigger, wherein actuation of the trigger moves the shutter vent from a closed position to an open position, and wherein the trigger seal maintains a seal between the trigger and the lid when the shutter is opened to seal liquid from escaping from the container cavity through a trigger opening.