Insulated water bottle for a bicycle

• US 5,094,363 A
• Filed: 07/16/1990
• Issued: 03/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Troxel Manufacturing Co. (T&M Demolition)
• Original Assignee: Troxel Manufacturing Co. (T&M Demolition)
• Inventors: Millerd, Donald L., Bell, Robert D., Kunze, David G., Dekker, Michael, Monahan, Timothy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pomrening, Anthoula
• Application Number:
  US07/553,730
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 222/131, 222/210, 222/212, 222/523, 222/465.1, 222/545, 222/211, 222/215, 222/522, 222/525, 222/562, 222/182, 222/183, 220/411, 220/412, 220/413, 215/13.1, 215/6
• US Class Current: 222/131
• 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: B62J 11/04 for bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0842 consisting of a strap of flexible material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/247 moving linearly, i.e. without rotational motion
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3886 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a squeezable insulated water bottle. In a preferred embodiment, the bottle has an outer shell of cylindrical shape with an opening at one end and a closed second end with an indented center shell portion dividing top and bottom shell portions, a layer of insulation material positioned about the inner surface of the top and bottom outer shell portions, and an inner liner of cylindrical shape having a neck opening. The outer shell, the inner liner, and the insulation layer are all made from flexible materials which allow the bottle to be insulated yet squeezable.

Claims

1. A squeezable bottle comprising:

a flexible inner liner of cylindrical shape having a neck opening at an open first liner end, a closed second liner end, and a first threaded outer surface portion at the first liner end;

a flexible outer shell of cylindrical shape having a first shell end with an opening, a closed second shell end, an indented center shell portion dividing a top and a bottom shell portions, and a second threaded portion on an inside surface of the first shell end corresponding to the first threaded outer surface portion adjacent the first liner end;

a flexible insulation layer positioned between the outer shell and the inner liner, the insulation layer comprising;

(a) a lower insulation portion adjacent sides of the bottom shell portion and (b) an upper insulation portion adjacent sides of the top shell portion, the lower insulation portion and the upper insulation portion separated by a gap adjacent the indented center shell portion; and

a valve means attachable to the neck opening.

2. A squeezable bottle as in claim 1 wherein the indented center shell portion of the outer shell is of reduced wall thickness to provide additional flexibility at the center shell portion of the outer shell.

3. A squeezable bottle as in claim 1 wherein the insulation layer further comprises (c) a bottom disk shaped portion for covering substantially all of the closed second shell end.

4. A squeezable bottle as in claim 3 wherein the bottom disk shaped portion and the lower insulation portion are integrally attached.

5. A squeezable bottle as in claim 1 wherein the inner liner includes an indented center liner portion.

6. A squeezable bottle as in claim 5 wherein the center liner portion of the inner liner is of reduced wall thickness to provide additional flexibility at the center liner portion of the inner liner.

7. A squeezable bottle as in claim 1 wherein each of the upper and lower insulation portions comprises foam-in-place insulating material.

8. A squeezable bottle as in claim 1 wherein each of the upper and lower insulation portions comprises a rectangular sheet of insulating material which is rollable into a cylindrical shape to conform to respective inside surfaces of the top and bottom shell portions.

9. A squeezable bottle as in claim 8 wherein each of upper and lower insulation portions has a pair of opposite longitudinal sides touching one another to form a continuous cylindrical shape.

10. A squeezable bottle as in claim 1 wherein the valve means comprises:

a valve body with a push/pull valve stem, the valve means being in an open condition when the valve stem is in an extended outward position and in a closed condition when the valve stem is in an inward position;

a dust cap attached to the valve body by a connector piece, the dust cap being pivotable into position to cover the valve stem, the dust cap having;

(a) guide means along an inner face thereof which retracts the valve stem to the closed condition when the dust cap is positioned onto the valve body.

11. A squeezable bottle as in claim 10 wherein the valve body has a first circular sealing surface which corresponds to a second circular sealing surface on the inner face of the dust cap, the second circular sealing surface sealing against the first circular sealing surface when the dust cap is pivoted into position covering the valve stem to prevent entry of dust toward the valve stem.

12. A squeezable water bottle comprising:

a flexible inner liner of cylindrical shape having a neck opening at an open first liner end and a closed second liner end;

a flexible outer shell of cylindrical shape having a first shell end with an opening, a closed second shell end, and an indented center shell portion dividing a top and a bottom shell portions;

a flexible insulation layer positioned between the outer shell and the inner liner, the insulation layer comprising;

(a) a lower insulation portion adjacent sides of the bottom shell portion and (b) an upper insulation portion adjacent sides of the top shell portion, the lower insulation portion and the upper insulation portion separated by a gap adjacent the indented center shell portion;

means for securing the first liner end of the inner liner to the first shell end of the outer shell; and

a valve means attachable to the neck opening.

13. A squeezable water bottle as in claim 12 wherein the insulation layer further comprises (c) a bottom disk shaped portion for covering substantially all of the closed second shell end.

14. A squeezable water bottle as in claim 12 wherein each of the upper and lower insulation portions comprises foam-in-place insulating material.

15. A squeezable water bottle as in claim 12 wherein each of the upper and lower insulation portions comprises a rectangular sheet of insulating material which is rollable into a cylindrical shape to conform to respective inside surfaces of the top and bottom shell portions.

16. A squeezable water bottle comprising:

a cylindrically shaped flexible shell with (a) a first shell end with a neck opening and (b) a closed second shell end; and

a valve means comprising

a ring-shaped connector portion attachable around the neck opening,

a valve body with a push/pull valve stem attached to the ring-shaped connector portion by a first flexible connector piece, the valve body being pivotable into position to fit over and close off the neck opening, the valve means being in an open condition when the valve stem is in an extended outward position and in a closed condition when the valve stem is in an inward position, and

a dust cap attached to the valve body by a second flexible connector piece, the dust cap being pivotable into position to cover the valve stem, the dust cap having;

(a) guide means along an inner face thereof which retracts the valve stem to the closed condition when the dust cap is positioned onto the valve body.

17. A squeezable water bottle as in claim 16 wherein the valve body has a first circular sealing surface which corresponds to a second circular sealing surface on the inner face of the dust cap, the second circular sealing surface sealing against the first circular sealing surface when the dust cap is pivoted into position covering the valve stem to prevent entry of dust toward the valve stem.

18. A squeezable water bottle which may be supported by a hanging device on a bicycle, the bottle comprising:

a flexible inner liner having a neck opening at an open first liner end and a closed second liner end;

a flexible outer shell having a first shell end with an opening, a closed second shell end, and an indented center shell portion dividing a top and a bottom outer shell portions, said indented center shell portion being of smaller diameter than that of both the top and bottom outer shell portions for facilitating squeezing of the flexible inner liner;

a flexible insulation layer positioned between the outer shell and the inner liner, the insulation layer comprising;

(a) a lower insulation portion adjacent sides of the bottom shell portion and (b) an upper insulation portion adjacent sides of the top shell portion;

means for securing the first liner end of the inner liner to the first shell end of the outer shell; and

a valve means attachable to the neck opening.