Sports bottle

• US 6,006,952 A
• Filed: 02/06/1998
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monty J. Lucas
• Original Assignee: Monty J. Lucas
• Inventors: Lucas, Monty J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/019,150
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 222/481.5, 222/212, 222/211, 222/522
• US Class Current: 222/211
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2266 Means for facilitating drinking, e.g. for infants or invalids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/323 the container comprising internally a dip tube through which the contents pass
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/102 Gripping means formed in the walls, e.g. roughening, cavities, projections
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/243 moving linearly, i.e. without rotational motion

Abstract

A sports bottle with contoured finger grooves for a better grip, a series of folds for preventing deformation of the bottle when squeezed by absorbing compressive forces, having a lid defining one-way air inflow orifices separate from a liquid outflow orifice, an integral straw member for directing liquids from within the bottle by either sucking or squeezing to the liquid outflow orifice, and a cap slidably attached to the straw member such that the liquid outflow orifice and the air inflow orifices are sealed when the cap is in the down position. The bottle allows the consumption of a liquid without tipping the bottle or interrupting consumption, and is adapted to open and close using only one hand.

Claims

1. A sports bottle comprising:

a container body for receiving and storing liquids, having a mouth and a base;

a lid for removably sealing the mouth. having an interior surface and an exterior surface;

a resealable nozzle attached to the lid for permitting selective passage of fluids through the lid;

said lid defining an air inflow orifice independent of said nozzle;

said nozzle having a liquid outflow orifice and sealing means for selectively sealing and unsealing the liquid outflow orifice, the sealing means being positioned relative to the air inflow orifice such that reciprocal movement of the sealing means concurrently causes sealing and unsealing of the air inflow orifice;

a unidirectional valve for preventing fluid escape through the air inflow orifice from the container body, said unidirectional valve comprising a gasket made of a material having a resilient memory and being liquid and air impermeable, the gasket positioned over the air inflow orifice to selectively seal the air inflow orifice from the escape of a fluid contained by the container body, the gasket being fastened to the interior surface of the lid to form a fluid tight seal around the periphery of the gasket and biased against the nozzle to form a fluid tight seal when pressure is exerted against the gasket in an exterior direction;

water tight fastening means for securing the lid to the container body;

contoured gripping means integral to the container body; and

,

an accordion fold integral to the container body oriented along an upright axis of the container body from the base to the mouth.

2. The sports bottle as defined in claim 1 wherein the gripping means comprises a plurality of recesses contoured into the container body for receiving the fingers of a hand.

3. The sports bottle as defined in claim 1 further comprising a channel integral to the container body terminating proximate to the mouth for exposing a peripheral edge of the lid.

4. The sports bottle as defined in claim 1 wherein the nozzle comprises a tubular member including the liquid outflow orifice and a plug rigidly aligned and proximate to the liquid outflow orifice, and a cap defining a hole, the cap being reciprocally and slidably attached to the tubular member to define a fluid channel terminating with the hole and being in communication with the liquid outflow orifice, the hole concentrically aligned to mate with the plug, the central hole being filled by the plug in a down position and the liquid outflow orifice being unsealed when the cap is in an up position.

5. The sports bottle as defined in claim 1 wherein the nozzle further comprises a tube depending from the tubular member and extending within the container body to the base.

6. The sports bottle as defined in claim 1 wherein the nozzle has an exterior surface of uneven texture.

7. A sport bottle lid for use with a container body for receiving and storing liquids, having a mouth and a base, comprising:

a) A spanning member for removably sealing a mouth of a container body, the spanning member having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the spanning member defining an air flow orifice;

b) a resealable nozzle attached to the lid for permitting selective passage of fluids through the spanning member, wherein the nozzle has a liquid outflow orifice and sealing means for selectively sealing and unsealing the liquid outflow orifice, such that the reciprocal movement of the sealing means concurrently causes sealing and unsealing of the air inflow orifice;

c) a unidirectional valve for preventing fluid escape through the air inflow orifice from the container body, said unidirectional valve comprising a gasket made of a material having a resilient memory and being liquid and air impermeable, the gasket positioned over the air inflow orifice to selectively seal the air inflow orifice from the escape of a fluid contained by the container body, the gasket being fastened to the interior surface of the lid to form a fluid tight seal around the periphery of the gasket and biased against the nozzle to form a fluid tight seal when pressure is exerted against the gasket in an exterior direction; and

d) substantially water tight fastening means for securing the lid to the container body.

8. The sports bottle lid as defined in claim 7 wherein the nozzle comprises a tubular member including the liquid outflow orifice and a plug rigidly aligned and proximate to the liquid outflow orifice, and a cap defining a hole, the cap being reciprocally and slidably attached to the tubular member to define a fluid channel terminating with the hole and being in communication with the liquid outflow orifice, the hole concentrically aligned to mate with the plug, the central hole being filled by the plug in a down position and the liquid outflow orifice being unsealed when the cap is in an up position.

9. The sports bottle lid as defined in claim 8 wherein the nozzle further comprises a tube depending from the tubular member and extending within the container body to the base.

10. The sports bottle as defined in claim 7 wherein the nozzle has an exterior surface of uneven texture.