Leak-proof cup assembly with flow control element

• US 6,422,415 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Egdewell Personal Care Brands LLC
• Original Assignee: Playtex Products Incorporated (Edgewell Personal Care Company)
• Inventors: Manganiello, Francis X.
• Primary Examiner(s): NEWHOUSE, NATHAN JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US09/645,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20020074338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 220/203.02, 220/203.11, 220/203.17, 220/203.18, 220/303, 220/254, 220/703, 220/705, 220/711, 220/714, 220/717, 220/719, 220/721, 220/724, 220/373, 220/363, 220/367.1, 215/11.1, 215/11.4, 215/11.5, 215/902, 215/311, 215/387-389, 215/315, 215/307, 215/309, 215/310, 222/482, 222/490, 222/494, 222/544, 137/588, 137/512.4, 137/845, 251/335.2
• US Class Current: 220/714
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2272 from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/2031 the element being formed by a slit, narrow opening or constrictable spout, the size of the outlet passage being able to be varied by increasing or decreasing the pressure B65D47/2025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/165 formed by a slit or narrow opening

Abstract

A drinking cup assembly including a cup having an open end; a cap adapted to enclose the open end, the cap including a drinking spout and an air vent and mating surfaces adjacent or incorporated into the drinking spout and the air vent; and a flow control valve including two stacks adapted to engage the mating surfaces, each of the two stacks having a concave valve face at a top portion thereof.

Claims

1. A drinking cup assembly comprising:

a cup having an open end;

a cap adapted to seal said open end, said cap having a drinking spout and a mating surface, said mating surface being in fluid communication with said spout; and

a valving element that has a stack, said stack being sized and configured to engage said mating surface and thereby place said stack in fluid communication with said spout, said stack having a top portion with a concave valve face that extends substantially completely across said top portion and curves inwardly toward said stack.

2. The drinking cup assembly of claim 1, wherein said valve face has a single valve slit therethrough.

3. The drinking cup assembly of claim 2, wherein said valve slit extends substantially completely across said valve face.

4. The drinking cup assembly of claim 1, wherein stack has an upper portion and a lower portion, and wherein said lower portion has an outer diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of said upper portion.

5. The drinking cup assembly of claim 4, wherein only said lower portion of said stack is adapted to engage said mating surface.

6. The drinking cup assembly of claim 5, wherein said mating surface and said upper portion form a gap therebetween.

7. The drinking cup assembly of claim 6, wherein said gap is more than one-half the thickness of said lower portion of said stack.

8. The drinking cup assembly of claim 1, wherein said stack has a smooth inner contour.

9. The drinking cup assembly of claim 8, wherein said inner contour is selected from the shape consisting of cylindrical, frustoconical, and a combination thereof.

10. The drinking cup assembly of claim 1, wherein said valve face is about 0.023 inches thick.

11. The drinking cup assembly of claim 1, wherein said valving element is formed of a single piece of elastomeric material.

12. A drinking cup assembly comprising:

a cup having an open end;

a lid being adapted to seal said open end, said lid having a drinking spout and a mating recess opposite said drinking spout; and

a flow control valve having a stack adapted to be removably sealed within said mating recess, said stack having a top portion with a concave valve face that extends substantially completely across said top portion and curves inwardly toward said stack.

13. The drinking cup assembly of claim 12, wherein said valve face has a single valve slit therethrough.

14. The drinking cup assembly of claim 13, wherein said single valve slit extends substantially completely across said valve face.

15. The drinking cup assembly of claim 12, wherein said stack has a hollow interior with a smooth inner contour.

16. The drinking cup assembly of claim 15, wherein said inner contour is selected from the shape consisting of cylindrical, frustoconical, and a combination thereof.

17. The drinking cup assembly of claim 12, wherein said flow control valve is formed of a single piece of elastomeric material.

18. The drinking cup assembly of claim 12, wherein said valve face is about 0.023 inches thick.

19. The drinking cup assembly of claim 12, wherein said stack has an upper portion and a lower portion, and wherein said lower portion has an outer diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of said upper portion.

20. The flow control element of claim 19, wherein only said lower portion of said stack is adapted to be removably sealed within said mating recess.

21. The drinking cup assembly of claim 20, wherein said mating recess and said upper portion of said stack form a gap therebetween.

22. A drinking cup assembly comprising:

a cup having an open end;

a cap adapted to seal said open end, said cap having a drinking spout and a mating surface, said mating surface being in fluid communication with said spout; and

a valving element that has a stack, said stack being sized and configured to engage said mating surface and thereby place said stack in fluid communication with said spout, said stack having an upper portion and a lower portion, and wherein said lower portion has an outer diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of said upper portion.

23. The drinking cup assembly of claim 22, wherein said stack has a concave valve face that curves inwardly toward said stack.