Drink bottles with bite-actuated mouthpieces

• US 7,533,783 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CamelBak Products LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CamelBak Products LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: Choi, Robert, Forsman, Barley A., Galten, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick; Anthony D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Braden; Shawn M
• Application Number:
  US11/313,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20060226110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 220/707, 220/705, 220/709, 220/714, 220/254.3, 220/711
• US Class Current: 220/714
• 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: A47G 19/2272 from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/065 with hinged, foldable or pivotable spouts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/066 the spout being either flexible or having a flexible wall portion, whereby the spout is foldable between a dispensing and a non-dispensing position B65D47/2043 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

Drink bottles, or containers, with bite-actuated mouthpieces. In some embodiments, the mouthpieces are self-sealing mouthpieces that are biased to return from a dispensing configuration to a closed configuration. The bottles may be rigid or collapsible and may include a removable cap assembly. In some embodiments, the bottles include a manual on/off valve adapted to prevent drink fluid from being dispensed regardless of the mouthpiece'"'"'s configuration. In some embodiments, the bottles include a straw extending into the bottle and/or a drink tube extending from external of the bottle and/or an air return system. In some embodiments, the bottles include a dispensing spout that is pivotally coupled to the cap of the drink bottle. In some embodiments, the dispensing spout includes a mount for the mouthpiece and/or cooperates with the cap to provide a manual on/off valve to selectively restrict flow of drink fluid from the bottle regardless of the mouthpiece'"'"'s configuration.

Claims

1. A drink container, comprising:

a fluid container having a neck with an opening and having an internal compartment sized to hold a volume of potable drink fluid;

a cap assembly removably coupled to the fluid container to cover the opening, the cap assembly comprising;

a base removably coupled to the neck of the fluid container, wherein the base is configured to be selectively and repeatedly decoupled from and re-coupled to the neck of the fluid container;

a drink spout pivotally coupled to the base and having an outlet, wherein the drink spout defines at least a portion of a fluid conduit for drink fluid to flow from the fluid container through the drink spout;

wherein the drink spout is adapted to be selectively configured within a range of positions relative to the base through pivotal movement of the drink spout relative to the base, wherein the range of positions includes at least a stowed configuration and a dispensing configuration, wherein in the dispensing configuration the outlet of the drink spout is further away from the base of the cap assembly than in the stowed configuration;

a self-sealing bite-actuated mouthpiece fluidly coupled to the drink spout and including a sealable opening through which drink fluid may be selectively dispensed from the drink container to a user, wherein the mouthpiece is selectively configured between a closed configuration, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to prevent drink fluid from being dispensed therethrough, and a dispensing configuration, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to permit drink fluid to be dispensed therethrough, wherein the mouthpiece is adapted to be configured from the closed configuration to the dispensing configuration responsive to compressive forces applied thereto, and further wherein the mouthpiece is biased to automatically return from the dispensing configuration to the closed configurations; and

a handle that projects away from the base of the cap assembly, wherein the handle includes at least one lateral guard that extends proximate a side of the mouthpiece when the drink spout is in the stowed configuration.

2. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the drink container further includes a manual on/off valve that is adapted to selectively restrict the flow of drink fluid from the fluid container to the opening of the mouthpiece regardless of the configuration of the mouthpiece.

3. The drink container of claim 2, wherein the fluid conduit includes an inlet through which drink fluid may selectively flow from the fluid container and to the mouthpiece, and further wherein the on/off valve is adapted to selectively prevent drink fluid from flowing through the fluid conduit from the inlet to the mouthpiece.

4. The drink container of claim 3, wherein the drink spout forms at least a portion of the on/off valve.

5. The drink container of claim 4, wherein the drink spout is adapted to obstruct drink fluid from flowing through the fluid conduit from the inlet to the mouthpiece when the drink spout is in the stowed configuration.

6. The drink container of claim 5, wherein the fluid conduit includes a resiliently deformable region through which drink fluid may selectively flow from the inlet to the mouthpiece, and further wherein the drink spout is adapted to engage the deformable region to restrict the flow of drink fluid therethrough when the drink spout is in the stowed configuration.

7. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the fluid conduit includes a crimpable region that is adapted to be selectively crimped to prevent drink fluid from flowing therethrough to the mouthpiece.

8. The drink container of claim 7, wherein the drink spout is adapted to selectively engage the crimpable region to apply crimping forces thereto as the drink spout is pivoted from the dispensing configuration to the stowed configuration.

9. The drink container of claim 1, wherein in the stowed configuration the drink spout obstructs the flow of drink fluid through the fluid conduit, and further wherein in the dispensing configuration drink fluid may flow from the fluid container through the drink spout.

10. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the range of positions includes at least a position in which the drink spout obstructs the flow of drink fluid through the fluid conduit, and a position in which drink fluid may flow from the fluid container through the drink spout.

11. The drink container of claim 10, wherein in the position in which the drink spout obstructs the flow of drink fluid through the fluid conduit, drink fluid is prevented from flowing from the fluid container to the opening of the mouthpiece regardless of the configuration of the mouthpiece.

12. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the cap assembly further includes an air return assembly adapted to selectively permit air from external the drink container to enter the internal compartment of the fluid container other than through the opening of the mouthpiece.

13. The drink container of claim 12, wherein the air return assembly is spaced-apart from the mouthpiece.

14. The drink container of claim 12, wherein the air return assembly includes an air return passage through which air may selectively flow and an air return valve that is adapted to selectively obstruct the passage to prevent air from flowing therethrough.

15. The drink container of claim 14, wherein the air return valve is further adapted to prevent drink fluid from flowing from the internal compartment of the fluid container through the air return passage.

16. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece includes a dispensing face in which the opening is formed, and further wherein the handle includes a dispensing face cover that is adapted to cover at least a portion of the dispensing face when the drink spout is in the stowed configuration.

17. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the drink container further includes an elongate internal straw that extends from the cap assembly into the internal compartment of the fluid container.

18. The drink container of claim 17, wherein the base of the cap assembly includes a mount, and further wherein the internal straw is adapted to be removably coupled to the mount.

19. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the fluid container is a self-supporting container having a base that is adapted to support the fluid container in an upright configuration.

20. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the fluid container is adapted to hold 12-36 fluid ounces of drink fluid.

21. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece includes a neck region that is adapted to extend against a portion of the drink spout.

22. The drink container of claim 21, wherein the outlet of the drink spout extends into the neck region of the mouthpiece.

23. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the cap assembly is threadingly coupled to the neck of the fluid container.

24. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the drink container further includes an elongate drink tube, and further wherein the elongate drink tube fluidly couples the mouthpiece to the drink spout.

25. The drink container of claim 24, wherein the drink tube is a flexible drink tube.

26. The drink container of claim 24, wherein the drink tube is removably coupled to the drink spout and the mouthpiece.

27. The drink container of claim 26, wherein the mouthpiece is adapted to be fluidly coupled directly to the drink spout upon removal of the drink tube from the mouthpiece and the drink spout and insertion of at least a portion of the drink spout into the mouthpiece.

28. The drink container of claim 1, wherein when the drink spout is in the stowed configuration, at least a portion of the mouthpiece extends at an angle away from and above the base of the cap assembly.

29. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the handle includes a pair of lateral guards that extend on opposed sides of the mouthpiece when the drink spout is in the stowed configuration.