Thermos with beverage consumption apparatus which enables liquid to be consumed directly from the thermos when a valve is opened

• US 7,681,754 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gary Ross
• Original Assignee: Gary Ross
• Inventors: Ross, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): HYLTON, ROBIN ANNETTE
• Application Number:
  US11/323,723
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 220/714, 220/715, 220717-719, 220/254.9, 220/254.1, 222/554, 222/544, 222/546, 222522-525, 222/547, 215/387
• US Class Current: 220/714
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2272 from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0022 the stopper comprising two or more pieces movable relatively to each other for opening or closing the dispensing passage

Abstract

A thermos (with or without a vacuum) with an improved beverage consumption apparatus which enables a liquid to be consumed directly from the thermos when a valve is pushed to the opened condition so that liquid can exit the interior of the thermos. Thermos also contains an improved larger easily locatable circumferential closing ring which facilitates closure of the container when the user is in a darkened area or driving a moving vehicle so that the consumer must have one hand on the steering wheel and is not necessarily looking at the thermos. The thermos also comprises an improved sealing cap to facilitate valve closure. The thermos also contains an improved valve sealing means to assure that even a tiny amount of liquid will not seep out of the thermos when the thermos is placed into a container such as a briefcase which contains written material and valuable electronic objects.

Claims

1. A thermos having an internal chamber for retaining a liquid and fitted within a thermos sidewall and a valve assembly in fluid communication with the internal chamber, the valve assembly having an opened condition by which a liquid can be dispensed from the thermos and a closed condition which prevents the liquid from being dispensed from the thermos, the valve assembly positioned at one end of the thermos and having a central activation pushbutton by which the valve is opened, the improvement comprising:

a. an extended sidewall extending from the sidewall at the end of the thermos containing the valve assembly, the extended sidewall having an interior surface and an exterior surface such that the interior surface of the extended sidewall forms a sidewall of a chamber above the valve assembly;

b. a widened circumferential closing ring by which the valve is closed and having a top surface surrounding an upper portion of and extending from the central activation pushbutton to a location adjacent the interior surface of the extended sidewall, a gap located between the interior surface of the extended sidewall and the exterior circumference of the widened circumferential closing ring;

c. a downward force on the widened circumferential closing ring causing the valve assembly to close with the widened circumferential closing ring facilitating manual closure of the valve assembly; and

d. the top surface of the widened circumferential closing ring forming the base of a chamber bounded by the interior surface of the extended sidewall, the chamber serving to retain a liquid which flows out of the thermos when the valve is in the opened condition, the extended sidewall enabling a user to sip the liquid from the chamber.

2. The thermos in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a sealing cap having means to fit within the chamber and be retained therein, the sealing cap having an extending internal ring which comes in contact with the top surface of the widened circumferential closing ring to create a downward force thereon and close the valve when the sealing cap is within the chamber.

3. The thermos in accordance with claim 2 further comprising threads on the internal surface of the extended sidewall and mating threads on an exterior surface of the sealing cap wherein the sealing cap is retained within the chamber by being threaded into the internal surface of the extended sidewall.

4. The thermos in accordance with claim 2 wherein the sealing cap is retained within the chamber by a press fit.

5. The thermos in accordance with claim 2 further comprising a multiplicity of protrusions on the top surface of the widened circumferential closing ring, the protrusions aligned with the extending interior ring of the sealing cap whereby the protrusions facilitate the closing of the valve when the sealing cap is retained within the chamber.

6. The thermos in accordance with claim 2 further comprising at least one protrusion on the top surface of the widened circumferential closing ring, the at least one protrusion aligned with the extending interior ring of the sealing cap whereby the at least one protrusion facilitate the closing of the valve when the sealing cap is retained within the chamber.

7. The thermos in accordance with claim 1 wherein the valve assembly further comprises a widened plate extending from the activation pushbutton and a mating shelf located on an interior wall of a valve body of the valve, and a sealing gasket affixed to a lower wall of the widened plate such that the sealing gasket is sandwiched between the widened plate and the shelf when the valve is in the closed position to assure that any liquid trapped within the valve will not seep out of the thermos.

8. The thermos in accordance with claim 1 wherein the valve assembly further comprises a widened plate extending from the activation pushbutton and a mating shelf located on an interior wall of a valve body of the valve, and a sealing gasket affixed to the shelf such that the sealing gasket is sandwiched between the widened plate and the shelf when the valve is in the closed position to assure that any liquid trapped within the valve will not seep out of the thermos.

9. A thermos having an internal chamber for retaining a liquid and fitted within a thermos sidewall and a valve assembly in fluid communication with the internal chamber, the valve assembly having an opened condition by which a liquid can be dispensed from the thermos and a closed condition which prevents the liquid from being dispensed from the thermos, the valve assembly positioned at one end of the thermos and having a central activation pushbutton by which the valve is opened, the improvement comprising:

a. an extended sidewall extending from the sidewall at the end of the thermos containing the valve assembly, the extended sidewall having an interior surface and an exterior surface such that the interior surface of the extended sidewall forms a sidewall of a chamber above the valve assembly;

b. the chamber bounded by the interior surface of the extended sidewall, serving to retain a liquid which flows out of the thermos when the valve is in the opened condition, the extended sidewall enabling a user to sip the liquid from the chamber;

c. a widened circumferential closing ring by which the valve is closed and having a top surface surrounding an upper portion of and extending from the central activation pushbutton to a location adjacent the interior surface of the extended sidewall, a gap located between the interior surface of the extended sidewall and the exterior circumference of the widened circumferential closing ring;

d. a downward force on the widened circumferential closing ring causing the valve assembly to close and facilitating manual closure of the valve assembly; and

e. the top surface of the widened circumferential closing ring forming the base of the chamber bounded by the interior surface of the extended sidewall, the chamber serving to retain a liquid which flows out of the thermos when the valve is in the opened condition, the extended sidewall enabling a user to sip the liquid from the chamber.

10. The thermos in accordance with claim 9, further comprising a sealing cap having means to fit within the chamber and be retained therein, the sealing cap having an extending internal ring which comes in contact with the top surface of the widened circumferential closing ring to create a downward force thereon and close the valve when the sealing cap is within the chamber.

11. The thermos in accordance with claim 10 further comprising threads on the internal surface of the extended sidewall and mating threads on an exterior surface of the sealing cap wherein the sealing cap is retained within the chamber by being threaded into the internal surface of the extended sidewall.

12. The thermos in accordance with claim 10 wherein the sealing cap is retained within the chamber by a press fit.

13. The thermos in accordance with claim 10 further comprising a multiplicity of protrusions on the top surface of the widened circumferential closing ring, the protrusions aligned with the extending interior ring of the sealing cap whereby the protrusions facilitate the closing of the valve when the sealing cap is retained within the chamber.

14. The thermos in accordance with claim 10 further comprising at least one protrusion on the top surface of the widened circumferential closing ring, the at least one protrusion aligned with the extending interior ring of the sealing cap whereby the at least one protrusion facilitate the closing of the valve when the sealing cap is retained within the chamber.

15. The thermos in accordance with claim 9 wherein the valve assembly further comprises a widened plate extending from the activation pushbutton and a mating shelf located on an interior wall of a valve body of the valve, and a sealing gasket affixed to a lower wall of the widened plate such that the sealing gasket is sandwiched between the widened plate and the shelf when the valve is in the closed position to assure that any liquid trapped within the valve will not seep out of the thermos.

16. The thermos in accordance with claim 9 wherein the valve assembly further comprises a widened plate extending from the activation pushbutton and a mating shelf located on an interior wall of a valve body of the valve, and a sealing gasket affixed to the shelf such that the sealing gasket is sandwiched between the widened plate and the shelf when the valve is in the closed position to assure that any liquid trapped within the valve will not seep out of the thermos.

17. A thermos having an internal chamber for retaining a liquid and fitted within a thermos sidewall and a valve assembly in fluid communication with the internal chamber, the valve assembly having an opened condition by which a liquid can be dispensed from the thermos and a closed condition which prevents the liquid from being dispensed from the thermos, the valve assembly positioned at one end of the thermos and having a central activation pushbutton by which the valve is opened, the improvement comprising:

a. a widened circumferential closing ring by which the valve is closed and having a widened top surface surrounding an upper portion of and extending around a top portion of the central activation pushbutton; and

b. a downward force on the widened circumferential closing ring causing the valve assembly to close with the widened surface area facilitating manual closure of the valve assembly.

18. The thermos in accordance with claim 17 wherein the valve assembly further comprises a widened plate extending from the activation pushbutton and a mating shelf located on an interior wall of a valve body of the valve, and a sealing gasket affixed to a lower wall of the widened plate such that the sealing gasket is sandwiched between the widened plate and the shelf when the valve is in the closed position to assure that any liquid trapped within the valve will not seep out of the thermos.

19. The thermos in accordance with claim 17 wherein the valve assembly further comprises a widened plate extending from the activation pushbutton and a mating shelf located on an interior wall of a valve body of the valve, and a sealing gasket affixed to the shelf such that the sealing gasket is sandwiched between the widened plate and the shelf when the valve is in the closed position to assure that any liquid trapped within the valve will not seep out of the thermos.