Drink containers with closure retention mechanisms

• US 8,905,252 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2014
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CamelBak Products LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CamelBak Products LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: Latham, Matthew W., Sullivan, Derek Gavin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hicks, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US14/199,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20140263324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• Field of Search: 215/306, 215/228, 215/396, 215/395, 215/356, 215/355, 220/212.5, 220/212, 220/254.8, 220/254.3, 220/254.1, 220/375, 220/789, 220/780, 220/801, 220/756, 220/836, 220/810, 222/469, 222/470, 222/473, 222/472, 222/556, 222/562, 222/563, 222/568, 222/567
• US Class Current: 215/306
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/18 of rigid material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/18 Arrangements of closures with protective outer cap-like covers or of two or more co-operating closures B65D51/247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/16 Devices preventing loss of removable closure members

Abstract

Drink containers include a liquid container and a cap assembly removably coupled to the liquid container. Cap assemblies include a base, a drink spout extending from the base, a closure configured to be removably coupled relative to the drink spout in a closed position to selectively restrict dispensing of drink liquid through the drink spout and to selectively permit dispensing of drink liquid through the drink spout when removed from the drink spout. Cap assemblies further may include a handle extending from the base and configured to selectively retain the closure in a stowed position when the closure is selectively removed from the drink spout. In some embodiments, the handle defines a closed perimeter and the closure is received within the closed perimeter when positioned in the stowed position. Some embodiments further include a tether that couples the closure to the cap assembly or to the liquid container.

Claims

1. A drink container, comprising:

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

a cap assembly removably coupled to the liquid container, the cap assembly comprising;

a base removably coupled to the neck of the liquid container;

a drink spout extending from the base and defining a passage through which drink liquid from the internal compartment of the liquid container may be selectively dispensed;

a closure configured to be removably coupled relative to the drink spout in a closed position to selectively restrict dispensing of drink liquid through the passage and to selectively permit dispensing of drink liquid through the passage when removed from the drink spout; and

a handle extending from the base and defining a closed perimeter, wherein the closed perimeter is sized to selectively receive and retain the closure in a stowed position relative to the handle in a friction-fit arrangement when the closure is selectively removed from the drink spout; and

a tether operatively coupling the closure to the liquid container, wherein the tether extends through the closed perimeter of the handle.

2. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the tether includes:

a closure collar extending around and rotatably engaged with the closure;

a neck collar extending around and rotatably engaged with the neck of the liquid container; and

a pair of webs that interconnect the closure collar and the neck collar.

3. The drink container of claim 2, wherein the closed perimeter has opposed lateral sides, and wherein the pair of webs extend adjacent to the opposed lateral sides when the closure is in the closed position.

4. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the closed perimeter defines a plane that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the liquid container.

5. A drink container, comprising:

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

a cap assembly removably coupled to the liquid container, the cap assembly comprising;

a base removably coupled to the neck of the liquid container;

a drink spout extending from the base and defining a passage through which drink liquid from the internal compartment of the liquid container may be selectively dispensed;

a closure configured to be removably coupled relative to the drink spout in a closed position to selectively restrict dispensing of drink liquid through the passage and to selectively permit dispensing of drink liquid through the passage when removed from the drink spout;

a handle extending from the base, wherein the handle includes a closure retention mechanism configured to selectively retain the closure in a stowed position relative to the handle when the closure is selectively removed from the drink spout and received by the closure retention mechanism.

6. The drink container of claim 5, wherein the handle defines a closed perimeter, and wherein the closure retention mechanism defines at least a portion of the closed perimeter.

7. The drink container of claim 5, wherein the handle defines a closed perimeter, and wherein in the stowed position, the closure is positioned at least partially within the closed perimeter.

8. The drink container of claim 7, wherein the closure retention mechanism includes spaced-apart tabs configured to grip and retain the closure in the stowed position.

9. The drink container of claim 8, wherein the closure has a circumference with a lateral dimension, wherein the spaced-apart tabs are spaced-apart by less than the lateral dimension of the closure.

10. The drink container of claim 7, wherein the closure is constructed of a resilient material, and wherein the closure retention mechanism is configured to selectively compress the closure when the closure is in the stowed position and retain the closure in the stowed position in a friction-fit arrangement.

11. The drink container of claim 5, further comprising:

a tether operatively coupling the closure to one of the base of the cap assembly and the liquid container;

wherein the handle defines a closed perimeter, and wherein the tether extends through the closed perimeter of the handle.

12. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the tether includes:

a closure collar extending around and rotatably engaged with the closure;

a neck collar extending around and rotatably engaged with the neck of the liquid container; and

a pair of webs that interconnect the closure collar and the neck collar.

13. The drink container of claim 12, wherein the closed perimeter has opposed lateral sides, and wherein the pair of webs extend adjacent to the opposed lateral sides when the closure is in the closed position.

14. The drink container of claim 12, wherein the closure retention mechanism is configured to selectively engage the closure collar when the closure is positioned in the stowed position.

15. The drink container of claim 5, wherein the drink spout defines an outlet, wherein the liquid container defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the outlet defines a plane that is angled forward relative to the longitudinal axis of the liquid container when the cap assembly is operatively coupled to the liquid container.

16. The drink container of claim 5, wherein the drink spout includes an internal coupling structure, wherein the closure includes a plug structure that is configured to extend within the passage when the closure is in the closed position, and wherein the plug structure includes an external coupling structure that is configured to operatively mate with the internal coupling structure of the drink spout when the closure is in the closed position.

17. The drink container of claim 5, wherein the drink spout defines an upper lip, and wherein the upper lip does not engage the closure when the closure is in the closed position.

18. The drink container of claim 17, wherein the closure and the drink spout define a void between the closure and the drink spout above the upper lip when the closure is in the closed position.

19. A cap assembly for use with a liquid container having a neck with an opening and having an internal compartment sized to hold a volume of potable drink liquid, the cap assembly comprising:

a base configured to be removably coupled to the neck of the liquid container;

a drink spout extending from the base and defining a passage through which drink liquid from the internal compartment of the liquid container may be selectively dispensed when the cap assembly is operatively coupled to the liquid container;

a closure configured to be removably coupled relative to the drink spout in a closed position to selectively restrict dispensing of liquid through the passage and to selectively permit dispensing of liquid through the passage when removed from the drink spout;

a handle extending from the base, wherein the handle includes a closure retention mechanism configured to selectively retain the closure in a stowed position relative to the handle when the closure is selectively removed from the drink spout and received by the closure retention mechanism.

20. The cap assembly of claim 19, wherein the handle defines a closed perimeter, the cap assembly further comprising:

a tether extending through the closed perimeter and operatively coupled to the closure on one end of the tether and configured to be operatively coupled to the neck of the liquid container on an opposite end of the tether.

to be operatively coupled to the neck of a liquid container on an opposite end of the tether.