Valve and cap system for a beverage container

• US 8,907,796 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2014
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gerald W. Sweeney
• Original Assignee: Gws Tahoe Blue, LLC
• Inventors: McCluskey, Cory, Sweeney, Gerald, Pfeiffer, James William
• Primary Examiner(s): Hicks, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUSH, KAREEN KAY
• Application Number:
  US14/329,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20140319170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 151 Days
• Field of Search: 215/322, 215/315, 215/307, 215/311, 215/260, 220/714, 220/715, 220/203.23, 220/703, 220/710.5, 220/711, 220/713, 340/573.1, 340/686.1
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2272 from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers

Abstract

A valve and cap system for a beverage container including a button with at least one arm, a base element coupled with a beverage container and moveably coupled with the button, a top element, and a flexible seal valve with a slit. The flexible seal valve is coupled with the base element, and the at least one arm is coupled with the flexible seal valve to operatively open and close the slit in the flexible seal valve when the button is moved inwardly and outwardly respectively. The valve and cap system includes at least one electronic element situated in at least one compartment in the top element, and at least one sensor that senses one or more signals, to determine an amount of fluid a user of the beverage container should consume.

Claims

1. A valve and cap system for a beverage container comprising:

a button comprising at least one arm;

a base element that is

moveably coupled with said button and,

wherein said base element couples with a beverage container; and

,

a flexible seal valve comprising a slit;

wherein said flexible seal valve is coupled with said base element, and,

wherein said at least one arm is coupled with said flexible seal valve to operatively

open and close said slit in said flexible seal valve when said button is moved inwardly and outwardly respectively.

2. The valve and cap system of claim 1 further comprising a top element coupled with said base element and said flexible seal valve, wherein said top element covers said button and at least a portion of said flexible seal valve.

3. The valve and cap system of claim 2 wherein said button slides in and out of one or more of said top element and said base element.

4. The valve and cap system of claim 2 wherein said top element comprises a hole.

5. The valve and cap system of claim 2 wherein said top element comprises a top element outer surface and at least one compartment formed on said top element outer surface.

6. The valve and cap system of claim 1 wherein said at least one arm comprises a wishbone shaped arm that extends from a horizontal orientation to a perpendicular orientation, such that said at least one arm is attached on an opposing side of said flexible seal valve in order to pull open and closed said slit to open and close said flexible seal valve.

7. The valve and cap system of claim 1 further comprising a clip element and wherein said base element comprises a base element outer surface, such that said clip element attaches to said base element on said base element outer surface.

8. The valve and cap system of claim 1 wherein said base element comprises a first partially enclosed inner portion and said top element comprises a second partially enclosed inner portion, such that said flexible seal valve extends through and couples with said base element via said first partially enclosed inner portion and extends through and couples with said top element via said second partially enclosed inner portion.

9. The valve and cap system of claim 5 further comprising at least one electronic element situated in said at least one compartment, wherein said at least one electronic element comprises a processor and at least one display device.

10. The valve and cap system of claim 9 further comprising at least one sensor that senses one or more signals.

11. The valve and cap system of claim 10 wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one inclinometer that detects at least one tilt angle of said beverage container when said beverage container is tilted.

12. The valve and cap system of claim 11 further comprising

a timer;

wherein when said beverage container is tilted at said at least one tilt angle, said at least one inclinometer and said processor activate said timer to measure an amount of time said beverage container is tilted, and

wherein said processor determines a volume of fluid dispensed from said beverage container based on said at least one tilt angle and said amount of time said beverage container is tilted, and indicates on said at least one display device said volume of fluid dispensed from said beverage container.

13. The valve and cap system of claim 10 further comprising at least one activity level input that obtains at least one activity level of a user of said beverage container to determine an amount of fluid a user of said beverage container should consume and indicates said amount of fluid on said at least one display device.

14. The valve and cap system of claim 10 wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one activity level input sensor that measures said at least one activity level based on motion of a user of said beverage container to determine an amount of fluid a user of said beverage container should consume and indicates said amount of fluid on said at least one display device.

15. The valve and cap system of claim 10 wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one thermometer that measures an external temperature, such that said at least one display device indicates an amount of fluid a user of said beverage container should consume based on said external temperature.

16. The valve and cap system of claim 10 wherein said at least one sensor comprises

at least one activity level input that obtains at least one activity level or sensor that measures said at least one activity level of a user of said beverage container to determine an amount of fluid a user of said beverage container should consume and indicates said amount of fluid on said at least one display device;

and,

at least one thermometer that measures an external temperature, such that said at least one display device indicates an amount of fluid a user of said beverage container should consume based on said external temperature.

17. The valve and cap system of claim 10 further comprising

one or more of a clip element and a handle coupled with said top element;

wherein said base element comprises a base element outer surface,

wherein said clip element attaches to said base element on said base element outer surface,

wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one weight sensor coupled between said clip element and said base element or coupled between said handle and said top element, and

wherein said processor determines a weight of said beverage container to determine an amount of fluid a user of said beverage container has consumed based on said weight, and indicates said amount of fluid that should be consumed on said at least one display device.

18. The valve and cap system of claim 10

wherein said processor accepts a weight of a user of said beverage container to determine an amount of fluid a user of said beverage container should consume based on said weight, and indicates said amount of fluid that should be consumed on said at least one display device.

19. The valve and cap system of claim 10 wherein said at least one electronic device comprises at least one communication device that communicates with at least one external device to relay said one or more signals.

20. The valve and cap system of claim 19 wherein said at least one communication device accepts information from said external device to determine an amount of fluid a user of said beverage container should consume based on an age of said user, weight of said user, temperature, humidity, sunny or cloudy value, activity level, time of day or time since last drink, activity level, motion, altitude, medical needs, number of steps, heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen level, hydration value obtain from the user, or any combination thereof.

21. The valve and cap system of claim 10 wherein said at least one electronic device further comprises a start button and a timer,

wherein said at least one display device comprises at least one light-emitting diode (LED) coupled with said timer and said at least one sensor, wherein said at least one LED flashes to indicate one or more time periods to consume said fluid as determined by said timer and whether enough fluid has been consumed by the user as determined by said at least one sensor,

wherein said at least one LED remains to flash until enough fluid has been consumed by the user at said one or more time periods as determined by said timer and said at least one sensor, and,

wherein said start button is pressed to restart said timer to determine said one or more time periods.

22. The valve and cap system of claim 21 wherein said at least one LED flashes to indicate said time to consume a first amount of said fluid at a first time period of said one or more time periods and remains to flash until said first amount of said fluid has been consumed by said user, and after a pre-determined amount of time after said first amount of fluid has been consumed, said at least one LED flashes to indicate said time to consume a second amount of said fluid at a second time period after said first time period and remains to flash until said second amount of said fluid has been consumed by said user.

23. The valve and cap system of claim 10 wherein said at least one electronic device further comprises a start button, a timer and at least one sound emitting device coupled with said timer and said at least one sensor,

wherein said at least one sound emitting device beeps to indicate one or more time periods to consume said fluid as determined by said timer and whether enough fluid has been consumed by the user as determined by said at least one sensor,

wherein said at least one sound emitting device remains to beep until enough fluid has been consumed by the user at said one or more time periods as determined by said timer and said at least one sensor, and,

wherein said start button is pressed to restart said timer to determine said one or more time periods.

24. The valve cap system of claim 23 wherein said at least one sound emitting device beeps to indicate said time to consume a first amount of said fluid at a first time period of said one or more time periods and remains to beep until said first amount of said fluid has been consumed by said user, and after a pre-determined amount of time after said first amount of fluid has been consumed, said at least one sound emitting device beeps to indicate said time to consume a second amount of said fluid at a second time period after said first time period and remains to beep until said second amount of said fluid has been consumed by said user.

25. The valve and cap system of claim 10 wherein said at least one electronic device further comprises a start button, a timer, and at least one sound emitting device coupled with said timer and said at least one sensor;

wherein said at least one display device comprises at least one light-emitting diode (LED) coupled with said timer and said at least one sensor;

wherein said at least one LED flashes and said at least one sound emitting device beeps to indicate one or more time periods to consume said fluid as determined by said timer and whether enough fluid has been consumed by the user as determined by said at least one sensor,

wherein said at least one LED flashes and said at least one sound emitting device beeps to indicate said time to consume a first amount of said fluid at a first time period of said one or more time periods, and remain to flash and beep until said first amount of said fluid has been consumed by said user as determined by said timer and said at least one sensor,

wherein after a pre-determined amount of time after said first amount of fluid has been consumed, said at least one LED flashes and said at least one sound emitting device beeps to indicate said time to consume a second amount of said fluid at a second time period after said first time period, and remain to flash and beep until said second amount of said fluid has been consumed by said user, and,

wherein said start button is pressed to restart said timer to determine said one or more time periods.

26. A valve and cap system for a beverage container comprising:

a button comprising at least one arm;

a base element moveably coupled with said button wherein said base element is configured to couple with a beverage container; and

,

a flexible seal valve comprising a slit;

wherein said flexible seal valve is coupled with said base element, and,

wherein said at least one arm is coupled with said valve to operatively open and close said slit in said flexible seal valve when said button is moved inwardly and outwardly respectively;

a top element coupled with said base element and said flexible seal valve;

wherein said top element covers said button and at least a portion of said flexible seal valve, and,

wherein said top element comprises a top element outer surface and at least one compartment formed on said top element outer surface;

at least one electronic element situated in said at least one compartment, wherein said at least one electronic comprises a processor and at least one display device;

at least one sensor that senses one or more signals, wherein said at least one sensor comprises

an inclinometer that detects at least one tilt angle of said beverage container when said beverage container is tilted,

at least one activity level input that obtains at least one activity level or sensor that measures said at least one activity level of a user of said beverage container to determine an amount of fluid a user of said beverage container should consume and indicates said amount of fluid on said at least one display device, and

at least one thermometer that measures an external temperature, such that said at least one display device indicates an amount of fluid a user of said beverage container should consume based on said external temperature; and

,

a timer;

wherein when said beverage container is tilted at said at least one tilt angle, said inclinometer and said processor activate said timer to measure an amount of time said beverage container is tilted, and,

wherein said processor determines a volume of fluid dispensed from said beverage container based on said at least one tilt angle and said amount of time said beverage container is tilted, and indicates on said at least one display device said volume of fluid dispensed from said beverage container.