Beverage container cap

• US 9,151,605 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2014
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gerald W. Sweeney
• Original Assignee: Iqhydr8, LLC
• Inventors: Sweeney, Gerald, McCluskey, Cory, Pfeiffer, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Hicks, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, KAREEN KAY
• Application Number:
  US14/305,537
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 220/703, 220/711, 220/714, 220/202, 220/203.01, 220/203.23, 220/203.04, 220/212, 220/303, 220/710.5, 220/713, 215/387, 215/260, 215/311, 215/315, 215/307, 206/217, 702/154, 340/573.1, 340/686.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2227 with means for amusing or giving information to the user A47G23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2272 from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 23/16 combined with drinking vessels or with lids therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00055 Lids serving as, or incorporating, drinking or measuring vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/26 with slide valves , i.e. valves that open and close a passageway by sliding over a port, e.g. formed with slidable spouts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/286 between planar parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/04 Transmission means between sensing element and final indicator for giving an enlarged reading
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/02 Switches operated by change of position, inclination or orientation of the switch itself in relation to gravitational field tilting mercury container H01H29/20; change of position due to change of liquid level H01H35/18

Abstract

A cap for use with a beverage container comprising a housing that attaches to a beverage container, the housing comprising an opening for dispensing the contents of the beverage container and further comprising a valve activated by a valve button. A sensor within the housing estimates the amount of a fluid that has been dispensed from the opening and a display device is provided for displaying the amount of fluid that has been dispensed from the opening. The display device may be any type of display, including an LED display, and LCD display, or a plurality of indicator lights.

Claims

1. A cap for use with a beverage container comprising:

a housing that attaches to the beverage container, the housing comprising an opening that dispenses contents of the beverage container and further comprising a valve activated by a valve button;

a sensor located within the housing to estimate the amount of a fluid that has been dispensed from the opening;

a display device that displays the amount of fluid that has been dispensed from the opening; and

wherein said sensor further comprises a tilt switch within the housing.

2. The cap of claim 1, wherein the display device is an LED display.

3. The cap of claim 1, wherein the display device is an LCD display.

4. The cap of claim 1, wherein the display device is a plurality of indicator lights.

5. The cap of claim 1, wherein the tilt sensor activates a timer only when the beverage container is tilted in an orientation for drinking.

6. The cap of claim 1, wherein the sensor located within the housing is a switch that is opened or closed when the valve is activated.

7. The cap of claim 6, further comprising a timer controlled by the switch to determine an amount of time the valve is activated.

8. The cap of claim 7, wherein the amount of fluid that has been dispensed from the beverage container is determined based on the amount of time the valve is activated and an average flow rate out of the opening of the cap.

9. A cap for use with a beverage container comprising:

a housing that attaches to the beverage container, the housing comprising an opening that dispenses contents of the beverage container and further comprising a valve activated by a valve button;

a sensor located within the housing to estimate the amount of a fluid that has been dispensed from the opening,

wherein the sensor located within the housing is a switch that is opened or closed when the valve is activated; and

,

a display device that displays the amount of fluid that has been dispensed from the opening.

10. The cap of claim 9, further comprising a timer controlled by the switch to determine an amount of time the valve is activated.

11. The cap of claim 10, wherein the amount of fluid that has been dispensed from the beverage container is determined based on the amount of time the valve is activated and an average flow rate out of the opening of the cap.

12. The cap of claim 9, wherein the display device is an LED display.

13. The cap of claim 9, wherein the display device is an LCD display.

14. The cap of claim 9, wherein the display device is a plurality of indicator lights.