Receptacles – Container attachment or adjunct – Drinking device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-01
2001-05-15
Pollard, Steven (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Container attachment or adjunct
Drinking device
C220S711000, C220S714000, C220S717000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230923
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drinking bottle, more particularly to a drinking bottle provided with a flexible liquid-sucking member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional drinking bottle includes a bottle body
1
′ that defines a liquid-accommodating space therein and that has an externally threaded open upper end for access into the liquid-accommodating space, and an annular cap
1
that has an internally threaded lower portion for engaging threadably the upper end of the bottle body
1
′.
The bottle body
1
′ and the cap
1
are made of a rigid material. The cap
1
includes an upwardly extending suction tube
101
which has an uppermost end portion formed with a liquid outlet
102
, a vent hole
103
, and a pair of inner tube portions
104
,
105
which extend downwardly from a bottom surface thereof and which are respectively aligned with and in communication with the liquid outlet
102
and the vent hole
103
. A rubber seal ring
3
is clamped between the upper open end of the bottle body
1
′, and the bottom surface of the cap
1
so as to form an annular liquid-tight seal therebetween.
A valve member
2
includes two tube engaging portions
205
which are sleeved respectively on the inner tube portions
104
,
105
of the cap
1
and which are provided with a liquid-control valve
203
and a valve vent
204
at lower end portions thereof such that the liquid-control valve
203
and the valve vent
204
remain closed at a normal condition, i.e., when no suction force is applied on the liquid outlet
102
of the suction tube
101
. When a suction force is applied to the liquid outlet
102
of the suction tube
101
, the liquid-control valve
203
is opened such that the liquid flows out of the suction tube
101
, and air flows into the bottle body
1
′ via the vent hole
103
and the vent valve
204
.
Some of the drawbacks of the aforesaid conventional drinking bottle are as follows:
(i) Aligning the tube engaging portions
205
of the valve member
2
with the inner tube portions
104
,
105
of the cap
2
during assembly is somewhat difficult and time-consuming.
(ii) In case the cap
1
collides against the lips or gums of a user by accident, injuries can result since the cap
1
is made of a rigid material.
(iii) Some liquid can be trapped in the tube engaging portions
205
of the sleeve member
2
, thereby preventing thorough cleaning of the conventional drinking bottle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a drinking bottle having a flexible liquid-sucking member of a specific structure such that the aforesaid drawbacks of the conventional drinking bottle can be avoided. The liquid-sucking member is fixed on a bottle body and a cap in such a manner that a liquid-tight seal is established thereamong. In addition, the liquid-sucking member can serve as a drinking straw such that children or patients can easily consume the liquid disposed in the bottle body without assistance while preventing spilling of the liquid when the bottle body is in an inclined or horizontal position.
Accordingly, the drinking bottle of the present invention includes a bottle body, an annular cap, and a unitary liquid-sucking member. The bottle body defines a liquid-accommodating space therein, and has an upper end opening for access into the liquid-accommodating space, and an externally threaded upper end portion. The cap has an internally threaded lower skirt portion that engages threadably the externally threaded upper end portion of the bottle body, and an annular plate which has an outer periphery that is formed integrally with an upper end of the internally threaded lower skirt portion, and an inner periphery which defines an eccentric hole that is offset from a center of the annular plate. The cap is formed with a vent hole. The liquid-sucking member is made of a flexible material, and has a horizontal disk that is clamped between the externally threaded upper end portion of the bottle body and the annular plate of the cap and that is disposed within the internally threaded lower skirt portion of the cap in such a manner that a liquid-tight seal is established between the cap and the liquid-sucking member and between the liquid-sucking member and the bottle body. The liquid-sucking member further has a suction tube that is formed on a top surface of the disk and that extends through the eccentric hole in the cap, and a through hole that extends through the disk and the suction tube and that is in fluid communication with the upper end opening in the bottle body. The suction tube has a distal outer end portion that is provided with a first liquid-controlling valve so as to be adapted to permit the outflow of liquid from the outer end portion when the outer end portion is sucked and so as to prevent outflow of the liquid from the outer end portion when no suction force is applied to the outer end portion. The suction tube has a proximate inner end portion which is formed with a peripheral flange that projects outwardly and radially from an outer surface thereof adjacent to the disk so as to define a peripheral plate-retention groove that is disposed between the flange and the disk. The inner periphery of the annular plate engages fittingly the plate-retention groove. The disk is formed with a valve hole which is in fluid communication with the vent hole in the cap and which is provided with a second liquid-controlling valve so as to close the valve hole, thereby preventing the outflow of the liquid from the bottle body therethrough when no suction force is applied to the outer end portion of the suction tube, and so as to open the valve hole, thereby permitting inflow of air into the bottle body when the outer end portion of the suction tube is sucked.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2608841 (1952-09-01), Rice
patent: 4946062 (1990-08-01), Coy et al.
patent: 5105976 (1992-04-01), Patterson
patent: 5542670 (1996-08-01), Morano
patent: 5702025 (1997-12-01), Di Gregorio
patent: 5706973 (1998-01-01), Robbins, III et al.
patent: 5890619 (1999-04-01), Belanger
patent: 5890620 (1999-04-01), Belcastro
patent: 5988425 (1999-11-01), Yehl et al.
patent: 6050445 (2000-04-01), Manganiello
patent: 6102245 (2000-08-01), Haberman
Lineo Baby Merchandise Work's Co., Ltd.
Pollard Steven
Trop Pruner & Hu P.C.
LandOfFree
Drinking bottle provided with a flexible liquid-sucking... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Drinking bottle provided with a flexible liquid-sucking..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Drinking bottle provided with a flexible liquid-sucking... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2435828