Hands-free drinking system

Details Hands-free drinking system Hands-free drinking system

1997-12-01

2001-03-13

Sholl, Linda J. (Department: 3727)

Package and article carriers

Carried by animate bearer

For liquid or liquid-holding container

C224S647000, C222S175000, C251S342000, C138S120000, C220S705000, C239S033000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06199729

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a portable drinking apparatus, and more particularly to a drinking tube having a bite valve which can be easily and securely attached to a person's chest and manipulated to dispense water to the person without significant effort on the part of the person.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Gotta, U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,650 describes a canteen provided with a drinking straw extending through the top of the screw cap of the canteen. The straw may be pushed substantially completely into the canteen when the straw is not used or it may be withdrawn from the canteen to a substantial length such that one may drink from the canteen without removing it, for example, from a belt. The screw cap and canteen neck are provided with cooperating elements which pinch the straw closed in the closed position of the cap.
Shumick/Bradley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,781 describes a runner's portable water supply. The supply comprises of a water bottle with a special cap and sipping tube. The sipping tube is curved and only slightly flexible so that it can be bent, but retains its shape if the wearer does not bend it. The cap fits into the bottle neck in a liquid tight coupling and has a first interior surface slideably mating with the tube in a substantially liquid tight coupling and has a second interior tunnel permitting gas to enter the bottle but deflecting liquid so that liquid cannot splash out of the bottle. The bottle is coupled to a selected part of the wearer's body with the upper end of the tube near the wearer's mouth and the lower end of the tube near the bottom interior surface of the bottle. Air flows into the bottle as liquid is sipped out. The bottle need not be held.
Tripp, U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,023 describes a fluid storing and supply device including two fluid containers supported within outer pouches and a conduit extending from each fluid container through which liquid contained in the containers can be consumed. A harnessing arrangement for harnessing the device to the body of a person which includes straps of predetermined length whereby the pouches can be suspended on a person's rib cage with one pouch abutting the person's chest and the other pouch abutting the person's back. Further straps permit tying of the positioned pouches to the rib cage in a manner that the pouches bear upon the rib cage so that a substantial part of the pressure exerted by the weight of fluid stored in the fluid containers is distributed over the surface area of the rib cage borne upon by the pouches and the harnessing arrangement.
Edison/Henderson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,833 describes a water system that allows a bicyclist to drink liquids anytime he desires. The system has a collapsible container of water or other liquid stored within a flexible back pack that is removably secured at a location between the shoulders of the bicyclist. A resilient mouthpiece adapted to be held in the mouth of the bicyclist is connected to the container by a length of tubing. The mouthpiece is a valve device and has a cylindrical sidewall that forms a chamber. A spring biased valve element located inside the chamber normally prevents flow therethrough. When the opposed sidewalls of the chamber are compressed between the teeth, liquid flows through the mouthpiece. This allows the mouthpiece to be held securely between the lips and whenever the sidewalls are compressed by the teeth, fluid flows from the container, through the tubing and into the mouth of the bicyclist.
Talavera, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,618 describes a universal carrier which comprises of a pocket holding support and a harness for attachment to the body of a person carrying object on the support. The support has an outwardly facing surface whereon various sized article holding pockets can be secured. A strap like extension extends from the support and is attached to a vertical strap on the harness. Article holding pockets are secured to the outwardly facing surface on the support, and at least one water bottle carrying pocket is secured to the vertical strap on the harness. The water bottle is attached at a proper level and has a flexible tube extending out from its mouth enabling a person engaged in an activity requiring the use of both hands to move his head so the end of the tube can enter his mouth permitting the person to get a drink without using his hands.
Ducros, U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,934 describes a rucksack, or backpack, making it possible to drink, or inhale oxygen, while walking. The rucksack comprises of two straps wherein at least one of its two straps defines a protective, isothermic inner space, for example by means of a foldable protective band which is sewn on the upper half of the strip. A recipient is place in the rucksack and its tube passes in this protective space and finally terminates in a valve for drinking or inhaling.
Thatcher, U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,290 describes a sportsman's or athlete's water pouch backpack having a body portion connected to the person by a pair of padded shoulder straps and a quick-release, buckled hip belt. A removable bladder assembly is contained within the pack and has a bladder having a fill connection, a tube and mouthpiece valve, a handle and an internal baffle that maintains a proper bladder shape and prevents sloshing when the bladder is filled with liquid.
Paczonay, U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,207 describes a bite valve for delivering liquid to the mouth of an individual which includes a hollow body portion and a deformable closure connected to the body portion. A plurality of spaced slits are formed in the deformable closure. A portion of the deformable closure between the slits changes shape when the bite valve is subjected to opposed compressive forces. The causes the portion of the deformable closure to change shape and the slits to open and form a plurality of openings allowing liquid to flow through the deformable closure.
The prior art teaches a portable drinking apparatus, as well as various mechanisms to facilitate its use. However, the prior art does not teach an easily mounted and adjustable drinking tube and mouthpiece for use with a portable drinking apparatus that securely attaches to the user's chest and is easily adjustable to make water consumption while riding a bicycle both simple and effortless, and most importantly, possible without the use of one's hands. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
The present invention provides a portable drinking facilitation apparatus for use, by a bicyclist, of a liquid reservoir and a reservoir delivery tube. The apparatus has a flexible drinking tube having a mounting end and a terminal end. The drinking tube is adapted for being shaped, such that said ends are positioned as desired, and the drinking tube will hold the given shape until said ends are repositioned. In its preferred mode, the flexible drinking tube comprises a plurality of tube segments joined end-to-end to form an extended elongate tube. A bite valve is removably mounted at the terminal end of the drinking tube. The apparatus also has a base fitting for receiving the mounting end of the drinking tube. The base fitting is adapted for receiving an end of the reservoir delivery tube and the mounting end of the drinking tube. This arrangement allows water to flow from the reservoir delivery tube, through the base fitting, and into the drinking tube, from which it is dispensed to the user. This base fitting is attached to a flexible base plate having a chest strap mounting means to hold the base plate securely against the bicyclist's chest and place the bite valve within reach of the lips of the bicyclist.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a portable drin

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