Receptacles – Closures – Secondary closure within parameter of primary closure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-12
2003-05-06
Young, Lee (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Secondary closure within parameter of primary closure
C220S345100, C220S715000, C222S470000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06557717
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a non-spill beverage container that requires a user to select when, or when not to drink their beverage.
The present invention requires a user to press downwardly on a button to expose a drinking aperture that will allow a beverage to be dispensed through the aperture. Once the button has been released, the drinking aperture will no longer be exposed thereby precluding the inadvertent dispensing of the beverage. Thus, the user determines when the beverage is dispensed and the pressing of the button, will not allow any of the beverage to spill. Many drink receptacles are provided with closure means to prevent spilling, but all of these devices require the user to manually close the closure means leaving to chance the possibility of forgetting and the eventual spilling of the beverage.
Several references show various receptacle devices with closures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,173 to Nergard discloses a drinking receptacle with a cover containing a finger actuated valve using a lever located above the handle, to prevent spills. U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,597 to Gladish discloses a container with a spring activated self closing lid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,992 to Susich and U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,834 to Hatsumoto disclose additional beverage containers with valve assemblies integral with the closure of the receptacle.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to produce a non-spill beverage container that requires a user to select when, or when not to drink their beverage including a container adapted for holding a quantity of a beverage therein. The container has an open upper end and a closed lower end. The open upper end has external threads thereon. A cover member is adapted for removably coupling with the open upper end of the container. The cover member includes a planar circular plate. The cover member includes a lower peripheral flange extending downwardly from the circular plate. The lower peripheral flange is internally threaded for engaging the external threads of the open upper end of the container. The cover member includes an upper peripheral flange extending upwardly from the circular plate. The circular plate has an internal chamber. The circular plate has an aperture therethrough and through the internal chamber. The cover member includes a slide plate disposed within the internal chamber for selectively closing the aperture. The cover member has an inverted L-shaped handle secured to the lower peripheral flange. The handle has an upper horizontal segment and a lower vertical segment. A closing assembly is adapted for maintaining the slide plate in a closed orientation over the aperture of the cover member. The closing assembly includes a release button extending outwardly of the upper horizontal segment of the handle of the cover member. The release button has a plunger shaft extending downwardly therefrom interiorly of the lower vertical segment of the handle. The plunger shaft has a spring disposed on a lower end thereof biasing the plunger shaft and the release button upwardly. The closing assembly includes an inner gear track and an outer gear track. The inner gear track is disposed horizontally within the internal chamber and coupled with the slide plate. The outer gear track is coupled with the plunger shaft. The closing assembly includes a drive shaft extending between the inner and outer gear tracks. The drive shaft has an inner end and an outer end. The inner and outer ends each have a gear secured thereto for engaging the inner and outer gear tracks.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2312584 (1943-03-01), Peterson
patent: 2353132 (1944-07-01), Frank
patent: 2589890 (1952-03-01), Stoecker
patent: 3967748 (1976-07-01), Albert
patent: 3972443 (1976-08-01), Albert
patent: 4094433 (1978-06-01), Numbers
patent: 4099642 (1978-07-01), Nergard
patent: 4276992 (1981-07-01), Susich
patent: 4750644 (1988-06-01), Kolody
patent: 4921146 (1990-05-01), Salzmann
patent: 6098834 (2000-08-01), Hatsumoto et al.
Goldstein & Lavas P.C.
Smalley James
Young Lee
LandOfFree
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