NL1027881C1 - Lockable drinking cup. - Google Patents

Description

Lockable drinking cup; The invention relates to a drinking cup in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. Such drinking cups are suitable; 1 knew. Because they do not deflate when falling over and prevent stains and loss of liquid, they are suitable for use by babies and infants and in situations where a cup is not on a table such as in sports, in a car and the like. The drawback of the known drinking cups in which the liquid is drunk from the cup by sucking on the drinking spout is that they are not suitable for drinking out thick liquids such as soup or yogurt because the closing means only open to a limited extent due to the suction of the drinking as a result of which the thick liquid is difficult to flow or the valve becomes clogged by the solid components in the liquid. The known drinking cups are also unsuitable for use with carbonated drink: Because the closing means open under the influence of the pressure difference between the interior of the drinking cup and the environment, the closing means will not work if the cup is filled with carbonated drink and the liquid will can leak to the outside when the cup falls over.

The closable drinking cup according to the invention aims at avoiding this drawback and is therefore designed in accordance with the feature of claim 1. Because the user can move the valve by hand, the valve can be opened sufficiently so that thick liquids along the valve without much resistance to the drinking spout. According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 2. As a result, drinking from the cup can take place in a natural and easily learned manner.

1027881 2

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 3. This keeps the valve closed when the movement means are released and prevents leakage along the valve.

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 4. By relaxing the elastic means with the cup open, the valve can move freely with respect to the lid and can therefore be cleaned better.

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 5. As a result, the valve is accurately positioned with respect to the lid during use, whereby the seal of the valve improves.

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 6. As a result, the hinged coupling can be cleaned in a simple manner.

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 7. As a result, the valve remains closed under the influence of pressure in the closed cup, so that no liquid can leak out of the cup when the cup is filled with carbonated drink. According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 8. This makes the valve less vulnerable and can nevertheless be operated easily.

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 9. As a result, liquid mixed with air can be sucked in by the user, so that hot liquid is cooled by the air being sucked in during drinking.

1027881 3

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 10. A simple construction for operating the valve is hereby obtained.

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 11. As a result, the pivot point between cup and operating arm is at some distance from the lid and the valve, so that with small movements of the operating arm on the side of the cup larger movements of the valve are possible, which simplifies operation.

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 12. As a result, the operating arm is protected against undesired movements when the cup falls to the ground and leakage from the cup is prevented, for example, from falling to the ground. According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 13. The support is hereby strengthened in a simple manner.

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 14. This allows the lid to be opened by rotation while, during use, the operating arm is placed in a protected position between ridges attached to the cup.

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 15. The movement means are hereby robust while they are easy to operate.

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 16. This makes the operating means easy to operate by the hand picking up the closable drinking cup.

1027881 4

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 17. As a result, the pneumatic operation can also be used in the case of large temperature differences.

According to an embodiment, the closable drinking cup is designed in accordance with claim 18. This allows a quiet and simple liquid flow from the drinking spout.

The invention is explained below with reference to a few exemplary embodiments with the aid of a drawing. Shows in the drawing

Figure 1 is a schematic section of a first exemplary embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a top view of the first exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 shows a section III-III of the first exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a schematic section of a second exemplary embodiment, Figure 5 is a part of the side view of the second exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a top view of the second exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 4,

Figure 7 shows a section VII-VII of the second exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 4,

Figures 8a-8d show a third embodiment in different views,

Figure 9 shows a cross-section of a cover of a fourth exemplary embodiment, and Figure 10 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a lever with valve as to be used in the embodiments of figures 8 or 9.

102788Γ'1! 5

In the exemplary embodiments, corresponding parts are indicated as far as possible with the same reference numerals.

1 i |

A closable drinking cup 1 is shown in figures 1, 2 and 3; "5. The closable drinking cup 1 consists of a more or less conical cup 2 and a lid 4. The lid 4 can be screwed onto the cup 2 with a thread 3, a sealing ring 5 being arranged between the cup 2 and the lid 4 such that no liquid can leak between the cup 2 and the lid 4. The screw thread 3 can be designed as a single-thread screw thread. Optionally, other known threads can be used, such as three-threaded threads, possibly with interrupted passages, as a result of which the lid 4 can be quickly attached to the cup 2. It is also possible to use a bayonet fitting.

The lid 4 is provided with a drinking spout 7 with an opening 8. The drinking spout 7 communicates with the interior of the cup 2, the end of the drinking spout 7 facing the cup 2 can be closed by a valve 6. The valve 6 is designed such that it is normally closed and liquid present in the cup 2 cannot flow out of the cup 2. The valve 6 is provided with operating means through which it can be opened by someone who wants to drink from the drinking spout 7. Upon opening, the valve 6 moves in the direction of the cup 2 and the valve 6 closes by sealing against the edge of the drinking spout 7. Optionally, the valve 6 is provided for this purpose with a sealing ring.

The valve 6 is connected by a first lever 9 to a shaft 11, the shaft 11 is rotatably mounted between two ridges 20 which are mounted on top of the cover 4. A second lever 13 is also attached to the shaft 11 and can be raised by a pressure arm 14. When the pressure arm 14 raises the second lever 13, the shaft 11 rotates and as a result the first lever 9 with the valve 6 moves downwards and the drinking spout 7 comes into communication with the cup 2. Now it is possible to drink from the drinking spout 7. The valve 6 is designed such that it can be opened over a distance of for example 3-4 mm, so that solid components present in the liquid, such as vegetables or meat in soup, do not block the valve. During drinking from the opening 8 of the drinking spout 7, air can be drawn through an opening 10 at the same time as suction of liquid from the opening 8. This makes it more pleasant to drink hot liquid such as tea or soup from the cup 2. because the hot liquid cools down by simultaneously sucking in the liquid from the cup 2 and air through the opening 8. The opening 10 is also used by the first lever 9 and is dimensioned such that the shaft 11 and the second lever 13 can be mounted through it.

The pressure arm 14 is a part of an operating arm 22 with which the valve 6 is operated. The operating arm 22 is provided with an opening 19 through which a shaft 18 is arranged, which shaft 18 is mounted in the ridges 20. The opening 19 is formed such that the shaft 18 can be brought into two extreme positions. In the first extreme position, as drawn in solid lines in Figure 1, the operating arm 22 lies entirely between the ridges 20 which are arranged on the lid 4 and between ridges 21 which are arranged on the side of the cup 2. By pressing the part of the control arm 22 lying between the ridges 21, the control arm 22 rotates about the shaft 18, the pressure arm 14 pushes up the second lever 13 and opens the valve 6. In the second extreme position of the control arm 22, as shown in broken line in Figure 1, the operating arm 22 is brought outside the ridges 21 and it is possible to rotate the cup 2 relative to the lid 4 and the lid 4 can be unscrewed from the cup 2.

A plug 16 is provided on the underside of the pressure arm 14, the plug 16 being made of elastic material. When the valve 6 is in the closed position, the plug 16 closes an opening in the lid 4. When the operating arm 22 is activated, the pressure arm 14 with the plug 16 moves upwards away from the lid 4, so that the opening under the plug 16 becomes free and air can flow through it. Due to this air supply, the liquid can flow more easily from the drinking spout 7.

The valve 6 is pulled against the bottom of the drinking spout 7 by a resilient element. In the embodiment shown, the resilient element is a rubber ring 15 which is tensioned between a hook 12 mounted on the second lever 13 and a hook 17 mounted on the operating arm 22. By a tensile force of the rubber ring 15 on the operating arm 22, this pulled against the shaft 18, the aperture 19 being designed such that the shaft 18 as shown in Figure 1 can assume two stable positions in the aperture 19. The opening 19 can also be designed as a slotted hole through which the operating arm 22 is pulled through the rubber ring 15 into the first extreme position and must be kept by the user when screwing the lid 4 from or onto the cup 2 into the second extreme position. turn into.

When the closable cup 1 is used, the cup 2 is filled with liquid, the operating arm 22 is brought in such a position that the lid 4 can be screwed onto the cup 2, the lid 4 is screwed onto the cup 2 and the operating arm 22 is brought between the ridges 20 and the ridges 21. If the closable cup 1 now falls over, no liquid will run out. Also, the operating arm 22 will not be activated if it falls over, because it is protected by the ridges 20 and 21. Even if the liquid in the closable cup 1 is carbonated, the valve 6 will remain closed and no liquid will run out . When picking up the lockable cup 1, the user will be * i ''! clamps his hand (s) around the cup 2 and he can operate the operating arm 22 with his fingers t, whereby the valve 6 can be opened.

In addition to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-3, in which, during use, the operating arm 22 lies longitudinally along the cup 2 between the ridges 21, other embodiments are also possible. For example, it is possible to arrange the operating arm semicircular around the cup 2, with protective ridges arranged along the edges of the operating arm. In this embodiment it is easier to operate the operating arm with the fingers, this embodiment being particularly suitable for people with small hands. The protection ridges along the edges of the operating arm also ensure that if the lockable cup falls over, the valve is not opened by pressing the operating arm.

Figures 4 to 7 show a second embodiment of the closable drinking cup 1. The most important difference with the first embodiment is that the valve 6 is pneumatically operated. To this end, a supporting plate 23 is attached to the second lever 13, the shaft 11 and the supporting plate 23 being placed between the ridges 25. An air cushion 26 is arranged between the support plate 23 and the top of the cover 4. The air cushion 26 is connected by an air line 27 to a bellows 29. By squeezing the bellows 29, the air cushion 26 presses the support plate 23 upwards and the valve 6 is opened. When the bellows 29 are released, a spring 24 which is clamped between the ridges 25 presses the support plate 23 down and closes the valve 6. The air line 27 is between ridges 28 which extend along the side of the bellows. 9 cover 4, clamped. The bellows 29 is clamped between and under a ridge 31 and can be detached in a simple manner, so that the cover 4 can be unscrewed. An opening 30 may be provided in the bellows 29 which the user can close with a finger when compressing the bellows 29. By using the opening 30 it is prevented that unintended pressure build-up in the bellows 29 and the air cushion 30 occurs when hot liquid is added to the cup 2. The opening 30 is not necessary if this pressure build-up does not occur or only occurs to a limited extent.

By using the ridges 25, 28 and 31, inter alia, it is prevented that the air bellows 29 are pressed in when the closable drinking cup 1 falls over and that the air hose 27 is damaged. In another embodiment, the bellows 15 is placed in a groove arranged around the cup and when the closable drinking cup is picked up, the fingers grasp the bellows and the valve is activated.

In the exemplary embodiments shown above, the cup 2 is of conical design, the cross-section of the cup 2 being more or less circular and wherein the operating arm 22 or the bellows 29 is arranged on the outside of the circular cross-section. In another embodiment, this cross-section is more adapted to the shape of a hand, wherein the cup 2 is made narrower at the location of the operating arm 22 or the bellows 29, so that it is easier for the person who wishes to drink from the closable drinking cup 1 to to include the cup 2.

A third exemplary embodiment is shown in Figs. 8a-8d. In this exemplary embodiment, the side of the cup 2 is provided with a cylindrical edge 39 which ends in a conical edge 38. The cylindrical edge 39 is slid into a cylindrical lid edge 45 until the conical edge 38 seals sealingly against a seal 46, which part 1 02 78 81 10 makes the lid 4. The dimensions of the cylindrical rim 39 and the cylindrical lid rim 45 are chosen such that the lid 4 is firmly clamped on the cup. To

"I

1 "; for sliding onto the cup 2 and removing the lid 4, the lid 4 is provided with a guide blade 49 on one side and a support blade 50 on the other side. The guide blade 49 and the support blade 50 make it easier to slide the cup 2 into the lid 4 in that the cylindrical cup edge 39 is guided to the cylindrical lid edge 45. The ridges 20 are arranged on the outside of the cover along the support sheet 50, between which a control arm 52 is placed. The support sheet 50 has an opening 41 on the underside into which hook 42 can be hooked. The operating arm 52 has a pressure surface 43 which can press on a cam 35 of a lever 37 and presses down the lever 37 in the manner to be indicated below. To make this possible, the hook 42 is designed such that it cannot move upwards in the opening 41, so that the operating arm 52 can exert a downward force on the cam 35.

The lid 4 is provided with a drinking spout 7 with an opening 8 and an aeration opening 10. in the manner described above. By sucking air through the opening 10 during drinking from opening 8, hot liquid is cooled by the sucked-in air. The drinking spout 7 can be closed by the valve 6 which is moved by the lever 37. The lever 37 is hingedly mounted on the inside of the lid 4 with a hinged coupling, which in this embodiment is formed by shaft supports 33 in which axle journals 36 can be mounted.

The lever 37 is provided with a spring element 40 which ensures that the valve 6 closes off the drinking spout 7 when the spring element 40 presses against the inside of the cup 2 when the lid 4 is placed on the cup 2. When the spring element 40 presses the lever 37 towards the center of the cup 2, the lever 37 rotates in the hinged coupling and presses the valve 6 upwards, whereby valve 6 closes the drinking spout 7 and 5, at the same time, an aeration opening 32 in the lid 4 is closed by the cam 35. Optionally, the cam 35 is provided with a sealing edge 44 to improve the seal. As mentioned above, the cam 35 cooperates with the pressing surface 43 of the control arm 52 and the control arm 52 can push the cam 35 down through the aeration opening 32, so that the lever 37 moves downwards and the valve 6 opens.

In the support sheet 50 there is an opening 34 which is dimensioned such that the spring element 40 can protrude through the support sheet 50, as a result of which the lever 37 when the cover 4 is not placed on the cup 2 can rotate downwards and so that if the cover 4 with When the lever 37 is placed in a dishwasher, the top of the valve 6 is also easily accessible for cleaning. The lever 37 has a lower edge 47 which is shaped such that when the lid 4 is placed on the cup 2, the spring element 40 is then guided along the inside of the cup 2 and the cup 2 between the spring element 40 and the support leaf. 30 and thus the lever 37 moves to the center of the cup 2 and the valve 6 moves up and closes. As described above, the valve is opened by pressing the operating arm 52 to the side of the cup 2, as a result of which the pressing surface 43 slides along the cam 35 and presses this cam 35 inwards. As a result, the lever 37 with the valve 6 is pressed downwards and can be drunk from the drinking spout 7. Because the cam 35 is pressed downwards, the sealing edge 44 is at the same time released from the opening 32, through which air can flow into the cup and drinking from the drinking spout 7 becomes easier.

The cover 4 and the supporting blade 50 attached thereto are provided with ridges 20 between which the operating arm 52 is placed. In the situation that the drinking cup 1 is closed, the operating arm 52 at least partially lies between the ridges 20, so that when the drinking cup 1 falls over, the operating arm 52 is not activated and the drinking cup 1 remains closed. Optionally along the side of the cup 10, for example at the supporting blade 50, the ridges 20 are partly lower, as indicated in the figure, so that the operating arm 52 can be pressed in easily by a hand which grips the cup 2.

The cup 2, the lid 4 and the operating arm 52 are made of sturdy plastic, which is suitable for absorbing the forces occurring and which can be properly cleaned in a dishwasher. The lever 37 can be made of the same plastic, with more flexible edges or rings being provided at the location of the valve 6 and the sealing edge 44. In another embodiment, the lever 37 as a whole is made of a more flexible rubber-like plastic. In order to attain sufficient strength in that case, a metal insert, such as a spring steel plate (not shown), may be placed in the lever 37, which insert 25 transmits the closing force of the valve 6 to the hinged coupling with the shaft journals 36 and to the spring element 40. As shown in detail in Figure 8b, the hinged coupling is provided with shaft supports 33 with a continuous hole 53 into which the journal 36 with wide play fits. The hole 53 is preferably designed such that the journal 36 is pressed into a predetermined position by the spring element 40 when the lid 4 is placed on the cup 2. As a result, the position of the journal 36 during use is precisely defined and the lever 37 will move in a desired manner during the opening of the valve 6. When the lid 4 is open, there is sufficient space around the spindle 36 in the hole 53 so that cleaning, for example in a dishwashing machine, is easily possible. Because the hole 53 runs through the entire thickness of the shaft support 33, the axle stub 36 can also be cleaned on the side remote from the lever 37 and thus around.

Figure 9 shows the cover 4 of a fourth embodiment 10 with a number of changes with respect to the third embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, the lever 37 is provided with a more or less spherical valve 6, so that no liquid can remain on the valve 6 during use. For guiding the conical top edge 38 from the cup 2 to the seal 46, use is made in this embodiment of guide lugs 48 along which the cylindrical cup edge 39 can slide. It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that such guide lugs 48 can also be arranged on the outside of the side of the cup 2, whereby these guide lugs can slide along the cylindrical lid edge 45.

Figure 10 shows an alternative embodiment of the lever 37. The lever 37 is in this case designed as a spring ring 51, which has a curved profile in the unloaded state, such that as the spring ring 51 between the cup 2 and the lid 4 is clamped and pressed flat, then the valve 6 and the cam 35 are pushed up and seal the openings in the lid 4. The valve 6 is thereby opened by pressing on cam 35, in a manner comparable to the previously described manner. The advantage of this embodiment is that the lever 37 as a separate part can be cleaned in a simple manner. It will be clear that the spring ring 51 can be designed as a spring steel plate 10278 81 "! 14 over which a layer of flexible plastic is arranged. Optionally, the spring ring 51 can be made of rigid plastic with separate sealing at the area of the seal. flexible material, or plastic material with locally one or more preferably metal inserts.

1027881 11

Claims (17)

2. Lockable drinking cup wherein the moving means (22; 29; 52) are attached to the lid (4) in such a way that they can be operated on the side of the cup, for example by fingers of a hand comprising the cup (2). Lockable drinking cup according to claim 1 or 2, wherein elastic means (15; 24; 40) are present for keeping the valve (6) closed. The sealable drinking cup according to claim 3, wherein the elastic means (40) are constructed such that they are tensioned by the cup (2) when the lid (4) is placed on the cup (2). Lockable drinking cup according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 25. wherein the valve (6) is coupled to the lid (4) by means of a lever (9; 37) and a first hinged coupling (11; 33; 36) . Lockable drinking cup as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first hinged coupling comprises a pin (36) and a hole (53), the pin having a large clearance being placed in the hole. 1027881 " Lockable drinking cup according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the movement means (22; 29; 52) open the valve (6) by pressing the valve and / or the lever (9; 37) inwards Lockable drinking cup according to claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the lever (37) is arranged on the inside in the cup (1) and can be pressed onto the lever through an opening (32) in the lid (4). Lockable drinking cup according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein an air supply opening (10) is arranged in the drinking spout (7) between the valve (6) and a drinking opening (8). 10. Lockable drinking cup as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the moving means comprise an operating arm (22; 52) which is coupled to the lid (4) with a second pivoting coupling (18; 41,42). 11. Lockable cup as claimed in claim 10, wherein a support (50) is attached to the lid (4) which extends beyond the side of the cup (2) and the second hinged coupling (41,42) is arranged on the support . 12. Lockable drinking cup according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the operating arm (22; 52) is placed between ridges (20; 21) during use of the cup. A sealable drinking cup according to claim 12, wherein the ridges (20) are partially attached to the support (50). 1027881 ' 14. A closable drinking cup according to any one of claims 10-13, wherein the operating arm (22) can take a first position between the screening backs (20). the operating arm being ready for use for opening the valve (6) and taking a second position wherein the operating arm with the lid (4) can rotate along the shielding ridges (21) mounted on the side of the cup (2) ). 15. Lockable drinking cup as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the moving means comprise an air cushion (26) for moving a lever (9,13,23) coupled to the valve and a bellows (29) for introducing into the air cushion sky. 16. Lockable drinking cup according to claim 15, wherein the bellows (29) can be placed in a holder (31) placed along or around the cup (2). 17. Lockable drinking cup according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the bellows (29) has an opening (30) that can be closed by the fingers of the hand which comprise the cup (2). A closable drinking cup according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an aeration opening (16; 32) activated by the operating means (22; 52) is provided in the lid (4). 25 1027881 "·