CN116867401A

CN116867401A - drinking device

Info

Publication number: CN116867401A
Application number: CN202080108355.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: M·朱斯特; J·科比茨; T·耶格尔; F·施朗
Original assignee: El Ap Group Co ltd
Current assignee: El Ap Group Co ltd
Priority date: 2020-11-26
Filing date: 2020-11-26
Publication date: 2023-10-10
Also published as: AU2020478809A1; US20240000219A1; EP4251012A1; WO2022111808A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a drinking device for retronasal inhalation of aromatic substances, comprising a reservoir (12) fillable with a drinking liquid, wherein the reservoir (12) is preferably configured for use on the body or clothing of the user or when it is to be worn. Attachment (13) for attachment to the bag on the body; mouth (26) having a mouth port (28); delivery tube (20) for drinking liquid at least 15 cm long and preferably at least 20 cm long, having an internal cavity (22) forming a flow connection between the reservoir (12) and the mouth port (28) of the mouth (26); and a fragrance container (24) for adding fragrance substances to in the air flow flowing through the aroma container; wherein the aroma container (24) includes at least one air outlet (42), which is either connected to at least one aroma in the internal cavity (22) of the delivery tube (20) for the drinking liquid. The inlet (44) is in flow connection, either with an aroma channel (84) extending to the mouth port (28) of the mouth (26).

Description

Drinking device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a drinking device for the postnasal inhalation of aromatic substances.

Background

There is an increasing need to ingest such drinking liquids: which on the one hand has a pleasant taste and on the other hand avoids the health risks that may be associated with the ingestion of substances or stabilizers dissolved in the drinking liquid. In addition, intake of more calories should be avoided.

Therefore, water having weak fruit fragrance has become popular in recent years. However, even in such flavored waters, undesirable additives such as stabilizing substances and a proportion of sugar can be found, and thus such flavored beverages also have calories that are rejected by many users.

The first measure to solve this problem is to add the aroma only before drinking. Patent documents US2008/028353A1 and US2015/030726A1 disclose a metering system in which an aroma that is initially provided separately is added to and dissolved in a drinking liquid only before or during drinking. Although this measure can avoid problems such as long-term stability of the drinking liquid, there is still the problem of undesirable intake of additives.

Since the sensory impression of smell plays an important role in taste perception when eating foods and beverages, current systems attempt to influence perceived odors when drinking. For this purpose, patent document US5,635,229 proposes an aromatic element which can be fastened in the drinking container close to the drinking opening, whereby the aromatic element is brought into close proximity to the nose of the user, who breathes through the nose and thus inhales the aroma during drinking.

The drinking vessel according to patent document US 8,662,339 B2 also works on the principle that aromatic substances are inhaled through the nose during drinking.

In WO2020/126210A1 a drinking device for the nasal intake of aromatic substances is described. The air-permeable, exchangeable fragrance container is fastened to the head of the drinking device, and an air channel is provided for delivering the fragranced air, which air channel extends from the fragrance container in the direction of the mouth opening.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to propose a drinking device which enables a user to obtain a better taste experience and which can be used in particular during various leisure activities.

The object of the invention is achieved by a drinking device having the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments are given by the dependent claims and the description below.

The drinking device for nasal inhalation of aromatic substances according to the invention comprises a reservoir that can be filled with a drinking liquid, wherein the reservoir is preferably configured for attachment to the body of a user or to clothing. The drinking device further includes: a mouth; a delivery tube for drinking liquid, the delivery tube having an internal cavity forming a flow connection between a (darstellt) reservoir and a mouth port of a mouth, wherein the delivery tube has a length of at least 15cm, and preferably a length of at least 20 cm; and a fragrance container for adding fragrance material to an air stream flowing through the fragrance container, wherein the fragrance container comprises at least one air outlet in flow connection with either at least one fragrance inlet in the interior cavity of the delivery tube for drinking liquid or with a fragrance channel separate from the interior cavity of the delivery tube and extending to a mouth port of the mouth.

The drinking device for the nasal inhalation of aromatic substances is therefore preferably attached to the body or clothing of the user, or to a bag to be put on, and can be used, for example, as a backpack or in a commercially available backpack, so that the user is free of his hands even during drinking. The drinking device may be designed such that the reservoir may be integrated into a backpack or a bag as part of the user's clothing.

A fragrance container is provided that is adapted to add fragrance material to an air stream flowing through the fragrance container.

An important aspect of the drinking device according to the invention is that the aromatic substance is inhaled postnasally. Upon drinking, the aromatic substance enters the user's mouth with the drinking liquid and then rises through the pharyngeal post-nasally to the olfactory mucosa (regional smell), where it is detected and perceived by the user by the recipient located there. The device according to the invention is equally suitable for cool or warm drinking liquids.

Post-nasal inhalation of aromatic substances utilizes a close relationship between smell and taste. Thus, even if the user actually smells only nasally, there is a sensation that the fragrance is being tasted.

The taste sensation of a person is essentially determined by the postnasal smell. The receptors of the tongue can only distinguish between sweetness, sourness, bitterness, salty and umami, whereas the different tastes are due to the gas phase of food and liquid in the pharynx rising through the postnasal passage and reaching the olfactory mucosa. The sensing organ (senoren) located there triggers a neural stimulation, so that a taste impression is created in the brain. The person supplying the aroma to the pharynx during drinking will thus have the impression that the beverage has been flavored, because during the post-nasal sniffing the perception is created in the brain that the beverage is of aromatic origin, even if the user ingests pure liquid, i.e. not flavored pure liquid, such as water. In the inhalation of a scent through the nose, the so-called pre-nasal inhalation of a fragrance, this impression does not occur to the same extent, since the sensory impression is related to the breathing frequency, and the user thus obtains the correct impression that he simply smells the fragrance, without tasting it as in the post-nasal inhalation.

The reservoir, which is preferably of refillable design, can thus contain pure water or water provided with carbonic acid, while the aromatic substance is transferred into the air flow flowing through the aromatic container and either supplied to the drinking liquid before the user inhales the same or delivered separately to the user's pharynx. For this purpose, the air outlet of the fragrance container is either in flow connection with at least one fragrance inlet in the interior cavity of the delivery tube for the drinking liquid or in flow connection with a fragrance channel which is separate from the interior cavity of the delivery tube and extends to the mouth opening of the mouth.

The drinking device according to the invention is equally suitable for drinking liquids having a self-taste. The existing taste of the drinking liquid may be enhanced either by the aroma from the aroma container or supplemented by one or more additional taste components. For example, if apple juice is in the reservoir, apple aroma may be supplied to enhance the taste experience, or orange aroma may also be supplied, for example, to create a taste mix. In this way, for example, an alcoholic beverage such as beer can be provided with additional aroma substances, where the specific preferences of the user can be met by using a corresponding aroma container in the drinking device according to the invention. Furthermore, in the drinking device according to the invention, tastes which are not usual in the food field, such as sandalwood, which is known from air freshening, can also be used. The aroma supplied here can be artificial or natural. Aroma isolated or enriched from artificial or natural sources may be used herein, as well as natural substances, such as fresh or processed products, e.g., lemon peel, dandelion leaves, licorice or other aromatic substances.

When the air outlet of the aroma container is in connection with at least one aroma inlet in the interior cavity of the delivery tube for the drinking liquid, the aroma-enhancing air is delivered into the drinking liquid in the form of small bubbles. Thereby, the user inhales the drinking liquid mixed with the flavoured air at the mouth-end opening of the mouth.

The flavoured air escapes from the surrounding drinking liquid in the form of bubbles into the user's mouth, enabling it to rise to the olfactory mucosa via the pharyngeal post-nasal. In the case where the aroma channel is separate from the internal cavity delivery tube and extends to the mouth-end opening of the mouth, it is not necessary to first separate the fragranced air from the surrounding drinking liquid. Another advantage of separate supply of flavoured air and drinking liquid to the mouth is that: a mostly negligible mass transfer between air and drinking liquid can be avoided.

All the solutions described above have in common that the geometry of the delivery tube for the drinking liquid and the aroma inlet or aroma channel are coordinated with each other such that the fragranced air and the drinking liquid are sucked in a desired quantitative ratio with respect to each other during drinking. It is important here, however, that the delivery tube has a length of at least 15 cm and preferably at least 20 cm, so that the reservoir of the drinking device according to the invention can be arranged at a sufficient distance from the mouth, in order to be able to be carried on the back, for example, comfortably.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reservoir comprises a flexible outer wall. Thus, if the reservoir is designed in the form of an elastic balloon (Blase), the reservoir may collapse during drinking, whereas an air inlet is required in a reservoir with a fixed internal volume in order to provide the required pressure balance during drinking.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the internal volume of the reservoir is at least 400ml, i.e. at least 400ml of drinking liquid can be injected into the reservoir.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fragrance container comprises a mouth. This solution has several advantages. On the one hand, the number of components is reduced by the integral design of the fragrance unit and the attached mouthpiece. Furthermore, the air outlet of the fragrance container may be automatically aligned with respect to the fragrance inlet in the interior cavity of the delivery tube for the potable liquid. Another advantage of this solution is that the fragranced air is supplied only in the immediate vicinity of the mouth-port of the drinking liquid, so that no undesired mass transfer between the air and the pure drinking liquid takes place. However, the main advantages of this solution are: by replacing the existing mouth with a mouth equipped with an aromatic container, conventional beverage devices can be easily retrofitted and expanded.

According to a preferred embodiment, the fragrance container is movable between an activated position and a deactivated position, wherein in the activated position the air outlet of the fragrance container is in flow connection with the delivery channel for the drinking liquid; in the inactive position, however, there is no flow connection between the air outlet and the delivery channel for the drinking liquid.

The air inlet in the fragrance container for flowing through the fragrance container is preferably arranged such that the air inlet is substantially sealed in the inactive position of the fragrance container.

The advantage of this option of moving the fragrance container between the active and inactive positions is that: for the case of only occasional use of the drinking device, the use time of the fragrance container can be significantly prolonged. That is, if in the inactive position there is no flow connection between the air outlet and the delivery channel for the drinking liquid, there is no through-flow to the fragrance container and the fragrance remains inside the fragrance container for a significantly longer period of time.

When a drinking device is provided in which the drinking container is movable between an active position and an inactive position, the drinking device according to the invention also has an ergonomic handle area on the side of the fragrance container facing away from the mouth. The user may grasp the handle region with one hand and move the fragrance container with the other hand between the activated and unactivated positions. Alternatively, the ergonomic handle region may also be designed such that at least one of the two movements of the fragrance container between the activated position and the inactive position can be achieved by a one-handed operation.

Preferably, according to a first preferred alternative, a rotary valve may be provided to seal the drinking device against accidental leakage of the drinking liquid, the rotary valve sealingly closing the duct for the drinking liquid when it is actuated. The rotary valve can be inserted in a conventional manner into a delivery tube for drinking liquid, the rotary valve being operated by the user by actuating a shut-off tap (Sperrhahns) or by actuating a lever.

Since it is important that the user is able to detect as intuitively as possible whether the delivery tube is blocked, according to a preferred variant the entire mouth can be pivoted relative to the delivery tube, whereby it can be clearly seen that the drinking device is not in the operating position.

An alternative option for sealing a drinking device according to the invention is to provide a bite valve (Bei beta ventil) at the mouth-port. Bite valves are known in the art. The valve is opened by simply biting the mouth to drink from the drinking device. The arrangement of the engagement valve has the advantages that: the user does not need additional running steps. When the user has become accustomed to actuating the bite valve during the drinking process, no further actuation steps are required and in particular it is not possible to forget to actuate the separately provided sealing element after the drinking process.

In a further preferred variant, the desired seal of the delivery tube for the drinking liquid is combined with the seal of the fragrance container, so that not only is undesired flow of the drinking liquid out of the drinking device prevented, but also air does not flow through the fragrance container. To achieve this, according to a preferred embodiment, a sealing element in the form of a squeeze seal is provided, the actuation of which is combined with the movement of the fragrance container between the active and inactive positions (gekoppelt). It is proposed here to provide a squeeze seal, since the squeeze seal is typically actuated in the following manner: that is, one or more pressing elements are actuated by a wedge contact geometry upon a linear movement.

According to an alternative embodiment of the drinking device according to the invention, the drinking device comprises a sealing element in the form of a sealing plunger (Abdichtstempel). The sealing plunger can be arranged such that it not only partially closes the interior cavity of the delivery tube, but at the same time also closes the fragrance inlet in the interior cavity of the delivery tube. In this way, the flow through the fragrance container can be prevented while sealing the delivery tube without the fragrance container having to be moved between the active and inactive positions.

In another alternative of the sealing element of the drinking device according to the invention, the sealing element comprises at least one-way valve. In this case, a one-way valve in the form of a duckbill valve can be provided in a very simple manner, which interrupts the flow of liquid to the mouth opening and prevents water from penetrating into the fragrance container. For this purpose, a one-way valve is preferably arranged in the flow direction before the fragrance inlet in the interior cavity of the delivery tube. Alternatively, another duckbill valve may be provided downstream. The arrangement of at least one-way valve has the advantages that: the non-return valve does not have to be actuated by the user by a separate operating step, but rather opens automatically when suction pressure is applied during drinking and correspondingly returns automatically to the sealing position after the end of the drinking process.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drinking device according to the invention further comprises a manual pump (handpump) for establishing pressure in the interior cavity of the delivery tube. The manual pump may be used to deliver potable liquid to the mouth port of the mouth even when the mouth port is significantly above the level of the reservoir when a long potable liquid delivery tube is used. Alternatively, a manual pump may be used to load pressure into a rigid reservoir when the internal pressure in the reservoir has been reduced during ingestion of the potable liquid and the user can only drink the potable liquid through the mouth port at an elevated inhalation pressure.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the liquid tube is fastened to the reservoir such that the liquid tube can be drawn out of and pushed into the reservoir a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction of the liquid tube. In this way, the distance between the reservoir and the mouth of the drinking device may be adapted to the desires of the user or to the particular application.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the delivery tube has a plurality of set bending points (Soll-knuckles). In this way, the distance between the outlet and the mouth in the internal cavity of the reservoir and delivery tube can also be adjusted according to the needs and desires of the user.

Another advantage of setting the bending point is that the drinking device can be transported more safely, since during transport, for example, accidental pressure in the bag on the transport tube does not damage the transport tube, since the transport tube can be kept away from the force action by the bending point or can be adapted to uneven contact surfaces #). Furthermore, the drinking device according to the invention can be transported or stored particularly space-saving.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transport tube is separable in the longitudinal direction of the transport tube. In this way, the interior cavity of the delivery tube is accessible, which can be easily cleaned.

Particularly suitable here are: the transport tube has a film hinge extending in the longitudinal direction and is openable (aufklapp bar) in the longitudinal direction. In this way, the two individual elements of the conveying direction are openable but permanently connected to one another. The two annular subsections can be cleaned after being turned over, for example under running water. If the delivery tube is made of a sufficiently elastic material (e.g. silicone), the delivery tube cut along the joint location in the longitudinal direction can be elastically flipped open and automatically returned again after the cleaning process to the initial position in which, despite the joint location extending in the longitudinal direction of the delivery channel, the liquid delivered in the interior cavity does not leak accidentally at the joint location when used as intended.

According to a preferred embodiment, the drinking device according to the invention further comprises a receiving means for the fragrance container, into which receiving means the fragrance container can be fitted and which receiving means can be fastened to the delivery tube. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the fragrance container may be fastened, preferably clamped, to the delivery tube, wherein the fragrance container comprises a through element (durchdringungselelement) adapted to penetrate the delivery tube and form a fragrance inlet when fastening the fragrance container to the delivery tube. In this way, the fragrance container can be used in a conventional drinking device, since the delivery tube does not have to have a pre-made fragrance inlet before fastening the fragrance container. Another advantage is that no precise positioning of the fragrance container is required, since the fragrance inlet is formed when fastening the fragrance container. The perforating element may also have the function of fixing the position of the fragrance container on the delivery tube.

Preferably, the drinking device according to the invention comprises a receiving means for the aromatic container, into which receiving means the aromatic container can be fitted and which receiving means can be fastened to the delivery tube. Thus, the storage device functions like a storage adapter of the fragrance container into which the fragrance container can be easily loaded and also taken out again, thereby enabling a user to easily exchange fragrance containers having different fragrances (aromachtung) with each other.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drinking device according to the invention further comprises a water filter in flow connection with the delivery pipe for the drinking liquid. The water filter has the advantages that: for example, when using the drinking device according to the invention in hiking, the reservoir may be replenished with water from a suitable flowing body of water and possibly undesired bacteria, particles and suspended particles may be filtered out so that the user does not inhale them during drinking.

Preferably, the reservoir of the drinking device according to the invention comprises a heat insulating shield. The thermally insulating shield helps to both keep cool drinking liquid for a longer period of time in a warm environment and also helps to be able to fill the reservoir with hot drinking liquid for a longer period of time, since the thermally insulating shield significantly slows down the heat transfer between the reservoir interior and the outside atmosphere. Likewise, the transport pipe may also have a thermally insulating shield which is arranged either around the interior cavity or as an additional element around the wall surrounding the interior cavity. The separately provided heat insulating shield may be firmly attached to or detached from the transport channel for the drinking liquid.

Inside the fragrance container is a fragrance chamber. Preferably, the fragrance chamber is provided with a substance) In addition, there is a head space between the load-bearing substance and the wall of the fragrance container that closes the fragrance chamber. Providing a head space improves the mixing of the fragranced air in the fragrance container. The fragrance material may be composed of a number of compounds having mass transfer characteristics that differ from the mass transfer characteristics of the carrier material into the headspace of the fragrance container. Different chemical substances may be transported at different rates, and different flavoring components may also be present inside the fragrance chamber, which may be homogenized in the head space.

It is preferable to provide a nonwoven material having a high air permeability as a supporting substance, the air permeability being not lower than 200 l/(m) ² S). At the same time, the air permeability of the nonwoven material should not be higher than 500 l/(m) at 100Pa pressure difference ² S). That is, if the air permeability is too high, there is a risk of forming a preferred flow path inside the nonwoven material, so that the air flow exiting the fragrance container has a too low degree of flavoring already before the fragrance material is actually consumed. Furthermore, the most suitable geometry of the carrier substance and the size of the head space may vary from one fragrance substance to another. Different aroma substances have different chemical structures which affect their performance in terms of mass transfer and flow characteristics, so that here a separate optimization process can be performed for each individual taste to obtain an optimal taste experience.

Preferably, the thickness of the carrier substance is at least 50%, preferably at least 80% of the height between the lower wall and the upper wall of the fragrance container relative to the height of the fragrance chamber.

Preferably, the fragrance container has a substantially annular geometry, such that the fragrance container can be arranged around the delivery tube, so that a weight distribution is obtained which is particularly pleasant for the user to feel. The outer cross section of the delivery tube may deviate from a precise circular shape, and the geometry of the fragrance container may deviate from a precise circular shape, in order to co-operate with a complementarily shaped delivery tube, so that only a single radial orientation of the fragrance container with respect to the delivery tube is achieved, whereby a precise radial position of the fragrance container with respect to the delivery tube can be defined. In this way it can be ensured that: with respect to this precise radial position, the air outlet of the fragrance container and the fragrance inlet in the interior cavity of the delivery tube for the drinking liquid coincide with each other. The fragrance container is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the delivery tube but is not radially movable relative to the delivery tube when the fragrance container is movable between an active and inactive position, whereby the flow connection between the air outlet and the delivery tube for drinking liquid can be interrupted and restored by a simple displacement movement.

Drawings

Further features and advantages of the device according to the invention will be given by the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these figures:

fig. 1 schematically shows the main components of a drinking device according to the invention;

fig. 2 shows the drinking device according to fig. 1 with additional components;

figures 3a and 3b show another variant of a drinking device according to the invention, having a rigid reservoir;

fig. 4a, 4b and 4c show an embodiment with a detachable delivery tube, wherein fig. 4a shows an overall view, fig. 4b shows the detachability of the delivery tube, and fig. 4c shows an enlarged view of the marked area in fig. 4 b;

FIG. 5 shows a first alternative embodiment of a flexible delivery tube;

fig. 6a, 6b and 6c show another alternative of a bendable transfer tube, wherein fig. 6a shows an overall view, fig. 6b shows a cross-sectional view of the transfer tube, and fig. 6c shows an outer view of the transfer tube in a bent state;

fig. 7a and 7b show another embodiment of a delivery tube which is expandable in the longitudinal direction;

FIGS. 8 and 8b illustrate another embodiment of an expandable delivery tube;

Figures 9a and 9b show possible attachments of the fragrance container to the delivery tube, wherein figure 9a shows a partial cross-sectional view of the delivery tube and the fragrance container attached thereto, and figure 9b shows an exploded view of the adapter used herein;

fig. 10a and 10b show a first alternative of a shut-off device (Absperreinrichtung), wherein fig. 10a shows an unactuated state and fig. 10b shows an actuated state in a partial cross-sectional view;

fig. 11 shows a second alternative of the shut-off device in a sectional view;

fig. 12 shows a third alternative of the shut-off device in a sectional view;

fig. 13a, 3b and 3c show a fourth alternative of a shut-off device, wherein fig. 13a is a schematic external view, fig. 13b shows an unbroken state in partial section, and fig. 13c shows a blocked state in partial section;

fig. 14a and 14b show a fifth alternative embodiment of the sealing device;

figures 15a and 15b show structural units for retrofitting an existing drinking device;

figures 16a, 16b and 16c show an alternative option for attaching the fragrance container to the delivery tube, wherein figure 15a schematically shows an unassembled state and figures 15b and 15c show actuation of the fragrance container in an assembled state; and

Fig. 17a and 17b show, in addition to the outer views and in cross-section, an alternative design of a drinking device according to the invention with an aroma channel extending to the mouth opening.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic external view of the main components of a drinking device 10 according to the invention. The drinking device includes: a reservoir 12 which can be fastened to the body or clothing of the user by means of a selectively provided attachment element 13; and a delivery tube 20 having an interior cavity 22 through which liquid stored within the reservoir 12 may be delivered toward a mouth 26 having a mouth port 28.

The reservoir 12 can have an insulating layer 14 in a suitable manner that slows the heat transfer between the interior cavity of the reservoir and the outside atmosphere so that the cold or hot beverage injected into the reservoir maintains a desired temperature differential for a longer period of time relative to the outside atmosphere. The transport pipe can also be insulated in the same way.

To facilitate the user's injection of drinking liquid into the reservoir 12, a screw cap 16 is provided which closes the injection port in the reservoir 12.

The delivery tube 20 is either sealingly secured to the outlet 18 of the reservoir or the delivery tube 20 extends through the outlet 18 and into the interior of the reservoir 12. When the delivery tube extends into the interior of the reservoir, the length of the delivery tube between the reservoir and the mouth port 26 can be adjusted as desired by the user.

Common to all embodiments of the invention is that the length of the delivery tube 20 between the discharge opening 18 and the mouth 26 is preferably more than 35cm, otherwise the drinking device is inconvenient for the user.

The fastening of the delivery tube 20 to the reservoir 12 may be designed to be non-releasable. Alternatively, however, the delivery tube 20 may be releasably secured to the reservoir 12. When the delivery tube 20 is releasably secured to the reservoir, provision may be made by threads, bayonet connections, by providing clamps or hose clamps, or fixation may be provided by an interference fit and press-in.

The core element of the drinking device according to the invention is an aromatic container 24, which in this embodiment is arranged close to the mouth 26, but may also be arranged on or near the discharge opening 18 of the reservoir 12, or in the path of a delivery tube 20 of at least 15cm length (Verlauf). The fragrance container is used to add fragrance material to the airflow through the fragrance container. For this purpose, the fragrance container has at least one air outlet which is either in flow connection with the fragrance inlet in the interior cavity 22 of the delivery tube 20 for the drinking liquid or in flow connection with a fragrance channel which extends separately from the interior cavity 22 of the delivery tube to the mouth port 28 of the mouth. In this way, the aromatic substance is inhaled postnasally and enters the user's mouth upon drinking, together with the drinking liquid, where it rises postnasally via the pharyngeal nose to the olfactory mucosa, is detected by the recipient located there and perceived by the user as a taste. This preferred structure of the fragrance container will be set forth in more detail in the description of the more embodiments.

The embodiment of the drinking device 10 according to fig. 2 differs from the embodiment of the drinking device according to fig. 1 only in a few respects, so that only specific differences are discussed here.

In the drinking device according to fig. 2, an attachment element 13 is schematically shown, which enables the reservoir 12 to be attached to the waistband of the user.

Additionally, an ergonomic handle 30 is provided in the drinking device according to fig. 2, which is convenient for the user to grasp and is particularly useful when the fragrance container 24 is movable in the direction of arrow a between an active position and an inactive position. Accordingly, the user may grasp the ergonomic handle 30 with one hand and move the fragrance container 24 with the other hand in the direction of arrow A to move the fragrance container between the activated and inactive positions. Only in the activated position, the fragranced air can be expelled through the air outlet of the fragrance container, while the air outlet is closed in the deactivated position, whereby the fragrance material located in the fragrance container is retained even during a longer period of time when the drinking device is not in use.

Another aspect of the drinking device shown in fig. 2 is the provision of a manual pump 32 that can be actuated by a user to either load the reservoir 12 with pressure or to deliver drinking liquid in the direction of the mouth port 28.

In fig. 3a and 3b, a reservoir 12 is shown, respectively, which is not a flexible, but a rigid container. By providing a flexible delivery tube 20, the delivery tube can be withdrawn from the reservoir through the discharge port 18 and reinserted therein, as shown in fig. 3a and 3 b. Here, a relatively short delivery tube 20 is shown for simplicity of illustration. The design of the fragrance container 24 and the mouth 26 may here correspond to the design of the embodiment shown in fig. 1 and 2.

Unlike the embodiment according to fig. 1 and 2, no separate filling opening for drinking liquid is provided in the reservoir 12. The screw cap 16 provided for injecting the drinking liquid is provided with a discharge opening 18 for a delivery tube 20. In the following, various alternatives for the delivery tube will be described with reference to various embodiments, wherein the delivery tube is designed such that its length according to the invention is particularly preferably more than 35cm, so that it can be placed substantially inside the reservoir 12.

However, the combined arrangement of the screw cap for the filling opening and the discharge opening for the delivery tube in the screw cap can also be used in the same way in a flexible reservoir.

One design option for the delivery tube 20 is shown in fig. 4a to 4c in order to enable it to be cleaned more easily. The drinking device according to the invention is mainly aimed at users who want to drink pure water but want to provide a specific taste. The drinking device according to the invention can also be applied in the same way to other cold and warm beverages, which after use require cleaning of the reservoir and the inner cavity 22 of the delivery tube. For this purpose, the duct 20 can be divided into two parts 20a and 20b. The two trough-shaped elements 20a and 20b are inserted into one another by means of a suitable trough-tongue connection and are moved relative to one another in the longitudinal direction. Thus, the detachable transfer tube 20 according to fig. 4a to 4c can be easily cleaned.

As an alternative to the embodiment of the delivery tube 20 shown in fig. 4a to 4c, the delivery tube may also have a film hinge and a groove-tongue-connection point in the longitudinal direction, so that the delivery tube 20 may be turned open and the walls of the delivery tube defining the internal cavity 22 may be easily cleaned. The film hinge may also be configured such that the delivery tube 20 is made of a flexible material (e.g., silicone) so that the delivery tube is collapsible.

In the embodiment according to fig. 5, the delivery tube 20 has an accordion-like design of the inflection point 34, as is the case with known plastic straws. However, unlike plastic pipettes, a plurality of such bending points 34 are provided, so that the transfer tube can be folded in any way inside the reservoir and/or outside the reservoir and is not damaged thereby. The solution shown in fig. 5 is interesting in order to enable the delivery tube to assume a strongly bent to folded form if the section of the delivery tube between the bending points 34 is not sufficiently flexible itself. The inflection point is used to enable the delivery tube to be individually adjusted, both in terms of the desired length and in terms of the position of the reservoir relative to the user's mouth.

An alternative design of the delivery tube 20 is shown in fig. 6a to 6c, with a plurality of constrictions 36, which are used as set bending points, as shown in fig. 6 c. By providing a corresponding number of set bending points for the delivery tube, the delivery tube can be adapted to different reservoirs having different internal geometries, but can also have a path outside the reservoir depending on the attachment of the reservoir to the body or clothing of the user in order to comfortably reach the mouth of the user. As schematically shown in fig. 6b, when the constriction 36 does not excessively reduce the volume of the inner cavity 22, only a small additional pressure loss is generated for the transport of the drinking liquid through the inner cavity of the transport tube.

Another possible design of the transfer tube 20 is to configure the transfer tube to be able to reduce and increase in length. The design of the delivery tube as an expandable hose 38 shown in fig. 7a and 7b may be provided here only locally or may also be provided over the entire length of the delivery tube 20.

Another alternative design option for the entire delivery tube 20 or only a part thereof is to construct the delivery tube as a flexible, helical hose 50, as shown in fig. 8a and 8b, whereby the distance between the mouth 26 and the reservoir can likewise be adjusted arbitrarily according to the needs of the user.

In the embodiment according to fig. 9a and 9b, the fragrance container 24 does not extend around the delivery tube 20, but is inserted into the adapter 40. For this purpose, the fragrance container is inserted into the portion 40b of the adapter in the direction of arrow C, so that a connection as shown in fig. 9a is formed between the adapter and the fragrance container.

As shown in the cross-sectional view of fig. 9a, the fragrance container 24 has an air outlet 42 which passes via a fragrance tube 46 to a fragrance inlet 44 which opens into the interior cavity 22 of the delivery tube 20.

The adapter 40 is designed in this case in multiple parts and can consist of parts 40a and 40b which are plugged around the delivery tube 20. Here, the fragrance tube 46 may have a penetrating element that penetrates the wall of the delivery tube and thereby forms the fragrance inlet 44 when the two parts 40a and 40b of the adapter are fastened around the delivery tube 20.

The design according to fig. 9a and 9b has the advantage that any fastening position can be selected in the longitudinal path of the delivery tube by means of the adapter. Furthermore, the existing system can be easily retrofitted with a drinking hose as a delivery tube, because the existing system is not provided with a fragrance inlet 44, which is automatically created when the adapter is attached to the delivery tube.

In fig. 9b, a fastening attachment 48 is additionally shown, which may have a cross-sectional shape deviating from the circular ring shape when using an incompletely annular fragrance container, thereby enabling the fragrance container 24 to be mounted only in a defined rotational position relative to the adapter, in which rotational position the air outlet 42 of the fragrance container 24 is aligned with the fragrance tube 46 in the adapter.

In the embodiment according to fig. 10a and 10b, a shut-off device is provided, which is combined with a displacement of the fragrance container 24 in the direction of arrow a. The fragrance container according to fig. 10a is located in a position further up in the drawing plane of the drawing and is thus in an active position in which the flow connection between the air outlet and the air inlet of the fragrance container is formed either in the interior cavity of the delivery tube or in a separately provided fragrance tube. The shut-off means comprises at least one squeezing element 52 which moves relative to each other when the fragrance container 24 is moved downwards from the activated position to the deactivated position and squeezes the flexible outer wall of the delivery tube 22 as shown in fig. 10b, thereby partially closing the interior cavity 22. Thus, the user does not have to operate the shut-off device separately, but rather the shut-off device automatically works as soon as the fragrance container is moved between the active and inactive positions. The pressing element can be elastically deformed in this case, so that, once the fragrance container is again moved back into the activated position, the pressing element automatically returns again to the open position in fig. 10 a. However, it is also possible to provide suitable elastic elements which form a pretension with which the two pressing elements are pressed apart from one another.

An alternative design of the shut-off device is schematically shown in the sectional view of fig. 11. Here, a fragrance container 24 is schematically shown, the air outlet 42 of which is connected via a fragrance tube 46 to an air inlet 44 in the interior cavity 22 of the delivery tube 20. While the shut-off device functions as follows: that is, the squeeze plunger 54 is moved in the direction of arrow B from a first position, in which it is not engaged with the outer wall of the delivery tube 20, to a second position, shown in fig. 11, in which the delivery tube is partially collapsed such that the fragrance tube 46 is securely enclosed in the region of the fragrance inlet 44.

Unlike the embodiment of fig. 10a and 10b, in which the shut-off device only prevents the transfer of liquid through the interior cavity of the transfer tube, the shut-off device according to fig. 11 has the dual function of not only interrupting the transfer of liquid through the interior cavity 22, but also preventing the accidental escape of fragrance material from the fragrance container 24, which in the embodiment according to fig. 10a and 10b is achieved by the movement of the fragrance container between the active and inactive positions.

Fig. 12 shows a further possible embodiment of the shut-off device. In the embodiment according to fig. 12, at least one-way valve 56 is present in the interior cavity 22 of the delivery tube 20, which one-way valve opens only when suction pressure is applied to the mouth 26 and allows liquid to pass in the direction of the mouth. The one-way valve configured as a duckbill valve provided in fig. 12 has the effect of: that is, not only can undesired substances be prevented from entering the delivery tube through the mouth, but the flow of liquid towards the mouth port can also be interrupted.

In the embodiment according to fig. 12, two duckbill valves are provided, which are located upstream and downstream with respect to the fragrance inlet 44 in the interior cavity 22. Therefore, these two check valves also have the following additional effects: i.e. to prevent the accidental escape of aroma and/or to prevent the passage of drinking liquid into the aroma container 24 when the drinking device is not in use.

In fig. 12, a partial cross-section of a fragrance container is shown, which may extend substantially annularly around the delivery tube 20. Here, the fragrance container 24 has a hollow chamber 82 in which the carrier material 58 impregnated with the fragrance substance is located. The carrier material 58 may be a nonwoven material. Above the carrier material 58 there is a head space 60 which is filled with air only and serves for homogenization of the fragranced air. By means of the circumferential handle edge 64, the fragrance container can be easily operated and moved, for example, in the direction of arrow a between the active and inactive positions as described in some of the embodiments described above. In this case, fig. 12 shows an activated position in which the air outlet 42 of the fragrance container 24 is in fluid connection with the fragrance inlet 44 in the interior cavity 22 of the delivery tube 20.

The fragrance container is composed of housing halves 62a and 62b, which are closed after the carrier material has been filled and impregnated with fragrance.

Fig. 13a to 13c show a further alternative of the shut-off device. A shut-off valve 66 is used here, which can be pivoted between the positions shown in fig. 13b and 13 c. In the position shown in fig. 13b, the passage 70 through the rotatable element 68 of the shut-off valve 66 is aligned with the internal cavity 22 so that liquid can flow from the reservoir through the internal cavity 22 to the mouth 26. In the position shown in fig. 13c, the structural unit consisting of the fragrance container 24 and the mouth 26 is pivoted by 90 ° relative to the course of the adjoining liquid conduit 20. As a result, the passage 70 through the rotatable element 68 is no longer in flow connection with the interior cavity 22 of the delivery tube and thus the supply of liquid to the mouth 26 is interrupted. As shown in fig. 13b and 13d, these two operating states are easily detectable by the user, so that there is no uncertainty as to whether the shut-off device is open or closed.

Fig. 14a and 14b show an alternative design of the shut-off valve 66 with a rotatable element 68 and a channel 70. Here, fig. 14a shows a state in which liquid may flow through the inner cavity 22 of the delivery tube 20. In this operating state, the shut-off valve 66 has been brought into an open state by means of the lever 71. In this case, not only is a flow connection for the drinking liquid formed inside the interior space 22 via the channel 70, but the aroma tube 46 is also connected to the connecting tube 47 which opens into the channel 70, so that in the open state of the sealing device shown in fig. 14a, both the liquid flow and the fragrancing air are simultaneously admitted into the liquid flow through the interior space.

If the actuating lever 71 is pivoted into the closed position as shown in fig. 14b, not only is the flow connection in the interior cavity 22 interrupted by the rotatable element 68, but the flow connection between the fragrance tube 46 and the connection tube 47 in the channel 70 is also interrupted. Thus, the user can operate the lever while preventing undesired liquid passage and fragrance leakage.

In fig. 15a and 15b an embodiment is shown which allows for a convenient retrofitting of an existing drinking device, for example in the form of an existing drinking backpack. The structural unit 72 consisting of the mouthpiece 26, the fragrance container 24 and the connecting element 74 is provided here, has a tube-like geometry and is suitable for insertion into or covering a delivery tube, where the structural unit is held in a friction-fit manner. Furthermore, a retaining plate (Haltelasche) 76 is provided, which establishes a fixed connection between the supply line 20 and the construction element 72, so that the construction element 72 is firmly connected to the supply line. An advantage of this design is that the structural unit 72 can be easily cleaned. Furthermore, the user may decide separately whether he wants to ingest his beverage with or without an accessory and thus with or without flavouring.

In the embodiment according to fig. 16a to 16c, the fragrance container is fastened at any position in the path between the reservoir and the mouth-port. For this purpose, insert joints (einchibeeinsatz) 78a, 78b are provided on both sides on the fragrance container 20, by means of which the fragrance container is either inserted into the two subsections of the delivery tube 20 or fastened to the outlet opening of the reservoir and can be mounted on the opposite side of the delivery tube. The plug-in connectors 78a, 78b are here the ends of elements penetrating the annular fragrance container in which the fragrance inlet 44 is located. An upper stop 80a and a lower stop 80b are additionally provided. The upper and lower stops not only act as stops when pushing the delivery tube segment 20 onto the insertion joint, but also act as stops when the fragrance container 24 is moved in the direction of arrow a between the active and inactive positions. Here, an activated position and an inactivated position are shown in fig. 16b and 16c, in which the fragrance container 24 either hits the lower stop 80b or the upper stop 80b and facilitates movement of the user in the direction of arrow a between the activated and inactivated positions.

In fig. 17a and 17b, a further embodiment is shown, wherein the delivery tube 20 has a separately arranged fragrance channel 84, in which fragrance air is delivered to the mouth port 28. In the embodiment according to fig. 17a, the fragrance container has an incompletely circular shape and has an inner free cross section which has the shape of a droplet and thus deviates from the shape of a ring. In the region of the support flange 90, which serves as a support for the fragrance container, the delivery tube is likewise droplet-shaped, which enables the fragrance container to be introduced into the drinking device only in the correct angular position relative to the delivery tube 20. In contrast, the mouth port 28 may be designed in the shape of a circular ring. A cap 88 is also provided to close the drinking device over the mouth port 28 when not in use.

In fig. 17b it is shown how, after a correct insertion of the fragrance container, the air outlet 42 opens into a fragrance channel 84 extending parallel to the interior cavity 22 to the mouthpiece 28 of the drinking device. The design according to fig. 17a and 17b can also be realized in all previously described embodiments in which the fragrance container is arranged directly near the mouth, in the design shown in fig. 17a and 17b the fragranced air and the drinking liquid are separately brought into the mouth of the user, so that no separation of liquid and fragranced air is required in the mouth.

Furthermore, the following design of the fragrance container can be achieved in all the previous embodiments: the fragrance container is annular but deviates from a complete annular shape in order to define the correct angular position.

The insulation of the reservoir described in connection with fig. 1 may be achieved by means such as an air cushion membrane or neoprene sleeve. The transfer tube 20 may also be insulated in the same way so that the drinking liquid is not heated, or at least is heated more slowly, for example, by solar radiation while hiking.

In addition to the special embodiment of the shut-off device described above, a bite valve may be provided, on which a person applies pressure with the teeth during drinking, whereby the internal cavity may be opened and drinking liquid inhaled.

The attachment element 13 as shown in fig. 1 and 2 can be used to design the drinking device according to the invention in the form of a drinking backpack, a drinking belt or an abdominal bag.

In order to allow a person to obtain a different taste during leisure activities, according to another embodiment of the invention, not shown, another just unused fragrance container may be firmly fastened to the reservoir. In this case, the air outlet is preferably closed at the same time, so that no accidental leakage of fragrance occurs.

In the region of the supply line 20, a water filter can additionally be provided, so that impure water can be freed from bacteria and suspended substances can be removed, for example. Scale or other undesirable water components can also be removed in a targeted manner. The water filter may for this purpose have activated carbon or membranes known from the prior art for water filtration.

Claims

1. A drinking device for post-nasal inhalation of a drinking liquid, comprising:

-a reservoir (12) capable of being filled with a drinking liquid; wherein,

-said reservoir (12) is preferably provided with an attachment (13) for attachment on the body or clothing of the user or on a bag to be carried on the body;

-a mouth (26) having a mouth port (28);

-a delivery tube (20) for drinking liquid, having an internal cavity (22) forming a flow connection between the reservoir (12) and a mouth port (28) of the mouth (26); wherein,

-the delivery tube has a length of at least 15cm, and preferably a length of at least 20 cm; and

-a fragrance container (24) for adding fragrance material to an air stream flowing through the fragrance container; wherein,

-the fragrance container (24) comprises at least one air outlet (42) either in flow connection with at least one fragrance inlet (44) in the interior cavity (22) of the delivery tube (20) for drinking liquid or in flow connection with a fragrance channel (84) extending to a mouth port (28) of the mouth (26).

2. A drinking device according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir (12) comprises a flexible outer wall.

3. A drinking device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aroma container (24) comprises the mouth (26).

4. The drinking device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aroma container (24) is movable between an activated position and a non-activated position; wherein,

-in the activated position, an air outlet (42) of the fragrance container (24) is in flow connection with the delivery tube (20) for drinking liquid; and

-in the inactive position, there is no flow connection between the air outlet (42) and the delivery tube (20) for drinking liquid.

5. The drinking device according to claim 4, further comprising an ergonomic handle area (30) formed on a side of the aroma container (24) facing away from the mouth (26).

6. The drinking device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a bite valve at the mouth port (28).

7. The drinking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a sealing element comprising a rotary valve (66), which can be actuated, preferably by pivoting of the delivery tube (20) in the region of the rotary valve (66) or by pivoting of a lever (71).

8. A drinking device according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising a sealing element comprising a squeeze seal (52), the actuation of which is combined with the movement of the fragrance container (24) between the active and inactive positions.

9. The drinking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a sealing element comprising a sealing plunger (54).

10. The drinking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a sealing element comprising at least one-way valve (56).

11. The drinking device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a manual pump (32) for creating a pressure in the interior cavity (22) of the delivery tube (20).

12. A drinking device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the delivery tube (20) is fastened to the reservoir (12) such that the delivery tube (20) can be pulled out of the reservoir and pushed into the reservoir a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction of the delivery tube.

13. A drinking device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the delivery tube (20) has a plurality of set bending points (34; 36).

14. A drinking device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the delivery tube (20) is separable in the longitudinal direction of the delivery tube.

15. A drinking device according to claim 14, wherein the delivery tube (20) has a film hinge extending in the longitudinal direction and is foldable in the longitudinal direction.

16. The drinking device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a receiving means (40) for the aroma container (24), into which receiving means the aroma container (24) can be fitted and which receiving means can be fastened on the delivery tube (20).

17. The drinking device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a water filter in flow connection with the delivery pipe (20) for drinking liquid.

18. The drinking device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reservoir (12) comprises a heat insulating shield (14).

19. A drinking device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening means (13) comprises: means for attachment to a belt, or means for hanging on the user's shoulder, or means carried as a backpack.