Drink containers

#The present disclosure relates generally to drink containers, and more particularly to drink containers with mouthpiece assemblies that have a dispensing configuration and a stowed configuration.

#For some time, people have recognized the need to stay hydrated. Conventionally, many individuals carry drink bottles that contain water or other potable beverages. These bottles are typically formed from plastic or metal and include a cap. Some conventional drink bottles include a threaded or other neck from which a user drinks liquid contained in the drink bottle after removal of the cap. Some conventional drink bottles include a spout, or nozzle, from which the drink liquid may be drawn from the drink bottle without removing the cap of the drink bottle. Conventional spouts typically include a flexible straw or a rigid spout having an outlet through which drink liquid may flow.

#Drink containers according to the present disclosure include a liquid container and a cap assembly with a mouthpiece assembly that is adapted to be selectively configured between a dispensing configuration, in which drink liquid may be selectively dispensed from the liquid container, and a stowed configuration, in which drink liquid is restricted from being dispensed from the liquid container. In some examples, the mouthpiece assembly includes a tube portion, at least a portion of which defines a crimping region that is constructed of a resiliently deformable material and that is adapted to restrict the flow of drink liquid therethrough when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. Some examples of drink containers according to the present disclosure further include a user-release mechanism that is adapted to automatically, upon user actuation, release the mouthpiece assembly from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration. In some examples, the mouthpiece assembly is biased toward the dispensing configuration and thus moves automatically under its bias upon release by the user-release mechanism. In some examples, the mouthpiece assembly includes a user-actuated mouthpiece, such as a bite-actuated mouthpiece, having an open position and a closed position. Such a mouthpiece may enable a user to selectively receive drink liquid from the liquid container via the mouthpiece assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration and the user-actuated mouthpiece is in the open position.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a drink container according to the present disclosure with the drink container's mouthpiece assembly illustrated in a dispensing configuration.

#FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the drink container of FIG. 1 with the mouthpiece assembly illustrated in a stowed configuration.

#FIG. 3 is another schematic illustration of a drink container according to the present disclosure with the drink container's mouthpiece assembly illustrated in a dispensing configuration.

#Drink containers according to the present disclosure are schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and are indicated generally at 10. Drink containers 10 according to the present disclosure are designed to receive and selectively dispense to a user a volume of potable drink liquid. Illustrative, non-exclusive examples of drink liquids that may be used in drink containers 10 according to the present disclosure include such potable liquids as water, juice, sports drinks, milk, soft drinks, and the like. Drink containers 10 include a liquid container 12 and a cap assembly 14 having a unique mouthpiece assembly.

#Liquid containers 12 according to the present disclosure are adapted to receive and hold or otherwise contain up to a predetermined volume of drink liquid 22 for selective consumption by a user. Liquid containers 12 may include an open neck 20, through which drink liquid 22 may be selectively poured, or otherwise dispensed, into an internal compartment 24 of the liquid container, and from which the drink liquid may be selectively dispensed from the internal compartment to a user. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that neck 20 may (but is not required in all embodiments to) define the only opening through which drink liquid may be added to or removed from the liquid container. As discussed in more detail herein, when cap assembly 14 is operatively coupled to the liquid container, this selective dispensing of the drink liquid may be responsive to whether or not a mouthpiece assembly of the cap assembly has been configured to a dispensing configuration, and in some embodiments, whether a mouthpiece portion of the mouthpiece assembly has been configured to an open configuration. As used herein, “selective” and “selectively,” when modifying an action, movement, configuration, or other activity of one or more components or characteristics of a drink container according to the present disclosure, means that the specified action, movement, configuration, or other activity is a direct or indirect result of user manipulation of an aspect of, or one or more components of, the drink container.

#Liquid containers 12 may have any suitable shape and be formed from any suitable material or combination of materials to hold up to a predetermined volume of drink liquid. Illustrative, non-exclusive examples of suitable sizes, or capacities, of liquid containers 12 (i.e., volume of drink liquid 22 able to be received into a liquid container at one time) include 4 oz., 6 oz., 8 oz., 10 oz., 12 oz., 16 oz., 20 oz., 24 oz., 32 oz., 36 oz., 4-11 oz., 12-19 oz., 19-25 oz., 12-36 oz., 25-36 oz., and 10-70 oz. (with these illustrative examples referring to liquid (fluid) ounces of drink liquid that may be received at one time into an empty liquid container). It is within the scope of the present disclosure that liquid containers having different sizes, including sizes that are smaller than, larger than, or within the illustrative sizes and/or ranges presented above, may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.