Fluid dispensing and storage system with a drink valve
AssigneeHydraPak LLC
InventorsSven Sturm, Brendan Erik Pierce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drink valve including a housing, a valve member telescopically engaged within the opening of the housing with the housing and valve member being in fluid communication and including a flow path defined by openings of the housing and valve member, and an actuating mechanism including a deformable seal defined by a deformable sidewall of the housing, where the actuating mechanism includes a fluid tight seal that prevents fluid flow in a normally closed position and is actuatable into an open position to enable fluid flow through the flow path when the sidewall of the housing is deformed.
Claims19
A drink valve comprising:
- a housing including a first end and a second end;
- said housing defining an opening extending longitudinally between said first end and said second end;
- a valve member telescopically engaged within said opening of said housing;
- said valve member including a first end and a second end;
- said second end including an opening extending longitudinally between said first end and said second end;
- said opening defined by an inlet at said first end and an outlet disposed downstream of said inlet toward said second end;
- said housing and valve member being in fluid communication and including a flow path defined by said openings of said housing and valve member;
- and
- an actuating mechanism including a deformable seal defined by a deformable sidewall of said housing being deformable about said valve member;
- said actuating mechanism having a fluid tight seal preventing fluid flow in a normally closed position and being actuatable into an open position to enable fluid flow through said flow path when said sidewall of said housing is deformed.
An orally activated fluid dispensing system comprising:
- a fluid source;
- said fluid source including a container having a fluid reservoir;
- said fluid source being portable;
- a fluid line including a first end and a second end;
- said second end being suitably connected with said container;
- an orally activated valve including;
- a housing including a first end and a second end;
- said housing defining an opening extending longitudinally between said first end and said second end;
- a valve member telescopically engaged within said opening of said housing;
- said valve member including a first end and a second end;
- said second end including an opening extending longitudinally between said first end and said second end;
- said opening defined by an inlet at said first end and an outlet disposed downstream of said inlet toward said second end;
- said housing and valve member being in fluid communication and including a flow path defined by said openings of said housing and valve member;
- and
- an actuating mechanism including a deformable seal defined by a deformable sidewall of said housing being deformable about said valve member;
- said actuating mechanism having a fluid tight seal preventing fluid flow in a normally closed position and being actuatable into an open position to enable fluid flow through said flow path when said sidewall of said housing is deformed.
A method of drinking fluids from a fluid source comprising:
- providing a fluid system including a fluid source;
- a fluid line;
- and an orally activated drink valve including a housing and a valve member;
- orally securing said drink valve by a fluid system operator;
- applying oppositely disposed forces about a sidewall of said housing of said drink valve at a first axis;
- deforming said sidewall of said housing at said first axis to create openings at a second axis and opening a seal of said drink valve enabling fluid flow;
- and
- applying a suction force orally drawing fluid from said fluid source and through said fluid line and drink valve to said operator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.