Flow control element and covered drinking cup
AssigneePlaytex Products, Inc.
InventorEmanuel P. Morano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drinking cup has a cover which is formed with a drinking spout at one side and a vent at the other. Elements extend down from under the spout and the vent. A flow control element is provided and made of elastomeric material having a pair of spaced cavities on one side, each cavity having a floor at the bottom thereof. The cavities receive in frictional engagement respectively the lower ends of the elements. This engagement supports the flow control element with the floor of each cavity in sealed relation to its element. Each floor has a passage which is normally closed but opens on the occurrence of a pressure differential on opposite sides of the floor.
Claims21
A drinking cup comprising:
- a cup-shaped container having a removable leakproof cover, the cover comprising a top wall having at one side an upwardly extending drinking spout and spaced therefrom a vent, the top wall being formed on its underside with a pair of spaced elements, one of the pair of spaced elements communicating with and extending downward from under the spout and the other of the pair of elements communicating with and extending downward from the vent;
- and
- a flow control element comprising a flat piece of flexible elastomeric material having a pair of spaced cavities on one side, each of said pair of cavities having a floor at the bottom thereof, each of said pair of cavities receiving the lower ends of the elements in frictional engagement sufficient to support said flow control element with said floors in sealed relation to the respective elements, each of said floors having a passage therethrough which is normally closed but opens upon occurrence of a pressure differential on opposite sides of said floor.
A flow control element removably positioned on a pair of spaced fluid-conducting elements, the flow control element comprising a flat elongate piece of material having a pair of spaced cavities in a first side thereof, each of said pair of cavities having a floor at the bottom thereof, each of said pair of cavities snugly receiving the ends of the fluid-conducting elements in frictional engagement sufficient to support said flow control element with said floors in sealed relation to the fluid-conducting elements, each of said floors having a passage therethrough that is normally closed, but opens upon occurrence of a pressure differential on opposite sides of said floor.
The drinking cup comprising:
- a cup-shaped container having a removable leakproof cover, the cover comprising a top wall having at one side an upwardly extending drinking spout and on the opposite side a vent, the top wall being formed unnaturally on its underside with spaced conduits extending downward from under the spout and the vent and communicating therewith and
- a flat flow controller of resilient material having a pair of spaced cavities on one side, each of said pair of cavities having a diaphragm at the bottom thereof, each of said pair of cavities receiving the lower ends of the conduits in frictional engagement sufficient to support the flow controller with the diaphragms in sealed relation to the elements, each of the diaphragms having a passage therethrough which is normally closed, but opens upon occurrence of a pressure differential on opposite sides of the diaphragm.
A method of controlling flow of fluid in a liquid-containing closed vessel having a top wall formed with an outlet spout through which the liquid may be aspirated and a vent spaced from the spout, the spout and vent having parallel elements extending into the vessel, the method comprising the steps of:
- (1) providing a flat element of flexible elastomeric material having a pair of spaced cavities on one side, each cavity having a floor at the bottom thereof;
- and
- (2) installing the flat element with the cavities receiving and frictionally engaging the elements so that the elements are in sealing relation with the floors, the floors each having passages therein openable upon the occurrence of a pressure differential on opposite sides of the floor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.