Hydration system with improved fluid reservoir

#The present invention relates generally to hydration systems, and more particularly to a hydration system with an improved fluid reservoir.

#Medical research has demonstrated the importance of maintaining adequate hydration while engaging in strenuous physical activities, such as running, bicycling, hiking, or mountain climbing. In the not too distant past, participants in such activities carried their water in bottles or canteens from which they drank periodically. More recently, personal hydration systems have been developed which allow users to drink more or less continuously while engaged in sporting or recreational activities. These personal hydration systems typically have a bag-like fluid reservoir that is carried in a back- or waist-mounted pack. A long flexible tube is connected to the reservoir through an exit port at one end and terminates in a mouthpiece at the other end. The tube is long enough to allow the mouthpiece to be carried in the user's mouth to enable the user to draw water from the reservoir at will. Examples of hydration systems and mouthpieces therefor are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,727,714, 5,060,833, 5,085,349, and 6,070,767, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

#Although personal hydration systems have proven to be a great advance over traditional water bottles, they do suffer from some drawbacks. One such drawback is providing a fluid reservoir with an interior that may be readily accessed by the user, such as for cleaning. Fluid reservoirs for hydration systems typically include a sealable opening through which a volume of fluid is added to the reservoir. An example of such an opening is a narrow-diameter neck that is sealed through a friction fit with a cap. Another example is a reservoir with an opening defined by generally opposed ribs that are sealed by compressing the ribs against each other, much like a ZIPLOCK™ brand storage bag. Still another example is a roll top, or folded, opening, much like a dry bag used in camping. These designs suffer from limitations regarding either their accessibility to the interior of the reservoir, or their durability, such as when exposed to repeated opening and closing and to external forces.

#FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a personal hydration system constructed according to the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the system of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end view of the hydration system of FIGS. 1 and 2.

#A personal hydration system constructed according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and generally indicated at 10. System 10 includes a fluid reservoir, or bladder, 12. Reservoir 12 includes a body portion 14 with an internal compartment 16, which is adapted to store a volume of drink fluid 18, such as water, sports drinks, juice, etc. At least the body portion, if not the entirety, of reservoir 12 is formed from a flexible, waterproof material. An example of a suitable material is polyurethane, although others may be used. The size and shape of compartment 16 may vary, such as depending upon the desired application with which the system will be used, any compartment or pack into which the reservoir will be placed, the mechanism by which the reservoir will be transported, and the volume of drink fluid that compartment 16 is designed to hold. Typically, compartment 16 will hold at least 24 ounces, and may hold as much as 32 ounces, 50 ounces, 70 ounces, 100 ounces, 200 ounces or more of drink fluid 18.

#System 10 further includes a mouthpiece 20 that is connected to the reservoir by a flexible drinking tube 22. The length of tube 22 may vary, such as depending upon the desired distance between the user's mouth and the location where reservoir 12 is positioned, such as on a user's back, waist, inside a user's garments, on a user's bike or other equipment, etc. Mouthpiece 20 may have a variety of configurations, from an open end 24 of tube 22, to a device that is coupled to end 24. An example of a suitable mouthpiece is a bite-actuated mouthpiece 26, which is placed in a user's mouth and configured from a closed, or sealed, position, to an open, or dispensing, position when a user bites upon the mouthpiece or otherwise compresses the mouthpiece with the user's lips or teeth. Examples of suitable bite-actuated mouthpieces are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,070,767, 5,085,349 and 5,060,833, the complete disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

#Also shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 at 28 is a manually actuated on/off valve, which is used to selectively prevent drink fluid from being dispensed through mouthpiece 20, regardless of the configuration of the mouthpiece. By “manually actuated,” it is meant that the on/off valve is adapted to be actuated by a user exerting force on the valve, such as with the user's hands. Typically, a bite-actuated mouthpiece, or valve, will be self-sealing, in that it is adapted to automatically return to its closed position, while manually actuated on/off valves will typically remain in a selected position until repositioned by a user. Of course, valve 28 may also be spring-biased to return to its closed position. Examples of suitable manually actuated on/off valves are disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/217,124, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. It is within the scope of the present invention that hydration system 10 may be formed without a manually actuated on/off valve 28, with a different type of on/off valve, and/or with a manually actuated on/off valve that is positioned in an in-line configuration. By “in-line,” it is meant that the valve is coupled between adjacent lengths of tube 22, as opposed to being connected in an end-of-line configuration between end 24 and mouthpiece 20. An example of an in-line configuration is generally indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 1.