Fluid dispensing valve

A fluid dispensing valve, comprising:

• a fluid container defining a cavity for enclosing a source of fluid to be dispensed, and wherein the fluid container has a top peripheral edge;
• a detachable cover which sealingly matingly cooperates with the top peripheral edge of the fluid container, and which has a first surface facing in a direction towards the cavity of the fluid container, and a second opposite surface which faces outwardly relative thereto, and wherein the detachable cover has a first and second opening which individually extend through both the first and second surfaces, and which couples a surrounding ambient environment to the cavity of the fluid container, and wherein the second surface defines a sipping spout, and the first opening is formed in the sipping spout, and wherein the sipping spout extends generally outwardly relative to the second outwardly facing surface of the detachable cover, and further has a distal end, and wherein the first opening is formed in the distal end thereof, and wherein the first opening and the sipping spout are coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to an internal cavity of a valve housing;
• a valve housing made integral with the first surface of the detachable cover, and which is defined by a substantially cylindrically shaped wall which extends normally outwardly relative to the first surface of the detachable cover, and which further defines an internal cavity, and wherein the internal cavity of the valve housing is substantially aligned with the first opening formed in the detachable cover, and the cylindrically shaped wall of the valve housing has a passageway formed therein;
• and
• a valve control element having a main body defined by a continuous, cylindrically shaped, and partially deformable sidewall which is sized so as to be coaxially and rotatably received within the cavity defined by the valve housing, and wherein the deformable sidewall when disposed, at least in part, in juxtaposed relation relative to the passageway formed in the wall of the valve housing deforms when a vacuum is created in the valve housing by a user's mouth sucking action which is applied to the sipping spout, and wherein fluid contained in the fluid container can pass through the passageway formed in the valve housing and past the deformed sidewall of the valve control element so as to enter the valve housing and to be delivered through the sipping spout to the user.

A fluid dispensing valve for a fluid container, comprising:

• a fluid container defining a cavity for enclosing a source of fluid to be dispensed, and wherein the fluid container has a top peripheral edge;
• a detachable cover sealably engaging the top peripheral edge of the fluid container, and wherein the detachable cover has a first inwardly facing surface which faces in a direction towards the cavity, and a second outwardly facing surface, and wherein a sipping spout extends outwardly relative to the second outwardly facing surface, and has formed therein a first opening which extends through the first and second surfaces of the detachable cover, and wherein a semi-circular sidewall, having an intermediate portion and a remaining portion, extends substantially normally outwardly relative to the first inwardly facing surface of the detachable cover, and wherein the semi-circular sidewall has opposite inwardly and outwardly disposed sidewall surfaces, and wherein a second opening is formed in the detachable cover and extends through the intermediate portion of the semi-circular sidewall so as to couple the cavity of the fluid container in air pressure exchanging relation relative to a surrounding ambient environment, and wherein the intermediate portion of the semi-circular sidewall has a thickness dimension which is less than a thickness dimension of the intermediate portion of the semi-circular sidewall;
• a cylindrically shaped valve housing wall mounted on the first surface of the detachable cover, and which is affixed at least in part to the intermediate portion of the semi-circular sidewall and which is disposed at least in part in spaced relation relative to the inwardly disposed sidewall surface of the semi-circular sidewall, and wherein a guide channel is defined therebetween the semi-circular sidewall and the cylindrically shaped valve housing wall, and wherein the cylindrically shaped valve housing wall extends normally outwardly relative to the first surface of the detachable cover, and is substantially concentrically outwardly oriented relative to the first opening, and wherein the cylindrically shaped valve housing wall defines an internal cavity, and wherein a passageway is formed through the cylindrically shaped valve housing wall;
• a hand manipulatable valve control base member having opposite first and second surfaces;
• a cylindrically shaped valve control element which is mounted on the second surface of the hand manipulatable valve control base member, and wherein the valve control element has a cylindrically shaped sidewall having an outside diametral dimension and an inside diametral dimension which defines an internal cavity, and wherein the internal cavity of the valve control element is substantially coaxially aligned relative to the first opening which extends through the detachable cover, and wherein the valve control element is telescopingly received within the cylindrically shaped valve housing wall, and wherein the sidewall of the valve control element is located in supported juxtaposed relation thereagainst the cylindrically shaped valve housing wall, and wherein the sidewall of the valve control element has a deformable portion having a variable thickness dimension when that thickness is measured in a circumferential direction, and wherein the valve control element is selectively rotatable relative to the cylindrically shaped valve housing wall so as to locate the deformable portion in alignment relative to the passageway formed through the cylindrically shaped valve housing wall, and wherein a suction applied by a mouth of a user to the sipping spout causes the deformable portion of the cylindrically shaped sidewall of the valve control element to deform and move out of juxtaposed engagement relative to the cylindrically shaped valve housing wall so as to allow the fluid to be dispensed to pass through the passageway formed in the valve housing wall and into the first opening where the fluid to be dispensed is delivered to the user, and wherein the user, upon releasing the suction on the sipping spout causes the deformable portion of the cylindrically shaped valve control member to assume a sealing, occluding orientation relative to the passageway formed in the valve housing wall, and wherein a selective rotatable positioning of the deformable portion of the valve control element sidewall relative to the passageway formed in the valve housing wall causes a selective, variable amount of fluid to be dispensed through the sipping spout.