초록 ▼

A drinking device adapted for use by young children includes a cap adapted to sealingly cover a drinking cup. The cap has a spout and a mount, and a valve cartridge removably attached to the mount for controlling fluid flow through the spout. The valve cartridge is removable for easy cleaning or rep

A drinking device adapted for use by young children includes a cap adapted to sealingly cover a drinking cup. The cap has a spout and a mount, and a valve cartridge removably attached to the mount for controlling fluid flow through the spout. The valve cartridge is removable for easy cleaning or replacement, and includes a valve holder that manually, frictionally pressfits into a barrel-shaped mounting flange on the cap. The valve holder includes a grip to facilitate removal of the valve cartridge from the cap. A valve retainer snap-attaches to the valve holder to hold a silicon rubber valve in place on the valve holder. The valve includes a head section with slits that define cooperating valve fingers that cooperate to selectively allow fluid to flow out of the spout or to allow air to flow back into the cup, thus allowing the valve to operate as a single and only valve on the drinking cup.

대표청구항 ▼

[ The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:] [1.] An apparatus for a drinking cup for young children, comprising:a cap having an upper side and a lower side with a tubular extension protruding upwardly from said upper side to defi

[ The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:] [1.] An apparatus for a drinking cup for young children, comprising:a cap having an upper side and a lower side with a tubular extension protruding upwardly from said upper side to define a spout shaped for reception within a mouth of a young child, said cap including a mounting flange extending downwardly from said lower side of said cap, and wherein a tip portion of said spout defines an outlet; anda valve cartridge positioned on said lower side of said cap and removably attached to said mounting flange when in an installed position, the valve cartridge permitting simultaneous and continuous fluid flow through the spout and outlet in response to a vacuum within the spout, said valve cartridge including a valve comprising resilient silicon rubber material with an enlarged ring section engaging the mounting flange when in an installed configuration to retain the valve to the mounting flange, a relatively flat reciprocateable head section defining a marginal edge, the head section having slits therein that form a pattern of interactive valve fingers that move in opposite directions to control fluid flow both out of the cup and air flow into the cup, and a sleeve operably connecting the head section to the ring section, the sleeve being shaped to roll and unroll in a manner that shifts the marginal edge of the head section toward and away from a tip of the spout, said slits opening to permit fluid flow through said valve in response to a vacuum within said spout, wherein the valve cartridge provides the sole opening for fluid passage through the cap when the cap is installed on a drinking cup, and wherein the valve cartridge is removable for cleaning and replacement.