초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for allowing a user to use the same mechanism to connect a container to another object and to open a normally-closed opening in the container. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises a closure body having an opening therein; a stopper that closes the opening; and a

An apparatus and method for allowing a user to use the same mechanism to connect a container to another object and to open a normally-closed opening in the container. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises a closure body having an opening therein; a stopper that closes the opening; and a carabiner that comprises a spine that is fixed to said body and a gate that is operably connected to said stopper. In use, this embodiment of the invention is operated by moving the gate to a full open position, which causes the stopper to move away from the opening.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A dispensing closure for a bottle, said closure comprising: a cap body, said cap body being attachable to the bottle, said cap body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface having a fulcrum, said cap body having a dispensing opening therein, said dispensing opening connecting an inner por

1. A dispensing closure for a bottle, said closure comprising: a cap body, said cap body being attachable to the bottle, said cap body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface having a fulcrum, said cap body having a dispensing opening therein, said dispensing opening connecting an inner port to a mouthpiece, and said cap body having a tubular passage therein into which an O-ring having an inner diameter is installed;a carabiner spine that is fixed to said cap body, said carabiner spine having a first hook;a carabiner gate that is pivotably attached to said cap body at a pivot point, said carabiner gate having a second hook that is connectable to said first hook, said carabiner gate being capable of assuming a connected position, an intermediate position and a full open position;a sealing member comprising a stopper end, a lever arm having a lug, and a pivoting end that is pivotably attached to said fulcrum, said sealing member having a closed position in which it is seated against and closes said inner port and an open position in which it is not seated against and does not close said inner port, said sealing member being urged into said closed position by a first spring;a piston and a second spring that are movably seated in said tubular passage, the inner diameter of said O-ring accommodating said piston, said piston having two ends, a first end having a slot into which said lug extends, said piston being urged by said second spring in a direction that causes said sealing member to assume said closed position and said hooks to connect, and a second end; anda connecting member that movably connects said pivot point to said second end;whereby said closure is operative to close said opening when said carabiner gate is in the connected position or in the intermediate position and is operative to open said opening when said carabiner gate is in the full open position. 2. The dispensing closure of claim 1 wherein said inner port comprises a ridge around said dispensing opening and said stopper end comprises an elastomeric pad that is configured to seal against said ridge. 3. The dispensing closure of claim 2 wherein said elastomeric pad is conical in shape and operative to shed water. 4. The dispensing closure of claim 1 wherein said mouthpiece is oval in shape and is sized to allow a user's mouth opening to fit around it, leaving about ten percent of said mouth opening available for air to enter said mouthpiece during a drinking operation. 5. The dispensing closure of claim 1 wherein said cap body, said carabiner spine and said carabiner gate produce a handle defining an aperture and are configured to allow a user to grasp the closure by inserting two or three fingers into the aperture defined by this handle. 6. A container comprising: a bottle; anda dispensing closure comprising: a cap body, said cap body being attachable to the bottle, said cap body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface having a fulcrum, said cap body having a dispensing opening therein, said dispensing opening connecting an inner port to a mouthpiece, and said cap body having a tubular passage therein into which an O-ring having an inner diameter is installed;a carabiner spine that is fixed to said cap body, said carabiner spine having a first hook;a carabiner gate that is pivotably attached to said cap body at a pivot point, said carabiner gate having a second hook that is connectable to said first hook, said carabiner gate being capable of assuming a connected position, an intermediate position and a full open position;a sealing member comprising a stopper end, a lever arm having a lug, and a pivoting end that is pivotably attached to said fulcrum, said sealing member having a closed position in which it is seated against and closes said inner port and an open position in which it is not seated against and does not close said inner port, said sealing member being urged into said closed position by a first spring;a piston and a second spring that are movably seated in said tubular passage, the inner diameter of said O-ring accommodating said piston, said piston having two ends, a first end having a slot into which said lug extends, said piston being urged by said second spring in a direction that causes said sealing member to assume said closed position and said hooks to connect, and a second end; anda connecting member that movably connects said pivot point to said second end;whereby said closure is operative to close said opening when said carabiner gate is in the connected position or in the intermediate position and is operative to open said opening when said carabiner gate is in the full open position. 7. A method of operating a dispensing closure on a container, said dispensing closure comprising a cap body, said cap body being attached to the container, said cap body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface having a fulcrum, said cap body having a dispensing opening therein, said dispensing opening connecting an inner port to a mouthpiece, and said cap body having a tubular passage therein into which an O-ring having an inner diameter is installed; a carabiner spine that is fixed to said cap body, said carabiner spine having a first hook; a carabiner gate that is pivotably attached to said cap body at a pivot point, said carabiner gate having a second hook that is connectable to said first hook, said carabiner gate being capable of assuming a connected position, an intermediate position and a full open position; a sealing member comprising a stopper end, a lever arm having a lug, and a pivoting end that is pivotably attached to said fulcrum, said sealing member having a closed position in which it is seated against and closes said inner port and an open position in which it is not seated against and does not close said inner port, said sealing member being urged into said closed position by a first spring; a piston and a second spring that are movably seated in said tubular passage, the inner diameter of said O-ring accommodating said piston, said piston having two ends, a first end having a slot into which said lug extends, said piston being urged by said second spring in a direction that causes said sealing member to assume said closed position and said hooks to connect, and a second end; and a connecting member that movably connects said pivot point to said second end; said container having water therein, said method comprising: pressing downward on the carabiner gate placing it in the full open position; andplacing the mouthpiece in a user's mouth and tipping the container up, thereby allowing the water to flow into the user's mouth. 8. A dispensing closure for a bottle, said closure comprising: a cap body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface having a fulcrum, said cap body having a dispensing opening and a piston guide therein;a piston slidably disposed in said piston guide, said piston having a first end and a second end;a connecting member that is pivotably connected to said first end;an operating lever having one end that is pivotably connected to said outer surface and an intermediate portion that is pivotably connected to said connecting member, said operating lever having an up position and a down position;a sealing member comprising a sealing end, a lever arm and a pivoting end, said lever arm being pivotably connected to said second end and said pivoting end being pivotably connected to said fulcrum; anda first spring that is mounted in said piston guide that urges said piston to a position that causes said sealing end to seal said dispensing opening and said operating lever to assume said up position. 9. The dispensing closure of claim 8 further comprising: a second spring that is mounted on said fulcrum that urges said sealing end to seal said dispensing opening. 10. The dispensing closure of claim 8 further comprising: a carabiner spine that is fixed to said outer surface, said carabiner spine having a first hook; andwherein said operating lever is a carabiner gate having a second hook that engages with said first hook when said carabiner gate is in the up position. 11. The dispensing closure of claim 8 further comprising: an oval shaped mouthpiece that protrudes from said outer surface; andwherein said dispensing opening perforates said oval shaped mouthpiece. 12. A dispensing closure for a bottle, said closure comprising: a cap body, said cap body being attachable to the bottle, said cap body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, and said cap body having a dispensing opening therein, said dispensing opening connecting an inner port to a mouthpiece, and said cap body having a tubular passage therein;a loop having a first portion that is fixed to said cap body and a second portion that is capable of pivoting movement around a first pivot point between a connected position and an unconnected position;a sealing member comprising a stopper end, a lever arm that is pivotably attached to said inner surface, and a pivoting end, said sealing member having a closed position in which it is seated against and closes said inner port and an open position in which it is not seated against and does not close said inner port; anda connecting mechanism comprising a connecting member and a piston that links said second portion to said lever arm, said connecting mechanism being capable of causing movement of said second portion to said unconnected position and of moving said sealing member to said open position. 13. A closure for a container, said closure comprising: a cap body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, said cap body having a dispensing opening and a piston guide therein;a piston slidably disposed in said piston guide, said piston having a first end and a second end;a connecting member that is pivotably connected to said first end;an operating lever having one end that is pivotably connected to said outer surface and an intermediate portion that is pivotably connected to said connecting member, said operating lever having an up position and a down position;a sealing member comprising a sealing end, a lever arm and a pivoting end, said lever arm being connected to said second end and said pivoting end being pivotably connected to said inner surface; anda spring that is mounted in said piston guide that urges said piston to a position that causes said sealing end to seal said dispensing opening and said operating lever to assume said up position. 14. A closure for a container, said closure comprising: a cap body, said cap body being attachable to the bottle, said cap body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, and said cap body having a dispensing opening therein, said dispensing opening connecting an inner port to a mouthpiece;a carabiner loop having a first portion that is fixed to said cap body and a second portion that is capable of pivoting movement around a first pivot point from a connected position through an intermediate position to a full open position;a sealing member comprising a stopper, a lever arm and a pivoting end that is pivotably attached to said inner surface, said sealing member having a closed position in which said stopper is seated against and closes said inner port when said carabiner loop is in the connected position and an open position in which said stopper is not seated against and does not close said inner port; anda connecting mechanism comprising a connecting member that is pivotably attached to a piston that links said second portion to said lever arm, said connecting mechanism being operative to cause movement of said second portion to said full open position and to move said sealing member to said open position.