Detachable Flip-Straw Lid

This application is the non-provisional application of, and claims priority to the provisional application U.S. Pat. App. No. 63/618,744, filed on Jan. 8, 2024, and fully incorporated herein.

Reusable drinking containers and water bottles are increasingly popular, in part, due to a desire to be more environmentally friendly by avoiding disposable, more single use containers. Despite myriad drinking container variations in the prior art and within this market, varietal demand is seemingly unending, and users crave novel functionality and design. To illustrate, one broad category of simple reusable drinking containers are those drinking containers incorporating a lid that allows a user to pour liquid from the container in order to drink. Another category is represented by drinking containers configured to use a straw and/or spout as an integral part of the system from which a user may sip to drink. There is some crossover in these categories. For example, drinking systems of the first category may be retrofitted to the second category through aftermarket and/or straw accessory purchases. Other crossover solutions are operationally and aesthetically complicated and reliability-disadvantaged by mechanisms like internal valves and valve selectors and multiple drinking apertures and/or locations.

In any event, one consequence of the above is that containers and container lids that have flip-spouts and/or straws connectable to in-container straws (alternatively referred to herein as “flip-spouts” and “flip-straws”) are very popular for different types of drinking containers. One drawback of such flip-spout lids is the difficulty of cleaning them. Specifically, flip-spouts are typically nestable within recesses of top lid portions. Moreover, bottom lid portions—where the in-container straw connects—have their own recesses and difficult-to-reach surfaces. These recesses and surfaces tend to accumulate dirt, residue, moisture, and the like. This is not only aesthetically undesirable, but can also result in harm to a user via exposure to mold, bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. Current flip-spout lid design and configuration is meant to retain the flip-spout securely within the top lid portions and not to allow a user to remove the flip-spout for access to problem cleaning areas. What is needed is a solution that achieves the function of retaining a flip-spout securely to a lid, while also allowing a user to detach the flip-spout to easily access lid recesses and surfaces for proper cleaning.

In accordance with the above, a detachable flip-straw lid is provided. The container lid includes a flip-straw (or spout) that is detachable from the lid to facilitate user access to and cleaning of lid components. The spout is pivotable and located on and detachable from the lid top. A set screw member is located on and detachable from the lid bottom. The set screw member is configured to engage and releasably attach the spout member to the lid. In some embodiments, attachment is facilitated by insertion of a spout end into curved tracks with a terminal end in a lid recess. Another straw may be releasably attached to the bottom of the lid and extend downward into a drinking container. Depending on the embodiment, the set screw member may have a channel that passes through it, and that forms a continuous channel (together with the pivotable spout member and/or other straw) when the spout is flipped up for the passage of fluid from a container.

The present invention in its various embodiments, some of which are depicted in the figures herein, is a detachable flip-spout lid. In general, the detachable flip-spout lid, may be comprised of a basewith a flip-spoutat the top of the baseand a set screw memberat the bottom of the basethat is configured to releasably retain the flip-spoutat, on, or within the base.

More specifically, basemay have a generally planar top with an elongate recessconfigured to nest the flip-spout. In the illustrated embodiment, the recess is wider at one end and narrows toward the opposite end. Elongate recessmay form a primary recess and have a secondary (e.g., rounded) and/or sub-recessshaped to a corresponding shapeon an end B of the flip-spout. Within secondary recessmay be a first channelthat passes through the baseand is configured to convey liquids from an attached container (like, e.g., a water bottle or tumbler) through the baseand into the flip-spoutfor user drinking. A second channelmay be located adjacent to the first channeland configured for venting to facilitate conveyance of liquids from a container to a user for drinking.

Elongate recessmay also have additional sub-recessescomprising opposing flip-spout retention means and/or tracks for receiving and/or retaining corresponding flip-spout protrusionsas described in more detail below. Flip-spout retention sub-recesses and/or tracksmay be curved (such as, for example, generally comma-, J-, U, V, or C-shaped) and have a terminal end, including a terminal end that has an upward portion. As shown just to the left ofin, tracks may have an overhanging protrusion adjacent the terminal end and/or upward portion.

Basemay have a threaded portionconfigured to attach the lidto a container (not shown). Basemay also have a bottom with an integrally formed aperture and/or downwardly oriented housinginto which the set screw memberis insertable and that is configured to releasably retain the set screw member. Basemay also have one or more rubberized detachable or non-detachable O-ring portionsor other features for improving grip for a user.

Flip-spoutmay have a first end A and a second end B with a channelproviding an interior passage in-between and therethrough. The first end A is configured as a location for a user to apply his or her mouth to drink through or sip from the spout. A second end B is configured for spout retention and flip functions and may include supporting structures such as a finger taband/or rounded portionconfigured to movably position within a rounded base sub-recessand/or elongate recess. Flip-spoutmay also have a first protrusionon the bottom configured to plug the second channel and/or vent aperture. Flip-spoutmay also have second and third protrusionson opposite sides of the flip-spout that are configured to form rails that slide into the respective tracksof the base, thus releasably retaining the flip-spoutin the elongate recessand base. For clarity, in the illustrated embodiment, second and third protrusionsabut the terminal ends of the tracksbehind (i.e., to the right of in) the adjacent track protrusions, when the flip-spout is attachedto the lid.

Set screw membermay have a first end C and a second end D with a generally cylindrical body portion having a channelin between. Set screw memberhas means for attachment to integrally formed aperture and/or downwardly oriented housingsuch that set screw membermay be advanced in a direction extending towards the top of the base(from the bottom thereof) and be releasably retained within the aperture/housing. In the illustrated embodiment, this is accomplished through threading. However, any number of locking and/or fastening structures and/or mechanisms may be used to achieve the same or similar function without departing from the purposes or scope of the invention. The term “set screw member” is not restricted to conventional and/or traditional definitions of the words “set screw” or to structures traditionally associated with that term; rather, the term is meant to indicate an umbrella category for any analogous structures (e.g. locks, plugs, etc.) that achieve similar functionality (e.g., interference fit, mechanical/releasable lock, etc.) to that of a traditional set screw, or structures that achieve function similar to the set screw member set forth herein.

The first end C of set screw memberis configured such that, when advanced into the aperture/housingat the bottom of the base, it forms a gasketthat exerts upward pressure on an end of the flip-spoutto securely retain it within the base, and specifically, to provide upward force to the protrusions and/or railswithin the flip-spout retention sub-recesses and/or tracksthe adjacent track protrusions acting as barriers to the flip-spout protrusions. With set screw memberadvanced within the aperture/housing, the flip-spoutis securely retained in the base(within, e.g., the upward terminal end of the tracks), yet still pivotable by a user within the basesuch that it may be flipped up so that the flip-spout channelaligns with the set screw member channelto allow liquid to pass from the container, using, for example, a straw that is generally below the set screw memberand attached to the bottom thereof, and through the set screw memberand flip-spoutto a user's mouth. With set screw memberdisengaged (e.g., unscrewed), the gasketno longer exerts upward pressure on the flip-spoutand the protrusions and/or railsmay be slid off of the retention sub-recesses and/or tracks(forward, in the direction of the front spout opening) so that the flip-spoutcan be detached from the basefor easy cleaning (e.g., dishwashing) of spout and lid structures or for other purposes.

Set screw membermay be integrally formed or formed of various sub-components that combine. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, set screw memberincludes a rigid (e.g., plastomeric, metal, etc.) memberand a semi-rigid and/or flexible (e.g., silicone, rubber, etc.) member, a portion of which fits within and/or is releasably retained by the rigid member.

So configured, the spout and related components are detachable from the lid to facilitate easier cleaning by a user (including separation of parts for dishwashing) than would otherwise be obtained by attempts to clean hard-to-reach recesses and parts of similarly configured lids without such detachable parts.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.