The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 25, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 13, 2000
Douglass E. Hughes, Boulder, CO (US);
Raymond G. Bryan, Reno, NV (US);
Other;
Abstract
A sports bottle cap having a pressure differential valve is provided which allows water to flow out through the bottle cap only when the bottle is inverted and squeezed or alternatively a straw may be threaded through the pressure differential valve, thereby deactivating it, and attached to the bottle cap allowing the user to draw liquid from the bottle through the straw. In operation the bottle cap of the present invention allows the user to dispense fluid from within the bottle in two different ways. The first manner of use allows liquid to be dispensed only when the bottle containing the liquid is inverted and squeezed. Squeezing causes the pressure to increase on the inside of the bottle thereby causing the pressure differential valve to open and liquid to exit; however, when the bottle is not squeezed the pressure differential valve remains in the closed position sealing bottle. The second manner of use allows the user to convert bottle cap for use as a sports mug having a straw-like tube to draw the liquid out of bottle. This configuration is accomplished simply by threading a straw through pressure differential valve thereby disengaging the pressure differential valve, and attaching the first end of the straw to a straw receptor located within the bottle cap. The bottle cap is then attached to the bottle and the user can suck liquid out of the bottle.