Carafe with self-sealing spout

Claim 2

A receptacle for storing and dispensing liquids, comprising: a cup having a vertically extending sidewall, an open top and a spout extending outwardly from said sidewall adjacent said open top and including an upwardly facing open end having a substantially straight upper edge; and closure means including a single piece of plastic material defining a flat lid for covering said open top of said cup and flat flexible and resilient flap means continuous with and extending outwardly and forwardly from a front of said lid along a line between junctions of said upper edge of said spout and said cup for bearing on said upper edge to seal said spout and for lifting from said upper edge as liquid presses thereagainst with a tipping of said cup to permit dispensing of liquid through said spout, and cooperative means on said lid and cup for releasably holding said lid on said cup.

Claim 3

The receptacle of claim 1 wherein said flap normally bends downward from said lid along said line to bear on said upper edge of and seal said spout.

Claim 4

The receptacle of claim 2 wherein said closure means includes hinge means along said connecting line between said flap and said lid for enabling said flap to move up and down independent of said lid to open and close said spout.

Claim 5

The receptacle of 1 wherein: said cup includes flange means on opposite sides of said spout and extending outwardly from said cup adjacent said open top; and said receptacle further includes handle means on said cup for hand-lifting said receptacle to dispense liquids therefrom through said spout, said handle means comprising a ring for releasably receiving said cup and bearing upwardly against said flange with a handle extending from said ring opposite said spout, a forward portion of said ring opposite said handle being shaped at its upper edge to receive said spout, and a pair of inwardly facing hook means projecting upward from said ring immediately adjacent opposite ends of said forward portion for tightly receiving outer marginal edge portions of said lid and holding said lid on said cup.

Claim 6

The receptacle of 1 wherein: said cup includes flange means on opposite sides of said spout and extending outwardly from said cup adjacent said open top; and said receptacle further includes handle means on said cup for hand-lifting said receptacle to dispense liquids therefrom through said spout, said handle means comprising a ring for releasably receiving said cup and bearing upwardly against said flange with a handle extending from said ring opposite said spout, a forward portion of said ring opposite said handle being shaped at its upper edge to receive said spout, and a pair of inwardly facing hook means projecting upward from said ring immediately adjacent opposite ends of said forward portion for tightly receiving outer marginal edge portions of said lid and holding said lid on said cup.

Claim 7

The receptacle of claim 4 wherein said outer marginal portions of said lid follow an inner contour of said hooks means and said lid includes a downwardly projecting flange for bearing against an inner surface of said cup adjacent said open top.

Claim 8

The receptacle of claim 1 wherein: said cup includes flange means on opposite sides of said spout and extending outwardly from said cup adjacent said open top; said receptacle further includes handle means on said cup for hand-lifting said receptacle to dispense liquid therefrom through said spout, said handle means comprising a ring for releasably receiving said cup and bearing upwardly against said flange means with a handle extending from said ring opposite said spout; and said cooperative means comprises a strap hinged at one end to said ring and extending over a top of said lid for releasable connection to said ring.

Claim 9

The receptacle of claim 1 further comprising: handle means for hand-lifting said cup including a ring for releasably receiving said cup with a handle extending from said ring opposite said spout; lip means projecting outwardly from said receptacle and including a first lip on and projecting from said cup with a lower edge bearing on an upper edge of said ring and a second lip on and projecting from said ring below said first lip; and flange means in said cooperative means and extending downwardly from a lower surface of said lid to snap over said lip means and under said second lip to secure together said lid, cup and ring.

Claim 10

The receptacle of claim 7 wherein said flange means commences just forward of said line connecting said flap to said lid, curves inwardly over forward ends of said lip means, and closely follows the contour of said lip means rearwardly toward said handle to create a fluid-tight seal for said lid on said cup.

Claim 11

The receptacle of claim 7 wherein said cooperative means further comprises a strap extending from said flange means on opposite side of said spout and following an outer surface of said ring under said spout to assist in releasably securing said lip to said cup.

Claim 12

A receptacle for storing and dispensing liquids, comprising: a cup having a vertically extending sidewall, an open top and a spout extending outwardly from said sidewall adjacent said open top and including an upwardly facing open end having a substantially straight upper edge; and closure means including a flat lid for covering said open top of said cup, flat flexible and resilient flap means continuous with and extending outwardly from said lid for bearing on said upper edge to seal said spout and for lifting from said upper edge as liquid presses thereagainst with a tipping of said cup to permit dispensing of liquid through said spout, and cooperative means on said lid and cup for releasably holding said lid on said cup including a lip projecting outwardly from and including an upper edge of said cup and extending between opposite ends of said spout. flange means extending downwardly from a lower surface of said lid to snap over said lip, and strap means extending downwardly from said lid at opposite sides of sAid spout and under said spout to assist in securing said lid to said cup.

Claim 13

A receptacle for storing and dispensing liquids, comprising: a cup having a vertically extending sidewall, an open top and a spout extending outwardly from said sidewall adjacent said open top and including an upwardly facing open end having a substantially straight upper edge; and closure means including a flat lid for covering said open top of said cup, flat flexible and resilient flap means continuous with and extending outwardly from said lid for bearing on said upper edge to seal said spout and for lifting from said upper edge as liquid presses thereagainst with a tipping of said cup to permit dispensing of liquid through said spout, and cooperative means on said lid and cup for releasably holding said lid on said cup including a lip projecting outwardly from and including an upper edge of said cup and extending between opposite ends of said spout. flange means extending downwardly from a lower surface of said lid to snap over said lip, and strap means extending downwardly from said lid at opposite sides of sAid spout and under said spout to assist in securing said lid to said cup.

Claim 14

The receptacle of claim 10 wherein said flange means extends between opposite ends of said strap means and follows the contour of an outer surface of said lip and wherein said receptacle further includes beads on said flange means for snapping under said lip to releasably secure said lid to said cup, said beads commencing adjacent said opposite ends of said strap means and being of a narrowing width terminating along opposite sides of said lid.

Claim 15

The receptacle of claim 11 wherein said lip includes an extension opposite said spout and wherein said lid includes a like extension, said extension mating with each other when said lid is in a proper position on said cup to seal said open top thereof.

Claim 16

The receptacle of claim 12 wherein said extension on said lip is an arcuate extension diametrically opposite said spout and having a radius of curvature greater than that of said cup to define a smooth outer edge surface against which said flange means may bear.