Drinking receptacle valve means

Claim 2

In a drinking receptacle valve means; a receptacle cover; said cover having a lip engaging edge; said cup having a drinking opening therein adjacent said edge; a drinking valve member adapted to close said opening; a movable member carrying said valve means; first means cooperable with said movable member and said cover for opening said valve member relative to said drinking opening; a manually operable and reciprocable plunger extending from the exterior to the interior of said cover; said plunger adapted to engage said movable member to force it and said first means to open said valve member relative to said drinking opening; a relief valve operable by said manually operable plunger; said relief valve adapted to relieve steam and fluid pressure from the interior of said cover to atmosphere; and lost motion engaging means disposed between said plunger and said movable means whereby manual movement of said plunger initially operates said relief valve and upon further movement of said plunger said lost motion engaging means opens said drinking valve member after said relief valve has relieved fluid pressure from inside said cover.

Claim 3

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said lost motion engaging means comprises a telescopic means coupling said plunger and said movable member; and stop means disposed to positively limit telescopic movement of said plunger relative to said movable member after said relief valve has been opened by the initial movement of said plunger and during relative telescopic movement between said plunger and said movable member.

Claim 4

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said first means comprises cam means cooperable with said movable member and said cover for opening said valve member relative to said drinking opening; resilient means tending to hold said drinking valve closed; said resilient means thereby forcing cooperable action of said cam means to move said drinking valve to closed position relative to said drinking opening.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein: said cover is provided with a lower inner portion; said cam means comprising a downwardly declining portion at said lower inner portion of said cover; said movable member having a follower engaging said declining portion for moving said drinking valve downwardly away from said drinking opening in response to manual force on said plunger.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 4, wherein: guide means is provided for said movable member; said guide means being carried by said cover and disposed between said drinking valve and said plunger; said guide means straddling said movable member and having a normally vertically disposed slot in which said movable member is movable operable horizontally and also movably vertically in said guide means in accordance with said declining portion of said cam.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: a spring is disposed to close said relief valve.

Claim 8

The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein: said lost motion engaging means comprises telescopic means coupling said plunger and said movable member; and stop means disposed to positively limit telescopic movement of said plunger relative to said movable member after said relief valve has been opened by initial movement of said plunger and during relative telescopic movement between said plunger and said movable member; and a spring disposed and tending to force said telescopic means apart and to close said relief valve; said relief valve being an annular valve member adapted to engage an inner side of said cover; said plunger extending through an opening in said cover and being slightly larger than said plunger whereby said relief valve closes the space in the side of said cover around said plunger.

Claim 9

The invention as defined in claim 7, wherein: said cover is provided with a lower inner portion; said cam means comprising a downwardly declining portion at said lower inner portion of said cover; said movable member having a follower engaging said declining portion for moving said drinking valve downwardly away from said drinking opening in response to manual force on said plunger; a second spring disposed to force said drinking valve into closed position relative to said drinking opening; said second spring supported in connection with said cover.

Claim 10

The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein: a second spring is disposed and tending to hold said drinking valve closed; said second spring disposed to force cooperable action of said cam means to move said drinking valve to closed position relative to said drinking opening.

Claim 11

The invention as defined in claim 8, wherein: said cover is provided with guide means for said movable member; said guide means being carried by said cover and disposed between said drinking valve and said plunger; said guide means straddling said movable member and having a normally vertically disposed slot in which said movable member is movable horizontally and also normally vertically in said guide means in accordance with said declining portion of said cam.

Claim 12

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said cover is provided with cup engaging and holding means; and a drinking receptacle having an upper portion secured to said cup engaging and holding means.

Claim 13

The invention as defined in claim 9, wherein: said cover is provided with a receptacle engaging and holding means; and a receptacle having an upper open end secured to said engaging and holding means.

Claim 14

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: a thermally insulated cup is sealably connected to said cover.

Claim 15

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said first means comprises cam means.

Claim 16

The invention as defined in claim 14, wherein: said cam means is integral with said cover and comprises a downwardly declining portion and follower means on said movable member disposed and adapted to slide downwardly on said downwardly declining portion.

Claim 17

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said plunger and said relief valve are disposed at an opposite side of said cover from said drinking opening whereby, when said cover is in tilted drinking position, liquid gravitates below said relief valve and allows steam to escape therethrough above the liquid level.

Claim 18

A drinking receptacle provided with a generally cup like body having a normally upper open end; a cover for said body removably and sealingly secured to said upper open end of said cup like body; said cover having a peripheral rim and a top plate portion surrounded by said rim; said top plate portion having upper and lower sides; said top plate portion having a drinking opening extending therethrough; said drinking opening being at a first location near the proximity of said rim; an openable valve disposed and adapted to close and open said drinking opening; said top plate portion having upper and lower sides; said valve disposed adjacent said lower side and disposed to close said drinking opening whereby pressure in said cup like body tends to hold said valve closed; a finger engageable valve actuator movably mounted on said cover and being disposed at a second location near the proximity of said rim; said valve actuator operably disposed relative to said valve for opening and closing the same; said second location being substantially diametrically opposed to said first location whereby said receptacle may be tilted to a disposition wherein said drinking opening is in a downward position and said valve actuator is in a relatively upward position; said valve being a poppet valve having a generally circular shape; said drinking opening in said top plate portion being generally circular; said top plate portion having an annular valve seat surrounding said opening; said poppet valve having a frusto-conical convergingly tapered in a direction toward said upper side of said top plate portion; a resilient ring shaped gasket which is normally flat; said gasket provided with a sharp peripheral corner portion; said ring shaped gasket having a bore portion normally smaller than the diameter of said frusto-conical portion; said bore portion disposed on and resiliently surrounding and gripping said frusto-conical portion so as to deflect and hold said normally flat ring shaped gasket in a generally disc shaped configuration which is generally frusto-conical and downwardly converging with one of said sharp peripheral corners disposed to resiliently engage said annular valve seat.

Claim 19

A drinking receptacle provided with a generally cup like body having a normally upper open end; a cover for said body removably and sealingly secured to said upper open end of said cup like body; said cover having a peripheral rim and a top plate portion surrounded by said rim; said top plate portion having upper and lower sides; said top plate portion having a drinking opening extending therethrough; said drinking opening being at a first location near the proximity of said rim; an openable valve disposed and adapted to close and open said drinking opening; said top plate portion having upper and lower sides; said valve disposed adjacent said lower side and disposed to close said drinking opening whereby pressure in said cup like body tends to hold said valve closed; a finger engageable valve actuator movably mounted on said cover and being disposed at a second location near the proximity of said rim; said valve actuator operably disposed relative to said valve for opening and closing the same; said second location being substantially diametrically opposed to said first location whereby said receptacle may be tilted to a disposition wherein said drinking opening is in a downward position and said valve actuator is in a relatively upward position; said valve being a poppet valve having a generally circular shape; said drinking opening in said top plate portion being generally circular; said top plate portion having an annular valve seat surrounding said opening; said poppet valve having a frusto-conical convergingly tapered in a direction toward said upper side of said top plate portion; a resilient ring shaped gasket which is normally flat; said gasket provided with a sharp peripheral corner portion; said ring shaped gasket having a bore portion normally smaller than the diameter of said frusto-conical portion; said bore portion disposed on and resiliently surrounding and gripping said frusto-conical portion so as to deflect and hold said normally flat ring shaped gasket in a generally disc shaped configuration which is generally frusto-conical and downwardly converging with one of said sharp peripheral corners disposed to resiliently engage said annular valve seat.

Claim 20

The invention as defined in claim 17, wherein: said annular valve seat comprises a downwardly converging in cross section annular portion having a sharp annular edge directed towards a gasket.

Claim 21

The invention as defined in claim 17, wherein: said sharp peripheral corner is provided with a resilient lip extending slightly beyond said flat ring shaped configuration.

Claim 22

The invention as defined in claim 4, wherein: said cover is provided with support means holding said spring to act on said plunger in a direction towards said cover; and bearing means movably supporting said plunger and disposed to resist lateral deflection of said plunger to maintain arcuate alignment of said valve member with said drinking opening.

Claim 23

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said relief valve comprises a gasket means disposed at an inner side of said cover; said gasket means carried by said plunger; said cover having a relief opening through which said plunger extends; the cross sectional shape of said opening and said plunger being different and bearing concentrically only at a plurality of locations and having spaces between said locations whereby venting through said relief opening around said plunger may occur while reciprocal alignment of said plunger and said movable member remains substantially consistent.

Claim 24

The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein: said telescopic means comprises a hollow tubular portion integral with said plunger; a shank portion of said movable member in said hollow tubular portion; said hollow tubular portion having a slot in the side wall thereof for access of cleaning water; and a guide carried by said movable member; said guide portion movable in said top portion; said movable member restrained against rotation relative to said cover whereby said slot is held in a position facing away from said cover and thereby opened to water which may be thrown in a dishwasher or the like.