Drinking aid

Abstract

A drinking aid for removable attachment to a drinking vessel ( 12 ), especially for attachment to a drinking cup or a beverage bottle, is described. The drinking aid has a top piece ( 14 ), which can be connected in a liquid-tight manner to the drinking vessel ( 12 ). The top piece has a mouthpiece ( 18 ), to which suction can be applied, and an anti-leak device ( 20 ) for sealing the mouthpiece ( 18 ) toward the outside. The drinking aid is characterized in that it has a pressure-equalization valve ( 26 ) adjacent to the mouthpiece ( 18 ).

1 . Drinking aid for removable attachment to a drinking vessel ( 12 ), comprising a top piece ( 14 ), which can be connected to the drinking vessel ( 12 ) to form a liquid-tight seal, said top piece having a mouthpiece ( 18 ) for drawing up the liquid and an anti-leak device ( 20 ) for sealing the mouthpiece ( 18 ) toward the outside, wherein the drinking aid ( 10 ) includes a pressure-equalization valve ( 26 ) adjacent to the mouthpiece ( 18 ).  
   
   
       2 . Drinking aid according to  claim 1 , wherein the top piece ( 14 ) can be removed from and reattached to the drinking aid ( 10 ).  
   
   
       3 . Drinking aid according to  claim 1 , wherein the anti-leak device ( 20 ) forms a single unit with the mouthpiece ( 18 ) and has a drinking slot ( 24 ), which, when not in use, closes by itself as a result of the natural tension of the material out of which the anti-leak device ( 20 ) is made.  
   
   
       4 . Drinking aid according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-equalization valve ( 26 ) is comprises a dome, which projects into the drinking vessel ( 12 ) and includes a valve slot ( 30 ), which opens to vent the drinking vessel ( 12 ) as soon as a predetermined negative pressure is reached in the drinking vessel ( 12 ).  
   
   
       5 . Drinking aid according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-equalization valve ( 26 ) does not open until a predetermined negative pressure is reached in the drinking vessel ( 12 ) and closes again at a pressure in the drinking vessel ( 12 ) which is greater than or equal to the predetermined negative pressure in the drinking vessel ( 12 ).  
   
   
       6 . Drinking aid according to  claim 1 , wherein a closing behavior of the anti-leak device ( 20 ) and the a closing behavior of the pressure-equalization valve ( 26 ) are coordinated such that a slight negative pressure remains in the drinking vessel ( 12 ) after the pressure has been equalized.  
   
   
       7 . Drinking aid according to  claim 1 , wherein the top piece ( 14 ) forms a single unit with the pressure-equalization valve ( 26 ).  
   
   
       8 . Drinking aid according to  claim 7 , wherein the top piece ( 14 ), is comprised of a soft, elastic material.  
   
   
       9 . Drinking aid according to  claim 1 , wherein, the drinking aid ( 10 ) includes a cap ( 16 ) for the removable attachment of the drinking aid to the drinking vessel ( 12 ), said cap at least partially enclosing the top piece ( 14 ) and which, after it has been attached to the drinking vessel ( 12 ), pretensions the top piece ( 14 ) against an edge of the a container opening of the drinking vessel ( 12 ) to form a liquid-tight seal.  
   
   
       10 . Drinking aid according to  claim 9 , wherein the cap ( 16 ) completely covers the top piece ( 14 ) and has a spout ( 34 ), into which the mouthpiece ( 18 ) is inserted.  
   
   
       11 . Drinking aid according to  claim 10 , wherein an outward-projecting sealing section ( 36 ) is formed on the mouthpiece ( 18 ), which section rests under pretension against an inside wall of the spout ( 34 ) to form a seal.  
   
   
       12 . Drinking aid according to  claim 9 , wherein cap ( 16 ) includes a pressure-equalization opening ( 38 ), which, after the cap has been attached to the drinking vessel ( 12 ), is aligned with the pressure-equalization valve ( 26 ).  
   
   
       13 . Drinking aid according to  claim 4 , wherein said dome comprises a hemispherical ball ( 28 ).  
   
   
       14 . Drinking aid according to  claim 8 , wherein said material comprises plastic, synthetic rubber or natural rubber.