Spill proof drinking cap for bottles

Abstract

A no spill bottle arrangement including a bottle and a removable cap. A valve assembly is disposed on the inside of the cap to prevent liquid from accidentally flowing from the bottle. The cap has a housing having an inlet opening for liquid to enter the housing from the interior of the bottle and an outlet opening for liquid in the housing to flow into the spout. The valve assembly includes a valve seat in the housing and a valve cooperating with the seat for preventing flow of liquid from the inlet opening to the outlet opening when the valve engages the seat, said valve being biased to a closed position engaging the seat but disengaging the seat to move to an opened position in response to a drop in pressure caused by sucking action on the spout.

1 . A device comprising: 
 a) a cap of substantially the same diameter and size as the cap provided with a bottle having connection means such that connection can be made with a variety of bottle openings; and    b) a valve within the cap to inhibit spillage through the cap.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the cap has a mouth piece taken from the group consisting of: nipples, passifiers, sippy cup constructions, flip tops, turn and screw construction, tubular, and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , constructed from the group consisting of glasses, plastics, acrylics, metals, rubbers, and combination thereof.  
     
     
         4 . A device comprising: 
 a) a cap of substantially the same diameter and size as the cap provided with a bottle having connection means of multiple geometries such that connection can be made with a variety of bottle openings; and    b) a valve within the cap to inhibit spillage through the cap.    
     
     
         5 . A no spill bottle comprising: 
 a) a bottle and a removable cap attached to the bottle;    b) a spout on the cap having a passage therethrough for drawing liquid from the bottle,    c) a valve assembly disposed on the inside of the cap for preventing liquid from accidentally flowing from the bottle out the spout, said assembly including a housing having an inlet opening for liquid to enter the housing from the interior of the bottle and an outlet opening for liquid in the housing to flow into the spout;    d) a valve seat in the housing; and    e) a valve cooperating with the seat for preventing flow of liquid from the inlet opening to the outlet opening when the valve engages the seat, said valve being biased to a closed position engaging the seat but disengaging the seat to move to an opened position in response to a drop in pressure caused by sucking action on the spout.    
     
     
         6 . A no spill bottle as defined in  claim 5  wherein said housing has an inlet section on one side of the valve and an outlet section on the other side thereof and a support for the valve as one of the housing sections.  
     
     
         7 . A valve for use in a spill resistant bottle cap to retain liquid in the bottle, the cap including a spout to dispense the liquid and a valve mount within the spout to engage with the valve, the valve comprising: 
 a) a generally cylindrical valve tower extending from a valve base to sealingly engage the valve mount and having an interior bore for the passage of liquid;    b) a valve face across an upper end of the valve tower bore; and    c) a valve mechanism located in the valve face for controlling a flow of the liquid through the valve mechanism dependent upon a pressure differential across the valve face.    
     
     
         8 . The valve of  claim 7  wherein the valve mechanism is a valve slit extending through the valve face and extending across the valve face from near the first side of the valve tower to near the second side of the valve tower.  
     
     
         9 . The valve of  claim 8  wherein the spout includes a mouth opening extending generally along and adjacent to the periphery of the cap, the first side of the valve tower is located adjacent a periphery of the cap and the second side of the valve tower is located inwards of the first side and towards the center of the cap, so that the valve slit is oriented generally perpendicular to the mouth opening.  
     
     
         10 . The valve of  claim 9  wherein the valve further comprises an outer valve wall extending from the valve base circumferential to the valve tower to form a circumferential recess for receiving the valve mount so that the outer surface of the valve tower and an inner circumferential surface of the outer valve wall frictionally engage the inner surface of the valve mount and an outer circumferential surface of the valve mount.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for use in a no-spill bottle cap, said apparatus comprising: 
 a valve holder, such valve holder comprising at least one valve and a blocking element, said valve comprising a flexible material, said blocking element comprising an area of material which is inpenetratable to the flow of liquid, said valve further comprising an opening through said flexible material, said valve having a resting position wherein said flexible material sits with said opening against said blocking element such that said valve is closed to the passage of liquid through said valve, said valve moving into an open position for the passage of liquid through said valve upon the application of negative air pressure to the top of said valve, said open position being a position wherein said flexible member comprising said opening lifts off of said blocking element.    
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for use in a no-spill bottle cap, comprising: 
 a flexible valve member comprising an opening through said valve member, said valve member having a closed position and an open position, wherein said valve member sits against a blocking element with said opening against said blocking element when in said closed position such that said blocking element blocks the passage of fluid through said opening in said valve member, and wherein said valve member moves away from said blocking element to allow passage of liquid through said opening of said valve member upon application of negative air pressure to said valve member.