Spill-Proof Cup Assembly

Abstract

A spill-proof cup assembly is disclosed as including a cup with an open end, a cover for covering the open end of the cup to define a cavity for containing a liquid, the cover having a drinking spout, a vent, and support columns leading from the drinking spout towards the cavity, and a flow control mechanism engageable with the cover, and the flow control mechanism includes a first valve membrane and a second valve membrane, in which the first valve member includes an edge which is movable, when the flow control mechanism is engaged with the cover, between a first position in which the edge is in abutment with an interior surface of the cover to prevent fluid communication through the vent into the cavity, and a second position in which the edge of the first valve member is out of abutment with the interior surface of the cover to allow fluid communication through the vent into the cavity, and the second valve membrane is movable between a first position in which a generally convex surface of the second valve membrane is in abutment with a sleeve of the flow control mechanism to prevent fluid communication through the drinking spout from the cavity, and a second position in which the generally convex surface of the second valve membrane is out of abutment with the sleeve of the flow control mechanism to allow fluid communication through the drinking spout from the cavity, and the second valve membrane includes a generally concave surface engaged with the support columns of the cover for movement between the first and second positions.

1 . A spill-proof cup assembly including:
 a container with an open end;   a cover adapted to cover said open end of said container to define a cavity for containing a fluid, said cover having a drinking spout, a vent, and a support leading from said drinking spout towards said cavity; and   a flow control mechanism engageable with said cover, wherein said flow control mechanism includes a first valve member and a second valve member;   wherein said first valve member includes an edge which is movable, when said flow control mechanism is engaged with said cover, between a first position in which said edge is in abutment with an interior surface of said cover to prevent fluid communication through said vent into said cavity, and a second position in which said edge of said first valve member is out of abutment with said interior surface of said cover to allow fluid communication through said vent into said cavity;   wherein said second valve member is movable between a first position in which a first surface of said second valve member is in abutment with a sleeve of said flow control mechanism to prevent fluid communication through said drinking spout from said cavity, and a second position in which said first surface of said second valve member is out of abutment with said sleeve of said flow control mechanism to allow fluid communication through said drinking spout from said cavity; and   wherein said second valve member includes a second surface which remains in contact with said support of said cover during movement of said second valve member between its said first and second positions.   
   
   
       2 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said first valve member is generally frusto-conical in shape. 
   
   
       3 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said second valve member is generally frusto-conical in shape. 
   
   
       4 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said first surface of said second valve member is generally concave and said second surface of said second valve member is generally convex. 
   
   
       5 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said first surface of said second valve member is generally convex and said second surface of said second valve member is generally concave. 
   
   
       6 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said second valve member is movable from its first position to its second position upon application of a suction force via said drinking spout. 
   
   
       7 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said first valve member is movable from its first position to its second position when the atmospheric pressure is larger than the pressure in said cavity by a sufficient amount. 
   
   
       8 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein movement of said second valve member from its first position to its second position is adapted to bring about movement of said first valve member from its first position to its second position. 
   
   
       9 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said first valve member is resilient and is biased towards its first position. 
   
   
       10 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said second valve member is resilient and is biased towards its first position. 
   
   
       11 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said edge of said first valve member is generally circular, oval or rectangular in shape. 
   
   
       12 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein an outer edge of said second valve member is generally, circular, oval or rectangular in shape. 
   
   
       13 . An assembly according to  claim 3  wherein an outer edge of said second valve member is reinforced with a lip portion. 
   
   
       14 . A spill-proof cover assembly, including:
 a cover adapted to cover an open end of a container to define a cavity for containing a fluid, said cover having a drinking spout, a vent, and a support leading from said drinking spout towards said cavity; and   a flow control mechanism engageable with said cover, wherein said flow control mechanism includes a first valve member and a second valve member;   wherein said first valve member includes an edge which is movable, when said flow control mechanism is engaged with said cover, between a first position in which said edge is in abutment with an interior surface of said cover to prevent fluid communication through said vent into said cavity, and a second position in which said edge of said first valve member is out of abutment with said interior surface of said cover to allow fluid communication through said vent into said cavity;   wherein said second valve member is movable between a first position in which a first surface of said second valve member is in abutment with a sleeve of said flow control mechanism to prevent fluid communication through said drinking spout from said cavity, and a second position in which said first surface of said second valve member is out of abutment with said sleeve of said flow control mechanism to allow fluid communication through said drinking spout from said cavity; and   wherein said second valve member includes a second surface which remains in contact with said support of said cover during movement of said second valve member between its said first and second positions.   
   
   
       15 . An assembly according to  claim 14  wherein said first valve member is generally frusto-conical in shape. 
   
   
       16 . An assembly according to  claim 14  wherein said second valve member is generally frusto-conical in shape. 
   
   
       17 . An assembly according to  claim 14  wherein said first surface of said second valve member is generally concave and said second surface of said second valve member is generally convex. 
   
   
       18 . An assembly according to  claim 14  wherein said first surface of said second valve member is generally convex and said second surface of said second valve member is generally concave. 
   
   
       19 . An assembly according to  claim 14  wherein said second valve member is adapted to move from its first position to its second position upon application of a suction force via said drinking spout. 
   
   
       20 . An assembly according to  claim 14  wherein said first valve member is adapted to move from its first position to its second position when the atmospheric pressure is sufficiently larger than the pressure in said cavity. 
   
   
       21 . An assembly according to  claim 14  wherein, when said assembly is engaged with a container, movement of said second valve member from its first position to its second position is adapted to bring about movement of said first valve member from its first position to its second position. 
   
   
       22 . An assembly according to  claim 14  wherein said first valve member is resilient and is biased towards its first position. 
   
   
       23 . An assembly according to  claim 14  wherein said second valve member is resilient and is biased towards its first position. 
   
   
       24 . An assembly according to  claim 14  wherein said edge of said first valve member is generally circular, oval or rectangular in shape. 
   
   
       25 . An assembly according to  claim 14  wherein an outer edge of said second valve member is generally, circular, oval or rectangular in shape. 
   
   
       26 . An assembly according to  claim 16  wherein an outer edge of said second valve member is reinforced with a lip portion. 
   
   
       27 . An assembly according to  claim 25  wherein an outer edge of said second valve member is reinforced with a lip portion. 
   
   
       28 . An assembly according to  claim 12  wherein an outer edge of said second valve member is reinforced with a lip portion.