Liquid Container Having Bottom Spout

Abstract

A liquid container beneficially configured for use with a water bottle cage attached to a frame member of a bicycle for use by the bicyclist when riding the bicycle. The liquid container has a container body, a cap removably attached to the upper end of the container body to close the inlet opening which is utilized to fill the liquid container with liquid and a spout located in the bottom wall of the container to allow the bicyclist to drink from the container in a more ergonomic manner than existing water bottles. In one embodiment, the spout includes a nozzle removably attached to a discharge tube integral with the bottom wall to allow the user to select the type of nozzle. In another embodiment, a storage container for storing items and/or a gel dispenser for dispensing an energy gel are utilized at the upper end to close the inlet opening.

1 . A liquid container, comprising:
 a container body having an inlet opening at a first end and a bottom wall at an oppositely disposed second end, said inlet opening configured to receive liquid into said container body;   a cap removably attached to said first end of said container body, said cap having a wall configured to close said inlet opening; and   a spout at said bottom wall, said spout having a nozzle with an outlet aperture, said nozzle configured for selectively drinking liquid from said container body or closing said outlet aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein said spout is integral with or attached to said bottom wall. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein said spout comprises a discharge tube integral with said bottom wall, said discharge tube having an outlet opening, said nozzle integral with or attached to said discharge tube. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid container of  claim 3 , wherein said nozzle is removably attached to said discharge tube. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein said wall is a closed end wall. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein said wall is a separating wall of one of a storage adapter and a gel dispenser at said first end of said container body. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein said cap comprises both a storage adapter and a gel dispenser, said storage adapter having a separating wall closing said inlet opening of said container body. 
     
     
         8 . The liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein said cap comprises a lid member and a storage adapter, said lid member having a lower end configured to attach to an upper end of said storage adapter, said storage adapter having at least one sidewall and a separating wall that define a closed storage chamber when said lid member is attached to said upper end of said storage adapter, said separating wall configured to close said inlet opening. 
     
     
         9 . The liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein said cap is configured as a gel dispenser that encloses a gel packet having a spout which extends outwardly through an aperture in a sidewall of said gel dispenser, said gel dispenser having a dispensing means for dispensing gel from said gel packet through said spout. 
     
     
         10 . The liquid container of  claim 9 , wherein said dispensing means is configured to squeeze said gel packet to dispense gel through said spout. 
     
     
         11 . The liquid container of  claim 10 , wherein said dispensing means comprises a push bar moveably positioned in a slotted opening of said gel dispenser and hingedly connected to said sidewall of said gel dispenser, said push bar configured to squeeze said gel packet and dispense gel through said spout. 
     
     
         12 . A liquid container, comprising:
 a container body having an inlet opening at a first end and a bottom wall at an oppositely disposed second end, said inlet opening configured to receive liquid into said container body, a lower section of said container body toward said second end thereof configured to snugly fit within a bottle cage attached to a bicycle;   a cap removably attached to said first end of said container body, said cap having one of a closed end wall and a separating wall of either a storage adapter or a gel dispenser to close said inlet opening; and   a spout at said bottom wall, said spout having a nozzle with an outlet aperture, said nozzle configured for selectively drinking liquid from said container body or closing said outlet aperture.   
     
     
         13 . The liquid container of  claim 12 , wherein said spout comprises a discharge tube integral with said bottom wall, said discharge tube having an outlet opening, said nozzle integral with or attached to said discharge tube. 
     
     
         14 . The liquid container of  claim 13 , wherein said nozzle is removably attached to said discharge tube. 
     
     
         15 . The liquid container of  claim 12 , wherein said cap comprises each of said storage adapter and said gel dispenser, said storage adapter having a separating wall closing said inlet opening of said container body, said gel dispenser defining a closed chamber in said storage adapter when attached to and upper end of said storage adapter. 
     
     
         16 . The liquid container of  claim 15 , wherein said gel dispenser encloses a gel packet having a spout which extends outwardly through an aperture in a sidewall of said gel dispenser, said gel dispenser having a dispensing means for dispensing gel from said gel packet through said spout. 
     
     
         17 . The liquid container of  claim 16 , wherein said dispensing means is configured to squeeze said gel packet to dispense gel through said spout. 
     
     
         18 . A liquid container, comprising:
 a container body having an inlet opening at a first end and a bottom wall at an oppositely disposed second end, said inlet opening configured to receive liquid into said container body, a lower section of said container body toward said second end thereof configured to snugly fit within a bottle cage attached to a bicycle;   a cap removably attached to said first end of said container body, said cap comprising a storage adapter and a gel dispenser, said storage adapter at said first end of said container body and having a separating wall to close said inlet opening, said gel dispenser attached to an upper end of said storage adapter to define a closed storage chamber in said storage adapter when said gel dispenser is attached to said storage container, said gel dispenser enclosing a gel packet and having a dispensing means at an upper end of said gel dispenser for dispensing gel from said gel packet; and   a spout at said bottom wall, said spout having a nozzle with an outlet aperture, said nozzle configured for selectively drinking liquid from said container body or closing said outlet aperture.   
     
     
         19 . The liquid container of  claim 18 , wherein said spout comprises a discharge tube integral with said bottom wall, said discharge tube having an outlet opening, said nozzle removably attached to said discharge tube. 
     
     
         20 . The liquid container of  claim 18 , wherein said dispensing means is configured to squeeze said gel packet to dispense gel through said spout.