Lip-operable spill-proof container

Abstract

A lip-operable spill-proof container ( 1 ) comprises (A) an open container base ( 2 ), (B) a lid element ( 4 ) comprising a lid edge ( 5 ) mountable on said container base and with a valve seat surface ( 7 ) directed to the inside of the container, perpendicular to a longitudinal axis ( 8 ) of the container, and (C) an at least partially flexible valve element ( 11 ), comprising ( 1 ) a valve body ( 12 ), ( 2 ) a valve flange ( 13 ) extending from the valve body with a valve surface ( 14 ) that faces said valve seat surface, and ( 3 ) a control element ( 15 ). The lid element has a carrier ( 16 ) positioned inwards from said lid edge ( 5 ) and mounted to said lid edge, and the valve element is provided with a mounting rim ( 17 ), that engages the carrier ( 16 ) and allows movement of the valve element ( 11 ) along the longitudinal axis of the container by elastic deformation of the valve element ( 11 ).

1 . Lip-operable spill-proof container, comprising
 a container base provided with an open top side,   a lid element comprising a lid edge mountable on the circumference of said top side of said container base and provided with a valve seat surface directed to the inside of the container, perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the container, which longitudinal axis is directed from the bottom side of the container base to its top side, and   an at least partially flexible valve element, comprising
 1) a valve body extending across at least part of the area enclosed by said lid element, 
 2) a valve flange extending from the valve body and provided with a valve surface that faces said valve seat surface, and 
 3) a control element at the top side of the valve element, 
   
       characterized, in that
 the lid element is provided with a carrier positioned at a distance inwards from said lid edge and extending along the lid edge circumference and mounted to said lid edge, and 
 the valve element is provided with a mounting rim, that engages the carrier and allows movement of the valve element along the longitudinal axis of the container by elastic deformation of the valve element, between a first position in which the valve flange seals the container and a second position in which a fluid path is present from the inside of the container along the valve flange and between the edge and the carrier to the outside of the container. 
 
     
     
         2 . Lip-operable spill-proof container according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein said mounting rim consists of a second valve flange, that is flexible and extends from said valve body and covers and engages the top of said carrier and a circumferential top surface of said lid edge, and seals the container when the valve element is in said first position. 
     
     
         3 . Lip-operable spill-proof container according to  claim 2 , wherein the circumferential top surface of said lid edge and said longitudinal axis enclose an angle that is larger than zero degrees and smaller than 90 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the  claims 1 - 3 , wherein the container and the lid element are annular and said carrier has the shape of an annular wall, and comprises on its side oriented towards the longitudinal axis of the container at least one spiral-shaped groove, which groove interrupts said wall and extends from the bottom to the top of said wall. 
     
     
         5 . Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the valve body and the valve flange are integrated and consist of a flexible material on a frame of rigid material, which frame extends at least in the valve flange and part of the valve body. 
     
     
         6 . Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said control element of said valve element is provided with a stop surface that limits opening movement of said valve element. 
     
     
         7 . Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said valve flange is provided with three or more projections on the opposite side of the valve surface. 
     
     
         8 . Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control element comprises of a top-element extending over most of the top-side of the container, from which top-element a mounting flange extends downward, wherein the valve body extends over the entire cross-section surface between the carrier circumference, apart from some play, and is provided with a cylindrical groove surrounded by rigid valve material, which groove accommodates the mounting flange in a clamping manner. 
     
     
         9 . Lip-operable spill-proof container according to  claim 8 , wherein said mounting flange is provided with an opening near its top side. 
     
     
         10 . Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting flange has a sufficiently large dimension in the longitudinal direction of the container to enable a transport-and-stock mode of the container, as opposed to its use mode, in which transport-and-stock mode the valve element is mounted below the carrier instead of between the carrier, and the control element is mounted directly on the carrier, and the valve element and the control element enclose the carrier. 
     
     
         11 . Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the container is rotation-symmetrical around its longitudinal axis, the lid element is fixed on the container base by means of a screw connection, and an O-ring is provided between the container base and the lid element.