Universal threaded bottle cap and straw

Abstract

A universal cap and straw drinking system is provided having a cap portion that is designed to thread onto an existing and readily-available drinking vessel. The cap portion has a first hole that interference fits to a flexible tube and prevents the tube from being slid relative to the cap portion. The cap portion has a second hole that is adjacent to the first hole and allows make-up air to enter the drinking vessel to make up for liquid being removed from the vessel through the flexible tube. The tube has a reinforced tip area where the wall thickness of the tube is doubled to increase the rigidity of the tube and reduce the ability of the user to pinch off the tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dispensing cap adapted to be affixed to a container having a closed bottom to define a chamber, said chamber adapted for holding a fluid, said container having a sealing surface adjacent to a threaded opening, said bottom spaced from said sealing surface by a first distance, said cap comprising:
 a lid having a threaded portion adapted to threadably receive said container, and a sealing portion adapted to seal to said sealing surface, said lid having a first aperture and a second aperture, said second aperture being smaller than said first aperture;   a resilient tube having an inside diameter and an outside diameter to define a wall thickness, said tube having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet in fluid communication with said outlet, said tube including a reinforcing tip located adjacent to said outlet and encircling a portion of said tube, said reinforcing tip having a larger outside diameter than said outside diameter of said resilient tube;   said first aperture is smaller than said outside diameter of said tube, said tube inserted through said first aperture and sealably restrained from longitudinal movement with respect to said lid, said inlet spaced from said sealing portion by a second distance;   when said cap is affixed to said container, said tube is in fluid communication with said chamber, said inlet of said resilient tube being relatively close to said bottom of said container; and   when said fluid is drawn through said tube from said inlet to said outlet, fluid from outside said container is drawn into said chamber through said second aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The dispensing cap of  claim 1 , said tip being a portion of a second resilient tube having an inside diameter smaller than said outside diameter of said resilient tube, said inside diameter of said second resilient tube in sealable biased contact with said outside diameter of said resilient tube. 
     
     
         3 . The dispensing cap of  claim 2 , said resilient tube and said second resilient tube formed from food-grade vinyl material. 
     
     
         4 . The dispensing cap of  claim 2 , said first distance being substantially equal to said second distance. 
     
     
         5 . The dispensing cap of  claim 2 , said inlet of said tube being adjacent to said bottom of said container when said cap is affixed to said threaded opening. 
     
     
         6 . The dispensing cap of  claim 2 , said tube having a compressed portion where said tube passes through said first aperture. 
     
     
         7 . A dispensing cap adapted to be affixed to a container having a closed bottom to define a chamber, said chamber adapted for holding a fluid, said container having a sealing surface adjacent to a threaded opening, said bottom spaced from said sealing surface by a first distance, said cap comprising:
 a lid having a threaded portion adapted to threadably receive said container, and a sealing portion adapted to seal to said sealing surface, said lid having a first aperture and a second aperture;   a resilient tube having an inside diameter and an outside diameter to define a wall thickness, said tube having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet in fluid communication with said outlet, said tube including a reinforcing tip located adjacent to said outlet and encircling a portion of said tube;   said first aperture is smaller than said outside diameter of said tube, said tube inserted through said first aperture and sealably restrained from longitudinal movement with respect to said lid, said inlet spaced from said sealing portion by a second distance;   when said cap is affixed to said container, said tube is in fluid communication with said chamber, said inlet of said resilient tube being relatively close to said bottom of said container; and   when said fluid is drawn through said tube from said inlet to said outlet, said fluid from outside said container is drawn into said chamber through said second aperture.   
     
     
         8 . The dispensing cap of  claim 7 , said second aperture being smaller than said first aperture. 
     
     
         9 . The dispensing cap of  claim 8 , said reinforcing tip having a larger outside diameter than said outside diameter of said resilient tube. 
     
     
         10 . The dispensing cap of  claim 7 , said tip being a portion of a second resilient tube having an inside diameter smaller than said outside diameter of said flexible tube, said inside diameter of said second resilient tube in sealed biased contact with said outside diameter of said resilient tube. 
     
     
         11 . The dispensing cap of  claim 10 , said resilient tube and second resilient tube formed from food-grade vinyl material. 
     
     
         12 . The dispensing cap of  claim 7 , said first distance being substantially equal to said second distance. 
     
     
         13 . The dispensing cap of  claim 7 , said inlet of said tube being adjacent to said bottom of said container when said cap is affixed to said threaded opening. 
     
     
         14 . The dispensing cap of  claim 7 , said tube having a compressed portion where said tube passes through said first aperture.