Beverage container and method

Abstract

A beverage container has a base releasably attached to a vessel. A reciprocating nipple is mounted on the base. A flexible conduit mounted at the base is connected to the nipple. The flexible conduit can communicate between the vessel and the nipple. A user can draw liquid from the vessel through the flexible conduit and nipple. An actuating element is mounted on the base and is coupled to the nipple. The actuating element is manually operable to reciprocate the nipple between an extended and a retracted position. Portions of the flexible conduit are adapted to collapse, occlude, and prevent communication of liquid to the nipple in response to motion of the nipple into the retracted position.

1 . A beverage container comprising:
 a vessel;   a base releasably attached to the vessel;   a nipple mounted to reciprocate on the base;   a flexible conduit mounted at the base and connected to the nipple, the flexible conduit being selectively operable to communicate between the vessel and the nipple; and   an actuating element mounted on the base and coupled to the nipple, the actuating element being manually operable to bidirectionally urge the nipple to reciprocate between an extended and a retracted position, portions of the flexible conduit being adapted to collapse, occlude, and prevent communication to the nipple in response to motion of the nipple into the retracted position.   
     
     
         2 . A beverage container according to  claim 1  wherein the nipple has a central bore, the base having a receptacle for receiving the nipple. 
     
     
         3 . A beverage container according to  claim 2  wherein the nipple has at least one transverse stub, the receptacle having at least one slot for slidably receiving the at least one stub. 
     
     
         4 . A beverage container according to  claim 1  wherein the actuating element comprises a cover rotatably mounted on the base. 
     
     
         5 . A beverage container according to  claim 4  wherein the nipple has at least one transverse stub, the cover including an internally threaded sleeve for engaging and reciprocating the at least one stub of the nipple. 
     
     
         6 . A beverage container according to  claim 5  wherein the base has a receptacle with at least one slot for slidably receiving the at least one stub. 
     
     
         7 . A beverage container according to  claim 6  wherein the at least one stub comprises a pair of stubs, the at least one slot comprising a pair of slots for slidably receiving the pair of stubs, the internally threaded sleeve having multiple starts. 
     
     
         8 . A beverage container according to  claim 4  wherein the cover has a flexible diaphragm that is slitted to allow emergence of the nipple upon movement from the retracted position to the extended position. 
     
     
         9 . A beverage container according to  claim 8  wherein the nipple has at least one transverse stub, the base having a receptacle with at least one slot for slidably receiving the at least one stub, the cover including an internally threaded sleeve for engaging and reciprocating the at least one stub of the nipple. 
     
     
         10 . A beverage container according to  claim 9  wherein the base has a stop for limiting rotation of the cover, the internally threaded sleeve having multiple starts. 
     
     
         11 . A beverage container according to  claim 10  wherein the at least one stub comprises a pair of stubs, the at least one slot comprising a pair of slots for slidably receiving the pair of stubs, the internally threaded sleeve having four starts. 
     
     
         12 . A beverage container according to  claim 11  wherein the base and the cover each have a stop for limiting rotation of the cover. 
     
     
         13 . A beverage container according to  claim 12  wherein the cover is adapted to snap onto the base. 
     
     
         14 . A beverage container according to  claim 13  wherein the base has an external carrying loop. 
     
     
         15 . A beverage container according to  claim 1  wherein the flexible conduit comprises an upstream tube and a downstream tube, the nipple having a upstream opening adapted to receive the downstream tube of the flexible conduit, the flexible conduit having at least one flange between the upstream and the downstream tube, portions of the downstream tube between the at least one flange and the nipple being adapted to collapse and occlude in response to motion of the nipple into the retracted position. 
     
     
         16 . A beverage container according to  claim 15  comprising:
 an eductor tube positioned inside the vessel and connected to the upstream tube of the flexible conduit. 
 
     
     
         17 . A method employing a flexible conduit connected between a nipple and a vessel, comprising the steps of:
 collapsing and occluding the flexible conduit to prevent passage of liquid to the nipple;   urging the nipple outwardly to cause the flexible conduit to straighten; and   drawing liquid from the vessel through the flexible conduit and nipple   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  employing an internally threaded sleeve at the nipple, the method including the step of:
 screwing the nipple through the sleeve to selectively compress and occlude the flexible tube. 
 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein the sleeve has a slitted diaphragm, the method including the step of:
 screwing the nipple through the sleeve to selectively extend the nipple to emerge through the slitted diaphragm. 
 
     
     
         20 . A beverage container comprising:
 a vessel;   a base releasably attached to the vessel, the base having a receptacle with a pair of slots;   a nipple with a central bore, the nipple having a pair of transverse stubs slidably mounted to reciprocate in the pair of slots of the receptacle of the base;   a flexible conduit mounted at the base and connected to the nipple, the flexible conduit being selectively operable to communicate between the vessel and the nipple, the flexible conduit including an upstream tube, a downstream tube, and a pair of flanges between the upstream and the downstream tubes, the pair of flanges straddling the base, the nipple having a upstream opening adapted to receive the downstream tube of the flexible conduit;   a cover rotatably mounted on the base, the cover being adapted to snap onto the base, the cover having an internally threaded sleeve with multiple starts for engaging and reciprocating the pair of stubs of the nipple, the cover being manually operable to reciprocate the nipple between an extended and a retracted position, portions of the downstream tube between the nipple and the pair of flanges being adapted to collapse, occlude, and prevent communication to the nipple in response to motion of the nipple into the retracted position, the cover having a flexible diaphragm that is slitted to allow emergence of the nipple upon its movement from the retracted position to the extended position, the cover and the base each having a stop to limit rotation of the cover; and   an eductor tube positioned inside the vessel and connected to the upstream tube of the flexible conduit.