Beverage container closure

Abstract

A beverage container closure or lid that is adapted for closing an open end of a beverage container. The lid is selectively couplable to the beverage container and includes a selectively openable stopper that when closed, creates a fluid-tight seal between the beverage container and the environment. The stopper may be selectively opened by a user by the user pressing a button disposed on a side of the beverage container closure. The stopper is subsequently automatically closed when the user releases the button. Thus, a user may open and close the beverage container closure using a single hand without the need to remove the beverage container closure from the beverage container.

1 .- 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A lid for use with a beverage container, comprising:
 a lid housing configured for removable attachment to the beverage container, the lid housing having a main body with an upper portion and a sidewall portion extending downward from the upper portion, the upper portion being stationary relative to the sidewall portion, the upper portion and the sidewall portion defining a downwardly open interior lid cavity extending downward from the upper portion and having an open lower end, the upper portion having a drink opening;   a drink seal support member connected to the lid housing and having a drink seal, the drink seal support member being positioned at least partially within the lid cavity and entirely below the upper portion, the drink seal support member being upwardly and downwardly movable to move the drink seal between a closed position closing the drink opening and an opened position opening the drink opening, when in the opened position, the drink seal is positioned below and spaced apart from the drink opening, and is movable upward into the closed position, and when in the closed position, the drink seal is positioned at a lower end of the drink opening and in sealing engagement with a lower surface portion of the upper portion extending about the drink opening without extending fully through the drink opening; and   a lock connected to the lid housing, the lock being movable to a first position in which the lock prevents operable engagement of the drink seal support member so that the drink seal remains in the closed position closing the drink opening and movable to a second position in which the lock does not prevent operable engagement of the drink seal support member so that the drink seal may be moved to the opened position opening the drink opening.   
     
     
         28 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the upper portion has a top rim wall portion extending thereabout and defining a drink well, the drink opening being positioned within the drink well. 
     
     
         29 . The lid of  claim 28 , wherein the top rim wall portion is shaped for contact with a user's lips. 
     
     
         30 . The lid of  claim 27 , further including a trigger connected to the lid housing and operable to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position when the lock is in the second position, movement of the trigger in an actuation direction resulting in the drink seal support member moving the drink seal downward away the upper portion to position the drink seal in the opened position, and when the lock is in the first position, the lock preventing movement of the trigger in the actuation direction resulting in the drink seal support member not moving the drink seal downward away from the upper portion to the opened position. 
     
     
         31 . The lid of  claim 30 , wherein when the lock is in the second position, movement of the trigger in an actuation direction results in the drink seal support member moving the drink seal downward away the upper portion to position the drink seal in the opened position without movement of the lid housing. 
     
     
         32 . The lid of  claim 30 , wherein the trigger includes a return member, which moves the drink seal upward toward the upper portion from the opened position to the closed position. 
     
     
         33 . The lid of  claim 30 , further including an air vent separate from the drink opening and a vent seal, the trigger being operable to move the vent seal from a closed position closing the vent to an opened position opening the vent. 
     
     
         34 . The lid of  claim 33 , wherein when the lock is in the first position, the lock prevents the trigger operably engaging the vent seal to move the vent seal from the closed position to the opened position. 
     
     
         35 . The lid of  claim 30 , wherein inward movement of the trigger moves the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position. 
     
     
         36 . The lid of  claim 30 , wherein the trigger is connected to the sidewall portion. 
     
     
         37 . The lid of  claim 30 , wherein the trigger extends into the lid cavity through an aperture in the sidewall portion. 
     
     
         38 . The lid of  claim 30 , wherein the actuation direction of the trigger is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the lid housing when the trigger is operated to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position. 
     
     
         39 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein a portion of the upper portion extending about the drink opening defines a drink opening seat for the drink seal and the drink seal when in the closed position seals the drink opening at the drink opening seat. 
     
     
         40 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein when the lock is in the second position, the drink seal is movable from the closed position to the opened position without movement of the lid housing. 
     
     
         41 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein when the lock is in the second position, the drink seal is movable from the opened position to the closed position without movement of the lid housing. 
     
     
         42 . The lid of  claim 41 , further including a return member, which moves the drink seal upward toward the upper portion from the opened position to the closed position. 
     
     
         43 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the upper portion further includes an air vent, and when the lock is in the first position, the lock is positioned over at least a portion of the air vent and when the lock is in the second position, the lock is not positioned over the air vent. 
     
     
         44 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the lock is pivotally connected to the lid housing. 
     
     
         45 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the lock is rotatably attached to the upper portion at a location atop the upper portion for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the lid. 
     
     
         46 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the lock is rotatably attached to the lid housing. 
     
     
         47 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the drink seal has non-rotational movement when moving between the closed position and the opened position. 
     
     
         48 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the drink seal moves between the closed position and the opened position along a linear path of travel. 
     
     
         49 . The lid of  claim 48 , where the linear path of travel is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the lid housing. 
     
     
         50 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the drink seal is further moveable to a cleaning position whereat the drink seal is moved away from an underside surface portion of the upper portion through which the drink opening extends such that the drink opening is open for cleaning the lid. 
     
     
         51 . The lid of  claim 27 , further including a button operably connected to the drink seal support member and manually inwardly movable transverse to a longitudinal axis of the lid body to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position, the button being located at the sidewall portion. 
     
     
         52 . The lid of  claim 27 , further including a non-rotatable button operably connected to the drink seal support member and manually inwardly movable to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position, the button being located at the sidewall portion. 
     
     
         53 . The lid of  claim 27 , further including a button operably connected to the drink seal support member and manually inwardly movable to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position, the movement of the button being limited to only linear movement of the entire button. 
     
     
         54 . The lid of  claim 53 , wherein the inward movement of the button to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position is in a direction transverse to a lid body longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         55 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the lock is rotatably attached to the lid housing. 
     
     
         56 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the lock has at least a top portion extending from a top of the lid housing. 
     
     
         57 . The lid of  claim 56 , wherein the top portion of the lock is positioned over a vent aperture in the lid housing when the lock is in the first position. 
     
     
         58 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the upper portion has a top wall and the sidewall portion has an outward sidewall extending downward from the top wall, and the lid further includes a button operably connected to the drink seal and manually inwardly movable to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position, the button being located at the outward sidewall for inward movement when the lock is in the second position. 
     
     
         59 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the lid further includes a vent aperture located in a top surface of the upper portion. 
     
     
         60 . The lid of  claim 27 , further including a button operably connected to the drink seal support member and manually inwardly movable to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position, and wherein movement of the locking between the second position and the first position is in a direction different from the inward direction of movement of the button to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position. 
     
     
         61 . The lid of  claim 27 , further including a button operably connected to the drink seal support member and manually inwardly movable to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position, and wherein when the lock is in the first position, the lock and the button are at least partially aligned to prevent manual inward movement of the button. 
     
     
         62 . The lid of  claim 27 , further including a button operably connected to the drink seal support member and manually inwardly movable to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position, and wherein the lid housing has a vent aperture and a vent seal movable between a closed position closing the vent aperture and an opened position opening the vent aperture, the button being operably connected to the vent seal and manually inwardly movable to move the vent seal from the closed position to the opened position. 
     
     
         63 . The lid of  claim 27 , further including a button operably connected to the drink seal support member and manually inwardly movable to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position, and wherein the button operates a trigger member and the drink seal is attached to a stopper manually movable between an operable position and a cleaning position, in the operable position of the stopper, the stopper is at least partially within the lid cavity and the trigger is capable of engaging the stopper for movement of the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position, and in the cleaning position of the stopper, the trigger cannot engage the stopper for movement of the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position. 
     
     
         64 . The lid of  claim 63 , wherein the stopper is removably positioned in the lid for movement from the operable position to the cleaning position whereat the stopper is fully removed from the lid. 
     
     
         65 . The lid of  claim 27 , wherein the drink seal support member is connected to the sidewall portion. 
     
     
         66 . The lid of  claim 27 , further including a retainer member releasably retaining the drink seal support member in a use position for movement of the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position in response to movement of the trigger in the actuation direction, the retainer member being operable to release the drink seal support member to permit movement of the drink seal support member to a cleaning position whereat the drink seal is moved away from an underside surface portion of the upper portion through which the drink opening extends such that the drink opening is open for cleaning the lid. 
     
     
         67 .- 95 . (canceled) 
     
     
         96 . A lid for use with a beverage container, comprising:
 a lid housing configured for removable attachment to the beverage container, the lid housing having a main body with an upper portion and a sidewall portion extending downward from the upper portion, the upper portion being stationary relative to the sidewall portion, the upper portion and the sidewall portion defining a downwardly open interior lid cavity extending downward from the upper portion and having an open lower end, the upper portion having a drink opening;   a drink seal connected to the lid housing, the drink seal being positioned at least partially within the lid cavity and entirely below the upper portion, the drink seal being upwardly and downwardly movable between a closed position closing the drink opening and an opened position opening the drink opening, when in the opened position, the drink seal is positioned below and spaced apart from the drink opening, and is movable upward into the closed position, and when in the closed position, the drink seal is positioned at a lower end of the drink opening and in sealing engagement with a lower surface portion of the upper portion extending about the drink opening without extending fully through the drink opening; and   a lock connected to the lid housing, the lock being movable to a first position in which the lock prevents downward movement of the drink seal when in the closed position closing the drink opening, and movable to a second position in which the lock does not prevent downward movement of the drink seal when in the closed position and permits movement of the drink seal to the opened position opening the drink opening.   
     
     
         97 . The lid of  claim 96 , further including a trigger connected to the lid housing and operable to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position when the lock is in the second position, movement of the trigger in an actuation direction resulting in the drink seal moving downward away the upper portion to position the drink seal in the opened position, and when the lock is in the first position, the lock preventing movement of the trigger in the actuation direction resulting in the drink seal not moving the drink seal downward away the upper portion to the opened position. 
     
     
         98 . The lid of  claim 97 , wherein the trigger is connected to the sidewall portion. 
     
     
         99 . The lid of  claim 97 , wherein the trigger extends into the lid cavity through an aperture in the sidewall portion. 
     
     
         100 . The lid of  claim 97 , wherein the actuation direction of the trigger is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the lid housing when the trigger is operated to move the drink seal from the closed position to the opened position. 
     
     
         101 . The lid of  claim 96 , further including a return member, which moves the drink seal upward toward the upper portion from the opened position to the closed position. 
     
     
         102 . The lid of  claim 96 , further including a spring biasing the drink seal upward into the closed position. 
     
     
         103 . The lid of  claim 96 , wherein the lock is rotatably attached to the upper portion at a location atop the upper portion for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the lid housing. 
     
     
         104 . The lid of  claim 96 , wherein the lock is rotatably attached to the lid housing. 
     
     
         105 . The lid of  claim 96 , wherein the upper portion has a top rim wall portion extending thereabout and defining a drink well, the drink opening being position