Fluid vessel closure device

Abstract

A closure device attachable to a fluid vessel, the closure device comprising a fluid passage and a valve comprising a valve member. The valve member is moveable between an open position and a closed position wherein fluid can exit an attached fluid vessel in the open position and is prevented from exiting an attached fluid vessel in the closed position. The closure device is moveable between a first and second configuration. The fluid passage is obstructed by the valve member to prevent fluid from exiting an attached fluid vessel when the closure device is in a first configuration. In the second configuration, the valve is moveable between the open and the closed position.

1 . A closure device attachable to a fluid vessel, the closure device comprising:
 a valve comprising a valve member, the valve member moveable between an open position and a closed position wherein fluid can exit an attached fluid vessel in the open position and is prevented from exiting an attached fluid vessel in the closed position; and   a fluid passage in fluid communication with the valve;   
       wherein, the closure device is moveable between first and second configurations, wherein:
 in the first configuration, the fluid passage is obstructed by the valve member to prevent fluid from exiting an attached fluid vessel; and 
 in the second configuration, the valve member is moveable between the open and closed positions. 
 
     
     
         2 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first configuration is a locked configuration and the second configuration is an unlocked configuration, wherein the closure device is configured to prevent the valve member from movement into the open position when the closure device is in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the closure device further comprises:
 a base unit; and 
 a rim element; 
 
       wherein the base unit seats the valve member and the rim element and wherein the fluid passage extends through the base unit and the rim element. 
     
     
         4 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the rim element is moveable relative to the base unit, and the closure device is moveable between the first configuration and the second configuration via movement of the rim element relative to the base unit. 
     
     
         5 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein:
 the base unit and rim element are ring-shaped, and   the fluid passage is formed at least in part by the void space of the base unit and rim element.   
     
     
         6 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 4  or  claim 5 , wherein the base unit is disposed within the rim element and arranged to permit rotational movement of the rim element around the base unit. 
     
     
         7 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the rim element and base unit are disposed so as to be relatively rotatable by at least 30° to move the closure device between the first configuration and the second configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The closure device as claimed in any one of  claims 4  to  7 , wherein:
 the rim element comprises one or more bosses; 
 the base unit comprises one or more tracks; and 
 the one or more bosses of the rim element are located inside the one or more tracks of the base unit to guide movement of the rim element relative to the base unit when the closure device is moved between the first configuration and the second configuration. 
 
     
     
         9 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein:
 each of the one or more tracks comprise a first terminus and a second terminus; and   at least one of the one or more bosses rests at the first terminus of the one or more tracks when the closure device is in the first configuration and at the second terminus when the closure device is in the second configuration.   
     
     
         10 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the one or more tracks comprise one or more notches in proximity to at least one of the first terminus and the second terminus, wherein the one or more notches are each configured to bias the one or more bosses to rest at the first or second terminus. 
     
     
         11 . The closure device as claimed in any one of  claims 8  to  10 , wherein the one or more tracks are angled such that the rim element and base unit are closer together when the closure device is in the first configuration than when the closure device is in the second configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The closure device as claimed in any one of  claims 8  to  11 , wherein:
 the base unit is ring-shaped, and 
 the base unit comprises three tracks arranged at equally circumferentially spaced intervals around one or more inner surfaces of the base unit. 
 
     
     
         13 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the rim element comprises three bosses arranged to each rest inside a different one of the three tracks when the closure device is in use. 
     
     
         14 . The closure device as claimed in any one of  claims 3  to  13 , wherein the valve member is retained between the base unit and the rim element. 
     
     
         15 . The closure device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the valve is a bistable valve. 
     
     
         16 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the closure device comprises one or more biasing elements configured to bias the valve member towards one of the open position or the closed position. 
     
     
         17 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein:
 the one or more biasing elements are magnets; and   the valve member comprises one or more magnets.   
     
     
         18 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the rim element comprises at least one of the one or more biasing elements, wherein the said biasing element is configured to bias the valve towards the closed position in preference to the open position. 
     
     
         19 . The closure device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the valve member is discoidal in shape. 
     
     
         20 . The closure device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the closure device comprises one or more helical thread portions for attaching the closure device to the fluid vessel. 
     
     
         21 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the closure device is configured such that the movement required to attach the closure device to a fluid vessel using the one or more helical thread portions is at least partly the same as the movement required to move the closure device from the second configuration to the first configuration. 
     
     
         22 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 20  or  21 , wherein the closure device comprises one or more ramps positioned on adjacent to one or more ridges of the one or more helical thread portions. 
     
     
         23 . The closure device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the closure device comprises one or more sealing elements. 
     
     
         24 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the one or more sealing elements are located in regions of interaction between components of the closure device to prevent the passage of fluid through the closure device that bypasses the fluid passage. 
     
     
         25 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 23  or  24 , wherein at least one of the one or more sealing elements at least partly form one or more helical thread portions present on the closure device 
     
     
         26 . The closure device as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the fluid passage extends around the valve member when the closure device is in an open position 
     
     
         27 . A fluid vessel attached to a closure device as claimed in any preceding claim. 
     
     
         28 . A fluid vessel attached to a closure device according to  claim 27 , wherein the fluid vessel is a drinking cup. 
     
     
         29 . A fluid vessel attached to a closure device according to  claim 27  or  28 , wherein the fluid vessel comprises a reinforced lip positioned around an opening in the fluid vessel, the reinforced lip configured such that the closure device at least partly rests on the reinforced lip when the closure device and fluid vessel are attached. 
     
     
         30 . A fluid vessel attached to a closure device according to  claim 23  or  24 , wherein:
 the closure device comprises one or more guide protrusions; and 
 the fluid vessel comprises an internal lip; 
 
       wherein the one or more guide protrusions are configured to interact with the internal lip to align and retain the closure device in the fluid vessel when attached.