Drink container and leak proof plug lid for use therewith

Abstract

A drink container and three position plug lid for use therewith. The lid includes a tubular seal with a flexible perimeter seal wall attached between upper and lower seal carriers, a lifter member attached to the lower seal carrier and a cam member to control movement of the lower seal carrier relative to the upper seal carrier and thereby laterally flex and axially move the perimeter seal wall and move the lid between closed and opened positions where the lid is retained within the drink container against removal, and a removal position permitting removal of the lid for washing the lid and drink container.

1 .- 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A drink container, comprising:
 a container body having an inner body portion defining an interior fluid passageway with an upper end opening; and   a lid sized to permit insertion into and removal from the fluid passageway through the upper end opening, the lid having:
 an upper member positioned within the fluid passageway, the upper member having a drink dispensing aperture; 
 a lower member positioned within the fluid passageway in position below the upper member; 
 a seal having a flexible perimeter seal wall, the seal having an upper end portion attached to the upper member and a lower end portion attached to the lower member; and 
 an actuator member movable to first and second operational positions, as the actuator member is moved to the first operational position, the actuator member moves the lower member to a first position below the upper member and sufficiently flexes the perimeter seal wall so that the perimeter seal wall moves laterally outward into fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion to prevent drink in the container body below the upper member from being dispensed through the drink dispensing aperture when the container body is tilted, and as the actuator member is moved to the second operational position, the actuator member moves the lower member to a second position below the upper member and sufficiently flexes the perimeter seal wall so that the perimeter seal wall moves laterally outward into engagement with the inner body portion to inhibit removal of the lid from the fluid passageway if moved upward toward the upper end opening, but not sufficiently laterally outward to place the perimeter seal wall in fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion and allowing drink in the container body below the upper member to be dispensed through the drink dispensing aperture when the container body is tilted, the lower member being positioned farther below the upper member when in the second position than in the first position. 
   
     
     
         38 . The drink container of  claim 37 , wherein the actuator member is movable to a third operational position, and as the actuator member is moved to the third operational position, the actuator member moves the lower member to a third position below the upper member whereat the perimeter seal wall is positioned out of fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion and not sufficiently flexed to prevent removal of the lid from the fluid passageway, the lower member being positioned farther below the upper member when in the third position than in the first and second positions. 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A lid for use with a drink container body having an inner body portion defining an interior fluid passageway with an upper end opening, comprising:
 an upper seal carrier positionable within the fluid passageway, the upper seal carrier having a drink dispensing aperture;   a lower seal carrier positionable within the fluid passageway in position below the upper seal carrier;   a seal having a flexible perimeter seal wall, the seal having an upper end portion attached to the upper seal carrier and a lower end portion attached to the lower seal carrier; and   an actuator member, when the lid is positioned in the fluid passageway, movable to first and second operational positions, as the actuator member is moved to the first operational position, the actuator member moves the lower seal carrier to a first position below the upper seal carrier and sufficiently flexes the perimeter seal wall so that the perimeter seal wall moves laterally outward into fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion to prevent drink in the container body below the upper seal carrier from being dispensed through the drink dispensing aperture when the container body is tilted, and as the actuator member is moved to the second operational position, the actuator member moves the lower seal carrier to a second position below the upper seal carrier and sufficiently flexes the perimeter seal wall so that the perimeter seal wall moves laterally outward into engagement with the inner body portion to inhibit removal of the lid from the fluid passageway if moved upward toward the upper end opening, but not sufficiently laterally outward to place the perimeter seal wall in fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion and allowing drink in the container body below the upper seal carrier to be dispensed through the drink dispensing aperture when the container body is tilted, the lower seal carrier being positioned farther below the upper seal carrier when in the second position than in the first position.   
     
     
         42 . The lid of  claim 41 , wherein the actuator member is movable to a third operational position, and as the actuator member is moved to the third operational position, the actuator member moves the lower seal carrier to a third position below the upper seal carrier whereat when the lid is positioned in the fluid passageway the perimeter seal wall is positioned out of fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion and not sufficiently flexed to prevent removal of the lid from the fluid passageway, the lower seal carrier being positioned farther below the upper seal carrier when in the third position than in the first and second positions. 
     
     
         43 . A lid for use with a drink container body having an inner body portion defining an interior fluid passageway with an upper end opening, comprising:
 an upper member positionable within the fluid passageway, the upper member having a drink dispensing aperture;   a lower member positionable within the fluid passageway in position below the upper member;   a seal having a flexible perimeter seal wall, the seal having an upper end portion attached to the upper member and a lower end portion attached to the lower member; and   an actuator member, when the lid is positioned in the fluid passageway, movable to first and second operational positions, and operable to control the spacing between the upper and lower members, when the actuator member is moved to the first operational position, the actuator member positions the upper and lower members in first spaced apart positions with the perimeter seal wall sufficiently flexed so that the perimeter seal wall is in fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion to prevent drink in the container body below the upper member from being dispensed through the drink dispensing aperture when the container body is tilted, and when the actuator member is moved to the second operational position, the actuator member positions the upper and lower members in second spaced apart positions with the perimeter seal wall sufficiently flexed so that the perimeter seal wall is in position to engage the inner body portion to inhibit removal of the lid from the fluid passageway if moved upward toward the upper end opening, but not sufficiently flexed that the perimeter seal wall is in fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion and allowing drink in the container body below the upper member to be dispensed through the drink dispensing aperture when the container body is tilted, the spacing between the upper and lower members when in the second spaced apart positions is greater than when in the first spaced apart positions.   
     
     
         44 . The lid of  claim 43 , wherein the actuator member is movable to a third operational position, when the actuator member is moved to the third operational position, the actuator member positions the upper and lower members in third spaced apart positions with the perimeter seal wall out of fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion and not sufficiently flexed to prevent removal of the lid from the fluid passageway when the lid is positioned in the fluid passageway, the spacing between the upper and lower members when in the third spaced apart positions is greater than when in the first and second spaced apart positions. 
     
     
         45 .- 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . A drink container, comprising:
 a container body having an inner body portion defining an interior fluid passageway with an upper end opening; and   a lid sized to permit insertion into and removal from the fluid passageway through the upper end opening, the lid having:
 an upper member positioned within the fluid passageway, the upper member having a drink dispensing aperture; 
 a lower member positioned within the fluid passageway in position below the upper member; 
 a seal having a flexible perimeter seal wall, the seal having an upper end portion attached to the upper member and a lower end portion attached to the lower member; and 
 an actuator member movable to first and second operational positions, as the actuator member is moved to the first operational position, the actuator member moves the lower member to a first position below the upper member and sufficiently flexes the perimeter seal wall so that the perimeter seal wall moves laterally outward into fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion to prevent drink in the container body below the upper member from being dispensed through the drink dispensing aperture when the container body is tilted, and as the actuator member is moved to the second operational position, the actuator member moves the lower member to a second position below the upper member and sufficiently flexes the perimeter seal wall so that the perimeter seal wall moves laterally outward into engagement with the inner body portion to inhibit removal of the lid from the fluid passageway if moved upward toward the upper end opening, but not sufficiently laterally outward to place the perimeter seal wall in fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion, the lower member being positioned farther below the upper member when in the second position than in the first position. 
   
     
     
         49 . A lid for use with a drink container body having an inner body portion defining an interior fluid passageway with an upper end opening, comprising:
 an upper member positionable within the fluid passageway, the upper member having a drink dispensing aperture;   a lower member positionable within the fluid passageway in position below the upper member;   a seal having a flexible perimeter seal wall, the seal having an upper end portion attached to the upper member and a lower end portion attached to the lower member; and   an actuator member, when the lid is positioned in the fluid passageway, movable to first and second operational positions, and operable to control the spacing between the upper and lower members, when the actuator member is moved to the first operational position, the actuator member positions the upper and lower members in first spaced apart positions with the perimeter seal wall sufficiently flexed so that the perimeter seal wall is in fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion when the lid is positioned in the fluid passageway to prevent drink in the container body below the upper member from being dispensed through the drink dispensing aperture when the container body is tilted, and when the actuator member is moved to the second operational position, the actuator member positions the upper and lower members in second spaced apart positions with the perimeter seal wall sufficiently flexed so that the perimeter seal wall is in position to engage the inner body portion to inhibit removal of the lid from the fluid passageway if moved upward toward the upper end opening, but not sufficiently flexed that the perimeter seal wall is in fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion, the spacing between the upper and lower members when in the second spaced apart positions is greater than when in the first spaced apart positions.   
     
     
         50 . The lid of  claim 49 , wherein when the actuator member is moved to the second operational position to position the upper and lower members in the second spaced apart positions to inhibit removal of the lid from the fluid passageway if moved upward toward the upper end opening, the perimeter seal wall is positioned to allow drink in the container body below the upper member to be dispensed through the drink dispensing aperture when the container body is tilted. 
     
     
         51 . The lid of  claim 49 , wherein the actuator member is movable to a third operational position, when the actuator member is moved to the third operational position, the actuator member positions the upper and lower members in third spaced apart positions with the perimeter seal wall out of fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion and not sufficiently flexed to prevent removal of the lid from the fluid passageway when the lid is positioned in the fluid passageway, the spacing between the upper and lower members when in the third spaced apart positions is greater than when in the first and second spaced apart positions. 
     
     
         52 . A lid for use with a drink container body having an inner body portion defining an interior fluid passageway with an upper end opening, comprising:
 a first seal carrier positionable within the fluid passageway;   a second seal carrier positionable within the fluid passageway, at least one of the first and second seal carriers having a drink dispensing aperture;   a seal having a flexible perimeter seal wall, the seal having a first end portion attached to the first seal carrier and a second end portion attached to the second seal carrier; and   an actuator member operatively connected to at least one of the first and second seal carriers to flex the perimeter seal wall, as the actuator member is moved to a first actuator position the perimeter seal wall is sufficiently flexed to be in fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion when the lid is positioned in the fluid passageway such that drink in the inner body portion is prevented from being dispensed through the drink dispensing aperture when the container is tilted, and as the actuator member is moved to a second actuator position the perimeter seal wall is sufficiently flexed to be in engagement with the inner body portion when the lid is posiitoned in the fluid passageway to inhibit removal of the lid from the fluid passageway if moved upward toward the upper end opening, but not sufficiently flexed to place the perimeter seal wall in fluid-tight engagement with the inner body portion.   
     
     
         53 . The lid of  claim 52 , wherein when the actuator member is moved to the second actuator position to inhibit removal of the lid from the fluid passageway if moved upward toward the upper end opening, the perimeter seal wall is positioned to allow drink in the inner body portion to be dispensed through the drink dispensing aperture when the container is tilted. 
     
     
         54 . The lid of  claim 52 , wherein the actuator member is movable to a third actuator position, when the actuator member is moved to the third operational position, the perimeter seal wall is out of fluid-tight sealing engagement with the inner body portion and not sufficiently flexed to prevent removal of the lid from the fluid passageway when the lid is positioned in the fluid passageway. 
     
     
         55 . The lid of  claim 52 , wherein the drink dispensing aperture is an inwardly recessed region at the perimeter of at least one of the first and second seal carriers. 
     
     
         56 . The lid of  claim 52 , wherein the perimeter seal wall has a hollow interior space located within the perimeter seal wall, the interior space spanning at least  50 % of the interior cross-sectional area of the fluid passageway. 
     
     
         57 . The lid of  claims 52 , wherein the perimeter seal wall has a hollow interior space located within the perimeter seal wall, the interior space spanning at least  93 % of the interior cross-sectional area of the fluid passageway.