Spill-Proof Cup Closure With Diaphragm Valve for Natural Drinking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional non-spill drinking cups for children do not mimic the drinking technique of ordinary cups, making it difficult for children to transition to drinking from a conventional cup, and often lack spill-proof features when not in use.
Innovation Solution
A closure assembly for a drinking cup featuring an annular body with a deformable diaphragm and a biasing member that allows fluid to flow when pressure is applied by the user's lips, mimicking the action of drinking from an ordinary cup while maintaining spill-proof functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a valve mechanism requiring suction to open is used, then spill-proof performance is improved, but the drinking technique does not mimic conventional cups
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring suction (negative pressure) to open the valve, the invention inverts the mechanism so that normal atmospheric pressure during tipping opens the valve. The sealing element is biased closed but opens passively when the cup is tilted, eliminating the need for suction while maintaining spill-proof performance when upright.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve mechanism automatically opens when the cup is tipped at a normal drinking angle and automatically closes when upright, without requiring any active user action beyond the natural tipping motion. The biasing member provides automatic reset, making the system self-regulating based on cup orientation.
2Reliability
If a manually operable lid is used, then spill-proof performance is improved, but children lack the strength or ability to manipulate it
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element automatically opens and closes based on cup orientation without requiring manual manipulation. The biasing member provides the force needed to reset the sealing element to the closed position, eliminating the need for children to manually operate a lid while maintaining spill-proof performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the manual mechanical lid operation with a passive mechanical system using elastic biasing and gravity. The sealing element responds automatically to changes in cup orientation, substituting complex manual manipulation with simple elastic-mechanical response.
3Reliability
If a sealing element requiring suction to open is used, then spill-proof performance is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex suction-actuated valve mechanism and replaces it with a simple biasing member and sealing element arrangement. The valve opens passively through normal tipping motion and closes automatically through the biasing force, eliminating complex actuation mechanisms while maintaining spill-proof performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operating parameter from requiring suction (negative pressure differential) to responding to gravitational force and atmospheric pressure during normal tipping. This parameter change simplifies the mechanism by eliminating the need for active suction generation while maintaining reliable spill-proof performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables children to learn how to drink from a conventional cup without generating pressure, while ensuring spill-proof performance by using a deformable diaphragm and biasing member that opens the valve with normal drinking action, allowing fluid to flow and closing when pressure is removed.
Implementation Method 1
the sealing element being biased into a rest position in which it is urged against said inner side of the closure member to block said apertures
Implementation Method 2
the arrangement being such that the sealing element is moved out of said rest position to allow liquid to flow through said apertures and out of the vessel when pressure sufficient to overcome said bias is applied to the actuator
Data Source
AI summary
A closure assembly for a drinking cup includes an annular body, with a rim for drinking, mountable to a cup. A closure member, having apertures, is disposed within the body and extends across the cup. A sealing element, on an inner side of the closure member, and an actuator, on the opposite side of the closure member, are coupled to each other with the sealing element biased into a rest position in which it is urged against the inner side of the closure member to block the apertures and prevent liquid flow therethrough. The sealing element moves out of the rest position to allow liquid flow through the apertures when pressure sufficient to overcome the bias is applied to the actuator. The closure member includes a diaphragm that is integrally formed with a biasing member to bias the sealing element into the rest position.