Drinking vessel and lid for a drinking vessel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drinking cups with valves or straws either complicate manufacturing, are difficult to clean, or fail to adequately prevent spillage while not replicating the experience of drinking from an open cup, and may hinder oral development in children or be uncomfortable for adults with reduced mobility.
Innovation Solution
A lid design for drinking vessels featuring a rim with a valve that maintains fluid communication with the base, allowing drinking by suction from the rim without tilting the vessel, which reduces spillage and emulates the experience of an open cup, while being adaptable for various valve designs and configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a valve arrangement is provided in the cup to prevent liquid from flowing out, then spillage is prevented, but the device becomes more complex and difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the valve mechanism from the cup body and relocates it to the lid. The valve is formed as an integral part of the lid structure, specifically as a raised portion that cooperates with a sealing surface on the cup. This separation simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining spillage prevention functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve structure is merged with the lid by forming the valve as an integral raised portion of the lid. This integration eliminates separate valve components, reducing manufacturing steps and device complexity while maintaining the spillage prevention function through the cooperative sealing between the valve raised portion and lid sealing surface.
2Reliability
If a spout or straw is provided in the cup, then spillage is reduced, but oral development in children is inhibited and adults feel uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The invention provides spillage protection through a localized valve mechanism at the drinking interface rather than forcing the user to drink through a straw or spout. The valve is positioned exactly where the user contacts the liquid, allowing natural drinking posture and oral development while preventing spillage through the valve's controlled opening mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve acts as an intermediary between the user and the liquid. Instead of requiring the user to adapt to a straw or spout, the valve mediates the liquid flow in response to user suction, allowing natural drinking behavior while controlling spillage. The valve opens in response to negative pressure from the user's suction and closes when suction stops.
3Adaptability or versatility
If drinking openings are provided around the periphery of the cup lid, then drinking from any location is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lid sealing surface serves multiple functions: it provides the sealing surface for the valve mechanism and simultaneously acts as the drinking interface for the user. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate peripheral drinking openings while maintaining the ability to drink from any location around the lid's periphery.
Solution Approach 2:
The drinking interface and valve sealing surface are merged into a single structure - the lid sealing surface. This integration eliminates the need for separate peripheral openings and valve arrangements, reducing device complexity while maintaining the versatility of drinking from any location around the lid.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the cup is designed with a 360 degree valve around the rim, then drinking from any location is enabled, but manufacturing complexity and cleaning difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The 360-degree valve functionality is achieved by merging the valve sealing surface with the lid structure. The raised valve portion and sealing surface are formed as integral parts of the lid, eliminating the need for separate 360-degree valve components. This integration significantly simplifies manufacturing while maintaining the ability to drink from any location around the rim.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex 360-degree valve mechanism is extracted from the cup rim and relocated to the lid. By forming the valve as an integral part of the lid rather than attaching it to the cup rim, the manufacturing process is simplified and cleaning becomes easier as there are fewer separate parts and attachment points.
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
The design allows for spillage reduction without tilting, facilitating oral development in children and maintaining user convenience for adults, enabling horizontal drinking and preventing spillage without the need for straws or complex 360-degree valves.
Implementation Method 1
a valve actuated by suction may then be provided inside the lid, which responds to suction applied to any of the drinking openings
Implementation Method 2
a liquid drink in the drinking vessel base is maintained in fluid communication with the valve when the lid and valve are positioned above the drinking vessel base
Data Source
AI summary
A drinking vessel, and a lid for a drinking vessel are provided, The lid has a rim from which a user can drink with a valve formed at the rim. A fluid coupling extends from the valve to the base of the drinking vessel. Drinking is by sucking from the rim of the lid. The fluid coupling ensures that the cup does not have to be tipped (to bring the liquid in contact with the rim) as is the case for a conventional cup with a so-called 360 degree drinking valve.