NOZZLE FOR WATER BOTTLE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/662,846, filed Jun. 21, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

[0002]The present disclosure relates generally to the field of water bottles commonly used for athletes (e.g., cyclists, hockey players, football player, or the like) for rehydration, and specifically to nozzles for the water bottles.

[0003]Water bottles are commonly used by athletes and others to hold and dispense liquids, such as water and sports drinks. Water bottles commonly include a body, a cap, and a valve that is movable relative to the cap between open and closed positions. In the open position, liquid can be dispensed from the bottle, and in the closed position, liquid is inhibited from being dispensed from the bottle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water bottle according to one example, including a body, a cap, and a nozzle.

[0005]FIG. 2 is a perspective, exploded view of the cap and nozzle of the water bottle of FIG. 1.

[0006]FIG. 3 is a perspective bottom view of the cap of the water bottle of FIG. 1, illustrating base inlet ports in a support structure of the lid.

[0007]FIG. 4 is a perspective top view of the cap of the water bottle of FIG. 1, illustrating stop surfaces in the support structure of the lid.

[0008]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the nozzle of the water bottle of FIG. 1, illustrating a second set of inlet ports in the nozzle.

[0009]FIG. 6 is a front view of the nozzle of the water bottle of FIG. 1.

[0010]FIG. 7 is a perspective bottom view of the cap and the nozzle of the water bottle of FIG. 1, illustrating the valve of the nozzle in an open position.

[0011]FIG. 8 is a perspective bottom view of the cap and the nozzle of the water bottle of FIG. 1, illustrating the valve of the nozzle in a closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012]Before any constructions of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The disclosure is capable of supporting other constructions and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

[0013]According to an exemplary embodiment, a liquid-dispensing container may include a housing having a body adapted to hold a liquid and a cap coupled to the body. The cap may include a support structure defining a receiving aperture and a base inlet port. The liquid-dispensing container may include a nozzle rotatably supported within the receiving aperture and rotatable about an axis defined by the receiving aperture. The nozzle may include a base portion having a valve having an inlet port. The nozzle may be rotated between an open position where the inlet port is substantially aligned and overlaps with the base inlet port to permit flow of fluid therethrough and a closed position where the inlet port is misaligned with the base inlet port to inhibit flow of fluid therethrough. The nozzle may also include a body portion extending from the base portion and defining an outlet, the body portion having at least one flat side configured to be grasped to rotate the nozzle between the open position and the closed position.

[0014]According to another exemplary embodiment, a liquid-dispensing container may include a housing having a body adapted to hold a liquid and a cap coupled to the body. The cap may have a support structure defining a receiving aperture and a base inlet port. The liquid-dispensing container may include a nozzle rotatably supported within the receiving aperture and rotatable about an axis defined by the receiving aperture. The nozzle may include a base portion having a valve having an inlet port. The nozzle may be rotated between an open position where the inlet port is substantially aligned and overlaps with the base inlet port to permit flow of fluid therethrough and a closed position where the inlet port is misaligned with the base inlet port to inhibit flow of fluid therethrough. The nozzle may include a body portion extending from the base portion and defining an outlet. The liquid-dispensing container may include a seal coupled to the base portion of the nozzle proximate the inlet port, the seal having a first portion extending circumferentially around the nozzle and an undulating portion extending from the first portion around the inlet port.

[0015]According to another exemplary embodiment, a liquid-dispensing container may include a housing having a body adapted to hold a liquid and a cap coupled to the body. The cap may have a support structure defining a receiving aperture and a base inlet port. The liquid-dispensing container may include a nozzle rotatably supported within the receiving aperture and rotatable about an axis defined by the receiving aperture. The nozzle may include a base portion having a valve having an inlet port. The nozzle may be rotated between an open position where the inlet port is substantially aligned and overlaps with the base inlet port to permit flow of fluid therethrough and a closed position where the inlet port is misaligned with the base inlet port to inhibit flow of fluid therethrough. The nozzle may include a body portion extending from the base portion and defining an outlet. The body portion may have at least one flat side configured to be grasped to rotate the nozzle between the open position and the closed position. The liquid-dispensing container may include a seal coupled to the base portion of the nozzle proximate the inlet port. The seal may include a first portion extending circumferentially around the nozzle and an undulating portion extending from the first portion around the inlet port. The nozzle may include a first portion defining a structure of the nozzle and a second portion overmolded onto the first portion.

[0016]FIG. 1 illustrates a liquid-dispensing container 100. The liquid-dispensing container 100 may include a housing 114 and a nozzle 118. The housing 114 may include a body 122 adapted to hold a liquid (e.g., water, sport drink, etc.), and a cap 126 coupled to the body 122. In the illustrated example, the cap 126 is threaded onto the body 122 by a plurality of threads 128 (FIG. 3). In other examples, the cap 126 may couple to the body 122 in other ways (e.g., via a friction fit). Also in the illustrated example, the nozzle 118 is coupled to the housing 114. In other examples, the nozzle 118 may be monolithic with the housing 114 (e.g., the cap 126).

[0017]With reference to FIG. 2, the cap 126 may include a support structure 130. The support structure 130 may define a receiving aperture 134 sized to receive the nozzle 118. The receiving aperture 134 may define a receiving axis 138 at its axial center, and the cap 126 may define a central axis 142 at its axial center. The receiving axis 138 may be offset from (e.g., radially offset from) the central axis 142. As described in more detail below, the nozzle 118 may be rotatably supported within the support structure 130 and may be rotatable about the receiving axis 138 between an open position and a closed position. However, in other examples, the nozzle 118 can be fixedly supported within the support structure 130 and/or fixed relative to the receiving axis 138 such that the nozzle 118 does not rotate (e.g., when the nozzle 118 and the housing 114 are monolithic). Positioning the receiving axis 138 to be offset from (e.g., radially offset from) the central axis 142 can facilitate emptying of the liquid-dispensing container 100 and prevent or mitigate its contents from welling up below the nozzle 118 when the liquid-dispensing container is tilted from an upright position toward an inverted position.

[0018]With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the support structure 130 may include a wall 146 (e.g., circumferential wall) extending downward from an internal wall 150 of the cap 126. The wall 146 may include a pair of base inlet ports 154a, 154b defined therein (FIG. 3). In some examples, the wall 146 may include a single base inlet port 154a, 154b, or more than two base inlet ports (e.g., three, four, etc.).

[0019]As illustrated in FIG. 4, the support structure 130 may include one or more stop surfaces 158a, 158b extending radially inward from the wall 146. The stop surfaces 158a, 158b may be positioned above the base inlet ports 154a, 154b. In some examples, the stop surfaces 158a, 158b may be positioned above the internal wall 150 of the cap 126.

[0020]With reference to FIG. 2, in some examples the nozzle 118 may include a first portion 166. Further, the nozzle 118 may include a second portion 170 overmolded onto the first portion 166. The first portion 166 may be formed of rigid material such as a glass-filled-nylon substrate, or other suitable material. The second portion 170 may be formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material such as TPSiV®, a thermoplastic elastomer sold by DuPont de Nemours. or other suitable material. The second portion 170 of the nozzle 118 may be overmolded, for example, over a majority of an outer surface of the first portion 166 of the nozzle 118. In some examples, more than 75 percent of the outer surface of the first portion 166 may be covered by the second, overmolded portion 170. In yet other examples, the second portion 170 may be omitted.

[0021]With reference to FIGS. 5-8, the nozzle 118 may include a base portion 172 (FIG. 6) having a valve 174 defined therein and a body portion 176 (FIG. 6) extending (e.g., upwardly) from the base portion 172. In the illustrated example, the valve 174 is a barrel valve, although other examples may include other types of valves.

[0022]With continued reference to FIGS. 5-8, the valve 174 may include a pair of inlet ports 178a, 178b in communication with an outlet 180 of the nozzle 118 (e.g., at an upper end of the nozzle 118). In some examples, the inlet ports 178a, 178b may be circumferentially offset (e.g., circumferentially offset 180 degrees) from each other. The nozzle 118 may further include a pair of protrusions 162a, 162b circumferentially offset from the pair of inlet ports 178a, 178b. The protrusions 162a, 162b, may engage the stop surfaces 158a, 158b (FIG. 4) to restrict movement of the nozzle 118 between the closed position and the open position. For example, the protrusions 162a, 162b may be positioned above the inlet ports 178a, 178b at a position between the inlet ports 178a, 178b.

[0023]The arrangement of the protrusions 162a, 162b and the stop surfaces 158a, 158b may permit 90 degrees of rotation of nozzle 118 relative to the support structure 130 (or other desired ranges of rotation), such that the inlet ports 178a, 178b may selectively align or misalign with the base inlet ports 154a, 154b of the support structure 130 to selectively position the nozzle 118 in the closed or the open position.

[0024]With continued reference to FIGS. 5-8, the base portion 172 of the nozzle 118 may further include a securing structure 182 that engages with the wall 146 of the support structure 130 to secure the nozzle 118 within the support structure 130 (FIG. 7). For example, the securing structure 182 may include a groove 186 that engages the wall 146 and a raised portion 190 that extends axially beyond the wall 146 (FIG. 7) to restrict movement of the nozzle 118 along the receiving axis 138. The arrangement of the securing structure 182 may allow the nozzle 118 to be press-fit into the support structure 130. In some examples, the nozzle 118 may be removed from the support structure 130 by grasping the body portion 176 and pulling the nozzle 118 along the receiving axis 138.

[0025]With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, in some examples a seal 194 may be coupled to the nozzle 118 proximate the inlet ports 178a, 178b. The seal 194 may be selectively engaged with the wall 146 of the support structure 130 to inhibit flow of fluid through the inlet ports 178a, 178b and thereby close the valve 174 when the nozzle 118 is in the closed position (FIG. 8). The seal 194 may include a flat portion 198 extending (e.g., circumferentially) around the nozzle 118 and an undulating portion 202 extending from the flat portion 198 around the inlet ports 178a, 178b. In the illustrated example, the undulating portion 202 defines a generally U-shape around the inlet ports 178a, 178b (FIG. 5) and an inverse U-shape between the inlet ports 178a, 178b (FIG. 6). The combination of the flat and undulating portions 198, 202 surround the respective inlet ports 178a, 178b to prevent leakage of fluid from the container 100 when the nozzle 118 is in the closed position or the open position. For example, the flat portion can prevent fluid from leaking between the nozzle 118 and the housing 114 (e.g., the cap 126) regardless of the position of the nozzle 118, and the undulating portion 202 can prevent fluid from leaking through the inlet ports 178a, 178b (FIG. 6) and the nozzle 118 when the nozzle 118 is in the closed position. Further, implementing the undulating portion 202 with an undulating arrangement that transitions gradually away from the inlet ports 178a, 178b (FIG. 6) as the undulating portion 198 transitions toward the flat portion 198 may be advantageous to permit the nozzle 118 to be smoothly rotated between the open and closed positions while maintaining a seal preventing leakage of fluid from the container 100. In some examples, the seal 194 may be integrally formed with the second portion 170 of the nozzle 118 that is overmolded onto the first portion 166 (FIG. 2). Other examples may not include the seal 194 or may include a seal 194 having other shapes and sizes than that illustrated.

[0026]With reference to FIGS. 5-8, the body portion 176 of the nozzle 118 may include an outer surface having opposing flat sides 206a, 206b connected by curved segments 210a, 210b. The body portion 176 may include a first end defining the outlet 180 of the nozzle 118 and a second end adjacent the base portion 172. In some examples, the first end may be substantially oval, and the second end may be substantially round. The body portion 176 may be tapered from the first end to the second end. For example, the first end of the body portion 176 may have a first width W1 and the second end of the body portion 176 has a second width W2 that is greater than the first width W1. In the illustrated example, the first width W1 is approximately 16 millimeters (mm) and the second width is approximately 19 mm, although other examples may include other values or ranges of values. With continued reference to FIG. 6, the body portion 176 of the nozzle 118 may further have a length L defined between the first and second ends. In the illustrated example, the length L is approximately 60 mm, although other examples may include other values or ranges of values. In some examples, a ratio of the length L of the body portion 176 of the nozzle 118 to the width W1 of the body portion 176 adjacent the outlet 180 is approximately 3.75. In some examples, the ratio of the length L to the first width W1 is in a range from 2 to 5. In some examples, the ratio is greater than 3.

[0027]The tapered design of the body portion 176 and the ratio of the length L1 of the body portion 176 to the first width W1 of the body portion 176 may allow the nozzle 118 to be inserted easily through cages or the like (e.g., on a helmet) when the user is rehydrating. In the examples, the nozzle 118 may advantageously permit the user to rehydrate without needing to remove a helmet. In addition, the combination of the flat sides 206a, 206b of the body portion 176 and the increased width of the body portion 176 adjacent the second end (e.g., W2) may provide a surface for the user to grasp when rotating the nozzle 118 about the receiving axis 138 between the open and closed positions.

[0028]With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the valve 174 of the nozzle 118 is illustrated in the open position of the nozzle 118 (FIG. 7) and in the closed position of the nozzle 118 (FIG. 8). In the illustrated example, the nozzle 118 may be rotated about the receiving axis 138 (FIG. 2) between the opened position and the closed position. Rotation of the nozzle 118 may cause the inlet ports 178a, 178b to rotate relative to the base inlet ports 154a, 154b of the cap 126. As described above, the valve 174 may be in the closed position of the nozzle 118 (FIG. 8) when the inlet ports 178a, 178b are misaligned with the base inlet ports 154a, 154b. As such, fluid from the body 122 may be inhibited from flowing through the nozzle 118. The valve 174 may be in the opened position of the nozzle 118 (FIG. 7) when the nozzle 118 is rotated to a position where the inlet ports 178a, 178b are substantially aligned and overlap with the base inlet ports 154a, 154b. As such, fluid may flow through the nozzle 118.

[0029]In the illustrated example, the nozzle 118 is in the closed position when the inlet ports 178a, 178b are pivoted ninety (90) degrees relative to the base inlet ports 154a, 154b. Other examples may include different values or ranges of values (e.g., 80 degrees, 100 degrees).

[0030]Some of the examples may be further described by reference to the following numbered clauses:

[0036]Clause 2—The liquid-dispensing container of clause 1, wherein the opposing flat sides are connected by curved segments.

[0037]Clause 3—The liquid-dispensing container of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein the body portion of the nozzle comprises a first end defining the outlet of the nozzle and a second end adjacent the base portion, the body portion is tapered from the first end to the second end, and the first end of the body portion has a first width and the second end of the body portion has a second width that is greater than the first width.

[0038]Clause 4—The liquid-dispensing container of clause 3, wherein the body portion has a length defined between the first end and the second end, and wherein a ratio of the length of the body portion of the nozzle to the first width is greater than 3.

[0039]Clause 5—The liquid-dispensing container of any of the preceding clauses, further comprising a seal coupled to the base portion of the nozzle proximate the inlet port, and wherein the seal includes a flat portion extending radially around the nozzle and an undulating portion extending from the flat portion around the inlet port.

[0040]Clause 6—The liquid-dispensing container of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the nozzle includes a first portion defining a structure of the nozzle and a second portion overmolded onto the first portion.

[0041]Clause 7——The liquid-dispensing container of clause 6, wherein the first portion is formed of a rigid material and a second portion is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer.

[0042]Clause 8—The liquid-dispensing container of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support structure includes a wall extending downward from an internal wall of the cap and a stop surface radially extending from the wall, and the nozzle includes a protrusion configured selectively engage the stop surface to restrict movement of the nozzle between the closed position and the open position.

[0043]Clause 9—The liquid-dispensing container of clause 8, wherein the stop surface is positioned above the internal wall of the cap and the base inlet port.

[0044]Clause 10—The liquid-dispensing container of clause 8 or clause 9, wherein the protrusion is positioned above the inlet port.

[0051]Clause 12—The liquid-dispensing container of clause 11, wherein the body portion comprises opposing flat sides configured to be grasped to rotate the nozzle between the open position and the closed position.

[0052]Clause 13—The liquid-dispensing container of clause 11 or clause 12, wherein the nozzle includes a first portion defining a structure of the nozzle and a second portion overmolded onto the first portion.

[0053]Clause 14—The liquid-dispensing container of clause 13, wherein the first portion is formed of a rigid material and a second portion is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer.

[0054]Clause 15—The liquid-dispensing container of clause 13 or clause 14, wherein the seal is integrally formed with the second portion.

[0055]Clause 16—The liquid-dispensing container of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support structure includes a wall extending downward from an internal wall of the cap and a stop surface radially extending from the wall, and the nozzle includes a protrusion configured selectively engage the stop surface to restrict movement of the nozzle between the closed position and the open position.

[0056]Clause 17—The liquid-dispensing container of clause 16, wherein the stop surface is positioned above the internal wall of the cap and the base inlet port.

[0057]Clause 18—The liquid-dispensing container of clause 16 or clause 17, wherein the protrusion is positioned above the inlet port.

[0065]Clause 20—The liquid-dispensing container of clause 19, wherein the support structure includes a wall extending downward from an internal wall of the cap and a stop surface radially extending from the wall, the nozzle includes a protrusion configured selectively engage the stop surface to restrict movement of the nozzle between the closed position and the open position, the stop surface is positioned above the internal wall of the cap and the base inlet port, and the protrusion is positioned above the inlet port.

[0066]Various features and advantages of the disclosure are set forth in the following claims.