EP3236812B1 - Drinking vessel having a drinking valve - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a drinking container comprising a drinking vessel and a drinking attachment with a drinking valve. The drinking vessel can be designed in particular as a drinking bottle (feeding bottle, drinking cup or feeding bag) and the drinking attachment as a drinking aid (e.g. feeding spout or drinking beak) or as a drinking straw according to the European standard EN14350-1.

Drinking vessels have an interior and a vessel opening through which access to the interior is possible. Drinking attachments have a bottom wall, an annular flange surrounding the bottom wall for sealing attachment to the edge of the vessel opening by means of a fastening ring, and a drinking element protruding outside from the bottom wall. The fastening ring is connected in one piece to the ring flange or is a separate component which engages over the ring flange of the drinking attachment in order to hold it at the edge of the vessel opening. The drinking element has a drinking opening at the outer end, which is connected to the inside of the mouthpiece via a through-channel, so that liquid can flow out of the interior through the through-channel.

A drinking valve is integrated into the drinking element and opens when a vacuum is applied to the drinking opening. Furthermore, the bottom wall has a ventilation valve that opens when a negative pressure builds up in the drinking vessel. The valves are intended to prevent the drinking container from leaking and to allow the removal of liquid and a pressure equalization with the surroundings. The valves are often slotted valves with basic bodies made of silicone by injection molding, into which slots are subsequently made by means of knives or by tearing using special devices.

The drinking element is preferably a mouthpiece or a drinking straw. The mouthpiece, bottom wall, ring flange and possibly fastening ring are preferably formed in one piece from one or more plastics.

Known drinking vessels with a drinking straw have a tubular holder in the bottom wall, in which the drinking straw is inserted in a sealing manner. An upper section of the drinking straw protrudes above the top of the bottom wall and a lower section protrudes from the bottom of the bottom wall into the drinking vessel. The lower section is plugged together with a suction pipe that projects down to near the bottom of the vessel. The drinking straw can be sealed, for example, by bending and fixing the kinked drinking straw by means of a lid clamped onto the drinking attachment. Sealing by kinking the drinking straw is unsafe and susceptible to wear. Drinking straws with a slit valve have a partition that blocks the through-channel and into which slits are made by knife or by tearing. Drinking straws with a check valve are also known.

The production of the slit valves is complex. Furthermore, the edges of the slots lie against one another with only slight pressure and there is a risk that they are not spill-proof and open even with small pressure differences.

Because of the poor accessibility, the cleaning of the known drinking valves is difficult. Residual contamination can clog the drinking valves, make opening them difficult and lead to contamination of the drink.

WO03068036 (A1 ) discloses a drinking container with a drinking valve which is arranged inside the drinking container and closes it by means of a pin arranged in an opening.

Proceeding from this, the object of the invention is to create a drinking container which has more favorable manufacturing properties, securely seals and opens and can be cleaned more easily. The object is achieved by a drinking container with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the drinking container are specified in the subclaims.

The drinking container according to the invention comprises

• a drinking vessel with an interior,
• a drinking attachment with a bottom wall and an elongated drinking element, which protrudes upward from the bottom wall and has at least one drinking opening at the outer end, which is connected to the interior via a passage channel extending through the drinking element,
• Holding devices for releasably holding the drinking attachment on the drinking vessel,
• a drinking valve arranged in the through-channel, which closes when ambient pressure is present at the drinking opening and opens when a suction vacuum is present at the drinking opening, wherein
• the drinking valve comprises a tube which is open at the top and closed at the bottom and which has at least one flow opening with an outer edge in a wall, which connects the inside of the tube to the outside of the tube, the wall of the tube being designed as a flexible membrane at least in the region of the flow opening is and
• the tube is in contact with the outer edge of the flow opening in a sealing manner against the wall of the through-channel when ambient pressure is applied to the drinking opening and the membrane bulges inward when there is suction vacuum at the drinking opening, so that the outer edge of the through-flow opening moves away from the wall of the through-channel .

In the case of the drinking container according to the invention, the outer edge of the flow opening lies sealingly against the wall of the passage channel when ambient pressure is present the drinking opening. As a result, the drinking valve blocks the through-channel and prevents liquid from flowing out of the interior. If there is a suction vacuum at the drinking opening, the flexible membrane bulges slightly inwards so that the outer edge of the flow opening lifts off the wall of the through-channel. As a result, liquid can flow out of the interior through the through-channel, the drinking valve and the drinking opening. When suction is no longer at the drinking opening, the membrane returns to its starting position, in which the outer edge of the flow opening lies sealingly against the wall of the through-channel and the drinking valve prevents liquid from flowing out. It is advantageous that the tube can be produced by injection molding in only one work step and the drinking valve can be installed by simply inserting the tube into the through-channel. Furthermore, the drinking valve is easy to disassemble and easy to clean when disassembled, so that no beverage residues remain on the drinking valve. As a result, the drinking valve opens and closes reliably and contamination of the drink is avoided. The time-consuming, separate production of the slots of conventional slot valves, the time-consuming assembly of conventional check valves and the difficult and often unsatisfactory cleaning of conventional drinking valves are eliminated.

The outer edge of the through opening preferably bears against the wall of the through channel under prestress. For this purpose, the tube preferably has an oversize with respect to the through-channel.

According to one embodiment, the flow opening extends transversely through the side wall of the tube. In this embodiment, the outer edge of the flow opening lies against a wall of the through-channel surrounding the tube. Alternatively, the flow opening extends transversely through an end wall of the tube, which closes the tube at the lower end. In this embodiment, the outer edge of the flow opening lies on a floor of the through-channel, which has an outlet opening to the interior offset laterally to the outer edge of the flow opening.

According to a further embodiment, the tube has a depression in the wall and the membrane is the bottom of the depression. In this way, a stable or stiff tube can be realized, which is easily deformable in the area of the flexible membrane. Due to its stability, the tube is easier to assemble and disassemble and protects against damage than an overall soft-elastic tube. The depression is preferably located on the outside of the wall of the tube. The formation of the membrane by a recess in the outside of the wall has manufacturing advantages. In principle, however, the membrane can also be produced by a depression on the inside of the wall of the tube. According to a preferred embodiment, the depression is arranged in the side wall of the tube. The depression preferably has the geometric shape of a segment of a cylinder shell.

According to another embodiment, the tube as a whole is designed as a soft elastic membrane.

The membrane has, for example, a wall thickness in the range from 0.05 to 0.6 mm, preferably from 0.2 to 0.4 mm, preferably from 0.3 mm.

According to a further embodiment, a sealing bead or other sealing element which extends around the throughflow opening projects outwards from the outside of the membrane and, when ambient pressure is applied to the drinking opening, lies sealingly against the wall of the through-channel. Due to the outwardly projecting sealing element, the outer edge of the flow opening lies with high pressure on the wall of the through-channel and an improved sealing effect is achieved. Furthermore, the sealing element can be designed such that it protrudes beyond the depression from the outside of the tube in order to on a cylindrical wall of the through channel. Alternatively, the through-channel can be provided with a sealing element protruding inward from its wall, which lies against the outer edge of the flow opening when normal pressure is present at the drinking opening.

According to a further embodiment, a base protrudes outwards from the outside of the membrane, through which the flow opening extends, the base, when ambient pressure is applied to the drinking opening with the outer edge of the flow opening, sealingly against the wall of the through-channel and in the case of concerns a suction vacuum at the drinking opening from the wall of the passage channel. The base encourages even contact of the outer edge of the through opening with the wall of the through channel.

According to a further embodiment, the sealing element additionally protrudes from the outside of the base.

According to a further embodiment, the base is a solid, elongated element with a rectangular cross section that is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the tube. This configuration favors the sealing contact of the outer edge of the flow opening on the wall of the through-channel.

According to a further embodiment, the tube has at least one inflow channel on the outside, which extends from the membrane to the lower end of the tube. The inflow channel favors the inflow of liquid from the interior to the flow opening when sucking at the drinking opening.

In principle, the tube can have a plurality of flow openings, which are arranged, for example, at different positions on the circumference of the tube are. For reasons of stability of the tube, it can be advantageous for the tube to have only one flow opening on only one side, so that the membrane extends only over part of the circumference of the tube.

According to a further embodiment, the tube is made in one piece from a flexible material. The material of the tube is preferably polyurethane, silicone or a thermoplastic elastomer. The tube is preferably made by injection molding. Alternatively, the tube consists, for example, of a combination of soft and hard elastic materials. The tube can be produced, for example, in a two-component injection molding process, in which it is injection-molded in the area of the membrane from a soft-elastic plastic and, moreover, from a hard-elastic plastic.

According to a further embodiment, the drinking element is a drinking straw which is connected to the tube at the lower end and the tube is clamped in a suction tube which projects into the drinking vessel from the underside of the bottom wall, the outer edge being present when ambient pressure is present at the drinking opening the flow opening lies sealingly against the wall of the suction pipe and lifts off the wall of the suction pipe when suction vacuum is present at the drinking opening. In this embodiment, the drinking valve is formed in a drinking straw. The drinking straw is preferably formed in one piece with the tube. Alternatively, the tube is inserted into the lower end of the drinking straw or attached to it. The suction tube is in turn attached to the tube so that it forms the drinking valve together with it. The through-channel extends through the drinking straw, the tube and the suction tube. The suction pipe forms the wall of the through-channel, against which the outer edge of the flow opening lies sealingly.

According to a further embodiment, the tube has, at a distance from its lower end, an outwardly projecting edge up to which the suction tube is pushed onto the tube. The edge is a stop for the suction pipe, which facilitates the assembly of the drinking container.

According to a further embodiment, the tube above the membrane has at least one circumferential sealing element on the outside, which lies sealingly against the wall of the suction pipe. The sealing element prevents air from being sucked in particularly effectively.

According to a further embodiment, the drinking straw is sealingly guided through the bottom wall of the drinking attachment. According to a further embodiment, the drinking straw is sealingly held in a holder for drinking straws in the bottom wall. According to a further embodiment, the holder is a tube projecting from the inside (underside) of the bottom wall with an upper opening to the outside (top) and a lower opening to the interior, into which the drinking straw is clamped.

According to a further embodiment, the drinking straw has a circumferential flange on the outside, which lies sealingly on a sealing surface on one side of the bottom wall. The flange preferably bears against a sealing surface on the inside of the bottom wall. In this way, a particularly good seal of the drinking straw in the bottom wall is achieved.

According to a further embodiment, the flange is conical and lies sealingly against a conical sealing surface of the bottom wall, which has a through hole through which the drinking straw is passed.

According to a preferred embodiment, the flange is flexible and the sealing surface of the bottom wall has a ventilation hole which extends from the outside to the inside of the bottom wall, the flange sealingly abutting the sealing surface when ambient pressure prevails in the interior, and the Lift the flange off the sealing surface if there is a vacuum in the interior. A ventilation valve is hereby realized.

According to another embodiment, the drinking straw is formed in one piece with the drinking attachment. This makes assembly and disassembly easier and a particularly good seal of the drinking straw in the bottom wall is achieved. The drinking container can also be equipped with a ventilation valve.

The drinking straw is preferably made of a soft, elastic material. The drinking straw is preferably made in one piece with the tube from a flexible material. The suction pipe is preferably made of a soft elastic or a hard elastic plastic.

According to another embodiment, the drinking element is a cylindrical mouthpiece or a mouthpiece tapering towards the outer end and the tube is arranged in a cavity of the mouthpiece, the outer edge of the flow opening sealingly abutting a wall of the mouthpiece when ambient pressure is present at the drinking opening, and the outer edge of the flow opening lifts off the wall of the mouthpiece when a suction vacuum is present at the drinking opening. In this embodiment, the drinking valve is formed on a drinking container with a mouthpiece. The wall of the mouthpiece is the wall of the through-channel on which the outer edge of the flow opening lies sealingly.

According to a preferred embodiment, the mouthpiece has a cylindrical holder inside, in which the tube is clamped. The holder defines the cavity in which the tube is arranged. The hollow cylindrical holder forms the wall of the mouthpiece for the sealing contact of the outer edge of the pressure flow opening. According to a preferred embodiment, the holder protrudes downward from the inside of the bottom wall. This facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the tube.

According to a further embodiment, the tube has at the lower edge a valve flange which bears against the lower edge of the holder, the lower edge of the holder and / or the upper side of the valve flange having at least one inflow channel extending in the radial direction. The valve flange facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the tube. The tube can be gripped on the valve flange. The passage of liquid is ensured through the inflow channels. Furthermore, this configuration prevents pressure peaks from acting on the membrane when the drinking container is shaken and the drinking valve from opening unintentionally.

According to a further embodiment, the tube has a circumferential collecting channel above the valve flange and below the flow opening.

According to a further embodiment of a drinking container with a drinking element designed as a mouthpiece and a tube in a cavity of the mouthpiece, the tube has a second depression in the outside of a wall, the bottom of the second depression is a second membrane, the tube has at least on the outside an inflow channel which extends from the second depression to the lower end of the tube, and the tube has on the outside a further inflow channel which connects the second depression to the depression. When the drinking container is held upside down, liquid flows through the inflow channel into the second depression, the bottom of which is the second membrane. When the drinking container is shaken, pressure peaks act on the second membrane and are absorbed by it, similar to a hydraulic damper. As a result, the pressure peaks do not reach the membrane or only weakened through the further inflow channel. This prevents unintentional opening of the membrane and the outflow of liquid through the flow opening and out of the mouthpiece. When sucking the negative pressure on the mouthpiece is applied to the membrane and bulges it out into the cavity. As a result, the edge of the flow opening lifts off the wall of the mouthpiece and liquid can flow out of the mouthpiece in a targeted manner.

According to a further embodiment, the second depression is arranged diametrically opposite the depression in the side wall of the tube. This is advantageous for the formation of the first membrane and the second membrane. This also advantageously keeps pressure peaks away from the membrane.

According to a further embodiment, the tube has a circumferential flange at the lower end, which lies sealingly against a sealing surface on the inside of the bottom wall, the bottom wall has a ventilation hole which extends from the outside to the inside of the bottom wall, the flange sealing bears on the sealing surface when there is ambient pressure in the interior, and the flange lifts off the sealing surface when there is a suction vacuum in the interior. The flange is flexible for this. A ventilation valve is hereby realized. The flange is preferably formed in one piece with the tube. The tube is preferably made entirely of flexible material. This design is structurally particularly simple. It simplifies assembly and disassembly as well as cleaning the valves.

According to a further embodiment, the flange is conical and lies sealingly against a conical sealing surface on the inside of the bottom wall when ambient pressure prevails in the interior. This configuration favors the achievement of a defined sealing position when the tube is inserted into the cavity of the mouthpiece.

According to a further embodiment, the sealing surface is arranged at the lower end of the holder. In this embodiment, the ventilation hole extends from lower end of the holder in the axial direction through the wall of the holder and the bottom wall through to the outside of the bottom wall.

According to a further embodiment of a drinking container with a drinking element designed as a mouthpiece and a tube in a cavity of the mouthpiece, the drinking attachment has a second through-channel, which extends from the outside of the bottom wall to the inside of the bottom wall, in which a ventilation valve is arranged, which when a vacuum is present in the interior, it is opened and closed when ambient pressure prevails in the interior, the ventilation valve comprising a second tube which is closed at the top and open at the bottom and which has at least one second flow opening in a wall, which opens the inside of the second tube to the outside of the connects the second tube, the wall of the second tube being designed as a soft, elastic membrane at least in the area of the second flow opening, the second tube if ambient pressure is applied to its inside with the outer edge of the second tube Flow opening sealingly abuts a wall of the second through-channel, and the third membrane bulges inward when a vacuum is present on the inside, so that the outer edge of the second through-flow opening moves away from the wall of the second through-channel. In this way, an aeration valve is realized which, according to the drinking valve, has a tube arranged in a through-channel. It is advantageous that the second tube can be produced by injection molding in only one work step and can be assembled by simply inserting the second tube into the second through-channel. Furthermore, the ventilation valve is easy to disassemble and, when disassembled, easy to clean, so that no beverage residues remain on the ventilation valve. As a result, the ventilation valve opens and closes reliably and contamination of the drink is avoided. The time-consuming, separate production of slots in conventional slot valves, the time-consuming assembly of conventional check valves and the difficult and often unsatisfactory cleaning of conventional ventilation valves are eliminated. Since the second tube is open at the bottom, pressure peaks in the interior of the drinking container have the effect that the edge of the second flow opening lies more tightly on the second wall of the through-channel and seals even better. This also counteracts leakage of liquid through the ventilation valve when the container is shaken.

According to a further embodiment, the third membrane is the bottom of a third depression in the outside of the wall of the second tube.

According to a further embodiment, the drinking attachment has a second hollow cylindrical holder inside, in which the second tube is inserted, and the bottom wall has a ventilation hole which connects the outside of the bottom wall with the inside of the bottom wall inside the holder. The second hollow cylindrical holder delimits the cavity in which the second tube is arranged. The second hollow cylindrical holder forms the wall of the second through-channel for the sealing contact of the outer edge of the second through-flow opening. According to a preferred embodiment, the second holder projects downward from the inside of the bottom wall. This facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the second tube.

According to a further embodiment, the second tube has a second valve flange on the lower edge, which lies against the lower edge of the second holder. The valve flange facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the second tube. The second valve flange makes it easier to grip and assemble and disassemble the second tube in the drinking attachment.

According to a further embodiment, the second tube has at least one second inflow channel on the outside, which extends from the third membrane to the upper end of the second tube. Air can flow in better through the second inflow channel when the ventilation valve is open. According to a further embodiment, the tube and / or the second tube is connected at the lower end to a grip tab. The grip tab makes it easier to assemble and disassemble the tube and / or second tube. According to a preferred embodiment, the grip tab is aligned in a vertical plane.

According to a further embodiment, the tube and the second tube are connected to one another by a bridge. According to a further embodiment, they are provided with a common grip tab. This facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the first and second tubes in the drinking attachment.

Fig. 1

einen herkömmlichen Trinkbehälter mit einem Trinkhalm in einem Vertikalschnitt;

Fig. 2

einen Trinkhalm eines erfindungsgemäßen Trinkbehälters in einer Perspektivansicht schräg von der Seite;

Fig. 3

derselbe Trinkhalm in einem Längsschnitt;

Fig. 4

einen erfindungsgemäßen Trinkbehälter mit Trinkhalm gemäß Fig. 2 und 3 in einem Vertikalschnitt;

Fig. 5

das untere Ende einer anderen Ausgestaltung des Trinkhalmes in Seitenansicht;

Fig. 6

das untere Ende desselben Trinkhalmes eingesetzt in ein Saugrohr beim Saugen in einem Längsschnitt;

Fig. 7

ein einteilig mit einer Bodenwand ausgebildeter Trinkhalm in Seitenansicht;

Fig. 8

einen Trinkaufsatz eines Trinkbehälters mit einem Mundstück in einer Perspektivansicht von unten;

Fig.9

ein Ventilelement für einen Trinkbehälter mit einem Mundstück in einer Perspektivansicht von der Seite;

Fig. 10

der Trinkaufsatz mit dem eingesetzten Ventilelement in geschlossenem Zustand in einem Vertikalschnitt;

Fig. 11

der Trinkaufsatz mit eingesetztem Ventilelement im geöffneten Zustand in einem Vertikalschnitt;

Fig. 12

einen weiteren Trinkaufsatz eines Trinkbehälters mit einem Mundstück mit eingesetztem Ventilelement in einer Perspektivansicht schräg von unten und von der Seite;

Fig. 13

dasselbe Ventilelement in einer Perspektivansicht schräg von oben und von der Seite;

Fig. 14

derselbe Trinkaufsatz mit eingesetztem Ventilelement bei geschlossenem Trinkventil und Belüftungsventil in einem Vertikalschnitt;

Fig. 15

derselbe Trinkaufsatz mit eingesetztem Ventilelement bei geöffnetem Trinkventil und Belüftungsventil in einem Vertikalschnitt;

Fig. 16

ein weiterer Trinkaufsatz mit Trinkventil und separatem Belüftungsventil in einer Vorderansicht;

Fig. 17

derselbe Trinkaufsatz mit Ventilelementen in der Draufsicht;

Fig. 18

derselbe Trinkaufsatz mit Ventilelementen in geschlossenem Zustand in einem Vertikalschnitt;

Fig. 19

derselbe Trinksaufsatz mit Ventilelementen in geöffnetem Zustand in einem Vertikalschnitt;

Fig. 20

derselbe Trinkaufsatz mit Ventilelementen in einer Perspektivansicht schräg von unten;

Fig. 21

derselbe Trinkaufsatz mit entnommenen Ventilelementen in einer Perspektivansicht schräg von unten.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the attached drawings of exemplary embodiments. The drawings show:

Fig. 1

a conventional drinking container with a drinking straw in a vertical section;

Fig. 2

a drinking straw of a drinking container according to the invention in a perspective view obliquely from the side;

Fig. 3

the same drinking straw in a longitudinal section;

Fig. 4

a drinking container according to the invention with a straw according to Fig. 2 and 3rd in a vertical section;

Fig. 5

the lower end of another embodiment of the drinking straw in side view;

Fig. 6

the lower end of the same drinking straw inserted into a suction tube when sucking in a longitudinal section;

Fig. 7

a drinking straw formed in one piece with a bottom wall in side view;

Fig. 8

a drinking attachment of a drinking container with a mouthpiece in a perspective view from below;

Fig. 9

a valve element for a drinking container with a mouthpiece in a perspective view from the side;

Fig. 10

the drinking attachment with the valve element used in the closed state in a vertical section;

Fig. 11

the drinking attachment with the valve element inserted in the open state in a vertical section;

Fig. 12

a further drinking attachment of a drinking container with a mouthpiece with an inserted valve element in a perspective view obliquely from below and from the side;

Fig. 13

the same valve element in a perspective view obliquely from above and from the side;

Fig. 14

the same drinking attachment with inserted valve element with the drinking valve closed and ventilation valve in a vertical section;

Fig. 15

the same drinking attachment with the valve element inserted, with the drinking valve and ventilation valve open, in a vertical section;

Fig. 16

another drinking attachment with drinking valve and separate ventilation valve in a front view;

Fig. 17

the same drinking attachment with valve elements in plan view;

Fig. 18

the same drinking attachment with valve elements in the closed state in a vertical section;

Fig. 19

the same drinking attachment with valve elements in the open state in a vertical section;

Fig. 20

the same drinking attachment with valve elements in a perspective view obliquely from below;

Fig. 21

the same drinking attachment with removed valve elements in a perspective view obliquely from below.

The information "top" and "bottom" as well as "horizontal" and "vertical" as well as information derived therefrom such as "top" and "bottom" refer to this application on an alignment of the drinking container in which the vessel axis is aligned vertically, the drinking attachment is arranged at the top and the drinking vessel at the bottom.

Furthermore, in the following discussion of various exemplary embodiments, components with the same designation are provided with the same reference numbers.

Based on Fig. 1 the basic structure of the drinking container 1 is first explained using a conventional drinking container.

According to Fig. 1 the drinking container 1 has a drinking vessel 2 in the form of a drinking cup and a drinking attachment 3 with a bottom wall 4 and a screw ring 5 connected to it.

The drinking vessel 2 has an elongated bottle body 6 with a bottle bottom 7 and an essentially sleeve-shaped bottle side wall 8. At the upper end of the bottle side wall 8, the drinking vessel 2 has a shoulder 9, from the inner circumference of which a cylindrical vessel neck 10 (bottle neck) projects. The bottle neck 10 surrounds a circular vessel opening 11.

The upper end face of the bottle neck 10 forms an annular opening edge 12 which surrounds the vessel opening 11. The bottle neck 10 has an external thread 13 on the outer circumference.

The drinking vessel 2 defines an interior 14 which can be filled with a drink.

The screw ring 5 of the drinking attachment has an internal thread 16 in a cylindrical jacket part 15. The upper edge of the jacket part 15 is connected to an inwardly projecting screw ring flange 17. From the inner edge of the screw ring flange 17 a circumferential sealing profile 18 projects downwards. The outside of the sealing profile 18 is conical. By screwing the drinking attachment 3 onto the drinking vessel 2, the conical outer surface can be pressed in a sealing manner against the inner edge of the vessel opening 11.

The bottom wall 4 has a hollow cylindrical holder 19 for a drinking straw. In the example, the holder 19 projects downward from the underside of the bottom wall 4. Approximately at the level of the top of the bottom wall 4, it has an upper opening 20 and a lower opening 21 at the lower end. The holder 19 has a conical sealing surface 22 tapering downward at the lower end. Above the sealing surface 22, the holder 19 has an inside circumferential paragraph 23.

At least one ventilation hole extends in the axial direction through the sealing surface 22, the upper end of the ventilation hole opening into the cavity of the holder 19 and thus to the surroundings and the lower end of the ventilation hole to the interior 14.

In the example, a cap 24 made of flexible material is attached to the top of the drinking attachment 3, e.g. by snapping on.

According to Fig. 1 a conventional drinking straw 25 is held in the drinking attachment 3, into which a conventional suction tube 26 open at the bottom is clamped. A through channel 44 extends through drinking straw 25 and suction tube 26. The through channel 44 can be blocked by kinking the drinking straw 25.

The drinking container 1 according to the invention differs from the conventional one by the design of the drinking straw 25 and the suction pipe 26. A drinking straw 25 of a drinking container 1 according to the invention is shown in FIG Fig. 2 and 3rd explained. The drinking straw 25 is smooth at the top and one-piece at the bottom with a tube 27 which forms a valve element. The lower end of the tube is closed by an end wall 28. The drinking straw 25 has a drinking opening 29 at the upper end.

The tube 27 has in the outside of its side wall 30 a depression 31 which has the geometric shape of a segment of a cylinder shell. In the area of the depression 31, the wall thickness of the side wall 30 is so small that the bottom of the depression 31 forms a flexible, deformable membrane 32. In the example, the wall thickness of the side wall 30 is 0.3 mm in the region of the depression and 1.3 mm outside the depression.

The drinking straw 25 and the tube 27 are made in one piece from a flexible plastic, e.g. made of polyurethane, silicone or a thermoplastic elastomer.

A base 33 projects from the outside of the membrane 32 to the outside. The base 33 is a solid, elongated element with a rectangular cross-section oriented in the longitudinal direction of the tube 27. Its shape is similar to that of a feather key.

A flow opening 34 extends across the membrane 32 and the base 33. The flow opening 34 is open on the outside of the base 33 and on the inside of the side wall 30. The outer edge of the flow opening 34 is located on a sealing element 35 protruding in a ring from the outside of the base 33. The height of the base 33 and the sealing element 35 exceeds the depth of the depression 31, so that the sealing element 35 with respect to the jacket of the tube 27 on both sides of the depression 31 protrudes outwards.

At a distance from its lower end, the tube 27 has an outwardly projecting edge 36. Between edge 36 and membrane 32, tube 27 has a plurality of circumferential sealing elements 37 on the outside.

Above the edge 36, the tube 27 has a flange 38 which has the shape of a hollow truncated cone and widens upwards. A circumferential upper edge 39 is arranged above the flange 38 on the outside of the drinking straw 25. In the example, it is formed at the lower end of a conical section 40 that widens downward.

On the outside of the tube 27 there is an axially directed inflow channel 41 which connects the underside of the depression 31 to the lower end of the tube 27.

The drinking straw 25 is inserted from below into the holder 19 and pulled with the cone section 40 through the holder 19 until the flange 38 sealingly abuts the sealing surface 22 and the upper edge 39 engages over the shoulder 23 in the holder 19.

Furthermore, a suction tube 26 is clamped onto the tube 27 from below until it abuts the edge 36.

Figure 4 shows the drinking container according to the invention with drinking straw 25 and suction tube 26 according to Fig. 2 and 3rd .

Fig. 5 shows another embodiment of the drinking straw 25, in which the tube 27 is provided on each of diametrically opposite sides with a membrane 32, a base 33 and a flow opening 34.

Pushing the suction tube onto the tube 27 up to the edge 36 is in Fig. 6 for the embodiment of the drinking straw 25 from Figure 5 shown.

If ambient pressure is present at the drinking opening 29 at the top of the drinking straw 25, the base (s) 37 are pressed with the outer edge of the flow opening 34 in a sealing manner against the wall of the suction pipe. Then no liquid can leak out of the interior.

According to Fig. 6 there is a suction vacuum at the drinking opening 29. As a result, the membranes 37 bulge inwards and lift the base 33 with the outer edge of the flow openings 34 off the wall of the suction pipe 26. In this state, liquid can be removed from the interior 14 through the drinking straw 25. Here, the inflow channel 41 facilitates the inflow of liquid from the suction pipe 26 to the flow opening 34.

The execution of Fig. 7 differs from the above in that the drinking straw 25 and the tube 27 are formed in one piece with the bottom wall 4 of the drinking attachment 3. In this embodiment, the bottom wall 4 can be screwed onto the upper edge of the drinking vessel 2 by means of an additional screw ring.

According to Fig. 8 a drinking attachment 3 has a mouthpiece 42 on the outside of the bottom wall 4. The inside of the mouthpiece 42 is delimited by a hollow cylindrical holder 43 which projects downward from the underside of the bottom wall 4. Outside, the drinking attachment 3 has a cylindrical jacket part 5, which is provided with an internal thread 13.

At the upper end, the mouthpiece 42 has at least one drinking opening 29, which is connected to the cavity in the holder 43, which forms the through-channel 44. According to Fig. 9 a valve element has a tube 27 which is open at the top and closed at the bottom. A soft-elastic membrane 32 is formed in a side wall 30 in the region of a depression 31. An annular sealing element 35 projects from the outside of the membrane 32 on a base 33 to the outside. A flow opening 34 extends through the sealing element 35 and across the membrane 32. The flow opening 34 is open to the outside and to the inside of the tube 27.

At the lower end, the tube 27 is connected to a circumferential valve flange 45 which projects radially outward. The valve flange 45 is essentially in the form of a circular disk. It has radially extending inflow channels 41 on the upper side. Furthermore, a collecting channel 46 runs around the outside of the tube at the lower end of the tube 27 next to the valve flange 45.

The tube 27 can be clamped into the holder 43 of the drinking attachment 3 from below until the valve flange 45 bears against the lower edge of the holder 43. The outer edge 35 of the flow opening 34 then lies sealingly on the inside of the holder 43. Liquid in a drinking vessel 2, onto which the drinking attachment 3 is screwed, cannot then escape through the mouthpiece 42. This situation is in Fig. 10 shown. When sucking on the mouthpiece 42, the membrane 32 bulges inward as a result of the internal pressure in the mouthpiece 42, so that the outer edge 35 of the flow opening 34 comes free from the wall of the holder 43. As a result, liquid can flow out through the inflow channels 41, the flow opening 34, the tube 27 and the drinking opening 29 of the mouthpiece 42. This situation is in Fig. 11 shown. When the mouthpiece 42 is no longer sucked, the outer edge 35 of the flow opening 34 rests against the holder 43 in a sealing manner.

The embodiment of 12 to 15 differs from the embodiment of 9 to 11 in that the tube 27 has on the outside of its side wall 30 a second depression 47, the bottom of which has a second one Membrane 48 is. The second depression 47 is arranged diametrically opposite the depression 31 in the side wall 30. The tube 27 has an inflow channel 41, which extends in the axial direction and extends from the second depression 47 to the lower end of the tube 27. The tube 27 has a further inflow channel 49, which connects the second depression 47 to the depression 31 in the circumferential direction.

Another difference is that the tube 27 has a circumferential flange 38 at the lower end. The flange 37 has the shape of a truncated cone and widens from bottom to top. The flange 38 is preferably formed in one piece with the tube 27 made of flexible material. Its wall thickness is so small that it is easily deformable.

The flange 38 bears against a sealing surface 22 at the lower end of the hollow cylindrical holder 43. A ventilation hole 50, which extends axially through the wall of the holder 43 and the bottom wall 4, connects the sealing surface 22 to the outside of the bottom wall 4. The sealing surface 22 is conical.

Finally, an approximately circular-shaped grip tab 51 is connected to the lower end of the tube 27 via a web 52. The grip tab 51 is arranged in a vertical plane.

The tube 27 is preferably made in one piece with the grip tab 51 from a flexible material.

Fig. 14 shows a situation in which there is no suction on the mouthpiece 42 and there is no negative pressure in the interior 14 of the drinking vessel 2. In this situation, the outer edge of the flow opening 34 of the tube 27 lies sealingly against the wall of the holder 43. Liquid cannot flow out of the interior 14 through the mouthpiece 42.

Furthermore, the flange 38 lies sealingly on the sealing surface 22, so that no air can flow into the interior 14 through the ventilation hole 50 either.

Fig. 15 shows a situation in which a suction negative pressure is applied to the mouthpiece 42 and the suction negative pressure prevails in the interior 14 of the drinking vessel. As a result of the suction vacuum, the membrane 32 is deflected inwards and the outer edge of the flow opening 34 comes free from the wall of the holder 43. As a result, liquid can flow out through the inflow channel 48, the second depression 47, the further inflow channel 49, the depression 31, the flow opening 34, the tube 27 and the mouthpiece 42. As a result of the negative pressure, the screen-like flange 38 (ventilation screen) lifts off the sealing surface 2 and air can flow into the interior 14 through the ventilation hole 50 from the outside.

Pressure peaks due to liquid that get into the second recess 47 by shaking are dampened by the second membrane 48, so that they do not inadvertently open the drinking valve.

The embodiment of 16 to 21 differs from the embodiment of 8 to 11 in that in addition to the drinking valve there is a separate ventilation valve. For this purpose, the drinking attachment 3 has a second through-channel 53, which extends from the outside of the bottom wall 4 to the inside of the bottom wall 4. The ventilation valve is arranged in the second through-channel 53.

The ventilation valve has a second tube 54 which is closed at the top and open at the bottom and which has at least one second flow opening 56 in a side wall 55 which connects the inside of the second tube 54 to the outside of the second tube 54. The side wall 55 of the second tube 54 is in the region of the second flow opening 56 as a soft, elastic, third membrane 57 trained. The third membrane 57 is the bottom of a third recess 58 in the outside of the side wall 55.

The second tube 54 has a second inflow channel 59 on the outside, which extends from the third membrane 57 to the upper end of the second tube 54.

The drinking attachment 3 has a second hollow cylindrical holder 60 inside, in which the second tube 54 is inserted. The bottom wall 4 has a ventilation hole 61 which connects the outside of the bottom wall with the inside of the bottom wall within the second holder 60.

The second tube 54 has a second valve flange 62 on the lower edge, which abuts the lower edge of the second holder 60.

The two valve elements or tubes 27, 54 can have the same diameter. Furthermore, they can have different diameters to avoid confusion. The two valve elements can also be connected to one another via a bridge or via a common grip tab.

Fig. 18 shows a situation in which there is normal pressure in the mouthpiece 42 and in the interior 14. As a result, the outer edge of the flow opening 34 of the drinking valve and the outer edge of the second flow opening 56 on the outside of a second base 63 of the ventilation valve lie sealingly against the wall of the holder 43 and the second holder 60, respectively. Liquid cannot flow out and air cannot flow in again.

Fig. 19 shows a situation in which a suction vacuum is applied to the mouthpiece 42 and prevails in the interior 14. As a result, the membrane 32 is deflected and the flow opening 34 of the drinking valve is opened so that liquid through the Mouthpiece 42 can flow out. Due to the internal pressure in the interior 14, the third membrane 57 is deflected inwards and the second flow opening is opened, so that air can flow into the interior 14 through the ventilation hole 61, the second inflow channel 59, the second flow opening 56 and the second tube 54, by one To effect pressure equalization.

Claims (15)

1. A drinking vessel having

   • a drinking container (2) with an interior (14),

   • a drinking attachment (3) with a bottom wall (4) and a drinking element (25, 42) which protrudes upward from the bottom wall (4) and having at least one drinking opening (29) on the outer end which is connected to the interior (14) via a passage channel (44) extended through the drinking element (25, 42),

   • holding devices (15, 16) for releasably holding the drinking attachment (3) on the drinking container (2),

   • a drinking valve arranged in the passage channel (44) which closes when ambient pressure is present at the drinking opening (29) and opens when negative suction pressure is present at the drinking opening (29), wherein

   • the drinking valve comprises a tube (27) that is open at the top and closed on the bottom which has in one wall at least one flow-through opening (34) with an outer rim (35) which connects the inside of the tube (27) to the outside of the tube (27),
   characterized in that

   • the wall of the tube (27) is configured as a soft elastic diaphragm (32) at least in the region of the flow-through opening, and

   • in the event of ambient pressure on the drinking opening (29) the tube (27) abuts with the outer rim (35) of the flow-through opening (34) so as to form a seal on the wall of the passage channel (44) and the diaphragm (32) in the event of the presence of a negative suction pressure at the drinking opening (29) bulges inward, so that the outer rim (35) of the flow-through opening (34) moves away from the wall of the passage channel (44).
2. The drinking vessel according to claim 1, in which the flow-through opening (34) extends transversely through the lateral wall (30) of the tube (27).
3. The drinking vessel according to claim 1 or 2, in which the tube (27) has a depression (31) in the outside of a wall (30) and the diaphragm (32) is the bottom of the depression (31).
4. The drinking vessel according to claim 3, in which the depression (31) is arranged in the lateral wall (30) of the tube (27).
5. The drinking vessel according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which a sealing element (35) circulating around the flow-through opening (34) protrudes outward from the outside of the diaphragm (32), which in the presence of ambient pressure on the drinking opening (29) abuts the wall of the passage channel (44) so as to form a seal.
6. The drinking vessel according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which a base (33) protrudes outward from the outside of the diaphragm (32), through which the flow-through opening (34) extends, wherein in the presence of ambient pressure on the drinking opening (29) the base (33) abuts with the outer rim (35) of the flow-through opening (34) so as to form a seal on the wall of the passage channel (44) and in the presence of a negative suction pressure on the drinking opening (29) lifts off from the wall of the passage channel (44).
7. The drinking vessel according to claim 5 and 6, in which the sealing element (25) protrudes from the outside of the base (33).
8. The drinking vessel according to claim 6 or 7, in which the base (33) is a massive, oblong element with a rectangular cross-section aligned in the longitudinal direction of the tube (27).
9. The drinking vessel according to any of claims 1 to 8, in which the tube (27) has at least one subsequent flow channel (41) which extends from the diaphragm (32) to the lower end of the tube (27).
10. The drinking vessel according to any of claims 1 to 9, in which the tube (27) is produced in a single part made of a soft elastic material.
11. The drinking vessel according to any of claims 1 to 10, in which the drinking element is a drinking straw (25) which is connected on the lower end to the tube (27) and the tube (27) is clamped in a suction tube (26), which protrudes from the underside of the bottom wall (4) into the drinking container (14), wherein in the presence of ambient pressure on the drinking opening (29) the outer rim (35) of the flow-through opening (34) abuts on the wall of the suction tube (26) so as to form a seal and in the presence of negative suction pressure on the drinking opening (29) lifts off from the wall of the suction tube (26).
12. The drinking vessel according to claim 11, in which the tube (27) is connected in one part with the drinking straw (25).
13. The drinking vessel according to claim 11 or 12, in which the tube (27) has an edge (36) protruding outward at a distance from its lower end, up to which the suction tube (26) is pushed onto the tube (27).
14. The drinking vessel according to any of claims 1 to 13, in which the tube (27) has at least one circumferential sealing element (35) above the diaphragm (32) on the outside which abuts on the wall of the suction tube (26) so as to form a seal.
15. The drinking vessel according to any of claims 1 to 14, in which the drinking straw (25) is guided through the bottom wall (4) of the drinking attachment (3) so as to form a seal.

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