Finger Operated Patents (Class 220/715)
  • Patent number: 5186353
    Abstract: A self-sealing closure for sealing a receptacle is disclosed. The closure contains a lid having a depressed area and at least one orifice within the depressed area, and a shutter matching the orifice which contains a lever.The shutter is held against the orifice. The shutter contains a device for preventing the pushing of the shutter away from the orifice when force is applied to the lever in a direction substantially orthogonal to the plane of the orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Inventor: Douglas P. Ramsey
  • Patent number: 5169016
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for selectively sealing and pouring a liquid from a container. The device includes a hollow vessel 11 having a sealingly attached lid 12. Lid 12 includes communicating deformable pout spouts 16,16a therethrough and an actuating mechanism comprising an actuator member 15, actuator button 14, a transverse actuator member 20 and appended pinch clamps 19 and 19a which, when the actuating mechanism is urged into the null or unactivated position clamps the deformable pour spouts thereby preventing liquid from escaping from the vessel. Conversely, in the actuated position, transverse actuator member 20 and pinch bars 19 and 19a are released and the flexible pour spouts 16 and 16a return to the undeformed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Inventor: Gunter Hinz, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5148936
    Abstract: A closure cover for a liquid container includes a body portion that is releasably connected to the container and mounts a stopper member for rotational movement between positions that alternately expose or close dispensing and vent openings in the body portion. The stopper member is provided with limited flexibility to permit release of a sealed closure of the dispensing opening. Also, a centering device is provided on the stopper member to accurately position the visually obscured sealing flange with respect to the dispensing opening before pressure is applied to the stopper member for seating the sealing flange in the dispensing opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Aladdin Synergetics, Incorporated
    Inventor: Gary C. DeGrow
  • Patent number: 5143248
    Abstract: A removable closure cover for a drinking vessel such as a cup or mug has an outer cover for attachment to the mouth of the vessel, with an aperture adjacent the edge through which a user may drink. An inner cover secured to the outer cover is selectively moveable into opening or closing relation with the aperture. While useable with insulated plastic drinking cups, the closure cover also may be used with traditional mug or cup forms, to enable transportation of a hot drink in sealed, insulated relation, thus extending the utility of the traditional, non-disposable mug, in an ecology promoting fashion. Manipulation of the cover provides controlled ventilation of the container and permits modulation of the cooling time for a hot drink contained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Inventor: David P. Sawatsky
  • Patent number: 5118014
    Abstract: A spill-proof drinking mug for drinking using either left or right hands of the user in which a base part serving as a container for the liquid is provided with a shape designed to fit within conventional cup holders of vans and RV's as well as cup-holding attachment for automobiles, and which has a threaded top opening. A screw-on cap with a handle sealingly mates with the top opening of the vessel, and has a pair of drinking openings at opposite sides of the handle. One opening is used for drinking and the other serves as a vent. A spring-loaded valve is mounted on the cap and is operable by the thumb of the hand holding the handle to simultaneously displace the valve out of both openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: Bomatic, Inc.
    Inventors: Borge Hestehave, Kenneth E. Holmes
  • Patent number: 5082134
    Abstract: A self-sealing closure for sealing a receptacle is disclosed. The closure contains a lid having a depressed area and at least one orifice within the depressed area, and a shutter matching the orifice which contains a lever.The shutter is held against the orifice. The shutter contains a device for preventing the shutter from rotating about the central axis of the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1992
    Inventor: Douglas P. Ramsey