Elastomeric valve for spill-proof feeding devices

Abstract

A feeding device, which is especially adapted for use by infants, toddlers and the like, includes a drinking cup, a lid and a flow control valve. The drinking cup includes a body and an overmolding which partially covers the body to function as a bumper and to provide gripping surfaces for a user. The lid has a spoutless design which allows a user to simulate drinking from a conventional open-mouthed cup and which also maximizes liquid evacuation from the drinking cup. The flow control valve has a polygonally-shaped body with a plurality of corners and a liquid-dispensing nipple which is located in one of the corners so that the flow control valve can be positioned adjacent to a peripheral edge of the lid, thereby promoting the complete evacuation of liquid from the drinking cup. The size, shape and rigidity of the valve body inhibits it from being inserted into the throat of a user or other individual.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A drinking cup, comprising a body and a single layer elastomeric overmolding partially covering said body.  
     
     
         2 . A drinking cup according to  claim 1 , wherein said body has a closed bottom and an open top, said overmolding completely covering said bottom of said body.  
     
     
         3 . A drinking cup according to  claim 2 , wherein said body has a sidewall extending between said top and said bottom of said body, said overmolding partially covering said sidewall.  
     
     
         4 . A drinking cup according to  claim 3 , wherein said overmolding includes a plurality of ribs spaced apart on said sidewall of said body, thereby forming a plurality of gripping surfaces.  
     
     
         5 . A drinking cup according to  claim 4 , wherein said ribs extend circumferentially about said sidewall of said body.  
     
     
         6 . A drinking cup according to  claim 5 , wherein said sidewall of said body includes a plurality of depressions, each depression extending longitudinally along said body and being sized and shaped so as to form a handgrip.  
     
     
         7 . A drinking cup according to  claim 6 , wherein said overmolding substantially covers each of said depressions in said sidewall of said body.  
     
     
         8 . A drinking cup according to  claim 1 , wherein said body is made from a relatively brittle material and said overmolding is made from a softer material which has shock-absorbing properties, whereby said overmolding functions as a bumper for said body.  
     
     
         9 . A drinking cup according to  claim 8 , wherein said overmolding enhances the grippability of said body.  
     
     
         10 . A drinking cup according to  claim 9 , wherein said overmolding has skid-resistant properties.  
     
     
         11 . A drinking cup according to  claim 1 , wherein said body is made from a translucent material and said overmolding is made from an opaque material.  
     
     
         12 . A drinking cup according to  claim 11 , wherein said translucent material is clarified polypropylene and said opaque material is a thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         13 . A drinking cup according to  claim 1 , wherein said body is made from a translucent thermoplastic material and said overmolding is made from an opaque elastomeric material.  
     
     
         14 . A drinking cup according to  claim 13 , wherein said translucent thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene (PS), polystyrene-acrylonitrile (PSAN), acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene (ABS), stryrene-maleicanhydride (SMA), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene (PP), polyvinylcyclohexane, and copolymers and blends thereof.  
     
     
         15 . A drinking cup according to  claim 13 , wherein said opaque elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomers, thermoset elastomers, and copolymers and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         16 . A drinking cup according to  claim 1 , wherein a bi-component molding process is used to apply said overmolding to said body.  
     
     
         17 . A drinking cup according to  claim 16 , wherein said bi-component molding process results in a fusion bond between said body and said overmolding.  
     
     
         18 . A drinking cup according to  claim 17 , wherein said bi-component molding process is a two-shot injection molding process.  
     
     
         19 . A drinking cup according to  claim 18 , wherein said fusion bond has a bond strength that is equal to or greater than the tensile strength of said material of said overmolding.  
     
     
         20 . A drinking cup according to  claim 19 , wherein said overmolding is made from a thermoplastic elastomer and said body is made from clarified polypropylene.  
     
     
         21 . A drinking cup according to  claim 20 , wherein said thermoplastic elastomer has a durometer value of about SOA to about 80 A.