Cup With Features To Prevent Spillage

Abstract

A cup is disclosed which includes: a sealingly engage-able lid having a drinking spout located thereon. a tubular passage formed between inner surface of the lid and/or spout and a detachable member located on the lid, the passage having one end in communication with the inside of the cup and the other end in communication with the outside of the spout and being of such a diameter such that air cannot readily bubble past liquid inside it. When such a cup is inverted, the head of liquid inside lowers the pressure of the air above the liquid, and liquid therefore starts to move downwardly through the passage. This continues until the reduction in air; pressure above the liquid jest balances the pressure of the liquid head, when further movement of liquid ceases, (The fact that air cannot bubble past the liquid in the passage ensures that the air pressure is nut restored while the cup is inverted or reclined). Thus the capacity of the passage should be great enough to contain this amount of liquid without reaching the exit and therefore spilling.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . A method of dispensing liquid from a cup, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a cup portion, a lid sealingly engaged with said clip portion, said lid having a spout protruding therefrom and an opening formed in said spout, a detachable member inserted in said spout, said detachable member having a plurality of ridges formed thereon, said ridges being formed in a continuous helical pattern, said plurality of ridges being sized to sealingly contact an inner surface of said spout thereby forming a continuous helical passage between said spout and said detachable member, said passage having a first end communicating with an interior of said cup portion, and a second end communicating with said opening of said spout;   providing an amount of liquid in said cup portion;   inverting said cup, said cup portion having an amount of air defined by a volume of air that remains in said cup portion when the cup portion is inverted, and wherein said passage is sized to have a volume that exceeds the product of the volume of air in the clip portion and a height of liquid in the cup portion and lid measured by a linear distance between the opening of the spout and a surface of the liquid when the cup is inverted, and wherein the volume of said passage is large enough to prevent liquid being dispensed from the opening of said spout when a force is applied by downward shaking of the cup; and   maintaining the shape of the spout and detachable member when a user imparts a sucking force on the spout thereby overcoming a reduced pressure of the volume of air remaining in said cup portion enabling liquid to flow through said opening.   
   
   
       14 . A method, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein: said detachable member is in the form of a plug. 
   
   
       15 . A method, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein:
 said spout of said lid is located eccentrically thereon so as to be convenient for drinking from.   
   
   
       16 . A method, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein:
 said spout is in the shape of a truncated cone, and said detachable member has a shape matching an inside cavity of said spout.   
   
   
       17 . A method, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein:
 a diameter of said passage is such that air is prevented from entering said opening of said spout and past liquid in said passage and wherein said diameter has a maximum size of approximately 3 mm.   
   
   
       18 . A method of dispensing liquid from a cup, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a cup portion, a lid sealingly engaged with said cup portion, said lid having a spout protruding therefrom and an opening formed in said spout, a detachable member inserted in said spout, said detachable member having a plurality of ridges formed thereon, said ridges being formed in a continuous helical pattern, said plurality of ridges being sized to sealingly contact an inner surface of said spout thereby forming a continuous helical passage between said spout and said detachable member, said passage having a first end communicating with an interior of said cup portion, and a second end communicating with said opening of said spout;   providing an amount of liquid in said cup portion;   inverting said cup, said cup portion having an amount of air defined by a volume of air that remains in said cup portion when the cup portion is inverted, and wherein said passage is sized to have a volume that exceeds the product of the volume of air in the cup portion and a height of liquid in the cup portion and lid, and wherein the volume of said passage is large enough to prevent liquid being dispensed from the opening of said spout when a force is applied by downward shaking of the cup; and   maintaining the shape of the spout and detachable member when a user imparts a sucking force on the spout thereby overcoming a reduced pressure of the volume of air remaining in said cup portion enabling liquid to flow through said opening.   
   
   
       19 . A method of dispensing liquid from a cup, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a cup portion, a lid sealingly engaged with said cup portion, said lid having a spout protruding therefrom and an opening formed in said spout, a detachable member inserted in said spout, said detachable member having a plurality of ridges formed thereon, said ridges being formed in a continuous helical pattern, said plurality of ridges being sized to sealingly contact an inner surface of said spout thereby forming a continuous helical passage between said spout and said detachable member, said passage having a first end communicating with an interior of said cup portion, and a second end communicating with said opening of said spout;   providing an amount of liquid in said cup portion;   inverting said cup, said cup portion having an amount of air defined by a volume of air that remains in said cup portion when the cup portion is inverted, and wherein said passage is sized to have a volume that exceeds the product of the volume of air in the cup portion and a height of liquid in the cup portion and lid, and wherein the volume of said passage is large enough to prevent liquid being dispensed from the opening of said spout when a force is applied by a repeated downward shaking of the cup.