Twist lid

Abstract

A lid including a positionable stopper nested inside an upper body that is nested inside a lower body. A user applies a rotational force to the upper body, which rotates about an axis of rotation relative to the lower body to translate the rotational movement of the upper body into linear movement of the stopper along the axis of rotation. The stopper is configured to move axially along the axis of rotation relative to the upper body toward and away from the vessel based upon the direction in which the upper body is rotated. When the stopper is farthest from the vessel along the axis of rotation, the stopper abuts the upper body and seals the liquid inside the vessel. When the stopper is sufficiently near the vessel, an opening is defined between the stopper and the upper body through which the contents of the vessel may exit.

1 . A lid for use with a vessel containing a liquid, comprising:
 a lower body coupleable in stationary relation to the vessel;   an upper body extending at least partially within the lower body, the upper body rotatably coupled to the lower body and configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, the upper body comprising an interior surface and a track formed in the interior surface; and   a stopper disposed at least in part inside the upper body, the stopper being coupled to the lower body to prevent rotation of the stopper relative to the lower body and hence the vessel when the upper body is rotated relative to the lower body, the stopper being movable relative to the lower body along the axis of rotation of the upper body, the stopper comprising a guide projection disposed inside the track formed in the interior surface of the upper body, the track being shaped such that when the upper body is rotated relative to the lower body, the upper body rotates about the stopper and in response the track moves the guide projection and the stopper along the axis of rotation of the upper body between an open position and a closed position,   when the stopper is in the closed position, a sealing portion of the stopper abuts a corresponding sealing portion of the upper body to form a seal configured to seal the liquid inside the vessel, and   when the stopper is in the open position, the sealing portion of the stopper is spaced from the corresponding sealing portion of the upper body to define an opening between the stopper and the upper body through which the liquid inside the vessel may exit.   
     
     
         2 . The lid of  claim 1  for use with the vessel having threads disposed about its upper portion, wherein the lower body comprises threads disposed about its lower portion by which the lower body is coupleable to the vessel by threaded engagement between the threads disposed about the lower portion of the lower body and the threads disposed about the upper portion of the vessel, the threaded engagement preventing the lower body from rotating relative to the vessel when the upper body is rotated relative to the lower body about the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         3 . The lid of  claim 1  wherein the lower body comprises a connector portion configured to fasten the lower body to the vessel and prevent the lower body from rotating relative to the vessel about the axis of rotation when the upper body is rotated relative to the lower body. 
     
     
         4 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the lower body comprises an interior portion having an annular cross-sectional shape, and a plurality of track sections each circumferentially traversing a portion of the interior portion, and
 the upper body comprises a plurality of outwardly projecting tabs, each tab being disposed inside one of the plurality of track sections, the tab being retained within and traversing the track section when the upper body is rotated relative to the lower body about the axis of rotation to rotatably couple the upper body inside the lower body.   
     
     
         5 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the upper body comprises an interior portion having an annular cross-sectional shape,
 the sealing portion of the upper body comprises a continuous overhang portion extending inwardly and circumferentially traversing the interior portion,   the sealing portion of the stopper comprises an outwardly extending lip, when the stopper is in the closed position, the lip abutting the continuous overhang portion of the upper body to form the seal sealing the liquid inside the vessel, and when the stopper is in the open position, the lip of the stopper being spaced from the continuous overhang portion of the upper body to define the opening between the stopper and the upper body through which the liquid inside the vessel may exit.   
     
     
         6 . The lid of  claim 5 , further comprising a ring-shaped seal disposed between the continuous overhang portion of the upper body and the lip of the stopper when the stopper is in the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the lower body comprises an interior portion having a plurality of inwardly open anchor slots, and
 the stopper comprises a plurality of outwardly projecting anchor projections each configured to be received inside one of the plurality of anchor slots when the upper body is received inside the lower body and the stopper is received inside the upper body, the plurability of anchor slots arranged such that engagement between the plurality of anchor projections and the plurality of anchor slots prevents the stopper from rotating about the axis of rotation when the upper body is rotated relative to the lower body about the axis of rotation.   
     
     
         8 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the upper body has an outer portion with an upper portion opposite a lower portion, and the lower body has an interior portion with an upper portion opposite a lower portion, the lid further comprising:
 a first seal disposed between the lower portion of the outer portion of the upper body and the lower portion of the interior portion of the lower body; and   a second seal disposed between the upper portion of the outer portion of the upper body and the upper portion of the interior portion of the lower body.   
     
     
         9 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the upper body has a lower portion with a lower portion interior surface comprising a portion of the interior surface of the upper body, the lower portion interior surface having a lower end portion, the lower portion interior surface comprising a channel connecting the track with the lower end portion of the interior surface, the channel being configured to allow the guide projection to travel from the lower end portion into the track. 
     
     
         10 . The lid of  claim 9 , wherein the lower portion interior surface at the lower end portion has a recessed portion, and further comprising:
 a seal disposed about the lower portion of the upper body and within the recessed portion of the upper body, the seal preventing the guide projection from traveling from the channel beyond the lower end portion.   
     
     
         11 . The lid of  claim 1  for use by a user, wherein the upper body has an outer portion with an upper portion and the lower body has an interior portion with an upper portion, the lid further comprising:
 a seal having a sealing portion and a grip portion, the sealing portion being disposed between a first portion of the upper portion of the outer portion of the upper body and the upper portion of the interior portion of the lower body, the grip portion being disposed along a second portion of the upper portion of the outer portion exposed to grasping by the user, the grip portion being configured to translate rotation force applied by the user to the grip portion to the upper portion for rotation about the axis of rotation.   
     
     
         12 . A lid coupleable to a vessel configured to store a liquid, the lid comprising:
 a stopper nested inside an upper body with the upper body nested inside a lower body, the upper body being disposed at least in part within the lower body for rotational movement relative thereto about an axis of rotation;   means for coupling the lower body to the vessel; and   means for translating rotational movement of the upper body in opposite first and second rotational directions into longitudinal movement of the stopper relative to the lower body to respectively move the stopper into and out of sealing engagement with the upper body to selectively close and open an aperture defined between the stopper and the upper body, respectively.   
     
     
         13 . The lid of  claim 12 , wherein the means for translation includes means for inhibiting rotation of the stopper relative to the lower body while allowing the stopper to move longitudinally along the axis of rotation with respect to the upper body. 
     
     
         14 . The lid of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 means for sealing the aperture defined between the stopper and the upper body when the aperture is closed to prevent the liquid stored in the vessel from leaking therethrough.   
     
     
         15 . The lid of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 means for sealing between the upper body and the lower body to prevent the liquid stored in the vessel from leaking out of the vessel between the upper body and the lower body.   
     
     
         16 . A lid coupleable to a vessel configured to store a liquid, the lid comprising:
 a positionable stopper nested inside an upper body with the upper body nested inside a lower body,   the upper body being rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to the lower body in one of a first direction and a second direction in response to first and second oppositely directed rotational forces applied thereto, respectively;   the lower body having a coupling portion coupleable to the vessel and remaining substantially stationary with respect to the vessel when the upper body is rotated relative to the lower body, and   the stopper being configured to move longitudinally along the axis of rotation relative to the upper body in response to rotation of the upper body in the first direction to a closed position abutting the upper body to seal therein the liquid stored in the vessel, and to move longitudinally along the axis of rotation relative to the upper body in response to rotation of the upper body in the second direction to an opened position spaced away from the upper body to define an opening therebetween through which the liquid stored in the vessel may exit.   
     
     
         17 . The lid of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a seal located between the stopper and a portion of the upper body abutted by the stopper when the stopper is in the closed position.   
     
     
         18 . The lid of  claim 16 , wherein the lower body comprises an interior portion having an annular cross-sectional shape, and a plurality of track sections each circumferentially traversing a portion of the interior portion, and
 the upper body comprises a plurality of outwardly projecting tabs, each tab being disposed inside one of the plurality of track sections, the tab being retained within and traversing the track section when the upper body is rotated relative to the lower body in the first and second directions.   
     
     
         19 . The lid of  claim 16 , wherein the upper body comprises an interior portion having an annular cross-sectional shape,
 the upper body comprises a continuous overhang portion extending inwardly and circumferentially traversing the interior portion,   the stopper comprises an outwardly extending lip,   when the stopper is in the closed position, the lip of the stopper abuts the continuous overhang portion of the upper body to seal therein the liquid stored in the vessel, and   when the stopper is in the opened position, the lip of the stopper is sufficiently spaced from the continuous overhang portion of the upper body to define the opening between the stopper and the upper body through which the liquid stored in the vessel may exit.   
     
     
         20 . The lid of  claim 19 , further comprising a ring-shaped seal disposed between the continuous overhang portion of the upper body and the lip of the stopper when the stopper is in the closed position. 
     
     
         21 . The lid of  claim 16 , wherein the lower body comprises an interior portion having a plurality of anchor slots, and
 the stopper comprises a plurality of outwardly extending anchor projections each received inside one of the plurality of anchor slots, engagement between the plurality of anchor projections and the plurality of anchor slots preventing the stopper from rotating relative to the upper body when the upper body is rotated in the first and second directions.   
     
     
         22 . The lid of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 at least one seal disposed between the upper body and the lower body to seal therein the liquid stored in the vessel by preventing leakage from the vessel between the upper body and the lower body.   
     
     
         23 . The lid of  claim 16 , wherein one of the upper body and the stopper has a guide track circumferentially extending at least partially thereabout, and the other of the upper body and the stopper has a guide projection disposed in the guide track for following the guide track upon rotation of the upper body, the guide track being shaped to such that rotation of the upper body in the first direction through the interaction of the guide track and the guide projection moves the stopper longitudinally along the axis of rotation relative to the upper body to the closed position, and rotation of the upper body in the second direction through the interaction of the guide track and the guide projection moves the stopper longitudinally along the axis of rotation relative to the upper body to the opened position. 
     
     
         24 . A lid for use with a vessel containing a liquid, comprising:
 a lower body coupleable in stationary relation to the vessel, the lower body including an interior portion having an annular cross-sectional shape with a lower body track section circumferentially traversing a portion of the lower body interior portion, the lower body including a pair of inwardly projecting spaced-apart stops;   an upper body extending at least partially within the lower body, the upper body rotatably coupled to the lower body and configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, the upper body including an interior portion having an annular cross-sectional shape with an upper body track section circumferentially traversing a portion of the upper body interior portion, the upper body including an outwardly projecting tab disposed inside the lower body track section, the tab being retained within and traversing the track section when the upper body is rotated relative to the lower body about the axis of rotation to rotatably couple the upper body inside the lower body, the upper body including a seal portion; and   a stopper disposed at least in part inside the upper body, the stopper having an outwardly projecting, axially extending rail positioned between the pair of stops to prevent rotation of the stopper relative to the lower body about the axis of rotation when the upper body is rotated relative to the lower body while allowing axial movement of the stopper along the axis of rotation relative to the lower body, the stopper including a guide projection disposed inside the upper body track section and a seal portion, the upper body track section being shaped such that when the upper body is rotated relative to the lower body the upper body rotates about the stopper and in response the upper body track section moves the guide projection and the stopper axially along the axis of rotation of the upper body between an open position and a closed position, when the stopper is in the closed position, the stopper seal portion abuts the upper body seal portion of the upper body to form a seal configured to seal the liquid inside the vessel, and when the stopper is in the open position, the stopper seal portion is spaced from the upper body seal portion to define an opening between the stopper seal portion and the upper body seal portion through which the liquid inside the vessel may exit.