Travel mug

Abstract

The present invention provides a travel mug that is easy to clean and allows a user to drink from any side of the mug.

1 . A travel mug comprising
 a body for receiving fluid;   a lid portion, releasably connected to the body and defining a fluid passageway therethrough, the lid portion having a valve seat located at a lower end thereof;   a plunger releasably connected to the lid portion and configured to move between a closed position, in which the plunger engages the valve seat and blocks fluid from flowing through the fluid passageway, and an open position, in which the plunger is disposed away from the valve seat; and   a button, connected to the lid portion, and configured to move the plunger between the open and closed positions.   
     
     
         2 . The travel mug according to  claim 1 , wherein the button is sized to substantially fill the diameter of the lid portion and defining a channel between the lid portion and the peripheral edge of the button. 
     
     
         3 . The travel mug according to  claim 1 , wherein the button is a dome shaped button. 
     
     
         4 . The travel mug according to  claim 1 , further comprising a gear assembly, disposed below the button and attached to the button, the gear assembly configured to move the plunger between the open and closed positions. 
     
     
         5 . The travel mug according to  claim 4  wherein the button comprises a post extending through the gear assembly to removably attach to the plunger. 
     
     
         6 . The travel mug of  claim 5  wherein the plunger comprises a fitting to receive the post. 
     
     
         7 . The travel mug of  claim 6  wherein the post extends through the fitting to mate with a nut. 
     
     
         8 . A travel mug comprising:
 a lower body;   an upper body attached to the lower body, the upper body including a valve seat and defining a fluid channel;   a valve member disposed below the valve seat and releasably attached to the upper body, the valve member having a closed position in which the valve member engages the valve seat and an open position in which the valve member is disposed away from the valve seat; and   a gear assembly disposed above the valve seat and the valve member and attached to the valve member and adapted to move the valve member between the open and closed positions.   
     
     
         9 . The travel mug according to  claim 8 , wherein the upper body further comprises a button portion and wherein the gear assembly is adapted to move the valve member between the open and closed positions by depressing downwardly on the button portion. 
     
     
         10 . The travel mug according to  claim 9 , wherein the button portion is dome shaped and extends across the upper body defining a channel between the upper body and the periphery of the button portion. 
     
     
         11 . The travel mug according to  claim 9 , wherein the upper body includes an upwardly extending peripheral wall that extends upwardly from the button defining a cavity between the button and the peripheral wall. 
     
     
         12 . The travel mug according to  claim 8 , wherein the valve member is releasably attached to the upper body such that the valve member can be removed to facilitate cleaning the upper body. 
     
     
         13 . The travel mug according to  claim 12  wherein the upper body further comprises a button portion and wherein the gear assembly is adapted to move the valve member between the open and closed positions by depressing downwardly on the button portion, the button portion comprising a post extending through the gear mechanism to removably attach to the lower body. 
     
     
         14 . The travel mug of  claim 13  wherein the lower body comprises a fitting to receive the post. 
     
     
         15 . The travel mug of  claim 14  wherein the post extends through the fitting to mate with a nut.