Infant trainer cup with straw lid

Abstract

A cup assembly including a cup having a pair of opposed curved sides, each of the pair of opposed curved sides is a deflectable side, a lid releasably connected to the cup, and a straw operatively associated with the cup to transport fluids from said cup to a user, is provided. The cup assembly has two opposed convex sides; and a zone of compression on each of the convex sides is provided. The zone of compression on one convex sides is deflectable towards a zone of deflection on the other convex side to permit the cup to be compressed.

1 . A cup assembly comprising:
 a cup having a pair of opposed curved sides, wherein each of said pair of opposed curved sides is a deflectable side of said cup;   a lid releasably connected to said cup; and   a straw operatively connected to said cup to transport fluids from said cup to a user.   
     
     
         2 . The cup assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said pair of opposed curved sides comprise a pair of opposed convex sides. 
     
     
         3 . The cup assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein each of said pair of opposed convex sides is deflectable in a direction towards the other of said pair of opposed convex sides to compress said cup. 
     
     
         4 . The cup assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second pair of opposed curved sides, wherein said second pair of opposed curved sides and said pair of opposed curved sides form a four-sided cup. 
     
     
         5 . The cup assembly according to  claim 4 , further comprising a first line of demarcation and a second line of demarcation that separate said pair of opposed curved sides from said second pair of opposed curved sides. 
     
     
         6 . The cup assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein each of said pair of opposed curved sides is disposed between said second pair of opposed curved sides. 
     
     
         7 . The cup assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said cup further comprises a bottom surface and a plane coincident with said bottom surface and a first line and a second line, wherein said first line and said second line are each coincident a center line of each of said opposed curved sides, and each of said first line and said second line intersect said plane coincident with said bottom surface with a predefined angle. 
     
     
         8 . The cup assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said predefined angle ranges from 75° to 85°. 
     
     
         9 . The cup assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein each of said pair of opposed curved sides comprises a zone of compression and one of said first line and said second line traverses a center of said zone of compression disposed on one of said pair of opposed curved sides and the other of said first line and said second line traverses a center of said zone of compression disposed on the other of said pair of opposed curved sides. 
     
     
         10 . The cup assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein said zone of compression has a thickness of 0.02 inches to 0.045 inches in a direction towards the center of cup. 
     
     
         11 . The cup assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein said line of demarcation is a surface or an edge that separates said pair of opposed curved sides. 
     
     
         12 . A cup assembly according comprising:
 a cup having two opposed convex sides;   a zone of compression on each of said convex sides, wherein a zone of compression on one side of said convex sides is deflectable towards a zone of deflection on the other of said convex sides to permit said cup to be compressed; and   a lid releasably connected to said cup and a straw operatively associated with said lid and said cup to transport fluid from said cup to a user when fluid is suctioned or squeezed from said cup.   
     
     
         13 . The cup assembly according to  claim 12 , further comprising two opposed curved sides, wherein said two opposed convex sides and said two opposed curved sides form a four sided cup. 
     
     
         14 . The cup assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein one of said two opposed curved sides is disposed between said two opposed convex sides to position said two opposed convex sides and said two opposed curved sides on opposite sides of said cup. 
     
     
         15 . The cup assembly according to  claim 12 , further comprising a first line of demarcation and a second line of demarcation, wherein said first line of demarcation separates one of said two convex sides from said two opposed curved sides and said second line of demarcation separates said other of said two convex sides from said two opposed curved sides. 
     
     
         16 . The cup assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein each of said opposed convex sides comprises a zone of compression, wherein each of said opposed convex sides is deflectable at said zone of compression to reduce a volume of said cup and eject fluid from said cup through said straw. 
     
     
         17 . The cup assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein said zone of compression has a thickness of 0.02 inches to 0.045 inches in a direction towards the center of cup. 
     
     
         18 . The cup according to  claim 17 , wherein said cup further comprises a bottom surface and a plane coincident with said bottom surface and a center line of each of said opposed convex sides that intersects said plane coincident with said bottom surface to form an angle ranging from 75° to 85°. 
     
     
         19 . The cup according to  claim 17 , wherein said center line of each of said opposed convex sides traverses said zone of compression. 
     
     
         20 . The cup assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein said lid has two opposed handles for holding by a user. 
     
     
         21 . The cup assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein a force required to compress a zone of compression ranges from 7 lb-f to 13 lb-f. 
     
     
         22 . The cup assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein said cup is formed from flexible polypropylene.