Push Button Controlled Beverage Container Lid

Abstract

A lid assembly including a cover member for attachment to a container, the cover member including a top surface and a side surface extending from the top surface, the top surface including an aperture providing access to contents of the container; an actuating mechanism attached to the cover member and mechanically coupled to a sealing element for sealing the aperture, the actuating mechanism including a first actuator positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and partially open the aperture; and a second actuator positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and fully open the aperture; and an indicator mechanism provided on the cover member, the indicator mechanism providing a visual indication of which of the first and/or second actuators have been actuated.

1 . A lid assembly comprising:
 a cover member for attachment to a container, the cover member including a top surface and a side surface extending from the top surface, wherein the top surface includes an aperture providing access to contents of the container;   an actuating mechanism attached to the cover member and mechanically coupled to a sealing element for sealing the aperture, the actuating mechanism comprising:
 a first actuator positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and partially open the aperture; and 
 a second actuator positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and fully open the aperture; and 
   an indicator mechanism provided on the cover member, the indicator mechanism providing a visual indication of which of the first and/or second actuators have been actuated   wherein the first and second actuators comprise first and second push buttons provided on the side surface of the cover member.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein with the first and second push buttons in the closed position the first and second push buttons are generally flush with the side surface, and with the first and second push buttons in the open position the first and second push buttons are indented from the side surface. 
     
     
         4 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator mechanism comprises a visual indicator provided about respective peripheries of the first and second actuators. 
     
     
         5 . A lid assembly comprising:
 a cover member for attachment to a container, the cover member including a top surface and a side surface extending from the top surface, wherein the top surface includes an aperture providing access to contents of the container;   an actuating mechanism attached to the cover member and mechanically coupled to a sealing element for sealing the aperture, the actuating mechanism comprising:
 a first actuator positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and partially open the aperture; and 
 a second actuator positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and fully open the aperture; and 
   an indicator mechanism provided on the cover member, the indicator mechanism providing a visual indication of which of the first and/or second actuators have been actuated,   wherein the indicator mechanism comprises a visual indicator provided about respective peripheries of the first and second actuators, and   wherein with the first actuator in the closed position the respective visual indicator is hidden and with the first actuator in the open position the respective visual indicator is exposed, and wherein with the second actuator in the closed position the respective visual indicator is hidden and with the second actuator in the open position the respective visual indicator is exposed.   
     
     
         6 . The lid assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the visual indicator comprises color. 
     
     
         7 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second actuators include raised indicators on the surfaces thereof for distinguishing between them by touch. 
     
     
         8 . A lid assembly comprising:
 a cover member for attachment to a container, the cover member including a top surface and a side surface extending from the top surface, wherein the top surface includes an aperture providing access to contents of the container;   an actuating mechanism attached to the cover member and mechanically coupled to a sealing element for sealing the aperture, the actuating mechanism comprising:
 a first actuator positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and partially open the aperture; and 
 a second actuator positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and fully open the aperture; and 
   an indicator mechanism provided on the cover member, the indicator mechanism providing a visual indication of which of the first and/or second actuators have been actuated,   wherein the first and second actuators operate independently of one another.   
     
     
         9 . A lid assembly comprising:
 a cover member for attachment to a container, the cover member including a top surface and a side surface extending from the top surface, wherein the top surface includes an aperture providing access to contents of the container;   an actuating mechanism attached to the cover member and mechanically coupled to a sealing element for sealing the aperture, the actuating mechanism comprising:
 a first push button positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and partially open the aperture; and 
 a second push button positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and fully open the aperture; and 
   an indicator mechanism provided on the cover member, the indicator mechanism providing a visual indication of which of the first and/or second actuators have been actuated, wherein the indicator mechanism comprises a visual indicator provided about respective peripheries of the first and second actuators,   wherein the first and second push buttons are provided on the side surface of the cover member.   
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The lid assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the visual indicator comprises color. 
     
     
         12 . A lid assembly comprising:
 a cover member for attachment to a container, the cover member including a top surface and a side surface extending from the top surface, wherein the top surface includes an aperture providing access to contents of the container;   an actuating mechanism attached to the cover member and mechanically coupled to a sealing element for sealing the aperture, the actuating mechanism comprising:
 a first push button positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and partially open the aperture; and 
 a second push button positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and fully open the aperture; and 
   an indicator mechanism provided on the cover member, the indicator mechanism providing a visual indication of which of the first and/or second actuators have been actuated, wherein the indicator mechanism comprises a visual indicator provided about respective peripheries of the first and second actuators,   wherein with the first and second push buttons in the closed position the first and second push buttons are generally flush with the side surface covering the visual indicator, and with the first and second push buttons in the open position the first and second push buttons are indented from the side surface exposing the visual indicator.   
     
     
         13 . The lid assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the visual indicator is a different color than that of the side surface. 
     
     
         14 . The lid assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second push buttons include raised indicators on the surfaces thereof for distinguishing between them by touch. 
     
     
         15 . A lid assembly comprising:
 a cover member for attachment to a container, the cover member including a top surface and a side surface extending from the top surface, wherein the top surface includes an aperture providing access to contents of the container;   an actuating mechanism attached to the cover member and mechanically coupled to a sealing element for sealing the aperture, the actuating mechanism comprising:
 a first push button positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and partially open the aperture; and 
 a second push button positionable between closed and open positions to move the sealing element to close and fully open the aperture; and 
   an indicator mechanism provided on the cover member, the indicator mechanism providing a visual indication of which of the first and/or second actuators have been actuated, wherein the indicator mechanism comprises a visual indicator provided about respective peripheries of the first and second actuators,   wherein the first and second push buttons operate independently of one another.   
     
     
         16 . The lid assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the indicator mechanism comprises a visual indicator provided about respective peripheries of the first and second actuators. 
     
     
         17 . The lid assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second actuators include raised indicators on the surfaces thereof for distinguishing between them by touch. 
     
     
         18 . The lid assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the indicator mechanism comprises a visual indicator provided about respective peripheries of the first and second actuators. 
     
     
         19 . The lid assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second actuators include raised indicators on the surfaces thereof for distinguishing between them by touch. 
     
     
         20 . The lid assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second push buttons include raised indicators on the surfaces thereof for distinguishing between them by touch. 
     
     
         21 . The lid assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second push buttons include raised indicators on the surfaces thereof for distinguishing between them by touch. 
     
     
         22 . The lid assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the visual indicator comprises color.