Sippy Cup with Multiple Valve Configurations

Abstract

A sippy cup assembly including a flow control element having selectable flow controllers thereon allowing a caregiver to selectively control a desired flow condition for the sippy cup assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sippy cup assembly comprising:
 a lid having a spout extending from an upper portion thereof, said spout having at least one liquid egress opening therethrough;   a body shaped and sized to hold a liquid therein having an engagement portion thereon for engaging said lid to provide a seal between said lid and said body; and   a flow control element having at least 3 separate flow controllers thereon, each of said flow controllers adapted to be received between said spout egress opening and a liquid in said body, each of said flow controllers adapted to provide a different flow condition for a liquid located in said body leaving said body through said spout egress opening.   
     
     
         2 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 1  wherein said flow controllers comprise protrusions extending from said flow control element. 
     
     
         3 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lid includes at least one engagement feature depending from a lower portion of said lid shaped to engage at least a portion of said flow control element. 
     
     
         4 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lid includes at least one engagement feature depending from a lower portion of said lid shaped to engage at least one of said flow controllers. 
     
     
         5 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 4  wherein said engagement between said engagement feature and said flow controller is frictional engagement. 
     
     
         6 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said flow controllers is adapted to provide a no-flow condition. 
     
     
         7 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lid includes a vent opening therein. 
     
     
         8 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 1  wherein said flow control element includes a thumb tab protruding from a lower portion thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 1  wherein said flow control element includes indicia thereon to provide an indication of flow conditions provided by respective flow controllers located thereon. 
     
     
         10 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 2  wherein said protrusions are cylindrical in shape. 
     
     
         11 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 1  wherein said at least one of said flow controllers includes at least 3 holes therethrough. 
     
     
         12 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 11  wherein said holes are between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm in diameter. 
     
     
         13 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 1  wherein said flow control element is entirely composed of an elastic material. 
     
     
         14 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lid includes a circumferential flange having threads thereon shaped to engage corresponding threads located on said body. 
     
     
         15 . A sippy cup assembly comprising:
 a lid having a spout extending from an upper portion thereof and a circumferential flange having threads thereon, said spout having at least one liquid egress opening therethrough;   a body shaped and sized to hold a liquid therein having an upper portion having threads thereon shaped to engage corresponding threads located on said circumferential flange of said lid to provide a seal between said lid and said body; and   a flow control element having at least 3 separate flow controllers thereon, each of said flow controllers comprising a protrusion extending from an upper portion of said flow control element and adapted to be frictionally received by an engagement feature depending from a lower portion of said lid between said spout egress opening and a liquid in said body, each of said flow controllers adapted to provide a different flow condition for a liquid located in said body leaving said body through said spout egress opening.   
     
     
         16 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 15  wherein at least one of said flow controllers is adapted to provide a no-flow condition. 
     
     
         17 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 15  wherein said flow control element includes indicia thereon to provide an indication of flow conditions provided by respective flow controllers located thereon. 
     
     
         18 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 15  wherein said flow control element includes a thumb tab protruding from a lower portion thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The sippy cup assembly of  claim 1  wherein said at least one of said flow controllers includes at least 3 holes therethrough and wherein said holes are between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm in diameter. 
     
     
         15 . A sippy cup assembly comprising:
 a lid having a spout extending from an upper portion thereof, a vent hole therethrough, and a circumferential flange having threads thereon, said spout having at least one liquid egress opening therethrough;   a body shaped and sized to hold a liquid therein having an upper portion having threads thereon shaped to engage corresponding threads located on said circumferential flange of said lid to provide a seal between said lid and said body; and   a flow control element having at least 3 separate flow controllers thereon, each of said flow controllers comprising a protrusion extending from an upper portion of said flow control element and adapted to be frictionally received by an engagement feature depending from a lower portion of said lid between said spout egress opening and a liquid in said body, each of said flow controllers adapted to provide a different flow condition for a liquid located in said body leaving said body through said spout egress opening and one of said controllers adapted to provide a no-flow condition.