Dual drink mode lid assembly for a container

Abstract

A lid assembly is adapted to be removably coupled to a container, and the lid assembly includes an actuation member and a seal member each pivotably coupled to a base member. In a sealed position, a sealing portion of the seal member seals a fluid aperture. When the actuation member pivots from a first actuation position to a second actuation position, an engagement portion of the actuation member contacts an engagement portion of the seal member to displace the seal member from the sealed position to a first open position in which the seal member is disposed at a first angle from the base member. When a straw is inserted through the fluid aperture, the straw pivots the seal member from the sealed position to a second open position in which the seal member is disposed at a second angle from the base member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lid assembly for a container, the lid assembly comprising:
 a base member having a fluid aperture disposed in a portion of the base member;   an actuation member coupled to the base member, the actuation member having an engagement portion, the actuation member being displaceable relative to the base member from a first actuation position to a second actuation position;   a seal member coupled to the base member, the seal member being pivotably coupled to the base member, the seal member including an engagement portion and a sealing portion, and the seal member being rotatable relative to the base portion from a sealed position to a first open position and from the sealed position to a second open position,   wherein in the first open position, a seal axis of the seal member is disposed at a first angular distance from a base axis of the base member,   wherein in the second open position, the seal axis of the seal member is disposed at a second angular distance from the base axis of the base member, the second angular distance being greater than the first angular distance.   
     
     
         2 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation member is elongated and pivots relative to the base member from the first position to the second position about a pivot axis disposed between a first end and a second end of the actuation member. 
     
     
         3 . The lid assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the actuation member pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position when the first end of the actuation member is displaced away from a surface of the base member. 
     
     
         4 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an engagement portion of the actuation member is disposed at an end portion of a projection. 
     
     
         5 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an engagement portion of the seal member is disposed between a first end of the seal member and a sealing portion of the seal member. 
     
     
         6 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the seal member rotates about a pivot axis that extends adjacent to a first end of the seal member, the pivot axis being normal to a seal axis, wherein the seal axis is offset from the pivot axis of the seal member. 
     
     
         7 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member coupled to the base member and to the sealing member, the biasing member biasing the sealing portion of the sealing member towards the fluid aperture of the base member. 
     
     
         8 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation member is pivotably displaceable from the first actuation position to the second actuation position about a pivot axis disposed between a first end and a second end of the actuation member. 
     
     
         9 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base member includes a cylindrical skirt portion coaxially-aligned with a lid reference axis. 
     
     
         10 . The lid assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a first projection and a second projection radially extend from the skirt portion, the first projection and the second projection defining a gap therebetween, the gap being adapted to receive the straw and the first projection and the second projection adapted to secure the straw within the gap. 
     
     
         11 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement potion of the seal member is disposed at or adjacent to a first end of the seal member or between the first end and a second end of the seal member. 
     
     
         12 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a vent aperture is disposed through the base member, and a vent projection disposed on the actuation member is adapted to engage the vent aperture when the actuation member is in the first actuation position and the vent projection is adapted to be spaced apart from the vent aperture when the actuation member is in the second actuation position. 
     
     
         13 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a pair of coupling tabs extend from a bottom surface of the base member, and each of the pair of coupling tabs has an aperture that receives a corresponding projection of a corresponding first and second arm portion of the seal member to pivotably secure the seal member to the base member. 
     
     
         14 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a securing portion is coupled to the actuation member, and the securing portion is adapted to engage a retaining portion of the base member to provide a detent force when the actuation member is pivoted from the first actuation position to the second actuation position. 
     
     
         15 . The lid assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the securing portion includes a head portion having an end portion that is rounded or contoured, and wherein the retaining portion is cup shaped and adapted to receive the end portion of the head portion when the actuation member is in the first actuation position, and wherein the head portion slides over a ridge of the retaining portion as the actuation member pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position. 
     
     
         16 . The lid assembly of  claim 15 , wherein a biasing member biases the head portion into contact with the ridge as the actuation member pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position. 
     
     
         17 . The lid assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first angular distance is an angle between 5° and 45° and the second angular distance is an angle between 20° and 80°. 
     
     
         18 . The lid assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the first angular distance is an angle between 10° and 30° and the second angular distance is an angle between 45° and 70°. 
     
     
         19 . A lid assembly for a container, the lid assembly comprising:
 a base member, a fluid aperture being defined in a portion of the base member;   an actuation member coupled to the base member, the actuation member having an engagement portion, the actuation member being displaceable relative to the base member from a first actuation position to a second actuation position;   a securing portion coupled to the actuation member, the securing portion being adapted to engage a retaining portion of the base member to provide a detent force;   a vent aperture disposed through the base member;   a vent projection disposed on the actuation member, the vent projection being adapted to engage the vent aperture when the actuation member is in the first actuation position and the vent projection being adapted to be spaced apart from the vent aperture when the actuation member is in the second actuation position;   a seal member coupled to the base member, the seal member being pivotably coupled to the base member, and the seal member including an engagement portion, wherein the seal member rotates relative to the base portion from a sealed position to a first open position and from the sealed position to a second open position; and   a biasing member coupled to the base member and the sealing member that biases the sealing portion of the sealing member towards the fluid aperture of the base member,   wherein when the actuation member displaces from the first actuation position to the second actuation position, the engagement portion of the actuation member contacts the engagement portion of the seal member, thereby displacing the seal member from the sealed position to the first open position.   
     
     
         20 . The lid assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the securing portion includes a head portion having an end portion that is rounded or contoured, and wherein the retaining portion is cup shaped and adapted to receive the end portion of the head portion when the actuation member is in the first actuation position, and wherein the head portion contacts a ridge of the retaining portion as the actuation member pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position. 
     
     
         21 . The lid assembly of  claim 20 , wherein a pair of coupling tabs extend from a bottom surface of the base member, and each of the pair of coupling tabs has an aperture that receives a corresponding projection of a corresponding first and second arm portion of the seal member to pivotably secure the seal member to the base member. 
     
     
         22 . A lid assembly for a container, the lid assembly comprising:
 a base member having a fluid aperture and a retaining portion, the base member being adapted to be removably coupled to the container;   an actuation member coupled to the base member, the actuation member being displaceable relative to the base member from a first actuation position to a second actuation position;   a securing portion coupled to the actuation member and adapted to engage the retaining portion of the base member to provide a detent force when the actuation member is pivoted from the first actuation position to the second actuation position,   wherein the securing portion includes a head portion having an end portion that is rounded or contoured, and wherein the retaining portion is cup-shaped and adapted to receive the end portion of the head portion when the actuation member is in the first actuation position, and wherein the head portion slides over a ridge of the retaining portion as the actuation member pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position.   
     
     
         24 . The lid assembly of claim  23 , wherein a securing biasing member biases the head portion into contact with the ridge as the actuation member pivots from the first actuation position to the second actuation position. 
     
     
         25 . The lid assembly of claim  23 , further comprising:
 a seal member coupled to the base member, the seal member being pivotably coupled to the base member, wherein the seal member rotates relative to the base portion from a sealed position to a first open position and from the sealed position to a second open position; and   a sealing biasing member coupled to the base member and the sealing member that biases the sealing portion of the sealing member towards the fluid aperture of the base member,   wherein the force provided by the sealing biasing member is sufficient to close the seal member when the actuation member is in the first actuation position, but the force provided by the securing biasing member prevents the sealing biasing member from closing the seal member when the actuation member is in the second actuation position.