Training cup

Abstract

A container assembly includes a container (or cup) and a lid, and functions as a training cup assembly. The lid activates by a force applied by the user of the cup in order to withdraw fluid from inside the cup volume. The training cup feature permits removal of the contents from the cup while mitigating against leaks and/or spills.

1 . A lid for a cup having a lid vertical axis, comprising:
 an upper portion having a flexible valve extending outwardly therefrom, the flexible valve defining an upper outer periphery of the lid; and   a lower portion having a baffle, the baffle including a top surface having one or more openings, the baffle defining a lower outer periphery such that the one or more openings are disposed radially inward of the lower outer periphery of the baffle, each of the one or more openings defining an opening vertical axis that is substantially parallel to the lid vertical axis, the lid thereby having one or more opening vertical axes; and   a cup connecting means disposed on the lower portion, the cup connecting means extending outward and/or downward from the top surface;   wherein the upper portion and the lower portion are connected about a center portion of the lid that is inward of the one or more openings;   wherein a clearance includes a clearance height is defined as the distance as measured along the opening vertical axis between the plane defined by the top surface where the one or more openings extends through a lower end of the upper portion that is directly above the one or more openings;   wherein the clearance height of at least one of the one or more openings is between about 0.125 inches and about 1 inches.   
     
     
         2 . The lid assembly for the cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower portion and the upper portion are integral, mechanically fastened, and/or chemically fastened. 
     
     
         3 . The lid for the cup according to  claim 1 , clearance length is defined as the distance between where the flexible valve and the baffle connect to where the shorter of the lower outer periphery of the baffle and the outer upper periphery of the flexible valve, and wherein a clearance opening is defined as the distance along a projection between a lower surface of the flexible valve outer upper periphery and the top surface of the baffle lower outer periphery. 
     
     
         4 . The lid for the cup according to  claim 3 , wherein the clearance height is between about 0.125 inches about 0.25 inches only if either a clearance length is greater than or equal to about 0.5 inches or a clearance opening is greater than or equal to about 0.5 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The lid for the cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the clearance height is at least 0.125 inches for all of the one or more openings. 
     
     
         6 . The lid for the cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower portion and upper portion are sealed to mitigate against any foreign matter from entering into the center portion where the upper portion and the lower portion are connected. 
     
     
         7 . The lid for the cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the cup connecting means disposed such that it does not intersect the one or more opening vertical axes. 
     
     
         8 . The lid for the cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the center portion defines a connecting wall having a connecting height of greater than or equal to 0.25 inches. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A connecting means for a container assembly suitable for children, the container assembly having a central vertical axis, comprising:
 a lid having an upper portion having an upper outer periphery, and a lower portion having a lower outer periphery, the lid having a lid vertical axis coterminous with the central vertical axis, the lid having a container connecting means on the lower portion;   a container having a container body having an inner surface defining a storage volume, the body having an outer surface that is opposite the inner surface, the container having a container vertical axis coterminous with the central vertical axis and the lid vertical axis, the container body having an upper end defined by a container lip, the container having a lid connecting means located below the container lip and on the inner surface of the container body; lid connecting means located on a container located below a platform as defined by the central vertical axis;   one or more protrusions; and   one or more recesses;   wherein each of the one or more protrusions and the one or more recesses are proximal the lid connecting means and container connecting means when the lid and container are fully connected, each of the one or more recesses having a geometry that is suitable to substantially receive each of one or more detents, the one or more protrusions and the one or more recesses being inside the container body when the lid and container are fully connected;   wherein the container connecting means matingly engages the lid connecting means to securely connect the lid to the container, and the one or more protrusions align with the one or more recesses creating at least one of an audible or tactile indication that a seal that mitigates spills is achieved.   
     
     
         15 . The container assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the lid connecting means includes one or more lid connecting threads including one or more one thread stops, and the cup connecting means includes one or more cup connecting threads suitable for engaging the one or more lid connecting threads, each of the one or more cup connecting threads having a leading end and a trailing end, wherein the lid connecting means and the cup-container connecting means engage each other by relative rotational movement such that the one or more lid connecting threads engage the one or more container connecting threads until the one or more leading ends engage the one or more thread stops. 
     
     
         16 . The connecting means for the container assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the thread stops has a thread stop vertical axis that is parallel to the central vertical axis, such that there is one or more thread stop vertical axes,
 wherein each of the one or more recesses has a recess vertical axis that is parallel to the central vertical axis and a respective thread stop vertical axis, such that there are one or more recess vertical axes, and   wherein an offset is defined as the planar peripheral distance about the inner wall surface of the container in a horizontally projected plane that is perpendicular to the central vertical axis between one or more thread stop vertical axes the respective recess vertical axes.   
     
     
         17 . The connecting means for the container assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the offset is at least about 0.25 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The connecting means for the container assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the relative rotational movement required to connect the lid to the container is about 180 degrees rotation or less. 
     
     
         19 . The connecting means for the container assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the one or more protrusions is located above the cup-container connecting means as defined by the lid vertical axis, and wherein the one or more recesses is located above the lid connecting means as defined by the central vertical axis. 
     
     
         20 . The connecting means for the container assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the container further comprises a platform adjacent the container lip, and the lid further comprises:
 a flexible valve located in the upper portion of the lid, the flexible valve defining an upper outer periphery of the lid;   a baffle located in the lower portion of the lid, the baffle defining a top surface having at least one opening; and   a container connecting means extending downward from the top surface;   wherein the container connecting means matingly engages the lid connecting means to securely connect the lid to the container such that the outer upper periphery of the flexible valve engages at least one of the container lip and the container platform and the to create a seal that mitigates against spills, and the one or more protrusions align with the one or more recesses creating at least one of an audible or tactile indication that the seal that mitigates against spills is achieved.