No-Spill Cup

Abstract

The present invention is a no-spill cup apparatus having a magnetic closure element that acts to open and close a liquid flow channel. The no-spill cup design permits the liquid flow channel to be opened or closed by grasping the handle or by pressing a button on the exterior of the cup. The magnetic closure follows a helical channel that permits a magnetic ring to engage and disengage from a ferrous ring disposed within a channel of the upper lid, sealing the liquid within the body of the cup when the pull lever or button is not engaged. The cup may also provide an ability to control the liquid flow speed to keep the liquid flow within an easy range for drinking.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A no-spill cup apparatus comprising:
 a body having a cylindrical shape with a sealed bottom and open upper portion;   an upper lid having the same diameter as the open upper portion of said body, where the upper lid connects to the upper portion of said body to form a liquid tight seal;   the upper lid having an internal ring channel disposed about the circumference of the upper lid;   the upper lid having a concave upper portion and a central opening at the base of the concave portion;   a seal plug disposed within the central opening of said upper lid, the seal plug having an upper flange having a diameter larger than the central opening and smaller than the base of the concave portion of the upper lid;   said seal plug extending below the bottom portion of the upper lid and into the open body of the no-spill cup, the bottom portion of the seal plug having a lower flange with a diameter larger than the central opening of the seal plug and smaller than the diameter of the upper portion of the body;   a handle connecting at the upper portion to the exterior of said upper lid, and connecting to a flange extension at the bottom exterior of the body of the no-spill cup;   the handle having a locking pull lever;   the locking pull lever having a physical connection to said seal plug;   the lower flange of said seal plug having a flat ferrous ring disposed on the top surface of said lower flange;   said internal ring channel having a magnetic ring disposed within the interior of the internal ring channel;   when said locking pull lever changes position through the action of a user, the flat ferrous ring is connected to, or released from, magnetic connection with said magnetic ring, said action opening or closing a channel for flow of liquid from the body of the no-spill cup through the connection to, or release from, the magnetic connection with said magnetic ring.   
     
     
         2 . The no-spill cup apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a series of helical channels disposed around the diameter of the upper lid and having a physical connection with said seal plug. 
     
     
         3 . The no-spill cup apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible web portion forming the bottom portion of the seal plug and connected to said lower flange of the seal plug. 
     
     
         4 . The no-spill cup apparatus of  claim 2 , where the lower flange moves vertically, upward and downward, through said series of helical shaped channels to rotate the flat ferrous ring into position to create a magnetic connection with the magnetic ring. 
     
     
         5 . The no-spill cup apparatus of  claim 3 , where the flexible web portion compresses and relaxes when the bottom flange moves vertically to permit the bottom flange to open or close a liquid flow channel. 
     
     
         6 . The no-spill cup apparatus of  claim 1 , where the locking pull lever is opened and closed through the action of a spring disposed at the center of the locking pull lever, permitting a user to lock the liquid flow channel into an open or closed state. 
     
     
         7 . The no-spill cup apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a locking lever and a first and second pin to create an auto-close capability, where the first pin holds the locking lever in an open position until a force acts upon the second pin to push the second pin past the first pin position and move the locking lever into a closed position to close a liquid flow channel. 
     
     
         8 . The no-spill cup apparatus of  claim 1 , where said upper lid, said seal plug, and said body of the cup are separable to permit ease of cleaning. 
     
     
         9 . The no-spill apparatus of  claim 1 , where the locking pull lever further comprises a button shape having an open and a locked position. 
     
     
         10 . The no-spill apparatus of  claim 1 , where the locking pull lever comprises a two-position lever that does not insert into a channel in the handle.