FIELD OF THE INVENTION

T- invention relates to a resilient closure to be r vived on a container for a liquid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The container art is replete with examples of attempts to produce non-spill lids for soft drinks. Such drinks are frequently purchased at fast food outlets and may be consumed in a car. The spilling of the drinks produces the obvious disadvantage of liquid in the car but also the drinks are usually high in sugar, producing a sticky mess. They are also frequently coloured, thus staining upholstery and frequently drunk by children, who are more likely to spill the drink by knocking over the container.

As a result of the above several attempts have been made to produce non-spill lids, that is, a container closure that can be placed on the container and left with confidence that the drink will not spill even if the container is knocked over. Previous attempts have met with little success. Flexible closures are certainly known for soft drinks and for coffee, tea and the like

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but they are normally only used while the container, with the drink in it, is carried to the place of consumption. At that place the lid is removed and discarded.

There have been attempts in the prior art to produce ^• S container tops that have valves or flaps in them that can be opened when a person wishes to drink, and closed when the drink is put to one side. Desirably, of course, the closure of the opening or flap is done automatically. An example of such prior art is shown in the U.S. Patent 10 4,210,256 to Amberg et al. However, the structure shown is relatively complicated and, at least by the standards that must apply for these closures, which are usually disposable, relatively expensive to produce.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to produce a device that |S will not cost more to produce than existing lids, effective in operation even though it is used a number of times, and, indeed, meets all the problems listed above.

Accordingly, the present invention is a resilient closure to be received on a container for a liquid, the closure J2.0 comprising: a raised periphery defining a channel to engage on the container to form a seal around the container; a valve in the surface of the closure adjacent the raised periphery and movable between a closed and an open position but tending to remain closed in the absence of an 3S external force; a lever of longitudinal shape formed integrally with the closure and raised above the surface, extending from across the surface, whereby downward pressure applied to the lever opens the valve

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to allow liquids to pass from the container but release of the lever allows the valve to return to the closed position, the valve comprising a flap which is defined by a slit in the surface of the closure starting at a 5 point on a first edge _, of the lever and extending in a path spaced from the end of the lever round to contact a second point on a second edge of the lever.

In a desirable aspect the closure is made in one piece from a synthetic resin that possesses the necessary \ Q resilience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects of the invention are illustrated in the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment in the invention;

t5 Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 in Figure 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figure 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows a resilient closure 2 to be received on a container (not shown) . The closure has a raised 2.0 periphery 4 which defines a channel 6 to engage on the container to form a seal around the container. It will be recognized that in this regard the closure 2 is conventional. That is, the typical protective device T ET

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for a soft drink container typically has a periphery to engage on the top of the container.

The closure 2 according to the invention has a valve in the form of a flap 8 in the surface 9 of the closure

5 adjacent the periphery. This flap 8 is movable between a closed position as shown in Figure 2 to an open position as shown in Figure 3, but, due to the resilience of the material for which the closure is made, it tends to the closed position, that is the position shown in

■ 0 Figure 2. In this regard surface 9 is a smooth area free of interruptions other than a lever 10 formed integrally with the surface 9. Lever 10 is raised above the surface 9 and ends at the flap 8. In the illustrated embodiment the lever extends 10 from, and is continuous lδ with, the periphery 4 and ends overlapping the flap 8 as shown particularly in Figure 3.

In the illustrated embodiment there is a raised portion 11 in the periphery 4, generally adjacent the flap 8, to facilitate drinking. There may also be an opening 2.0 14 for a straw in the form of cross slits. Again, due to the resilient nature of the materials for which the closure is made, the slits remain closed when a straw is not positioned in it.

It is desirable that the periphery 4 be formed with a 2.5 ^" crown or half radius at 12 to increase the strength of the device and to assist in location on the container.

Although the flap 8 as shown as a circle it will be appreciated that the shape is immaterial. The flap 8 need not be located as close to the lever 10 as shown.

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It is sufficient if flap 8 is generally adjacent the end of lever 10 as the uninterrupted surface 9 ensures that in those circumstances flap 8 will still open when lever 10 is pressed. The closure 2 according to the present 5 invention may be made of PVC, polyethylene or any other similar known and, preferably, cheap plastic. In- this regard it will be appreciated that the closure 2 is normally intended as a throw-away device, that is, to be used once and then discarded.

I 0 To use the closure according to the present invention the closure 2 is placed on a container and experimental trials have shown that with the closure 2 in position on a properly dimensioned container there is no leakage even though the container be knocked over. When it is desired

^| 5 ^" to drink from the container then the drinker applies pressure to the lever 10 at any point along ist length. The flap 8 is opened, as shown in Figure 3, and the drinker may place his or her mouth on the raised portion 11 to drink from the container. Release of the pressure

2.0 from the lever 10 allows the flap 8 to close. It should be noted that the nose or upper lip can be used to apply pressure to the lever 10, that is, it need not necessarily be the pressure of the fingers.

The arrangement according to the present invention is 2.5 particularly useful because of the fulcrum ability of the lever 10 and its relationship to the opening. Even after some considerable use in experiments the flap 8 still returns to the closed position as soon as pressure is released from the lever 10. In this regard the flap 8 ^θ _{S an} integral part of surface 9 formed simply by cutting surface 9. This ensures smooth operation particularly immediate transfer of any stress applied to the lever 10

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to the surface 9 and thus flap 8. Similarly as soon as stress is removed from the lever 10 the surface 9 and thus the flap 8 return to the rest or closed position. The present closure is the first to use this close relationship between an operating lever and a surface and a valve formed in''that surface.