A range of infant cups are known, for example of the type generally termed trainer cups, including a cup-like body often including handles for ease of use by an infant, a cover and a drinking spout provided on the cover. The cup is easier to handle and allows the infant to drink from the cup with less risk of spillage.

Various improvements to infant cups are known which typically use a variety of types of suction actuated non-spill valves, either at the tip of a rigid spout or mounted in the lid itself, which allows liquid to flow when the infant sucks but closes otherwise. As a result the cup is largely spill-proof under normal conditions.

It will be appreciated that biting or prolonged sucking on a spout can lead to tooth damage for the infant during the important teething stage, especially for infants up to 9 months of age. As the known systems allow liquid to flow only under pure suction, "grazing"is encouraged whereby the infant sucks continually, as can be the case with more standard feeding bottles. This can lead to the infant's teeth being bathed for long periods in the liquid in the cup, which will often be a sweet drink, and again can give rise to tooth damage.

Also it is recognised that dental health and ear, nose and throat problems could be caused by the extra suction required (over and above the level of suction needed to drink from a straw or a free flow training spout) to open a conventional non-spill valve. Furthermore this extra suction can be tiring and off putting for the child.

Although various systems have been proposed to overcome these problems, there exists a need for a reliable, easily operated valve assembly requiring no more suction than a free flow/straw cup. Yet further there is a need for a system that suits an age range from new-born through to toddler.

Yet further, known teats, whether or not non-spill, do not adequately mimic the natural action of the mother's nipple in breast feeding.

The invention is set out in the appended claims.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the drawings, of which: Figure la is a sectional side view of a drinking vessel according to the present invention in a closed configuration; Figure lb shows the drinking vessel of figure la in an open configuration; Figure 2a is a sectional side view of a drinking vessel according to another aspect of the invention; Figure 2b is a sectional side view of a drinking vessel according to another aspect of the invention; Figure 2c is a sectional side view of a drinking vessel according to another aspect of the invention; Figure 2d is a sectional side view of a drinking vessel according to another aspect of the invention; Figure 3 is a sectional side view of a drinking vessel comprising a variant of the drinking vessel shown in Figures 2b and 2c; Figure 4 is a sectional side view of a mouthpiece according to another aspect of the invention;

Figure 5a is a side view of a mouthpiece according to another aspect of the invention; and Figure 5b is a sectional view of the mouthpiece of Figures 5a taking along line A-A.

Throughout the discussion of the embodiments like reference numerals referred to like parts.

Referring to Figures la and lb, a closure designated generally (10) is shown for a drinking vessel (not shown). The closure (10) can be a snap fit, screw fit, bayonet fit or push fit onto a drinking vessel such as an infant feeding bottle or trainer cup as is well known in the art. The closure (10) includes a collar (12) having a cylindrical side wall (14). The cylindrical side wall (14) includes on its lower, inner face appropriate formations (not shown) for mounting it to a drinking vessel and an inwardly projecting annular flange (16) is provided at the top of the cylindrical wall (14). The annular flange (16) serves to retain the flange of a teat or spout and/or other elements against the upper rim of the drinking vessel as is well known.

According to this invention a teat or spout (18) and valve seat (40) co-operate to provide a user operable valve allowing selective flow of liquid. The teat or spout (18) includes an outer annular flange (20) of appropriate known type which is held in place against the drinking vessel by the flange (16) of the collar (12). The flange can include an air inlet valve (not shown) of any appropriate type to allow pressure equalisation in the vessel. The teat (18) includes a teat portion (22) having an orifice (24) designed to be received in the infant's mouth for flow of liquid. This can be in any appropriate known form.

Joining the flange (20) and teat portion (24) is a generally domed flexing region designated (26). The flexing portion (26) includes a generally,

upwardly rising portion (28) protecting upwardly from the inner circumference of the flange (16). The upwardly rising portion (28) is connected to the teat by an intermediate portion (30). In the un-flexed configuration in Figure la the intermediate portion projects inwardly and downwardly from the upwardly rising portion (28) such that an annular depression is formed between the upwardly rising portion (28) and the teat portion (22). The teat or spout (18) may be formed integrally, for example by two shot moulding with the closure (10) or can be a separate part for example screwed into place.

The valve seat (40) comprises an outer annular flange (42) and a central dome (44). The flange (42) is arranged to be held in place against the drinking vessel by the flange (16) of the collar (12) co-operating with the flange (20) of the teat (18). The flange may have a two shot mounted soft/resilient lower face to form a seal against the drinking vessel. The central dome (44) projects upwardly towards the teat (18) and includes a plurality of orifices (46) around its lower end. These allow passage of liquid through the valve seat (40).

In the un-flexed, closed configuration shown in Figure la, the teat (18) is relaxed such that the intermediate portion (30) rests against the dome (44) of the value seat (40) forming an annular seal. As a result, liquid can pass through the valve seat into the space between the dome (44) of the valve seat and the upwardly rising portion (28) of the teat (18), but cannot enter the teat portion (22).

Referring to Figure lb, however, when an upward force designated generally by arrow A is applied to the teat portion (22) the flexing portion (26) flexes so as to pull the intermediate portion away from the dome (44) of the valve seat (40). As a result liquid can then flow into the teat portion (22) and the infant can drink through the drinking orifice (24). When the pulling force is relaxed

the teat (18) springs back to its un-flexed position sealing against the valve seat (40) once again. As a result a simple valved drinking vessel is provided where a pulling action by the user of the teat or mouth piece away from the valve seat, which is of course a natural drinking action, immediately provides the valve opening, and the vessel is self-sealing on release.

It will be appreciated that the teat (18) can be replaced by any appropriate mouth piece element as long as it has an appropriate flexing portion. For example the teat portion in particular can be replaced by a conventional training cup mouth piece or other mouth piece. In the preferred embodiment the teat (18) is formed from silicone moulded into the un-flexed shape and hence providing the desired resilience and shape memory. However, any other appropriate material can be provided. For example, more rigid materials can be provided in which the flexing portion has comparably thinner walls so as to provide the desired resilience. As a further alternative the teat or mouth piece can be two-shot moulded such that the teat or mouth piece portion is formed of more rigid material and the flexing portion of more flexible/resilient material.

Although moulding is discussed in particular here, any appropriate manner of forming the teat portion can be established.

Similarly, the valve seat (40) can be of any appropriate configuration as long as it includes some form of orifice for allowing liquid passage and a surface configured to form a seal with the teat or mouth piece. In the preferred embodiment the valve seat (40) is moulded in a rigid plastic material such as Polypropylene, but any appropriate means of construction and any appropriate material may be adopted.

Referring to Figures 2a to 2d, further alternative configurations are shown.

According to Figure 2a a teat (18) seat against a valve seat (40) having flow

passages (46). In this case the valve seat (40) has a central, upwardly extending post having an increased diameter upper portion (52). The teat (18) is resiliently biased upwardly against the lower face of the upper portion (52) of the post (50) such that in an un-flexed condition the teat orifice (24) is closed. However downward pressure on the teat (18) disengages the upper portion (52) of the post (50) allowing liquid flow via aperture (46). When the teat (18) is relaxed it springs back upwardly to the closed position. The teat (18) further includes an internal annular, cylindrical downwardly extending projection (54) and the valve seat (40) includes a co-operating upwardly projecting cylindrical annular projection (56). The cylindrical teat projection (54) slides along the inner face of the valve seat cylindrical projection (56) providing a guide for up and down movement of the teat. In addition the co- operating cylindrical formations (54), (56) provide a stop, limiting motion of the teat (18) accordingly. As a result when a user exerts a force in the downward direction designated by arrow B a simple and straight forward valving action is provided.

Referring now to Figure 2b a further alternative configuration is shown in which the teat (18) includes a downwardly depending post (60) which, in an un-flexed condition of the teat (18), closes aperture (46) in valve seat (40).

When the teat 18 is pulled in the direction designated by arrow C by user operation the post (60) disengages the aperture (46) allowing liquid flow out of the teat via aperture (24). Once again, when the force is relaxed the post returns to the closed position.

Referring to Figure 2c a similar configuration is shown to Figure 2b but as can be seen a squeezing action in the direction of arrows D can also be applied to assist in the valve opening operation.

Referring to Fig. 2d a variant is shown in which the spout (18) includes a spout aperture (24) which seals against a valve seat comprising a post (51) projecting upwardly against it. As a result, once again, an upward force on the spout (18) will cause it to flex by virtue of a bellows portion (53) away from the post allowing liquid flow through the aperture (24).

The various configurations shown in Figure 2a-2d can be constructed of similar materials and/or formed in the same manner as discussed above with reference to Figures la and lb. The embodiments of Figures 2a to 2d allow the creation of a natural flow action requiring no suction although the valves could be designed to also open with a combination of the actions described and a sucking action. Indeed the embodiments shown cannot be actuated by suction as this simply reduces the pressure in the teat or spout cavity causes the spout to seal more effectively. The teat portion is preferably formed of sufficiently rigid material that it does not deform under reduced pressure which could otherwise case the seal to be broken.

Fig. 3 shows a variant of the arrangement shown in either Fig. 2b or Fig. 2c. In particular it will be seen that apertures (46) are provided in the valve seat (40) spaced from the point of contact with the post (60) such that liquid flows into the chamber (19) around the post. The post (60) has a passage (27) down its centre such that it operates effectively like a straw. As a result when the post (60) is pulled away from the valve seat (40) liquid flows through the apertures (46) and the central bore (27) of the post (60).

Yet a further embodiment is shown in Fig. 4 which shows a teat, for example for a baby bottle, including a nipple portion (70) and a dome portion (72). The teat further includes a flange (74) at its base for example of a conventional type allowing the teat to be screwed to a bottle using a collar. Intermediate the

flange (74) and the dome portion (72) is a bellows portion (76). The teat is formed of any appropriate flexible material as a result of which when the teat is pulled in a direction away from the flange (74) it stretches at the bellows portion (76). As a result, a teat or spout is provided that behaves with a more natural action than existing spouts and teats. These are normally static in an infant's mouth unlike a mother's nipple which grows and stretches to fill the infant's mouth. This invention allows the teat or spout to be pulled into the infant's mouth mechanically or with the normal sucking action. This is achieved with the incorporation of the bellows mechanism in the base of the teat or spout.

In particular, provision of a bellows portion below the dome portion (72) provides an improvement upon arrangements where flexibility is provided between the nipple portion and the dome portion as the whole teat or spout can expand into the infant's mouth. Of course the arrangement can be used in conjunction with an appropriate sealing disk of the type shown in Fig. 1 in which case sealing can take place against a sealing surface (78) of the type shown in Fig. 4 providing a non-suction actuated, non-spill function of the type described above.

Yet a further variant is shown in Figs. 5a and 5b. A mouthpiece (18) includes a flexible bellows portion (80) at its base allowing the mouthpiece (18) to be flexed away from a post portion (82) projecting upwardly into contact with it.

The post portion (82) includes a hollow part (84) in communication with the liquid contents of the cup and liquid passes through apertures (86) in the wall of the post portion (82) to allow fluid flow when the teat (18) is flexed away from the post (82).

The system is suitable for new-born through to toddlers and a range of teats/spouts can be provided of increasing resiliency to match the increasing capabilities of the growing child.

Although the system is discussed specifically in relation to infant drinking vessels, it may be used equally in other appropriate drinking vessels where a non-spill action is required, for example adult or sport drinking bottles. The vessels may be of the multi-use kind or single use, disposable vessels. The vessel body may be a beaker, bottle or disposable container such as a carton or bag which may have no handles.