The present invention relates to a lid for a beverage bottle. The invention also relates to a beverage bottle comprising such lid. Furthermore, the invention relates to a use of such a beverage bottle with a lid.

Increasingly, people are using beverage bottles on the fly. For instance, at the gym or when doing other physical activities such as hiking, playing golf, sailing or jogging; when driving a car, a truck or a boat; or when being at work, many people prefer bringing their beverage with them. A smallest common denominator for such activities is that the user is moving around or doing something else in a situation where it is also desirable to be able to con sume a beverage.

To this end, many different types of beverage bottles have been presented, solving various problems for such beverage consumption. For instance, bottled water and soft drinks are sold in disposable bottles, that may be fitted with drinking mouthpieces for drinking without having to unscrew a cap of the bottle. Other bottles are non-disposable and arranged with heat or cold conserving properties, such as a double-bottomed metal structure with a vac uum between outer and inner metal layers.

In particular, various lid constructions have been presented. One main objective of prior art bottle lids has been to guarantee that the lid can be closed and stay closed in a liquid-proof manner. This way, the user does not have to make sure that the bottle does not fall over to avoid leaking beverage.

Here, there is a trade-off. The tighter the sealing function of the lid, the more difficult it has proven to be for the user to open the lid for beverage consumption. In particular, many known bottles are difficult to open without using both hands for consuming beverage if the lid is closed. Hence, it would be desirable to present a bottle lid both providing a very secure, liquid- proof seal of the bottle, even if the bottle falls over, and which is also very easy to open by a user, using only one hand. The present invention solves the above described problems.

Hence, the invention relates to a lid for a beverage bottle, arranged to be mounted on a beverage bottle, the lid comprising a through opening, through which liquid can pass from the interior of a bottle on which the lid is mounted and out from the bottle; a cap associated with an opened state and a closed state, in which closed state the cap is arranged to seal- ingly close said through opening, which cap comprises a user gripping part and a cap snap- fit means, which cap engages the lid by a hinge engagement arranged to allow the cap to turn about a first axis into and out of said closed state; a lid snap-fit means, arranged to enter into engagement with the cap snap-fit means when the cap enters said closed state, which engagement is arranged to maintain the cap in said closed state; and a lever device, which lid is characterised in that the lever device is arranged to, when the lever device is rotationally or translationally pressed towards the user gripping part, impart a first rotary force to the cap about said first axis, and in that the cap, when subjected to said first rotary force, is arranged to elastically and reversibly deform so that the cap snap-fit means disen- gages partly or fully from the lid snap-fit means.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a use of a lid of the said type, which lid is mounted on a beverage bottle, which use is characterised in that said use comprises the steps: when the cap is in its closed state, pressing or rotating the lever device towards the user gripping part, thereby partially or fully disengaging the cap snap-fit means from the lid snap-fit means; pulling the user gripping part so as to bring the cap to its open state; and pouring beverage out from the bottle through the through opening.

In the following, the invention will be described in detail, with reference to exemplifying embodiments of the invention and to the enclosed drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplifying bottle and an exemplifying lid according to the present invention, with a cap of the lid being in a closed state;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bottle and the lid shown in Figure 1, but with the cap in an opened state;

Figure 3 is a side view of the bottle and lid shown in Figure 1, with a lever device of the lid in a first rotary position, in a relaxed state;

Figure 4 is a side view of the bottle and lid shown in Figure 3, with the lever device of the lid in said first rotary position, but in a state in which a rotary force is applied to the lever device;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lid shown in Figure 1 from below; and

Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a use according to the present invention.

Figures 1-5 share the same reference numerals for same parts. Hence, Figures 1-4 illustrate a beverage bottle 100 as well as a lid 200 for such a bottle 100. Figure 5 only shows the lid 200.

That the lid 200 is "for" the bottle 100 means that the lid 200 is specifically adapted to be releasably fastened, in a liquid tight manner, to the bottle 200, preferably using collaborat- ing fastening means such as threads. As a result of such fastening, the bottle 100 and the lid 200 together form a liquid tight container for a beverage to be accommodated in the bottle 100. More specifically, the lid 200 is arranged to be mounted on the beverage bottle 100. The lid 200 comprises a through opening 211, through which liquid (beverage) can pass from the interior of the bottle 100 on which the lid 200 is mounted and out from the bottle 100 in question.

The lid 200 further comprises a cap 220, associated with an opened state illustrated in Fig- ure 1 and a closed state illustrated in Figure 2. In the closed state, the cap 220 is arranged to sealingly close (in a liquid tight manner) said through opening 211, so that no liquid bev erage can pass through the through opening and hence escape from said closed container formed by the bottle 100 and the lid 200. The opened state of the cap 220 is one in which the cap 220 no longer covers the through opening 211 in a liquid tight manner, the cap 220 preferably being displaced or swung out of the way so that a user can drink directly from the through opening 211 or pour beverage through the through opening 211 and out from the bottle 100.

The cap 220 in turn comprises a user gripping part 221, arranged to allow a user of the bottle 100 with its lid 200 to grip, using one or several fingers of the user, and to pull the cap 220 upwards (in the normal use orientation of the bottle 100 with its lid 200), away from the bottle 100, towards the opened state of the cap 220 and out of the closed state of the cap 220. The cap 220 may then move in a rotary direction R as described below. The cap 220 also comprises a cap snap-fit means 222, arranged to engage with a corre sponding lid snap-fit means 212 as will be described below.

The cap 220 engages the rest of the lid 200 by a hinge engagement 223 arranged to allow the cap 220 to turn or rotate about a first axis A into and out of said closed state of the cap 220. The hinge engagement 223 may, for instance, comprise a metal or plastic axis about which the cap rotates via an axle through hole in the cap 220; via plastic pins in rotary en gagement with corresponding pin holes in the lid 200; or in any other suitable manner.

The lid 200 further comprises said lid snap-fit means 212, arranged to enter into engage- ment with the cap snap-fit means 222 when the cap 220 enters said closed state. This en gagement between the cooperating snap-fit means 212, 222 is arranged to maintain the cap 220 in said closed state, preferably with some smallest force required to pull the cap 220 out of this engagement, which pulling force is applied away from the bottle 100 as mentioned above.

The lid 200 also comprises a lever device 230, protruding from a main body of the lid 200. According to the invention, the lever device 230 is arranged to, when the lever device 230 is rotationally or translationally pressed towards the user gripping part, in said rotary direc tion R, impart, by lever action by the lever device 230, a first rotary force FI (see Figure 4) to a part of the cap 220, or to the cap 220 as a whole, about said first axis A. When subjected to this first rotary force FI, the cap 220 in turn is arranged to elastically and reversibly de form, so that the cap snap-fit means 222 disengages partly or fully from the lid snap-fit means 212. This deformation may be due to the combination of said first rotary force FI applied at a first point and an anvil provided at a second point, at a distance from the first point, which anvil is provided by the lid 200 in the vicinity of the through opening 211, such as by a drinking or pouring spout 210 comprising the through opening 211.

This is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. In Figure 3, the lever device 230 is in a rest state, with no force being applied to the lever device 230. In this state, no deforming force is being applied to the cap 220, which is then also in a rest state. In Figure 4, a rotationally pressing second force F2 is applied to the lever device 230, and as a result of this force F2, the first rotary force FI is applied to the cap 220, which as a result deforms elastically and reversibly. The anvil is provided by the spout 210, which is fixed in relation to the lid 200. That the forces FI and F2 are "rotary" means that they are applied by or during a rotary motion of the body to which the force in question is imparted. Naturally, the force in ques tion itself is applied to a particular contact point and is linearly applied at the contact point. However, as the body being imparted by the force yields due to the force and the elastic nature of the material being imparted the force in question, the contact point and the force application direction moves correspondingly in a rotary fashion.

In the exemplifying case illustrated in Figures 1-5, the application of the first force FI results in that the left-hand part of the cap 220 is displaced downwards in Figure 4, in turn leading to the cap 220 deforming elastically, resulting, via the fixed support provided by the spout 210, to that the cap snap-fit means 222 moves to the right in Figure 4, releasing its engage ment with the lid snap-fit means 212 partly or wholly. That the engagement between snap-fit means 212, 222 is released "partly" means that the minimum required force to pull the cap 220 out of its closed state is decreased as compared to the situation when the lever device 230 is in the rest state illustrated in Figure 3, with full engagement between the snap-fit means 212, 222. Preferably, when this engagement is partly released, the minimum required force is so small that the user can pull the cap 220 upwards, out from its closed state, easily, using only one finger gripping the user gripping part 221 and pulling out from the bottle 100. The minimum required force when the lever device 230 is in said rest state is preferably selected so that the cap 220 is not easily pulled out from its closed state using only one finger.

As is illustrated in Figures 1-4, the cap snap-fit means 222 and the lid snap-fit means 212 may comprise a flange and/or a groove arranged to engage with each other as the cap 220 is pressed into its closed state by being rotated about said first axis A (in rotary direction R) towards the said closed state.

Such a flange/groove arrangement may be provided in many different ways. A preferred case is the one exemplified in the Figures, in which the cap snap-fit means 222 comprises a hook or grip part and the lid snap-fit means 212 comprises a protruding flange part. The flange part may be arranged on the spout 210 on an opposite side of the spout 210 as com pared to the first axis A. Then, the said hook or grip part of the cap snap-fit means 222 is arranged to grip said flange part of the lid snap-fit means 212 so as to achieve said engage ment between the two. Hence, the hook or grip is arranged to elastically snap into such engagement by pressing the cap 220 into its closed state, downwards in Figures 3 and 4 towards the bottle 100, and when in the said engagement the hook or grip part grips around the flange part, the latter providing a support surface for the former preventing the cap 220 to open unless a certain force is applied, pulling the cap 220 away from the its closed state, in a direction away from the bottle 100. Hence, the snap-fit engagement between parts 212, 222 is achieved as a consequence of pressing the cap 220 into its closed state, and is disen- gaged as a consequence of again opening the cap 220. At the same time, the snap-fit en gagement itself provides for the cap 220 being kept in the closed position and not easily being accidentally opened by the user. In order to easily open the cap 220, without exercis ing considerable force, the lever device 230 must be used.

Then, the above mentioned elastic deformation may be arranged to make the cap snap-fit means 222 move away from the first axis A.

In particular, and as is illustrated in Figures 1-4, the lid snap-fit means 212 is arranged on the drinking spout 210 of the lid 200, which drinking spout 210 is arranged to be sealed by the cap 220 when in said closed state.

Such sealing may be provided in many different ways, such as the cap 220 being arranged with a flexible sealing means 224, such as a rubber or silicone inlay, arranged to be pressed against the lid 200 around the through opening 211 when the cap 220 is in the said closed state. In the example illustrated in the Figures, the sealing means 224 may hence be slightly larger than the spout 210 circumference and be arranged to completely cover a circumfer ence surface of the spout 210, thereby providing a liquid (and preferably also gas) tight seal so that the beverage cannot escape through the spout 210 when the cap 220 is in its closed state. According to a very preferred embodiment, the user gripping part 221 is arranged so that the user of the bottle can press the cap 220 and the lever device 230 together in the rotary direction R of the cap 220 about said axis A, by gripping the user gripping part 221 with one or several first fingers and the lever device 230 with one or several second fingers, said first fingers being different from said second fingers but being on the same hand of the user. In order to achieve this, it is preferred that the user gripping part 221 is arranged maximally 8 cm from a lever end of the lever device 230 when the lever device 230 is in the first rotary position.

It is noted that the rotary direction R may be the same but with opposite sign for the press- ing force applied to the cap 220 and the lever device 230 in case they are arranged to pivot about the same axis A. As pointed out above, the respective force is actually applied to a particular point (of contact with the user's respective finger), but will generally cause the cap 220 and the lever device 230, respectively, to move along a circle path in the rotary direction R. This way, the user may use a simple pinching operation of the fingers of one hand to open the lid. Since the lever device 230 is pushed towards the cap 220, in the rotary direction R, the snap-fit engagement holding the cap 220 is partly or fully disengaged. Since the cap 220 at the same time is pulled away from the bottle 100 and towards the lever device 230, in the rotary direction R, the cap 220 is easily brought out of its closed state and into its opened state. As a result, the user can easily open the lid using only one hand and not much force, while the cap 220 can still provide adequate spilling protection via said snap-fit engagement when no force is applied to the lever device 230.

The lever device 230 preferably comprises a lever which is at least 4 cm of length, to achieve sufficient elastic deformation of the cap 220 so as to achieve the said disengagement.

The cap 220, and preferably the lever device 230 and also preferably substantially the whole lid 200, may be made from a thermoplastic material. In some embodiments, the user gripping part 221 may be constituted by the cap 220 being larger than the drinking spout 210 of the lid 200. It is recalled that the spout 210 is arranged to be covered by the cap 220 in the closed position of the latter, as seen in a spout 210 cross plane perpendicular to the main liquid transport direction D1 through the spout 210, and so that the cap 220 extends outside of the spout 210 as seen in said cross plane. This pro- vides a simple way to allow the user to get a safe and easy grip on the cap 220.

As mentioned above, the elastic deformation of the cap 220 due to the force applied by the lever device 230 is reversible, in the sense that the cap 220 reassumes its initial shape as the said force is relaxed. In particular, the cap 220 is arranged so that, when said elastic and reversible deformation reverses to its relaxed state while the cap 220 is in its closed state, the cap snap-fit means 222 again engages with the lid snap-fit means 212 so as to again hold the cap 220 closed in a secure and liquid tight manner.

As is illustrated in Figures 1-4, the lever device 230 may engage the lid 200 by a hinge en- gagement 231 arranged to allow the lever device 230 to turn about a second axis. As is particularly the case in the exemplifying embodiment illustrated in said Figures, the second axis may actually be the same as the first axis A, and the lever device 230 may even be hinged on the same hinge tap or axle as the cap 220. However, the second axis may also merely be parallel to the first axis A, or not even parallel to the first axis A in some embodi- ments.

Further, the lever device 230 is rotationally supported by said second axis allowing it to move between a first rotary position and a second rotary position. The lid 200, in turn, may comprise a lever rotation stopping means 225 arranged to limit the rotational freedom of movement of the lever device 230 at said first rotary position. In other words, the lever rotation stopping means 225 may define the rotation freedom of motion of the lever device 230 by defining said first rotary position as an end point of a rotary interval allowed for the lever device 230. In particular, the lever rotation stopping means 225 is arranged so that, when the lever device 230 is present in the first rotary position, and when it is then further (rotationally) pressed against the lever rotation stopping means 225 using a second rotary force F2 (see Figure 4), transfer this second rotary force F2 so as to give rise to said first rotary force FI.

In particular, the cap 220 may comprise said lever rotation stopping means 225 as an inte- grated part thereof, so that the lever device 230 and the cap 220 engage each other with direct physical contact between them when the lever device 230 is in the said first rotary position.

The lever device 230 may comprise a loop part 232, allowing a user to carry the bottle 100 or hang the bottle 100 on a hook or similar, when the lid 200 is mounted on the bottle. According to a very preferred embodiment, the lid further comprises a check valve 226, allowing a gas overpressure present inside said bottle 100 on which the lid 200 is mounted, hence present in the above mentioned liquid tightly sealed container, to exit via the check valve 226. Furthermore, the check valve 226 is arranged to prevent an underpressure pre- sent inside said bottle 100 (sealed container) to equalize. In other words, the check valve 226 is arranged to allow gas to flow out from the bottle 100 (sealed container) but not into the bottle 100 (sealed container). In particular, the check valve is arranged so that a bever age, the containment of which in the bottle 100 results in the build-up of an overpressure, results in gas escaping from the bottle 100, via the check valve 226 to an extent commen- surate with said overpressure build-up. Examples of such beverages include soft drinks, the release of carbon dioxide of which provides an overpressure in the bottle. Thereafter, as the overpressure-producing mechanism of the beverage is decreased or stops, such as when the beverage comes to an equilibrium, an underpressure instead results. Since this underpressure cannot equalize via the check valve 226, it will prevail inside the bottle 100.

In a different example, a hot beverage is contained in the bottle 100. As the beverage cools, an underpressure will build up inside the bottle 100, without being equalized via the check valve 226. It is noted that the check valve 226 should be liquid but not gas tight (in a direction from the container and out). It is also noted that the lid 200 and the bottle 100 together, such as via threads 240, preferably form a gas tight container, with the only exception of the check valve 226. Hence, the check valve 226 will operate to, over time, achieve at least an equalized pressure inside the bottle 100, and in many cases an underpressure therein. Such an overpressure will effectively press the cap 220 towards the lid 200, such as towards the spout 210, effec tively compressing the seal 224 and making it more difficult to open the cap 220 manually. As a result, a secure seal is achieved. In a conventional lid, without the above described lever device 230, such secure seal would come at the cost of difficulties opening the lid 220 for beverage consumption if not using much force. However, the lever device 230 provides for an easily openable cap 220 even in case of a prevailing underpressure inside the bottle 100.

Furthermore, the check valve 226 may be arranged on a part of the cap 220 covering the through opening 211 when the cap 220 is in said closed state, so that the check valve 226 is arranged to allow said gas overpressure to exit via the through opening 211.

The fastening of the lid 200 to the bottle 100 may, for instance, be provided by the lid 200 comprising threads 240, so that the lid 200 can be screwed onto said bottle 100, using co- operating and corresponding threads on the bottle 100, thereby achieving said liquid tight, sealed container for the beverage.

In particular, the present invention further relates to such a beverage bottle 100, comprising a lid 200 according to what has been described above, which lid 200 is mounted on the beverage bottle 100 in question. In this state, the bottle 100 can be said to comprise the lid 200 as a part of the bottle 100.

Figure 6 illustrates a use of a bottle 100 with a lid 200 according to what has been described above. Such a use may also be considered a method using such a bottle 100.

In a first step, the method starts.

In an initial step, the bottle 100 may be filled with a suitable beverage, such as a hot bever age, for instance hot coffee or tea; or a cold beverage, such as a carbonated water, still water or a soft drink.

In a subsequent step, the lid 200 may be fastened to the bottle, such as using said threads

240. In a subsequent step, the cap 220 may be closed, by rotating it into its closed state in rotary direction R, if not already done. This may also entail pressing the cap 220 down onto the spout 210, and thereby to press the snap-fit means 212, 222 into common engagement as described above.

In a subsequent step, the beverage may be allowed to remain in the liquid tight container formed by the bottle 100 and the lid 200 for enough time for an underpressure to build up inside said container, in the way described above.

In a subsequent step, performed when the cap 220 is in said closed state, the lever device 230 may be rotated to the above described first rotary position, in which the lever device 230 may be brought into direct contact with the said lever rotation stopping means 225, and in particular it may be brought into direct contact with the cap 220 as described above.

In a subsequent step, the lever device 230 is pressed or rotated further towards the user gripping part 221, in the rotary direction R, thereby partially or fully disengaging the cap snap-fit means 222 from the lid snap-fit means 212 as described above. In this step, the user gripping part 221 may also be pinched together with the lever device 230, as described above, by the user using fingers of one and the same hand.

In a subsequent step, the user gripping part 221 is pulled in a direction away from the bottle 100, such as in the said through direction Dl, so as to bring the cap 220 out from its engaged, closed state, to its open state. As a result, the above described container is opened.

In a subsequent step, beverage is poured or drunk out from the bottle 100 through the through opening 211.

In a subsequent step, performed when enough beverage has been emptied from the bottle 100 for the time being, the cap 220 may be pressed back into its closed state, thereby en gaging the cap snap-fit means 222 with the lid snap-fit means 212. Then, the method ends. Before this, the beverage may continue to press out gas out via the check valve 226, overtime resulting in a renewed underpressure inside the bottle 100, again increasing the security of the cap 220 sealing function until the next time the user decides to open the cap 220 for drinking or pouring beverage by operating the lever device 230.

Above, preferred embodiments have been described. However, it is apparent to the skilled person that many modifications can be made to the disclosed embodiments without de parting from the basic idea of the invention.

For instance, the lever device 230 and the cap 220 may be designed in many different ways, as long as the principles described above are respected. Also, the check valve 226 may be located in other positions on the lid 200 or even on the bottle 100 itself.

In general, all which has been said about the bottle 100 and the lid 200 is equally applicable to the described use, and vice versa. Hence, the invention is not limited to the described embodiments, but can be varied within the scope of the enclosed claims.