Drinking cup and cover with flow control elements

A cap for a drinking cup having a body portion capable of holding a fluid, comprising:

• a cover capable of removable attachment to the body portion and including a top wall defining at least one hole and a vent aperture disposed through the cover, the at least one hole disposed separate from the vent aperture so that when the cover is attached to the body portion, air may enter the body portion through the vent aperture as liquid exits the body portion through the at least one hole;
• a first wall member disposed surrounding the vent aperture and mounted to and projecting generally away from an interior surface of the top wall;
• a second wall member disposed surrounding the at least one hole and mounted to and projecting generally away from the interior surface;
• an air inlet flow control valve mounted to the first wall member, capable of fluid connection with the vent aperture and including an elastomeric first domed portion defining a normally closed first slit therethrough and defining a generally circular first isolating channel disposed at least partially surrounding the first domed portion, so that when the cover is attached to the body portion, the first domed portion is capable of movement whereby the first slit opens generally towards the body portion upon occurrence of a pressure differential across the air inlet flow control valve with relatively lower pressure within the drinking cup, and remains closed in the absence of a pressure differential across the air inlet flow control valve and upon occurrence of a pressure differential across the air inlet flow control valve with relatively higher pressure within the drinking cup;
• a liquid outlet flow control valve mounted to the second wall member, capable of fluid connection with the at least one hole and including an elastomeric second domed portion defining a second slit therethrough and defining a generally circular second isolating channel disposed at least partially surrounding the second domed portion, so that when the cover is attached to the body portion, the second domed portion is capable of movement whereby the second slit opens generally away from the body portion upon occurrence of a pressure differential across the liquid outlet flow control valve with relatively higher pressure within the covered drinking cup, and remains closed in the absence of a pressure differential across the liquid outlet flow control valve and upon occurrence of a pressure differential across the liquid outlet flow control valve with relatively lower pressure within the covered drinking cup;
• and
• coupling means for coupling together the air inlet flow control valve and the liquid outlet flow control valve.

A covered drinking cup comprising:

• a body portion capable of holding a fluid;
• a cover removably attached to the body portion and including a top wall defining at least one hole and a vent aperture disposed through the cover, the at least one hole disposed separate from the vent aperture whereby air may enter the body portion through the vent aperture as liquid exits the body portion through the at least one hole;
• a first wall member disposed surrounding the vent aperture and mounted to and projecting generally away from an interior surface of the top wall;
• a second wall member disposed surrounding the at least one hole and mounted to and projecting generally away from the interior surface;
• an air inlet flow control valve mounted to the first wall member, capable of fluid connection with the vent aperture and including an elastomeric first domed portion defining a normally closed first slit therethrough and capable of movement whereby the first slit opens generally towards the body portion upon occurrence of a pressure differential across the air inlet flow control valve with relatively lower pressure within the covered drinking cup, and remains closed in the absence of a pressure differential across the air inlet flow control valve and upon occurrence of a pressure differential across the air inlet flow control valve with relatively higher pressure within the covered drinking cup;
• and
• a liquid outlet flow control valve mounted to the second wall member, capable of fluid connection with the at least one hole and including an elastomeric second domed portion defining a second slit therethrough and capable of movement whereby the second slit opens generally away from the body portion upon occurrence of a pressure differential across the liquid outlet flow control valve with relatively higher pressure within the covered drinking cup, and remains closed in the absence of a pressure differential across the liquid outlet flow control valve and upon occurrence of a pressure differential across the liquid outlet flow control valve with relatively lower pressure within the covered drinking cup.

Flow control means for use with a cover capable of removable attachment to a body portion of a drinking cup, the cover including a top wall defining at least one hole and a vent aperture disposed through the cover, the at least one hole disposed separate from the vent aperture so that when the cover is attached to the body portion, air may enter the body portion through the vent aperture as liquid exits the body portion through the at least one hole, the flow control means comprising:

• an air inlet flow control valve including an elastomeric first domed portion having a normally closed first slit therethrough, and means for coupling the air inlet flow control valve to the cover adjacent to the vent aperture;
• a liquid outlet flow control valve including an elastomeric second domed portion defining a second slit therethrough, and means for coupling the liquid outlet flow control valve to the cover adjacent to the at least one hole;
• and
• a generally planar attachment member attached between the air inlet flow control valve and the liquid outlet flow control valve.