Valve arrangement for an automatically sealing cup

A self-sealing drinking container, comprising:

• a cup body having a hollow interior for holding and dispensing a liquid;
• a lid assembly sealingly engagable with said cup body, said lid assembly having a first opening;
• a first valve housed within a first cage member which is removably located in said first opening for selectively sealing said first opening, said first valve comprising:
• a first valve seat;
• a flexibily resilient first diaphragm member seated at said first valve seat, said first diaphragm member having a central hub portion protruding from a surface opposite said first valve seat;
• a first locator having a first portion and a second portion, said second portion being disposed in said raised central hub portion of said first diaphragm member;
• and
• wherein said first diaphragm member is sealingly seated at said first valve seat below a first predetermined level of fluid pressure differential applied thereon.

A valve assembly that is releasably engagable with a lid of a drinking container, comprising:

• a cage member that is intended to communicate with an opening of the lid, said cage member having disposed therewithin:
• a locator member having a tip portion and a post portion;
• a diaphragm member secured on said tip portion of said locator member, said diaphragm member having a plurality of ribs formed thereon and engaging a valve seat formed in the lid such that said diaphragm member is movable between a closed position and an open position by flexing based on fluid differential thereacross to allow fluid to flow about the periphery of said diaphragm member;
• and
• whereby said cage member, which includes said locator member and said diaphragm member, can be readily removed from and attached to the lid as required.

A self-sealing drinking container, comprising:

• a cup body having a hollow interior for holding and dispensing a liquid;
• a lid assembly sealingly engagable with said cup body, said lid assembly having a first opening;
• a cage member, which is releasably attachable within said first opening for selectively sealing said first opening, said cage member including:
• a valve seat;
• a flexibly resilient diaphragm member seated at said valve seat, said first diaphragm member having a central hub portion protruding from a surface opposite said valve seat and a plurality ribs formed on said diaphragm member and extending outwardly from said central hub portion;
• a first locator having a first portion and a second portion, said second portion being disposed in said raised central hub portion of said diaphragm member;
• and
• wherein said first diaphragm member is sealingly seated at said valve seat below a first predetermined level of fluid pressure differential applied thereacross.