Patent ID: 7556172

Claim:
A spill resistant lid assembly for closing the open top of a drink container, the lid assembly comprising: a spout housing including an outlet port to deliver fluid to a user of the drink container, a first nipple extending from an interior side of the spout housing, and an inlet port to allow a replacement air flow into the drink container, the inlet port extending from an exterior side of the spout housing to a location on the interior side of the spout housing adjacent the first nipple; a valve plate including a base, a second nipple extending from the base and positioned in the outlet port, and an opening in the base, the first nipple extending into the opening; and a resilient valve seal sandwiched between the valve plate and the spout housing, the valve seal including an outlet diaphragm positioned in the outlet port, an outlet opening centered in the outlet diaphragm and closed by the second nipple with the outlet diaphragm in a first position, an inlet diaphragm on a side of the valve seal opposite the spout housing, and an inlet opening centered in the inlet diaphragm, the inlet opening closed by the first nipple with the inlet diaphragm in a first position, the outlet and inlet diaphragms being deformed from their first positions to disengage the inlet and outlet openings from the first and second nipples in response to a reduction of pressure in the outlet port.