Patent ID: 6994225

Claim:
A method, comprising: providing a drinking apparatus, said drinking apparatus being a no-spill drinking apparatus provided for a user to drink liquid therefrom and also being provided for preventing spilling of liquid when the user is not drinking from said apparatus; said drinking apparatus comprising a flexible material outer wall for the user to place its mouth on to drink liquid from said drinking apparatus, said flexible material outer wall comprising a tip, said outer wall further comprising an outer surface and an inner surface; said drinking apparatus further comprising a valve for preventing the spilling of liquid from said apparatus when the user is not drinking from said apparatus, said valve comprising a depression in said flexible material outer wall, said depression comprising an upper component and a lower component, said upper component comprising a tube, said tube comprising a sidewall, said sidewall comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, said outer surface of said sidewall being separated and spaced from said inner surface of said outer wall; said lower component of said valve comprising a bottom wall, said bottom wall comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper surface of said bottom wall being a concave surface extending to said inner surface of said sidewall; said lower surface of said bottom wall comprising both a curved surface and a flat surface, wherein said flat surface is located in the center of said lower surface, and wherein said curved surface is peripheral to said flat surface; said bottom wall comprising an opening extending from said upper surface to said lower surface, and wherein said opening rests in a closed position; and wherein said bottom wall bends when the user places its mouth on said outer wall to compress said outer wall, such that liquid can pass through said opening.