Patent ID: 8016146

Claim:
A spill resistant cap for a container, comprising: a cap body defining a longitudinally extending lumen, the cap body comprising: a spout having liquid dispense holes that allow fluid to flow from the container during dispensing of the fluid; an integral engagement mechanism that mechanically engages the cap body with the container; and a pressure relief lumen that allows air to enter into the container during dispensing of the fluid; and a removable valve sized to fit within the cap body, the valve comprising: a fluid flow lumen extending from an inlet end to an outlet end; a valve face covering the outlet end of the fluid flow lumen; a valve mechanism that opens in response to a pressure differential applied across the valve face, such that when suction is applied to the spout, the valve mechanism opens and fluid flows through the lumen through the outlet side of the valve face and through the liquid dispense holes; a first stepped-down side wall sized to fit within a longitudinally extending lumen defined by the cap body; a second stepped-down side wall at the outlet end of the valve and having an outer diameter relatively smaller than an inside diameter of the longitudinally extending lumen; and a rim connected between a base and the first stepped-down side wall, the rim having a diameter relatively larger than the diameter of the first stepped-down side wall, the rim further including a tab-shaped extension that covers the pressure relief lumen when the valve is fit within the cap body and that flexes away from the pressure relief lumen to allow air to enter into the container through the pressure relief lumen during dispensing of the fluid.