Patent ID: 8464895

Claim:
A drinking vessel and lid assembly, comprising: a drinking vessel comprising a sidewall portion having a sidewall opening therein; an actuating member extending into the sidewall opening and being movably coupled to the drinking vessel, the actuating member being movable inward and outward and comprising a first contact surface positioned inside the drinking vessel; and a lid comprising: a body selectively couplable to the drinking vessel, the body including an upper portion having a drinking opening configured to selectively permit fluid passage therethrough when the lid is coupled to the drinking vessel; and a stopper pivotably coupled to the body and configured for upward displacement into a closed position wherein the stopper engages a portion of the body and covers the drinking opening to prevent fluid passage therethrough, and downward displacement into an opened position wherein the stopper is spaced apart from the portion of the body to allow fluid passage through the drinking opening, the stopper having a downwardly extending arm portion having a second contact surface that is positioned inside the drinking vessel and is substantially adjacent to the first contact surface of the actuating member when the lid is coupled to the drinking vessel; the first contact surface of the actuating member and the second contact surface of the stopper being positioned for the first contact surface to engage the second contact surface in response to inward movement of the actuating member and thereby cause the arm portion to pivot inward and move the stopper downward into the opened position, and being positioned for the second contact surface to engage the first contact surface in response to outward movement of the actuating member and thereby cause the arm portion to pivot outward and move the stopper upward into the closed position.