Drinking cup and cover with flow directing assembly

Abstract

A drinking cup that includes a container base for holding a liquid to be consumed, and lid having a drinking spout that is removable attachable to the container baseband a flow directing assembly that is coupled to the lid which flow directing assembly allows liquid in the container base to be extracted through the drinking spout when the drinking cup is tilted so that the drinking spout is located at an upper position on the lid.

1 . A drinking cup that comprises:
 a container base for containing a liquid to be consumed;   a lid that is removable attachable to the container base and includes a drinking spout; and   a flow directing assembly that is coupled to the lid which flow directing assembly allows liquid in the container base to be extracted through the drinking spout when the drinking cup is tilted so that the drinking spout is located at an upper position on the lid.   
   
   
       2 . A drinking cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow directing assembly comprises a flow channel that has a liquid inlet on an end portion which is in fluid communication with the interior of the base container and is in fluid communication with the spout on an opposite end. 
   
   
       3 . A drinking cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow directing assembly comprises a flow channel and a flow directing element which can be coupled together to form a fluid passageway having an inlet and an outlet. 
   
   
       4 . A drinking cup according to  claim 3 , wherein the flow chamber is made of a rigid of semi-rigid material and the flow directing element is made from a resilient or flexible material. 
   
   
       5 . A drinking cup according to  claim 2 , wherein the flow directing assembly comprises a flow channel and a flow directing element which can be coupled together to form a fluid passageway having the liquid inlet and being in fluid communication with the spout. 
   
   
       6 . A drinking cup according to  claim 5 , wherein the glow chamber is made of a rigid or semi-rigid material and the flow directing element is made from a resilient or flexible material. 
   
   
       7 . A drinking cup according to  claim 3 , wherein the flow channel is coupled to the lid and the flow directing element is coupled to the flow channel. 
   
   
       8 . A drinking cup according to  claim 1 , wherein the lid further comprises an air vent opening and the flow directing assembly further comprises a valve element that cooperates with the air vent opening to allow ambient air to enter the drinking cup. 
   
   
       9 . A drinking cup according to  claim 8 , wherein the flow directing assembly further comprises an air venting chamber. 
   
   
       10 . A drinking cup according to  claim 8 , wherein the flow directing assembly comprises a flow channel and a flow directing element which can be coupled together to form a fluid passageway having the liquid inlet and being in fluid communication with the spout, and the valve element comprises a portion of the flow directing element. 
   
   
       11 . A drinking cup according to  claim 5 , wherein the flow directing assembly further includes a one-way fluid valve within the fluid passageway. 
   
   
       12 . A drinking cup according to  claim 11 , wherein the one-way fluid valve comprises a portion of the flow directing element. 
   
   
       13 . In a drinking cup having a base for containing a liquid to be consumed and a lid that is removable attachable to the base and includes a drinking spout, the improvement comprising a flow directing assembly that is coupled to the lid which flow directing assembly allows liquid in the container base to be extracted through the drinking spout when the drinking cup is tilted so that the drinking spout is located at an upper position on the lid. 
   
   
       14 . A drinking cup according to  claim 13 , wherein the flow directing assembly comprises a flow channel and a flow directing element which can be coupled together to form a fluid passageway having an inlet and an outlet. 
   
   
       15 . A drinking cup according to  claim 13 , wherein the lid further comprises an air vent opening and the flow directing assembly further comprises a valve element that cooperates with the air vent opening to allow ambient air to enter the drinking cup. 
   
   
       16 . A drinking cup according to  claim 15 , wherein the flow directing assembly further comprises an air venting chamber. 
   
   
       17 . A drinking cup according to  claim 15 , wherein the flow directing assembly comprises a flow channel and a flow directing element which can be coupled together to form a fluid passageway having the liquid inlet and being in fluid communication with the spout, and the valve element comprises a portion of the flow directing element. 
   
   
       18 . A drinking cup according to  claim 14 , wherein the flow directing assembly further includes a one-way fluid valve within the fluid passageway. 
   
   
       19 . A drinking cup according to  claim 18 , wherein the one-way fluid valve comprises a portion of the flow directing element. 
   
   
       20 . A drinking cup according to  claim 14 , wherein the flow chamber is made of a rigid or semi-rigid material and the flow directing element is made from a resilient or flexible material.