Cup with self-sealing spout

Claim 1

A liquid storing and dispensing container comprising: a cup including a vertically extending sidewall having an upper edge defining an open top for said cup, a spout extending outwardly from said sidewall below said top and including an upwardly facing open end having an upper edge in a plane lower than said upper edge of said cup, and said upper edge of said cup terminating at vertically extending shoulders in said sidewall adjacent and contiguous with opposite ends of said upper edge of said spout; a lid of plastic material for covering said open top of said cup substantially in a plane of said upper edge of said spout and including an open bottom channel extending upwardly from a top of said lid for receiving and tightly sealing against an upper portion of said cup between said shoulders, said open bottom channel including opposing sidewalls for engaging in fluid tight seal inner and outer sidewall portions of said cup adjacent said upper edge of said cup and ends for engaging said shoulders in a fluid tight seal; and a flat flexible and resilient flap of plastic material continuous and substantially coplaner with and cantilevered outwardly from said lid along a substantially straight line between ends of said channel for normally resting on and sealing against said upper edge of said spout and for bearing tightly on said upper edge of said spout at junctions with said channel ends to maintain a fluid tight seal with said cup at said junctions and for rising from said spout at all but said junctions as liquid in said cup presses thereagainst with a tipping of said cup to permit a dispensing of liquid through said spout to automatically return to sealing engagement with said spout as said cup is returned to an upright position.