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A disposable beverage container lid that includes a top wall with a drinking opening formed therein, an annular sidewall downwardly depending from the periphery of the top wall for engaging with the rim of a beverage container, a regulator valve formed directly underneath the drinking opening, and w

A disposable beverage container lid that includes a top wall with a drinking opening formed therein, an annular sidewall downwardly depending from the periphery of the top wall for engaging with the rim of a beverage container, a regulator valve formed directly underneath the drinking opening, and wave-breaker and periphery inhibitor recesses formed in the top wall, to greatly minimize accidental splashing of the liquid from the cup. The regulator valve includes side and bottom walls with apertures formed therein, with the apertures including generally taper shaped portions terminating in irregularly shaped edges. The wave-breaker recess has a sidewall portion that reflects waves of liquid from the regulator valve, and a sloped sidewall portion that defines a channel with the annular sidewall in which the regulator valve is disposed. The inhibitor recesses extend down into the channel to prevent waves of liquid traveling therethrough.

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What is claimed is: 1. A lid for covering a drinking cup containing a liquid, comprising: a top wall having a generally circular periphery; an annular sidewall downwardly depending from the top wall periphery; the lid including a drinking opening formed adjacent to the periphery; and a regulator va

What is claimed is: 1. A lid for covering a drinking cup containing a liquid, comprising: a top wall having a generally circular periphery; an annular sidewall downwardly depending from the top wall periphery; the lid including a drinking opening formed adjacent to the periphery; and a regulator valve formed under the drinking opening, the regulator valve including: a first sidewall structure downwardly depending from the lid adjacent the drinking opening and terminating in a first bottom wall; and a first aperture formed in the first sidewall structure or the first bottom wall, wherein the first aperture includes at least one of a generally taper shaped portion and an irregularly shaped edge; a second opening formed in the first bottom wall; a second sidewall structure downwardly depending from the first bottom wall adjacent to the second opening and terminating in a second bottom wall; and a second aperture formed in the second bottom wall or the second sidewall structure, the second aperture including at least one of a second generally taper shaped portion and a second irregularly shaped edge. 2. The lid of claim 1, wherein the generally taper shaped portion terminates in the irregularly shaped edge. 3. The lid of claim 1, wherein the second generally taper shaped portion of the second aperture terminates in the second irregularly shaped edge. 4. The lid of claim 1, wherein the first aperture is formed in the first bottom wall and the second aperture is formed in the second bottom wall. 5. The lid of claim 4, further comprising: a third aperture formed in the first bottom wall, wherein the third aperture includes at least one of a generally taper shaped portion and an irregularly shaped edge. 6. The lid of claim 1, wherein the first aperture is formed in the first bottom wall and the second aperture is formed in the second sidewall structure. 7. The lid of claim 1, wherein the first aperture is formed in the first sidewall structure and the second aperture is formed in the second bottom wall. 8. The lid of claim 1, wherein the first and second apertures each have a size that is smaller than that of the drinking hole. 9. The lid of claim 1, wherein the drinking opening is formed in the top wall. 10. The lid of claim 1, wherein the annular sidewall includes an annular recess for receiving a rim of the cup in a liquid tight manner. 11. The lid of claim 1 further comprising: a wave-breaker recess formed in the top wall having a sidewall that extends downwardly, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall includes a first portion facing toward the regulator valve and a second portion facing away from the regulator valve, and wherein the first portion slopes away from the top wall at an angle that is generally between 15 degrees and 45 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the top wall. 12. The lid of claim 11, wherein the sloping angle of the wave breaker-recess first portion is approximately 30 degrees. 13. A lid for covering a drinking cup containing a liquid, comprising: a top wall having a generally circular periphery; an annular sidewall downwardly depending from the top wall periphery; the lid including a drinking opening formed adjacent to the periphery; a regulator valve formed under the drinking opening, the regulator valve including: a first sidewall structure downwardly depending from the lid adjacent the drinking opening and terminating in a first bottom wall; and a first aperture formed in the first sidewall structure or the first bottom wall, wherein the first aperture includes at least one of a generally taper shaped portion and an irregularly shaped edge; and a wave-breaker recess formed in the top wall having a sidewall that extends downwardly, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall includes a first portion facing toward the regulator valve and a second portion facing away from the regulator valve, and wherein the first portion slopes away from the top wall at an angle that is generally between 15 degrees and 45 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the top wall; wherein the recess sidewall second portion is non-linear for reflecting waves of the liquid away from the regulator valve. 14. The lid of claim 13, wherein the recess sidewall second portion has one of a convex and a concave shape. 15. The lid of claim 11, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall first portion faces but is separated from the annular sidewall to form a channel therebetween, and wherein the regulator valve is disposed in the channel. 16. The lid of claim 15, further comprising: a plurality of inhibitor recesses formed in the top wall that downwardly extend into the channel for blocking waves of the liquid traveling along the channel. 17. The lid of claim 11, wherein the wave-breaker recess extends downwardly further from the periphery than does the regulator valve. 18. A lid for covering a drinking cup containing a liquid, comprising: a top wall having a generally circular periphery; an annular sidewall downwardly depending from the top wall periphery; the lid including a drinking opening formed adjacent to the periphery; a wave-breaker recess formed in the top wall having a sidewall that extends downwardly, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall includes a first portion facing toward the drinking opening and a second portion facing away from the drinking opening, and wherein the first portion slopes away from the top wall at an angle that is generally between 15 degrees and 45 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the top wall, and wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall first portion faces but is separated from the annular sidewall to form a channel therebetween, and wherein the drinking opening is disposed adjacent to the recess sidewall first portion; and a plurality of inhibitor recesses formed in the top wall that downwardly extend into the channel for blocking waves of the liquid traveling along the channel. 19. The lid of claim 18, further comprising: a regulator valve formed under the drinking opening, the regulator valve including: a first sidewall structure downwardly depending from the lid adjacent the drinking opening and terminating in a first bottom wall, and a first aperture formed in the first sidewall structure or the first bottom wall, wherein the first aperture includes at least one of a generally taper shaped portion and an irregularly shaped edge. 20. The lid of claim 19, wherein the generally taper shaped portion terminates in the irregularly shaped edge. 21. A lid for covering a drinking cup containing a liquid, comprising: a top wall having a generally circular periphery; an annular sidewall downwardly depending from the top wall periphery; the lid including a drinking opening formed adjacent to the periphery; and a wave-breaker recess formed in the top wall having a sidewall that extends downwardly, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall includes a first portion facing toward the drinking opening and a second portion facing away from the drinking opening, and wherein the first portion slopes away from the top wall at an angle that is generally between 15 degrees and 45 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the top wall; a regulator valve formed under the drinking opening, the regulator valve including: a first sidewall structure downwardly depending from the lid adjacent the drinking opening and terminating in a first bottom wall; a first aperture formed in the first sidewall structure or the first bottom wall, wherein the first aperture includes at least one of a generally taper shaped portion and an irregularly shaped edge; a second opening formed in the first bottom wall; a second sidewall structure downwardly depending from the first bottom wall adjacent to the second opening and terminating in a second bottom wall; and a second aperture formed in the second bottom wall or the second sidewall structure, the second aperture including at least one of a second generally taper shaped portion and a second irregularly shaped edge. 22. The lid of claim 21, wherein the second generally taper shaped portion of the second aperture terminates in the second irregularly shaped edge. 23. The lid of claim 21, wherein the first aperture is formed in the first bottom wall and the second aperture is formed in the second bottom wall. 24. The lid of claim 23, further comprising: a third aperture formed in the first bottom wall, wherein the third aperture includes at least one of a generally taper shaped portion and an irregularly shaped edge. 25. The lid of claim 21, wherein the first and second apertures each have a size that is smaller than that of the drinking hole. 26. The lid of claim 21, wherein the drinking opening is formed in the top wall. 27. The lid of claim 21, wherein the annular sidewall includes an annular recess for receiving a rim of the cup in a liquid tight manner. 28. The lid of claim 19, wherein the wave-breaker recess extends downwardly further from the periphery than does the regulator valve. 29. A lid for covering a drinking cup containing a liquid, comprising: a top wall having a generally circular periphery; an annular sidewall downwardly depending from the top wall periphery; the lid including a drinking opening formed adjacent to the periphery; a regulator valve formed under the drinking opening, the regulator valve including: a sidewall structure downwardly depending from the lid adjacent the drinking opening, and a plurality of apertures formed in the sidewall structure and positioned thereon in an opposing manner; and a wave-breaker recess formed in the top wall having a sidewall that extends downwardly, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall includes a first portion facing toward the regulator valve and a second portion facing away from the regulator valve, and wherein the recess sidewall second portion is non-linear for reflecting waves of the liquid away from the regulator valve. 30. The lid of claim 29, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall first portion faces but is separated from the annular sidewall to form a channel therebetween, and wherein the regulator valve is disposed in the channel. 31. The lid of claim 30, further comprising: a plurality of inhibitor recesses formed in the top wall that downwardly extend into the channel for blocking waves of the liquid traveling along the channel. 32. The lid of claim 29, wherein the wave-breaker recess extends downwardly further from the periphery than does the regulator valve. 33. A lid for covering a drinking cup containing a liquid, comprising: a top wall having a generally circular periphery; an annular sidewall downwardly depending from the top wall periphery; a drinking opening formed in the top wall adjacent to the periphery; a regulator valve formed under the drinking opening, the regulator valve including: a first sidewall structure downwardly depending from the top wall adjacent the drinking opening and terminating in a first bottom wall, and a first aperture formed in the first bottom wall; a wave-breaker recess formed in the top wall having a sidewall that extends downwardly, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall includes a first portion that faces but is separated from the annular sidewall to form a channel therebetween with the regulator valve disposed in the channel, and a second portion facing away from the channel; and a plurality of inhibitor recesses formed in the top wall that downwardly extend into the channel for blocking waves of the liquid traveling along the channel. 34. A lid for covering a drinking cup containing a liquid, comprising: a top wall having a generally circular periphery; an annular sidewall downwardly depending from the top wall periphery; a drinking opening formed in the top wall adjacent to the periphery; a regulator valve formed under the drinking opening, the regulator valve including: a first sidewall structure downwardly depending from the top wall adjacent the drinking opening and terminating in a first bottom wall, and a first aperture formed in the first bottom wall; a wave-breaker recess formed in the top wall having a sidewall that extends downwardly, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall includes a first portion that faces but is separated from the annular sidewall to form a channel therebetween with the regulator valve disposed in the channel, and a second portion facing away from the channel; a second opening formed in the first bottom wall; a second sidewall structure downwardly depending from the first bottom wall adjacent to the second opening and terminating in a second bottom wall; and a second aperture formed in the second bottom wall. 35. The lid of claim 34, further comprising: a third aperture formed in the first bottom wall. 36. The lid of claim 35, wherein the first, second and third apertures each includes a generally taper shaped portion that terminates in an irregularly shaped edge. 37. The lid of claim 33, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall first portion slopes away from the top wall at an angle that is generally between 15 degrees and 45 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the top wall. 38. A lid for covering a drinking cup containing a liquid, comprising: a top wall having a generally circular periphery; an annular sidewall downwardly depending from the top wall periphery; a drinking opening formed in the top wall adjacent to the periphery; a regulator valve formed under the drinking opening, the regulator valve including: a first sidewall structure downwardly depending from the top wall adjacent the drinking opening and terminating in a first bottom wall, and a first aperture formed in the first bottom wall; and a wave-breaker recess formed in the top wall having a sidewall that extends downwardly, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall includes a first portion that faces but is separated from the annular sidewall to form a channel therebetween with the regulator valve disposed in the channel, and a second portion facing away from the channel; wherein the wavebreaker recess sidewall second portion has one of a concave and a convex shape for reflecting waves of the liquid away from the regulator valve. 39. A lid for covering a drinking cup containing a liquid, comprising: a top wall having a generally circular periphery; an annular sidewall downwardly depending from the top wall periphery; a plurality of clustered together drinking openings formed in the top wall; and a wave-breaker recess formed in the top wall having a sidewall that extends downwardly, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall includes a first portion facing toward the drinking openings and a second portion facing away from the drinking openings, and wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall first portion faces but is separated from the annular sidewall to form a channel therebetween, and wherein the plurality of drinking openings are disposed adjacent to the recess sidewall first portion; and a plurality of inhibitor recesses formed in the top wall that downwardly extend into the channel for blocking waves of the liquid traveling along the channel. 40. The lid of claim 39, wherein the sidewall first portion slopes away from the top wall at an angle that is generally between 15 degrees and 45 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the top wall. 41. The lid of claim 39, wherein the recess sidewall second portion is non-linear for reflecting waves of the liquid away from the plurality of drinking openings. 42. The lid of claim 41, wherein the recess sidewall second portion has one of a convex and a concave shape. 43. The lid of claim 39, wherein the wave-breaker recess sidewall first portion faces but is separated from the annular sidewall to form a channel therebetween, and wherein the plurality of drinking openings are disposed adjacent to the recess sidewall first portion. 44. The lid of claim 39, wherein each of the drinking openings includes at least one of a generally taper shaped portion and an irregularly shaped edge.