A spout (20) for a lid (10), where the lid (10) is constructed and arranged to fit over and close an open top of a container (150). The spout (20) has an elongated fluid conduit (22) having two ends (24, 25) and lying along a conduit longitudinal axis (23). The conduit (22) has a pair of opposed con
A spout (20) for a lid (10), where the lid (10) is constructed and arranged to fit over and close an open top of a container (150). The spout (20) has an elongated fluid conduit (22) having two ends (24, 25) and lying along a conduit longitudinal axis (23). The conduit (22) has a pair of opposed convex curved sidewalls (61, 63) that meet at two opposed locations (64, 65) at an angle of less than 180 degrees to define a generally elliptical cross-sectional shape that has a major axis (51) that passes through the sidewall meeting locations (64, 65).
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1. A spout for a lid, where the lid is constructed and arranged to fit over and close an open top of a container, the spout comprising: an elongated fluid conduit having an upper outside end to be located in a user's mouth and an opposite lower inside end and lying along a conduit longitudinal axis,
1. A spout for a lid, where the lid is constructed and arranged to fit over and close an open top of a container, the spout comprising: an elongated fluid conduit having an upper outside end to be located in a user's mouth and an opposite lower inside end and lying along a conduit longitudinal axis, the conduit having a pair of opposed convex curved sidewalls that meet at two opposed locations at an angle of less than 180 degrees to define a generally elliptical cross-sectional shape that has a major axis that passes through the sidewall meeting locations and a minor axis that is orthogonal to the major axis;a bite valve comprising a membrane located within the conduit and spaced from the ends of the conduit, the membrane coupled to both sidewalls so as to fully block the conduit, and a slit through the membrane, where the slit lies along a slit axis that is transverse to the major axis of the generally elliptical cross-sectional shape, and the slit is co-linear with the minor axis, or lies in a vertical plane that includes the minor axis of the generally elliptical cross-sectional shape; andtwo wall-strengthening ribs located at each end of the slit along the slit axis, one projecting inwardly from each of the sidewalls and coupled to the top of the membrane, wherein the ribs are centered on the ends of the slit, and each rib extends in the direction of the conduit longitudinal axis a majority of the length from the top of the membrane to the outside end of the conduit. 2. The spout of claim 1 wherein the membrane has a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein the bite valve further comprises a reinforcing ridge projecting outwardly from the bottom of the membrane. 3. The spout of claim 2 wherein the slit is generally straight when viewed from above, and the reinforcing ridge is co-linear with the slit. 4. The spout of claim 3 wherein the slit passes through the reinforcing ridge. 5. The spout of claim 4 wherein the ridge is generally semi-circular in cross section. 6. The spout of claim 1 further comprising a pair of shallow indentations, one on the outside of each conduit sidewall, wherein each indentation is approximately aligned with a location of the slit on the inside of each conduit sidewall relative to the conduit longitudinal axis. 7. The spout of claim 1 wherein each rib defines an indentation at the slit location. 8. The spout of claim 7 wherein each indentation extends along at least most of the rib in the direction of the conduit longitudinal axis. 9. The spout of claim 1 wherein the sidewalls are essentially identical. 10. The spout of claim 1 wherein the conduit and the bite valve comprise a unitary part molded from an elastomeric material. 11. The spout of claim 1 wherein the slit extends along most of the length of the minor axis between the conduit sidewalls. 12. The spout of claim 1 wherein the bite valve is symmetric about both the major axis and the minor axis. 13. The spout of claim 1 wherein the membrane is generally uniform in thickness and along the minor axis the membrane defines an arc-shape. 14. The spout of claim 1 wherein the membrane is generally uniform in thickness and along the major axis the membrane is generally V-shaped. 15. The spout of claim 1 wherein the lid is convex, flat, or concave. 16. A spout for a lid, where the lid is constructed and arranged to fit over and close an open top of a container, the spout comprising: an elongated fluid conduit having an upper outside end to be located in a user's mouth and an opposite lower inside end and lying along a conduit longitudinal axis, the conduit having a pair of opposed convex curved sidewalls that meet at two opposed locations at an angle of less than 180 degrees to define a generally elliptical cross-sectional shape that has a major axis that passes through the sidewall meeting locations;a bite valve comprising a generally dome-shaped membrane located within the conduit and spaced from the ends of the conduit, the membrane coupled to both sidewalls so as to fully block the conduit, and a slit through the membrane, where the slit lies along a minor axis of the generally elliptical cross-sectional shape that is orthogonal to the major axis of the generally elliptical cross-sectional shape, wherein the membrane has a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein the bite valve further comprises a reinforcing ridge projecting outwardly from the bottom of the membrane, wherein the slit is generally straight and lies in a vertical plane that includes the minor axis of the generally elliptical cross-sectional shape, and the reinforcing ridge is co-linear with the slit, and wherein the slit passes through the reinforcing ridge;two wall-strengthening ribs located at each end of the slit along the minor axis of the generally elliptical cross-sectional shape, one projecting inwardly from each of the sidewalls and coupled to the top of the membrane, wherein the ribs are centered on the slit, and each rib defines an indentation at the slit location;wherein the slit extends along most of the length of the minor axis of the generally elliptical cross-sectional shape between the conduit sidewalls and wherein the bite valve is symmetric about both the major axis and the minor axis of the generally elliptical cross-sectional shape. 17. The spout of claim 16 wherein the membrane is generally uniform in thickness, and wherein along the minor axis the membrane defines an arc-shape and along the major axis the membrane is generally V-shaped. 18. The spout of claim 16 wherein each wall-strengthening rib extends in the direction of the conduit longitudinal axis a majority of the length from the top of the membrane to the outside end of the conduit.
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