Cup and lid assembly for a cup

1. A lid assembly for closing a drinking container, the lid assembly comprising:

a closure member having a central axis, the closure member comprising a pair of substantially symmetric raised portions oriented diametrically opposite each other, a pair of lowered portions comprising a first lowered portion and a second lowered portion oriented diametrically opposite the first lowered portion, and a substantially upright annular upper wall coaxial with the central axis, the upright annular wall surrounding the raised and the lowered portions, the upright annular wall having an upper free edge, the first lowered portion having a circular opening therein, the second lowered portion being free from openings, the closure member having a sloped wall extending between the first lowered portion and each of the respective raised portions, and a generally upright wall extending between the second lowered portion and each of the respective raised portions; and

a cover secured to the closure member, the cover having an opening therein, the opening having an upper edge located in an upper surface of the cover and a lower edge located below the upper free edge of the annular upper wall,

wherein the cover is capable of rotating greater than 360 degrees in a clockwise direction and greater than 360 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction relative to the closure member while the cover is secured to the closure member.

2. The lid assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the closure member has a socket and the cover has a post received in the socket, the post defining a pivot axis about which the cover can rotate with respect to the closure member.

3. The lid assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the socket includes an upper edge, the upper free edge of the upper wall and the upper edge of the socket being spaced apart and contacting an interior surface of the cover.

4. The lid assembly as set forth in claim 1 in combination with the drinking container, the lid assembly being releasably attachable to the container.

5. A lid assembly for closing a drinking container, the lid assembly comprising:

a closure member having a central axis, the closure member having a pair of substantially symmetric raised portions oriented diametrically opposite each other, a pair of lowered portions oriented diametrically opposite each other, the closure member comprising an annular upper wall having an upper free edge, the annular upper wall being coaxial with the central axis and surrounding the raised and lowered portions; and

a cover secured to the closure member, the cover comprising an upper domed portion coaxial with the central axis, a generally flat annular portion surrounding the domed portion, the flat annular portion extending radially outward from and substantially perpendicular to the central axis, and a peripheral skirt extending downward from the flat annular portion, the flat annular portion in direct contact with the upper free edge of the annular upper wall, the cover including an opening therein, the opening having an upper edge segment located in the upper domed portion and a lower edge segment located in the peripheral skirt,

wherein the opening has a projected surface area that is more than one-fourth but less than one-half of a projected surface area of the entire cover.

6. The lid assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein the projected surface area of the opening in the cover is more than about one-third but less than one-half of the projected surface area of the entire cover.

7. The lid assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein the cover includes at least one tab and the closure member includes a groove for receiving the at least one tab of the cover, the at least one tab of the cover being slidably received within the groove.

8. The lid assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein the cover is non-releasably connected to the closure member when the at least one tab is received within the groove.

9. The lid assembly as set forth in claim 5 in combination with the container, the lid assembly being releasably attachable to the container.

10. A lid assembly for closing a drinking container, the lid assembly comprising:

a central axis;

a closure member having a central axis, the closure member having a pair of substantially symmetric raised portions oriented diametrically opposite each other, a pair of lowered portions oriented diametrically opposite each other, a socket coaxial with the central axis, the socket including an upper edge, and an annular upper wall concentric with the socket, the annular upper wall including an upper free edge, each of the raised portions and the lowered portions extending between the socket and the upper annular wall, each of the raised portions being spaced from the other by and being formed adjacent each of the lowered portions, one of the lowered portions having a circular opening therein, each of the raised portions having a sloped wall extending between the lowered portion having the opening therein and each of the respective raised portions; and

a cover having a post received in the socket, the cover further having an opening therein, the opening having a lower edge located below the upper free edge of the annular upper wall,

wherein the post defines a pivot axis about which the cover can rotate with respect to the closure member, the cover being capable of rotating greater than 360 degrees in a clockwise direction and greater than 360 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction relative to the closure member while the cover is secured to the closure member, the pivot axis and the central axis being coaxial, and

wherein the upper free edge of the upper annular wall and the upper edge of the socket are spaced apart and contact an interior surface of the cover, the upper edge of the socket extending upward beyond the upper free edge of the upper annular wall.

11. The lid assembly as set forth in claim 10 in combination with a container, the lid assembly being releasably attachable to the container.

12. The lid assembly as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a straw assembly selectively attachable to and detachable from the closure member.

13. The lid assembly as set forth in claim 5 further comprising a straw assembly selectively attachable to and detachable from the closure member.

14. The lid assembly as set forth in claim 10 further comprising a straw assembly selectively attachable to and detachable from the closure member.