GB2435392A

GB2435392A - Drinking apparatus for delivery of liquids to different parts of a users mouth

Info

Publication number: GB2435392A
Application number: GB0615543A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel Oba Adigwe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-02-24
Filing date: 2006-08-04
Publication date: 2007-08-29
Also published as: GB0615543D0; GB0603707D0

Abstract

A drinking apparatus is arranged to deliver at least two separate liquids to different parts of a user's mouth. The apparatus may comprise a looped drinking straw arrangement with a primary hole 4 linked to a primary intake 3 and a configuration of holes 7 linked to a secondary intake 5 which distributes the two fluids to specific regions of the mouths taste sensory regions when sucked upon. The drinking apparatus may be used on its own, if extended with suitable narrow tubing 1, or alternatively it may have adapters at its base (8, Fig 2) enabling it to detachably connect to a fluid containing part (9, Fig 3) of a drink container (10, Fig 3). Alternatively, the drinking apparatus (45, Fig 6) may be detachably connected to a fluid containing part (30, Fig 4) by means of an adapter (39, Fig 5) that can be rotated, varying the connections to and thereby the amount of each fluid imbibed. Also disclosed is a container comprising a plurality of chambers in which different liquids may be stored and means to attach said container to a mouthpiece.

Description

Drinking Apparatus The present invention relates to drinking

apparatus.

Drinking liquids from containers with straws and nozzles is both widespread and popular, but these means of taking in fluid suffer from the limitation that only a single type of fluid can be held or consumed from a container at any one time; normally this may either be some kind of flavoured or sweetened fluid or water. Manufacturers' sales prove that people enjoy the sweetened taste of flavoured drinks whereas the human body needs the hydration water provides, but it may not be convenient to carry multiple containers holding each. Furthermore, drinking too much sweetened or flavoured fluid can be seriously damaging to oral hygiene, and an excessive intake of sugar can contribute to conditions such as obesity or diabetes.

GB989718 discloses a bifurcated straw.through which two liquids may be drunk simultaneously. However, this arrangement is lacking somewhat in its portability, flexibility in the mixing of the liquids, and its delivery of the two liquids to the mouth.

The present invention seeks to address these issues.

According to the present invention there is provided drinking apparatus comprising a mouthpiece arranged to deliver at least two separate liquids to different parts of a user's mouth.

Preferably said apparatus comprises conduits through which said liquids are provided to the mouthpiece.

Preferably said mouthpiece comprises a plurality of apertures, said apertures being spaced apart and distributed around said mouthpiece so as to deliver at least two liquids to different areas of a user's tongue.

In one embodiment at least part of said conduits are of differing diameter.

In one embodiment said drinking apparatus comprises a container holding at least two separate liquids.

In an alternative embodiment said drinking apparatus comprises at least two conduits arranged such that each of said conduits may be at least partially submerged in separate liquids.

Preferably the mouthpiece is substantially planar.

Preferably the mouthpiece comprises two lateral edges and said apertures are situated on or adjacent said edges.

Preferably the mouthpiece comprises a primary aperture of a larger size than any other aperture.

Preferably the mouthpiece comprises a distal end for insertion deepest into a users mouth and said primary aperture is on or adjacent to said distal end of said mouthpiece.

Preferably the drinking apparatus comprises a first conduit through which a first liquid may be passed to exit from a first aperture or set of apertures on the mouthpiece and a second conduit through which a second liquid may be passed to exit from a second aperture or set of apertures on the mouthpiece.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a container comprising a plurality of chambers in which different liquids may be stored and means to attach said container to a mouthpiece.

Preferably said container comprises means to regulate the relative volumes of the liquids provided to the mouthpiece.

Preferably said means to regulate the relative volumes of the liquids comprises differing diameters of conduit.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of delivering at least two different liquids to different parts of a user's mouth comprising the steps of inserting a mouthpiece into a mouth wherein said mouthpiece is arranged so as to deliver at least two liquids to different parts of said mouth, and sucking on said mouthpiece to imbibe said liquids.

By way of example, a specific embodiment shall now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drinking apparatus in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a drinking apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention with narrow tubing and attachments for connecting to a liquid container Figure 3 is a perspective view of a container for use with the drinking apparatus of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a liquid container according to a third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a conduit part of a drinking apparatus for use with the liquid container of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a plan view of mouthpiece part of a drinking apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a cross section of the conduit part of Figure 5 engaged with the liquid container of Figure 4; Figure 8 is an end view of the conduit part of the mouthpiece part of Figure 6; Figure 9 illustrates the connection of the mouthpiece of figure 6 to the external conduit part of Figure 5; Figure 10 is a side view of a person using the dnnking apparatus èccording to the third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 is a view of the underside of the mouthpiece of Figure 6; Figures 12 & 14 are schematic views of how mouthpieces of drinking apparatus according to the present invention sit on a human tongue; Figure 13 shows regions of the human tongue; and Figure 15 shows a conduit from the drinking apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Refemng to the drawings, a drinking apparatus I according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a mouthpiece 2 and two tubes 3, 5. A single primary aperture 4 is provided on the mouthpiece to pass liquid from tube 3. The mouthpiece comprises a plurality of apertures 7 in the part of the mouthpiece that leads from tube 5. The apertures 7 are located around the periphery of the mouthpiece. The apparatus is either made in one piece or the ends of the tubes are bonded together at join 6.

In use, when the mouthpiece is placed on the tongue, apertures 7 are located over those parts of the tongue that sense the salty 26, sour 27, and sweet tastes 28, as can be seen in Figures 12 and 13.

The tubes may be at least partially submerged in separate liquids. The user applies suction to the mouthpiece, thereby drawing on of said liquids through the primary aperture and the other of said liquids through the peripheral apertures.

With regards the second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a container, as shown in Figure 3, comprising a container body 10, inside which is a partition 14 that divides the container body into two separate sections, such that the container is able to store two separate liquids simultaneously. Tubes 12 are located inside the container and may be attached to partition 14 to keep them in place. The tubes protrude slightly above the top of the container body. Container cap 9 is of a size to fit on the top of container 10 and comprises tube mating parts 13, which fit over the tips of the tubes. Cap holder 11 screws onto the container and holds the cap in place such that the tube mating parts are mated with the tips of the tubes.

Drinking extension 15 can be seen in Figure 2, and comprises a mouthpiece 16 that is of the same design to that of the first embodiment, an elongate flexible section 17 and container mating parts 8. The container mating parts are attachable to and detachable from tube mating parts 13.

In use the container body holds two separate liquids, the container cap seals the top of the container body and is held in place by cap holder 11. The tips of the tubes are mated to the tube mating parts and the tube mating parts are mated to the container mating parts of the drinking extension. A user is then able to draw the two liquids through the mouthpiece from the container.

A further embodiment of the invention as depicted in Figures 4 to 11 and 15 will now be described.

The drinking apparatus comprises a container body 30, which is partitioned into two sections 36a and 36b, each section able to contain a separate liquid.

Container cap 35 seals the container and is held in place by cap holder 32.

Container cap 35 comprises a plurality of holes, in the present embodiment six holes 33, each corresponding to a tube 31. Three of said tubes extend into a first section of said container 36a and three of said tubes into the second section of said container 36b. Each of said sets of three tubes comprise a large diameter tube, an 31a, a medium diameter tube 31b and a small diameter tube 31 c.

Cap holder 32 holds tube selector 34 against container cap 35, whilst allowing for rotational movement of said tube selector. Tube selector 34 comprises two selection holes 37 and a grip 38. When in place on said container, the tube selector may be rotated so as to allow access to only a single pair of opposing holes 33. The tubes that each pair of opposing holes corresponds to are of a different ratio of diameters for each pair of holes.

The drinking apparatus further comprises an external tube part 39 as shown in figure 5. Said external tube part comprises external tubes 40, mating block 41, and mouthpiece holder 42. Said external tubes are flexible through comprising ridges 25. The termini 43 of said external tubes under the mating block are able to mate with the holes 33 on the container cap. Mouthpiece V holder 42 comprises holes 44a and 44b; holes 44a correspond to one of the external tubes and hole 44b corresponds to the other external tube.

Lastly, the drinking apparatus comprises a mouthpiece 45, shown in Figures 6 and 8. The mouthpiece is substantially planar. The mouthpiece comprises intakes 46a that can mate with holes 44a and intake 46b that can mate with hole 44b. Intake 46b leads to the primary aperture 24, which is distally disposed on the mouthpiece from the intake. Intakes 46a lead to peripheral apertures 23, which are disposed on or adjacent to the periphery of the mouthpiece. The underside of the mouthpiece (see Figure 11) comprises channels 22 through which the liquid released from apertures 23 may pass when said mouthpiece is in use.

Figure 15 shows a tube from the drinking apparatus. As can be seen, each tube comprises a flange 29 at its terminus. The flange maintains the tube in position in the container by engaging with flange holder 28 of the container cap.

When the drinking apparatus is in use it contains two separate liquids, 26 & 27. By rotating the tube selector with grip 38, the user may make a selection from one of the following: i) the pair comprising the small diameter tube of container section 36a and the V larger diameter tube of container section 36b; ii) the pair comprising the medium diameter tube of container section 36a and the medium diameter tube of container section 36b; or iii) the pair comprising the larger diameter tube of container section 36a and the smaller diameter tube of container section 36b.

The ratio of the liquids consumed will depend upon the above selection.

The tube termini 43 of the external mating part 39 may then be mated with holes 33 on the container cap; see Figure 7. Intakes 46a and 46b of mouthpiece 45 may be mated with holes 44a and 44b on mouthpiece holder 42; see Figure 9.

The user is then able to consume liquid from the container by sucking on V mouthpiece 45. The arrangement is such one of said liquids (26 or 27) will pass through the drinking apparatus and into the user's mouth through primary aperture 24 and the other of said liquids will enter the user's mouth through the peripheral 23 holes of the mouthpiece.

Figure 10 is a schematic side view of a person using the drinking apparatus The above embodiments are by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims: 1. Drinking apparatus comprising a mouthpiece arranged to

deliver at least two separate liquids to different parts of a user's mouth.

2. The drinking apparatus of Claim I further comprising conduits through which said liquids are provided to the mouthpiece.

3. The drinking apparatus of Claim I or 2 wherein said mouthpiece comprises a plurality of apertures, said apertures being spaced apart and distributed around said mouthpiece so as to deliver at least two liquids to different areas of a user's tongue.

4. The drinking apparatus of any preceding Claim wherein at least part of said conduits are of differing diameter.

5. The drinking apparatus of any preceding Claim further comprising a container holding at least two separate liquids.

6. The drinking apparatus of any preceding Claim further comprising at least two conduits arranged such that each of said conduits may be at least partially submerged in separate liquids.

7. The drinking apparatus of any preceding Claim wherein the mouthpiece is substantially planar.

8. The drinking apparatus of any preceding Claim wherein the mouthpiece comprises two lateral edges and apertures situated on or adjacent said edges.

9. The drinking apparatus of any preceding Claim wherein the mouthpiece comprises a primary aperture of a larger size than any other aperture.

10. The drinking apparatus of any Claim 9 wherein the mouthpiece comprises a distal end for insertion deepest into a user's mouth and said primary aperture is on or adjacent to said distal end of said mouthpiece.

11. The drinking apparatus of any preceding Claim comprising a first conduit through which a first liquid may be passed to exit from a first aperture or set of apertures on the mouthpiece and a second conduit through which a second liquid may be passed to exit from a second aperture or set of apertures on the mouthpiece.

12. A container comprising a plurality of chambers in which different liquids may be stored and means to attach said container to a mouthpiece.

13. The container of Claim 11 comprising means to regulate the relative volumes of the liquids provided to the mouthpiece.

14. The container of Claim 12 wherein said means to regulate the relative volumes of the liquids comprises differing diameters of conduit.

15. A method of delivering at least two different liquids to different parts of a user's mouth comprising the steps of inserting a mouthpiece into a mouth wherein said mouthpiece is arranged so as to deliver at least two liquids to different parts of said mouth, and sucking on said mouthpiece to imbibe said liquids.

16. Drinking apparatus substantially as described herein.

17. A method of simultaneously drinking two or more liquids substantially as described herein.