US20010054618A1

US20010054618A1 - Straw device for beverage vessels and a beverage vessel provided therewith

Info

Publication number: US20010054618A1
Application number: US09/891,024
Authority: US
Inventors: Enrico Ferrari
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-06-26
Filing date: 2001-06-25
Publication date: 2001-12-27
Also published as: ITMI20001428A1; IT1318598B1; ITMI20001428A0

Abstract

A straw device for a beverage or drink vessel comprises a support element which can be introduced into the vessel and a straw, telescopically tightly housed inside the supporting element, the supporting element being of a floating type and designed for moving upward inside the beverage to allow the straw to be accessed through an opening of the vessel as a sealing element is detached from the opening.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a straw device for a beverage or drink vessel and a beverage or drink vessel including said straw device.

Several beverages such as drinks, bier and the like are packaged for selling in vessels such as cans, cartons and the like, having an opening closed by a sealing means. In particular, this sealing means conventionally comprises a tongue element provided with a detaching ring allowing the tongue element to be removed from the vessel opening as the beverage must be drunk. In particular, of said tongue elements, some are fully removed from the vessel, whereas other are held coupled to the vessel and displaced thereinto.

On the other hand, before their opening, the above mentioned beverage vessels or packages are exposed to polluting agents, such as powder, dust, bacteria, noxious substances and the like.

Notwithstanding that, a lot of consumers, after having opened the vessel, bring it to their mouth to drink the contained beverage, without accurately cleaning the outside of the vessel before opening.

Thus, the contaminated beverage would cause poisonings to the user drinking from the can with the above mentioned tongue element partially projecting inside the can itself.

Consequently, in some countries, the use of the above mentioned beverage vessels has been prohibited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned problems and, in particular, prevent possible dangers deriving from a use of the above mentioned type of beverage vessels or cans.

According to an aspect thereof, the above mentioned object, as well as yet other objects which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a straw device for a beverage vessel, said beverage vessel having an opening closed by a sealing means, said straw device being characterized in that it comprises a supporting floating element which can be introduced into said beverage vessel and a straw element telescopically tightly housed inside said supporting element, said supporting element being suitable to be upward displaced in said beverage to allow said straw to be accessed through said opening, as said sealing means is detached from said opening.

According to an embodiment of the invention, said supporting element is associated with a floating means.

Preferably, said supporting element is a tubular supporting element.

Advantageously, said tubular element comprises spacer means designed for allowing said tubular element to be held in a facing relationship with said opening inside said vessel.

Preferably, said spacer means comprise spacer means arranged with a spider pattern.

Advantageously, some of said spacer arms are coupled to said floating means.

Preferably, said tubular element comprises an outer ring-like element and some of said spacer arms are coupled to said outer ring-like element.

Advantageously, said straw comprises air sealing or tightness means, cooperating with said tubular element.

Typically, said air sealing means comprise a pleated (curled) portion of said straw.

Preferably, said tubular element comprises an inner sleeve element guiding said straw in its sliding displacements.

Advantageously, said air sealing means of said straw are designed for abutting against said sleeve element as said straw is arranged at a maximum elongation condition thereof, outside of said tubular element.

Preferably, said straw comprises a ridge designed for interfering against said tubular element to cause a gripping top portion of said straw to project therefrom as said straw is arranged in its most withdrawn condition inside said tubular element.

Advantageously, said straw comprises an outer bushing adapted to interfere against said inner sleeve element of said tubular element as said straw is forcibly pulled to remove said device from said beverage vessel.

Typically, said straw device is made of an non-toxic material susceptible to be easily sterilized, preferably a polymeric material, of a type used in food and pharmaceutical industries.

According to a second aspect thereof, the invention further relates to a beverage vessel or can having an opening closed by a sealing means, characterized in that said vessel comprises in its inside a straw device, said straw device including, in turn, a supporting element and a straw telescopically tightly housed in said supporting element, said supporting element being a floating supporting element and designed to be upward displaced in the beverage to allow said straw to be accessed through said opening as said sealing means is detached from said opening.

The straw device according to the present invention is very safe from a hygienic standpoint, since it is introduced inside a vessel which is successively filled by a beverage and sealed. Accordingly, the subject straw device, and, consequently, the straw held therein, are fully protected from possible contacts with outside polluting agents.

The straw can be easily telescopically elongated to project from the beverage vessel through the opening thereof left free by the sealing means. This will prevent any dangerous contact between the consumer mouth and vessel.

The straw device according to the invention also provides the advantage that it can be easily applied to a beverage vessel or can without modifying the construction of the vessel and requiring only small changes in the filling-in processes of the beverage vessels.

In a preferred embodiment thereof, the inventive straw device is sterilized before introducing it into a beverage vessel or can.

Moreover, as the vessel has been emptied of the beverage, the straw device can be removed and separated from the beverage vessel thereby allowing a differentiated collection of recyclable materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed disclosure thereof with reference to an embodiment being shown, only by way of a non limitative example, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, where: [0028]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a straw device according to the present invention; [0029]
FIG. 2 is an axial cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the straw device shown in FIG. 1; [0030]
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the straw device shown in FIG. 1; [0031]
FIG. 4 is an axial cross-sectional view of a straw supporting and guiding tube included in the straw device of FIG. 1; [0032]
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the straw supporting and guiding tube shown in FIG. 4; [0033]
FIG. 6 is an axial cross-sectional view of the straw of the straw device shown in FIG. 1; [0034]
FIG. 7 is an axial cross-sectional view of a sealed beverage vessel or can, including the straw device shown in FIG. 1; [0035]
FIG. 8 shows the beverage vessel of FIG. 7 from which is removed a tongue or tab element closing an opening of said vessel; [0036]
FIG. 9 shows the beverage vessel of FIG. 7 with the straw in a fully extended condition; [0037]
FIG. 10 shows the beverage vessel of FIG. 7 with the beverage being sucked through the straw by a consumer; and [0038]
FIG. 11 shows the beverage vessel of FIG. 7 with the straw device being removed from the vessel opening.[0039]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. [0040] 1 to 3 show a straw device 1 according to the invention, specifically designed for a beverage vessel or can 2 (FIG. 7) designed for holding a beverage or drink 3.
More specifically, the [0041] straw device 1 comprises a small tube 4 provided for supporting and guiding a suction straw 5. The straw 5 is telescopically tightly housed inside the tube 4. Said tube 4 is provided, at the top thereof, with an inner sleeve element 6 guiding or driving the straw 5 in its sliding movements inside the tube 4. As shown, the straw 5 has a pleated (curled) portion 7, operating as an air seal and designed for abutting against the sleeve element 6, as said straw is withdrawn from the tube 4 up to its maximum elongation condition outside of said tube. The straw 5 comprises moreover a ridge 8 designed for abutting against said sleeve element 6 and operating to cause a top portion 9 or said straw to project from said tube 4 as the straw is arranged in its position maximally withdrawn inside said tube 4. The straw 5 is moreover provided, at the bottom thereof, with an outer bushing 10 (FIG. 6) the operation of which will be disclosed in a more detailed manner hereinafter.
To the top portion of said tube [0042] 4 a floating element 11 is coupled, and from said floating element radially project, with a spider pattern, a plurality of spacer arms 12, said spacer arms being formed by resiliently flexible small rods (see FIGS. 4 and 5).
The [0043] tube 4 can also be of a floating type, as it is integrated inside an air holding sealed chamber or as it is formed of a floating material.
At the bottom portion of the tube [0044] 4 a disc 13 therefrom said spacer arms 14 radially project is coupled, said spacer arms 14 being also constituted by resiliently flexible small rods.
The [0045] straw device 1 according to the present invention is made of an non-toxic material.
In particular, the [0046] floating element 11 is provided for raising or upward displacing the tube 4, together with the straw 5, as they are immersed in the beverage 3 filling the beverage vessel 2.
The [0047] spacer arms 12 and 14, on the other hand, hold said tube 4 and straw 5 centered inside said beverage vessel 2, i.e. said tube 4 and straw 5 are held coaxially with said beverage vessel.
The [0048] spacer arms 12 and 14 are provided with respective radial extensions of a like length, in a case in which the straw device 1 is engaged in a cylindric vessel, whereas they would have a different-length radial extension for a different shape beverage vessel, such as a parallelepiped vessel.
The [0049] vessel 2 comprises a vessel cover 20 having an opening 21 closed by a tongue or tab element 22 (see FIGS. 7 and 8). The vessel 2 can be made of an aluminium, plastics material, plasticized paperboard material, glass and the like, such as a conventional can, carton, bottle.
The [0050] straw device 1, possibly suitably sterilized, is introduced into said vessel 2, the cover 20 being removed, and before filling-in the beverage 3. Then, the vessel 2, upon filling with the beverage or drink, is sealed or tightly closed and will be ready for selling.
As a consumer desires to drink the beverage, he/she will raise the [0051] tongue element 22 to detach it from the opening 21, thereby leaving said opening uncovered. Then, the pushing force due to the floating element 11 will cause the tube 4 and straw 5 to upward move, and the top portion 9 of the straw will be ejected from the opening 21 (FIG. 8). Then, the user can easily grip the straw 5 and pull it to remove said straw from the tube 4. In particular, the straw 5 will be so extended to cause its pleated portion 7 to abut against the sleeve element 6 of said tube 4 thereby preventing air from entering (FIG. 9). As the straw 5 has achieved its maximum elongated condition, the consumer can drink the beverage 3 under absolutely hygienically safe conditions (FIG. 10).
Upon emptying the [0052] beverage vessel 2, the consumer can remove the straw device 1 therefrom, by forcibly pulling the straw 5 to cause its bushing 10 to interfere against the sleeve element 6 of said tube 4. The pulling force will deflect the spacer arms 12 and 14 (FIG. 11) of the device 1, which can pass through the opening 21 to be removed from the beverage vessel 2.
Thus, the [0053] beverage vessel 2 and straw device 1 can be disposed of separately as recyclable waste.

Claims

1. A straw device, for a beverage vessel, said beverage vessel having an opening tightly closed by a sealing means, characterized in that said straw device comprises a floating supporting element which can be introduced into said beverage vessel and a suction straw telescopically tightly housed inside said supporting element, said supporting element being designed to be upward displaced inside said beverage to allow said straw to be accessed through said opening as said sealing means is detached from said opening.

2. A straw device according to

claim 1

, characterized in that said supporting element is coupled to a floating means.

3. A straw device according to

claim 1

, characterized in that said supporting element is a tubular supporting element.

4. A straw device according to

claim 3

, characterized in that said tubular element comprises spacer means for holding said tubular element facing said opening inside said beverage vessel.

5. A straw device according to

claim 4

, characterized in that said spacer means comprise spacer arms arranged with a spider pattern.

6. A straw device according to

claim 5

, characterized in that said spacer arms comprise a plurality of resiliently flexible rods.

7. A straw device according to

claim 5

, characterized in that some of said spacer arms are coupled to said floating means.

8. A straw device according to

claim 3

, characterized in that said tubular element comprises an outer ring-like element and wherein some of said spacer arms are coupled to said outer ring-like element.

9. A straw device according to

claim 1

, characterized in that said straw comprises air sealing means cooperating with said tubular element.

10. A straw device according to

claim 9

, characterized in that said said air sealing means comprise a pleated portion of said straw.

11. A straw device according to

claim 3

, characterized in that said tubular element comprises an inner sleeve element slidably guiding said straw.

12. A straw device according to

claim 9

, characterized in that said air sealing means of said straw abut against said sleeve element as said straw is in a maximum elongation condition thereof outside of said tubular element.

13. A straw device according to

claim 1

, characterized in that said straw comprises a ridge designed for interfering against said tubular element to cause a gripping top portion of said straw to project from said tubular element as said straw is maximally withdrawn inside said tubular element.

14. A straw device according to

claim 1

, characterized in that said straw comprises an outer bushing designed for interfering against said inner sleeve element of said tubular element as said straw is forcibly pulled for removing said device from said beverage vessel.

15. A straw device according to

claim 1

, characterized in that said straw device is made of an non-toxic and sterilizable material.

16. A beverage vessel having an opening tightly closed by a sealing means, characterized in that said beverage vessel includes a straw device comprising a supporting element and a suction straw telescopically tightly housed in said supporting element, said supporting element being designed for floating and upward displacing in said beverage to allow said straw to be accessed through said opening as said sealing means is detached from said opening.