WO2008076144A1

WO2008076144A1 - Consumable candy drinking straw and a method of using the same

Info

Publication number: WO2008076144A1
Application number: PCT/US2007/010993
Authority: WO
Inventors: W. Frederick Conway Jr
Original assignee: Conway Jr W Frederick
Priority date: 2006-12-19
Filing date: 2007-05-21
Publication date: 2008-06-26
Also published as: EP2124597A1; CN101594783A

Abstract

A drinking straw including an elongated hollow consumable candy shell having a cylindrical shape through which liquid is transportable by applying a suction pressure to an end of the candy shell is disclosed herein.

Description

PATENT APPLICATION

Inventor: W. Frederick Conway, Jr.

For: Consumable Candy Drinking Straw and a Method of Using the Same

i Consumable Candy Drinking Straw and a Method of Using the Same

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to a consumable candy drinking straw and a method of using the candy drinking straw to flavor and augment the flavor of a beverage. Background of the Invention:

Candy is typically a single function and single use product. A consumer generally buys a candy product for the sole purpose of consuming the candy. There are various forms of candy, including hard candy, typically manufactured primarily from sugar and flavoring, chocolate, soft candy, etc. Hard candy having a chocolate or flavored center is known. Regardless of its type, the candy typically is consumed by itself when the candy is placed in the mouth of a consumer.

Fruit flavored beverages, sometimes called "smoothies," have recently become popular. A typical smoothie has finely ground ice particles combined with flavoring. Typically, finely ground fruit is the flavoring in a smoothie. Due to its thick consistency, the smoothie typically is consumed with a straw or sometimes a straw that also functions as a spoon. The spoon or straw usually is made from plastic and allows the consumer to suck the smoothie from the cup or receptacle holding it.

Because the straw is formed of plastic, it imparts no flavor to the smoothie and merely allows the smoothie to be withdrawn from the receptacle. There thus exists a need for a mechanism to alter and/or augment the smoothie's flavor. In addition, there is a need for a candy product that can be used for purposes other than simple consumption. There is also a need for creative and fun candy products that have some utility other than their flavor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a drinking straw including an elongated hollow dissolvable candy shell having a tubular configuration through which liquid is transportable by applying a suction to an end of the candy shell. Because the candy shell is placed in the mouth of the user, the candy slowly dissolves thereby providing a flavor sensation in the mouth of the user that can alter and/or augment the flavor of a smoothie or other beverage.

The candy shell may have a hollow cylindrical interior diameter of about 5 millimeters, a thickness of about 3.5 millimeters, thus having an outer diameter of about 12 millimeters.

Alternatively, the candy shell may have a hollow diameter of between 4 and 6 millimeters, a thickness of between 3 and 4 millimeters, and an outer diameter of between 10 and 14 millimeters.

The candy shell may include a plurality of twisted candy stripes diagonally twined with respect to a lengthwise axis of the candy shell. The candy tubular shell includes a first end insertable into a beverage, and a second end through which a suction is applied to move the beverage along an inner surface of the candy shell without breaking the shell. The candy shell preferably is a rigid, glassified sugar composition that slowly dissolves in the mouth of the user.

The present invention also provides a drinking straw made of a rigid tubular candy shell.

The present invention also provides a method of using a candy drinking straw to consume a beverage. The method includes providing the candy drinking straw having a first end and a second end, providing a receptacle containing the beverage, inserting the first end of the candy drinking straw into the beverage in the receptacle, inserting the second end of the candy drinking straw into a mouth of a consumer, and applying a suction to the second end of candy drinking straw such that the beverage contained in the receptacle is transported from the first end of the candy drinking straw to the second of the candy drinking straw into the consumer's mouth.

The mouth of the consumer may dissolve a portion of the second end of the candy drinking straw such that a flavor from the candy drinking straw is combined with a flavor from the beverage in the mouth of the consumer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a side elevational view of a candy drinking straw according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the candy drinking straw of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 illustrates a general method of manufacturing a candy drinking straw according to another embodiment of the invention.

■ FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the candy straw of FIG. 1 inserted into a receptacle containing a beverage to be consumed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 illustrates a candy drinking straw 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the candy drinking straw 1 of FIG. 1. As best shown in FIG. 2, the candy drinking straw 1 has a hollow cylindrical interior structure 15 and can be used to drink beverages from a container, for example, milkshakes, smoothies, cold coffee drinks, ice cream floats, and other beverages. The candy drinking straw 1 is made of glassified sugar candy, and is sufficiently rigid to be inserted into a relatively thick beverage and to be able to transport heavy beverages from the receptacle to the mouth of the user. The glassified sugar may be made by heating a sugar solution to a temperature of 300 degrees Fahrenheit, forming the drinking straw while the sugar solution is still hot/warm, and then allowing the sugar solution cool. This process will be described in more detail below.

The candy drinking straw 1 can enhance the flavor of whatever beverage being enjoyed by a consumer. The candy drinking straw 1 maintains a stable solid state and is only relatively slowly dissolved from within by the beverage being transported therein. On the other hand, a consumer's saliva may dissolve an outer portion of the candy drinking straw 1 to add flavor to the beverage being consumed. Once the consumer finishes the beverage, the candy drinking straw 1 may be consumed or may be re-used with another beverage.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the candy drinking straw 1 has a candy shell with a main candy portion 2 and a twisted candy portion 3 that is twisted with the main candy portion 2. The main candy portion 2 and the twisted candy portion 3 may be different candy flavors, different candy colors, etc.

The arrangement of the main candy portion 2 and the twisted candy portion 3 of the candy shell 1 provides an aesthetically appealing drinking straw design while providing the consumer with the choice of different flavors of the main and twisted candy portions 2 and 3. Structurally, the twisted candy portion 3 may reinforce the main candy portion 2 of the candy shell 1 to make the candy drinking straw 1 more difficult to crack or break during transport, insertion, or use. It should be understood that although the candy drinking straw 1 is described as having the twisted candy portion 3, more than one twisted candy portion or no twisted candy portion may be used in alternative embodiments of the invention. For example, the candy drinking straw 1 may be a single color/flavor solid candy shell. In another example, the candy drinking straw 1 may have several twisted candy portions 3, each providing a different color candy and/or a different candy flavor in addition to the main candy portion 2.

Although the twisted candy portion 3 shown in FIG. 1 and described herein is diagonally arranged around the candy shell with respect to a lengthwise axis of the candy drinking straw 1 , it should also be understood that the twisted candy portion 3 may alternatively be arranged parallel to the lengthwise axis of the candy drinking straw 1 (i.e., lengthwise stripes) or perpendicular with respect to the lengthwise axis of the candy drinking straw 1 (i.e., circumferential stripes). Other variations of the main and twisted candy portions 2 and 3 may also be used with the present invention. The candy drinking straw 1 may be made different lengths to accommodate different beverages. Referring now to FIG. 2, the candy drinking straw 1 is a hollow cylindrical tube 15 and includes a thickness (x), a lengthwise center axis (c), an inner diameter of the candy shell (ID), and an outer diameter of candy shell (OD). The thickness (x) of the candy drinking straw 1 is such that the candy shell does not collapse during beverage consumption. For example, even when a consumer is drinking a thick beverage (e.g., a milkshake) requiring the consumer to apply a relatively large suction to an end of the candy drinking straw 1 in order to move the beverage up to an inner portion of the candy shell 1 , the dimensions and rigidity of the candy shell 1 are such that the candy shell 1 remains intact and stable. Hence, the candy shell 1 will not collapse when suction is applied.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the outer diameter (OD) of the candy drinking straw 1 may be approximately 10 to 14 millimeters (mm), the inner diameter (ID) may be approximately 4 to 6 mm, and the thickness (x) of the candy shell 1 may be approximately 3 to 4 mm. More particularly, the candy shell 1 may be made such that the outer diameter (OD) is about 12 mm, the thickness (x) of the candy shell 1 is about 3.5 mm, and the inner diameter (ID) of the candy shell 1 is about 5mm.

By comparison, most conventional plastic drinking straws have an inner diameter of about 7.5 mm. Other dimensions may also be used with embodiments of the present invention as long as the thickness (x) of the candy shell 1 of the candy drinking straw 1 is large enough to withstand suction applied by the consumer in order to transport thick/heavy beverages without breakage. Additionally, the inner diameter (ID) of the candy shell 1 may be large enough such that a thick milk shake, cookie crumbs, pieces of fruit, etc. may be transported therethrough by the suction applied by the consumer. FIG. 3 illustrates a general method of manufacturing a candy drinking straw according to an embodiment of the invention. The method of FIG. 3 includes step 101 in which candy is produced and cooked, step 102 in which the candy is processed on a scroll machine to make a hollow tube of candy on a cylindrical mold, step 103 in which the candy is twisted to give the hollow candy tube a swirl or twining, step 104 in which the hollow candy tube is cut into segments on the cylindrical mold, and step 105 in which the segments of the hollow candy tube are cooled and finalized into candy drinking straws. Step 101 liquefies the candy such that the liquid candy becomes a semi-solid mass of candy when it is cooled after cooking. In this state, the mass of candy can be processed, molded, shaped, etc. into the candy drinking straw 1 in steps 102-104.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the candy straw 1 of FIG. 1 inserted into a receptacle 7 containing a beverage 14 to be consumed. Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A drinking straw, comprising: an elongated hollow consumable candy shell having a tubular configuration through which liquid is transportable by applying a suction to an end of the candy shell.

2. The drinking straw of claim 1 , wherein the candy tubular shell has a hollow cylindrical interior diameter of about 5 millimeters.

3. The drinking straw of claim 1 , wherein the candy tubular shell has a thickness of about 3.5 millimeters.

4. The drinking straw of claim 1 , wherein the candy tubular shell has an outer diameter of about 12 millimeters.

5. The drinking straw of claim 1 , wherein the candy tubular shell has a hollow diameter of between 4 and 6 millimeters, a thickness of between 3 and 4 millimeters, and an outer diameter of between 10 and 14 millimeters.

6. The drinking straw of claim 1 , wherein the candy tubular shell comprises a plurality of twisted candy stripes diagonally twined with respect to a lengthwise axis of the candy tubular shell.

7. The drinking straw of claim 1 , wherein the candy tubular shell comprises: a first end insertable into a beverage; and a second end through which a suction pressure may be applied to move the beverage along an inner surface of the candy shell without breaking the candy tubular shell.

8. The drinking straw of claim 1 , wherein the candy shell comprises a rigid, glassified sugar composition that is dissolvable.

9. A drinking straw made of a rigid tubular candy shell.

10. A method of using a candy drinking straw to consume a beverage, the method comprising: providing the candy drinking straw having a first end and a second end; providing a receptacle containing the beverage; inserting the first end of the candy drinking straw into the beverage in the receptacle; inserting the second end of the candy drinking straw into a mouth of a consumer; and applying a suction to the second end of candy drinking straw such that the beverage contained in the receptacle is transported from the first end of the candy drinking straw to the second of the candy drinking straw into the consumer's mouth.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mouth of the consumer dissolves a portion of the second end of the candy drinking straw such that a flavor from the candy drinking straw is combined with a flavor from the beverage in the mouth of the consumer.