AU732975B2

AU732975B2 - Flavoured (delivery) drinking straw

Info

Publication number: AU732975B2
Application number: AU28066/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Michael Stephen Villani
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-06-17
Filing date: 1999-05-11
Publication date: 2001-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 2019-05-11
Also published as: AU2806699A

Description

M S Villani A P Raponi 146 Melville Rd PASCOE VALE SOUTH VIC 3044 APPLICATION PP4128 0* 0 Ot**

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FOR AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS PATENT

SPECIFICATION

0 TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: BE IT KNOWN THAT WE, MICHAEL S. VILLANI, A CITIZEN OF AUSTRALIA, AND ANTHONY RAPONI, A CITIZEN OF AUSTRALIA, HAVE INVENTED A NEW AND USEFUL FLAVOURING DELIVERY DRINKING STRAW OF WHICH THE FOLLOWING IS A SPECIFICATION: I FLAVOURING DELIVERY DRINKING STRAW BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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Field Of The Invention

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The present invention relates to flavoured drinking straws and more particularly I pertains to a new flavouring delivery drinking straw for adding a flavouring to a liquid passing through the drinking straw.

Ri Description Of The Prior Art j :The use of flavoured drinking straws is known in the prior art. More specifically, flavoured drinking straws heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, not withstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which Shave been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.

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Known prior art includes U.S. Patent No. 5,094,861 by D'Auguste et al.; U.S.

Patent No. 2,867,536 by Mead et al.; U.S. Patent No. 3,620,770 by Harvey; U.S.

i Patent No. 3,615,595 by Des. 332,198 by Goodman Jr.

SWhile these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new flavouring delivery drinking straw. The inventive device includes an elongate tube with spaced apart pair of screens disposed in the lumen of the tube to block passage of objects greater than a predetermined size through the lumen of the tube. A flavouring object is disposed in the lumen of the tube between the screens for imparting a flavour to a liquid I passing through the lumen of the tube.

I In these respects, the flavouring delivery drinking straw according to the present Iinvention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of adding a flavouring to a liquid passing through the drinking straw.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherit in the known types of flavoured drinking straws now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new Iflavouring delivery drinking straw construction wherein the same can be utilized for adding a flavouring to a liquid passing through the drinking straw i The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new flavouring delivery drinking straw apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the flavoured drinking straws mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new 3 flavouring delivery drinking straw which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art flavoured drinking straws, either alone or in any combination thereof.

To attain this, the present invention generally comprises an elongate tube with spaced apart pair of screens disposed in the lumen of the tube to block passage of 3 objects greater than a predetermined size through the lumen of the tube. A flavouring object is disposed in the lumen of the tube between the screens for 3 imparting a flavour to a liquid passing through the lumen of the tube.

i There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better Iappreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the .i details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for I the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

l As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the 3 spirit and scope of the present invention.

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Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the Australian Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers 3 and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and 3 essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the i claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new flavouring delivery drinking straw apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the flavoured drinking straws mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new flavouring delivery drinking straw which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art flavoured drinking straws, either alone or in any combination thereof It is another object of the present invention to provide a new flavouring delivery I drinking straw which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

I It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new flavouring delivery drinking straw which is of a durable and reliable construction.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new flavouring delivery drinking straw which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with 3 regard to both materials and labour, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such flavouring 3delivery drinking straw economically available to the buying public.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new flavouring delivery drinking straw which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior 3 art some of the advantages thereof, which simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.

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Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new flavouring delivery I drinking straw for adding a flavouring to a liquid passing through the drinking I straw.

I Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new flavouring delivery drinking straw which includes an elongate tube with spaced apart pair of screens disposed in the lumen of the tube to block passage of objects greater than a predetermined size through the lumen of the tube. A flavouring object is disposed in the lumen of the tube between the screens for imparting a flavour to a liquid passing through the lumen of the tube.

I Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new flavouring delivery drinking straw that is especially useful for adding a flavouring to milk Spassing through the drinking straw so that a drinker may experience an unique S flavour when drinking milk.

i These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects i attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the 1 invention.

i BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS i The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed 3 description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein.

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Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a new flavouring delivery drinking straw in a container with a liquid beverage according to the present invention.

I Figure 2 is a schematic cross sectional view of the present invention taken from line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a schematic cross sectional view of the present invention taken from line 3-3 ofFigure 2.

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i DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 3 With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to Figures 1 through 3 thereof, a new flavouring delivery drinking straw embodying the principles and I concepts of the present invention will be described.

I As best illustrated in Figures 1 through 3, the flavouring delivery drinking straw i generally comprises an elongate tube with spaced apart pair of screens disposed in the lumen of the tube to block passage of objects greater than a predetermined size I through the lumen of the tube. A flavouring object is disposed in the lumen of the tube between the screens for imparting a flavour to a liquid passing through the lumen of the tube.

t: In closer detail, the drinking straw comprises an elongate tube 10 with has a lumen 11, a pair of opposite open ends 12,13 into the lumen, and a longitudinal axis extending between the ends of the tube. The tube typically has a generally circular S°transverse cross section taken substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube although the transverse cross section may also be any other shape such i as square or hexagonal.

it As best illustrated in Figure 2, a spaced apart pair of screens 14,15 are disposed in the lumen of the tube to block passage of objects greater than a predetermined size through the lumen of the tube. The screen may comprise mesh screens or disks Swith apertures or perforations therethrough. In the disk embodiment of the screen, apertures 16 of each disk are preferably arranged in a rectangular grid-like fashion I with the apertures spaced apart at generally equal intervals on the respective disk as illustrated in Figure 3.

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In an optional ideal embodiment, the tube has a bendable region 17 between the ends of the tube dividing the tube into a pair of elongate portions. As shown in 3 Figure 1, the bendable region comprises a plurality of annular accordion-like pleats that permit bending of the tube in the bendable region. The bendable region is Slocated closer to a first of the ends 12 of the tube than to a second of the ends 13 of the tube. Preferably, the screens are positioned adjacent the bendable region U between the bendable region and the second end of the tube.

With reference to Figure 2, a flavouring object 18 is disposed in the lumen of the I tube between the screens. The flavouring object is designed for delivering or imparting a flavour to a liquid passing through the lumen of the tube. Ideally, the flavouring object comprises a pellet or tablet of particulate flavouring capable of being dissolved in liquid such that the liquid takes on the flavour of the flavouring of the flavouring object.

The flavouring object preferable has a size greater than the predetermined size of I the screens such that the flavouring object is blocked from the passing through the screens. Preferably, the object has a generally oval or egg-shaped configuration i with an outer diameter defined transversely from the longitudinal axis of the tube o less than the diameter of the lumen also defined transversely to the longitudinal o axis of the tube so that liquid passing through the lumen may pass around the flavouring object. Also preferably, the flavouring object has a length defined along the longitudinal axis of the tube which is less than the distance between the Sdisks such that the flavouring object is free to move between the screens as liquid is passed through the lumen to help add a little agitation to help increase the i amount of flavouring imparted to the liquid by the flavouring object. Ideally, the I length of the flavouring object is less than about three-quarters the distance between the screens.

In use, a user places the drinking straw in a container 19 with a liquid 20 or beverage such as milk and draws liquid through the straw to drink the beverage.

I As the liquid passes through the straw, it passes through the screens and past the flavouring object so that the flavouring in the flavouring object is imparted or 3 dissolved into the passing liquid so that the user may taste the flavouring in the drawn liquid.

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As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, I no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in Isize, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all I equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention

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S Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable Smodifications and equivalents may be resorted to, failing within the scope of the invention.

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Claims

1. A drinking straw comprising: An elongate tube having a lumen, a pair of opposite open ends; A spaced apart pair of screens being disposed in said lumen of said tube, said screens blocking passage of objects greater than a predetermined size through said lumen of said tube; and A flavouring object being disposed in said lumen of said tube between said screens, said flavouring object being ada ted for delivering flavour to a liquid passing through said lumen; Wherein said tube has a bendable region between said ends of said tube dividing said tube into a pair of elongate portions, wherein said bendable region is located closer to a first of said ends of said tube than a second of said ends of said tube, and wherein said screens are positioned adjacent said bendable region between said bendable region and said second end of said tube.

2. The drinking straw of claim 1, wherein said tube has a longitudinal axis extending between said ends of said tube, wherein said tube has a generally circular transverse cross section taken substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said tube.

3. The drinking straw of claim 1, wherein said bendable region comprises a plurality of annular accordion-like pleats permitting bending of said tube in said bendable region.

4. The drinking straw of claim 1, wherein said flavouring object having a size greater than a S predetermined size of openings in said screens such that said flavouring object is blocked from passing through said screens.

5. The drinking straw of claim 1, wherein said flavouring object has a length defined along a longitudinal axis of said tube, said length of said flavouring object being less than the distance S between said screens. S

6. The drinking straw of claim 5, wherein said length of said flavouring object is less than about three-quarters the distance between said screens.

7. A drinking straw, comprising: An elongate tube having a lumen, a pair of opposite open ends, and a longitudinal axis S extending between said ends of said tube; Said tube having a generally circular transverse cross section taken substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said tube; A spaced apart pair of screens being disposed in said lumen of said tube, said screens blocking passage of objects greater than a predetermined size through said lumen of said tube; Said tube having a bendable region between said ends of said tube dividing said tube into a pair of elongate portions, said bendable region comprising a plurality of annular accordion-like pleats permitting bending of said tube in said bendable region; Said bendable region being located closer to a first of said ends of said tube than to a second of said ends of said tube; A flavouring object being disposed in said lumen of said tube between said screens, said favouring object being adapted for delivering a flavour to a liquid passing through said lumen of said tube; Said flavouring object having a size greater than a predetermined size of openings in said screens such that said flavouring object is blocked from passing through said screen; Wherein said flavouring object having a length defined along said longitudinal axis of said tube, L said length of said flavouring object being less than the distance between said disks; and herein said length of said flavouring object is less than about three-quarters the distance etween said screens.