GB2268921A

GB2268921A - Container with straw

Info

Publication number: GB2268921A
Application number: GB9215591A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Simon Gore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-07-22
Filing date: 1992-07-22
Publication date: 1994-01-26
Also published as: GB9215591D0

Abstract

A straw for a beverage container, especially an easy open drinks can, comprises a cylindrical portion 40 adapted to be anchored at each end to an inner surface of the container, a lower end of the cylindrical portion being adapted to entrain liquid and an upper end of the cylindrical portion being provided with a user portion 46 arranged to communicate between the internal bore of the cylindrical portion and the exterior of the container. Preferably the cylindrical portion of the straw is anchored diagonally within the container, with the user portion having a telescopic or concertina portion such that it is extendible through a tab-revealable opening in the container's lid. Alternatively, the central cylindrical portion extends vertically and comprises a distribution box (30, Figure 1) having extending therefrom regularly spaced further cylindrical portions (32, Figure 1) reaching to the peripheral regions of the bottom of the can, whereby liquid is entrainable and passable to the user portion of the straw regardless of a direction in which the container is tilted. An anchoring member 50 may be provided to brace the straw against the container. The container lid may include sockets (24, 26, Figure 1) to locate the straw ends. The upper end 48 of the diagonally arranged straw may be blocked to aid liquid flour. <IMAGE>

Description

CONTAINER WITH STRAW This invention relates to a container with an integral straw, especially a metal can containing a beverage or soft drink.

Metal cans are well known for the storage and sale of soft or alcoholic beverages. These cans have a preweakened tab on a lid arranged with a ring pull to tear or punch the tab out of the lid, allowing access to the beverage. One problem with such a mechanism is that the manufacture of the can itself provides an upwardly extending rim around the lid. This rim serves for the collection of dirt, dust, debris etc which can lead to unhygienic drinking conditions.

Whilst this problem is most obvious when attempting to drink directly from such a can, the pouring of a drink from the can into a further container, for example, a glass, does not improve the situation as the drink has to pass over the rim of the can entraining any dirt etc into the clean glass.

It is known to provide straws for the use in drinking such beverages, some straws being provided with bendable sections allowing variable drinking positions. In relation to a can however, there is a problem with the use of straws. The hole which is left in the lid after the separation of the tab is usually relatively centrally placed and it is difficult if not impossible to arrange for a straw to pass through the hole left by the tab and be positioned in liquid at a lower most corner of the container. Whilst this problem does not occur when straws are used with glasses or cardboard cartons, with which they are commonly supplied, in an opaque can where it is not easily possible to see where the liquid remains, it is possible for the straw to miss liquid remaining in the can entirely.

A further problem is the packaging of a straw for a can which must a) be attached directly to the can surface and b) be hygienically sealed to prevent further problems with dirt etc. Whilst cardboard cartons have flat side surfaces against which a straw can be adhered, there is a problem with the curved side surface of a can in that a straw can only be securely adhered in a relatively straight configuration in an axial direction. The requirement of such accurate positioning does not rest easily with modern manufacturing techniques.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a straw for use with a can, thereby permitting hygienic use of the can even after storage for long periods and that fluid from all bottom points of the can are successfully entrained.

With this object in view, a first aspect of the invention provides a straw for a beverage can comprising a central cylindrical portion adapted to be anchored at each end to a containers inner surfaces, a lower end of the first portion being adapted to entrain liquid and an upper end of the portion being provided with a second user portion arranged to communicate between the first portion internal bore and the exterior of a container.

In a first embodiment of the invention, a straw is provided anchored diagonally across a can's interior with a user portion attached near the straws upper end as a T-piece.

The user portion is preferably provided with a telescopic or concertina-like extensible portion to permit its extension outside the can's internal space.

An additional anchoring member may be provided to brace the cylindrical portion against the can's side wall.

In a further embodiment of the invention there is provided a straw for a beverage can comprising a cylindrical portion attached to a distribution portion which is in turn provided with means to entrain liquid from at least two points remote from the central cylindrical portion, the central cylindrical portion being further provided with a user section arranged to communicate with the cylindrical portions internal bore and with the exterior of a can lid.

Advantageously, the central cylindrical portion is provided with a distribution box attached to which are a plurality of further cylindrical portions or straws each arranged to project regularly downwardly from the distribution box. The improved straw thus has the appearance of an umbrella frame with the further cylindrical portions being arranged to be placed in the cans peripheral section so as to entrain liquid no matter which way the can is tilted.

A further aspect of the invention provides a beverage can having an integral straw in which the can is provided with a lid having means for securement of an upper end of cylindrical portion of a straw and a bottom having means for securement of a bottom end of a straw, the straw having distribution means related to means for entraining liquid from at least two points around the periphery of the cans bottom, the straws upper end having user means extending therefrom towards a tab or opening provided in the cans lid, the means preferably being arranged to be foldably or telescopically extensible through said opening when required for use.

In this aspect of the invention, the distribution means preferably comprises a box attached to a plurality of further cylindrical sections each projecting relatively regularly outward from the box and downwardly into the peripheral sections of the beverage cans bottom.

In this way, a straw is provided substantially fixed to the top and bottom of a can and provided with means to entrain liquid from several points around the cans periphery. Thus whichever way the can is tipped for drinking liquid will be entrained in the straw.

Preferably, the securement of the cylindrical portion of the straw is substantially central of both the lid and bottom of the can. If additional structural rigidity is required, a ring like bracing portion can be provided around the central part of the straw and braced against the cans side wall.

This bracing portion should be of perforated or mesh like configuration to allow liquid to pass therethrough from the top to bottom of the can.

In order to provide an effective flow of liquid and to fit closely with the bottom of the can, in either aspect of the invention, the plurality of straws arranged around the distribution means may be provided with angled ends so as to closely conform to the cans bottom.

The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a side section of a first embodiment of the invention as positioned in a beverage can; and Figure 2 is a similar view of a second embodiment.

Figure 1 a beverage can is referred to generally by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a cylindrical outer wall 12, sealed to a lid 14 and a bottom or base 16. In a normal construction technique, such sealing will leave a raised peripheral rim 18 around both the lid 14 and base 16. The base 16 is normally of arcuate cross section forming a raised central section in the can 10.

A straw is provided for the hygienic drinking of liquid contained in the can 10 comprising a central cylindrical portion 20 secured at its top end 22 and at its bottom end 24 to the lid 14 and the base 16 respectively. This securement can be effected by the provision of sockets 26, 28 located substantially centrally of each of the lid and base, the sockets serving to hold the straw substantially rigidly and axially of the can.

The cylindrical portion 22 is sealed either at its top end to the can lid 14 or by use of a plug 38 inserted into the portion 12 intemediate. The lid 14 and a flexible straw connection 34. This ensures that suction will effectively draw liquid in from the lower parts of the straw.

In order to improve the entrainment of liquid from the can 10, the central cylindrical portion is also provided with a distribution box 30 to which is attached a plurality of further cylindrical portions or straws 32 extending substantially regularly from the distribution box. The straws communicate with the interior of the box 30 by a plurality of ports 36.

In this way the further straws 32 will be distributed around the peripheral rim of the base 16 and thus no matter which way the can is tipped during drinking, liquid will always be available for suction into the central portion 20.

In order to permit use of the straw, a flexible straw section 34 is advantageously attached to the cylindrical section 20 just below the upper end 22. This flexible section 34 is connected to an opening 36 in the cans lid 14. Thus a flexible section can be foldably or telescopically extended through the opening for use.

A simplified construction is shown in Figure 2 corresponding to the first embodiment of the invention.

In this arrangement a cylindrical portion 40 is anchored at each end 42, 44 into the can's top and bottom rims respectively. A flexible concertina-like section 46 is attached near the upper end 44 of the portion 40 so as to communicate through the can's lid as in the previous embodiment. The upper end 44 is preferably blocked or sealed 48 to ensure passage of liquid along the straw.

A bracing member 50 may be provided to space the first portion rigidly with respect to the can's wall.

The invention is not confined to forgoing details and variations may be made thereto within the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A straw for a beverage container, comprising a central cylindrical portion adapted to be anchored at each end to an inner surface of the container, a lower end of the cylindrical portion being adapted to entrain liquid and an upper end of the cylindrical portion being provided with a user portion arranged to communicate between the internal bore of the cylindrical portion and the exterior of the container.

2. A straw as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion is adapted to be anchored diagonally across the interior of the container and there is attached to the cylindrical portion near its upper end a user portion which forms a T-piece.

3. A straw as claimed in claim 2, wherein the user portion is provided with a telescopic or concertina-like extensible portion to permit its extension outside the interior of the container.

4. A straw as claimed in claim 3, wherein there is provided an additional anchoring member to brace the cylindrical portion against the inner surface of the container.

5. A straw as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided a distribution portion attached to the cylindrical portion, which distribution portion is provided with means to entrain liquid from at least two points in the interior of the container remote from the central cylindrical portion, and wherein the user portion is arranged to communicate with the internal bore of the cylindrical portion and with the exterior of the container.

6. A straw as claimed in claim 5, wherein the distribution portion is a distribution box having attached thereto a plurality of further cylindrical portions or straws each arranged to project regularly downwardly from the distribution box, whereby the straw has the appearance of an umbrella frame with the further cylindrical portions being arranged to be placed in the peripheral region of the container interior so as to entrain liquid contained in the container regardless of the direction in which the container may be tilted.

7. A beverage container fitted with a straw as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A container as claimed in claim 7, wherein the container comprises a lid including means for securing the upper end of the cylindrical portion of the straw, and a bottom including means for securing the lower end of the straw.

9. A container as claimed in claim 8, wherein the lid of the container includes a tab-revealable opening with which the user portion of the straw can communicate.

10. A beverage container having a lid and a bottom and fitted with a straw as claimed in claim 5, the cylindrical portion of the straw being secured substantially centrally of both the lid and the bottom of the container.

11. A container as claimed in claim 10, wherein a ring-like bracing portion is provided around a central section of the straw and braced against the side wall of the container so as to provide additional structural rigidity to the straw.

12. A container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the bracing portion is perforated or has a mesh-like configuration to allow liquid contained in the container to pass therethrough.

13. A container as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the lower ends of the central cylindrical portion or each further cylindrical portion (as the case may be) are provided with angled ends so as to be closely conformable to the bottom of the container.

14. A straw for a beverage container, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A beverage container substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.