JP2003205974A - Beverage in container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a beverage in container in which a cap is easily opened and closed and there are no fear of deformation and pollution of a straw. <P>SOLUTION: The straw 14 is housed in a PET bottle 11 containing a beverage and floats on the beverage. When the cap 13 is opened, the straw 14 stands up approximately vertically to make its tip end face to a drinking mouth 12. A person holds the tip of the straw 14 in mouth to drink the beverage. When the cap 13 is closed, it is enough to put the straw 14 in the container. The straw 14 does not stand in the way when the cap 13 is opened and closed. There is no fear that the straw 14 itself, its drinking portion in particular is deformed, damaged or polluted. The beverage content is easily drunk to the last drop by using the straw 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beverage in a container, and more particularly to a beverage in a container containing a straw.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional technique of this kind, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
A beverage container with a built-in straw, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 01-61630, is known. This container opens and closes the mouth of a PET bottle with a cap, and stores a straw in a curved shape. When the cap is removed, the straw restores to a linear shape due to its elastic force, and the tip of the straw protrudes from the drinking mouth by a predetermined height. When the cap is tightened, the straw is elastically deformed and held in the curved state in the container.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional type container, the straw has a natural length and is longer than the depth of the container, and when the straw is stored in the container, the tip of the straw projects from the container. . Therefore, it is difficult to tighten the cap. Also, it is difficult to open the stopper. Furthermore, since the straw is constantly pressed, it may be deformed. In addition, the tip of the straw may become dirty.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage in a container in which the cap can be easily opened and closed, and the risk of straw deformation and contamination is eliminated.

[0005]

The invention according to claim 1 is a beverage in a container provided with a container storing the beverage and a straw inserted freely in the container, wherein the straw is A beverage in a container having a structure that floats on a beverage.
The container may be any container that can store beverages such as cans, bottles, PET bottles, and paper containers. The material, shape, size and application do not matter. There are cases where the container has a mouth formed in advance and cases where the mouth is not formed and a part of the mouth is broken. The mouth may be fitted with a stopper or cap. The straw does not need to be made of material or shape. It is sufficient that the straw floats on the beverage. The floating structure includes various structures such as a float and a plastic material. There is no limitation on the type of beverage, the storage amount, or the like. Beverages other than liquid, such as fruits, may be contained in the beverage.

The invention according to claim 2 is the beverage in a container according to claim 1, wherein the straw is made of plastic, and the length thereof is less than the entire length of the container and longer than the width of the container. Since the length of the straw is shorter than the entire length of the container (for example, its height in a PET bottle), the straw is not pressed against the container or the inner wall of the cap with a strong force such as an elastic force even when the cap is closed. Further, since the width of the container and the circular container are longer than the inner diameter, they do not float on the liquid surface of the beverage in the container. The straw will be stored in a substantially upright state in the container. Since buoyancy works, it is easy to take out the straw.

The invention described in claim 3 is the beverage in a container described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the straw is a double pipe. The straw can also be made expandable and contractible as a double tube structure. Alternatively, one of the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the double pipe may be lengthened.

The invention according to claim 4 is the beverage in a container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a buoyancy generating portion is provided at one end of the straw in the lengthwise direction. The structure of the buoyancy generating portion includes forming a collar and providing a float.

The invention as set forth in claim 5 is the beverage in a container as set forth in claim 4, wherein the buoyancy generating portion is a float. Floats include those that float depending on the material and those that generate buoyancy as a hollow structure. Further, in order to make it upright, a weight portion may be formed on the side opposite to the buoyancy generating portion in the length direction.

The invention as set forth in claim 6 is the beverage in a container as set forth in claim 4 or 5, wherein the buoyancy generating portion is provided at a distance from an opening at one end in the length direction of the straw. A predetermined distance is provided between the buoyancy generating portion and the opening of the straw so that the buoyancy generating portion does not interfere with drinking of the beverage.

[0011]

In the invention described in claims 1 to 6, the straw floats on the beverage when it is stored in the container containing the beverage.
Therefore, when the container is opened, the straw is almost upright due to its buoyancy, and its tip faces the drinking mouth. With the tip of this straw in your mouth, you can drink a drink of the content. To close the cap, simply put the straw in the container. The straw does not get in the way when opening and closing the cap. Also, the straw is not deformed, damaged, or contaminated.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A beverage in a container according to the present invention will be described below based on Examples. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a beverage in a container according to the present invention. As shown in these figures, the present invention is applied to a PET bottle in this embodiment. Beverages in the PET bottle 11,
For example, it is assumed that water, tea, cola, coffee, black tea, juice, etc. are stored in about 90% of the capacity. The PET bottle 11 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and a drinking port 12 is formed on the top thereof. A screw is formed on the outer surface of the drinking spout 12, and a cap 13 is screwed into the screw and can be opened and closed. A plastic straw 14 is loosely inserted in the PET bottle 11. Straw 1
4 is a cylinder whose length is slightly shorter than the height of the PET bottle 11 (may be the same). The straw 14 floats on the beverage (liquid) inside the PET bottle 11 and is stored in a substantially upright state. The length thereof is preferably shorter than the entire length of the PET bottle 11 by about 1 to 3 mm.

When the PET bottle 11 having such a structure is used to drink an internal beverage, the upper end of the straw 14 is held by opening the stopper. FIG. 2 shows the opened state. And if you stop drinking on the way, straw 1
4 is put back in the bottle and the cap 13 is closed. The straw 14 does not interfere with the opening and closing. This is because the straw 14 is shorter than the entire length of the bottle and therefore does not come into strong contact with the inner surface of the cap. The straw 14 floats on the remaining beverage, and the straw 14 maintains a substantially upright state.

FIG. 3 shows another example of the straw.
The straw 24 shown in (A) is an example in which a float 25 such as foamable plastic or foam sponge is fixed to one end (the lower end when inserted in a container) in the length direction. The straw 34 shown in (B) is an example of a straw having a substantially double tube structure. In the former case, the float 25 gives a buoyancy to the straw 24 as a buoyancy body and floats it on the liquid beverage. The mounting position of the float 25 is a predetermined length (4 to 5 cm) above the lower end opening. The reason why the upper end is not opened is to secure the mouthpiece. Instead of the float 25, a part of the straw may be expanded in a ring shape. In the latter straw 34, the inner pipe 35 of the double pipe structure is configured such that the tip (upper end) thereof is slightly protruded from the outer pipe 36. Inner tube 3
The protruding portion (tip portion) of 5 serves as a mouthpiece. Moreover, in this structure, the straw 34 will generate buoyancy as a whole. The outer tube 36 may be slidable with respect to the inner tube 35 so that the straw as a whole can be expanded and contracted. After opening the cap of the PET bottle, the straw 34 is taken out and the outer tube 36 is slid and extended to facilitate the use.

The beverage in a container according to the present invention may also have the following configuration. For example, the straw itself may be formed of a foamable material. Also, a pouch made of polyethylene or the like may be attached to the straw.
Further, a part of the intermediate portion of the straw in the length direction may have a bellows structure. It can be bent and used from this bellows part. Further, it is possible to fix the straw to the inner wall of the PET bottle, for example, the inner wall of the mouthpiece. In this case, the straw should be first removed after opening the cap and then stored in the bottle. For the second use, take out the floating straw and use it. Furthermore, the straw may be configured to stand upright in the beverage by providing a weight portion at one end in the length direction and a floating portion at the other end. Then, the buoyancy adjusted while the PET bottle was almost filled with the beverage caused the tip of the straw to slightly protrude from the mouth (about 5 to 10 mm), and the tip of the straw automatically protruded when the cap was opened. You can also let it. This buoyancy is adjusted by weight and / or float. In addition, since the straw is built into the container, it can be sold at vending machines as before.

[0016]

According to the present invention, the straw, particularly the drinking portion thereof, is not deformed or damaged. It does not get dirty. Also, the straw does not get in the way when opening and closing the cap. As a result of these, the straw can be used to drink the beverage in the container. It has effects such as easy to drink and no leftover. In addition, even when drinking is stopped halfway, the straw can be used again. In addition, the straw does not get in the way of carrying the container.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a closed state of a beverage in a container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an opened state of a beverage in a container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway front view showing another embodiment of the straw according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 PET bottles, 12 Bottle mouth, 13 caps, 14 straws.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 3B115 AA08 AA22 BA18 EA05                 3E062 AA09 AB02 AC02 BA04 BB06                       BB09 KA07 KB17                 3E067 AA03 AB26 BA03A BC03A                       EA17 EB17 EE24 EE28 FA01                       FC01

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A packaged beverage comprising a container storing a beverage and a straw inserted loosely in the container, wherein the straw has a structure that floats on the beverage. 2. The bottled beverage according to claim 1, wherein the straw is made of plastic, and the length thereof is not more than the entire length of the container and longer than the width of the container. 3. The packaged beverage according to claim 1, wherein the straw is a double pipe. 4. The beverage in a container according to claim 1, wherein a buoyancy generating portion is provided at one end of the straw in the lengthwise direction. 5. The packaged beverage according to claim 4, wherein the buoyancy generating portion is a float. 6. The packaged beverage according to claim 4, wherein the buoyancy generating portion is provided at a predetermined distance from an opening at one end of the straw in the lengthwise direction.