US20210093112A1

US20210093112A1 - Inside diameter adjustable flat straw

Info

Publication number: US20210093112A1
Application number: US17/118,611
Authority: US
Inventors: Yuji Kimura; Kurumi OISHI; Shuhei KIKUCHI; Syuta ITAGAKI; Haruki GOBARA; Aya Kishimoto; Kojiro SHINOZAKI; Tatsuki KOIWAI; Sari IWAO
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-12-11
Filing date: 2020-12-11
Publication date: 2021-04-01

Abstract

An inside diameter adjustable straw flat straw includes a rectangular-shaped main body having front and back surfaces; a first engagement member, which is formed on the front surface of the main body and which is formed in a convex shape being extended from one end of the main body to the opposite end thereof; a second engagement member, which is formed on the back surface, which is formed in a concave shape, and which is formed parallel to the first engagement member; and a third engagement member, which is formed on the back surface, which is formed in a concave shape, and which is formed parallel to the second engagement member at a predetermined distance.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention has been made by the members of MIMURA Seminar College of Law, Nihon Univ. as a team. The present invention relates to a food and drink apparatus, and more particularly to an environmentally friendly inside diameter adjustable straw, having a convex member on its front surface and concave member on its back surface.

2. Description of the related arts

Conventional straw's are simply straight elongated cylinders. Plastic straws are mainly used, and if they are not properly disposed of, they will become marine plastic garbage, which will affect marine pollution and ecosystems.
In addition, since each type of beverage has its own recommended inner diameter, it is necessary to manufacture multiple straws, each having different inner diameters. For example, a small-diameter straw is used for infants, while a large-diameter straw is used for beverages containing tapioca However, under the current straw market, there is no straws that can be suitable for more than one type of beverage in one straw. Therefore, a straw capable of serving multiple types of beverages was desired by adjusting the inner diameter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problem, and to provide an inside diameter adjustable straw flat straw including a rectangular-shaped main body having front and back surfaces; a first engagement member, which is formed on the front surface of the main body and which is formed in a convex shape being extended from one end of the main body to the opposite end thereof; a second engagement member, which is formed on the back surface, which is formed in a concave shape, and which is formed parallel to the first engagement member: and a third engagement member, which is formed on the back surface, which is formed in a concave shape, and which is formed in parallel to the second engagement member at a predetermined distance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will be more specifically described with reference to the accounting drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a perspective geometry net view of a straw of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the straw shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a large-diameter straw of the present invention; and

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a small-diameter straw of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1A is the perspective geometry net view showing an overall concept according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is the cross-sectional view of the straw shown in FIG 1A. A straw 100 shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B includes a rectangular-shaped main body 1 having front and back surfaces, a first engagement member 2, which is formed on the front surface of the main body 1 and which is formed in a convex shape being extended from one end of the main body 1 to the opposite end thereof, a second engagement member 3, which is formed on the back surface, which is formed in a concave shape, and which is formed parallel to the first engagement member 2, and a third engagement member 4, which is formed on the back surface, which is formed in a concave shape, and which is formed parallel to the second engagement member 3 at a predetermined distance. The main body 1 and the first engagement member are formed in an integral structure The main body 1 is made of silicon resin and has a thickness of about 2 mm. Like the main body 1, the first engagement member 2 is made of silicon resin. As shown in FIG. 1B, the first engagement member 2 formed in a mushroom-shaped at its cross section, and the width at its tip is slightly wider than that at its bottom being connected to the main body 1. The height of the first engagement member is set slightly lower than the thickness of the main body 1.
The concave shape of the second engagement member 3 is almost the same shape as that of the first engagement member 2. Therefore, the depth of the concave of the second engagement member is set slightly less than the thickness of the main body 1. The second engagement member 3 is formed about 3.3 cm away from the first engagement member 2.
The third engagement member 4 has the same shape as the second engagement member 3. The third engagement member 4 is formed as close to the first engagement member 3 as 130 mm from the second engagement member 3.
The straw 100 shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are used as follows. As shown in FIG 2A and FIG. 2B, since a large-diameter straw is required when drinking a tapioca-containing beverage or the like, the first engagement member 2 is inserted into the second engagement member to form a cylindrical shape. At this time, since the first engagement member 2 and the second engagement member 3 are formed in the same shape and are made of elastic silicone resin, the first engagement member 2 is fitted into the second engagement member 3 by pressing the first engagement member 2 from the back side after the first engagement member 2 and the second engagement member 3 are coupled. By the process mentioned above, the large-diameter straw with an inner diameter of 350 mm is formed.
On the other hand, since a small-diameter straw is required in the case of use by an infant, the first engagement member 2 is inserted into the third engagement member 4 to form a cylindrical shape. At this time, as well as in the case of forming the large-diameter straw described above, the first engagement member 2 is fitted into the third engagement member 4 by pressing the first engagement member 2 from the back side after the first engagement member 2 and the third engagement member 4 are coupled By the process mentioned above, the small-diameter straw with an inner diameter of 220 mm is formed. As described above, the straw 100 formed by the above-mentioned process can be used to carry the drink to the mouth.
In the above embodiment, a main body 1 is used for the straw 100, which can make two different inner diameters, out by increasing the number of concave member, a straw with more than three different inner diameters can be formed.
While the invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Thus, shapes, size and physical relationship of each component are roughly illustrated so the scope of the invention should not be construed to be limited to them. Further, to clarify the components of the invention, hatching is partially omitted in the cross-sectional views. Moreover the numerical description in the embodiment described above is one of the preferred examples in the preferred embodiment so that the scope of the invention should not be construed to limit to them.
Various other modifications of the illustrated embodiment will be apparent to those skilled in the art on reference to this description. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to cover any such modifications or embodiments as fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

We claim:

1. An inside diameter adjustable straw flat straw comprising:

a rectangular-shaped main body having front and back surfaces;

a first engagement member, which is formed on the front surface of the main body and which is formed in a convex shape being extended from one end of the main body to the opposite end thereof;

a second engagement member, which is formed on the back surface, which is formed in a concave shape, and which is formed parallel to the first engagement member; and a third engagement member, which is formed on the back surface, which is formed in a concave shape, and which is formed parallel to the second engagement member at a predetermined distance.

2. A straw according to claim 1, wherein the main body and the first engaging portion are made of a silicone resin.

3. A straw according to claim 2, wherein the main body and the first engaging portion are formed in an integral structure.

4. A straw according to claim 1, wherein the first engagement member formed in a mushroom shape at its cross section.

5. A straw according to claim 2, wherein the first engagement member formed in a mushroom shape at its cross section.

6. A straw according to claim 2, wherein the first engagement member formed in a mushroom shape at its cross section.

7. A straw according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the first engagement member, is the same as that of the second engagement member, and the third engagement member, respectively.

8. A straw according to claim 2, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the first engagement member, is the same as that of the second engagement member, and the third engagement member, respectively.

9. A straw according to claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the first engagement member, is the same as that of the second engagement member, and the third engagement member, respectively.

10. A straw according to claim 4, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the first engagement member, is the same as that of the second engagement member, and the third engagement member, respectively.

11. A straw according to claim 5, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the first engagement member, is the same as that of the second engagement member, and the third engagement member, respectively.

12. A straw according to claim 6, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the first engagement member, is the same as that of the second engagement member, and the third engagement member, respectively.