WO2007148851A1

WO2007148851A1 - Straw preventing backflow

Info

Publication number: WO2007148851A1
Application number: PCT/KR2006/004368
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eui Soon Lim
Original assignee: Eui Soon Lim
Priority date: 2006-06-20
Filing date: 2006-10-25
Publication date: 2007-12-27
Also published as: KR20070120762A

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a straw for preventing backflow, comprising: a backflow preventing film on which vertical direcitonal sections form a letter 'eight' in Chinese writing, a lower section is closely fixed to an inner wall of the straw for preventing backflow to be extended toward the top along the inner circumference of the straw for preventing backflow, a flowing hole is pierced in the middle so that a beverage can pass, and which is made of a soft synthetic resin material; a backflow preventing cap which forms a cucullated shape, is disposed by being separated in a lower part of the backflow preventing film in a vertical extension line of the flowing hole, and is made of a hard synthetic resin material; and plural supporting films which support the backflow preventing cap by connecting a lower section of the backflow preventing cap with an inner wall of the straw for preventing backflow, and are made of soft synthetic resin materials; and wherein if the beverage flows backward, each supporting film is unfolded up by pressure of the beverage which is flowing backward, while the backflow preventing cap is pushed up and is contacted with a lower side of the backflow preventing film to block the flowing hole so as to prevent the beverage from passing through the flowing hole, and if the user drinks the beverage, each supporting film is unfolded up by inhalation power, and the backflow preventing cap is pulled up while the backflow preventing film is pulled up and swollen so that the backflow preventing film and the backflow preventing cap can be separated from each other, consequently the beverage can be sucked through an open space between the respective supporting films, a separated space between the backflow preventing film and the backflow preventing cap, and the flowing hole.

Description

STRAW PREVENTING BACKFLOW

Technical Field

[1] The present invention generally relates to a straw for preventing backflow, and more specifically, to a straw for preventing backflow, which is used for the user to drink a beverage by sticking the straw in a beverage pack, for preventing the beverage from flowing backward the straw by comprising a backflow preventing film and a backflow preventing cap inside the straw and moving the backflow preventing cap by pressure in case of the beverage flowing backward to block the backflow preventing film. Background Art

[2] When the user drinks a beverage contained in a pack made of a paper or soft synthetic resin material, the user sticks a straw in a straw hole formed on the pack, and sucks the beverage by applying inhalation power with the user's mouth to drink the beverage. In this case, if the user puts forth the user's strength by holding the beverage pack in the user's hand while the user does not hold the straw in the user's mouth, the soft beverage pack is contracted and pressure is delivered to the inside of the beverage pack without filtration. As a result, the beverage flows backward to the top through the straw. Therefore, there is inconvenience that the user should always pay attention to drink beverages contained in beverage packs. Especially, as for children, they tend to be careless and cannot properly control the power of holding the beverage packs, resulting in spills of beverages by mistake, or they may grasp the beverage packs with force, causing the beverages to flow backward. As a consequence, clothes or the floor may be frequently stained with the spills of the beverages. Accordingly, it is requested to implement a method for preventing the beverages from flowing backward even though pressure is applied to the beverage packs. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[3] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a straw for preventing backflow, which comprises a backflow preventing film whose shape is transformed by inside pressure of the straw used for the user to drink a beverage and a backflow preventing cap moving up and down by pressure, and which enables the backflow preventing film and the backflow preventing cap to be contacted together or separated from each other by a difference between pressures individually applied to the backflow preventing film and the backflow preventing cap when the beverage flows backward or the user drinks the beverage, so that the user can drink the beverage as backflow of the beverage is prevented. Technical Solution

[4] To achieve the above object, a straw for preventing backflow in accordance with the present invention, which forms a pipe shape whose both sections are open, and which sucks a beverage through inhalation power applied by the user when the user drinks the beverage and prevents the beverage from flowing backward and overflowing when the user does not drink the beverage, comprising: a backflow preventing film on which vertical direcitonal sections form a letter 'eight' in Chinese writing, a lower section is closely fixed to an inner wall of the straw for preventing backflow to be extended toward the top along the inner circumference of the straw for preventing backflow, a flowing hole is pierced in the middle so that the beverage can pass, and which is made of a soft synthetic resin material; a backflow preventing cap which forms a cucullated shape, is disposed by being separated in a lower part of the backflow preventing film in a vertical extension line of the flowing hole, and is made of a hard synthetic resin material; and plural supporting films which support the backflow preventing cap by connecting a lower section of the backflow preventing cap with an inner wall of the straw for preventing backflow, and are made of soft synthetic resin materials; and wherein an open space is formed between the respective supporting films to make the beverage pass, and if the beverage flows backward, each supporting film is unfolded up by pressure of the beverage which is flowing backward, while the backflow preventing cap is pushed up and is contacted with a lower side of the backflow preventing film to block the flowing hole so as to prevent the beverage from passing through the flowing hole, and if the user drinks the beverage, each supporting film is unfolded up by inhalation power, and the backflow preventing cap is pulled up while the backflow preventing film is pulled up and swollen so that the backflow preventing film and the backflow preventing cap can be separated from each other, consequently the beverage can be sucked through an open space between the respective supporting films, a separated space between the backflow preventing film and the backflow preventing cap, and the flowing hole. Brief Description of the Drawings

[5] The advantages of the invention wil become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[6] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a straw for preventing backflow in accordance with the present invention;

[7] Fig. 2 is a sectional view of A-A' direction of Fig. 1 ;

[8] Fig. 3 is a sectional view of B-B' direction of Fig. 1; [9] Fig. 4 is a sectional view of C-C direction of Fig. 1 ;

[10] Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a state of a straw for preventing backflow in accordance with the present invention in case of a beverage flowing backward; and

[11] Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a state of a straw for preventing backflow in accordance with the present invention in case of the user drinking a beverage. Mode for the Invention

[12] The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown.

[13] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a straw for preventing backflow in accordance with the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of A-A' direction of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view of B-B' direction of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view of C-C direction of Fig. 1. By referring to Fig. 1 through Fig. 4, a configuration of a straw(lθ) for preventing backflow in accordance with the present invention will be described as follows.

[14] The straw(lθ) for preventing backflow in accordance with the present invention comprises: an inhalation hole(12) whose both sections form an open pipe shape and through which the user applies inhalation power by holding the straw in the user's mouth in both open sections; and an inlet(not shown) stuck in a beverage pack so that a beverage flows by the inhalation power. Inside the straw(lθ) for preventing backflow, a backflow preventing film(14) through which a flowing hole(15) is pierced in the middle, a backflow preventing cap(16) disposed in a lower part of the backflow preventing film and is contacted with the backflow preventing film in case of backflow of the beverage to block the flowing hole, and plural supporting films(18) for supporting the backflow preventing cap are included.

[15] Vertical directional sections of the backflow preventing film(14) form a letter 'eight' in Chinese writing, and a lower section of the backflow preventing film(14) is extended to the top along the inner circumference of the straw for preventing backflow, in a state of being closely fixed to an inner wall of the straw(lθ) for preventing backflow. In the middle of the backflow preventing film(14), the flowing hole(15) pierced to make the beverage flow by inhalation power applied by the user to the inhalation hole(12) is disposed. Besides, the backflow preventing film(14) is swollen up by the inhalation power, or is made of a soft synthetic resin material to be freely transformed in shape. Generally, synthetic resin for the existing plastic straw is used. Therefore, when the user applies the inhalation power to the inhalation hole(12), the inhalation power is delivered to the backflow preventing film(14), so that the backflow preventing film is swollen up. [16] The backflow preventing cap(16) is in cucullated shape, and is disposed by being separated in a lower part of the backflow preventing film(14) at certain intervals. Desirably, the backflow preventing cap(16) is recommended to be disposed in a vertical extension line of the flowing hole(15) of the backflow preventing film(14). Also, the backflow preventing cap(16) is made of a hard synthetic resin material, not to be transformed in shape by the inhalation power or pressure of the beverage. The backflow preventing cap(16) is coupled and supported on the straw(lθ) for preventing backflow by the plural supporting films(18), and at this time, the plural supporting films(18) connect a lower section of the backflow preventing cap(16) with an inner wall of the straw(lθ) for preventing backflow. On this occasion, since a space between the respective supporting films(18) is open, the beverage and air caused by the inhalation power of the user can freely pass. The respective supporting films(18) are also made of soft synthetic resin materials to move up and down by pressure of the beverage.

[17] Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a state of a straw for preventing backflow in accordance with the present invention in case of backflow of a beverage. Like shown in Fig. 5, if the user grasps a beverage pack with force to apply pressure while the user does not apply inhalation power to the straw(lθ) for preventing backflow, the beverage flows in an inlet and flows backward along the straw for preventing backflow. An arrow of Fig. 5 shows the flow of the beverage. The beverage which flows backward applies pressure by being contacted with the backflow preventing cap(16) as flowing up along the straw(lθ) for preventing backflow, and at this moment, the backflow preventing cap receives the pressure as it is without being transformed in shape since the backflow preventing cap is made of a hard synthetic resin material. The pressure applied to the backflow preventing cap(16) is delivered to the plural supporting films(18). The supporting films(18) are made of soft synthetic resin materials, thus as the supporting films are unfolded up by the pressure of the beverage, the backflow preventing cap(16) moves in upper direction. Likewise, since the pressure of the beverage which flows backward is concentrically applied to the backflow preventing cap(16), pressure which is enough to transform a shape of the backflow preventing film(14) is not applied to the film(14). As a result, the backflow preventing film can be maintained in original state without a special transformation of shape. Accordingly, because the backflow preventing cap(16) blocks the flowing hole(15) as being contacted with a lower side of the backflow preventing film(14), the beverage cannot flow backward to the top of the backflow preventing film. In addition, if the pressure of the beverage which flows backward gets stronger as a stronger pressure is applied to a beverage pack, the pressure applied to the backflow preventing cap(16) gets larger to make the backflow preventing cap move in more upper direction, so that the backflow preventing cap can be more contacted with the backflow preventing film(14) and more firmly block the flowing hole(15).

[18] If the pressure applied to the beverage pack is released, the beverage which moves in upper direction by flowing backward is dropped again to the beverage pack along the straw(lθ) for preventing backflow, and the pressure applied to the backflow preventing cap(16) is also released. So, the backflow preventing cap(16) is separated from the backflow preventing film(14) by gravity, and becomes in original state by moving down together with the supporting films (18).

[19] Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a state of a straw for preventing backflow in accordance with the present invention in case of the user drinking a beverage. Like shown in Fig. 6, when the user applies inhalation power to an inhalation hole(12) by holding the straw(lθ) for preventing backflow in the user's mouth, the inhalation power is delivered to the inside of the straw for preventing backflow. An arrow of Fig. 6 shows a direction of the inhalation power. The inhalation power delivered to the inhalation hole(12) is first delivered to a backflow preventing film(14), and at this moment, since the backflow preventing film is made of a soft synthetic resin material, the backflow preventing film is pulled up by the inhalation power and is transformed in a swollen shape. Furthermore, the inhalation power is also delivered to a backflow preventing cap(16) through a flowing hole(15) of the backflow preventing film(14), thereby pulling up the backflow preventing cap while supporting films(18) are unfolded up to make the backflow preventing cap move in upper direction. However, unlike Fig. 5, since the backflow preventing film(14) is already swollen up, the backflow preventing cap(16) and the backflow preventing film are separated from each other instead of being contacted together. Consequently, the backflow preventing film(16) cannot block the flowing hole(15), so the inhalation power passes through the flowing hole and is delivered to a space between the supporting films(18), in order that the user can suck up a beverage of a beverage pack. The beverage sucked up with the straw(lθ) for preventing backflow passes through the space between the supporting films(18) to pass a separated space between the backflow preventing film(14) and the backflow preventing cap(16), and passes the flowing hole(15), then finally is discharged from the inhalation hole(12).

[20] If the inhalation power applied through the inhalation hole is released, pressure administered to the backflow preventing film(14) is released, therefore the swollen backflow preventing film is contracted to return to an original state, and the backflow preventing cap(16) also becomes in original state by going down together with the supporting films(18). Industrial Applicability [21] As mentioned like above, a straw for preventing backflow in accordance with the present invention comprises a backflow preventing cap and a backflow preventing film equipped with a flowing hole inside, in order that the backflow preventing cap can be contacted with the backflow preventing film to block the flowing hole when a beverage flows backward and that the backflow preventing cap and the backflow preventing film are separated to make the beverage pass when the user drinks the beverage, thereby effectively preventing the beverage from flowing backward by pressure applied to a beverage pack when the user does not drink the beverage. And, particularly, the present invention realizes a remarkable effect that children who are not cautious can safely and conveniently drink beverages without their clothes being stained with spills of the beverages which flow backward.

[22] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.

Claims

[1] A straw for preventing backflow, which forms a pipe shape whose both sections are open, and which sucks up a beverage through inhalation power applied by the user when the user drinks the beverage and prevents the beverage from flowing backward and overflowing when the user does not drink the beverage, comprising: a backflow preventing film on which vertical direcitonal sections form a letter 'eight' in Chinese writing, a lower section is closely fixed to an inner wall of the straw for preventing backflow to be extended toward the top along the inner circumference of the straw for preventing backflow, a flowing hole is pierced in the middle so that the beverage can pass, and which is made of a soft synthetic resin material; a backflow preventing cap which forms a cucullated shape, is disposed by being separated in a lower part of the backflow preventing film in a vertical extension line of the flowing hole, and is made of a hard synthetic resin material; and plural supporting films which support the backflow preventing cap by connecting a lower section of the backflow preventing cap with an inner wall of the straw for preventing backflow, and are made of soft synthetic resin materials; and wherein if a space open to make the beverage pass is formed between the respective supporting films and the beverage flows backward, each supporting film is unfolded up by pressure of the beverage which is flowing backward, while the backflow preventing cap is pushed up and is contacted with a lower side of the backflow preventing film to block the flowing hole so as to prevent the beverage from passing through the flowing hole, and if the user drinks the beverage, each supporting film is unfolded up by inhalation power, and the backflow preventing cap is pulled up while the backflow preventing film is pulled up and swollen so that the backflow preventing film and the backflow preventing cap can be separated from each other, consequently the beverage can be sucked through the open space between the respective supporting films, a separated space between the backflow preventing film and the backflow preventing cap, and the flowing hole.