WO2015155592A1 - Cap for a drinking straw - Google Patents

Cap for a drinking straw Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2015155592A1
WO2015155592A1 PCT/IB2015/000454 IB2015000454W WO2015155592A1 WO 2015155592 A1 WO2015155592 A1 WO 2015155592A1 IB 2015000454 W IB2015000454 W IB 2015000454W WO 2015155592 A1 WO2015155592 A1 WO 2015155592A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cap
container
drinking
chamber
channel
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2015/000454
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Christiaan Mattheus
Original Assignee
Christiaan Mattheus
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Christiaan Mattheus filed Critical Christiaan Mattheus
Priority to EP15722582.2A priority Critical patent/EP3280296A1/en
Publication of WO2015155592A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015155592A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
    • A47G21/00—Table-ware
    • A47G21/18—Drinking straws or the like
    • A47G21/182—Drinking straws or the like with means for amusing or giving information to the user

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a cap for a drinking straw, said cap being provided with a container suitable for receiving an article, such as a diamond, a prize, etc.
  • the straws provided with the caps can then be randomly be distributed so that one or more persons randomly chosen receive(s) one article or different articles, for example a high value prize award article for one or more persons, and a low value prize award for one or more other persons.
  • Drinking straws are well known in the art.
  • the straws have generally a substantially circular cross-section.
  • it is well known to provide the straw with several corrugations so as to form a intermediate flexible portion between two linear portions of the straw see US 2,094,268 -Friedman).
  • EP 1095600 discloses a straw provided with a cap with lateral openings, said cap being able to slide along the straw between a closed position in which the lateral openings of the cap are laying along the outer face of the straw (position not allowing to suck liquid through the straw), and an open position in which the openings of the cap extend above the upper end of the straw, whereby enabling to suck liquid through the cap.
  • the straw is provided with a protuberance for limiting the movement of the cap with respect to the straw, i.e. for preventing the complete removal of the cap from the straw.
  • CN2764256 discloses a cap covering the end and outer face of the straw, the cap is provided with a small opening at the top of the cap. The bottom of the cap is provided with a plate.
  • JP2001-258713 discloses a cap for a straw, said cap being connected to a ring via a flexible band, said ring being adapted to be mounted along the straw, so as to remain near the end of the straw when opened.
  • US6565899 discloses a drinking straw closed with a cap provided with a lollipop.
  • US20066144955 discloses a drinking straw provided with a pump combined display area and prize delivery system, said pump being located between the two ends of the straws.
  • PCT US98/12897 discloses in figure 3 a straw constructed with an independent container 30 constructed for insertion within the straw.
  • the prize such as a US currency
  • the straw with container is placed within a outer protective closure/container 23.
  • the user has first to remove the straw from its outer protective closure before being able to use its straw.
  • the outer protective closure forms the system for indicating whether or not a container has possibly be opened.
  • WO2010/127416 discloses a cap having a recipient intended to contain an article or a prize or an award, the opening or re-closing of which is visible for the person receiving a straw provided with a cap, whereby said person can easily determine whether the container has been opened by people wanting to know by advance which cap comprises a winning article, award or prize, said cap being moreover adapted to be mounted on a straw used in a drinking glass containing a sparkling liquid, without risk for the straw to pivot around an edge of the glass and to fall.
  • the cap comprises a container which when opened is divided into three parts, namely a first container part, a second container part, and an intermediate part, whereby the first container part and the second container part can be associated together for fonning a new closed container having a volume or a shape or a colour at least partly different from the initial volume or shape of the container before its opening. It enables thus, after opening the initial container and checking the article or prize within the container chamber, to replace the article or price within a part of the chamber and to close it back with another part of the container. After replacing the closing of the article, the shape of the container will be reduced, whereby showing quickly whether or not the container has been opened when giving a drinking glass with a straw provided with a cap.
  • the problem of the cap of WO2010/127416 is the tearing of the band to be torn. This step is very complicated, especially when the cap is mounted on the drinking straw.
  • the present invention has for subject matter a cap which can be easily be opened for having access to the article, without risk of damaging the drinking straw.
  • the cap of the invention is a cap for a drinking channel of a drinking straw for drinking a liquid contained in a recipient placed in an air atmosphere, said cap being adapted to be mounted removable with respect to an upper end of the drinking channel of the drirLking straw, said cap comprising :
  • a container comprising at least one wall defining a chamber adapted for receiving an article, whereby said chamber has an opening, said at least one wall being connected to a pivoting element by means of a hinge defining a pivoting axis, whereby said pivoting element is adapted to move between a substantially closed position in which said pivoting element substantially covers said opening of said chamber of the container, and an open position enabling to have access to the article present within the chamber, possibly after removal of a sealing means,
  • a body having a first end portion attached to the container or part thereof and a second end portion having a shape adapted for co-operating with a wall of an end portion of the drinking straw for mamtaining the cap on the said end portion, whereby the body and/or the container is adapted so as to form with the drinking channel at least one air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere when the second end portion co-operate with a wall of an end portion of the drinking straw, and
  • the said at least one wall of the container and a piece of the said pivoting element are connected the one to the other by a zone comprising one or more breakable bridges adapted to be broken by exerting a pushing breaking force on the said pivoting element in a direction having at least a component perpendicular to the pivoting axis of the said hinge, the said one or more bridges being provided or associated with a means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force.
  • the pivoting element comprises a piece defining an inner channel extending between a first opening adapted to be adjacent to the chamber of the container and to be directed towards the chamber of the container when said pivoting element is in its closed position, and a second opening more distant from the chamber than the first opening , and in which the inner channel is at least partly closed by a closing element adjacent to its second opening.
  • the closing element is adapted to be pushed into the inner channel of the pivoting element through the said second opening so as to extend in a portion of the inner channel, advantageously adjacent to the second opening, for closing at least partly said inner channel, advantageously at least adjacent to the second opening, and in which the closing element and/or the portion of the inner channel in which the closing element is intended to extend is/are provided with means for maintaining the closing element within the said portion of the inner channel, advantageously adjacent to the second opening.
  • the container, the hinge, the said one or more breakable bridges and the said piece of the pivoting element connected to the said container by said hinge and breakable bridges are forming one single assembly made of polymer or copolymer composition.
  • the container and the said piece of the pivoting element have wall(s) connected to each other by an intermediate zone comprising the hinge, the said one or more breakable bridges, and the means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force, whereby the said means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force is one or more cuts extending within the intermediate zone and adjacent to said one or more breakable bridges.
  • the said one or more breakable bridges before breaking the one or more bridges, have a section with a minimal reduced thickness, while the hinge has a minimum thickness at least 25%, preferably at least 50% greater than the minimal reduced thickness of the one or more breakable bridges.
  • At least one cut extends in the intermediate zone in a section opposite to the hinge.
  • the hinge before breaking the one or more breakable bridges, the hinge extends between a first hinge end and a second hinge end extending along the pivoting axis, wherein the first hinge end is adjacent to a first breakable bridge, while the second hinge end is adjacent to a second breakable bridge, and wherein the cut extends between the first breakable bridge and the second breakable bridge.
  • the first breakable bridge extends on a first length, in which the second breakable bridge extends on a second length, and in which the cut extend on a length which is greater than the sum of said first length and said second length.
  • the first length of the first breakable bridge is substantially equal to the second length of the second breakable bridge.
  • the first length of the first breakable bridge is substantially equal to the second length of the second breakable bridge.
  • the breakable bridges are advantageously curved at least adjacent to the hinge Most preferably the breakable bridges follow a curved path, with no portions parallel to the pivoting axis.
  • the breakable bridges extend in the intermediate zone adjacent to the hinge 40. With respect to the distance between the protuberance 25 and the hinge 40, the total length of the breakable bridges is less than said distance, most preferably less than 75% of said distance, such as between 10% and 50% of said distance.
  • the initial breaking zone of the breakable bridges is located along a line parallel to the pivoting axis, said line being located at a distance of less than 50%, preferably less than 40% of the distance separating the pivoting axis and the protuberance.
  • the container defines an elongated chamber with a central axis substantially perpendicular to the pivoting axis, while the channel of the pivoting element is elongated with a central axis, which is parallel to the central axis of the elongated chamber of the container, when the element is in its closed position.
  • the body is adapted for extending at least partly with the drinking channel of the drinking straw, said body being adapted, possibly with the container, to form air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere, (the atmosphere outside the - drinking channel)
  • the body has a first portion adapted to extend within the drinking channel of the drinking straw and a second portion adapted to extend outside the drinking channel, the first and second portions comprising at least one channel for forming, possibly with the inner chamber of the container, at least one air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere when the first portion of the body is extending within the drinking channel.
  • the body is provided with at least 3 legs having each a part adapted to contact the wall of the drinking channel when the said at least 3 legs are extending within the drinking channel.
  • the invention relates also to a straw provided with a cap according to the invention, such as disclosed here above.
  • the invention relates also to a method for delivering at least one article or at least two different articles in a randomly way by distributing to several persons caps according to the invention or drinking straws provided with a cap according to the invention, preferably a cap with a container provided with a closing element closing the piece of the pivoting element.
  • the drinking straws are advantageously distributed with a drinking glass, bottle or container.
  • the invention further relates to a method for delivering at least one article or at least two different articles in a randomly way by distributing to several persons drinking straws provided with a cap according to the invention, especially a cap having at least a container connected to a pivoting element with an inner channel closable by means of a closing element, each drinking straws being advantageously distributed with a drinking container, advantageously a drinking glass or a bottle, said method comprising the following steps :
  • each person receiving a cap or a drinking straw provided with a cap after pivoting the pivoting element with respect to the container, has access to the inner chamber of the container, so as to collect the article possibly present within the chamber of the container of the cap.
  • the cap can be associated with one or several objects, such as figurines, miniatures, models, etc.
  • cap means also a container provided with a means adapted to be associated to a product, a food or a non food product, especially a food, such as food individual portions, food cubes, cheese products, ice creams, desert, lobster, steak, potatoes, meals, lambs, liquids, etc.
  • the said means is adapted for facilitating the eating of food portions by pricking into said food portion, for facilitating the mixing or stirring of liquids, such as liquids contained within a glass.
  • the said means is in the form of a spoon, a cutting means, a fork, a stick.
  • the means adapted to be associated to a non food product can be for example a pin adapted to attach the cap onto a cloth, a ring or a clip, such as an ear clip.
  • article means a promotional article, a promotional vehicle, an award, a prize, a ticket, a piece of paper with one or more numbers/letters, stones, such as diamond stones, winning article, non winning articles, coupon elements, non prizing element, coupons for a new drink, cash awards, messages, jokes, phone numbers, seat numbers, etc., as well as perfume, food additives, salts, spice, food dressing, sugar, aspartam, powders, milk powder, cacao powder, etc.
  • caps from some straws are provided with winning article or high prize article or winning coupon, while other caps for some other straws are provided with non winning article or low prize article or not winning coupon, whereby the weight of a cap with a winning article is substantially equal, preferably equal to the weight of a cap with a non winning article.
  • - "randomly distributed” means that employees distributing caps, straws provided with caps, food containers or drinking containers associated or provided with a straw provided with a cap, drinking glasses provided with a straw bearing a cap are unable to know, without opening of the container of the cap, whether the container cap is containing a winning article or a non winning article or the type of message or the type of article present with the container of the cap.
  • air passage means one or more passages allowing air, as well as other gases, such as C0 2 to flow from the drinking channel of the straw towards the outer or room atmosphere, and inversely.
  • the air passage or at least one air passage will be advantageously adapted for enabling the passage of air, and for enabling the downwards flowing of the drinking liquid possibly present within the air passage.
  • the air passage will also preferably be such that in case liquid is present within the air passage, air or C0 2 bubbles are able to percolate within the liquid possibly present within the air passage.
  • the air passage(s) or at least one air passage has/have advantageously at least a minimum cross-section in which a circle with a diameter of at least 2mm (preferably at least 3 mm, preferably from 3 to 7mm) can be drawn.
  • the methods of the invention can be used by industry for promoting one or another products, for example champagne, perfumes, etc. and by organisation or private people for animating a party.
  • As external analysis of the caps will not permit the consumers or employees to discover winning caps from non- winning caps, whereby enabling a randomly distribution of the caps, or straws provided with caps, or drinking glasses with said straws.
  • the non winning caps are advantageously provided with a stone within the container, so that the consumers and employees cannot determine whether the container comprises a diamond or a piece of glass.
  • the invention further relates to a cap adapted to be associated to a product or a support, especially to food product, such as a served food, food individual portions, food cubes, cheese products, ice creams, desert, a lobster, steak, potatoes, meals, lambs, etc. for facilitating the eating of said food or for creating some fun and surprise with the food or meal, said cap comprising:
  • a body having one end attached to the container or part thereof and another end provided with a means adapted to connect or attach the cap to the said product, such a means being advantageously a portion having a pin like shape adapted to enter or prick into the food for facilitating the individual eating of said food.
  • Such a cap comprises:
  • a container comprising at least one wall defining a chamber adapted for receiving an article, whereby said chamber has an opening, said at least one wall being connected to a pivoting element by means of a hinge defining a pivoting axis, whereby said pivoting element is adapted to move between a substantially closed position in which said pivoting element substantially covers said opening of said chamber of the container, and an open position enabling to have access to the article present within the chamber, possibly after removal of a sealing means,
  • a body having a first end portion attached to the container or part thereof and a second end portion having a shape adapted to be associated to a product or a support, especially to food product, such as a served food, food individual portions, food cubes, cheese products, ice creams, desert, a lobster, steak, potatoes, meals, lambs, etc. for facilitating the eating of said food or for creating some fun and surprise with the food or meal, and
  • food product such as a served food, food individual portions, food cubes, cheese products, ice creams, desert, a lobster, steak, potatoes, meals, lambs, etc.
  • the said at least one wall of the container and a piece of the said pivoting element are connected the one to the other by a zone comprising one or more breakable bridges adapted to be broken by exerting a pushing breaking force on the said pivoting element in a direction having at least a component perpendicular to the pivoting axis of the said hinge, the said one or more bridges being provided or associated with a means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force.
  • the pivoting element comprises a piece defining an inner channel extending between a first opening adapted to be adjacent to the chamber of the container and to be directed towards the chamber of the container when said pivoting element is in its closed position, and a second opening more distant from the chamber than the first opening , and in which the inner channel is at least partly closed by a closing element adjacent to its second opening.
  • the closing element is adapted to be pushed into the inner channel of the pivoting element through the said second opening so as to extend in a portion of the inner channel, advantageously adjacent to the second opening, for closing at least partly said inner channel adjacent to the second opening, and in which the closing element and/or the portion of the inner channel in which the closing element is adapted to extend is/are provided with means for maintaining the closing element within the said portion of the inner channel, advantageously adjacent to the second opening.
  • the container, the hinge, the said one or more breakable bridges and the said piece of the pivoting element connected to the said container by said hinge and breakable bridges are forming one single assembly made of polymer or copolymer composition.
  • the container and the said piece of the pivoting element before breaking the one or more bridges, have wall(s) connected to each other by an intermediate zone comprising the hinge, the said one or more breakable bridges, and the means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force, whereby the said means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force is one or more cuts extending within the intermediate zone and adjacent to said one or more breakable bridges.
  • the said one or more breakable bridges before breaking the one or more bridges, have a section with a minimal reduced thickness, while the hinge has a minimum thickness at least 25%, preferably at least 50% greater than the minimal reduced thickness of the one or more breakable bridges.
  • at least one cut extends in the intermediate zone in a section opposite to the hinge.
  • the hinge before breaking the one or more breakable bridges, the hinge extends between a first hinge end and a second hinge end extending along the pivoting axis, wherein the first hinge end is adjacent to a first breakable bridge, while the second hinge end is adjacent to a second breakable bridge, and wherein the cut extends between the first breakable bridge and the second breakable bridge.
  • the first breakable bridge extends on a first length, in which the second breakable bridge extends on a second length, and in which the cut extend on a length which is greater than the sum of said first length and said second length.
  • the first length of the first breakable bridge is substantially equal to the second length of the second breakable bridge.
  • the container defines an elongated chamber with a central axis substantially perpendicular to the pivoting axis, while the channel of the pivoting element is elongated with a central axis, which is parallel to the central axis of the elongated chamber of the container, when the element is in its closed position.
  • the first length of the first breakable bridge is substantially equal to the second length of the second breakable bridge.
  • the breakable bridges are advantageously curved adjacent to the hinge. Most preferably the breakable bridges follow a curved path, with no portions parallel to the pivoting axis.
  • the total length of the breakable bridges is less than said distance, most preferably less than 75% of said distance, such as between 10% and 50% of said distance.
  • the initial breaking zone of the breakable bridges is located along a line parallel to the pivoting axis, said line being located at a distance of less than 50%, preferably less than 40% of the distance separating the pivoting axis and the protuberance.
  • the invention relates also to a method for delivering at least one article or at least two different articles in a randomly way by distributing to several persons caps adapted to be associated to a product as disclosed hereabove, especially to food product, such as caps pricked on a support or on different supports, such as individual food portions, said method comprising the following steps :
  • a series of caps comprising (a) a container comprising at least one wall defining a chamber adapted for receiving an article, whereby said chamber has an opening, said at least one wall being connected to a pivoting element by means of a hinge defining a pivoting axis, whereby said pivoting element is adapted to move between a substantially closed position in which said pivoting element substantially covers said opening of said chamber of the container, and an open position enabling to have access to the article present within the chamber, possibly after removal of a sealing means, and (b) a body having a first end portion attached to the container or part thereof and a second end portion having a shape adapted to be associated to a product or a support, especially to food product, such as a served food, food individual portions, food cubes, cheese products, ice creams, desert, a lobster, steak, potatoes, meals, lambs, etc.
  • figure 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a cap of the invention ;
  • figure 2 is another side view of the first embodiment
  • figure 3 is a perspective view of the pivoting element of the cap of figure 1 with the closing element away, i.e. before closing;
  • figure 4 is an upper view of the first embodiment
  • figure 5 is a cross section view of the cap of figure 1 with the closing element (ball) away;
  • figure 6 is a cross section view of the pivoting element along the line VI-VI with the closing element away;
  • figure 7 is a cross section view along the line VII- VII;
  • figure 8 is a side view of a second embodiment of a cap of the invention.
  • figure 9 is another side view of the cap of figure 8.
  • figure 10 is a cross section view of the cap of figure 8 along the line X-X;
  • figure 1 1 is an enlarged view of the closing element of the pivoting element.
  • figure 12 is a cross section view of the cap of figure 8 along the line XII-XII
  • figure 13 is a view of a drinking straw provided with a cap of the invention.
  • Figure 1 shows a cap 1 for a drinking channel DC of a drinking straw S for drinking a liquid contained in a recipient placed in an air atmosphere, said cap 1 being adapted to be mounted removable with respect to an upper end SU of the drinking channel of the drinking straw, said cap 1 comprising : - a container 10 comprising at least one wall defining a chamber 1 1 adapted for receiving an article 12, whereby said chamber 1 1 has an opening 13 , said at least one wall being connected to a pivoting element 20 by means of a hinge 40 defining a pivoting axis PA, whereby said pivoting element 20 is adapted to move between a substantially closed position in which said pivoting element 20 substantially covers said opening 13 of said chamber C of the container 10, and an open position enabling to have access to the article 12 present within the chamber C, possibly after removal of a sealing means (such as a plastic band, a tearable sealing film, etc.),
  • a sealing means such as a plastic band, a tearable sealing film, etc.
  • the Body and container can form a single piece or two distinct pieces which can be attached the one to the other, for example by clipping)
  • the body and/or the container is adapted so as to form with the drinking channel at least one air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere when the second end portion co-operate with a wall of an end portion of the drinking straw.
  • the body 30 comprises air channels 32,33 forming a passage for air between the opening 34 adapted to be located inside the drinking channel DC and the openings 35 adapted to be located above and outside the drinking channel DC. No passage exists in the embodiment of figure 1 between the chamber C and the said air channel 32,33.
  • the said at least one wall of the container 10 and a piece 21 of the said pivoting element 20 are connected the one to the other by a zone 41 comprising one or more breakable bridges 42 adapted to be broken by exerting a pushing breaking force F on the said pivoting element 21 in a direction having at least a component perpendicular to the pivoting axis PA of the said hinge 40, the said one or more bridges 42 being provided or associated with a means (in the form of a cut 43) for lowering the initial pushing breaking force.
  • the outer lateral face of the pivoting element is provided with a protuberance 25, advantageously with a curved shape adapted for following the end form of a finger of the user.
  • the pivoting element 20 comprises a piece 21 defining an inner channel 22 extending between a first opening 22 A adapted to be adjacent to the chamber of the container C and to be directed towards the chamber of the container when said pivoting element 20 is in its closed position, and a second opening 22B more distant from the chamber C than the first opening.
  • the inner channel 22 is at least partly closed by a closing element 27 adjacent to its second opening.
  • the inner channel and the openings 22A,22B are adapted for enabling the introduction of the article 12 into the chamber C through the said channel 22 of the pivoting element 20 in its closed position.
  • the closing element 27 (in the form of a ball in the embodiment of figure 1) is adapted to be pushed into the inner channel 22 of the pivoting element 20 through the said second opening 22B so as to extend in a portion of the inner channel 22 adjacent to the second opening for closing at least partly said inner channel 22 adjacent to the second opening. In this way it is possible to prevent the article 12 to be removed from the chamber 4, as long as the pivoting element is in its closed position.
  • the closing element 27 and/or the portion of the inner channel 22 is/are provided with means for maintaining the closing element within the said portion of the inner channel (for example a portion adjacent to the second opening 22B).
  • a part of the closing element 27 extends outside the channel 22.
  • the pivoting element 20 is provided with flexible fingers 28 at the opening 22B of the channel and one or more inner abutment 29 in the inner channel 22.
  • the flexible fingers and abutments could have be replaced by a ring, for example an upper ring and a lower ring.
  • the hinge 40, the said one or more breakable bridges 42 and the said piece 21 of the pivoting element 21 connected to the said container by said hinge and breakable bridges, as well as advantageously the body 30 are forming one single assembly made of polymer or copolymer composition.
  • Said assembly can for example be injected in a mould.
  • the polymer used is advantageously a thermoplastic polymer, such as PP, PE, polycarbonate, etc.
  • the closing element 27 can be also made in polymer. Other materials are however possible.
  • the container and the said piece of the pivoting element Before breaking the one or more bridges, the container and the said piece of the pivoting element have wall(s) connected to each other by an intermediate zone 41 comprising the hinge 40, the said one or more breakable bridges 42, and the means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force, whereby the said means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force is one or more cuts 43 extending within the intermediate zone and adjacent to said one or more breakable bridges.
  • the cut(s) 43 extends thus between the container 10 and the pivoting element 20, up to the inner channel 22, as well as up to the chamber C.
  • the shape of the cut or height of the cut is adapted for preventing the removal of the article 12 through the said cut 43.
  • the said one or more breakable bridges 42 Before breaking the one or more bridges, the said one or more breakable bridges 42 have a section with a minimal reduced thickness, while the hinge 40 has a minimum thickness at least 25%, preferably at least 50% greater than the minimal reduced thickness of the one or more breakable bridges. In this way when breaking of the bridges is operated, the hinge will not be broken.
  • the hinge part before breaking the one or more breakable bridges, at least one cut extends in the intermediate zone in a section opposite to the hinge.
  • the hinge part can be provided with one or more grooves, especially along its outer face.
  • the hinge 40 Before breaking the one or more breakable bridges 42, the hinge 40 extends between a first hinge end 40A and a second hinge end 40B extending along the pivoting axis PA, wherein the first hinge end 40A is adjacent to a first breakable bridge 42, while the second hinge end 40B is adjacent to a second breakable bridge 42, and wherein the cut 43 extends between the first breakable bridge 42 and the second breakable bridge 42, away from the pivoting axis PA.
  • the hinge 40 can be formed by one single element extending between the container 10 and the pivoting element 20, or by two or more distinct elements separate the one with respect to the other.
  • the first breakable bridge 42 extends on a first length, while the second breakable bridge 42 extends on a second length.
  • the cut 43 extend on a length which is greater than the sum of said first length and said second length.
  • the first length of the first breakable bridge is substantially equal to the second length of the second breakable bridge.
  • the breakable bridges 42 are advantageously curved adjacent to the hinge 40. Most preferably the breakable bridges follow a curved path, with no portions parallel to the pivoting axis.
  • the breakable bridges extend in the intermediate zone adjacent to the hinge 40. With respect to the distance between the protuberance 25 and the hinge 40, the total length of the breakable bridges is less than said distance, most preferably less than 75% of said distance, such as between 10% and 50% of said distance.
  • the hinge is substantially diametrically opposed with respect to the protuberance 25.
  • the initial breaking zone of the breakable bridges is located along a line parallel to the pivoting axis, said line being located at a distance of less than 50%, preferably less than 40% of the distance separating the pivoting axis and the protuberance.
  • the container 10 defines an elongated chamber C (substantially cylindrical) with a central axis X substantially perpendicular to the pivoting axis PA, while the channel 22 of the pivoting element is elongated (substantially cylindrical) with a central axis Y, which is parallel to the central axis X of the elongated chamber of the container, when the element is in its closed position.
  • the axis Y is parallel to the central axis X of the elongated chamber of the container, when the element is in its closed position.
  • the body 30 is adapted for extending at least partly with the drinking channel of the drinking straw, said body being adapted to form air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere.
  • the body 30 has a first portion 30A adapted to extend within the drinking channel of the drinking straw and a second portion 3 OB adapted to extend outside the drinking channel, the first and second portions comprising at least one channel for forming, possibly with the inner chamber of the container, at least one air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere when the first portion of the body is extending within the drinking channel.
  • the first portion30 is provided with a central passage 32 communication with a transversal passage 33 extending in the second portion 30B, for making the air passage between the drinking channel and the atmosphere outside the drinking channel.
  • the second portion 30B has a face adapted to act as abutment for the top end of the straw S, whereby preventing the cap to be pushed to far into the drinking channel.
  • the body As the breaking of the bridges can be very easily performed, with a low initial breaking pushing force, the body has not be provided with legs intended to extend within the drinking channel DC.
  • the pivoting element After breaking of the bridges 42 and pivoting the pivoting element 20, the pivoting element can be kept in a pivoting position. Even, in case the pivoting element is pivoted towards its closed position, the user will easily observed that the cap has already been opened.
  • the closing element 27 has the form of a cylindrical ring 27A with a central plate 27B and an annular protuberance 27C intended to be inserted into a annular groove 22G.
  • the closing element extends adjacent to the opening 22B, whereby make a reinforcement of the top open end of the pivoting element when breaking bridges and when pivoting, of the inner channel 22 of the pivoting element.
  • the body 30 is provided with legs 70, so as to increase the holding of the cap on a straw,
  • the channel 32 has an enlarged flow section directed towards the drinking channel, and a restricted flow section communicating with the transversal channel.
  • the invention relates also to a method for delivering at least one article or at least two different articles in a randomly way by distributing to several persons drinking straws provided with a cap according to the invention, such as according to the embodiments of the figures, each drinking straws being advantageously distributed with a drinking container, advantageously a drinking glass or a bottle, said method comprising the following steps :
  • the caps as shown in the figures can also be used as such for distributing awards, messages, etc in a randomly way.
  • the cap used in the method of the invention can be a cap of one of the preferred embodiments, but can also be a cap having one or more characteristics of a cap of the invention.

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  • Closures For Containers (AREA)

Abstract

Cap (1) for a drinking straw (S), said cap comprising : - a container (10) provided with an inner chamber (11) and with a pivoting element (20) to be torn from one of the wall of the container for enabling access within the chamber, - a body (30) attached to the container and provided with a portion (32) adapted to enter at least partly within the drinking channel of the straw, whereby the body is adapted so as to form an air passage (33, 34, 35) between the drinking channel and the atmosphere when the said body extends withing the drinking straw.

Description

Cap for a drinking straw
The present invention relates to a cap for a drinking straw, said cap being provided with a container suitable for receiving an article, such as a diamond, a prize, etc.
The straws provided with the caps can then be randomly be distributed so that one or more persons randomly chosen receive(s) one article or different articles, for example a high value prize award article for one or more persons, and a low value prize award for one or more other persons.
Drinking straws are well known in the art. The straws have generally a substantially circular cross-section. In order to facilitate the bending of a portion thereof with respect to another portion, it is well known to provide the straw with several corrugations so as to form a intermediate flexible portion between two linear portions of the straw (see US 2,094,268 -Friedman).
EP 1095600 discloses a straw provided with a cap with lateral openings, said cap being able to slide along the straw between a closed position in which the lateral openings of the cap are laying along the outer face of the straw (position not allowing to suck liquid through the straw), and an open position in which the openings of the cap extend above the upper end of the straw, whereby enabling to suck liquid through the cap. The straw is provided with a protuberance for limiting the movement of the cap with respect to the straw, i.e. for preventing the complete removal of the cap from the straw.
CN2764256 discloses a cap covering the end and outer face of the straw, the cap is provided with a small opening at the top of the cap. The bottom of the cap is provided with a plate. JP2001-258713 discloses a cap for a straw, said cap being connected to a ring via a flexible band, said ring being adapted to be mounted along the straw, so as to remain near the end of the straw when opened. US6565899 discloses a drinking straw closed with a cap provided with a lollipop.
US20066144955 discloses a drinking straw provided with a pump combined display area and prize delivery system, said pump being located between the two ends of the straws.
PCT US98/12897 discloses in figure 3 a straw constructed with an independent container 30 constructed for insertion within the straw. The prize, such as a US currency, will be rolled and inserted in the container, said container being associated with a cap or cover. The straw with container is placed within a outer protective closure/container 23. The user has first to remove the straw from its outer protective closure before being able to use its straw. The outer protective closure forms the system for indicating whether or not a container has possibly be opened.
Furthermore, as long as the container is placed within the straw, it has been observed that the straw (taken away from its protective enclosure) placed in a drinking glass containing a drinking liquid, especially a sparkling liquid or a bubbling liquid had the tendency to move upwardly, whereby being at risk to fall or pivot away from the glass.
WO2010/127416 discloses a cap having a recipient intended to contain an article or a prize or an award, the opening or re-closing of which is visible for the person receiving a straw provided with a cap, whereby said person can easily determine whether the container has been opened by people wanting to know by advance which cap comprises a winning article, award or prize, said cap being moreover adapted to be mounted on a straw used in a drinking glass containing a sparkling liquid, without risk for the straw to pivot around an edge of the glass and to fall.
According to an embodiment of said document WO2010/127416, the cap comprises a container which when opened is divided into three parts, namely a first container part, a second container part, and an intermediate part, whereby the first container part and the second container part can be associated together for fonning a new closed container having a volume or a shape or a colour at least partly different from the initial volume or shape of the container before its opening. It enables thus, after opening the initial container and checking the article or prize within the container chamber, to replace the article or price within a part of the chamber and to close it back with another part of the container. After replacing the closing of the article, the shape of the container will be reduced, whereby showing quickly whether or not the container has been opened when giving a drinking glass with a straw provided with a cap.
The problem of the cap of WO2010/127416 is the tearing of the band to be torn. This step is very complicated, especially when the cap is mounted on the drinking straw.
The present invention has for subject matter a cap which can be easily be opened for having access to the article, without risk of damaging the drinking straw.
The cap of the invention is a cap for a drinking channel of a drinking straw for drinking a liquid contained in a recipient placed in an air atmosphere, said cap being adapted to be mounted removable with respect to an upper end of the drinking channel of the drirLking straw, said cap comprising :
- a container comprising at least one wall defining a chamber adapted for receiving an article, whereby said chamber has an opening, said at least one wall being connected to a pivoting element by means of a hinge defining a pivoting axis, whereby said pivoting element is adapted to move between a substantially closed position in which said pivoting element substantially covers said opening of said chamber of the container, and an open position enabling to have access to the article present within the chamber, possibly after removal of a sealing means,
- a body having a first end portion attached to the container or part thereof and a second end portion having a shape adapted for co-operating with a wall of an end portion of the drinking straw for mamtaining the cap on the said end portion, whereby the body and/or the container is adapted so as to form with the drinking channel at least one air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere when the second end portion co-operate with a wall of an end portion of the drinking straw, and
whereby the said at least one wall of the container and a piece of the said pivoting element are connected the one to the other by a zone comprising one or more breakable bridges adapted to be broken by exerting a pushing breaking force on the said pivoting element in a direction having at least a component perpendicular to the pivoting axis of the said hinge, the said one or more bridges being provided or associated with a means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force. Advantageously, the pivoting element comprises a piece defining an inner channel extending between a first opening adapted to be adjacent to the chamber of the container and to be directed towards the chamber of the container when said pivoting element is in its closed position, and a second opening more distant from the chamber than the first opening , and in which the inner channel is at least partly closed by a closing element adjacent to its second opening.
Preferably, the closing element is adapted to be pushed into the inner channel of the pivoting element through the said second opening so as to extend in a portion of the inner channel, advantageously adjacent to the second opening, for closing at least partly said inner channel, advantageously at least adjacent to the second opening, and in which the closing element and/or the portion of the inner channel in which the closing element is intended to extend is/are provided with means for maintaining the closing element within the said portion of the inner channel, advantageously adjacent to the second opening.
According to a detail of an advantageous embodiment, before breaking the one or more bridges, the container, the hinge, the said one or more breakable bridges and the said piece of the pivoting element connected to the said container by said hinge and breakable bridges are forming one single assembly made of polymer or copolymer composition. Preferably, before breaking the one or more bridges, the container and the said piece of the pivoting element have wall(s) connected to each other by an intermediate zone comprising the hinge, the said one or more breakable bridges, and the means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force, whereby the said means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force is one or more cuts extending within the intermediate zone and adjacent to said one or more breakable bridges.
More preferably, before breaking the one or more bridges, the said one or more breakable bridges have a section with a minimal reduced thickness, while the hinge has a minimum thickness at least 25%, preferably at least 50% greater than the minimal reduced thickness of the one or more breakable bridges.
According to a detail, before breaking the one or more breakable bridges, at least one cut extends in the intermediate zone in a section opposite to the hinge.
Most preferably, before breaking the one or more breakable bridges, the hinge extends between a first hinge end and a second hinge end extending along the pivoting axis, wherein the first hinge end is adjacent to a first breakable bridge, while the second hinge end is adjacent to a second breakable bridge, and wherein the cut extends between the first breakable bridge and the second breakable bridge.
For example, the first breakable bridge extends on a first length, in which the second breakable bridge extends on a second length, and in which the cut extend on a length which is greater than the sum of said first length and said second length.
According to another example, the first length of the first breakable bridge is substantially equal to the second length of the second breakable bridge.
Advantageously the first length of the first breakable bridge is substantially equal to the second length of the second breakable bridge. The breakable bridges are advantageously curved at least adjacent to the hinge Most preferably the breakable bridges follow a curved path, with no portions parallel to the pivoting axis. Preferably, the breakable bridges extend in the intermediate zone adjacent to the hinge 40. With respect to the distance between the protuberance 25 and the hinge 40, the total length of the breakable bridges is less than said distance, most preferably less than 75% of said distance, such as between 10% and 50% of said distance.
Most preferably, the initial breaking zone of the breakable bridges is located along a line parallel to the pivoting axis, said line being located at a distance of less than 50%, preferably less than 40% of the distance separating the pivoting axis and the protuberance.
According to a further detail of an embodiment, the container defines an elongated chamber with a central axis substantially perpendicular to the pivoting axis, while the channel of the pivoting element is elongated with a central axis, which is parallel to the central axis of the elongated chamber of the container, when the element is in its closed position. According to still a further detail of an embodiment of the invention, the body is adapted for extending at least partly with the drinking channel of the drinking straw, said body being adapted, possibly with the container, to form air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere, (the atmosphere outside the - drinking channel)
Advantageously, the body has a first portion adapted to extend within the drinking channel of the drinking straw and a second portion adapted to extend outside the drinking channel, the first and second portions comprising at least one channel for forming, possibly with the inner chamber of the container, at least one air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere when the first portion of the body is extending within the drinking channel. According to a still further detail of an embodiment of the invention, the body is provided with at least 3 legs having each a part adapted to contact the wall of the drinking channel when the said at least 3 legs are extending within the drinking channel.
The invention relates also to a straw provided with a cap according to the invention, such as disclosed here above.
The invention relates also to a method for delivering at least one article or at least two different articles in a randomly way by distributing to several persons caps according to the invention or drinking straws provided with a cap according to the invention, preferably a cap with a container provided with a closing element closing the piece of the pivoting element.
The drinking straws are advantageously distributed with a drinking glass, bottle or container.
The invention further relates to a method for delivering at least one article or at least two different articles in a randomly way by distributing to several persons drinking straws provided with a cap according to the invention, especially a cap having at least a container connected to a pivoting element with an inner channel closable by means of a closing element, each drinking straws being advantageously distributed with a drinking container, advantageously a drinking glass or a bottle, said method comprising the following steps :
- providing a series of caps already provided with articles within their chamber, or providing a series of caps with a pivoting element having a channel closable by a 1- closing element, with the closing element away from the piece of the pivoting element so that the second opening of the piece forms an access to the container chamber through the passage of the pivoting element,
- for the caps with a pivoting element with an inner passage communicating with the inner chamber of the container,
* introducing at least one article through the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element into the chamber of the container, or * introducing one article through the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element into the chamber of a container of one or more caps and introducing another article through the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element into the chamber of the container of other caps, and
* closing the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element of the caps, before or after associating the caps with drinking straws;
- randomly distributing the caps or the drinking straws with the caps,
advantageously with drinking glasses, bottles, containers to people,
whereby each person receiving a cap or a drinking straw provided with a cap, after pivoting the pivoting element with respect to the container, has access to the inner chamber of the container, so as to collect the article possibly present within the chamber of the container of the cap.
The cap can be associated with one or several objects, such as figurines, miniatures, models, etc.
According to an embodiment, "cap" means also a container provided with a means adapted to be associated to a product, a food or a non food product, especially a food, such as food individual portions, food cubes, cheese products, ice creams, desert, lobster, steak, potatoes, meals, lambs, liquids, etc. For example, the said means is adapted for facilitating the eating of food portions by pricking into said food portion, for facilitating the mixing or stirring of liquids, such as liquids contained within a glass. According a possible embodiment, the said means is in the form of a spoon, a cutting means, a fork, a stick.
The means adapted to be associated to a non food product can be for example a pin adapted to attach the cap onto a cloth, a ring or a clip, such as an ear clip.
- "article" means a promotional article, a promotional vehicle, an award, a prize, a ticket, a piece of paper with one or more numbers/letters, stones, such as diamond stones, winning article, non winning articles, coupon elements, non prizing element, coupons for a new drink, cash awards, messages, jokes, phone numbers, seat numbers, etc., as well as perfume, food additives, salts, spice, food dressing, sugar, aspartam, powders, milk powder, cacao powder, etc. Advantageously, caps from some straws are provided with winning article or high prize article or winning coupon, while other caps for some other straws are provided with non winning article or low prize article or not winning coupon, whereby the weight of a cap with a winning article is substantially equal, preferably equal to the weight of a cap with a non winning article.
- "randomly distributed" means that employees distributing caps, straws provided with caps, food containers or drinking containers associated or provided with a straw provided with a cap, drinking glasses provided with a straw bearing a cap are unable to know, without opening of the container of the cap, whether the container cap is containing a winning article or a non winning article or the type of message or the type of article present with the container of the cap. - "air passage" means one or more passages allowing air, as well as other gases, such as C02 to flow from the drinking channel of the straw towards the outer or room atmosphere, and inversely.
In the cap of the invention, the air passage or at least one air passage will be advantageously adapted for enabling the passage of air, and for enabling the downwards flowing of the drinking liquid possibly present within the air passage.
The air passage will also preferably be such that in case liquid is present within the air passage, air or C02 bubbles are able to percolate within the liquid possibly present within the air passage.
The air passage(s) or at least one air passage has/have advantageously at least a minimum cross-section in which a circle with a diameter of at least 2mm (preferably at least 3 mm, preferably from 3 to 7mm) can be drawn.
The methods of the invention can be used by industry for promoting one or another products, for example champagne, perfumes, etc. and by organisation or private people for animating a party. As external analysis of the caps will not permit the consumers or employees to discover winning caps from non- winning caps, whereby enabling a randomly distribution of the caps, or straws provided with caps, or drinking glasses with said straws.
By distributing such straws provided with caps, the fun of the party will be increased.
When the wining article of some caps is a diamond, the non winning caps are advantageously provided with a stone within the container, so that the consumers and employees cannot determine whether the container comprises a diamond or a piece of glass.
The invention further relates to a cap adapted to be associated to a product or a support, especially to food product, such as a served food, food individual portions, food cubes, cheese products, ice creams, desert, a lobster, steak, potatoes, meals, lambs, etc. for facilitating the eating of said food or for creating some fun and surprise with the food or meal, said cap comprising:
- a container with a pivoting element as disclosed here above for the cap for a drinking straw,
- a body having one end attached to the container or part thereof and another end provided with a means adapted to connect or attach the cap to the said product, such a means being advantageously a portion having a pin like shape adapted to enter or prick into the food for facilitating the individual eating of said food.
Such a cap comprises:
- a container comprising at least one wall defining a chamber adapted for receiving an article, whereby said chamber has an opening, said at least one wall being connected to a pivoting element by means of a hinge defining a pivoting axis, whereby said pivoting element is adapted to move between a substantially closed position in which said pivoting element substantially covers said opening of said chamber of the container, and an open position enabling to have access to the article present within the chamber, possibly after removal of a sealing means,
- a body having a first end portion attached to the container or part thereof and a second end portion having a shape adapted to be associated to a product or a support, especially to food product, such as a served food, food individual portions, food cubes, cheese products, ice creams, desert, a lobster, steak, potatoes, meals, lambs, etc. for facilitating the eating of said food or for creating some fun and surprise with the food or meal, and
whereby the said at least one wall of the container and a piece of the said pivoting element are connected the one to the other by a zone comprising one or more breakable bridges adapted to be broken by exerting a pushing breaking force on the said pivoting element in a direction having at least a component perpendicular to the pivoting axis of the said hinge, the said one or more bridges being provided or associated with a means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force.
Such a cap have then one or more of the following details and characteristics:
• the pivoting element comprises a piece defining an inner channel extending between a first opening adapted to be adjacent to the chamber of the container and to be directed towards the chamber of the container when said pivoting element is in its closed position, and a second opening more distant from the chamber than the first opening , and in which the inner channel is at least partly closed by a closing element adjacent to its second opening.
• the closing element is adapted to be pushed into the inner channel of the pivoting element through the said second opening so as to extend in a portion of the inner channel, advantageously adjacent to the second opening, for closing at least partly said inner channel adjacent to the second opening, and in which the closing element and/or the portion of the inner channel in which the closing element is adapted to extend is/are provided with means for maintaining the closing element within the said portion of the inner channel, advantageously adjacent to the second opening.
• before breaking the one or more bridges, the container, the hinge, the said one or more breakable bridges and the said piece of the pivoting element connected to the said container by said hinge and breakable bridges are forming one single assembly made of polymer or copolymer composition. before breaking the one or more bridges, the container and the said piece of the pivoting element have wall(s) connected to each other by an intermediate zone comprising the hinge, the said one or more breakable bridges, and the means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force, whereby the said means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force is one or more cuts extending within the intermediate zone and adjacent to said one or more breakable bridges. before breaking the one or more bridges, the said one or more breakable bridges have a section with a minimal reduced thickness, while the hinge has a minimum thickness at least 25%, preferably at least 50% greater than the minimal reduced thickness of the one or more breakable bridges. before breaking the one or more breakable bridges, at least one cut extends in the intermediate zone in a section opposite to the hinge. before breaking the one or more breakable bridges, the hinge extends between a first hinge end and a second hinge end extending along the pivoting axis, wherein the first hinge end is adjacent to a first breakable bridge, while the second hinge end is adjacent to a second breakable bridge, and wherein the cut extends between the first breakable bridge and the second breakable bridge. the first breakable bridge extends on a first length, in which the second breakable bridge extends on a second length, and in which the cut extend on a length which is greater than the sum of said first length and said second length. the first length of the first breakable bridge is substantially equal to the second length of the second breakable bridge. • the container defines an elongated chamber with a central axis substantially perpendicular to the pivoting axis, while the channel of the pivoting element is elongated with a central axis, which is parallel to the central axis of the elongated chamber of the container, when the element is in its closed position. Advantageously the first length of the first breakable bridge is substantially equal to the second length of the second breakable bridge.
• The breakable bridges are advantageously curved adjacent to the hinge. Most preferably the breakable bridges follow a curved path, with no portions parallel to the pivoting axis.
• The breakable bridges extend in the intermediate zone adjacent to the hinge.
With respect to the distance between the protuberance 25 and the hinge 40, the total length of the breakable bridges is less than said distance, most preferably less than 75% of said distance, such as between 10% and 50% of said distance.
Most preferably, the initial breaking zone of the breakable bridges is located along a line parallel to the pivoting axis, said line being located at a distance of less than 50%, preferably less than 40% of the distance separating the pivoting axis and the protuberance.
The invention relates also to a method for delivering at least one article or at least two different articles in a randomly way by distributing to several persons caps adapted to be associated to a product as disclosed hereabove, especially to food product, such as caps pricked on a support or on different supports, such as individual food portions, said method comprising the following steps :
- providing a series of caps (comprising (a) a container comprising at least one wall defining a chamber adapted for receiving an article, whereby said chamber has an opening, said at least one wall being connected to a pivoting element by means of a hinge defining a pivoting axis, whereby said pivoting element is adapted to move between a substantially closed position in which said pivoting element substantially covers said opening of said chamber of the container, and an open position enabling to have access to the article present within the chamber, possibly after removal of a sealing means, and (b) a body having a first end portion attached to the container or part thereof and a second end portion having a shape adapted to be associated to a product or a support, especially to food product, such as a served food, food individual portions, food cubes, cheese products, ice creams, desert, a lobster, steak, potatoes, meals, lambs, etc. for facilitating the eating of said food or for creating some fun and surprise with the food or meal) already provided with articles within their chamber, or providing a series of such caps with the closing element away from the piece of the pivoting element so that the second opening of the piece forms an access to the container chamber through the passage of the pivoting element,
- for the caps with the closing element away,
* introducing at least one article through the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element into the chamber of the container, or
* introducing one article through the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element into the chamber of a container of one or more caps and introducing another article through the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element into the chamber of the container of other caps, and
* closing the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element of the caps, before or after associating the caps with drinking straws;
- randomly distributing the caps or product, support, etc. with the caps, to people, whereby each person receiving a cap or a support, product, etc. provided.with a cap (preferably for enabling to take some food portions or a food provided with a closed cap), after pivoting the pivoting element with respect to the container, has access to the inner chamber of the container, so as to collect the article possibly present within the chamber of the container of the cap. Details and characteristics of preferred embodiments will be disclosed in the following description, in which reference is made to the attached drawings of preferred embodiments.
In these drawings, figure 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a cap of the invention ;
figure 2 is another side view of the first embodiment;
figure 3 is a perspective view of the pivoting element of the cap of figure 1 with the closing element away, i.e. before closing;
figure 4 is an upper view of the first embodiment;
figure 5 is a cross section view of the cap of figure 1 with the closing element (ball) away;
figure 6 is a cross section view of the pivoting element along the line VI-VI with the closing element away;
figure 7 is a cross section view along the line VII- VII;
figure 8 is a side view of a second embodiment of a cap of the invention;
figure 9 is another side view of the cap of figure 8;
figure 10 is a cross section view of the cap of figure 8 along the line X-X;
figure 1 1 is an enlarged view of the closing element of the pivoting element.
figure 12 is a cross section view of the cap of figure 8 along the line XII-XII, and figure 13 is a view of a drinking straw provided with a cap of the invention.
Figure 1 shows a cap 1 for a drinking channel DC of a drinking straw S for drinking a liquid contained in a recipient placed in an air atmosphere, said cap 1 being adapted to be mounted removable with respect to an upper end SU of the drinking channel of the drinking straw, said cap 1 comprising : - a container 10 comprising at least one wall defining a chamber 1 1 adapted for receiving an article 12, whereby said chamber 1 1 has an opening 13 , said at least one wall being connected to a pivoting element 20 by means of a hinge 40 defining a pivoting axis PA, whereby said pivoting element 20 is adapted to move between a substantially closed position in which said pivoting element 20 substantially covers said opening 13 of said chamber C of the container 10, and an open position enabling to have access to the article 12 present within the chamber C, possibly after removal of a sealing means (such as a plastic band, a tearable sealing film, etc.),
- a body 30 having a first end portion 31 attached to the container 10 or part thereof and a second end portion 32 having a shape adapted for co-operating with a wall of an end portion SU of the drinking straw S for maintaining the cap 1 on the said end portion. The Body and container can form a single piece or two distinct pieces which can be attached the one to the other, for example by clipping)
The body and/or the container is adapted so as to form with the drinking channel at least one air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere when the second end portion co-operate with a wall of an end portion of the drinking straw. In the present case, the body 30 comprises air channels 32,33 forming a passage for air between the opening 34 adapted to be located inside the drinking channel DC and the openings 35 adapted to be located above and outside the drinking channel DC. No passage exists in the embodiment of figure 1 between the chamber C and the said air channel 32,33.
The said at least one wall of the container 10 and a piece 21 of the said pivoting element 20 (pivotment P around the pivoting axis PA) are connected the one to the other by a zone 41 comprising one or more breakable bridges 42 adapted to be broken by exerting a pushing breaking force F on the said pivoting element 21 in a direction having at least a component perpendicular to the pivoting axis PA of the said hinge 40, the said one or more bridges 42 being provided or associated with a means (in the form of a cut 43) for lowering the initial pushing breaking force.
For facilitating to exert the pushing force required for generating the pivotment, the outer lateral face of the pivoting element is provided with a protuberance 25, advantageously with a curved shape adapted for following the end form of a finger of the user. The pivoting element 20 comprises a piece 21 defining an inner channel 22 extending between a first opening 22 A adapted to be adjacent to the chamber of the container C and to be directed towards the chamber of the container when said pivoting element 20 is in its closed position, and a second opening 22B more distant from the chamber C than the first opening. The inner channel 22 is at least partly closed by a closing element 27 adjacent to its second opening.
The inner channel and the openings 22A,22B are adapted for enabling the introduction of the article 12 into the chamber C through the said channel 22 of the pivoting element 20 in its closed position.
The closing element 27 (in the form of a ball in the embodiment of figure 1) is adapted to be pushed into the inner channel 22 of the pivoting element 20 through the said second opening 22B so as to extend in a portion of the inner channel 22 adjacent to the second opening for closing at least partly said inner channel 22 adjacent to the second opening. In this way it is possible to prevent the article 12 to be removed from the chamber 4, as long as the pivoting element is in its closed position.
The closing element 27 and/or the portion of the inner channel 22 (in which the closing element has to extend) is/are provided with means for maintaining the closing element within the said portion of the inner channel (for example a portion adjacent to the second opening 22B). In the embodiment of figure 1 , a part of the closing element 27 extends outside the channel 22. For maintaining the ball 27 within the channel 22 or with respect to the pivoting element, the pivoting element 20 is provided with flexible fingers 28 at the opening 22B of the channel and one or more inner abutment 29 in the inner channel 22. The flexible fingers and abutments could have be replaced by a ring, for example an upper ring and a lower ring.
Before breaking the bridges 42, the container 10, the hinge 40, the said one or more breakable bridges 42 and the said piece 21 of the pivoting element 21 connected to the said container by said hinge and breakable bridges, as well as advantageously the body 30 are forming one single assembly made of polymer or copolymer composition. Said assembly can for example be injected in a mould. The polymer used is advantageously a thermoplastic polymer, such as PP, PE, polycarbonate, etc. The closing element 27 can be also made in polymer. Other materials are however possible.
Before breaking the one or more bridges, the container and the said piece of the pivoting element have wall(s) connected to each other by an intermediate zone 41 comprising the hinge 40, the said one or more breakable bridges 42, and the means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force, whereby the said means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force is one or more cuts 43 extending within the intermediate zone and adjacent to said one or more breakable bridges. The cut(s) 43 extends thus between the container 10 and the pivoting element 20, up to the inner channel 22, as well as up to the chamber C. The shape of the cut or height of the cut is adapted for preventing the removal of the article 12 through the said cut 43.
Before breaking the one or more bridges, the said one or more breakable bridges 42 have a section with a minimal reduced thickness, while the hinge 40 has a minimum thickness at least 25%, preferably at least 50% greater than the minimal reduced thickness of the one or more breakable bridges. In this way when breaking of the bridges is operated, the hinge will not be broken.
In the embodiment of figure 1, before breaking the one or more breakable bridges, at least one cut extends in the intermediate zone in a section opposite to the hinge. In order to facilitate the pivoting of the element 20, the hinge part can be provided with one or more grooves, especially along its outer face.
Before breaking the one or more breakable bridges 42, the hinge 40 extends between a first hinge end 40A and a second hinge end 40B extending along the pivoting axis PA, wherein the first hinge end 40A is adjacent to a first breakable bridge 42, while the second hinge end 40B is adjacent to a second breakable bridge 42, and wherein the cut 43 extends between the first breakable bridge 42 and the second breakable bridge 42, away from the pivoting axis PA. The hinge 40 can be formed by one single element extending between the container 10 and the pivoting element 20, or by two or more distinct elements separate the one with respect to the other. The first breakable bridge 42 extends on a first length, while the second breakable bridge 42 extends on a second length. The cut 43 extend on a length which is greater than the sum of said first length and said second length.
Advantageously the first length of the first breakable bridge is substantially equal to the second length of the second breakable bridge.
The breakable bridges 42 are advantageously curved adjacent to the hinge 40. Most preferably the breakable bridges follow a curved path, with no portions parallel to the pivoting axis.
The breakable bridges extend in the intermediate zone adjacent to the hinge 40. With respect to the distance between the protuberance 25 and the hinge 40, the total length of the breakable bridges is less than said distance, most preferably less than 75% of said distance, such as between 10% and 50% of said distance. The hinge is substantially diametrically opposed with respect to the protuberance 25.
Most preferably, the initial breaking zone of the breakable bridges is located along a line parallel to the pivoting axis, said line being located at a distance of less than 50%, preferably less than 40% of the distance separating the pivoting axis and the protuberance.
The container 10 defines an elongated chamber C (substantially cylindrical) with a central axis X substantially perpendicular to the pivoting axis PA, while the channel 22 of the pivoting element is elongated (substantially cylindrical) with a central axis Y, which is parallel to the central axis X of the elongated chamber of the container, when the element is in its closed position. In the present case, the axis Y
corresponds substantially to the axis X when the element 20 is in closed position. The body 30 is adapted for extending at least partly with the drinking channel of the drinking straw, said body being adapted to form air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere.
The body 30 has a first portion 30A adapted to extend within the drinking channel of the drinking straw and a second portion 3 OB adapted to extend outside the drinking channel, the first and second portions comprising at least one channel for forming, possibly with the inner chamber of the container, at least one air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere when the first portion of the body is extending within the drinking channel. The first portion30 is provided with a central passage 32 communication with a transversal passage 33 extending in the second portion 30B, for making the air passage between the drinking channel and the atmosphere outside the drinking channel. The second portion 30B has a face adapted to act as abutment for the top end of the straw S, whereby preventing the cap to be pushed to far into the drinking channel.
As the breaking of the bridges can be very easily performed, with a low initial breaking pushing force, the body has not be provided with legs intended to extend within the drinking channel DC.
After breaking of the bridges 42 and pivoting the pivoting element 20, the pivoting element can be kept in a pivoting position. Even, in case the pivoting element is pivoted towards its closed position, the user will easily observed that the cap has already been opened.
The cap of figures 8 to 10 is similar to that of claim 1, except that :
- the closing element 27 has the form of a cylindrical ring 27A with a central plate 27B and an annular protuberance 27C intended to be inserted into a annular groove 22G. The closing element extends adjacent to the opening 22B, whereby make a reinforcement of the top open end of the pivoting element when breaking bridges and when pivoting, of the inner channel 22 of the pivoting element.
- the body 30 is provided with legs 70, so as to increase the holding of the cap on a straw,
- the channel 32 has an enlarged flow section directed towards the drinking channel, and a restricted flow section communicating with the transversal channel.
The numerals mentioned in the figures 8 to 10 refer to elements, pieces, means having the same numerals in the figures relating to the first embodiment. Same numeral designates elements, pieces, means having the same or similar functions.
The invention relates also to a method for delivering at least one article or at least two different articles in a randomly way by distributing to several persons drinking straws provided with a cap according to the invention, such as according to the embodiments of the figures, each drinking straws being advantageously distributed with a drinking container, advantageously a drinking glass or a bottle, said method comprising the following steps :
- providing a series of caps 1 already provided with articles within their chamber, or providing a series of caps 1 with the closing element away from the piece of the pivoting element so that the second opening of the piece 21 forms an access to the container chamber C through the passage 22 of the pivoting element,
- for the caps with the closing element 27 away,
* introducing at least one article 12 through the second opening 22B of the piece 21 of the pivoting element 20 into the chamber C of the container 10, or
* introducing one article through the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element into the chamber of a container of one or more caps 1 and introducing another article 12 through the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element into the chamber of the container of other caps 1 , and
* closing the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element of the caps, before or after associating the caps with drinking straws;
- randomly distributing the caps or the drinking straws with the caps,
advantageously with drinking glasses, bottles, containers to people, whereby each person receiving a cap or a drinking straw provided with a cap, after pivoting the pivoting element with respect to the container, has access to the inner chamber of the container, so as to collect the article possibly present within the chamber of the container of the cap.
The caps as shown in the figures can also be used as such for distributing awards, messages, etc in a randomly way. The cap used in the method of the invention can be a cap of one of the preferred embodiments, but can also be a cap having one or more characteristics of a cap of the invention.

Claims

What I claim is :
1. Cap for a drinking channel of a drinking straw for drinking a liquid contained in a recipient placed in an air atmosphere, said cap being adapted to be mounted removable with respect to an upper end of the drinking channel of the drinking straw, said cap comprising :
- a container comprising at least one wall defining a chamber adapted for receiving an article, whereby said chamber has an opening, said at least one wall being connected to a pivoting element by means of a hinge defining a pivoting axis, whereby said pivoting element is adapted to move between a substantially closed position in which said pivoting element substantially covers said opening of said chamber of the container, and an open position enabling to have access to the article present within the chamber, possibly after removal of a sealing means,
- a body having a first end portion attached to the container or part thereof and a second end portion having a shape adapted for co-operating with a wall of an end portion of the drinking straw for maintaining the cap on the said end portion, whereby the body and/or the container is adapted so as to form with the drinking channel at least one air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere when the second end portion co-operate with a wall of an end portion of the drinking straw, and
whereby the said at least one wall of the container and a piece of the said pivoting element are connected the one to the other by a zone comprising one or more breakable bridges adapted to be broken by exerting a pushing breaking force on the said pivoting element in a direction having at least a component perpendicular to the pivoting axis of the said hinge, the said one or more bridges being provided or associated with a means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force.
2. The cap of claim 1 , in which the pivoting element comprises a piece defining an inner channel extending between a first opening adapted to be adjacent to the chamber of the contamer and to be directed towards the chamber of the container when said pivoting element is in its closed position, and a second opening more distant from the chamber than the first opening , and in which the inner channel is at least partly closed by a closing element adjacent to its second opening.
3. The cap of claim 2, in which the closing element is adapted to be pushed into the inner channel of the pivoting element through the said second opening so as to extend in a portion of the inner channel, advantageously adjacent to the second opening, for closing at least partly said inner channel, advantageously at least adjacent to the second opening, and in which the closing element and/or the portion of the inner channel in which the closing element is adapted to extend is/are provided with means for maintaining the closing element within the said portion of the inner channel, advantageously at least adjacent to the second opening.
4. The cap of any one of the claims 1 to 3, in which, before breaking the one or more bridges, the container, the hinge, the said one or more breakable bridges and the said piece of the pivoting element connected to the said container by said hinge and breakable bridges are forming one single assembly made of polymer or copolymer composition.
5. The cap of claim 4, in which, before breaking the one or more bridges, the container and the said piece of the pivoting element have wall(s) connected to each other by an intermediate zone comprising the hinge, the said one or more breakable bridges, and the means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force, whereby the said means for lowering the initial pushing breaking force is one or more cuts extending within the intermediate zone and adjacent to said one or more breakable bridges.
6. The cap of claim 5, in which before breaking the one or more bridges, the said one or more breakable bridges have a section with a minimal reduced thickness, while the hinge has a minimum thickness at least 25%, preferably at least 50% greater than the minimal reduced thickness of the one or more breakable bridges.
7. The cap of claim 5 or 6, in which before breaking the one or more breakable bridges, at least one cut extends in the intermediate zone in a section opposite to the hinge.
8. The cap of claim 7, in which before breaking the one or more breakable bridges, the hinge extends between a first hinge end and a second hinge end extending along the pivoting axis, wherein the first hinge end is adjacent to a first breakable bridge, while the second hinge end is adjacent to a second breakable bridge, and wherein the cut extends between the first breakable bridge and the second breakable bridge.
9. The cap of claim 8, in which the first breakable bridge extends on a first length, in which the second breakable bridge extends on a second length, and in which the cut extend on a length which is greater than the sum of said first length and said second length.
10. The cap of claim 8 or 9, in which the first length of the first breakable bridge is substantially equal to the second length of the second breakable bridge.
1 1. The cap of anyone of the preceding claims, in which the container defines an elongated chamber with a central axis substantially perpendicular to the pivoting axis, while the channel of the pivoting element is elongated with a central axis, which is parallel to the central axis of the elongated chamber of the container, when the element is in its closed position.
12. The cap of anyone of the preceding claims, in which the body is adapted for extending at least partly with the drinking channel of the drinking straw,
said body being adapted, possibly with the container, to form air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere.
13. The cap of claim 12, in which the body has a first portion adapted to extend within the dririking channel of the drinking straw and a second portion adapted to extend outside the drinking channel, the first and second portions comprising at least one channel for forming, possibly with the inner chamber of the container, at least one air passage between the drinking channel and the outside gas atmosphere when the first portion of the body is extending within the drinking channel, portion.
14. The cap of anyone of the preceding claims, in which the body is provided with at least 3 legs having each a part adapted to contact the wall of the drinking channel when the said at least 3 legs are extending within the drinking channel.
15. A straw provided with a cap. according to any one of the preceding claims.
16. A method for delivering at least one article or at least two different articles in a randomly way by distributing to several persons drinking straws provided with a cap according to any one of the claims 1 to 14, especially a cap having at least the characteristic of claim 2, each dririking straws being advantageously distributed with a drinking container, advantageously a drinking glass or a bottle, said method comprising the following steps :
- providing a series of caps already provided with articles within their chamber, or providing a series of caps according to claim 2 and claims depending from claim 2, with the closing element away from the piece of the pivoting element so that the second opening of the piece forms an access to the container chamber through the passage of the pivoting element,
- for the caps according to claim 2 and claims depending from claim 2,
* introducing at least one article through the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element into the chamber of the container, or
* introducing one article through the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element into the chamber of a container of one or more caps and introducing another article through the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element into the chamber of the container of other caps, and
* closing the second opening of the piece of the pivoting element of the caps, before or after associating the caps with drinking straws; - randomly distributing the caps or the drinking straws with the caps,
advantageously with drinking glasses, bottles, containers to people,
whereby each person receiving a cap or a drinking straw provided with a cap, after pivoting the pivoting element with respect to the container, has access to the inner chamber of the container, so as to collect the article possibly present within the chamber of the container of the cap.
PCT/IB2015/000454 2014-04-10 2015-04-09 Cap for a drinking straw WO2015155592A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP15722582.2A EP3280296A1 (en) 2014-04-10 2015-04-09 Cap for a drinking straw

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IBPCT/IB2014/000523 2014-04-10
IB2014000523 2014-04-10

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20200060456A1 (en) * 2018-08-23 2020-02-27 Esther Ehizuelen Straw cap
US11712124B2 (en) 2021-01-08 2023-08-01 Yeti Coolers, Llc Lid assembly for a beverage container

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US2094268A (en) 1936-11-07 1937-09-28 Friedman Joseph Bernard Drinking tube
EP1095600A1 (en) 1999-10-29 2001-05-02 DEUTSCHE SISI-WERKE GmbH & Co. Betriebs KG Reclosable drinking straw
JP2001258713A (en) 2000-03-15 2001-09-25 Kouichi Fukiya Straw cap
US6565899B1 (en) 2000-05-19 2003-05-20 Al Louis Cecere Combination lollipop, drinking straw and beverage cap
CN2764256Y (en) 2005-01-10 2006-03-15 石正兵 Straw cap
US20060144955A1 (en) 2003-03-27 2006-07-06 Donald Farnsworth Novelty pump straw with combined display area and prize delivery system
WO2010127416A2 (en) 2009-05-05 2010-11-11 Christiaan Mattheus Cap for a drinking straw
US9812897B2 (en) 2013-05-05 2017-11-07 Juniper Networks, Inc. Apparatus, system, and method for providing power redundancy to a device designed to draw power from a single external power adapter

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2094268A (en) 1936-11-07 1937-09-28 Friedman Joseph Bernard Drinking tube
EP1095600A1 (en) 1999-10-29 2001-05-02 DEUTSCHE SISI-WERKE GmbH & Co. Betriebs KG Reclosable drinking straw
JP2001258713A (en) 2000-03-15 2001-09-25 Kouichi Fukiya Straw cap
US6565899B1 (en) 2000-05-19 2003-05-20 Al Louis Cecere Combination lollipop, drinking straw and beverage cap
US20060144955A1 (en) 2003-03-27 2006-07-06 Donald Farnsworth Novelty pump straw with combined display area and prize delivery system
CN2764256Y (en) 2005-01-10 2006-03-15 石正兵 Straw cap
WO2010127416A2 (en) 2009-05-05 2010-11-11 Christiaan Mattheus Cap for a drinking straw
US9812897B2 (en) 2013-05-05 2017-11-07 Juniper Networks, Inc. Apparatus, system, and method for providing power redundancy to a device designed to draw power from a single external power adapter

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20200060456A1 (en) * 2018-08-23 2020-02-27 Esther Ehizuelen Straw cap
US11039703B2 (en) * 2018-08-23 2021-06-22 Esther Ehizuelen Straw cap
US11712124B2 (en) 2021-01-08 2023-08-01 Yeti Coolers, Llc Lid assembly for a beverage container

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