WO2022260507A1

WO2022260507A1 - Reusable drinking straw

Info

Publication number: WO2022260507A1
Application number: PCT/NL2021/050373
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gilles HEYBROEK
Original assignee: Brandpremiums B.V.
Priority date: 2021-06-11
Filing date: 2021-06-11
Publication date: 2022-12-15

Abstract

The invention relates to a drinking straw (1) that is machine washable at its inside comprising a tubular body (2) with a first opening at a distal end and a second opening at a proximal end to allow a fluid to flow through the tubular body from the first to the second opening when a suction force is exerted at the proximal end whereby the tubular body has an opening (7) in its wall and in that the drinking straw further comprises an insert (9) for airtight closing the opening in the wall.

Description

REUSABLE DRINKING STRAW The present invention relates to a drinking straw according to the preamble of claim 1. More in particular, the present inven tion relates to a dishwasher cleanable reusable drinking straw.

It is known in the art to use drinking straws. Such known drinking straw provides a possibility to a user to drink a liquid in small amounts or to prevent a liquid to reach the teeth when drinking the liquid.

Drinking straws generally are made of cheap and thin, food grade plastics and are disposed of after the user has finished her or his drink. A disadvantage of known thin plastic drinking straws is their environmental impact since they are disposed of after single use. This obviously leads to an immense amount of waste. Most of it is disposed of in landfill but part of these plastic drinking straws is lost and pollutes the environment especially when used on terrace and other outdoor environments. Due to their low weight the wind simply carries them along.

A newer development consists of drinking straws made from a reusable material, for example metal, bamboo and glass. These re usable drinking straws suffer from lack of ease of cleaning. A dedicated brush must be used for manually cleaning the inside of these drinking straws. Machine washing is not possible. It has shown that users often only rinse these reusable drinking straws, leaving food and drink residues inside the drinking straw that form a growth medium for bacteria. Even when these reusable drink ing straws are placed in a dishwasher, the inside is not freed from food and drink residues.

The invention aims at providing an improved drinking straw of the kind mentioned in the preamble.

The invention further aims at providing an alternative drink ing straw. The invention especially aims to provide a drinking straw that cannot be lost when using it outdoors.

Also, the invention aims to provide a drinking straw that can be cleaned easily and efficiently in a dish washer.

Furthermore, the invention aims to provide a drinking straw that is safe for children.

So as to obtain at least one of the above mentioned aims, the invention provides a drinking straw as mentioned in claim 1. This drinking straw has the advantage that it can be reused after thor ough cleaning, in a dishwasher where no physical interaction with any dirt or stains by a person is performed. Such effect is ob tained by the opening in the side wall of the tubular body, which allows cleaning liquid from a dishwasher to enter every part of the tubular body. In addition, the insert can be cleaned easily and thoroughly in a dishwasher as well.

The drinking straw is made up of a tubular body and an in sert. Hence, the total weight of the drinking straw is higher than that of regular state of the art drinking straws that are made of thin walled plastic. As a result, the weight of the drinking straw according to the present invention is too high for the wind to carry it along, even at high wind speeds above the ones one would consider drinking or eating outdoors, like on a terrace. Such syn- ergistic effect is an advantageous effect.

The invention therefore relates to a drinking straw compris ing a tubular body with a first opening at a distal end and a sec ond opening at a proximal end to allow a fluid to flow through the tubular body from the first to the second opening when a suction force is exerted at the proximal end, the drinking straw being characterized in that the tubular body has an opening in its wall and in that the drinking straw further comprises an insert for airtight closing the opening in the wall. The insert is easily and quickly removable from and insertable into the opening in the tub- ular body, within a second. It therefore is very easy and comfort able for a user to use and to clean the drinking straw according to the present invention.

According to a preferred embodiment, the tubular body has an inside that is surrounded by the wall and an outside that is at the wall's other side, and wherein the insert is embodied to be inserted in the opening from the outside. Such makes it easy for a user to place the insert when he intends the drinking straw for drinking a liquid. Furthermore, since the user exerts a suction pressure on the drinking straw's inside, the insert is pressed against the outer wall of the tubular body, increasing the air tight sealing of the drinking straw to the outside environment. According to another preferred embodiment, the insert is made of an elastically compressible material and has a central body that is positioned substantially level with and between side edges of the opening, a top body part at a first side of the central body and that extends outside the circumference of the central body, and a bottom body part at a second side of the central body and that extends outside the circumference of the central body, with the proviso that the bottom body part is positioned at the inside of the tubular body when in use. In this embodiment, the top body part and the bottom body part each have an outer circum- ference that extends outside the inner circumference of the open ing in the wall of the tubular body. Such drinking straw provides the advantageous effect that an optimal sealing of the opening is obtained such that no false air is sucked in when a vacuum pres sure is applied to the inside of the drinking straw for drinking a liquid. According to a specific embodiment, all or part of the central body and the bottom body part may gradually merge into each other.

According to still another preferred embodiment, the insert is made of an elastically compressible material and has a central or main body that is positioned substantially level with and be tween side edges of the opening and a top body part at a first side of the central body and that extends outside the circumfer ence of the central body, with the proviso that the outer circum ference of the central body part is larger than the inner circum- ference of the opening in the wall of the tubular body. Such em bodiment ensures that the central body is easily inserted in the opening in the wall whereas still a good sealing of the opening in the wall is obtained.

In this embodiment, it is especially preferred for the cen- tral body to be press fit into the opening in the wall of the tub ular body part, providing an air tight closure.

A long lasting and environmentally friendly drinking straw is obtained when the tubular body is made of a metal or a metal al loy. Also, the metal provides the additional advantageous effect that the insert can be inserted into the opening multiple times without damaging the tubular body. The insert is preferably made of an elastically compressible material, preferably a polymer material, for example an EPDM rub ber, fluorocarbon rubber, neoprene rubber, nitrile rubber or sili cone rubber. These materials are food grade and suitable for ma chine wash. Also, it is preferred for the tubular body and the insert that they both are made of a food grade material.

As a matter of fact, it is preferred that the tubular body is machine washable, regardless of the material it is made of.

It is also preferred that the insert is machine washable, re- gardless of the material it is made of. In the present descrip tion, the term machine washable relates to both cleaning at the outside and the inside of the tubular body and the outside of the insert.

The tubular body should have a sufficient strength and never- theless must be easily cleanable in a dishwasher. Such conditions are met by means of a drinking straw according to the invention, wherein the opening in the wall of the tubular body extends over at least 60% of the length of the tubular body, preferably at least 70% of the length of the tubular body, more preferably at least 80% of the length of the tubular body.

The tubular body has a length and a circumference. So as to provide an easy possibility to clean the tubular body it is pre ferred that the opening is sufficiently wide to allow cleaning wa ter of a dishwasher reach all inner parts or the tubular body. To that end, it is preferred that the opening in the wall of the tub ular body extends over maximally 180° in the circumferential di rection, preferably over maximally 140° in the circumferential di rection, more preferably over maximally 120° in the circumferen tial direction, still more preferably over maximally 100° in the circumferential direction. A manufacturer is easily capable of choosing the required wall dimensions to manufacture a sufficient ly strong tubular body. A preferred embodiment of the drinking straw has a tubular body with a substantially circular opening at the proximal end and a substantially circular opening at the distal end. This allows for a thorough flow of liquid when placed in a dishwasher and, as a result, an optimum cleaning efficiency. More in particular, it is preferred that the flow-through area of the tubular body at the proximal end and the distal end are constant from the said proxi mal end and distal end to the opening in the wall of the tubular body. This ensures an optimum flow of cleaning liquid in the dish- washer and thus an optimum cleaning. Preferably, the length of the closed part of the tubular body from either end to the opening in the wall of the body, is preferably less than 6 times the diameter of the tubular body near either end, preferably less than five times, more preferably less than four times or even less than three times the diameter. As a matter of fact, the length of the proximal end should be such to allow for sufficient space for a user to play his or her lips around the tubular body.

The invention also relates to the parts as such that make up the drinking straw according to the invention. As a result, the invention also relates to the tubular body for use in the drinking straw as mentioned above and in the claims, comprising a first opening at a distal end and a second opening at a proximal end, further comprising an opening in its wall for receiving an insert for airtight closing the opening in the wall. The proximal end is embodied for positioning between the lips of a user, whereas the distal end is embodied for placing in the drink to be drunk.

According to a further embodiment, the invention therefore also relates to the insert for use in the drinking straw as men tioned above and in the claims, wherein the insert comprises a distinctive feature to distinguish the insert for a user specified purpose or a use specified purpose. For example, the insert may be provided with the name of the user of the brand name of the drink. Also, the insert may be provided in several distinctive colors or color schemes, such that an owner may easily recognizes his or hers.

Finally, the invention also relates to a set of inserts for use in a drinking straw according to the invention, wherein at least one of said inserts comprises a distinctive feature with re spect to at least one other of said inserts.

Hereafter, the invention will be further described by means of a drawing. The drawing shows in:

Fig. 1 the drinking straw according to the present invention,

Fig. 2 the drinking straw according to the present invention in an exploded view,

Fig. 3 a tubular body for use in the drinking straw according to the invention,

Fig. 4 a side view of the insert for use in the drinking straw according to the invention,

Fig. 5 a side view from a longitudinal end of the insert,

Fig. 6 a sectional view through the drinking straw of Fig. 1. The same and similar parts and features have been denoted by the same reference numerals in the figures. However, for ease of understanding the figures, not all parts that are required for a practical embodiment have been shown in the figures. Fig. 1 shows a drinking straw 1 according to the invention in a perspective view. The drinking straw 1 consists of a tubular body 2 and an insert 9. In Fig. 1 the insert 9 is inserted into an opening 7 in a wall 8 of the tubular body 2.

Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of the drinking straw 1 according to Fig. 1, exposing the opening 7 in the side wall 8 of the tubular body 2 and the insert 9.

Fig. 3 shows a tubular body 2 for use in the drinking straw according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The tubular body 2 has a first opening 3 at a distal end 4 and a second opening 5 at a proximal end 6 to allow a fluid to flow through the tubular body 2 from the first 3 to the second opening 5 when a suction force is exerted at the proximal end 6. The tubular body 2 has an opening 7 in its wall 8. The drinking straw 1 according to the invention further comprises an insert 9 for airtight closing the opening 7 in the wall 8.

The tubular body 2 has an inside 10 that is surrounded by the wall 8 and an outside 11 that is at the wall's other side. The insert 9 as shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 is embodied to be inserted in the opening 7 from the outside 11.

The insert 9 is preferably made of an elastically compressi ble material and has a central body 12, clearly visible in Fig. 3 that is positioned substantially level with and between side edges 13, 14, 15, 16 of the opening 7. As a matter of fact, the side edges 13, 14, 15, 16 are continuous wall sections that merge into one another. The insert 9 further has a top body part 17 at a first side of the central body 12, the circumferential edge 18 of which extends outside the circumference 19 of the central body 12, and a bottom body part 20 at a second side of the central body 12, the circumferential edge 21 of which extends outside the circum ference 19 of the central body 12. The bottom body part 20 is po sitioned at the inside 10 of the tubular body 2 when in use.

A preferred embodiment consists of a tubular body 2 with an inner diameter of 7 mm, a length of 191 mm, and a length of the opening in the wall of the tubular body of 160 mm. The closed cir cumferential parts at the proximal end has a length of about 18 mm whereas the distal end of the tubular body 2 has a length of about 13 mm. Stainless steel with a wall thickness of 0.5 mm provides a sufficient strength to the tubular body.

Fig. 4 shows a side view along the longitudinal direction of the insert 9. The top body part 17 and its circumferential edge 18 are clearly visible, as well as an edge 22 of the bottom body part 20.

Fig. 5 shows aside view from a longitudinal end of the insert 9, wherein the top body part and bottom body part are clearly dis tinguishable, as well as the central body 12

In Fig. 6 a sectional view through the insert and tubular body of Fig. 1 is shown. Here also, the top body part and bottom body part are distinguishable, as well as the central body 12. It is clear that these material parts merge into each other and that the insert 9 is embodied as a single body.

The invention also relates to all combinations of features and items described here independently of each other.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments as mentioned above and as shown in the drawings. The invention is limited by the claims only.

Claims

C L A IM S

1. A drinking straw comprising a tubular body with a first opening at a distal end and a second opening at a proximal end to allow a fluid to flow through the tubular body from the first to the sec ond opening when a suction force is exerted at the proximal end, characterized in that the tubular body has an opening in its wall and in that the drinking straw further comprises an insert for airtight closing the opening in the wall.

2. A drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the tubular body has an inside that is surrounded by the wall and an outside that is at the wall's other side, and wherein the insert is embodied to be inserted in the opening from the outside.

3. A drinking straw according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the insert is made of an elastically compressible material and has a central body that is positioned substantially level with and between side edges of the opening, a top body part at a first side of the cen tral body and that extends outside the circumference of the cen tral body, and a bottom body part at a second side of the central body and that extends outside the circumference of the central body, with the proviso that the bottom body part is positioned at the inside of the tubular body when in use.

4. A drinking straw according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the insert is made of an elastically compressible material and has a central body that is positioned substantially level with and between side edges of the opening and a top body part at a first side of the central body and that extends outside the circumference of the central body, with the proviso that the outer circumference of the central body part is larger than the inner circumference of the opening in the wall of the tubular body.

5. A drinking straw according to claim 4, wherein the central body part is press fit into the opening in the wall of the tubular body part providing an air tight closure.

6. A drinking straw according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the tubular body is made of a metal or a metal alloy.

7. A drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the insert is made of an elastically compressible material, preferably a polymer material, for example an EPDM rubber, fluoro carbon rubber, neo prene rubber, nitrile rubber or silicone rubber.

8. A drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the tubular body and the insert are made of a food grade material.

9. A drinking straw according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the tubular body is machine washable.

10. A drinking straw according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the insert is machine washable.

11. A drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the opening in the wall extends over at least 60% of the length of the tubular body, preferably at least 70% of the length of the tubular body, more preferably at least 80% of the length of the tubular body.

12. A drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the opening in the wall of the tubular body extends over maximally 180° in the circumferential direction, preferably over maximally 140° in the circumferential direction, more preferably over maximally 120° in the circumferential direction, still more preferably over maximal ly 100° in the circumferential direction.

13. A tubular body for use in a drinking straw according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a first opening at a distal end and a second opening at a proximal end, further comprising an opening in its wall for receiving an insert for airtight closing the opening in the wall.

14. An insert for use in a drinking straw according to any of claims 1 - 10, wherein the insert comprises a distinctive feature to distinguish the insert for a user specified purpose or a use specified purpose.

15. A set of inserts for use in a drinking straw according to any of claims 1 - 10, wherein at least one of said inserts comprises a distinctive feature with respect to at least one other of said in serts.