The present invention relates to a novelty and educational drinking instrument for human beverage consumption consisting of a series of interlocking, interchangeable or inter-connectable three-dimensional receptacles of varying shapes, sizes, colors, materials and exterior or interior coatings. Each receptacle has at least one connector of a predetermined size and shape that will couple and decouple from another receptacle. Further, each receptacle individually and multiple receptacles coupled together will form an elongated cavity, allowing liquid to be drawn through it from a beverage container or multiple beverage containers to an end consumer. The multiple receptacles link together via their respective connectors to spell out words, phrases, symbols, numbers or combinations of for use as a drinking instrument.

Apparatus and methods for manufacturing compostable, biodegradable drink straws from polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material are disclosed herein. Such apparatus may include a hopper that contains raw PHA material, an extruder that receives the raw PHA material from the hopper and produces extruded PHA material, one or more waters baths that cool the extruded PHA material, a puller that pulls a tubular stream of PHA material through the system, and a cutter that is configured to cut the stream of PHA material into finished straws. The finished straws may be soil- and marine-biodegradable, as well as home- and industrial-compostable.

Apparatus and methods for manufacturing compostable, biodegradable drink straws from polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material are disclosed herein. Such apparatus may include a hopper that contains raw PHA material, an extruder that receives the raw PHA material from the hopper and produces extruded PHA material, one or more waters baths that cool the extruded PHA material, a puller that pulls a tubular stream of PHA material through the system, and a cutter that is configured to cut the stream of PHA material into finished straws. The finished straws may be soil- and marine-biodegradable, as well as home- and industrial-compostable.

A flexible paper straw includes a paper tube which is a spiral tube having a tube wall with at least two layers and formed by using glue and paper material while the paper material is paper sheet material having at least two layers of paper, a first layer of paper and a second layer of paper; and a compressed corrugated portion which is a circular tube having parallel ridges and grooves on longitudinal sections thereof, formed on the tube wall of a part of the paper tube with a certain length and able to be bent freely.

A flexible paper straw includes a paper tube which is a spiral tube having a tube wall with at least two layers and formed by using glue and paper material while the paper material is paper sheet material having at least two layers of paper, a first layer of paper and a second layer of paper; and a compressed corrugated portion which is a circular tube having parallel ridges and grooves on longitudinal sections thereof, formed on the tube wall of a part of the paper tube with a certain length and able to be bent freely.

Provided are improved drinking straws comprising an integrated device providing an anti-outflow capability, methods for their use, and processes for their manufacture. Specifically, the drinking straw is formed substantially of a cellulosic material and wherein the drinking straw and the device providing the anti-outflow capability comprising a flexible flap having a fixed end affixed to an interior surface of a sidewall of the drinking straw, and a part of the flexible flap obscuring an inlet orifice passing through the sidewall adjacent to the flexible flap and forming a liquid tight seal when a reduced pressure condition exists within the interior flow passage of the drinking straw.

Provided are improved drinking straws comprising an integrated device providing an anti-outflow capability, methods for their use, and processes for their manufacture. Specifically, the drinking straw is formed substantially of a cellulosic material and wherein the drinking straw and the device providing the anti-outflow capability comprising a flexible flap having a fixed end affixed to an interior surface of a sidewall of the drinking straw, and a part of the flexible flap obscuring an inlet orifice passing through the sidewall adjacent to the flexible flap and forming a liquid tight seal when a reduced pressure condition exists within the interior flow passage of the drinking straw.

A drinking vessel comprising a drinking container comprising an interior, a drinking attachment comprising a bottom wall and a drinking element, which protrudes upwards from the bottom wall and which has at least one drinking opening on the outer end, which is connected to the interior via a passage channel, which extends through the drinking element, holding devices for releasably holding the drinking attachment on the drinking container, a drinking valve arranged in the passage channel, which closes when ambient pressure is present at the drinking opening, and which opens when a suction underpressure is present at the drinking opening, characterized in that the drinking valve comprises a tube, which is open on the top and closed on the bottom, which, in a wall, has at least one flow-through opening, which connects the inside of the tube to the outside of the tube, wherein the wall of the tube, at least in the area of the flow-through opening, is formed as a soft elastic diaphragm, and when ambient pressure is present at the drinking opening, the tube abuts with the outer rim of the flow-through opening on the wall of the passage channel so as to form a seal and, when a suction underpressure is present at the drinking opening, the diaphragm bulges inwards, so that the outer rim of the flow-through opening moves away from the wall of the passage channel.

A drinking vessel comprising a drinking container comprising an interior, a drinking attachment comprising a bottom wall and a drinking element, which protrudes upwards from the bottom wall and which has at least one drinking opening on the outer end, which is connected to the interior via a passage channel, which extends through the drinking element, holding devices for releasably holding the drinking attachment on the drinking container, a drinking valve arranged in the passage channel, which closes when ambient pressure is present at the drinking opening, and which opens when a suction underpressure is present at the drinking opening, characterized in that the drinking valve comprises a tube, which is open on the top and closed on the bottom, which, in a wall, has at least one flow-through opening, which connects the inside of the tube to the outside of the tube, wherein the wall of the tube, at least in the area of the flow-through opening, is formed as a soft elastic diaphragm, and when ambient pressure is present at the drinking opening, the tube abuts with the outer rim of the flow-through opening on the wall of the passage channel so as to form a seal and, when a suction underpressure is present at the drinking opening, the diaphragm bulges inwards, so that the outer rim of the flow-through opening moves away from the wall of the passage channel.

The present invention relates to biodegradable and compostable granules consisting of natural ingredients comprising starch and thickening and gelling agents and does not comprise bioplastics. According to the invention, the granules are used for producing biodegradable and preferably compostable products and articles of daily use. The present invention also relates to methods for producing the granules according to the invention, as well as methods for producing different products by using the granules according to the invention.