A filtered drinking straw for providing on demand filtered drinking water is presented herein. The straw includes an elongated body defining a first end, a second end and an internal passage disposed there between. At least one filter is positioned within the internal passage of the body for reducing an amount of impurities that may be contained in the fluid as the fluid flows there through. The filter may include a core with a mix of granulated materials such as activated granulated carbon, chlorine grain, and zeolite. One or more retention structures may also be provided for retaining the filter within the body of the straw. The retention structure(s) include one or more internal projections, a mouth cap and/or end cap.

Disclosed herein is a drinking straw capable of meeting users' preferences. The drinking straw includes: a suction portion configured to be inserted into a container and to suck a beverage contained in the container, and including at least one suction hole configured to suck the beverage; an intake portion configured to be inserted into the mouth of a user and to allow the user to take in the beverage sucked into the suction portion through the suction operation of the user, and including a plurality of first intake holes configured to allow the beverage to be taken in; and a connection portion configured to connect the suction portion and the intake portion to each other so that the beverage sucked into the suction portion can move to the intake portion.

A filtered drinking straw for reducing the amount of impurities in an aqueous solution and method for using same. The straw comprises a tube having a passageway containing filtering medium and plugs positioned in the tube to keep the filter medium in the straw. The plugs permit passage of the aqueous solution therethrough but not the passage of the filter medium. A first filter medium comprises granular, activated carbon (GAC) and/or bone char to deodorize and absorb impurities, especially organic matter including nitrates and fluoride. The second filter medium is preferably in the form of fine metal strands formed into a batting. Such strands may be spun or woven from high purity zinc and copper alloy. The first plug is a standard plain plug comprising polyolefin plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene. The second plug is a carbon plug which could be impregnated with silver. The third plug is made with bactericidal, virucidal and fungicidal material.

A drinking straw device capable of ionizing, filtering, and/or flavoring water as well as tracking a user's water intake. The device may be generally straw-shaped and may have an ionizer component, an internal carbon filter, and/or a flavoring compartment for housing a flavoring component. The device may further have an intake tracking device, such as an internal impeller that spins as fluid is drawn through the device. The device may track the number of time the impeller spins, and thus the amount of fluid that has passed through the device, and may transmit that information to a software application on a smartphone or other device. A user may thus ionize, filter, and flavor his or her water while tracking his or her water intake throughout the day.

A novelty straw assembly has a first straw section and a second straw section. Both sections interconnect to a manifold. A diaphragm is coupled to the manifold, wherein the diaphragm expands and contracts with changes in pressure within the manifold. Linkage assemblies are moved by the diaphragm as the diaphragm expands and contracts. A toy with moving parts is mounted between the two straw sections. The moving parts are coupled to the linkage assemblies and are moved by the linkage assemblies as a person drinks through the novelty straw assembly.

A straw structure is provided. The straw structure includes a straw body, and the straw body has a first beveled edge at an opening of a bottom end of the straw body and a second beveled edge connected to a rear side of the first beveled edge. A puncturing end opening is formed at the first beveled edge and a side edge of the straw body, and the bottom end of the straw body has a beveled opening formed at the second beveled edge. The puncturing end opening is an acute angle that is less than 90 degrees, and a slope of the second beveled edge is greater than a slope of the first beveled edge.

A container system having an access portal is disclosed. The container system may contain a selected material for access and withdraw through the portal. The portal may be engaged in any appropriate manner, such as with the application of a vacuum or pouring out.

Tubular conduits are provided which have an outer surface and/or an inner surface functionalized with at least one antimicrobial peptide having the sequence X.sub.1X.sub.2WVX.sub.3IWVX.sub.4X.sub.5, wherein X.sub.1, X.sub.2, X.sub.3, X.sub.4 and X.sub.5 are independently selected from K and R and wherein each amino acid is independently in the D or L configuration, or a salt or solvate thereof. The tubular conduits are preferably made of biodegradable polymeric material. The functionalization of the tubular conduits with the at least one antimicrobial peptide prevents contamination caused by Gram negative bacteria, Gram positive bacteria, fungi, yeasts and/or viruses.

An apparatus may include a cylindrical member including a primary proximal end and a primary distal end. The apparatus may include a filter comprising a secondary proximal end and a secondary distal end, a filter cavity in fluid communication with the interior cavity of the cylindrical member, and a plurality of filter passages disposed upon a surface of the filter. The apparatus may include a pressure member radially extending from, and disposed about, at least a portion of the cylindrical member. The apparatus may include the pressure member comprising a disposable material disposed across a horizontal plane of the drinking vessel, an outer downward-facing lip, and an inner downward-facing lip, configured to allow for downward pressure.