DEVICE FOR EXTRACTING A STRAW FROM A CONTAINER

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (30) for extracting a straw (100) from a container (1) closed by a lid (3) and presenting an orifice (17). The device (30) comprises: a stopper (37) suitable for being attached to and detached from the lid (3) in order to close and open the orifice (17); and a body (31) connected to the stopper (37) and suitable for being inserted inside the container (1) through the orifice (17), and including: an abutment (35) on which a corrugated portion (105) of the straw (100) is suitable for resting when the stopper (37) is attached to the orifice (17), and which is suitable for entraining said corrugated portion (105) while the stopper (37) is being detached in order to extract the straw (100) from the container (1) through the orifice (17); and at least one opening (34) through which the straw (100) can be disengaged from the device (30) when the stopper (37) is detached from the lid (3).

Claims

1. A device for extracting a straw from a container having a rim that is closed by a lid crimped to said rim and presenting an orifice, wherein said device comprises: a stopper suitable for being attached to and detached from the lid in order to close and open the orifice, and a body connected to the stopper and suitable for passing through the orifice in order to be housed inside the container, and including: an abutment on which a corrugated portion of the straw is suitable for resting when the stopper is attached to the lid, and which is suitable for entraining said corrugated portion while the stopper is being detached in order to extract the straw from the container through the orifice; and at least one opening through which the straw can be disengaged from the device when the stopper is detached from the lid.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper and at least a portion of the body are formed as a single piece.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the body is formed integrally as a single piece.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the body has a tube portion inside which at least a fraction of the straw is suitable for being received when the stopper is attached to the lid.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the tube portion presents a constriction of its inside diameter, thereby defining the abutment.

6. A device according to claim 4, wherein the tube portion presents a side wall in which said at least one opening is formed.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the stopper presents an axis of symmetry of revolution.

8. A device according to claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the stopper presents an axis of symmetry of revolution and wherein the axis of the tube portion coincides with the axis of symmetry of revolution of said at least one portion of the stopper

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the body includes a resilient portion suitable for contracting elastically while the body is being inserted into the container through the orifice, and for expanding again elastically after said insertion in order to provide an abutment effect that opposes separation of the body and of the container when the stopper is detached.

10. A device according to claim 1, including a seal portion that is attached to the stopper on the outside of the lid, and that is suitable for being separated from the stopper in order to enable said stopper to be detached.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper has a flared portion that becomes larger on going away from the body.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper includes a notch suitable for co-operating with the edge of the orifice when the stopper is attached to the

13. A device according to claim 1, wherein the lid includes a push ring for punching out an opening zone provided in said lid, and the device is suitable for being received at least in part on the outside of the lid under the push ring.

14. A container including a rim closed by a lid crimped onto said rim and presenting an orifice; a straw housed inside the container; and a device according to claim 1, configured to extract said straw from the container through said orifice.

15. A method of fabricating a container, wherein the method comprises: a fabrication step for fabricating the lid, during which an orifice is pierced in the lid, an incorporation step for incorporated a straw and a device according to claim 1 with the lid, during which step the body and the straw are passed through the orifice, and the stopper is subsequently attached to the lid in order to close the orifice, and a crimping step for crimping the lid on a rim of the container in order to close said rim, which step may be performed before or after the incorporation step.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The accompanying drawings are diagrammatic and not to scale, seeking above all to illustrate the principles mentioned in the present description. In the accompanying drawings:

[0043] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container in accordance with the present description, before it has ever been opened by a consumer;

[0044] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the container;

[0045] FIG. 3 is a section view of the container on plane A-A shown in FIG. 2, with two details on a larger scale showing the extractor device integrated in the container;

[0046] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container, showing a first step in the process of extracting the straw, during which the push ring is pivoted to access the seal fraction of the straw extractor device;

[0047] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container showing a second step in the extraction process, during which the seal portion is separated from the stopper in order to detach the stopper;

[0048] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container showing a third step in the extraction process, during which the stopper is detached from the lid so as to enable the device and the straw to be extracted from the body, with the straw then being separated from the stopper;

[0049] FIG. 7 is a section view of the container on plane A-A shown in FIG. 2, showing the device and the straw during the third step of the extraction process, as shown in FIG. 6; and

[0050] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the container prior to incorporating the straw and the extractor device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0051] FIGS. 1 to 3 show a container 1 in accordance with the present description before it has ever been opened by a consumer.

[0052] In this embodiment, the container 1 is of the metal beverage can type. As is conventional, the container 1 comprises a lid 3 crimped onto a rim of the container 1 in order to close said rim. In particular, the rim corresponds to the free edge of a side wall 5 of the container 1, which edge is remote from the bottom 2 of the container, which bottom is often formed integrally with the side wall 5. The lid 3 has an opening zone 11 and a push ring 7 suitable for pivoting about a pin 9 secured of the lid 3 and suitable for being actuated to pop out the opening zone 11.

[0053] In this embodiment, the can is thus entirely identical to any conventional can, except that its lid 3 includes an orifice 17 (clearly visible in FIG. 8) that goes right through the lid 3 and thus passes right through the thickness of the lid 3. Specifically, compared with a conventional can, merely by adding this orifice 17, it becomes possible to incorporate a straw 100 and an extractor device 30 for extracting the straw in compliance with the teaching of the present description. In this embodiment, the orifice 17 is of circular section, so as to be easy to make, e.g. merely by piercing the lid 3.

[0054] In this embodiment (see in FIG. 3), the device 30 for extracting the straw 100 from the container 1 comprises a stopper 37 suitable for being attached to and detached from the lid 3 in order to close and open the orifice 17; and a body 31 connected to the stopper 37 and suitable for passing through the orifice 17 in order to be housed inside the container 1 for the purpose of co-operating with the straw 100, which straw is also suitable for passing through the orifice 17 in order to be housed inside the container 1.

[0055] Thus, when the container 1 has never been opened by a consumer, the stopper 37 is attached to the lid 3, the body 31 and the straw 100 both extending inside the container 1, being dipped at least in part in the liquid L contained in the container 1, and co-operating with each other. More particularly, the body 31 has an abutment 35 on which a corrugated portion 105 of the straw 100 is suitable for resting when the stopper 37 is attached to the lid 3.

[0056] In this embodiment, the body 31 has a tube portion suitable for receiving a fraction of the straw 100 (specifically the fraction of the straw including its corrugated portion 105 and its first end 103 that is to be taken to the consumer's mouth) while the stopper 37 is attached to the lid 3. In particular, the tube portion presents a constriction in its inside diameter, thereby defining the abutment 35. More particularly, the tube portion presents a bore within which this fraction of the straw 100 can be received, and a shoulder having the effect of locally reducing the inside diameter of the bore and of defining the abutment 35 on which the corrugated portion 105 rests. In this example, the abutment 35 restricts movements of the straw 100 both radially and axially relative to the abutment 35, such that the straw 100 is not free to move in any manner inside the container 1 whenever the container is moved. The abutment 35 in this embodiment thus acts as a kind of splint for the straw 100, serving as a guide for the straw while the stopper 37 is attached to the lid 3.

[0057] In this embodiment, the shoulder is rounded (as can be seen clearly in one of the two detailed enlargements shown in FIG. 3), so as to facilitate passing the straw 100 through it and so as to avoid having any sharp edge coming into contact with the corrugated portion 105.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inside diameter of the tube portion is designed to leave a small amount of clearance relative to the diameter of the straw 100 (e.g. clearance less than the diameter of the straw), so as to constrain the straw to maintain a configuration that can be said to be “straight” (as compared with a configuration that can be said to be “curved”), in which the corrugated portion 105 is compressed so that the two ends 101 and 103 of the straw 100 are in alignment with each other.

[0059] In this example, the stopper 37 has a working portion presenting an axis of symmetry of revolution, which axis coincides in particular with the axis defined by the tube portion of the body 31. More particularly, this working portion of the stopper 37 is frustoconical in shape (which constitutes a particular example of a flared portion), becoming larger on going away from the body 31 (axially away in this embodiment), or becoming narrower on going towards the lid 3 when the stopper 37 is attached to the lid. In addition, in order to further improve the clamping force between the stopper 37 and the lid 3, the stopper 37 is provided by way of example with a groove 39 (which is a particular example of a notch) suitable for co-operating with the edge of the orifice 17 when the stopper 37 is attached to the lid 3. In this embodiment, the tube portion of the body 31 is arranged to extend the stopper 37 axially.

[0060] In this embodiment (see in particular FIGS. 3 and 6), the body 31 includes at least one opening 34 through which the straw 100 can be disengaged from the device 30 when the stopper 37 is detached from the lid 3, as described below. In particular, in this embodiment, the tube portion presents a side wall in which this opening 34 is formed.

[0061] In this embodiment (see in particular FIG. 3), the body 31 has a resilient portion 33 suitable for contracting elastically during insertion of the body 31 into the container 1 through the orifice 17 and of expanding again elastically to its initial shape after being inserted. In particular, this resilient portion 33 projects from the tube portion. Still more particularly, this resilient portion 33 is defined by a resilient collar that flares towards the lid 3, when the stopper 37 is attached thereto.

[0062] In this embodiment, the device 30 has a seal portion 60, which is attached to the stopper 37 on the outside of the lid 3, and which is suitable for being separated from the stopper 37 in order to enable said stopper 37 to be detached. More particularly, the seal portion 60 and the stopper 37 are attached to each other by means of breakable bridges (clearly visible in dashed lines in FIG. 2), so as to provide a non-permanent connection between the seal portion 60 and the stopper 37 that can easily be broken in order to separate them from each other.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the seal portion 60 has a tongue that can be handled from the outside of the lid 3 so as to make it easier to separate the seal portion 60 from the stopper 37. Similarly, in this embodiment, the stopper 37 also has a tongue 43 that can be handled from the outside of the lid 3 so as to make it easier to detach the stopper 37 from the lid 3. These two tongues are clearly visible in dashed lines in FIG. 2, and also in FIG. 5, as described below.

[0064] In this embodiment, the device 30 is made integrally as a single piece. Thus, the body 31 is made integrally as a single piece together with the stopper 37. In particular, in this embodiment, the stopper 37 and the body 31 are made by molding, in particular by injection molding. The seal portion 60 is made by being overmolded onto the stopper 37, in particular so as to enable it to be made out of a material that is more rigid than the material of the stopper 37 and of the body 31. Nevertheless, provision could be made to use any other method of fabricating the extraction device without going beyond the ambit of the present description, and in particular any other method of working thermoformable materials or any other method of working the other material under consideration, or each of them.

[0065] Furthermore, the stopper 37 and the body 31 may be made of inert rubbery material (e.g. a material of the type used for making stoppers for laboratory test tubes), or any other material having analogous physiochemical characteristics. By way of non-limiting example, it is thus possible to envisage using synthetic or natural rubber (which is very elastic, thereby guaranteeing good sealing and adhesion for the stopper 37, which presents good ability to withstand the chemical agents commonly used in a laboratory, and which can withstand temperatures at least over the range −25° C. to +70° C. (+120° in a wet atmosphere)); silicone (which in addition to the above-mentioned characteristics provides a greater temperature range (capable of withstanding temperatures at least over the range −70° C. to +200° C.)); cellulose; polyethylene; etc. . . . .

[0066] In this embodiment, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the device is suitable for being received at least in part on the outside of the lid 3 under the push ring 7 in its initial “ex-factory” position, before the consumer takes hold of the container 1 in order to extract the straw 100.

[0067] Such a process of extracting the straw 100 comprises a first step, as shown in FIG. 4, during which the push ring 7 is pivoted about the pin 9 in order to give the consumer access to the seal portion 60 of the device 30. In this implementation, the location of the orifice 17 and the shape of the seal portion 60 are such that it is necessary to turn through about one-fourth of a turn in order to access the seal portion 60. Nevertheless, without going beyond the ambit of the present description, it would be possible to use any other configuration, in which the turn angle is less than or greater than one-fourth of a turn, or indeed in which such an angle is unnecessary (thus indicating that this first step is optional). For example, the presence of the push ring 7 and of the opening zone 11 as conventionally provided is optional in order to be able to extract the straw in the present implementation. The push ring 7 and the opening zone 11 could then be omitted when fabricating the container, without going beyond the ambit of the present description. In this implementation, they are present solely because of the desire to modify as little as possible the method of fabrication that is conventionally implemented and that has withstood the test of time for many years, so as to minimize the impact of incorporating the straw and its extraction device on the cost of fabricating the container.

[0068] After this first step of the extraction process, a second step is performed in the present implementation, as shown in FIG. 5, during which the seal portion 60 is separated from the stopper 37. To do this, in this implementation, the consumer can pull on the tongue of the seal portion 60 so as to break the breakable bridges connecting the seal portion 60 in non-permanent manner to the stopper 37. The consumer can then have direct access to a projecting portion 41 of the stopper 37 on the outside of the lid 3, which portion is extended by the tongue 43 of the stopper 37. It is recalled at this point that incorporating a seal portion 60 is optional, such as this second step is likewise optional.

[0069] After this second step of the extraction process, a third step is performed in the present implementation, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, during which the stopper 37 is detached from the lid 3 so as to enable the body 31 of the device 30 and the straw 100 to be extracted. In particular, the abutment 35 of the body 31 is suitable for entraining the corrugated portion 105 of the straw 100 while the stopper 37 is being detached, so as to extract the straw 100 from the container 1 through the orifice 17. Thereafter, the straw 100 is separated from the stopper 37 through the opening 34.

[0070] In this embodiment, the stopper 37 and the body 31 are made of inert rubbery material or of any other material having analogous physiochemical characteristics. In this embodiment, the tube portion presents a predetermined zone at the opening 34 that is suitable for flexing so as to make it easy for the consumer to separate from the device 30 the end 103 of the straw 100 that is to come into contact with the user's mouth. During this separation, or subsequently, the straw 100 may be curved by bending its corrugated portion 105, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0071] In this embodiment, when the stopper 37 is detached, the resilient portion 33 of the body 31 is deployed and configured to oppose separation of the body 31 from the container 1 by an abutment effect, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, once the consumer has finished drinking with the straw but the container 1 still contains beverage, the consumer can reclose the orifice 17 by performing the steps of the above-described extraction method in the reverse order. In particular, the consumer can begin by recompressing the corrugated portion 105 of the straw 100 so that it returns to its “straight” configuration; thereafter the end 103 of the straw can be put back into the body 31 of the device through the opening 34; the body 31 together with the straw can then be put back into the inside of the container 1 by passing them through the orifice 17; and finally the orifice 17 can be reclosed with the stopper 37. In this embodiment, the consumer can subsequently distinguish this container that has already been opened at least once from a new container, because the already-opened container no longer has the seal portion 60, unlike the new container.

[0073] Furthermore, in order to fabricate a container 1 in accordance with the present embodiment integrating a straw 100 and its extractor device 30, it is possible to start from a conventional fabrication method including a step of fabricating the lid 3 in a manner that is conventional, except insofar as the method includes piercing the lid 3 in order to make the orifice 17; followed by a step of incorporated the straw 100 and the device 30 with the lid 3 (which straw and device may both be fabricated separately, independently of fabricating the container), during which step the body 31 and the straw 100 are passed through the orifice 17, and the stopper 37 is subsequently attached to the lid in order to close the orifice 17; and finally a step of crimping the lid 3 to a rim of the container 1 in order to close said rim. Nevertheless, without going beyond the ambit of the present description, it is possible to perform the above-mentioned incorporation and crimping steps in the opposite order, should it be more appropriate to integrate the straw 100 and the extraction device 30 with the container 1 only after the lid 3 has already been crimped.

[0074] The embodiments and implementations described in the present description are given purely by way of non-limiting illustration, and in the light of this description, a person skilled in the art can easily modify these embodiments or implementations, or can envisage others, while remaining within the scope of the invention.

[0075] Furthermore, the various characteristics of these embodiments or implementations can be used singly or in combination with one another. When they are combined, these characteristics may be combined as described above, or in other ways, the invention not being limited to the specific combinations described in the present description. In particular, unless specified to the contrary, any characteristic described with reference to any one embodiment or implementation of the invention may be applied in analogous manner to any other embodiment or implementation.