DRINKING STRAW

Abstract

A reusable drinking straw has a metal tubular body with a first cylindrical segment at one free end, a second cylindrical segment at the opposite free end and a corrugated segment between the first and second segments. The cross-section of the opening of the drinking end is smaller than the cross-section of the tubular body and is preferably oval-shaped.

Claims

1. A drinking straw, comprising a tubular base body of metallic material, which has a first cylindrical segment at one free end and a second cylindrical segment at the other free end, wherein a third segment formed as a corrugated tube is arranged between the first segment and the second segment, wherein the first segment, the second segment and the third segment are made of the same material and formed in one piece and wherein the free end formed from the first segment forms a drinking opening, wherein the cross-section of the drinking opening is smaller than the cross-section of the base body.

2. The drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the drinking opening is provided with a rounded edge.

3. The drinking straw according to claim 2, wherein the free end of the drinking opening is bent inward.

4. The drinking straw according to claim 3, wherein the free end of the drinking opening is shaped in the form of a quarter circle.

5. The drinking straw according to claim 4, wherein the radius of the quarter circle is between 0.2 mm and 1 mm.

6. The drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the wall thickness of the base body is between 0.15 mm and 0.3 mm.

7. The drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the drinking opening is oval-shaped.

8. The drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the base body is formed of stainless steel.

9. The drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the third segment is produced by compressing or rolling.

10. The drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the outer diameter of the first segment is between 5 mm and 15 mm.

11. The drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of outer diameter of the third segment to outer diameter of the first segment and the second segment is between 1.1 and 1.75.

12. The drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the inner diameter of the third segment to the inner diameter of the first segment and the second segment is between 0.75 and 1.5.

13. The drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the third segment has between 10 and 15 radially outward protruding projections.

14. The drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of outer diameter of the third segment to outer diameter of the first segment and the second segment is between 0.9 and 1.1.

15. The drinking straw according to claim 14, wherein the ratio of the inner diameter of the third segment to the inner diameter of the first segment and the second segment is between 0.5 and 0.9.

Description

[0017] Some embodiments of the drinking straw according to the invention are explained below by means of the figures. The figures show, each schematically:

[0018] FIG. 1 a drinking straw with a larger diameter;

[0019] FIG. 2 the drinking straw according to FIG. 1 with modified drinking opening;

[0020] FIG. 3 an alternatively designed drinking straw with a smaller diameter;

[0021] FIG. 4 an alternatively designed drinking straw with a rounded drinking opening.

[0022] The figures show a drinking straw 1, comprising a tubular base body 2 made of metallic material, here made of stainless steel. The base body 2 has a first cylindrical segment 3 at one free end and a second cylindrical segment 4 at the other free end. Between the first segment 3 and the second segment 4, there is a third segment 5 formed as a corrugated tube.

[0023] The first segment 3, the second segment 4 and the third segment 5 are made of the same material and formed in one piece.

[0024] In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the third segment 5 is created by compression. Due to the compression, the ratio of the outer diameter of the third segment 5 to the outer diameters of the first segment 3 and the second segment 4 is 1.5.

[0025] The outer diameter of the first segment 3 and the second segment 4 is 8 mm for the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, the outer diameter of the third segment 5 is 12 mm.

[0026] For the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the ratio of the inner diameter of the third segment 5 to the inner diameter of the first segment 3 and the second segment 4 is 1. The inner diameter of the three segments 3, 4, 5 is 7.6 mm. This results in a wall thickness of the base body 2 of 0.2 mm. The third segment 5 has 12 radially outwardly protruding, essentially semi-circular projections 6, which form a corrugated tube. FIG. 1 shows in the lower illustration the drinking straw 1 in top view and shows in the upper illustration in detail an enlargement of the third segment 5.

[0027] With regard to the dimensions, the embodiment according to FIG. 2 is based on the embodiment according to FIG. 1. The embodiment according to FIG. 2 has a drinking opening 7 at the free end. The cross-section of the drinking opening 7 differs from the cross-section of the base body 2 and is smaller. In this embodiment, the drinking opening 7 is oval-shaped, i.e. flattened compared to the cylindrical base body 2. With a diameter of 8 mm, the cross-sectional area of the first segment 3 is about 50 mm.sup.2. In the case of ovalization, where one half axis has a length of 4 mm and the other half axis a length of 2 mm, the cross-sectional area is only 25 mm.sup.2. FIG. 2 shows three views of drinking straw 1, with the upper illustration showing the drinking straw 1 in side view, the middle illustration showing the drinking straw 1 in top view and the lower illustration showing the drinking straw 1 in spatial view.

[0028] For the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the ratio of the inner diameter of the third segment 5 to the inner diameter of the first segment 3 and the second segment 4 is 0.86. The inner diameter of the first segment 3 and the second segment 4 is 3 mm. Thus, the inner diameter of the third segment 5 is 2.6 mm. The wall thickness of the base body 2 is 0.2 mm. The third segment 5 has an inwardly protruding projection 6 in the form of a helical line which forms a corrugated tube. The projection 6 is produced by rolling on a thread roller. FIG. 3 shows in the lower illustration the drinking straw 1 in the top view and in the upper illustration in detail an enlargement of the third segment 5.

[0029] For the embodiment according to FIG. 4, the drinking opening 7 is provided with a rounded edge. For this, the free end of the drinking opening 7 is bent inward and is shaped in the form of a quarter circle. The radius of the quarter circle is 0.5 mm. This design results in a more comfortable use. It can be avoided that the drinking straw has a sharp edge on the side of the drinking opening 7. The outer diameter of the first segment 3 and the second segment 4 is 8 mm for the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, the outer diameter of the third segment 5 is 12 mm. The ratio of the inner diameter of the third segment 5 to the inner diameter of the first segment 3 and the second segment 4 is 1. The inner diameter of the three segments 3, 4, 5 is 7.6 mm. This results in a wall thickness of the base body 2 of 0.2 mm. The third segment 5 has 12 radially outwardly protruding, essentially semi-circular projections 6, which form a corrugated tube.