LIP-PUCKER AVOIDING DRINKING STRAW

Abstract

A lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw providing a tubular body defining an elongated central opening for the flow of liquid without requiring puckering or pursing of the user's lips. The tubular body and elongated opening have a substantially round sectional profile at a distal end meant to be placed into a container of liquid, and a substantially flat-oval sectional profile at a proximal end meant to be placed between the user's lips and to be accommodated by the user's lips without requiring puckering or pursing of the lips. The sectional profile of the elongated opening changes from a round profile at the distal end and through most of the tube body to a flat oval profile at the proximal end segment, with the change of profile occurring at a connecting segment downstream of the proximal end. The sectional area of the elongated opening in the proximal part is greater than the sectional area at the distal part and through most of the tube body, providing an advantageous difference in liquid pressure at the connecting part. An optional bending segment can be provided to provide a bend in the tubular body.

Claims

1. A drinking straw device, comprising a tubular body defining an elongated central opening therethrough and having a main body part defining a distal end and a widened proximal part defining a widened proximate end, wherein the main body part has a circular cross section, and the proximal part has a flat oval cross section, and wherein the proximal part has a pre-determined length extending from the proximate end toward the main body part, and wherein the proximal part has a uniform cross-section along its length.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the length of the proximal part is between 5% and 25% of the total length of the tubular body.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the proximal part is formed by a pair of opposing flat walls joined by arcuate wall segments.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein a distance between the flat walls defines height of the proximate part, and wherein said height is smaller than diameter of the central opening in the main body part.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the height of the proximal part is between 30% and 60% of the diameter of the central opening of the main body part.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the tubular body has a connecting part unitary connected to and positioned between the main body part and the proximal part, the connecting part comprising outwardly extending sidewalls.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the tubular body comprises a bent part unitary connected to and positioned downstream of the proximal part.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said bent part is positioned downstream of the connecting part.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the proximal part has a pre-determined width, which is greater than the width of the main body part.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the proximal part is configured to define a widened outlet periphery which allows a user to form a seal around the periphery, when drinking a liquid, without puckering the user's lips.

11. A method for drinking a liquid, comprising the steps of: (i) providing a drinking straw comprising a tubular body defining an elongated central opening therethrough and having a main body part with a distal end and a widened proximal part with a proximate end, wherein the main body part has a circular cross section, and the proximal part has a flat oval cross section, and wherein the proximal part has a pre-determined length extending between the proximate end toward the main body part, wherein said proximal part has a uniform cross-section along its length; (ii) placing the distal end of the tubular body in a container with liquid; (iii) placing user's lips around the proximate end of the tubular body, thereby creating a seal about the periphery of the proximate end without pursing the user's lips; and (iv) drawing the liquid through the tubular body.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the length of the proximate part is between 5% and 25% of the total length of the tubular body.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the proximal part is formed by a pair of opposing flat walls joined by arcuate wall segments.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a distance between the flat walls defines height of the proximate part, and wherein said height is smaller than diameter of the central opening in the main body part.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the height of the proximal part is between 30% and 60% of the diameter of the central opening of the main body part.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the tubular body has a connecting part unitary connected to and positioned between the main body part and the proximal part, the connecting part comprising outwardly extending sidewalls.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the tubular body comprises a bent part unitary connected to and positioned downstream of the proximal part.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said bent part is positioned downstream of the connecting part.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the proximal part has a pre-determined width, which is greater than the width of the main body part.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein:

[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of the invention in use;

[0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bent embodiment of the drinking straw of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an unbent embodiment of the drinking straw of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 4 is a side view of bent embodiment of the drinking straw of the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 5 is a side view of the unbent embodiment of the drinking straw of the present invention; and

[0022] FIG. 6 is a detail schematic view of the proximal portion of the drinking straw of the present invention illustrating differently shaped openings of the drinking straw of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Turning now to the drawings in more detail and with reference to FIG. 1, the drinking straw is designated by numeral 10. The straw 10 comprises an elongated tubular body 11 having a distal end 12, a proximal end 14, and has a central opening extending from the distal end 12 to the proximal end 14. A proximal part 15 of the body 11 is formed adjacent to the proximal end 14. The distal end 12 is configured to be placed into a container of liquid, and the proximate part 15 is configured to be engaged by the user's lips in manner schematically shown in FIG. 1.

[0024] In the bent embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the tubular body 11 is seen composed of three integrally connected parts: an elongated cylindrical main body part 13, an elbow or bent part 17, and the proximal part 15. In the unbent embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the tubular body 11 is seen composed of the main body part 13 and the proximal part 15. The main body part 13 is cylindrical in configuration defining a cylindrical central opening 19. A distal inlet opening 18 is formed by the distal end 12 and has a circular cross-section. The configuration of the proximal part 15 is the same in both embodiments.

[0025] The proximal part 15 is widened in comparison to the cylindrical main body part 13 and is unitary connected to the main body part by angularly outwardly extending sidewalls 20, 22. In plan view, the sidewalls 20, 22 extend at approximately forty-five degrees angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of the main body part 13. The proximal part 15 has a pre-determined longitudinal dimension extending a distance from the proximal end 14. In some of the exemplary embodiments, the length of the proximal part 15 may be between 5% and 25% of the total length of the tubular body 11. Depending on the length of the overall straw 10, these proportions may be modified as necessary. However, the length of the proximal part 15 should be sufficient to comfortably fit between the user's lips, whether the user is a child or an adult. The proximal part 15 has a uniform flat oval cross-section along its entire length.

[0026] The proximal part 15 is a flat oval in cross-section, as can be seen in more detail in FIG. 6. The proximal part 15 is formed by a pair of opposing parallel substantially straight walls 24, 26 connected by rounded or arcuate wall segments 28, 30. The straight walls 24, 26 and the wall segments 28, 30 form a through proximal opening 32, which extends centrally through the proximal part 15 and fluidly connects the cylindrical opening 19 of the main body part 13 to the proximal end 14 to allow fluid to travel unimpeded from a liquid container (not shown) to the mouth of the user. The top surface 36 of the straight wall 24 and the bottom surface 38 of the straight wall 26 is substantially flat and smooth affording a comfortable area for user's lips. The flat walls 24, 26 and the arcuate segments 28, 30 form a wide proximal end periphery which allows a user to form a seal around the periphery, when drinking a liquid, without puckering or pursing the user's lips.

[0027] In a horizontal direction, the proximal opening 32 is wider than the cylindrical opening 19 in the main body part 13. In one of the exemplary embodiments, the width of the proximal opening 32, between the arcuate wall segments 28, 30 is about twice the diameter of the cylindrical opening 19 in the main body part 13. The vertical dimension of the proximal opening 32, between the straight walls 24, 26 is substantially smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical opening 19. In some of the exemplary embodiments, the height of the proximal part opening 32 may be between 30% and 60% of the diameter of the cylindrical opening 19.

[0028] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the elbow part 17 is seen formed by the cylindrical main body part 13. The elbow part 17 can be bent at different angles in relation to the longitudinal axis of the main body part 13. In some of the exemplary embodiments, the bending angle can be between 10? and 45? in relation to the longitudinal axis of the main body part 13.

[0029] Despite the narrow outlet opening formed by the proximate part 15, the liquid is allowed to travel without turbulence from the distal inlet end 12 to the proximal outlet end 14 when a user sips the liquid from the straw 10.

[0030] The change of sectional profile of the tubular body 11, from cylindrical to flat oval, provides that a lesser amount of drawing force from the mouth and lips is needed for drawing liquid through the tubular body 11, lessening the tendency to pucker the lips. The proximal end part 15 of the tubular body 11 is shaped to be accommodated by the user's lips without requiring puckering or pursing of the lips. Regardless of whether a bent or an unbent embodiment of the lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw 10 is employed, in use the proximal part 15 will emerge from the relaxed lips to a certain distance, allowing the user to choose the depth at which the straw 10 is inserted into the mount due to the length of the proximal part 15. The length of the proximal part 15 is advantageously chosen to be comfortable for persons with thin or full lips.

[0031] When positioned during use the short dimension of the proximal part 15 partly vertically as a height, and the long dimension runs substantially horizontally as a width. The user's lips require only a slight parting to accommodate the proximal part 15. The greater part of the outer surface area of the proximal end is oriented horizontally along either the top or the bottom lip. The sides are rounded, so that any air gap at the sides can be closed with just the natural closure of the lips, without any need to pucker or purse the lips into a central rounded shape.

[0032] As an example, in one of the embodiments, the proximal part length is 18.5 mm. This proximal part length can be varied, but should be of sufficient length in order to provide both an outer surface of sufficient size to be efficiently sealed by the user's relaxed and un-pursed lips, and to provide an inner volume of sufficient size to create an advantageous pressure difference when drawing liquid from a liquid container through the straw 10.

[0033] In one of the using a sufficiently stiff material, with the material having a thickness of 0.625 mm, at the distal end 123 and through most of the main body part 13, the outer diameter of the round or circular profile is 5 mm, and the diameter of the cylindrical opening 19 is 3.75 mm with a corresponding round or circular profile.

[0034] In one of the embodiments, using a sufficiently stiff material, with the material having a thickness of 0.625 mm, the proximal part 15 as dimensions of 3 mm in a shorter or vertical height direction and 10 mm in a longer or horizontal width direction. In one of the embodiments, the proximal opening 32 is 1.75 mm high by 8.75 mm wide. Of course, these are exemplary dimensions, and other suitable dimensions will be apparent to persons skilled in the art.

[0035] In use, liquid passing through the central opening will effectively move from a cylindrical opening 19 of a certain diameter into a wider tube of the proximal part 15 with a resulting lowering of pressure. Because of this lowering of pressure, the drawing or suction force required to initiate and to sustain a flow can be applied over a longer amount of time and can therefore be done with less instantaneous strain on the lips. The drawing or suction force is applied to the volume of air or liquid at the proximal part 15 and will be effectively increased by the decrease of sectional area from the proximal-part 12 to the distal part 14.

[0036] The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw 10 can be manufactured from a variety of materials suitable for use with food and beverages and having sufficient strength and stiffness to avoid collapsing or failing in use, when exposed to liquids and warm liquids, especially at the proximal end segment 4 and transition segment 5 where the drawing or suction force is increased. Different materials will likely require different thickness in order to achieve the needed strength and stiffness. Materials requiring a substantial thickness might not be appropriate because they would require either a reduction of the sectional area of the central opening or an increase of the outer area making the proximal part 15 too large to properly fit between the relaxed and un-puckered lips of the user.

[0037] The preferred and illustrated embodiments are intended to be made from stainless steel or aluminum, which are appropriate for a reusable straw which will need to be cleaned and will need to be kept at hand. Durable plastics, hard rubbers, or resins are also appropriate for a reusable straw which will also need to be cleaned and kept available. Paper having a fluid-resistant and stiffening coating is appropriate for a disposable straw if the material can be made sufficiently strong and stiff without excessive thickness. Although plastic straws as presently made are not favored because of environmental pollution and damage, a straw could be made of a lightweight degradable or biodegradable plastic or plastic blended with materials such as corn starch, if the material can be made sufficiently strong and stiff without excessive thickness.

[0038] Many other changes and modifications can be made in the system and method of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I therefore pray that my rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.