Personalized Cursive, Scripted Name Straw

Abstract

A personalized name straw of three co-linear segments, the middle one of which is in the nature of a personalized name of cursive, scripted letters hollowed out in forming a conduit between tubular first and third segments to channel liquids from a first end to a second end through the personalized nameand with the segments being either colorized or see-through as desired, when formed as a unitary component of an injection molding format manufacture process.

Claims

1. A personalized name straw comprising: first, second and third sequentially joined segments forming a drinking straw of desired co-linear configuration; with said second segment being in the nature of a name personalized to a user and having a conduit therein to channel liquid from one end thereof to an opposite end thereof; with each of said first and said third segments being of generally tubular configuration, with said third segment being arrangeable for placement into a liquid retaining container for the sipping of liquid therefrom, and with said first segment being arrangeable for placement into the user's mouth; wherein said second segment includes a plurality of co-joined letters connecting one another substantially continuously in cursive, scripted formation of the name of said user where each of said co-joined letters touch; wherein each letter of said second segment is hollowed out for channeling liquid from said third segment through each letter of said second segment through to said first segment; and wherein each of said first, second and third segments are formed as a unitary component of an injection molding format manufacture.

2. The personalized name straw of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third segments are of a rigid plastic composition.

3. The personalized name straw of claim 2, wherein said first, second and third segments are individually colored.

4. The personalized name straw of claim 2, wherein said first, second and third segments are of the same individual coloration.

5. The personalized name straw of claim 2, wherein said first, second and third segments are fabricated of a high density polyethylene material.

6. The personalized name straw of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third segments are of a clear see-through composition.

7. The personalized name straw of claim 6, wherein said first, second and third segments are individually colored.

8. The personalized name straw of claim 2, wherein all co-joined letters of said second segment forming the user's name are in cursive script of lower case letter format.

9. The personalized name straw of claim 2, wherein a first letter of said second segment forming the user's name is of a capital letter format and wherein all successive co-joined letters of said second segment are in cursive script of lower case letter format.

10. The personalized name straw of claim 2, wherein all co-joined letters of said second segment forming the user's name are in cursive script of capital letter format.

11. The personalized name straw of claim 2, wherein said third segment is also arrangeable for placement into the user's mouth, said first segment is arrangeable for placement into a liquid retaining container for the sipping therethrough, and wherein each letter of said segment is hollowed out for channeling liquid from said first segment through each letter of said second segment through to said third segment.

12. A personalized name straw comprising: first, second and third sequentially joined segments forming a drinking straw of desired co-linear configuration; with said second segment being in the nature of an individualized name having a conduit therein to channel liquid from one end thereof to an opposite end thereof; with each of said first and said third segments being of generally tubular configuration, with said third segment being arrangeable for placement into a liquid retaining container for the sipping of liquid therefrom, and with said first segment being arrangeable for placement into a user's mouth; wherein said second segment includes a plurality of co-joined letters connecting one another substantially continuously in cursive, scripted formation of said individualized name where each of said co-joined letters touch; wherein each letter of said second segment is hollowed out for channeling liquid from said third segment through each letter of said second segment through to said first segment; and wherein each of said first, second and third segments are formed as a unitary component of an injection molding format manufacture.

13. The personalized name straw of claim 12, wherein said first, second and third segments are of a rigid plastic composition.

14. The personalized name straw of claim 13, wherein said third segment is also arrangeable for placement into the user's mouth, said first segment is arrangeable for placement into a liquid retaining container for the sipping therethrough, wherein each letter of said second segment is hollowed out for channeling liquid from said first segment through each letter of said second segment through to said third segment; and wherein said individualized name is one of the user of said straw, a sports or entertainment celebrity or character real or fictional, a professional, semi-professional or amateur athletic team or educational institute, or another person or pet living or deceased.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] These and other features of the invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying Drawings in which:

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a personalized name straw constructed in accordance with the invention in which all letters of the user's name are in a lower case letter cursive, scripted format;

[0015] FIG. 2 shows an alternate construction embodying the invention where the cursive, scripted format is retained, but with the first letter of the name capitalized; and

[0016] FIG. 3 shows a personalized name straw where all the letters of the name are in cursive, scripted, joined capitalized format.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The personalized name straw depicted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are each of rigid clear composition (preferably a high-density polyethylene), formed of first, second and third segments through an injection molding formation manufacture in which the segments are individually colored, and preferably see-through. Either individually colored, differently or similarly, three segments are sequentially joined, substantially continuous in forming the drinking straw of a desired co-linear configuration.

[0018] In this respect, the first segment, shown as 20, is of generally tubular configuration and is replicated as the third segment 22, the difference between them being that the first segment 20 is coupled into a first letter of the user's name, while the third segment 22 couples into the last letter of the name. Such name is shown as the second segment 24, composed of a plurality of co-joined letters connecting one another in cursive formation of the name of the user where each of the co-joined letters touch; and, with each letter of the second segment 24 being hollowed out for channeling liquid from the first segment 20 through each letter of the second segment 24, through to the third segment 22. With the preferred embodiment utilizing transparent and colored segments, the segments together form a conduit in permitting a liquid flow either from left-to-right or from right-to-left, allowing sipped liquid to flow from one end to the other (as from segment 20 to segment 22, or from segment 22 to segment 20)in each direction, channeling through the user's name. In such manner, the first segment may be arranged for sipping by the user, while the third segment 22 is arranged for placement into the liquid retaining container. In such usage, the liquid flow proceeds from the third segment 22 into the last letter of the name in the second segment 24, and from there through its abutting, co-joined adjacent letters to exit at the first letter, and from there through the first segment 20 into the user's mouth. In an alternative use, as will be apparent, the third segment 22 may be arranged for sipping by the user, with the first segment 20 being arranged for placement into the containerin which case the liquid flow from the container is through the segment 20, into the first letter of the name in the second segment 24, and from there through its abutting co-joined letters, to exit at the last letter of the nameand from there through the third segment 22 into the mouth.

[0019] In the preferred usage of the embodiments of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the first and third segments 20, 22 are selected to have a given diameter which is several times less than the height of the letters. In such construction, the height is selected so as to enable all the letters of the personalized name to fit between the inner walls of the liquid retaining container, thereby ensuring that the end of the first segment 20 or third segment 22 placed into the container can extend to its bottom surface. To accommodate those instances where the liquid retaining container is very tall, the first and third segments 20, 22 can be constructed so as to taper outwardly from the point where it joins the opening in the letters to a reduced diameter at their ends, where a conventional sipping straw can then be fitted over and around the ends of the segments 20, 22in effect serving as an extension thereof.

[0020] FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate different embodiments of the personalized name straw according to the invention, differing primarily in the presentation of the letters of the user's namebut, with each second segment 24 including a plurality of co-joined letters connecting one another in cursive, script formation of the name of the user where each of the co-joined letters touch. FIG. 1, for example, shows the individual letters for the name anthony, all in lower case letters, co-joined substantially continuously in cursive scripted format (with the obvious understanding that any font for the lower case letters may be employed). FIG. 2 shows the second segment letters in an alternative construction, where the cursive scripted format is retainerd but with the first letter of the co-joined set being capitalizedas the A in the name Anthony, again noting that any other font may be utilized instead. In the FIG. 3 embodiment, once more, the co-joined letters of the second segment all appear capitalized, in cursive scripted co-linear presentation for the fanciful name SPIDERMAN.

[0021] While Applicant does not wish to be limited to any particular set of dimensions, overall lengths for the first, second and third segments of the personalized straw might be 2.50 inches, 4.50 inches, and 2.50 inches, respectively. The diameters for the tubular segments 20 and 22 in providing the described tapering would extend from 0.22 inches at their remote ends to 0.25 inches where they meet the letters of the second segment 24. Recognizing that different user's names contain different numbers of letters, the second segment 24 could have those letters spread out linearly along the length of the 4.50 inches of the second segment 24, or compressing them closer together depending upon the numbers of letters in the name.

[0022] Whereas there have been described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. Thus, while different fonts may be employed for the letters of the user's name in the second segment 24, and while different dimensions for constructing the three segments 20, 22, 24 can be had in the injection molding manufacture process of the personalized straw, the overall effect will be seen to allow the presentation of a personalized straw that would appeal to children of all ages both for sipping and for blowing bubbles through the straw, be the straw be of a see-through nature, or in any manner of colorization, wherever desired. And, whereas the personalized straw could be a spelling of the name of the user, it will be understood that such personalized name could alternatively be that of a sports or entertainment celebrity character real or fictional, a professional, semi-professional or amateur athletic team or educational institute, or another person or pet living or deceased, while still embodying the invention as to the cursive, scripted presentation of the second segment of the personalized straw in channeling liquids from a first end thereof to a second end through the personalized straw. For at least such reasons, therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true understanding of the scope of the invention.