BITE PROOF STRAW ASSEMBLY
A bite proof drinking straw assembly. The drinking straw assembly has a straw comprising an upper portion and a lower portion of different durometers. The upper portion is made of a first material of a first durometer and the lower portion is made of a second material of a second durometer. The second material of the second durometer is different from the first material of the first durometer. An upper end of the lower portion is attached to a lower end of the upper portion.
This applications claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/119,058, filed Feb. 20, 2015; U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 14/703,843, filed May 4, 2015; U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/046,869, filed Sep. 5, 2014; and to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/988,077, filed May 2, 2014; the contents of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety into this disclosure.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe subject disclosure relates generally to bottles and drinking containers. In particular, the invention relates to a bottle having a hardened, bite proof straw assembly.
BACKGROUNDConventional bottles with straws are consistently exposed to harsh biting conditions from young children. After a long period of repeated biting, these straws may become weakened or damaged causing irregular flow or loose particles. Children, however, are known for biting through straws, causing tears and breaking the straw. Trying to account for this by stiffening the straw creates an exposed, inflexible opening, resulting in sanitation issues and spills. Unfortunately, these deficiencies have not been solved and have never been addressed previously.
Various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail, wherein like reference numerals refer to identical or similar components or steps, with reference to the following figures, wherein:
Particular embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the figures.
In a closed position, the cover 50 will enclose the spout 40 such to prevent exposure of the spout 40. The cap portion 52 has a shape which generally follows the contour of the spout 40 shape to create a slip-fit frictional connection preventing the cover 50 from slipping off of the spout 40 without a predetermined amount of force to overcome the friction fit. This force should be high enough to keep the cover 50 in a closed position if the bottle 10 is knocked over or dropped, but low enough such that a young child or parent can remove the cover 50 from the spout 40 with ease.
The cap portion 52 may also have a beaded edge 57 and a pull tab 58, which gives a user a place to grip onto for increased leverage of the cover 50 and to facilitate removing the cover 50 from the closed position. In addition, the cap portion 52 may connect directly to the lid 20 or base of the spout 40 by a mating feature between the beaded edge 57 and the spout 40 or lid 20. The mating feature may act as a slip-fit or snap fastener, or any other suitable connection to prevent the cover 50 from slipping off of the spout 40.
The middle band 46 acts as a bite guard and subsequently protects the spout 40 from biting of the user. The middle band 46 may have a first durometer and the top portion 42 and bottom portion 44 may have a second durometer. The first durometer is greater than the second durometer in order to provide added bite protection. Alternatively, both the top portion 42 and the middle band 46 may have the first durometer while the bottom portion 44 may have the second durometer, thus protecting the entire upper portion of the spout 40 from gnawing or biting.
The middle band 46 may be manufactured to have a first color while the top portion 42 and bottom portion 44 have a second color. This gives the user a visual indicator of where the material durometer changes and thus where the bite guard is located. Furthermore, using different colors for the middle band 46 may act to distinguish spouts with different durometer bite guards. For instance, a pink middle band 46 may represent a durometer of 70 Shore while a turquoise middle band 46 may represent a durometer of 100 Shore.
The middle band 46 may be extended completely flush with the top portion 42 and bottom portion 44, or may bow out by a predetermined width to form a bump 47 to further distinguish it from the rest of the spout 40. The bump 47 may be located at the top, middle or bottom of the middle band 46, or any combination thereof. The middle band 46 may also include various textures, patterns or designs on its surface or interior to further distinguish it from the rest of the spout 40. Differing the texture of the middle band 46 or providing the bump 47 will provide the user an additional tactile feedback of where the durometer changes when they drink from the bottle 10.
In order to form the difference in durometer, the middle band 46 having the first durometer may be compression molded, and then the rest of the spout 40 having the second durometer may be subsequently liquid injection molded around the middle band 46. In an alternative embodiment, both the top portion 42 and middle band 46 may have the first durometer while the bottom portion 44 has the second durometer. This may be manufactured in the same fashion as the previous embodiment. It also may be manufactured by first compression molding the top portion 42 and middle band 46 with the first durometer, then subsequently compression molding the bottom portion 44 with the second durometer.
Furthermore, the cap portion 52 may be constructed to have a different durometer from the strap 54 in a similar method as the middle portion 46 as recited above. In the closed position, this would allow for the cap portion 52 to be harder in order to protect the spout 40 while accidentally dropped or knocked over. At the same time, constructing the strap 54 softer would allow the user to more easily manipulate the position of cover 50 from open to closed or vice versa.
The lid 20 further comprises a ventilation shaft 22, a vent extrusion 22a and a cover attachment mechanism 80. In addition, the cover 50 further comprises a recess 53 in the cap portion 52, and a cover anchor 55 located at a second end of the strap 54, wherein the cap portion 52 is located at a first end of the strap 54. As best shown in
The spout 40 further comprises a horizontally extending ridge 48 and a ventilation aperture 49. When assembled, the ridge 48 rests between the lid 20 and an upper portion 32 of the container 30 and is fixed in place. The ridge 48 also acts to fix the cover anchor 55 into place between the spout 40 and the lid 20. The ventilation aperture 49 rests against a bottom of the vent extrusion 22a of the lid 20. This allows air to flow from the atmosphere, through the ventilation shaft 22 of the lid 20, the ventilation aperture 49 of the spout 40, and into the container 30.
Since the cover anchor 55 surrounds the ventilation shaft 22, both the pivoting connection 60 and the ventilation shaft 22 can be displaced by a predetermined amount from the spout 40. The ventilation shaft 22 is positioned relative to the spout 40 to permit the free flow of air into the container 30 while in use. In addition, the pivoting connection 60 is suitably positioned relative to the spout 40 so that the cover 50 may not be obstructed by the user from gripping the spout 40 with their mouth while drinking from the container 30. It is to be understood, however, that the ventilation shaft 22 may be located on different parts of the lid 20, container 30 or spout 40 as will be shown in an alternative embodiment described in
The cover attachment mechanism 80 is shown in more detail in
As will be described in more detail later, the spout 240 may be formed of, and fastened to, the softer lower region 144 of the soft top insert 200 via a compression molding technique and/or any other suitable technique capable of fastening a spout of a first durometer to a lower base portion of a soft top insert which is composed of a different second durometer composition.
In a first step as shown in
In the first step process, the removable core is aligned within the upper and lower molds and the various spouts are formed by a first compression molding process in which the molding material, is generally preheated, is placed in the open, heated mold cavity defined by the upper and lower molds and the inner removable core. The mold is closed with a predetermined force, and pressure is applied to force the mold material into contact with all mold areas, while heat and pressure are maintained until the molding material has cured to form the shape of the spouts. Following the spout molding process, the spout may undergo a curing process at a predetermined heat and duration of time.
The advantage of compression molding is its ability to mold fairly intricate parts. It is also one of the lowest cost molding methods. However, it is to be understood that other methods for molding the spout may be employed, such as but not limited to other methods such as transfer molding and injection molding.
In a second step as shown in
In this step, the overmold has a mold comprised of three layers. As shown in
Referring back to
As shown in
Various techniques may be implemented to create a secure connection between the spout tip and the upper portion of the lower region of the soft top insert below the spout tip, such as by providing a lap-joint or other suitable interlocking structure there-between according to this subject disclosure. Other alignment and position fastening techniques may be employed to ensure that the position of the spout tip adjacent to the lower layer mold will not shift from its axial alignment during the compression process such as by forming ridges or joints to keep the spout in a predetermined position during the compression process. See for example the various ridges and bumps 220 integrated onto the spout as shown in
Likewise, various other processes may be implemented to bond the spout tip of a first durometer to a lower region of a soft top insert. For example, instead of a two step process, both the spout tip of a first durometer and the lower region of the soft top insert may be formed in a single compression process. Furthermore, other manufacturing processes may be employed, including but not limited to for example, a first or second stage compression molding process, an injection molding process, or other suitable process capable of securely bonding a spout tip of a first durometer to a lower region of a soft top insert of a second durometer. Various different suitable durometers may be used according to this subject disclosure.
The bite proof straw 400 may have a top portion 402 and a bottom portion 406. The straw 400 can be made in various shapes or sizes and can be made from a variety of suitable materials. An opening 403 in the top portion of the straw can be made in the form of a circle, oval, or any other suitable shape.
The top portion 402 of the straw 400 may act as a bite guard and protect the straw 400 from biting by the user. The top portion 402 may be comprised of a first durometer and the bottom portion 406 may be comprised of a second durometer. The first durometer may be greater than the second durometer having a more durable composition to provide added bite protection to the top portion 402, which is bitten by the user. The top portion 402 may be manufactured to have a first color while the bottom portion 406 may have a second color identifying a different hardness, such as shown in
The middle band portion 405 may be extended concentrically flush with the top portion 402 and bottom portion 406, or may extend radially outward by a predetermined thickness to form a bump 405 to further distinguish it from the rest of the straw 400. The bump 405 may be located at the top, middle, or bottom of the middle band portion 404 (as shown in
The bottom portion 406 of the straw 400 can be made with a sufficiently flexible material, allowing the straw 400 to bend without being damaged. The bottom portion 406 may be constructed to endure the cyclic bending and unbending that occurs when switching the straw 400 between the stored and in-use positions.
As shown in
The bottom portion 406 of the straw 400 can also attach to a ventilation shaft 415 of the collar 410 by a friction fit grip. The bottom portion 406 can also cover the ventilation shaft 415 with a one-way passage valve 409, allowing air to enter into the container 30 while preventing the spillage of a fluid contained therein.
In order to form the differences in durometer of the different portions of the bite proof straw 400, the top portion 402 having the first durometer may be compression molded and the bottom portion 406 having the second durometer may be subsequently liquid injection molded around the top portion. Alternatively, the middle band portion 404 may be compression molded alongside the top portion 402, and then the bottom portion 406 may be subsequently molded. The bottom portion 406 may alternatively be compression molded in any of these embodiments.
The collar 410 may be made in a variety of shapes and sizes, and may be made out a variety of materials. The collar 410 may secure the straw 400 by mating with a recessed ring 407 in the straw 400 or by any other suitable mechanism. The collar 410 has a ventilation shaft 415 or opening to allow atmospheric air to enter into the container 30. The collar 410 may also have a protrusion 416 sufficiently large in size and near enough to the straw 400 that the protrusion 416 will constrict the flow of liquid through the straw 400 when the straw 400 is folded over the protrusion 416 in a closed position.
The collar 410 may have a recess 418 or recesses that mate with protrusions 422 on the flip lid 420 in order to attach the flip lid 420 to the collar 410. The collar 410 may also have a locking recess or similar mechanism to reversibly secure the flip lid 420 closed when in a closed position. As shown in
When the flip lid 420 is rotated about the hinge (defined by the recess 418 and protrusions 422) into a storage position, the straw 400 is bent inward towards, and lies against blocking protrusion 416. A front edge 428 of the flip lid 420 contacts a portion of the straw 400, which causes the straw 400 to flex about a distal portion to the bottle 10. As the flip lid 420 moves from an open position to a closed position, the front edge 428 of the flip lid 420 travels over a length of the straw 400. When the flip lid 420 is in the closed position, the straw 400 will be completely within a gap in the raised chamber 424 provided between the flip lid 420 and the bottle 10. An advantage of having a softer durometer bottom portion is the added flexibility of the straw 400 to flex during this process.
As mentioned previously, the bottle 10 described herein includes all of the features and functionality discussed above.
The illustrations and examples provided herein are for explanatory purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It is understood therefore that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment which is described, but is intended to cover all modifications and changes within the scope and spirit of the invention.
Claims
1. A drinking straw, comprising:
- a straw comprising: an upper portion having a first material of a first durometer; and a lower portion having a second material of a second durometer different from the first durometer of the first material, wherein an upper end of the lower portion is attached to a lower end of the upper portion.
2. The drinking straw of claim 1, wherein the first durometer is higher than the second durometer and more resistant to an increased bite pressure.
3. The drinking straw of claim 1, wherein the first material is positioned as a band around a circumference of the upper portion.
4. The drinking straw of claim 3, wherein the second material surrounds the band of first material in the upper portion.
5. The drinking straw of claim 4, wherein the first durometer is higher than the second durometer.
6. The drinking straw of claim 1, wherein the upper portion is comprised substantially of the first material which has a higher durometer than the second material, which comprises all of the lower portion.
7. The drinking straw of claim 1, wherein the upper portion includes the first material on an upper end, which is away from the lower end that is attached to the upper end of the lower portion; the upper portion upper end comprised of the first material, and the upper portion lower end and the lower portion comprised of the second material.
8. The drinking straw of claim 1, wherein the upper end of the lower portion is attached to the lower end of the upper portion via a compression molding process.
9. A drinking assembly, comprising:
- a container for holding a fluid; and
- a lid sealingly attached to the container to contain the fluid therein; and
- a straw disposed in the lid, the straw having an upper portion comprised of a first material having a first durometer; and a lower portion comprised of a second material having a second durometer different from the first durometer of the first material;
- wherein the upper portion includes the first material on an upper end, which is away from the lower end that is attached to the upper end of the lower portion; the upper portion of the upper end is comprised of the first material, and the upper portion of the lower end and the lower portion is comprised of the second material.
10. The drinking straw assembly of claim 9, wherein the first durometer is greater than the second durometer.
11. The drinking straw assembly of claim 9, wherein the first material is positioned as a band around a circumference of the straw upper portion.
12. The drinking straw assembly of claim 11, wherein the second material surrounds the band of first material in the straw upper portion.
13. The drinking straw assembly of claim 12, wherein the first durometer is higher than the second durometer.
14. The drinking straw assembly of claim 9, wherein the straw upper portion is comprised substantially of the first material which has a higher durometer than the second material, which comprises all of the straw lower portion.
15. The drinking straw assembly of claim 9, wherein the straw upper portion includes multiple materials having differing durometers, the highest durometer material being furthest away from the straw lower portion.
16. A drinking assembly, comprising:
- a container for holding a fluid; and
- a lid sealingly attached to the container to contain the fluid therein; and
- a straw extending through the lid, the straw having an upper portion comprised of a first material having a first durometer; and a lower portion comprised of a second material having a second durometer different from the first durometer of the first material;
17. The drinking assembly of claim 16, wherein:
- the upper portion includes the first material on an upper end, which is away from the lower end that is attached to the upper end of the lower portion; and
- the upper portion of the upper end is comprised of the first material, and the upper portion of the lower end and the lower portion is comprised of the second material.
18. The drinking assembly of claim 16, wherein the first material is positioned as a band around a circumference of the upper portion.
19. The drinking assembly of claim 16, wherein the upper end of the lower portion is attached to the lower end of the upper portion via a compression molding process.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 19, 2016
Publication Date: Jun 27, 2019
Inventors: Mark Gerard TEBBE (Ventura, CA), Nairi Khachikian (Glendale, CA), Mark A. Hatherill (Beverly Hills, CA), Kevin Douglas Johnson (Tarzana, CA)
Application Number: 15/048,955