Reusable Drinking Straw Washing Apparatus

Info

Publication number: 20210045614
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 28, 2020
Publication Date: Feb 18, 2021
Inventor: Wylen Stone William Ford (Kokomo, IN)
Application Number: 16/941,297

Abstract

Embodiments seek to disclose a drinking straw washing apparatus that includes a casing. A reservoir is positioned proximate to the casing and configured to comprise a cleaning solution. Cavities are serially positioned in the casing. A primary conduit is positioned proximate to the casing and operationally coupled to the reservoir. A plurality of drawers are each slidably and demountably positioned within a cavity. Applicators are positioned within each of the cavities and operationally coupled to the primary conduit. A secondary conduit is positioned in each drawer and operationally coupled to each of the nipples. Nipples are positioned within each of the drawers, each nipple is operationally coupled to the secondary conduit and configured to engage a straw end. A primary control circuit is positioned proximate to the casing. The drawers are hot swappable. The secondary conduit is coupled to the primary conduit when the drawer is positioned within the cavity.

Description

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of automatic washing machines. Specifically, the present invention describes a novel assembly for retaining and sanitizing the interior and exterior of many reusable drinking straws simultaneously. Further consideration is given to the capacity to process multiple individual batches of reusable drinking straws concurrently.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In present times, non-biodegradable drinking straws are a common utensil sold and offered freely by commercial restaurants and grocers. These conventional drinking straws are generally accepted to be single-use, disposable items by most users, however the materials used to produce such straws are known to persist long after the straws have been disposed of. The environmental impact of this cumulative mass of plastics is a recognized hazard that has recently been addressed by public legislation banning the use of such single-use straws or mandating their manufacture from more eco-friendly materials such as plant fibers or paper. In response, durable straws formed from denser polymers, plastics, or metallic materials have become increasingly available on the market. Reusable straws enable a customer to condense costs for drinking straws into a one-time, upfront purchase to avoid both the cost and hassle of acquiring biodegradable straws.

Avoidance of excessive waste may also be a priority for the environmentally minded consumer, encouraging those individuals to seek a means to minimize their impact by foregoing recurring wasteful practices. However, with the repeated use of such utensils consumers are now required to cleanse their reusable straws—a requirement that had not been commonplace prior to the recognition and banning of conventional disposable straws. It is therefore contemplated that a means of effectively cleaning and sanitizing a large volume of reusable straws simultaneously is presently absent from, yet desirable to a segment of the market today.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top-front-left perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a section view of the present invention taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a section view of the present invention taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is bottom plan view of possible alternate embodiments of a plurality of applicators is shown.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a single instance defined within a plurality of drawers.

FIG. 8 is a partially transparent top plan view of a single instance defined within the plurality of drawers, wherein an exemplary route of a second conduit is shown.

FIG. 9 is a partially transparent top plan view of a single instance defined within a plurality of nipples.

FIG. 10 is a section view of the single instance defined within the plurality of nipples taken along line 10-10 in FIG. 9.

Unless otherwise specifically noted, articles depicted in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art that the present disclosure has broad utility and application. As should be understood, any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed aspects of the disclosure and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being “preferred” is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Accordingly, while embodiments are described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure, and are made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.

Thus, for example, any sequence(s) and/or temporal order of steps of various processes or methods that are described herein are illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, although steps of various processes or methods may be shown and described as being in a sequence or temporal order, the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence or order, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps in such processes or methods generally may be carried out in various different sequences and orders while still falling within the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of patent protection is to be defined by the issued claim(s) rather than the description set forth herein.

Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which an ordinary artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used herein—as understood by the ordinary artisan based on the contextual use of such term—differs in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the ordinary artisan should prevail.

Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, “a” and “an” each generally denotes “at least one,” but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. When used herein to join a list of items, “or” denotes “at least one of the items,” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Finally, when used herein to join a list of items, “and” denotes “all of the items of the list.”

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While many embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims. The present disclosure contains headers. It should be understood that these headers are used as references and are not to be construed as limiting upon the subjected matter disclosed under the header.

Other technical advantages may become readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after review of the following figures and description. It should be understood at the outset that, although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the figures and described below, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or not. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the exemplary implementations and techniques illustrated in the drawings and described below.

Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are intended to be read together with the specification and are to be considered a portion of the entire written description of this invention. As used in the following description, the terms “horizontal”, “vertical”, “left”, “right”, “up”, “down” and the like, as well as adjectival and adverbial derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally”, “rightwardly”, “upwardly”, “radially”, etc.), simply refer to the orientation of the illustrated structure as the particular drawing figure faces the reader. Similarly, the terms “inwardly,” “outwardly” and “radially” generally refer to the orientation of a surface relative to its axis of elongation, or axis of rotation, as appropriate. As used herein, the term “dorsal” refers to positions that are located near, on, or towards the upper or top side of a structure.

The present disclosure includes many aspects and features. Moreover, while many aspects and features relate to, and are described in the context of reusable drinking straw washing apparatuses, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to use only in this context.

In present times, non-biodegradable drinking straws are a common utensil sold and offered freely by commercial restaurants and grocers. These conventional drinking straws are generally accepted to be single-use, disposable items by most users, however the materials used to produce such straws are known to persist long after the straws have been disposed of. The environmental impact of this cumulative mass of plastics is a recognized hazard that has recently been addressed by public legislation banning the use of such single-use straws or mandating their manufacture from more eco-friendly materials such as plant fibers or paper. In response, durable straws formed from denser polymers, plastics, or metallic materials have become increasingly available on the market. Reusable straws enable a customer to condense costs for drinking straws into a one-time, upfront purchase to avoid both the cost and hassle of acquiring biodegradable straws.

Avoidance of excessive waste may also be a priority for the environmentally minded consumer, encouraging those individuals to seek a means to minimize their impact by foregoing recurring wasteful practices. However, with the repeated use of such utensils consumers are now required to cleanse their reusable straws—a requirement that had not been commonplace prior to the recognition and banning of conventional disposable straws. It is therefore contemplated that a means of effectively cleaning and sanitizing a large volume of reusable straws simultaneously is presently absent from, yet desirable to a segment of the market today.

The present invention aims to provide a means of sanitizing a plurality of reusable straws simultaneously to a superior standard than that offered by conventional flatware washing machines. Mechanisms and arrangements are contemplated herein to wash the exterior of the straws by means which may be recognized by a reasonably skilled individual, in addition to specific structures and functions intended to flood and clear the interior of said straws during a single process cycle. Further consideration is given to packaging and supporting multiple instances of such a washing apparatus within a single installation of the present invention in consideration of the need to cleanse multiple loads or batches of straws simultaneously, said loads to be cycled continuously in at least one conceivable application of the present disclosure.

In reference to FIG. 1 through 8, the present disclosure seeks to provide a straw washing apparatus, generally 100, according to some embodiments. The straw washing apparatus aims to provide a solution for sanitizing a plurality of reusable straws (e.g., reusable straws 706) simultaneously to a superior standard than that offered by conventional flatware washing machines. Mechanisms and arrangements are contemplated herein to wash the exterior of the straws by means which may be recognized by persons of ordinary skill in the art, in addition to specific structures and functions intended to flood and clear the interior of said straws during a single process cycle. Further consideration is given to packaging and supporting multiple instances of such a washing apparatus within a single installation of the straw washing apparatus in consideration of the need to cleanse multiple loads or batches of straws simultaneously, said loads to be cycled continuously in at least one conceivable application of the straw washing apparatus.

In reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 the straw washing apparatus (“apparatus”) 100 preferably comprises at least one primary control circuit 112, a plurality of applicators 110, and a plurality of drawers 108 each included in a casing 102. The apparatus 100 defines the primary structural body that provides a substantially rigid emplacement such that all other components of the apparatus 100 may be contained and supported therein. The casing 102 additionally constitutes the means of providing electrical power and pressurized water to the components requiring such resources, however it is understood that the sources for said resources may be external to the straw washing apparatus in most conceivable applications.

At least one control module 112 constitutes a digitized monitoring and command-executing system instantiated within the apparatus 100 such that all ongoing cleaning operations and statuses may be monitored and facilitated by a centralized logical operator. As used herein, “control module” and “control circuit” are used interchangeably. At least one control module 112 is further contemplated to comprise various human interface devices including both inputs and outputs as may be necessary for a user or operator to monitor or manage the functions of the apparatus 100. The control module 112 is specifically contemplated to be suitable to manage and report the cleaning processes of multiple independent washing mechanisms supported within a single instance of the apparatus 100. The plurality of applicators 110 define a varying series of mechanisms mounted within the casing 102 intended to soak and sanitize the exterior of the reusable straws 706.

Specific consideration is given to processes and methods to simultaneously apply water and cleaning solution in an effective, randomized pattern to ensure effective breakdown of debris adhered to the surface of any soiled utensils (e.g., the reusable straws 706) within the plurality of drawers 108. The plurality of drawers 108 define a series of removable carriers containing internal structures specifically suitable for retaining and sanitizing a plurality of the reusable straws 706, in accordance with preferred embodiments. In at least one conceivable application, an individual drawer 108 may be fully removed from the apparatus 100 after completing a cleaning cycle and a replacement drawer 108 that contains dirty utensils may be inserted to minimize downtime of the apparatus 100 and thereby facilitate more efficient loading and unloading of the straws 706. In other words, the plurality of drawers 108 are each hot swappable. The plurality of drawers 108 are each slidably and demountably positioned within one of the cavities 106.

In reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the apparatus 100 comprises the casing 102, a plurality of cavities 106, a first conduit 302, a plurality of first ports 304, a plurality of locks 114, at least one reservoir 104, and a power supply 126. The casing 102 defines an enclosure providing support to the plurality of drawers 108 as said drawers 108 are inserted or withdrawn, permanently contains at least one control module 112, and supports the plurality of applicators 110 adjacent to the plurality of drawers 108 in an operable configuration. The plurality of cavities 106 are serially positioned in the casing 102 and are each ideally shaped to receive one of the plurality of drawers 108, and thereby form a watertight seal with each of the individual drawers 108 as they are fully inserted.

The plurality of locks 114, in various applications and embodiments, may be utilized to ensure the proper insertion of the plurality of drawers 108 via a physical block inserted into both the casing 102 and an individual drawer 108. The plurality of locks 114 may, in this arrangement, offer both physical assurance of proper configuration and serve as a lockout-safety device preventing the removal of an individual drawer 108 mid-cycle. The plurality of applicators 110 are contemplated to be suspended above each of the cavity 106, such that the interior of the individual drawers 108 is exposed to the plurality of applicators 110 during a cleaning cycle. The primary conduit 302 defines a fluid transporting pipe network that preferably connects the reservoir 104 to each instance of the plurality of applicators 110 and to each of the plurality of cavities 106 via the plurality of first ports 304. The primary conduit 302 is preferably positioned proximate to the casing 102 and operationally coupled to the reservoir 104.

The primary ports 304 are contemplated to automatically engage with an individual drawer 108 when inserted into an individual cavity 106, or to automatically interrupt fluid flow when disconnected. The reservoir 104 is contemplated to be a source of pressurized water and cleaning solution, either separately or in combination, without limitation as to source of materials or pressurization. The reservoir 104 is preferably positioned proximate to the casing 102 and configured to comprise a cleaning solution. The power supply 126 is, likewise, contemplated to define any known solution for introducing and dispersing electrical energy throughout the various electrical components of the apparatus 100 to permit full functionality as described herein.

In reference to FIG. 3, each secondary control circuit 116 is communicatively coupled to a display 118 and includes a plurality of controls. A secondary control circuit 116 is positioned proximate to each drawer 108 and configured to monitor a drawer operational status thereof (e.g., cycle start, cycle finish, cycle pause, error, etc.). Each drawer 108 includes a display 118 positioned proximate thereto that is communicatively coupled to the secondary control circuit 116. The secondary control circuit 116 can be any logical engine, storage media, and operable connections (both wired and wireless) required to execute coded functions as may be required for the operation of the apparatus 100. Each of the secondary control circuits 116 are communicatively coupled to at least one of the displays 118 such that a user may view data or status information related to any cleaning processes currently being performed by the apparatus 100. In some embodiments, the primary control circuit 112 and the secondary control circuit 116 are a single unit or function as a single unit. The primary control circuit 112 is communicatively coupled to the secondary control circuit 116, according to certain embodiments. The primary control circuit 112 is positioned proximate to the casing 102. The primary control circuit 112 is configured to monitor an operational status of the apparatus 100 and cause the cleaning solution to disperse via the nipples 704 and the plurality of applicators 110 when the drawer 108 is positioned within the cavity 106.

For example, such data is contemplated to include time elapsed in a process, time remaining, temperature, remaining cleaning solution volume, type of process applied, maintenance interval warnings, malfunction notices, or any other information that may be useful to a user. The displays 118 is preferably configured to report metrics related to ongoing operations of each individual component associated with the drawer 108. The plurality of controls offers a user a means to interact and edit any digitized metrics or executable commands related to the function of the straw washing apparatus in general or the plurality of drawers 108 individually.

In reference to FIG. 4 through 6 the plurality of applicators 110 individually comprises a shell 602, a primary inlet 404, a plurality of jets 608, and an axle 604. The shell 602 defines a substantially hollow body suitable for exposure to extended contact with moisture, heat, and cleaning solutions, according to preferred embodiments. It is generally considered that the shape of the shell 602 will conform to a profile suitable to rotate about the axle 604 when provided with thrust from the plurality of jets 608, spreading the effective cleaning area and facilitating a more aggressive automatic scrubbing function. The plurality of jets 608 defines a series of fluid outlets traversing the width of the shell 602 directed in such a way as to exert torsional force on the shell 602 in the instance that water sis forced to exit the plurality of jets 608. The axel 604 is operationally coupled to the shell 602 and the first conduit 302. For example, the shell 602a has an overall shape that is cylindrical. The axel 406 is positioned at an end 610 of the shell 602a. The plurality of jets 608a are tangentially positioned relative to the curved surface 614 of the shell 602a. As for the plurality of applicators 110b, the axel 506 is centrally coupled to the shell 602b, and the plurality of jets 608b are positioned laterally to the axel 506.

For example, in FIG. 6, the plurality of applicators 110a each includes the plurality of jets 608a that defines a primary cross-sectional formation tangent to the curved face of the shell 602a. Here, the shell 602a comprises an overall shape that is cylindrical, the axel 406 is operationally coupled to an end 610, and the plurality of jets 608a are tangentially oriented relative to the curved surface 614 of the shell 602a. Similarly, FIGS. 5 and 6B depict top and bottom views, respectively, the plurality of applicators 110b. Each applicator 110b includes an axel 506 centrally coupled to shell 602b and a plurality of jets 608b positioned lateral to the axel 506.

The primary inlet 404 defines a fluid connection between the interior volume of the shell 602 and the apparatus 100, ideally forming an operable connection with the reservoir 104 such that water and cleaning solution may be introduced into the shell 602a at elevated pressure the enable the described functions of the plurality of jets 608a and the axle 604. Further alternate embodiments of the plurality of applications may include dispersed sprayers, nozzles, showers, or other structures generally recognized within the field of automatic washing machines. The specifically contemplated iterations, including any more generalized or specialized mechanisms, are contemplated to be employed in conjunction with multiple dislike embodiments in at least one conceivable embodiment of the apparatus 100 without departing from the original scope of the instant disclosure.

In reference to FIG. 7 through 10 the plurality of drawers 108 individually comprises a container 402, a second inlet 710, the secondary conduit 702, a plurality of perforations 716, a plurality of secondary ports 712, and the plurality of nipples 704. The container 402 defines a hollow carrier structure of suitable dimensions to support multiple straws 706 dispersed within the interior cavity 106 with sufficient spacing to enable an effective cleansing process. The container 402 is additionally contemplated to be equipped with various hafts, handles, or other grip-points 120 such that a user may easily remove an individual drawer 108 from the apparatus 100 and carry said drawer 108 utilizing these features. The container 402 is further equipped with a second inlet 710, defining a quick-detach fluid connection suitable to engage an individual instance of a first port 304 to operably link to the primary conduit 302 and the reservoir 104 of the apparatus 100 when the drawer 108 is inserted into an individual chamber defined therein.

The second conduit is extensible to the second inlet 710, traversing between the lateral width 805 of the container 402 several times beneath a lower interior panel 714 of the container. The plurality of perforations 716 defines a series of clearance gaps traversing the width of this lower interior panel 714 adjacent to the secondary conduit 702. The secondary conduit 702 is preferably positioned in each drawer 108 (e.g., in container 402) and operationally coupled to each of the nipples 704. The second conduit 702 is preferably positioned beneath the lower internal panel 714 of the container 402. The lower internal panel 714 includes a plurality of perforations 716. The plurality of nipples 704 are positioned within each of the drawers 108. The plurality of secondary ports 712 ideally extends outward from the secondary conduit 702, individually traversing the plurality of perforations 716 such that the distal ends of the plurality of secondary ports 712 are exposed to the interior of the container 108. The secondary conduit 702 preferably includes the plurality of secondary ports 712 operationally coupled thereto. The secondary conduit 702 is operationally and demountably coupled to the primary conduit 302 when a drawer 108 is positioned within the cavity 106. The plurality of nipples 704 are each operationally coupled to the plurality of secondary ports 712 such that water and cleaning solution may flow from the reservoir 104, through the second inlet 710, through the secondary conduit 702, through the plurality of secondary ports 712, and outward from the plurality of nipples 704 to clean the interior of a number of reusable straws 706 temporarily fixed to the plurality of nipples 704.

The plurality of nipples 704 is specifically contemplated to individually comprise hollow, flared, deformable bodies. Each nipple 704 is configured to engage a straw end 708. In preferred embodiments, an individual straw 706 may be temporarily fixed to an individual nipple 704 for the duration of a cleaning cycle by forcing one end of the straw (e.g., straw end 708) down and over the protruding head of the nipple, said straw to be removed by simple manual extraction from the nipple after completion of the cycle. In preferred embodiments, each nipple 704 comprises a body 905 and a head 910 that is flared, deformable and protrudes from the body 905.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to various embodiments, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A drinking straw washing apparatus comprising:

a casing;

a reservoir positioned proximate to the casing and configured to comprise a cleaning solution;

a plurality of cavities serially positioned in the casing;

a primary conduit positioned proximate to the casing and operationally coupled to the reservoir;

a plurality of drawers each slidably and demountably positioned within one of the cavities;

a plurality of applicators positioned within each of the cavities and operationally coupled to the primary conduit;

a secondary conduit positioned in each drawer and operationally coupled to each of the nipples;

a plurality of nipples positioned within each of the drawers, each nipple is operationally coupled to the secondary conduit and configured to engage a straw end;

a primary control circuit positioned proximate to the casing;

wherein the plurality of drawers are each hot swappable; the secondary conduit is operationally and demountably coupled to the primary conduit when the drawer is positioned within the cavity; the primary control circuit is configured to: monitor an operational status of the apparatus; and cause the cleaning solution to disperse via the nipples and the plurality of applicators when the drawer is positioned within the cavity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a secondary control circuit positioned proximate to each drawer and configured to monitor a drawer operational status thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of applicators each comprise:

a shell;

an axel operationally coupled to the shell and the first conduit; and

a plurality of jets positioned in the shell and defining a series of fluid outlets traversing the shell and directed to exert a torsional force on the shell when dispersing the cleaning solution.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the shell comprises an overall shape that is cylindrical;

the axel is positioned at an end of the shell

the plurality of jets are tangentially positioned relative to a curved surface of the shell.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the axel is centrally coupled to the shell; and

the plurality of jects are positioned lateral to the axel.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein

each drawer comprises a display externally affixed thereto; and

the secondary control circuit is communicatively coupled to the display.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein

each nipple comprises: a body; a head; and the head is flared, deformable, and protrudes from the body.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein

each drawer comprises a container;

the container defines a hollow carrier structure;

the second conduit is positioned within the container;

the second conduit comprises a plurality of secondary ports operationally coupled thereto; and

each nipple is operationally coupled to a secondary port.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein

the second conduit traverses between a lateral width of the container several times.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein

the second conduit is positioned beneath a lower internal panel of the container;

the lower internal panel comprises a plurality of perforations; and

the plurality of secondary ports individually traverses the plurality of perforations.

11. A drinking straw washing apparatus comprising: