LIP-PUCKER AVOIDING DRINKING STRAW

Abstract

A lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw providing a tube body defining an enclosed conduit for a flow of liquid. The tube body and enclosed conduit have a substantially round sectional profile at a distal end meant to be placed into a container of liquid, and a substantially oblong sectional profile at a proximal end meant to be placed between lips of a user and to be accommodated by the lips of the user without requiring puckering or pursing of the lips. The sectional profile of the enclosed conduit changes from a round profile at the distal end and through approximately 90 percent of the tube body to an oblong profile at the proximal end, with the change of profile occurring at a transition segment near the proximal end. An optional bending segment can be provided to provide a bend in the tube body or allow the user to make such a bend. The sectional area or circumference of the enclosed conduit at the proximal end is not less than the sectional area at the distal end.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw having a substantially oblong sectional profile at a proximal end meant to be placed between lips of a user and to be accommodated by the lips of the user without requiring puckering or pursing of the lips.

The use of drinking straws can have the undesirable effect of promoting permanent creasing of the upper lip due to the tendency and the need for puckering or pursing of the lips.

Most drinking straws now are made of plastic and are disposable, and environmental pollution from those plastic straws has become a significant problem. But sturdier, reusable straws must be cleaned and must be carried around to be at hand for use. Disposable straws can be made from paper, and can be made from different lightweight degradable or biodegradable plastics or blends of plastics and other materials. But such disposable paper or lightweight degradable plastic straws are susceptible to collapse or failure in circumstances where too much suction is applied to a straw and where the design of the straw allows for concentrations and differences of suction or pressure to bear upon a small area.

What is needed is a lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw having a proximal end shaped and sized for accommodation by lips of a user, and having changes of sectional profile which promote the smoother flow of liquid, allowing for use of the straw with less puckering, and allowing for use of better lightweight and disposable materials without susceptibility to collapse and failure.

US Design Pat. No. D772,632 for a “Bendable Straw,” issued on Nov. 29, 2016 to assignee SNACKTOPS, INC., provides for the ornamental design, shown therein, for a bendable straw.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0181348 for a “Drinking Straw,” published on Jul. 19, 2012 by inventor Elizabeth A. Koehler, discloses drinking straws that enable a user to drink a beverage without having to purse the user's lips around the straw. In one embodiment, a drinking straw has a tubular structure which includes a body portion and an upper end portion. A conduit is formed between the body portion and the upper end portion. The upper end portion has an elongated outer periphery which enables a user to create a seal between the user's lips and the outer periphery of the upper end portion without pursing the user's lips. The upper end portion may have a triangular shape. The conduit through the straw may have a constant cross-sectional area, or it may vary. The drinking straw may have solid lateral portions. The upper end portion of the straw may be detachable from the body portion of the straw and replaceable on a different body portion.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0079453 for a “KoffieStraw,” published on Mar. 23, 2017 by inventors Rita Diorio et al., discloses a drinking straw for transferring fluids with a body shaped as a cylindrical tube and one aperture. The body includes a first end, a second end, and an outer surface. Furthermore, the aperture extends from the first end of the body to the second end of the body and the aperture defines an inner surface. Additionally, the straw includes an angle point where the upper region of the straw is displaced at a fixed angle with respect to the lower region. Both the outer surface of the straw and the inner surface have the same non-circular shape.

German Patent Application Publication No. 202019106822 for a “Drinking Straw,” published on Dec. 19, 2019 by applicant MONOFLO PRODUKTIONS GMBH & CO KG, discloses a drinking straw comprising a tubular base body made of metallic material, which has a first cylindrical section at one free end and a second cylindrical section at the other free end, wherein between the first section and the second section, a third section designed as a corrugated tube is arranged, the first section, the second section and the third section being made of the same material and in one piece, and wherein the first section formed free end forms a drinking opening, the cross section of the drinking opening being smaller than the cross section of the base body.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0068854 for a “Straw for Dispensing Fluids,” published on Mar. 21, 2013 by inventor Drawn Martha Miracle, discloses a straw for dispensing fluids that includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an outer surface, and at least one aperture extending from the first end to the second end defining an inner surface. The aperture has a non-circular cross-sectional shape, such as an oval, an ellipse, a tear drop, and the like. The straw is made of a durable, non-toxic material, such as thermoplastic material that is suitable to withstand a temperature of the fluid of up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit, while preventing toxin release related to common cold beverage straws when immersed in hot beverages.

Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2010-0010011 for “A Horizontal Wide Straw for Liquid Food,” published on Oct. 13, 2010 by inventor , discloses a straw characterized by a shape in which the suction port is widened left and right for when the user wants to sell and drink fluids such as porridge, rice wine, soup, etc. in the form of takeaway beverages. The intake of the straw is extended from side to side and horizontally, and by providing a straw with a wider intake area, hot and granular fluids can be easily consumed for meal replacement in the form of take-out beverages.

Australian Patent Application Publication No. 2009100923 for a “Drinking Mouthpiece,” published on Oct. 22, 2009 by applicant Smilestraw Pty Ltd, discloses a drinking attachment comprising an elongated resilient mouthpiece through which liquid flows, wherein the mouthpiece has a curved longitudinal top profile for lying against a substantial length of the hard palate of a mouth, and a forward end of the mouthpiece has an elongated cross sectional profile.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,223,933 for an “Artificial Imbibing Straw,” issued on Apr. 24, 1917 to inventor Paul H. Can, provides for an artificial straw comprising a tube, the cross section of which is provided with a short diameter and a long diameter forming two longitudinal parallel substantially flat walls connected by longitudinally extending end walls, whereby a single opening is of substantially elliptical form.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw providing a tube body defining an enclosed conduit for a flow of liquid. The tube body and enclosed conduit have a substantially round sectional profile at a distal end meant to be placed into a container of liquid, and a substantially oblong sectional profile at a proximal end meant to be placed between lips of a user and to be accommodated by the lips of the user without requiring puckering or pursing of the lips. The sectional profile of the enclosed conduit changes from a round profile at the distal end and through approximately 90 percent of the tube body to an oblong profile at the proximal end, with the change of profile occurring at a transition segment near the proximal end. An optional bending segment can be provided to provide a bend in the tube body or allow the user to make such a bend. The sectional area or circumference of the enclosed conduit at the proximal end is not less than the sectional area at the distal end, providing control of suction and pressure, thereby reducing the need for puckering or pursing of the lips, and also allowing use of lightweight materials such as paper, degradable plastic, or soft silicon rubber with a reduced tendency for collapsing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of three instances of the lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of the invention in bent and unbent embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of the invention in use;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an axial view of the lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of the invention showing a projection of internal dimensions; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw having an enclosed conduit larger at the proximal end than at the distal end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw 10 provides a tube body 1 defining an enclosed conduit 2 for a flow of liquid. The tube body 1 has a distal end 3 meant to be placed into a container of liquid, and a proximal end 4 meant to be placed between lips of a user. The sectional profile of the enclosed conduit 2 changes from one profile at the distal end 3 to another profile at the proximal end 4, as treated in detail below, with the change of profile occurring at a transition segment 5. In an optional and preferred embodiment an optional bending segment 6 can be provided to provide a bend in the tube body 1 or allow the user to make such a bend.

Referring to FIG. 2, the proximal end 4 of the tube body 1 is shaped to be accommodated by the lips of the user without requiring puckering or pursing of the lips. The sectional profile of the proximal end 4 is a rounded oblong. When positioned during use the short dimension of the oblong profile runs vertically as a height, and the long dimension runs horizontally as a width. The lips of the user require only a slight parting to accommodate the proximal end 4. The greater part of the outer surface area of the proximal end is oriented horizontally along either the top or the bottom lip. Only a lesser part of the outer surface area has any vertical component, and any air gap at the sides can be closed with just the natural compression of the lips, without any need to pucker or purse the lips into a central rounded shape.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the sectional profile of the enclosed conduit 2 at the distal end 3 is maintained along most of the length of the tube body 1. The sectional profile can be substantially round or circular, which is a standard profile for straws, and which promotes a more smooth, laminar flow of liquids because of the absence of corners or internal obstructions that can increase turbulence. Small deviations from a perfect circle should not significantly affect the flow of liquids. In an embodiment having an optional bending segment 6, the bending preferably should create no change in the sectional profile or size of the enclosed conduit 2, which would impede the flow of liquids, or should create as little as possible. Although any bend in the tube body 1 and enclosed conduit 2, even at constant profile and size, will have some small effect, maintaining the constant profile and size should prevent significant disturbance of the flow.

The sectional profile and size of the enclosed conduit 2 is maintained constant from the distal end 3 through approximately 90% of the length of the tube body 1. Within the approximately 10% of the length of the tube body at the proximal end 4, the sectional profile of the enclosed conduit 2 and the enclosing tube body 1 change to the oblong profile of the proximal end 4. A transition segment 5 is provided near the proximal end 4. The transition segment 5 provides a smooth gradual transition from the substantially round profile at the distal end through approximately 90% of the length of the tube body, to the oblong profile at the proximal end 4. The profile is changed gradually and without creating internal obstructions or areas which would promote turbulence or impede the flow of liquid.

The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw 10 can be provided in embodiments made from several different materials suitable for use with food and beverages. Stainless steel is appropriate for a reusable straw which will need to be cleaned and will need to be kept at hand. Durable plastics and rubbers, such as silicon rubber, are 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. 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. Straws made from paper, lightweight degradable plastic, or softer materials such as some silicon rubbers will be inherently susceptible to collapsing or failing when excessive differences in pressure or suction build up inside or are applied to the straw. Where the lips of the user are required to be puckered and placed under strain, it is likely that excessive suction or pressure sufficient to collapse a lightweight straw is being applied. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw 10 controls such excessive differences in pressure or suction, as treated below, and therefore can be made from paper, lightweight degradable plastics, and softer silicon rubbers.

Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the sectional profile of the enclosed conduit 2 is changed from substantially round to oblong in a smooth transition through the transition segment 5. Although the sectional profile is changed, the sectional area or circumference or size of the enclosed conduit 2 is not reduced because reduction of the sectional area would act as a choke or obstruction, which would require greater draw or suction from the mouth of the user, which would consequently put more strain on the lips of the user. Additionally, where the tube body 1 of the lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw 10 is made from thinner or relatively weaker material, such as paper or thin biodegradable plastic, a significant change of pressure inside of or applied to a small area of the straw might cause a structural failure in that area of the straw.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the sectional area or circumference of the enclosed conduit 2 at the proximal end 4 is substantially equal to the sectional area at the distal end 3 and throughout approximately 90% of the tube body 1. Using this embodiment, the drawing or suction force required to initiate a flow and to sustain a flow should be substantially the same as would be required through a conventional straw of the same dimensions, and should be substantially evenly distributed along the tube body 1. This even distribution of force allows lighter materials such as paper or degradable plastics to be used without susceptibility to collapse or failure.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the sectional area or circumference of the enclosed conduit 2 at the proximal end 4 is greater than the sectional area at the distal end 3 and throughout approximately 90% of the tube body. Using this embodiment, liquid passing through the transition segment 5 will effectively move into a larger tube with a resulting change of pressure. Using this embodiment, 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. However, if too much drawing or suction force is applied to this embodiment, it is somewhat more likely that lighter materials such as paper or degradable plastic might collapse or fail.

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.

Claims

1. A lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw comprising:

(i) a tube body having a long axis and having a distal end and a proximal end in use, defining an enclosed conduit having a sectional profile which is substantially round at said distal end and through approximately 90 percent of said tube body, and having a sectional profile which is substantially oblong at said proximal end; and

(ii) a transition segment of said tube body and said enclosed conduit, near said proximal end, having a sectional profile which changes gradually from the substantially round profile of said distal end through approximately 90 percent of said tube body to the substantially oblong profile of said proximal end of said tube body;

where the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said proximal end and through said transition segment is not substantially less than the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said distal end through approximately 90 percent of said tube body.

2. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 1, further comprising a bending segment adapted to provide a bend in said tube body.

3. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 1, further comprising said tube body made of stainless steel.

4. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 1, further comprising said tube body made of durable plastic.

5. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 1, further comprising said tube body made of silicon rubber.

6. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 1, further comprising said tube body made of paper.

7. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 1, further comprising said tube body made of lightweight degradable plastic.

8. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 1, where the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said proximal end and through said transition segment not substantially less than the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said distal end through approximately 90 percent of said tube body is further not substantially greater than the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said distal end through approximately 90 percent of said tube body.

9. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 1, where the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said proximal end and through said transition segment not substantially less than the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said distal end through approximately 90 percent of said tube body is further greater than the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said distal end through approximately 90 percent of said tube body.

10. A lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw comprising:

(i) a tube body having a long axis and having a distal end and a proximal end in use, defining an enclosed conduit having a sectional profile which is substantially round at said distal end and through approximately 90 percent of said tube body, and having a sectional profile which is substantially oblong at said proximal end;

(ii) a bending segment adapted to provide a bend in said tube body; and

(iii) a transition segment of said tube body and said enclosed conduit, near said proximal end, having a sectional profile which changes gradually from the substantially round profile of said distal end through approximately 90 percent of said tube body to the substantially oblong profile of said proximal end of said tube body;

where the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said proximal end and through said transition segment is not substantially less than the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said distal end through approximately 90 percent of said tube body.

11. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 10, further comprising said tube body made of stainless steel.

12. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 10, further comprising said tube body made of durable plastic.

13. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 10, further comprising said tube body made of silicon rubber.

14. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 10, further comprising said tube body made of paper.

15. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 10, further comprising said tube body made of lightweight degradable plastic.

16. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 10, where the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said proximal end and through said transition segment not substantially less than the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said distal end through approximately 90 percent of said tube body is further not substantially greater than the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said distal end through approximately 90 percent of said tube body.

17. The lip-pucker avoiding drinking straw of claim 10, where the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said proximal end and through said transition segment not substantially less than the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said distal end through approximately 90 percent of said tube body is further greater than the sectional area of said enclosed conduit at said distal end through approximately 90 percent of said tube body.