1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a drinking straw, and more particularly, a drinking straw designed to preclude the entry of solid material, such as citrus pits, pulp and the like, into the straw and liquid ingested by the user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Plastic and paper straws having a tubular body open at opposite remote ends are in common use for ingesting a liquid. One open end of the straw is inserted in the liquid housed within a container or drinking glass and the other end is inserted in the mouth of the user. Suction is applied to the tube end in the user's mouth to draw the liquid in the container through the opposite end of the tubular body into the mouth.
However, in the case of certain liquids, such as iced tea, the use of condiments such as lemons and limes to flavor the liquid results in the deposit of pits or other solid material in the liquid, which may become entrained in the liquid suctioned through the tubular straw. The same may occur with pulp in orange juice or solid mint used to flavor the tea. These solids may cause children or any user for that matter to gag on the liquid as it is ingested or cause deterioration of the flavor provided by the condiment.
It is therefore desirable to provide a drinking straw in which some of the bulk components in the liquid to be ingested are filtered from the liquid before it enters the mouth of the user. One prior device to accomplish this purpose is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,335.
The straw disclosed in this patent comprises a tube having a passageway containing filtering medium and plugs positioned in the tube to keep the filter medium in the straw. The plugs permit the passage of an aqueous solution therethrough but not the passage of the filter medium. The plugs are retained within the tube in a forced fit relation by being inserted when compressed and then released. This invention provides such a filter, but in lieu of the use of an expensive filtering medium and plug structure to capture the filter medium in the tube, the filter is provided externally of the tube and is simple to manufacture.
In accordance with the invention, the non-suction end of the drinking straw is sealed and a foraminous filter member is formed in the tubular body of the straw adjacent the sealed end. The foraminous member may take a variety of forms, such as series of small holes or bores of different or various shape depending on the particular use of the straw. The member may also be a screened mesh or a conical shaped screen inserted in the second, or non-suction open end of the tube. Upon suction being applied to the opposite end of the tube, liquid is drawn into the tube through the foraminous member, but solid material such as pits or other debris in the liquid are not, being blocked from ingestion by the otherwise sealed second end of the tube.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, in accordance with the invention as shown in
A foraminous member 16 is formed in the tubular body 14 of the straw 10 adjacent the sealed end 12. The foraminous member may take a variety of forms, such as series of small holes or bores 18 on the exterior of tubular body 14 having communication with the interior of the tubular body (as shown in
The member may also be a screened mesh 22 adhered by a suitable adhesive or the like adjacent end 12 of the tubular body 14, with larger holes 24 punched or stamped in the body for increased draw of liquid through tubular open end 15, as shown in
Upon suction being applied and induced in end 15 of the tube 14, liquid will be drawn into the tube through the foraminous elements 18, 20, 22, and 31 but solid material such as pits or other debris in the liquid are not, being blocked from ingestion by the otherwise sealed second end 12, 12A of the tube 14 and the tubular material around the foraminous member.