Patent Application
20130221004
The present invention relates generally to a disposable straw and a sealing skirt that is capable of adapting to and covering beverage containers of various sizes and more specifically, the sealing skirt is capable of adhering to the exterior wall of the beverage container and preventing any liquid spilling from the container.
It is common for parents and young children to visit restaurants or other establishments that serve food and beverages, however many of these establishments may not serve beverages in a child friendly non-spill beverage container. As a result, especially young children spill the contents from the beverage container and require the assistance of a parent or adult to serve the beverage. Covers for drink containers are generally known in the art, however beverage containers come in all shapes and sizes, and covers will generally fit only certain size and shaped containers. Also, even though some establishments may provide straws with the beverage container, on many occasions a parent wants a sterile straw, free from any contaminants for their child to use. There are also other situations that not only apply to children but to adults as well, for example, a person traveling by plane will be exposed to constant movement that may result in the beverage spilling from the container. In addition, an adult attending various entertainment venues including concerts, sports arenas or movie theatres may also be exposed to various situations that may result in the beverage spilling from the container, for example the adult must carry the purchased food and beverage from the concession stands to their seat at these venues often times inadvertently spilling the beverage from the container. An adult can be sitting in their seat watching an event and their beverage inadvertently gets knocked or kicked over producing a spilled beverage and a messy cleanup for the venue.
Covers for drink containers are known in the art, for example U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0220650 discloses a cover for a beverage container to be used separately with a straw. The cover includes an aperture for a straw. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0006600 also discloses a straw holder with an aperture for a straw. However, certain establishments may not have straws or the appropriate size straws available or appropriate for small children to be used with the cover. Also, the cover disclosed is not sterilized.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,135 discloses a beverage container cover with a sealing layer that includes a lip that extends around the periphery of the top side of the container to engage the rim of the container. The cover also includes a straw. The cover that is disclosed is not capable to adapting to beverage containers that vary significantly in size, or containers that are not round in shape, for example a square shaped glass.
There is a need for an apparatus that is flexible and capable of adapting to beverage containers of all shapes and sizes, and capable of preventing the beverage from being spilled from the container.
The present invention provides a disposable straw and a sealing skirt that is flexible and capable of adapting to beverage containers of all shapes and sizes, and capable of preventing the beverage from being spilled from the container. In at least one embodiment, the present invention provides a disposable straw and sealing skirt capable of adapting to and enclosing a container. The disposable straw and sealing skirt may be manufactured as one unit or as two separate units. The sealing skirt surrounds the circumference of the disposable straw. The sealing skirt may first be wrapped around the container and then the disposable straw may pierce the portion of the sealing skirt located above the mouth of the container. The sealing skirt may also be attached to the exterior wall of the disposable straw, then the disposable straw and sealing skirt as one unit, is capable of being wrapped over the mouth of a container. The disposable straw and sealing skirt is also capable of preventing liquid that is present in the container from spilling out of the container. The disposable straw and sealing skirt may also be sterilized.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a disposable straw that is extendible. The straw may be also flexible and adjustable, as well as interlock with another disposable straw.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a sealing skirt that is made of a flexible elastomeric or thermoplastic material, or a combination of both. The sealing skirt can be stretched over the mouth of the container and surround the exterior wall of the container.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a sealing skirt with a venting system. The venting system is provided by a valve. The valve may also be a one-way valve. A valve may be created by piercing the sealing skirt with a small hole above the mouth of the container.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a sealing skirt with a top side and a bottom side. The bottom side of the sealing skirt faces the interior of the container and has an adhesive substance extending about a periphery of the bottom side of the sealing skirt. The adhesive substance is capable of attaching the periphery of the sealing skirt to the exterior wall of the container. The adhesive substance may further contain a removable layer, to preserve the binding properties of the adhesive substance.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a sealing skirt, the periphery of the sealing skirt is elastic and is capable of attaching the periphery of the sealing skirt to the exterior wall of the container.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a sealing skirt, and the periphery of the sealing skirt can be attached to various locations on the exterior wall of the container, thus enabling any extraneous material of the skirt to be formed into the shape of a dome over the mouth of the container. The size of the dome can be adjusted and as a result the location of the disposable straw can be adjusted as well, further enabling the disposable straw and sealing skirt being able to adapt to containers of all shapes and sizes.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a disposable straw and sealing skirt, the periphery of the sealing skirt includes at least one tab that protrudes away from the periphery of the sealing skirt. The tab that protrudes away from the sealing skirt may also contain an adhesive substance. The sealing skirt may also contain more than one tab, and contain at least two tabs that adhere to the exterior wall of the container.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a package containing at least one disposable straw and/or a sealing skirt. A package may contain multiple disposable straws and/or sealing skirts. The package may also contain a sterile disposable straw with a sealing skirt or the package containing the disposable straw and sealing skirt may be sterilized. The package may also be a single item package that is cylindrical and longitudinal in the shape of a disposable straw.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method of using a disposable straw and sealing skirt to enclose a beverage container with liquid and preventing the liquid from spilling from the beverage container, by wrapping the sealing skirt over the mouth of the beverage container, and attaching the skirt to the exterior wall of the beverage whereby the sealing skirt retains enough force applied to the exterior wall of the beverage container that the sealing skirt is at least temporarily fixed at that position and prevents liquid from spilling from the mouth of the beverage container.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. Rather, various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims without departing from the invention. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.
The sealing skirt may also contain a venting system, for example a valve 6 as shown in
As shown in
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be understood that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes and substitutions will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims cover all such variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.
