Patent Application
20180020856
The present invention relates to straws and, more particularly, to a straw effective in transferring solids in a beverage from its container to a user's mouth and preventing the solids in the beverage from clogging the straw.
The straw is capable of transferring a beverage and food from its container to a user's mouth by the principle that “the gas pressure inside the straw is lower than the atmospheric pressure outside the straw”. The user sucking the straw removes some air therefrom and thus reduces the pressure inside the straw; hence, the atmospheric pressure outside the straw is higher than the gas pressure inside the straw. The pressure difference causes the liquid inside the straw to rise. Gaseous communication between the inside of the straw and the outside occurs as soon as the user's mouth separates from the straw, and in consequence the gas pressure inside the straw equals the atmospheric pressure; hence, the pressure difference is reduced to zero, thereby causing the liquid inside the straw to descend. Likewise, a crack in the wall of the straw will enable gaseous communication between the inside of the straw and the outside, even if the user sucks the straw with the other end thereof placed in a beverage, and in consequence the gas pressure inside the straw equals the atmospheric pressure; hence, the straw with the crack is not capable of transferring the beverage from its container to the user's mouth.
In the 19th century, Americans were fascinated by icy, mildly-flavored alcohol, and they prevented heat in their mouths from lessening the iciness of the alcohol with a hollow-cored wheat straw inserted into the alcohol in a container rather than drinking the alcohol directly from the container. However, wheat straws not only break easily, but their flavor also permeates the alcohol. Dissatisfied with wheat straws and inspired by paper cigarette holders, Marvin Chester Stone, an American manufacturer of paper cigarette holders, invented a paper straw which does not break down and leave a gritty residue in the beverage. From then on, paper straws are used in drinking mildly-flavored alcohol and icy beverage alike.
The birth of modern plastics was followed by the replacement of paper straws with plastic straws which human beings are using nowadays, as plastic straws are easier to manufacture, more flexible and attractive than paper straws.
There is an increasingly strong, ongoing demand for beverage. Furthermore, beverage nowadays often contains tapioca pearls, konjac, chopped fruit, etc. The conventional straw is designed to have its bottom end rested on the bottom of the container; as a result, not only are the tapioca pearls, konjac, and chopped fruit in beverage denied entry into the straw, but they also cluster around the bottom end of the straw and thus ultimately clog the straw.
Fruit tea, inclusive of chopped fruit, is often introduced into beverage nowadays. However, it is only after consumers have drunk the beverage that the consumers take the chopped fruit out of the empty container and eat the chopped fruit, because it is difficult to take the chopped fruit out of the beverage with the conventional straw. As a result, the conventional straw is useless for the chopped fruit.
The objective of the present invention is to provide a straw effective in transferring bulky solids, such as chopped fruit, in a beverage from its container to a user's mouth and preventing solids in the beverage from clogging the straw.
The straw of the present invention comprises a straw body. The straw body is hollow-cored, cylindrical and made of a plastic material. The straw body has one end provided with a plurality of branch portions and a plurality of openings disposed between the branch portions, wherein the branch portions each have a body segment and a top segment. The body segment has one end connected to the straw body and the other end connected to the top segment. The body segment is entirely of substantially equal width. The top segment has an arcuate outer end.
In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of tooth portions is disposed on the edge of each said branch portion.
In a preferred embodiment, the openings are in the number of two and oppose each other radially across the straw body, whereas the branch portions are in number of two and oppose each other radially across the straw body.
In a preferred embodiment, the branch portions are in the number of four, with two paired said branch portions opposing two other paired said branch portions radially across the straw body, whereas the openings includes two first openings and two second openings, with the two first openings opposing each other radially across the straw body and being between two non-paired said branch portions, and the two second openings opposing each other radially across the straw body and being between two paired said branch portions.
In a preferred embodiment, the two first openings are larger than the two second openings.
In a preferred embodiment, the openings each have an arcuate bottom end.
In a preferred embodiment, the openings each have a maximum depth equal to one to two times the inner diameter of the straw body.
With the aforesaid structure and components, the straw of the present invention is effective in transferring bulky solids, such as chopped fruit, in a beverage from its container to a user's mouth and preventing solids in the beverage from clogging the straw.
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Therefore, the straw of the present invention is effective in transferring solids in a beverage from its container to a user's mouth and preventing the solids in the beverage from clogging the straw.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 105210970 | Jul 2016 | TW | national |
