DRINKING DEVICES

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a drinking tube (1) having an integral gas entrapping structure (5) giving buoyancy to the drinking tube (1) when located in a liquid. The invention also provides a drinks container including such a drinking tube (1).

Description: DRINKING DEVICES This invention relates to drinking devices, including drinks containers and implements, such as drinking straws, for consuming drinks. Drinks supplied in containers such as cans, bottles and cartons are often consumed using straws. The container is opened and the straw is then inserted into the open container. This necessitates a supply of straws; or a straw can be supplied with the container as a separate item. There is a need for a drinks container with an internal straw or drinking tube which can be installed inexpensively whilst being reliable and convenient to use. Although a normal straw or drinking tube could be supplied within a drinks container, such a straw or drinking tube lacks buoyancy, and when the container is opened, it may be difficult and/or messy to access the upper end of the straw to pull it sufficiently from the container to make use of it. According to the present invention there is provided a drinking tube which is shaped to provide an integral gas entrapping structure giving buoyancy to the drinking tube when the tube is introduced within a liquid. Reference herein to integral is intended to mean that the drinking tube is shaped so as to form a gas entrapping structure that is formed by the drinking tube so that the walls of the drinking tube are continuous. The present invention also provides drinks container having a closed opening, the container also including a drinking tube having an integral gas-entrapping structure giving buoyancy to the drinking tube. Preferably, the liquid is carbonated or non-carbonated. Preferably, the drinking tube is provided with a portion which is enlarged and shaped so as to provide a gas entrapping space radially separated from the interior of the main body of the drinking tube. More preferably said space extends circumferentially about said drinking tube. Preferably the gas entrapping structure can take the form of a projecting fin or a plurality of projecting fins or projecting fins linked at an upper region by a continuous annular member or the gas entrapping structure can take the form of a cup shaped member or an inverted omega shaped member. The arrangement of the enlarged portion is such that when the drinking tube is lowered into a liquid, not all the gas initially within the drinking tube will be pushed outwardly therefrom by the liquid. At least some gas will be trapped within the integral, enlarged portion provided with the drinking tube. It may be that the drinking tube has to be inserted into the liquid in a particular direction relative thereto. However, the present invention may also be embodied in a drinking tube with two gas entrapping enlargements spatially arranged such that one of which is effective when the drinking straw is inserted in one direction into a liquid and the other which is effective when the drinking straw is inserted the other way round. In a still further embodiment, the drinking straw may be provided with a single enlarged portion which is shaped so as to entrap gas whichever way round the drinking tube is inserted into the liquid. Preferably the drinking tube is provided with a concertina section which enables the tube to be extended by the user when the drinks container is opened and/or enables the end of the drinking tube to be angled relative to the body of the drinking tube. Ideally the drinking tube is constructed of plastics or the like. Preferably at least a part of the portion of the gas entrapping structure is resiliently deformable so as to facilitate insertion of the drinking tube into the drinks container. It will therefore be appreciated from the description of the invention that the drinking tube and container with a drinking tube is equally well suited for use with both non- carbonated and carbonated drinks. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein; Figure 1 represents a first embodiment of a drinking tube in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 represents a second alternative embodiment of a drinking tube in accordance with the present invention. Figure 3 represents a third alternative embodiment of a drinking tube in accordance with the present invention. Figure 4 represents a fourth alternative embodiment of a drinking tube in accordance with the present invention. Figure 5 represents a fifth alternative embodiment of a drinking tube in accordance with the present invention. Figure 6 represents a sixth alternative embodiment of a drinking tube in accordance with the present invention. Figure 7 represents a drinking container provided with a drinking tube in accordance with the present invention. Figure 8 represents an alternative embodiment of a drinking container provided with a drinking tube in accordance with the present invention. Referring to Figure 1 , there is shown a first embodiment of a drinking tube 1 which is provided with an integral enlarged portion 3 which extends radially outwardly from the main body of tube 1 and also extends upwardly to provide a circumferentially extending gas entrapping region 5. Gas entrapping region 5 in this embodiment is provided as a fin. The tube 1 is resiliently deformable at region 4. With reference to Figure 2, there is shown a second embodiment of a drinking tube 1 which illustrates an inverted omega shaped arrangement, wherein gas entrapping region 5 is provided with a terminal gas entrapping region 7. With reference to Figure 3, there is shown a third embodiment of drinking tube 1, wherein integral enlarged portion 3 is radially continuous and extends outwardly from main body of tube 1 forming cup 9 which defines space 11 about main body of tube 1. With reference to Figure 4, there is shown an alternative embodiment of Figure 1 wherein tube 1 is provided with a plurality of gas entrapping regions or fins 5, it will be appreciated that the number of gas entrapping regions is not intended to limit the scope of the application but merely to exemplify that tube 1 may be provided with a number of such gas entrapping regions and that their length and width may be variable according to the design required. With reference to Figure 5, there is shown a yet further embodiment of drinking tube 1 wherein tube 1 is provided with spatially orientated gas entrapping regions or fins 5 and 13 that are opposed. In this particular embodiment of the invention tube 1 may be inserted into a liquid in the orientation of direction X or direction Y. With reference to Figure 6, there is shown a sixth embodiment of the drinking tube 1, wherein gas entrapping region or fin 5 is provided with a continuous annular member 15 which links gas entrapping regions or fins 5. With reference to all the embodiments, when tube 1 is inserted into a liquid in the orientation of direction of X, shown in Figure 1, air will be driven out of the tube by the liquid. Additionally air is trapped in region 5 of the tube. As a result tube 1 will be buoyant within the liquid. In accordance with the present invention, a drinking tube such as tube 1 (refer to Figures 1-6) may be provided within a closed container containing a gasified or non- gasified drink. With reference to Figures 7 and 8, tube 1 has been inserted into the container, for example a can 19 (Figure 7) or a bottle 25 (Figure 8) in such a way as to cause gas to be trapped within region 5. The accumulation of gas within region 5 may arise through the insertion of the tube into the liquid 17 of the container before it is closed. Additionally or alternatively, gas may accumulate in region 5 through the natural process of release of the gas by the liquid 17, particular in the case of a gasified drink. When the container is opened by a consumer, the drink tube 1 will rise due to its buoyancy enabling the consumer to access the upper end of the tube by means of the mouth in order to consume the contents of the container. A concertina region 21 allows the user to extend the tube and adjust the length protruding above container opening 23 of can 19 or bottle 25. Additionally the concertina region 21 allows a user to adjust the angle of the tube end relative to the container according to a user's requirements. In the instance of the container being opened by a consumer and the drink tube rising, the transverse extent of region 3 may be such that this region will pass through the opening in the container, once the container has been opened. Alternatively, the enlarged portion 3 may be positioned longitudinally with respect to the remainder of drinking tube 1 so that, on opening the container, it may rise sufficiently, due to its buoyancy, to enable the upper end to be accessed by the mouth outside the container but with the enlarged region 3 remaining within the container and indeed held within the container by engagement against, for instance, the neck 27 of bottle 25 or the opening 23 of can 19. In this way the tube may be positively retained within the container even during use thereof. Due to the shape of the enlarged portion 3, it is possible to insert the tube easily into the container, the enlarged portion 3 is resiliently deformable at region 4 so deformation occurs at this region as this action is carried out. However, on retraction of the tube from the container the upper regions of enlarged portion 3 will engage against a shoulder portion of the container just below its opening, thereby preventing total removal of the drinking tube. It will be appreciated that an enlarged region of a drinking tube may be of any suitable shape as long as it is capable of holding sufficient gas to give the drinking tube buoyancy within a liquid. A drinking tube in accordance with the present invention may be made from any suitable material. For instance, the tube may be made of plastics material. Such a tube may be an manufactured by, for instance, a plastics extrusion process which may make use of an appropriately shaped tool whereby, during extrusion, the enlarged portion is formed as part of the tube.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A drinking tube which is shaped to provide an integral gas entrapping structure giving buoyancy to the drinking tube when the tube is introduced within a liquid. 2. A drinking tube according to Claim 1 wherein a portion of the drinking tube is enlarged and shaped so as to provide a gas entrapping space radially separated from the interior of the main body of the drinking tube. 3. A drinking tube according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the space radially separated from the interior of the main body of the drinking tube extends circumferentially about the drinking tube. 4. A drinking tube according to any preceding claim wherein said gas entrapping structure takes the form of a projecting fin. 5. A gas entrapping structure according to Claim 4 comprising a plurality of projecting fins. 6. A drinking tube according to Claims 1 to 3 wherein said gas entrapping structure comprises projecting fins linked at an upper region by a continuous annular member. 7. A drinking tube according to Claims 1 to 3 wherein said gas entrapping structure comprises a cup shaped member. 8. A drinking tube according to Claims 1 to 3 wherein said gas entrapping structure comprises an inverted omega shaped member. 9. A drinking tube according to Claims 1 to 3 wherein said drinking tube comprises two gas entrapping enlargements, spatially arranged such that one is effective when the drinking straw is inserted in one direction into a liquid and the other is effective when the drinking straw is inserted the other way round. 10. A drinking tube according to Claims 1 to 3 wherein said drinking tube is provided with a single enlarged portion which is shaped so as to entrap gas whichever way round the drinking tube is inserted into the liquid. 1 1. A drinking tube according to any preceding claim wherein said drinking tube is provided with a concertina section which enables the tube to be extended by the user when the drinks container is opened and/or enables the end of the drinking tube to be angled relative to the body of the drinking straw. 12. A drinking tube according to Claim 12 wherein the concertina section is provided at an end which projects above a drink container opening when said drinks container is opened. 13. A drinking tube according to any preceding claim wherein said drinking tube is constructed of plastics. 14. A drinking tube according to any preceding claim wherein at least a portion of the gas entrapping structure is resiliently deformable so as to facilitate insertion of said drinking tube into said container. 15. A drinking tube according to any preceding claim for use with carbonated drinks. 16. A drinking tube according to Claims 1 to 15 for use with non-carbonated drinks. 17. A drinks container having an closed opening, the container also including a drinking tube having an integral gas entrapping structure giving buoyancy to the drinking tube as described in any preceding claim.

Inventors: GORE MICHAEL SIMON, GORE, MICHAEL, SIMON
Applicants: GORE MICHAEL SIMON, GORE, MICHAEL, SIMON
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65D77
IPC codes: B65D77