Patent Publication Number: US-8978907-B2

Title: Straw holder having a date rape testing capability

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/156,748, filed Jun. 20, 2005 now abandoned, which is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/888,681, filed Jul. 9, 2004, which is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/684,882, filed Oct. 14, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 8,505,755. The entire contents of U.S. application Ser. Nos. 11/156,748, 10/888,681, and 10/684,882 are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a drink cover for preventing inadvertent or intentional addition of foreign substances to a drink and drink cover for preventing an inadvertent or intentional introduction of foreign substances to a drink. The present invention also relates to a drink cover incorporating a date rape drug test to determine if a date rape drug is present in a drink. 
     Date rape drugs are drugs which reduce a victim&#39;s inhibitions, render the victim oblivious to his/her surroundings. Such drugs can also render a victim unconscious or cause seizures. The date rape drugs are surreptitiously added to a victim&#39;s drink. In the worst case scenario, the victim is robbed or sexually assaulted by a predator who has administered the drug. Efforts to prevent falling prey to a date rape drug include not accepting drinks from people you don&#39;t know, not leaving drinks unattended, and not drinking from open beverage sources such as punch bowls. However, constant vigilance of a drink at a party or other social gathering is almost impossible since the owner of the drink will be engaged in conversation, dancing, or other activities. 
     Tests have been developed to determine if a date rape drug is present in a drink. Examples of such tests are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2004/0146429 and 2003/0044989 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,216. These tests have been incorporated in coasters and test strips which can be carried in a wallet, pocket, or purse. However, a more convenient form of the test is required. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a drink cover having a test for detecting date rape drugs present in a drink. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a drink cover that prevents or substantially reduces the likelihood of inadvertent or intentional addition of foreign substances into a drink. 
     The object of the present invention is met by a drink cover for covering the mouth of a bottle or can. The object is also met by including a test kit on the drink cover having a material which provides a visual indication of the present of a date rape drug when exposed to a liquid containing a sufficient quantity of the date rape drug. The disk cover is formed of a flexible sheet material and has a mouth-covering portion dimensioned for placement above the mouth of one of a can and a bottle. The mouth-covering portion optionally includes an aperture designed to receive a straw therethrough and to vertically support the straw with respect to the support portion. A retaining portion is arranged proximate the mouth-covering portion and has a first edge engageable adjacent the mouth of the can or the bottle for retaining the drink cover in an installed position. The mouth-covering portion is attached to the retaining portion by at least one connection. The drink cover further includes a test section arranged on either the mouth-covering portion or the retaining portion. The test section includes a material thereon which provides a visual indication of the presence of a date rape drug when exposed to a liquid containing a sufficient quantity of the date rape drug. 
     The test section may be arranged on either the retaining portion or the mouth-covering portion. Furthermore, the test section may be in the form of a test strip detachably arranged on the straw holder using perforations so that a user can rip the test section off of the straw holder. 
     The drink cover has the additional advantage of being positioned over the opening of the beverage holder, thereby covering and blocking access to the drink. This decreases the probability of having a foreign substance administered into the drink therein because the person attempting to administer the drug is required to move the straw holder out of the way to gain access to the drink. 
     The drink covers may be provided to purchasers of beverages complimentarily by the establishment supplying drinks, such as a bar, club, or college social club, thereby discouraging the use of date rape drugs and indicating to the public that the use of date rape drugs are not condoned by the establishment. 
     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. 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. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a first embodiment of a drink cover according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 1   a  is a perspective view of the drink cover of  FIG. 1  arranged on a bottle; 
         FIG. 2  is a second embodiment of a drink cover according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is another embodiment of a drink cover according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3   a  is a perspective view of the drink cover of  FIG. 3  arranged on a can; 
         FIG. 4  is yet another embodiment of a drink cover according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4   a  is a perspective view of the drink cover of  FIG. 4  arranged on a bottle; 
         FIG. 5  is another embodiment of a drink cover according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an alternative embodiment of the drink cover of  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the drink cover of  FIG. 5  arranged on a bottle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Methods and kits for testing for date rape drugs are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2004/0146429 and 2003/0044989 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,216, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The tests have been packaged as coasters or test strips by DRINK SAFE, Calgary, Canada. However, a more convenient form would be to have the test kits arranged on a form that is carried with the drink. Examples of drink covers and straw holders which cover an opening of and are retained on beverage containers such as cans, bottles, and cups, are described below. Each of the embodiment can incorporate test kits for testing for date rape drugs. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a straw holder  10  which includes a central mouth-covering portion  12  having an aperture  13  dimensioned to receive a straw in an interference fit, and a bottle retaining portion  14  separated from the mouth-covering portion  12  by a pair of parallel rectilinear slits  15  having respective mutually facing edge portions  16  which are spaced to engage a bottle adjacent to its mouth. In the present example the aperture  13  is formed by a pair of crossed slits which form four bendable tabs as is common in lids on cups.  FIG. 1   a  depicts the straw holder  10  on a bottle  8  in the engaged position with a straw  6  received through the aperture  13 . The straw holder  10  is further described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/888,681, filed Jul. 9, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Each of the slits  15  terminates at a pair of holes  17  which relieve strain so that a tear will not readily propagate through the portion  14  from the slit  15 . An additional pair of slits may be provided parallel to and outside of the slits  15 , in order to engage a bottle having a wider mouth. 
     A test area  18  is arranged on the straw holder including a material  19  that provides a visual indication of the presence of at least one date rape drug such as, for example, Rohypnol or gamma hydroxy butyrate (GHB). The straw holder  10 , which acts as a holder for the material  19  in the test area  18 , must be sufficiently porous to allow a drink suspected of containing a date rape drug to flow through the straw holder and reach the material  19  in the test area  18 . A further material  19   a  may also be arranged in the test area  18  as an indication for a different type of date rape drug such as, for example, ketamine. The material  19 ,  19   a  may comprise any of the materials disclosed by U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2004/0146429 and 2003/0044989 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,216 or any other known or hereafter developed material or technique which provides a visual indication of the presence of a date rape drug upon exposure to a drink containing the date rape drug. Although two materials  19 ,  19   a  are shown in each test area  18 , one, three or more different materials may be arranged in each test area. 
     To test for date rape drugs, a drop of the drink is placed in the test area  18  so that the fluid being tested flows into all materials  19 ,  19   a  in the test area. A change in color of materials  19  or  19   a  indicates the presence of a date rape drug. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the straw holder  10  may include more than one test area  18  so that the test can be performed more than once. Although two test areas  18  are shown in  FIG. 1 , three or more test areas may alternatively be arranged on the straw holder  10 . 
       FIG. 2  depicts a second embodiment of the straw holder  20  which includes a central mouth-covering portion  22  having an aperture  23  dimensioned to receive a straw in an interference fit, and a bottle retaining portion  24  separated from the mouth-covering portion  22  by a pair of slits  25  having respective curved edge portions  26  which face each other concavely and are spaced to engage a bottle adjacent to its mouth. An additional pair of slits arranged parallel to the slits  25  may be provided for engaging a bottle having a wider mouth. 
     The straw holder  20  of  FIG. 2  includes detachable strips  28  which include materials  29 ,  29   a  that provide a visual indication of the presence of at least one date rape drug. The materials  29 ,  29   a  are the same as materials  19 ,  19   a  described above. The strips  28  are connected to the straw holder  20  by perforations  26  so that the strips  28  can be removed from the straw holder  20 . The upper strip in  FIG. 2  is in the process of being removed. After removal, the strip  28  can be dipped into a drink to be tested. Alternatively, the liquid to be tested can be dropped onto the materials  29 ,  29   a.    
     As is known from U.S. application Ser. No. 11/156,748 filed Jun. 20, 2005, the straw holders  10  and  20  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  may be made with only one slit for engaging a tab of a beverage can. A straw holder having one slit may include the strips  28  or the test areas  18  disclosed in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a straw holder  110  based on another embodiment disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/156,748, filed Jun. 20, 2005. The straw holder  110  is shown in an engaged position on a beverage can in  FIG. 3   a . Straw holder  110  includes a mouth covering portion  112  having an aperture  113  for receiving a straw, and a retaining portion  114  separated from the straw support portion by a cutout  115 . The cutout  115  is open in that a channel  125  extends from the cutout  115  to the side of the straw holder  110  between section  124  of the retaining portion  114  and section  122  of the mouth-covering portion  112 . The straw holder  110  may be slid into place such that the connection  121  between the pull tab  3  and the top of the can slides through the channel  125  until the connection  121  is located within the cutout  115 . Straw holder  110  includes strips  128  arranged thereon, each including materials  129 ,  129   a  which are the same as materials  19 ,  19   a  described above. The straw holder may alternatively or additionally include a test area  18  that is not detachable as described above. 
     U.S. application Ser. No. 10/684,882, filed Oct. 14, 2003, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, discloses drinking straw holders for bottles.  FIG. 4  is a plan view of another embodiment of the straw holder  130 , which includes a mouth-covering portion  132  having a central aperture  134  dimensioned to receive a straw in an interference fit. The mouth-covering portion  132  has an outer edge  136  of continuously increasing radius, forming the profile of a nautilus. A bottle retaining portion  140  connected to the mouth-covering portion  132  comprises a plurality of turns connected to form a spiral. More particularly, the retaining portion  140  comprises a plurality of turns forming a spiral. This configuration results from the cutting of the straw holder from a sheet material with a single slit between turns, which not only economizes use of material, but spaces the turns as closely as possible in order to optimize retention of the holder  140  on a bottle. The turns need not have edges with continuously increasing radii, but may have irregular or undulating edges for decorative effect.  FIG. 4   a  depicts the straw holder in a position in which the holder is retained on a bottle. This straw holder design is described in more detail in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/684,882, filed Oct. 14, 2003, which is referred to above. 
     The mouth-covering portion  132  includes a test area  148  having materials  149 ,  149   a  for testing a drink for the presence of date rape drugs. The test area  148  and materials  149 ,  149   a  are similar to the test area  18  and materials  19 ,  19   a  described above. In addition, the end of the retaining portion  140  includes detachable strips  158 , each strip including materials  159 ,  159   a  for testing a drink for the presence of date rape drugs. The detachable strips maybe connected to the retaining portion by perforations  156 . Although both the test area  148  and the test strips  158  are shown in the drawing, the straw support  130  may include only the test strips  158  or only the test area  148 . 
     In each of the above-described embodiments, the mouth-covering portion  12 ,  22 ,  12 ,  132  also provides the further function of covering the mouth of the bottle or can and thereby restricts access to the drink. This prevents or at least make more difficult the inadvertent or intentional introduction of foreign substances into the drink.  FIG. 5  shows a drink cover  220  having a mouth covering portion  223  without an aperture for a straw. The drink cover  220  includes a bottle retaining portion  224  separated from the mouth covering portion  223  by a pair of slits  225  similarly to the embodiments of  FIGS. 1 and 2  described above. As shown in  FIG. 5 , a test area  218  is arranged on the straw holder including a material  219  that provides a visual indication of the presence of at least one date rape drug. The test area  218  and materials  219  may be similar to the test are  18  and materials  19  described above.  FIG. 7  shows the drink cover  220  arranged on a bottle  230 . As depicted, the mouth covering portion  223  designed to cover the mouth of the bottle  230 , preventing someone from inconspicuously adding a foreign substance to the contents of the bottle. 
       FIG. 6  shows a drink cover  220 ′ according to a further embodiment which includes perforations  227  defining a hole in a mouth covering portion  223 ′. The portion of the mouth covering portion  223 ′ within the perforations  227  may be punched out to form a straw receiving hole if use of a straw is desired by a user. The drink cover  220 ′ also includes a tab  229  attached thereto which may include advertising. Alternatively, the tab  229  may be attached by perforations  228  and include a design or photo as a souvenier/momento that is detachable from the drink cover  220 ′. It is envisioned that the drink covers of  FIGS. 5 and 6  will be placed on a bottle or can at the point of sale, i.e., by a bartender or other vendor, when serving the drink to a purchaser. 
     Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. For example, the mouth-covering portion  132  in  FIG. 4  and the mouth-covering portion  112  in  FIG. 3  may each be made without an aperture, as shown in  FIG. 5  or with a perforated section as shown in  FIG. 6 . Furthermore, the drink cover  10  of  FIG. 1  and the drink cover  110  of  FIG. 3  may include test strips  28  as shown in  FIG. 2 . It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.