Patent Publication Number: US-2006006134-A1

Title: Cap and straw combination

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a cap and straw combination and more particularly to such a cap and straw combination with improved characteristics.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Bottled drinks are very popular nowadays. Sometimes people, particularly children or senior citizens, may bend a straw inside a large bottle since they cannot suck all beverage at one time. However, it is often difficult of pulling the bent straw out of the bottle for a next sucking. Also, this is not hygienic. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is an object of the present invention to provide a cap and straw combination comprising a cap adapted to secure to an opening of a bottle; and an attachment pin including a flat top snappingly coupled to an underside of a top of the cap, a positioning peg extended downwardly, and a lateral hole in the positioning peg; wherein in a first position a straw is adapted to insert through the hole with a bellows section of the straw flexibly disposed and fastened in the hole, and the combination is mounted on the opening of the bottle with the straw vertically inserted through the hole into the bottle; and in a second position the bellows section is bent such that the whole straw is adapted to dispose in the bottle with the combination secured to the bottle.  
      It is another object of the present invention to provide a cap and straw combination comprising a cap adapted to secure to an opening of a bottle; and an attachment pin including a top integrally formed with the cap, a positioning peg extended downwardly, and a lateral hole in the positioning peg; wherein in a first position a straw is adapted to insert through the hole with a bellows section of the straw flexibly disposed and fastened in the hole, and the combination is mounted on the opening of the bottle with the straw vertically inserted through the hole into the bottle; and in a second position the bellows section is bent such that the whole straw is adapted to dispose in the bottle with the combination secured to the bottle.  
      In one aspect of the present invention, the hole comprises a peripheral gap.  
      The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of cap and straw combination adapted to fasten a bellows section of a straw according to the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the cap and straw combination mounted on the opening of a bottle with the straw vertically inserted through a hole of the attachment pin in a ready to suck position;  
       FIGS. 3-1  and  3 - 2  are views similar to  FIG. 2  with the bellows section bent inside the bottle in a storage position;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of cap and straw combination adapted to fasten a bellows section of a straw according to the invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the cap and straw combination of  FIG. 4  mounted on the opening of a bottle with the straw vertically inserted through a hole of the attachment pin in a ready to suck position;  
       FIGS. 6-1  and  6 - 2  are views similar to  FIG. 5  with the bellows section bent inside the bottle in a storage position;  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment of cap and straw combination adapted to fasten a bellows section of a straw according to the invention;  
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the cap and straw combination of  FIG. 7  mounted on the opening of a bottle with the bellows section of the straw bent inside the bottle in a storage position;  
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a fourth preferred embodiment of cap and straw combination adapted to fasten a bellows section of a straw according to the invention;  
       FIG. 10  is a sectional view of the cap and straw combination of  FIG. 9  mounted on the opening of a bottle with the bellows section of the straw bent inside the bottle in a storage position;  
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a fifth preferred embodiment of cap and straw combination adapted to fasten a bellows section of a straw according to the invention; and  
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a sixth preferred embodiment of cap and straw combination adapted to fasten a bellows section of a straw according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to FIGS.  1  to  3 , there is shown a cap and straw combination constructed in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprising a cap  1  including an internal space  12  and interior threads  11  adapted to secure to exterior threads of a top opening  41  of a bottle  4 , and an attachment pin  2  including a flat top snappingly coupled to an underside of the top of the cap  1 , a positioning peg  21  extended downwardly from a bottom center, and a lateral hole  22  proximate a lower end of the positioning peg  21 . A straw  3  comprises a bellows section proximate one end. The straw  3  is adapted to insert through the hole  22  with a portion of the bellows section flexibly disposed and fastened in the hole  22 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 2 , the combination is mounted on the opening  41  of the bottle  4  with the straw  3  vertically inserted through the hole  22  into the bottle  4  in a ready to suck position. When a user does not want to suck beverage in the bottle  4  now, the user may bend the bellows section to insert the whole straw  3  into the bottle  4  with the combination secured to the bottle  4 . This is a storage position of the bottle  4  as shown in  FIG. 3  such that a next sucking can be made in a convenient, hygienic way.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 4, 5  and  6 , there is shown a cap and straw combination constructed in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention. The characteristic of the second preferred embodiment is that the cap  1  and the attachment pin  2  are formed integrally.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , there is shown a cap and straw combination constructed in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the invention. The characteristics of the third preferred embodiment are that the positioning peg  21 ′ of the attachment pin  2 ′ is an elongated one. Also, the opening  22 ′ is shaped as a C with a peripheral gap  23  so as to function as a flexible clamp for fastening the bellows section of the straw  3  in the opening  22 ′.  
      Referring to  FIG. 11 , there is shown a cap and straw combination constructed in accordance with a fifth preferred embodiment of the invention. The fifth preferred embodiment substantially has same structure as the third preferred embodiment. The difference between these two preferred embodiments, i.e., the characteristic of the fifth preferred embodiment is that the cap and the attachment pin are formed integrally as a cap  1 ″.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , there is shown a cap and straw combination constructed in accordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention. The fourth preferred embodiment substantially has same structure as the third preferred embodiment. The difference between these two preferred embodiments, i.e., the characteristic of the fourth preferred embodiment is that the positioning peg  21 ″ of the attachment pin  2 ″ is a short one.  
      Referring to  FIG. 12 , there is shown a cap and straw combination constructed in accordance with a sixth preferred embodiment of the invention. The sixth preferred embodiment substantially has same structure as the fourth preferred embodiment. The difference between these two preferred embodiments, i.e., the characteristic of the sixth preferred embodiment is that the cap and the attachment pin are formed integrally as a cap  1 ″.  
      While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.