Patent Publication Number: US-2005139603-A1

Title: Intra-packaging straw for laminated paperboard-based liquid containers

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The invention relates generally to a liquid container and, more particularly, to a liquid container provided with an incorporated straw element.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Liquid containers presently appear under many various types and forms. For example, well known Tetra-Brik® paperboard-made liquid containers are easily distinguished on the shelves of alimentary shops. To facilitate the drinking, a Tetra-Brik® liquid container may be additionally provided with a straw that is externally adhered onto the container. However, the external provision of a straw may result in various inconveniences. For example, when several liquid containers are packed together and transported, the straws may be separated from their respective containers and be definitely lost. Furthermore, dust and any other types of contaminant particles may deposit on the aluminum foil that seals the straw hole formed through the liquid container. Therefore, when the straw is punched through the aluminum foil into the container, the contained liquid is adversely contaminated. In other situations, the straw, too short, may simply drop within the interior of the liquid container.  
      A well known type of liquid container is that of gable-top container. A gable-top container is usually not provided with an external straw. This container usually has a top seal or fin that is hermetically sealed. To drink the liquid contained in a gable-top container, the user usually has to oppositely pull out the hermetically sealed panels of the top seal or fin until the opening of the container is exposed and, then, adjust an adequate shape of the opening to drink the liquid. When the liquid is drunk directly through the hence-formed opening, leakage may occur between the opening of the container and the user&#39;s mouth. Moreover, drinking through the opening of the gable-top container inconveniently necessitates inclining the head, which may be dangerous in certain situations such as while driving a car, for example.  
      Some liquid containers such as Tetra Rex® packages may also be provided with a specifically arranged pouring hole or pouring tube closed by a cap. This type of arrangement can provide an adequate use when the liquid is poured out, but is less convenient if the liquid is directly drunk through the pouring tube due to its relative large size, and a separate straw is thus still needed. Moreover, the mount of the pouring tube requires an additional operation of forming a hole through the package wall.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      An aspect of the invention is therefore to provide a liquid container with an intra-packaging straw that allows a user to drink the liquid enclosed directly from the liquid container without the need of a separate straw.  
      Another aspect of the invention is to provide a liquid container with an intra-packaging straw that allows a user to drink the liquid enclosed either directly from the liquid container without the need of a separate straw, or via conveniently pouring the liquid into an external recipient.  
      To accomplish the above and other objectives, a liquid container with intra-packaging straw comprises a liquid container in which a straw support is attached. The straw support comprises a support pad that is attached in an opening of the liquid container, and a straw that is placed through the support pad and oppositely extends inside and outside the liquid container. A hermetic isolation of the portion of the straw inserted through the support pad is accomplished through various methods. One method is to directly seal the straw to the support pad at the inserted portion of the straw. Another method is to enclose a volume including an opening of the support pad where the straw is placed and a straw portion over the support pad by means of a flexible film respectively sealed to the straw and the support pad. With the flexible film, the straw can be freely moved through the support pad. Within the volume enclosed by the flexible film, if a lateral side of the straw is further provided with a groove, the flexible film and the straw form a funnel structure that enables the enclosed liquid to be poured out. To allow the enclosed liquid to be poured out, a tube may be alternatively placed through the support pad additional to the straw. The length of the tube that extends in the liquid container is as short as possible to pour out the entire enclosed liquid. Furthermore, the straw may be provided with an elbow placed on a straw portion that can be either within the liquid container or outside the liquid container.  
      The straw support of the invention can accommodate various types of laminated paperboard-based liquid containers to form a liquid container with an intra-packaging straw, including, but not limited to, a gable-top type liquid container and a flat-top type liquid container. With the straw support of the invention directly mounted in the existing opening of the package, no additional hole is needed such as in traditional Tetra Brik® packages or Tetra Rex® packages.  
      It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings,  
       FIG. 1A  through  FIG. 1D  are various perspective views illustrating various examples of a liquid container with an intra-packaging straw according to a first embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 2A  through  FIG. 2E  are various perspective views illustrating various examples of a liquid container with an intra-packaging straw according to a second embodiment of the invention; and  
       FIG. 3A  through  FIG. 3D  are various perspective views illustrating various examples of a liquid container with an intra-packaging straw according to a third embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The following detailed description of the embodiments and examples of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings is only illustrative and not limiting. Wherever possible in the following description and accompanying drawings, like reference numerals and symbols will refer to like elements and parts unless otherwise described.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 1A , a perspective view schematically illustrates a liquid container of gable-top type that is provided with a straw support according to a first embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 1A , the invention provides a straw support  40  that is arranged on a liquid container  10 . The liquid container  10 , preferably made of laminated paperboard-based material, has an upper portion  14  on the top of which an opening  18  is defined.  
      The straw support  40  comprises a support pad  42  through which a straw  44  is tightly inserted. Via a sealed portion  46 , the straw  44  is sealed to the support pad  42 . The straw  44  further oppositely extends over the support pad  42  and inside the liquid container  10 . The support pad  42  and the straw  44  can be made of various types of material such as plastics, for example. The support pad  42  is designed in a manner to tightly engage in the opening  18  and be hermetically sealed to the rim of the opening  18 , preferably to the inner surface of the rim of the opening  18 , via known methods such as heat sealing, ultrasonic welding or adhesive bonding.  
      As shown in  FIG. 1A , the shape of the opening  18  can be defined from, for example, a folding pattern of the upper portion  14 .  FIG. 1A  illustrates an example of folding pattern that is usually implemented to seal parallelepiped containers according to a gable-top manner. The shape of the support pad  42  should be consequently adapted to the shape of the opening  18 , which is usually a star shape with four branches. In this example, the shape of the support pad  42  is preferably fitted to the star-shaped opening  18  because it favorably has a reduced size due to the folding pattern. As a result, the support pad  42  can be made with a relatively small size that easily accommodates the traditional liquid container  10  without substantially changing its manufacturing process. After the folding pattern of the upper portion  14  is achieved, the straw support  40  is arranged in the opening  18  with a lower portion of the straw  44  lying in the liquid container  10 , and the rim of the opening  18  is hermetically adhered to the support pad  42 . As shown in  FIG. 1B , a structure of liquid container with an intra-packaging straw is therefore achieved. To allow drinking of the entire amount of liquid enclosed in the container  10 , the length of the straw  44  approximately reaches the bottom of the container  10 . A seal  48  and a covering  49  are further disposed on the externally exposed opening of the straw  44  to prevent contaminant penetration into the liquid container  10  and liquid leakage before consumption. In another example not illustrated, the upper portion  14  may not be folded and is instead fully open in a rectangular shape, in which case the support pad  42  will be consequently also approximately rectangular.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1C , a perspective view schematically shows a variant example of the above first embodiment. In the previous first embodiment, the straw  44  is tightly inserted and sealed through the support pad  42 . Therefore, the user cannot move the upper portion of the straw  44  to adjust the position of the straw  44  within the liquid container. As shown in  FIG. 1C , a relative move of the straw  44  through the support pad  42  may be allowed via forming an opening  47 , where the straw  44  is inserted through the support pad  42 , that is larger than the diameter of the straw  44 . The straw  44  thus is not sealed to the support pad  42 . Instead, a flexible film  45 , for example a plastic film or a laminated aluminum foil, is respectively sealed to the support pad  42  and an upper portion of the straw  44  that is over the support pad  42 . A volume including the opening  47  and a straw portion over the opening  47  is thereby enclosed and hermetically isolated from the exterior by means of the flexible film  45 . The flexible film  45  hence prevents contaminant penetration into the liquid container  10  meanwhile enabling a relatively free move of the straw  44  through the opening  47 . As a result, the user can favorably adjust the inclination angle or length of the straw  44  over the support pad  42 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 1D , a perspective view schematically illustrates another variant example of the first embodiment of the invention. In the first embodiment, the straw  44  is inserted through the support pad  42  to enable the user to suck out the liquid enclosed the liquid container  10 . As shown in  FIG. 1D , in addition to the straw  44 , a tube  43  may be further inserted through the support pad  42 . The length of the tube  43  extending in the liquid container  10  should be as short as possible to allow the entire amount of enclosed liquid to be poured out. In an example, the tube  43  may be placed in a manner to have an end portion thereof extending slightly over an inner surface of the support pad  42 . Furthermore, the tube  43  is spaced away from the straw  44  in such a manner that, via an adequate inclination of the liquid container  10 , the liquid of the container  10  can flow out through the tube  43 . As a result, the tube  43  can be used as a pouring tube through which the enclosed liquid can be poured into an external recipient. Before consumption, a seal and a covering close the tube  43 . The above arrangement may be particularly convenient for liquid container of larger size that can serve several persons.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 2A , a perspective view schematically illustrates a liquid container of flat-top type that is provided with a straw support according to a second embodiment of the invention. A liquid container  110  of flat-top type usually has a top portion  114  folded into a specific folding pattern that enables the finally folded and sealed liquid container  110  to have a flat top ( FIG. 2A  illustrates the top portion  114  unfolded and opened). As a result, several flat-top type liquid containers can be conveniently packed onto one another. As illustrated in  FIG. 2A , the top portion  114  includes an opening  118  that, partially unfolded, approximately extends lengthwise.  
      Similar to the previous first embodiment, a straw support  140  comprises a support pad  142  and a straw  144  inserted through the support pad  142 . The straw  144  is sealed to the support pad  142 , and a groove  146  may be additionally defined on the rim of a lower end opening of the straw  144  to enlarge this lower end opening and facilitate liquid passage. To fit the opening  118 , the support pad  142  is accordingly lengthwise shaped with a larger central portion holding the straw  144  and narrower opposite end portions. Once the straw support  140  is attached and hermetically sealed to the opening  118 , the length of the straw  144  approximately reaches the bottom of the liquid container  110 . A seal  148  and a covering  149  further respectively close an external opening of the straw  144  over the support pad  142 . If the top portion  114  is entirely unfolded, the opening  118  consequently has a rectangular shape, and the support pad  142  will be accordingly formed with a rectangular shape.  
      As illustrated in  FIG. 2B , in order to facilitate the packing of the container  110  with other containers, the straw  144  may be further provided with an elbow  147   a . As shown in  FIG. 2C , once the straw support  140  is attached and sealed into the opening  118 , the upper portion of the straw  144  is thereby bent sideways. The stack of another container on the top of the container  110  can be therefore facilitated. As shown in  FIG. 2D , in order to bend sideways the upper portion of the straw  144 , an elbow  147   b  placed above the support pad  142  may also favorably substitute for the elbow  147   a  placed below the support pad  142 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 2D , a perspective view schematically illustrates a variant example of the above second embodiment. In addition to the straw  144 , a tube  143  may be additionally inserted through the support pad  142  to allow the user to pour out the liquid in the liquid container, similar to the arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 1D .  
      Referring to  FIG. 2E , a perspective view schematically illustrates another variant example of the straw support according to the second embodiment of the invention. In  FIG. 2E , a straw support  160  comprises a support pad  142  having an opening  150  through which a straw  144 , of smaller diameter, is inserted. The straw  144  is closed via a seal  148  and a cap  149  that engages a threaded portion  154  of the straw  144 . A flexible film  156 , for example a plastic film or a laminated aluminum foil, is further respectively sealed to the support pad  142  and an upper portion of the straw  144  over the opening  150 . A volume including the opening  150  and a straw portion over the opening  150  is thereby enclosed and hermetically isolated from the exterior by means of the flexible film  156 . With the above arrangement, the straw  144  can be freely moved while the flexible film  156  prevents contaminant penetration through the opening  150  into the liquid container.  
      Additionally, a groove  152  is defined through the lateral side of the straw  144 . The groove  152  is formed at a level of the straw  144  that is enclosed within the flexible film  156 .  
      The above straw support  160  is attached into the opening  118  of the liquid container  110  in a manner similar to the illustration of  FIG. 2A  to achieve a liquid container with an intra-packaging straw.  
      To suck out the liquid enclosed in the liquid container, the user first removes the cap  149  and the seal  148 . With one user&#39;s finger pressing the flexible film  156  to obstruct the groove  152 , the liquid can be sucked out through the straw  144 .  
      To pour out the liquid enclosed in the liquid container, the user inclines the liquid container in a manner to have the external end opening of the straw  144  substantially oriented downward. The liquid flows out through the opening  150  into the volume enclosed by the flexible film  156  and, via the groove  152 , finally flows out through the external opening of the straw  144 . The flexible film  156  and straw  144  act as a funnel to enable the liquid to flow out through the straw  144 .  
      The above description illustrates various embodiments and examples of liquid containers with an intra-packaging straw that enable convenient drinking of the liquid container via the incorporated straw member. However, these examples of liquid containers include a straw member that protrudes externally over the liquid container. One may desire a straw member that is incorporated in the liquid container in a foldable manner so that the straw member can be either folded and entirely placed within the liquid container or unfolded and outwardly protrude over the liquid container to allow drinking. The folding of the straw member entirely within the liquid container is particularly advantageous when the liquid container has to be packed with other similar liquid containers because it enables a compact arrangement of the external envelope of the liquid container. Compact disposition of several liquid containers of the above type, for example by stacking, is thereby greatly facilitated. In consideration of the above purposes, reference now is made to  FIG. 3A  through  FIG. 3D  that illustrate various perspective views of a liquid container with an intra-packaging straw arranged according to a third embodiment of the invention.  
      In  FIG. 3A , a first example of the invention is constructed from a hollow straw support  240  that comprises a lower hollow portion  242  communicating only with an upper collar  248  that is externally opened via an opening  246 . A straw  244  having an elbow portion passes through and hermetically adheres to a bottom surface of the lower hollow portion  242  in a manner to upwardly lie within the cavity defined in the lower hollow portion  242 . Therefore, an upper portion of the straw  244  including the elbow portion lies within the lower hollow portion  242  of the straw support  240  while a lower portion of the straw  244  downwardly extends into the liquid container. The hollow straw support  240  may be made of any adequate flexible materials such as plastics that allow easy shaping and manufacture. The opening of the straw  244  within the straw support  240  is further hermetically closed with a seal.  
      The above straw support  240  is mounted to a liquid container  210 , provided with an opening  218 , by adhering external surfaces of the collar  248  to the sidewalls of the opening  218  while the lower hollow portion  242  with the straw  244  therein is located within the liquid container  210 . The opening  246  of the collar  248  is not sealed. The liquid container  210  may be any types of liquid containers such as flat-top type, for example.  
      When the liquid container is not open, the collar  248 , hermetically adhered to the rim of the opening  218 , may be folded in a manner similar to traditional flat-top liquid containers, thereby facilitating a disposition of the liquid container. To open and drink the liquid container, the user erects the collar  248  and presses on two opposite sides of the collar  248  to enlarge its opening  246 . The user then unfolds the straw  244  that consequently protrudes upward over the opening  246 , and removes the seal of the straw  244 . The liquid enclosed in the liquid container  210  then is ready to be drunk by suction through the straw  244 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 3B , a perspective view illustrates a variant example of the liquid container with an intra-packaging straw according to the third embodiment of the invention. In this example, the straw support  340  is comprised of a support pad  342  that is, for example, hemispherical. Other shapes such as rectangular shapes may be also adequate. A flexible film  345  made of, for example, flexible plastics or laminated aluminum foil, is adhered to a rim of the hemispherical support pad  342 . The flexible film  345  upwardly forms a collar  347  that is externally open via an opening  348  not sealed. The flexible film  345  and the hemispherical support pad  342  define an inner hollow volume in which a straw  344 , provided with an elbow portion and inserted through the support pad  342 , partially lies. The straw support  340  is mounted to the liquid container  210  by adhering the collar  347  to the rim of the opening  218  while the support pad  342 , with a downwardly extending portion of the straw  344 , freely lie within the liquid container  210 . The liquid container  210  may be, for example, a flat-top type liquid container. It would be readily appreciated that because of the flexibility characteristic of the flexible film  345 , other types of liquid containers such as circular containers or gable-top containers are also suitable. The above straw support  340  enables a relatively free move of the support pad  342  and thereto sealed straw  344  within the liquid container  210 , the user thereby can rotate the straw  344  to an optimal position for drinking the enclosed liquid.  
      Referring to  FIG. 3C  and  FIG. 3D , two perspective views illustrate other variant examples of the liquid container with an intra-packaging straw according to the third embodiment of the invention. In  FIG. 3C , a straw support  440  is comprised of a support pad  442  made of, for example, rigid plastics. A recessed cavity  446  is defined at an upper side of the support pad  442  and a straw  444 , provided with an elbow portion, passes through the support pad  442  via its recessed cavity  446 . The height of the recessed cavity  446  should be sufficient to cover the height of the straw  444  folded by means of the elbow portion. The opening of the straw  444  is further hermetically closed with a seal. A covering  448  upwardly seals the recessed cavity  446  by covering the folded straw  444 . The above straw support  440  is mounted to the liquid container  210  via adhesion to the rim of the opening of the liquid container  210 . To drink the enclosed liquid, the user removes the covering  448  and unfolds the straw  444 . By removing the seal of the straw opening, the liquid then can be drunk. With the above disposition, the top of the liquid container  210  is substantially flat so as to facilitate its disposition with other liquid containers.  
       FIG. 3D  shows a variant example of the above structure where the covering may be replaced with a cover  441  that is provided with latches  447  and is connected to the support pad  442 . By for example compression molding method, the cover  441  is integrally formed with the support pad  442  and connected via a hinge  450 . The cover  441  closes and covers the recessed cavity  446  by engagement of the latches  447 . The straw  444  may additionally include a L-shaped end  449  that reaches the bottom of the container to facilitate drinking of liquid remaining on the bottom of the liquid container  210 .  
      As described above, the invention therefore provides various structures of a liquid container with intra-packaging straw that incorporates a straw support therein. Thereby, the user can conveniently suck out the liquid enclosed in the liquid container directly through the provided straw, and no separate straw is needed. The cumbersome opening operation and inconvenient drinking of traditional liquid containers such as gable-top containers or flat-top containers are therefore favorably overcome with the invention. Furthermore, contaminant penetration into the liquid container caused by straw punching is eliminated. The invention can be practically implemented with any types of laminated paperboard-based liquid containers. To achieve the straw support, the invention discloses various examples of arrangement that do not limit the scope of the inventive concept of the straw support.  
      In one basic arrangement, the straw support includes a support pad that is adhered to an opening of the liquid container, and a straw that is hermetically inserted through the support pad in a manner to extend in the liquid container. The straw is hermetically placed through the support pad via direct sealing there between.  
      In another variant arrangement, a flexible film, enclosing a volume that includes the opening of the support pad where the straw is placed and a portion of the straw over the support pad, substitutes for the direct sealing. Thereby, the straw can be moved through the support pad. With a lateral side of the straw further provided with a groove, the flexible film can further achieve the function of a funnel to pour out the liquid through the straw.  
      In another variant arrangement, the invention provides a straw support that enables a compact arrangement of the upper portion of the straw within the liquid container so that the top of the liquid container can be arranged relatively flat, thereby facilitating its disposition.  
      It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that other structures that are obtained from various modifications and variations of various parts of the above-described structures of the invention would be possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as illustrated herein. Therefore, the above description of embodiments and examples only illustrates specific ways of making and performing the invention that, consequently, should cover variations and modifications thereof, provided they fall within the inventive concepts as defined in the following claims.