Abstract:
A beverage container equipped with a top and a pop-up straw inside for a convenient and sanitary drinking purpose. The straw has an upper end and a lower end and is placed in the container. The straw has substantially lower density than a liquid in the container to urge the upper end through an openable portion of the top. Preferably, a bonding agent fixes the straw temporarily to the container at the time of filling the container with the liquid and closing the container with the top, and releases the straw automatically to allow flotation of the straw within the container after closing the container. The beverage container with the pop-up straw facilitates sanitary drinking and is compatible with the current high-speed canning and bottling processes.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/257,475, filed Dec. 21, 2000. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to beverage containers having a self-contained straw. More particularly, the present invention concerns a beverage container having a self-contained straw that pops up when the container is opened.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    In order to facilitate drinking a beverage from a container, it is known to provide a beverage container with a self-contained straw. Presently, beverage containers are manufactured in assembly lines at considerable speed. Generally with respect to cans, the container body is filled with the beverage, then a lid is placed and sealed onto the container body. Currently, the canning lines apply lids to container bodies with random rotational orientation, thus making it impracticable to attach straws to the containers in controlled alignment with the opening in the lid. Moreover, the lids are often fed from magazine stacks and approach the container body from one side during the manufacturing process, with only small clearance above the open container body. Therefore, attaching the straw directly to the lid is not feasible or desirable with present canning procedures. Furthermore, typically the container bodies travel inverted until just before they are filled with a liquid and sealed so that foreign objects do not enter or stay in the container bodies. As a result, simply placing a straw inside the container body prior to filling the container with liquid would cause a problem because the unanchored straw would fall out of the container body when the container body was inverted.  
           [0004]    Paper cartons and juice boxes sometimes have straws attached to their outer surface, but they suffer from other problems, including unsanitary or lost straws. Additionally, elaborate pop-up straw mechanisms undesirably increase manufacturing cost. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,547,103; 5,431,297; and 5,244,112 relate to containers with various straw dispensing mechanisms; however, each suffers from the drawbacks of relatively complex manufacturing processes and high manufacturing cost.  
           [0005]    With increased demands for convenient and sanitary means for drinking from beverage containers, there is a need for beverage containers with pop-up straws that allow low cost manufacturing and are compatible with conventional canning and bottling procedures.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    An object of the invention is to provide beverage containers with pop-up straws that facilitate sanitary drinking while maintaining reasonable manufacturing cost. The invention is compatible with the current high-speed canning processes, as well as the manufacturing process for bottles and paper cartons, such as milk cartons and juice boxes.  
           [0007]    Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.  
           [0008]    To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention includes a beverage container having a bottom end and a top end opposite the bottom end. The beverage container includes a top covering the top end and having an openable portion for dispensing a liquid in the container for consumption. A straw having an upper end and a lower end is placed in the container. The straw has a lower density than the liquid thus extending the upper end of the straw through the openable portion of the top end upon opening of the container.  
           [0009]    The invention further includes a beverage container having methods for fixing the straw temporarily to the container at least during the time that the container is being filled with liquid and hermetically sealed. The straw is released automatically to allow flotation within the container after sealing the container.  
           [0010]    In another aspect, the invention includes a method of making a beverage container having a bottom end and an open top end opposite the bottom end. The method includes the steps of preparing a straw having an upper end and a lower end. The straw has a lower density than the liquid. The straw is placed in the container and temporarily affixed to the container. The container is filled with a liquid. The open top end of the container is hermetically sealed.  
           [0011]    Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings,  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid-filled closed container incorporating the pop-up straw of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid-filled container having the top removed showing the popped-up straw; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another liquid-filled closed container incorporating the pop-up straw of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.  
         [0017]    In accordance with the invention, a beverage container having a top is provided with a straw inside. The straw elevates protruding its upper end through a dispensing opening of the container to facilitate the consumption of the liquid inside the container. Various types of beverage containers are suitable for the present invention and will be readily apparent to the skilled artisan. For example, cans, typically made of aluminum; bottles, typically made of glass or plastic, milk cartons, and aseptic juice cartons are popular forms of beverage containers currently in the marketplace that would be suitable for use in the present invention.  
         [0018]    The present invention will be described with reference to several embodiments. FIG. 1 shows a beverage container  1 , having a straw  3  secured to a side of the container by a bonding agent  4 . A liquid  5  is added to the container and the bottle is sealed by a top  2 . The straw  3  has a lower density than the liquid  5 . FIG. 2 shows an opened container  1 , wherein the top  2  has been removed. Straw  3  has popped-up beyond the opening of the container  1  to facilitate consumption of the liquid  5  by the user.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 shows a beverage container  10  having a cylindrical side  12  which connects a bottom end  14  and a top end  16  opposite of the bottom end  14 . Cans and paper cartons are typically used as containers for carbonated beverages and juices. On canning lines, a top  16  is placed to seal the container  10  hermetically after the container  10  is filled with a liquid  5 . For paper cartons, the container is commonly sealed by folding and gluing its top end and its bottom end. Paper cartons are often used for non-carbonated beverages, such as milk and juices.  
         [0020]    A straw  24  is placed substantially vertically within the container  10 , as shown in FIG. 3. The straw  24  has an upper end  26  and a lower end  28 . The straw  24  has a lower density than the liquid  5  so that the upper end  26  of the straw  24  can protrude through an openable portion  20  of the top  16  upon opening the openable portion  20  for consumption of the liquid  5 . The straw  24  is preferably made of a foamed material. A foamed material can be a material that has closed cells having ultra-small size, e.g. less than about 20 microns. For example, a foamed straw can be made from profile extrusion apparatus using the MuCell® process for making microcellular foam plastic, developed by Trexel, Inc., Woburn, Mass. Such a process includes the steps of injecting a high concentration of CO 2  into the polymer melt using a supercritical fluid unit at high temperature and pressure. The CO 2  dissolves in the polymer creating a saturated, single-phase solution. A pressure decrease occurs in the extrusion die causing the CO 2  to become supersaturated within the polymer. The CO 2  then begins to precipitate out in the form of a gas, which results in the foaming of the polymer. The reduction in the gas solubility is controlled by a rapid pressure drop to yield uniform microscopic cell nucleation and growth. Preferably, the straw is made from foamed polystyrene, polyacrylate, or other polyolefins, preferably polypropylene. A conventional straw is made of polypropylene having a density of approximately 90% of the density of water. On the other hand, the straw according to the present invention has a substantially lower density than the density of water. Typically, the straw of the present invention has a density of less than about 0.5 grams/cm 3 , or less than about 50% of the density of the water. Preferably, the straw has a density of from about 0.4 to about 0.7 grams/cm 3 , or from about 40% to about 70% lower than the conventional straw. The low density of the straw  24  facilitates floatation in the liquid  5  and protrusion of the upper end  26  through the openable portion  20  of the container shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0021]    Moreover, the straw  24  is preferably short or compact enough to fit inside the container  10  during the filling of the liquid  5  and the sealing of the container  10  with the top  16 . The straw  24  enables the user to drink the liquid  5  at the bottom of the container  10  when the upper end  26  of the straw  24  protrudes through the openable portion  20 . Further, the straw can be extendible, such as in a telescopic or bellow configuration.  
         [0022]    As illustrated in FIG. 3, the top  16  of a preferred can for use with the present invention, may have a raised portion as shown to assist the straw in reaching the opening. A higher raised portion has a greater upward slope, thus moving the straw more readily to the openable portion  20 . The raised portion of the top  16  can have any shape, such as domed and gabled shapes. Some examples of the raised portion of the top  16  may improve aesthetics and be appealing to consumers by using a logo having a raised area or for children&#39;s beverages, for example, an animal figure.  
         [0023]    For paper cartons, the raised portion of the top  16  can have a gabled or stepped shape. Typically, milk cartons have a gabled top providing upward sloping toward the center improving movement of the straw. More preferably, the edge of the gable is sloped upward to urge the straw upward and forward through the opening. Many configurations for the raised portion of the top  16  will be evident to the skilled artisan. However, the height of the raised portion of the top  16  should not be increased so significantly that it interferes with the canning line process or stackability of the containers. Preferably, the raised portion of the top  16  does not significantly protrude beyond the top end of the container  10 .  
         [0024]    As can be seen in FIG. 3, the raised portion is continuously formed in the top  16 . The raised portion has a sufficient slope or steps for an extendible straw  24  to move to the openable portion  20  in the top  16 . In one preferred embodiment, the raised portion of the top  16  has a domed shape as illustrated in FIG. 3. The raised portion has the openable portion  20  for the liquid  5  in the container  10  to be dispensed for consumption. The openable portion  20  is according to one embodiment located off-centered in the top  16  to facilitate drinking and pouring. For instance, the dome shaped top may have an off-centered apex with the openable portion. However, the openable portion  20  can be located in the center of the top  16  having a domed shape. Placing the openable portion  20  at the center of the top  16  will allow greater upward slope angle for easier movement of the straw to the opening while facilitating both drinking from a straw and pouring.  
         [0025]    The openable portion  20  has an opening large enough to fit a straw. The openable portion  20  is typically formed from a weakened portion tab in the top  16  for cans. A push-tab  18  is often attached to the weakened portion tab to facilitate the opening of the openable portion  20  prior to the consumption of the liquid  5 . The openable portion  20  is manually opened by simply lifting and pivoting the push-tab  18 . However, the openable portion  20  can be any member capable of hermetically sealing the opening, such as a piece of foil that can be easily peeled off from the top.  
         [0026]    In a conventional beverage can, a portion of the push-tab  18  is pushed in the container  10 . For paper cartons, the container  10  can be opened by simply breaking or peeling away a seal on the top  16 . In one preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the push-tab  18  stays attached to the top  16 . However, in another embodiment, a pull-ring can be configured to be pulled out of the container  10 . Also, the pull-ring can be removed from the top  16 .  
         [0027]    In a conventional beverage container with a weakened portion tab, the tab is pushed into the container when the container is opened. As a result, a straw stored in the container may be caught behind the tab. When the straw is caught behind the tab, the user can simply rotate or tilt the container raising the area of the opening to bring the straw to the openable portion. However, one of the most effective ways to ensure the straw efficiently reaches the openable portion is to have the openable portion at the apex of a domed top, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The surface of the domed top  16  is sloped upwardly toward the openable portion  20 . Thus, the straw  24 , once freed in the container  10 , will move toward the openable portion  20  due to its own buoyancy. When the container  10  is opened at the openable portion  20 , the straw  24  will provide sufficient buoyancy to elevate the upper end  26  of the straw  24  through the openable portion  20  so that the user can readily grasp the straw  24 .  
         [0028]    In a preferred embodiment when using certain canning procedures, it may be necessary for the straw  24  to be fixed to the container  10  during the transportation before the filling of the container, the filling of the liquid  5 , and the closing of the container  10 . Then, the straw  24  is released to float freely in the container  10  after closing the container  10 . In the current canning process, for example, the containers  10  often travel upside down until just before they are filled with the liquid  5 . In order to satisfy these conditions, the straw  24  can be temporarily fixed to the container  10  by a bonding agent  34 . After closing the container  10 , the bonding agent  34  automatically releases the straw  24  so that the straw can rise through the openable portion  20  for drinking purposes.  
         [0029]    As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the bonding agent  4  and  34 , respectively, is applied between the straw  3  and  24 , respectively, and the container  1  and  10 , respectively. The bonding agent has sufficient viscosity to hold the straw  3  and  24 , respectively, in place at least during the filling and sealing of the container  1  and  10 , respectively, and then slowly releases the straw  3  and  24 , respectively, by dissolving, softening or swelling in the liquid  5 . The bonding agent is preferably a concentrated ingredient normally included in the beverage syrup. Some examples of the bonding agent for regular beverages are corn syrup and sucrose. In case of diet beverages, an added bonding agent should form a viscous gel in water, be tasteless, odorless, and nontoxic in the beverages. Moreover, the bonding agent for a diet beverage should not contribute significant digestible calories. For example, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxy ethyl cellulose, guar gum, pectin, gum arabic, polyvinyl alcohol are suitable bonding agents for use with diet beverages. These bonding agents for addition to diet beverages can also be used for regular beverages. Some of the bonding agents can be cross-linked so they soften and/or swell, but do not appreciably dissolve in the liquid  5 .  
         [0030]    Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.