Abstract:
Disclosed is a straw for giving a new sucking feeling to users by squirting fluid liquid-phase beverages, such as milk, juice, coffee, carbon beverage, and so on, to the whole inside of the user&#39;s mouth when the user sucks up the liquid-phase beverages. The straw comprising: a tubular body having the intake passage formed therein; at least two or more squirt holes formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular body in such a manner as to be adjacent to one side end of the tubular body, and adapted to squirt the fluid liquid-phase beverages sucked up through the intake passage in all directions, the squirt holes communicating with the intake passage; and blocking shields bent downwardly from the upper portions of the squirt holes toward the inside center of the intake passage, when the squirt holes are formed, for blocking a part of the intake passage. The squirt holes allow the fluid liquid-phase beverage sucked to be squirted and spread into the whole inside of the user&#39;s mouth through the intake passage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a straw used for sucking up a fluid liquid phase beverage, and more particularly, to a straw, which has at least two or more squirt holes formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular body to be adjacent to an end of the tubular body.  
           [0003]    2. Background of the Related Art  
           [0004]    In general, a straw used for sucking a fluid liquid phase beverage allows a user to suck up the liquid phase beverage through an intake passage of a large diameter formed along the inside of a straw tubular body.  
           [0005]    However, as described above, because the conventional straw allows the user to suck the liquid phase beverage through the intake passage, the sucked liquid phase beverage is directly squirted from the intake passage of the straw to the user&#39;s throat, and so, he or she often swallows the wrong way as the directly squirted beverage stops the user&#39;s throat in a moment. Particularly, children more frequently experience it than adults do, and, in this case, the user suffers from an inconvenience of vomiting out what he or she has drunken.  
           [0006]    Furthermore, the conventional straw designed to squirt the beverage only in a straight line cannot give other feelings to the user except the drinking while the user sucks up the liquid phase beverage.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a straw that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
           [0008]    An object of the present invention is to provide a straw, which allows liquid phase beverage sucked up through a straw tubular body to be squirted to the whole inside of the user&#39;s mouth, thereby giving a user a sort of tickling and pungent feeling and providing pleasures to the user&#39;s whole body while the user tastes a taste with the whole inside of the user&#39;s mouth.  
           [0009]    To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a straw having an intake passage for sucking up fluid liquid-phase beverages, such as coffee, milk, carbon beverage, drink, etc., therethrough, including: a tubular body having the intake passage formed therein; at least two or more squirt holes formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular body in such a manner as to be adjacent to one side end of the tubular body, and adapted to squirt the fluid liquid-phase beverages sucked up through the intake passage in all directions, the squirt holes communicating with the intake passage; and blocking shields bent downwardly from the upper portions of the squirt holes toward the inside center of the intake passage, when the squirt holes are formed, for blocking a part of the intake passage  
           [0010]    It is preferable that the squirt holes are formed in various forms or shapes to have different sizes.  
           [0011]    Furthermore, it is preferable that the tubular body further includes a corrugated part.  
           [0012]    According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a straw having an intake passage for sucking up a fluid liquid phase beverage therethrough, including: a tubular body having the intake passage formed therein, the tubular body having a closed end portion; and at least two or more squirt holes formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular body in such a manner as to be adjacent to the closed end portion of the tubular body, and adapted to squirt the fluid liquid phase beverage sucked up through the intake passage in all directions, the squirt holes communicating with the intake passage.  
           [0013]    It is preferable that the squirt holes are elongated holes of a slit type formed along the longitudinal direction of the tubular body, the elongated holes having different widths, lengths and positions.  
           [0014]    Moreover, it is preferable that the closed end portion has small holes smaller in diameter than the squirt holes.  
           [0015]    According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a straw, which has an intake passage for sucking up a fluid liquid phase beverage, including: a tubular body having the intake passage formed therein, the tubular body having a closed end portion; a corrugated part formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular body in such a manner as to be adjacent to the closed end portion; and at least two or more squirt holes formed on the corrugated part, and adapted to squirt the fluid liquid phase beverage sucked up through the intake passage in all directions, the squirt holes communicating with the intake passage.  
           [0016]    It is preferable that the closed end portion includes small holes smaller in diameter than the squirt holes. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a straw according to a first preferred embodiment of the present device;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertically sectional view taken along the line of I-I of FIG. 1;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan-sectional view taken along the line of II-II of FIG. 2;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan-sectional view taken along the line of III-III of FIG. 2;  
         [0022]    FIGS.  5  to  7  are front views of modifications of squirt holes of the straw of FIG. 1;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a straw according to a second preferred embodiment of the present device;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan-sectional view taken along the line of IV-IV of FIG. 8;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a straw according to a third preferred embodiment of the present device; and,  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 11 is an enlarged vertically sectional view taken along the line of V-V of FIG. 10. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0027]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a straw according to a first preferred embodiment of the present device, FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertically sectional view taken along the line of I-I of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan-sectional view taken along the line of II-II of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan-sectional view taken along the line of III-III of FIG. 2.  
         [0029]    As shown in the drawings, the straw  110  according to the present device includes a hollow rounded tubular body  112  having an intake passage  114  formed therein.  
         [0030]    The tubular body  112  has squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  of an approximately triangular shape oppositely formed on the outer peripheral surface of an intake portion, which will be inserted into a user&#39;s mouth later, at a predetermined interval. At this time, the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  communicate with the intake passage  114 . The squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  are made by a general compression and cutting process, which is carried out after molding of the straw  110 .  
         [0031]    The squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  respectively have blocking shields  118   a  and  118   b  for blocking a part of the intake passage  114 . The blocking shields  118   a  and  118   b  are fragments of the tubular body  112  generated when the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  are formed. As shown in FIG. 2, the blocking shields  118   a  and  118   b  are bended downwardly from the upper portion of the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  toward the inside center of the intake passage  112  so as to block a part of the intake passage  112 . The blocking shields  118   a  and  118   b  act as resistant bodies for stopping a part of a fluid liquid-phase beverage flowing through the intake passage  114 , and a part of the liquid-phase beverage sucked up through the intake passage  114  is squirted through the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b.    
         [0032]    That is, when the user takes the intake portion of the straw  110  having the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b , to his or her lips and sucks up the liquid-phase beverage, the liquid-phase beverage is squirted into the user&#39;s mouth through an opening of the upper portion of the straw along the intake passage  114 .  
         [0033]    However, as indicated by an arrow of FIG. 2, the moment the liquid-phase beverage flowing along the intake passage  114  passes through a region where the blocking shields  118   a  and  118   b  are formed, the liquid-phase beverage collides against the blocking shields  118   a  and  118   b , and hence receives resistance in its flow. As shown in FIG. 2, as the blocking shields  118   a  and  118   b  block about ½ of the area of the intake passage  114 , a part of the flowing liquid-phase beverage is stopped and encounter fluid resistance by means of the blocking shields  118   a  ad  118   b.  At this time, the liquid-phase beverage is rapidly squirted into the user&#39;s mouth through the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  like a fountain.  
         [0034]    The squirted liquid-phase beverage is equally spread to the whole inside of the user&#39;s mouth. The moment the liquid-phase beverage touches the inside of the user&#39;s mouth, he or she gets pleasures along with a tickling and pungent feeling, and a gradually different taste while tasting a taste through the whole inside of the user&#39;s mouth by the liquid-phase beverage spreading to the whole inside of the user&#39;s mouth. It gives the user a very unique feeling, which cannot be obtained by the conventional straws. The abovementioned facts have been found through a result of several people&#39;s having used the straws of the present invention.  
         [0035]    It is preferable that the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  have the size as large as they do not prevent squirt of the liquid-phase beverage. Moreover, although the number of the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  is two in the drawings, it will be appreciated that the number of the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  may be four or more. However, it is preferable that the number of the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  is within a range in which the squirt holes do not affect the strength of the straw.  
         [0036]    Additionally, in the present embodiment, the straw  110 , which has the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b , includes a corrugated part  117 . However, the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  may be applied to any straws without the corrugated part.  
         [0037]    FIGS.  5  to  7  are front views of modifications of the squirt holes  116   a  and  11   b  of FIG. 1.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 5 shows a squirt hole  116   c  being in the form of a trapezoid, FIG. 6 shows a squirt hole  116   d  being in the form of a semicircle, and FIG. 7 shows a squirt hole  116   e  being in the form of a rectangle. Of course, the squirt holes  116   a  and  116   b  can be formed in any other shapes beside the above shapes. The structure and function of the squirt holes are the same as the first embodiment.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a straw according to a second preferred embodiment of the present device, and FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan-sectional view taken along the line of IV-IV of FIG. 8.  
         [0040]    As shown in the drawings, the straw  210  according to the present device includes a hollow rounded tubular body  212  having a flat type closed end portion  218  formed at an end of the straw  210 , which is inserted into the user&#39;s mouth, and an intake passage  214  formed inside the tubular body  212  for allowing the user to suck up a fluid liquid-phase beverage.  
         [0041]    The tubular body  212  further has at least two or more squirt holes  216  of an elongated hole type formed at an adjacent portion of the closed end portion  218 , more exactly, only on the outer peripheral surface of an intake part thereof, which is inserted into the user&#39;s mouth, at regular intervals, the squirt holes  216  communicating with the intake passage  214 . As in the first preferred embodiment, the squirt holes  216  are formed to squirt the liquid-phase beverage like a fountain the moment the liquid-phase beverage sucked up through the intake passage  214  of the straw  210  passes through the squirt holes  216  when the user takes the closed end portion  218  of the straw  210  to the user&#39;s lips and sucks up the liquid-phase beverage.  
         [0042]    Since there are used only the squirt holes  216  of a slit type as opened parts formed at the intake part of the straw  110 , the user&#39;s sucking power is exerted only to the squirt holes  216  from the intake passage  214 , and hence, the liquid-phase beverage sucked up through the intake passage  214  is discharged to the outside only through the squirt holes  216 .  
         [0043]    However, as the squirt holes  216  are formed along the outer peripheral of the tubular body  212  at regular intervals, the moment the sucked liquid-phase beverage passes through the squirt holes  216 , as shown in FIG. 9, the liquid-phase beverage is spread to the whole inside of the user&#39;s mouth evenly while being squirted finely like a fountain. The moment the liquid-phase beverage squirted finely through the squirt holes  216  touches the inside of the user&#39;s mouth, as in the first preferred embodiment, the user can have a taste of the liquid-phase beverage and be given a sort of tickling and pungent feeling by the fine spout of water.  
         [0044]    For this reason, it is preferable that the squirt holes  216  formed in the tubular body  212  has a small diameter or width. So, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the squirt holes  216  have the slit structure formed finely and long in a longitudinal direction of the tubular body  212  and at regular intervals along the outer peripheral surface of the tubular body  212 . Moreover, it is preferable the squirt holes  216  of the slit type are not excessively long, but it is located in the user&#39;s mouth.  
         [0045]    The number of the squirt holes  216  is two or more, but it is preferable that the number of the squirt holes  216  is selected in consideration of strength of the tubular body  212 . Furthermore, the squirt holes  216  can be formed at any positions if they are located only at the intake part, which is inserted into the user&#39;s mouth.  
         [0046]    The closed end portion  218  can have small holes  219  smaller than or equal to the squirt holes  216  in diameter. The reason of this is to give a unique feeling to the user by squirting the liquid-phase beverage through the closed end portion  218  when the user sucks up the liquid-phase beverage with the straw  210 .  
         [0047]    Additionally, in this embodiment, the straw  210 , which has the squirt holes  216  of the slit type, includes a corrugated part  217 . However, the squirt holes  216  can be applied to any straws without the corrugated part.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a straw according to a third preferred embodiment of the present device, and FIG. 11 is an enlarged vertically sectional view taken along the line of V-V of FIG. 10.  
         [0049]    In the third preferred embodiment, as in the second preferred embodiment, the straw  310  according to the present device includes a hollow rounded tubular body  312  having an intake passage  314 , which has a closed end portion  318 .  
         [0050]    The tubular body  312  has a corrugated part  315  formed at a position adjacent to the closed end portion  318 , that is, at the outer peripheral surface of an intake part of the straw  310 , which is inserted into the user&#39;s mouth, and a number of squirt holes  316  formed along the corrugated part  315  at regular intervals, the squirt holes  316  communicating with the intake passage  314 . The bent portions of the corrugated part  315  acts as a resistant body against the liquid-phase beverage flowing through the intake passage  314  to facilitate the squirt of the liquid-phase beverage through the squirt holes  316 .  
         [0051]    As in the second preferred embodiment, as the intake passage  314  is blocked by the closed end portion  318 , the liquid-phase beverage sucked up through the intake passage  314  is spread and squirted to the whole inside of the user&#39;s mouth only through the squirt holes  316 , which are opened to the outside. The user can be given the same feeling as the first and second preferred embodiments.  
         [0052]    As described in the second preferred embodiment, at both ends of the closed end portion  318  are formed small holes  319  which are smaller than or equal to the squirt holes  316  in diameter.  
         [0053]    Also in the third preferred embodiment, the squirt holes  316  are formed in the straw  310 , which has the corrugated part  317 , but it will be appreciated that the squirt holes  316  can be formed in any straw without the corrugated part  317 .  
         [0054]    As described above, the straw according to the present invention squirts the liquid-phase beverage through the squirt holes formed in the tubular body of the straw, to the whole inside of the user&#39;s mouth, thereby giving a user a sort of tickling and pungent feeling and providing the pleasure to the user&#39;s whole body while he or she tastes a taste through the whole inside of the user&#39;s mouth.  
         [0055]    While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.