U.S. patent application number 12/422598 was filed with the patent office on 2009-10-15 for drinking straw.
Invention is credited to JAMIE M. WALLACE.
Application Number | 20090256000 12/422598 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41163172 |
Filed Date | 2009-10-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090256000 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WALLACE; JAMIE M. |
October 15, 2009 |
DRINKING STRAW
Abstract
A drinking straw that can be easily inserted through a lid or
into a beverage pouch or box but that cannot be easily removed, for
example, by a child, once the straw is in place. Preferred
embodiments of the present invention provide a drinking straw
apparatus with a mechanism that makes it difficult to remove a
straw once inserted through a lid or opening into a beverage
container. One or more retaining extensions extending from a sleeve
attached to the straw provide force against the underside of the
lid of a container, preventing the straw from being pulled out of
the container. One or more retaining extensions can also be formed
integrally with the straw. Preferred embodiments are also
inexpensive to manufacture so that the products are suitable for
use as single-use, disposable straws.
Inventors: |
WALLACE; JAMIE M.; (Round
Rock, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICHAEL O. SCHEINBERG
P.O. BOX 164140
AUSTIN
TX
78716-4140
US
|
Family ID: |
41163172 |
Appl. No.: |
12/422598 |
Filed: |
April 13, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61124244 |
Apr 15, 2008 |
|
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|
61156523 |
Mar 1, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
239/33 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 21/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
239/33 |
International
Class: |
A47G 21/18 20060101
A47G021/18 |
Claims
1. A drinking straw assembly, comprising: a straw formed from a
cylindrical tube, the straw having a top portion adapted for being
placed in a person's mouth in order to draw liquid through the
straw and a lower end adapted for inserting through an opening in a
beverage container; and a sleeve fitted around the exterior of the
tube and fixed in place on the straw, the sleeve having a plurality
of retaining extensions extending away from the sleeve up toward
the top portion of the straw.
2. The drinking straw assembly of claim 1 wherein the sleeve and
retaining extensions when inserted with the straw through an
opening in a beverage container will prevent the easy removal of
the straw.
3. The drinking straw assembly of claim 1 wherein the straw with
sleeve and retaining extensions can be inserted through an opening
in a beverage container using substantially the same force required
to insert a straw without the sleeve and retaining extensions.
4. The drinking straw assembly of claim 1 in which the sleeve
fitted around the exterior of the tube comprises a cylindrical
sleeve fitting around the exterior of the straw, said sleeve having
an upper portion oriented toward the top portion of the straw and a
lower portion oriented toward the lower end of the straw and said
sleeve fixed in place on the straw so that when the straw is fully
inserted through an opening in a beverage container the sleeve
passes completely through the opening.
5. The drinking straw assembly of claim 4 in which the plurality of
retaining extensions extend from the upper portion of the sleeve,
said retaining extensions continuous with the sleeve only at the
base of each retaining extension so that the transition between the
sleeve and the base of each retaining extension is located in a
plane substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the drinking
straw.
6. The drinking straw assembly of claim 5 in which the retaining
extensions have an upper portion distal to the upper portion of the
sleeve and in which the upper portions of the extensions are spread
out away from the straw so that the retaining extensions have a
wider overall diameter at said upper portion than at the base of
the extensions.
7. The drinking straw assembly of claim 1 in which the plurality of
retaining extensions are formed so that the purely longitudinal
force of pushing the straw and sleeve down through the opening will
push each retaining extension flat against the straw and allow the
sleeve to easily pass through the opening, but when the straw is
then pulled back up, the retaining extensions will contact the
beverage container and spread out away from the straw preventing
the straw and sleeve from being easily pulled through the
opening.
8. The drinking straw assembly of claim 5 wherein the sleeve and
retaining extensions comprise a cylindrical tube of material having
one or more longitudinal slits through the cylinder material, the
slits running from a first end of the cylinder and extending
longitudinally only partially along the length of the cylinder.
9. The drinking straw assembly of claim 2 in which the beverage
container comprises a beverage container and lid and in which the
opening in the beverage container is an opening in the lid.
10. The drinking straw assembly of claim 2 in which the beverage
container opening is covered by foil or flexible plastic that is
punctured when the straw and sleeve are inserted through the
opening.
11. The drinking straw assembly of claim 1 in which the straw has a
diameter of less than 15 mm.
12. The drinking straw assembly of claim 1 in which the straw has a
diameter of 3 mm to 6 mm.
13. The drinking straw assembly of claim 1 in which the straw and
the sleeve comprise a polypropylene resin.
14. The drinking straw assembly of claim 1 in which the sleeve is
held in place around the exterior of the straw by friction,
adhesive, or by heating.
15. The drinking straw assembly of claim 1 in which the sleeve is
fixed in place on the straw so that the lower edge of the sleeve is
3 inches or less from the lower end of the straw.
16. The drinking straw assembly of claim 1 in which the sleeve and
extensions is 3/4 to 11/2 inches in length.
17. The drinking straw assembly of claim 1 in which the straw is
formed with one or more indentions to facilitate placement and
attachment of the sleeve.
18. A drinking straw comprising: a straw formed from a cylindrical
tube, the straw having an upper end, a lower end, and a
longitudinal axis, the lower end adapted for inserting through an
opening in a beverage container; one or more extensions extending
from the straw, said one or more extensions: (i) positioned on the
straw so that the extensions will pass completely through said
opening when the straw is inserted into a beverage container; (ii)
formed so that the purely longitudinal force of pushing the straw
and sleeve down through the opening will push the extensions
against the straw and allow the extensions to easily pass through
the opening, but when the straw is then pulled back up, the
extensions will contact the beverage container and prevent the
straw from being easily removed from the beverage container.
19. The drinking straw of claim 18 in which at least one extension
is cone-shaped with the base of the cone extending toward the upper
end of the straw and in which said cone-shaped extension is formed
with one or more longitudinal slits completely through the
extension, said slits serving to allow the cone-shaped extension to
be easily compressed as the straw and sleeve are inserted into a
beverage container.
20. The drinking straw of claim 18 having a plurality of extensions
extending from the straw.
21. The drinking straw of claim 20 where at least one extension is
integrally formed with the straw.
22. The drinking straw of claim 18 in which the one or more
extensions have a proximal portion with respect to the main straw
body and a distal portion opposite the straw body and formed so
that the distal portion that tends to spread out away from the
straw so that the distal portion of the one or more extensions has
a wider overall diameter than the proximal portion.
23. A cylindrical sleeve which can be fitted around the exterior of
a standard drinking straw, said sleeve having an upper portion
which can be oriented toward the upper end of the straw and a lower
portion which can be oriented toward the lower end of the straw so
that the sleeve passes completely through said opening when the
straw is inserted into a beverage container; said sleeve further
having a plurality of retaining extensions extending from the upper
portion of the sleeve, said extensions: (i) continuous with the
sleeve only at the base of each extension so that the transition
between the sleeve and each extension is located in a plane
substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the drinking straw;
(ii) having an upper portion that tends to spread out so that the
extensions have a wider overall diameter at the top than at the
base.
Description
[0001] The present application claims priority from U.S.
Provisional Application No. 61/124,244, filed Apr. 15, 2008, and
from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/156,523, filed Mar. 1,
2009, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to drinking straws, more particularly
to a drinking straw with a safety feature to prevent easy removal
from a beverage container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] As is commonly known, a drinking straw is a cylindrical tube
having two open ends. One end is placed in a beverage and the other
end is placed in a person's mouth. By applying suction through the
straw, a small amount of the beverage is drawn up through the straw
and into the person's mouth. Because a straw allows a person to
drink without having to lift a full cup, straws are often provided
to children who would have difficulty drinking from a cup or glass
without spilling the contents.
[0004] For the same reason, drinking cups for children are often
provided with removable lids to help prevent large spills. These
lids typically have an opening through which a drinking straw can
be inserted.
[0005] It is also common for children to drink beverages from
liquid-containing cartons or pouches that provide single servings
of noncarbonated beverages such as juice or milk. These containers
are commonly referred to as juice boxes or juice pouches.
(Hereinafter, the phrase "juice box" will be used to refer to any
type of single serving drink container designed to be consumed with
an attached straw.) Juice boxes typically come packaged with a
straw for consuming the beverage. The straw is typically attached
to and removable from the juice box. The attached straw typically
has an angle-cut piercing end, while the other rigid section ends
in a straight-cut drinking end. The piercing end is designed to
pierce the beverage container, for example through a small
foil-sealed opening located near the top of the juice box.
[0006] While the drinking lids and the construction of the juice
boxes help prevent large spills, parents often struggle with
preventing young children from pulling drinking straws out of drink
containers at inopportune times and either spilling the drink
liquid or throwing the straw down onto a table or floor. The result
is often a mess to be cleaned up and/or a straw that is dirtied and
soiled and no longer re-usable for its intended purposes. Further,
the child is then left without a straw and may be unable to drink
any more of the beverage. Beyond that, it is also environmentally
unfriendly as the straw is no longer usable and a new, clean one
has to be obtained and used.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,013 to Manganiello for "Straw for
Drinking Cup" teaches a reusable straw and lid assembly where the
straw is inserted through an opening in the lid from underneath and
a retaining shoulder allows only a predetermined length of the
straw to extend above the lid. The apparatus taught by Manganiello
is not designed to be disposable. The apparatus is too complicated
and difficult to manufacture to be suitable for a one time use.
Further, the straw and lid are a complete assembly designed to work
together. The straw would not be suitable for use with another lid,
such as the typical disposable lids placed on drinks in fast-food
restaurants. Finally, the Manganiello straw must be inserted from
underneath the lid, making more difficult to use for drinking lids
and making it impossible to use with juice boxes and the like.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,074 to Frauenthal et al. for "Retraction
Resistant Straw" describes a straw with a flexible retaining tab
secured to the outside of the straw and extending radially.
However, to insert the straw into an opening, the tab must first be
wrapped around the straw to allow it to pass through the opening in
the lid or juice box. Frauenthal also describes an alternate
embodiment where the straw is formed with a truncated cone midway
up the length of the straw so that the base of the cone (which is
significantly larger in diameter than the straw) is toward the top
of the straw. Both of these embodiments, however, would be
difficult to use and to manufacture. The tab embodiment requires
the user to wrap the tab around the straw before inserting. This
would obviously be difficult for an adult and nearly impossible for
a small child. The cone embodiment as shown in Frauenthal would
make a larger hole in the lid or juice container, requiring more
effort to insert the straw and making it more likely that there
would be leakage or spilling around the straw. The same would be
true for the tab embodiment, especially for foil on beverage boxes
or pouches because the tab would tend to slice through the foil
unless pre-folded against the straw. Finally, both embodiments
would be difficult and expensive to manufacture and could not be
produced using the typical extrusion molders currently used in
drinking straw manufacture.
[0009] Accordingly, there is a need for a straw designed to prevent
easy removal from a beverage container. Finally, there is a need
for such a drinking straw which is inexpensive and easy enough to
manufacture so that it may be used as a free, disposable item.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a
drinking straw assembly that can be easily inserted through a lid
or into a beverage pouch or box but that cannot be easily removed
by a child once the straw is in place. Preferred embodiments are
also inexpensive to manufacture so that the products are suitable
for use as single-use, disposable straws.
[0011] The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and
technical advantages of the present invention in order that the
detailed description of the invention that follows may be better
understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention
will be described hereinafter. It should be appreciated by those
skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiments
disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or
designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of
the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled
in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from
the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] For a more thorough understanding of the present invention,
and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following
descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
in which:
[0013] FIGS. 1A and 1B show preferred embodiments of drinking
straws according to the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a straw sleeve mounted onto a straw according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3A shows a straw sleeve according to the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 3B shows a perspective view of a straw sleeve according
to the present invention;
[0017] FIGS. 4-7 show the insertion of a drinking straw according
to the present invention through a typical drink lid;
[0018] FIG. 6 shows a side view of a straw of a preferred
embodiment fully inserted through a lid;
[0019] FIG. 7 shows a bottom perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of the present invention fully inserted through a lid
with the finger-like mechanisms fully extended;
[0020] FIGS. 8A and 8B show a straw assembly according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention where the extensions
are integral with the straw; and
[0021] FIG. 9 shows a straw assembly that includes a straw and a
cone shaped straw retainer formed as a single piece.
[0022] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to
scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical
component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by
a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be
labeled in every drawing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a
drinking straw that can be easily inserted through a lid or into a
beverage pouch or box but that cannot be easily removed, for
example, by a child, once the straw is in place. By "easily
inserted," it is meant that the force required will be relatively
small but not zero. A drinking straw according to the present
invention should be able to be inserted through a lid or into a
beverage pouch or box using substantially the same force required
by a prior-art straw. Once inserted, as described below, a straw
according to the present invention cannot be easily removed. By
this, it is meant that the force required to remove a straw
according to the present invention will be substantially greater
than the force required to remove a prior-art straw. Due to the
relatively weak materials typically used in the construction of
beverage lids and the preferred materials used for preferred
embodiments of the present invention, an adult would certainly be
able to remove a drinking straw according to the present invention;
for example by pulling hard enough to tear the beverage lid
material or the drinking straw. However, in normal use, a drinking
straw according to the present invention should be difficult to
remove, especially for a child, once inserted through a lid or
opening in a beverage container.
[0024] This is accomplished by way of various types of retaining
extensions attached to or integral with the straw that will press
flat against the straw when passed through a hole in a lid or juice
box in one direction, but will catch against the beverage container
lid, juice box, or other beverage container when the straw is
pulled in the opposite direction. As used herein, the term
"integral" is used to mean that the straw and the extensions are
formed as one piece, rather than having extensions glued or
otherwise attached to the straw. In the embodiments described
herein, these extensions can be considered as a type of "straw
retainer" that will hold the straw in place. Preferred embodiments
are also inexpensive to manufacture so that the products are
suitable for use as single-use, disposable straws.
[0025] A preferred method or apparatus of the present invention has
many novel aspects, and because the invention can be embodied in
different methods or apparatuses for different purposes, not every
aspect need be present in every embodiment. Moreover, many of the
aspects of the described embodiments may be separately patentable.
Although much of this description is directed at a drinking straw
for use by children, preferred embodiments would also be suitable
for use by the elderly or disabled. Also, drinking straws according
to the present invention could be used at zoos or parks where
discarded straws may be dangerous to animals or wildlife. Still
further, drinking straws according to the present invention may be
used ubiquitously as an aid in preventing littering in general.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention could also be used
simply to prevent straws from accidentally being removed or
dropped.
[0026] A preferred embodiment of a drinking straw assembly 10
according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. Straw 11 can
be manufactured according to any suitable known methods, including
extrusion type molders which are commonly used in drinking straw
manufacture. Straws of various sizes can be used, including straws
of a diameter commonly used, for example, in fast-food restaurants
(typically 15 mm in diameter and smaller) and straws of a diameter
suitable for use in commercially available juice boxes (typically
from 3 to 6 mm in diameter). Straw 11 can be formed from any
suitable material, as is known in the prior art, including, for
example, polypropylene resin. In some embodiments, the straw can
have an angle-cut piercing lower end for penetrating the
foil-sealed opening of some beverage containers, while the top
section ends in a straight cut drinking end.
[0027] Sleeve 12 is placed around the exterior of straw 11. The
sleeve can also be formed using extrusion type molders to create
the cylindrically shaped sleeve with an internal diameter large
enough so that the sleeve will fit tightly around the exterior of
the straw. Sleeve 12 is preferably formed from the same material as
straw 11. A plurality of finger-like extensions 14 will press flat
against the straw when passed through a hole in a lid or juice box
in one direction, but will catch against the lid or juice box when
the straw is pulled in the opposite direction. As shown in FIG. 1A
to 3B, the distal or upper ends of the extensions will preferably
tend to spread out away from the straw so that the overall top
diameter 16 of the extensions (including the spaces between the
extensions) will be larger and wider at the upper end than the
bottom diameter 17 where the extensions attach to or join the
sleeve base.
[0028] The extensions are preferably integral with the sleeve. In
other words, the sleeve and the extensions are preferably formed
from one solid piece of material. Extensions 14 can be easily
formed by making a plurality of longitudinal slits in a cylindrical
sleeve 12 as shown in FIG. 2. In some preferred embodiments, the
extensions can be curled outward away from the straw exterior as
shown in FIG. 1A. The curled extensions can be formed, for example,
by holding the extensions in the desired curled shape and applying
heat. The degree to which the upper portions of the extensions are
spread away from the straw can be varied as long as they spread
enough to "catch" on the underside of the beverage container foil
or lid when the straw and sleeve are pulled back up through an
opening. In addition to the finger-like form shown, the extensions
could be formed in any desired shape, for example as tabs with a
greater width than height or as triangle shaped extensions.
[0029] Sleeve 12 can be placed around straw and held in place, for
example by friction, heating the assembled sleeve and straw, an
adhesive, ultrasonic welding, etc. The slits should be long enough
to produce extensions that are large enough to prevent the drinking
straw from being easily removed from a beverage container once
inserted, but should not extend so far as to weaken the sleeve or
significantly reduce the force holding the sleeve in place. The
sleeve itself can also be of any desired overall length, for
example from 3/4 to 11/2 inches in overall length (including the
length of the extensions). The sleeve should be held in place at a
longitudinal position on the straw so that the sleeve will pass
completely through the lid or container opening when the straw is
fully inserted into a beverage container (in other words, when the
straw is inserted to a depth allowing it to be used to draw the
beverage out of the container). For a typical drinking straw
suitable for use with a variety of containers, the lower edge of
the sleeve could be positioned, for example, 3 inches or less from
the lower end of the straw. More preferably, the lower edge of the
sleeve is positioned from 1 to 2 inches from the lower end of the
straw; most preferably the lower edge of the sleeve is positioned
about 11/2 inches from the bottom of the straw. This would allow
the straw to be used with short containers (such as yogurt cups).
For taller containers (such as typical disposable drink cups) the
straw could be pulled up from the bottom of the cup for several
inches before the sleeve extensions would catch against the lid or
container.
[0030] Extensions 14 are preferably attached to the sleeve 12,
rather than straw 11--although, as described below, in some
preferred embodiments the extensions can be attached directly to or
integrally formed with the straw. Further, as shown in FIG. 3A, the
extensions 14 are preferably attached to or continuous with the
sleeve only at the base of each extension (the proximal ends of the
extensions). The attachment or transition between sleeve and
extension, shown by dashed line 32, will preferably be located in a
plane substantially perpendicular to the long axis 19 of the
drinking straw (and thus parallel to the typical drink container
lid when the straw is inserted) so that, when pressed up against a
drink container lid as shown in FIG. 7, the extensions will press
flat against the underside of the lid.
[0031] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
purely longitudinal force of pushing the drinking straw through an
opening will push each extension flat against the straw. In other
words, the straw and sleeve of the present invention can be
inserted straight into a typical beverage container or lid just
like a prior art straw, with no twisting or specialized motion
required.
[0032] Alternatively, the extensions could be attached to or
continuous with the sleeve at the bottom of each extension and also
attached together at the top of the extensions, but unattached and
spread away from the straw toward the middle portions of the
extensions. In this preferred embodiment, the sleeve and extensions
would function more like a standard wall anchor.
[0033] FIGS. 4-7 illustrate the stages of inserting the drinking
straw into a standard drink lid 42. The bottom end 44 of the
drinking straw (the end opposite the extensions 14) is first passed
down through the opening 46 from the top surface 48 of the lid. As
the drinking straw 10 passes through opening 46 the downward force
will cause the extensions 14 to press flat against the straw 11 and
so pass through the opening 46. Once the distal ends of the
extensions (the free ends opposite or away from the sleeve) have
passed through the opening, however, they will tend to widen away
from the straw body, as shown in FIG. 6. Any attempt to pull the
straw back out of the opening will cause the ends of the extensions
to contact the straw lid or the portion of the juice box
surrounding the opening. The extensions will then be pushed out
wide, as shown in FIG. 7, which will prevent the drinking straw
from being easily pulled back through the opening. In preferred
embodiments, the extensions themselves will be wide enough to
provide sufficient resistance when the straw is pulled in an
outward direction. In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 7, the total
widths of the extensions pressed against the underside of the lid
(not including the spaces between the extensions) will be
approximately equal to the diameter of the straw.
[0034] Preferred embodiments of the invention can be applied to any
size straw and can be used with any commercially available juice
box or pouch. Embodiments of the present invention can be used with
openings in beverage containers that are only slightly larger than
the diameter of the drinking straw and sleeve. Because the
extensions will tend to spread out from the straw when no force is
being applied and because the extensions will spread out to a much
larger diameter when an attempt is made to remove the straw,
embodiments of the present invention can also be used with openings
that are substantially larger than the diameter of the drinking
straw and sleeve. Thus, the present invention is not limited to
beverage containers with standard insertion holes.
[0035] Preferred embodiments of the present invention can be used
with any typical beverage containers, and can be used with any
beverage or liquid such as Hi-C.RTM., Yoplait.RTM. yogurt,
Coca-Cola.RTM. Products, Dr. Pepper.RTM. products and any other
soft drink. Preferred embodiments of the present invention can be
used with drink containers purchased at a restaurant with a lid, or
drink containers used in the home with lids or lid-like devices.
Drinking straws according to the present invention can be single
use, disposable items or can be reusable. A drinking straw
according to the present invention can be provided with a drink
container, such as the straws typically packaged with juice boxes
and pouches, or can be provided separately, for example in a box or
package of individual drinking straws that can be used with any
desired beverage container.
[0036] In another preferred embodiment, a sleeve according to the
present invention can be reusable and nondisposable. For example,
an assortment of reusable sleeves can be provided so that the
interior diameters of the sleeves will firmly fit over the exterior
of various standard straw sizes. The interior diameters of the
sleeves will preferably fit tightly over the exterior of the
standard straws so that the sleeve will be held in place by
friction. Even though the reusable sleeves will slide over the
exterior of the straws when sufficient force is applied, the
friction between the straw and the sleeve will preferably be
sufficient to provide adequate resistance to prevent easy removal
of the straw, for example when a child pulls on the straw or
attempts to remove the straw from a beverage.
[0037] In some embodiments, the straw can be formed with one or
more indentations or one or more thicker areas to facilitate
location and attachment of the sleeve. In other preferred
embodiments of the present invention, the straw and at least one
extension can be formed as a single unit, preferably during the
extrusion process, For example, FIGS. 8A and 8B show a straw
assembly 20 where a plurality of extensions 14 are integral with
the straw 11. FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view showing that the
extensions 14 and the straw 11 are formed as one piece. Skilled
persons will recognize that different numbers of extensions and
different shaped extensions can be formed without departing from
the spirit and scope of the present invention.
[0038] Instead of the finger-like extension described above, one or
more generally cone-shaped extensions could also be formed. For
example, FIG. 9 shows a straw that includes a straw shaft 60 and a
straw retainer 62 that are also formed as a single piece (like the
embodiment shown in FIG. 8). Straw retainer 62 is essentially a
thin, cone-shaped material that extends from straw shaft 60. Straw
retainer 62 can be formed, for example, as the straw is being
extruded by forcing material over a cone-shaped mold. Straw
retainer 62 is sufficiently flexible so that it can be compressed
against straw shaft 60 to be inserted into a beverage container.
The cone portion may have one or more slits substantially parallel
to the longitudinal axis of straw shaft 60 so as to facilitate
compressing the cone when it is inserted into a beverage
container.
[0039] Although the present invention and its advantages have been
described in detail, it should be understood that various changes,
substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the
appended claims. For example, in some systems, the sample may be
fixed and the tools may rotate on a platform. Moreover, the scope
of the present application is not intended to be limited to the
particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture,
composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the
specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily
appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes,
machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or
steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform
substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same
result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be
utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the
appended claims are intended to include within their scope such
processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means,
methods, or steps.
* * * * *