U.S. patent application number 12/506853 was filed with the patent office on 2011-01-27 for beverage can with straw.
Invention is credited to Paul TAVELLA.
Application Number | 20110017755 12/506853 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43496413 |
Filed Date | 2011-01-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110017755 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TAVELLA; Paul |
January 27, 2011 |
Beverage Can with Straw
Abstract
A drinking vessel that includes a beverage can with a depression
in its bottom, a compressible and expandable bendable drinking
straw, and a protective cover over the drinking straw. The drinking
straw fits within the depression at least when the drinking straw
is compressed and bent, and the drinking straw with the protective
cover is disposed within the depression. Preferably, the beverage
can is a standard beverage can unmodified to accommodate the
drinking straw, and the covered drinking straw is attached to the
beverage can using adhesive. Alternatively, the beverage can can be
a standard beverage can modified to include a lip on its bottom to
help hold the drinking straw in place.
Inventors: |
TAVELLA; Paul; (Columbus,
OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Dane C. Butzer
11625 Custer #110-341
Frisco
TX
75035
US
|
Family ID: |
43496413 |
Appl. No.: |
12/506853 |
Filed: |
July 21, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/708 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 77/28 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/708 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/22 20060101
A47G019/22 |
Claims
1. A drinking vessel, comprising: a beverage can with a depression
in its bottom; a compressible and expandable bendable drinking
straw; and a protective cover over the drinking straw; wherein the
drinking straw fits within the depression at least when the
drinking straw is compressed and bent; and wherein the drinking
straw with the protective cover is disposed within the
depression.
2. A drinking vessel as in claim 1, wherein the beverage can
consists of a standard beverage can unmodified to accommodate the
drinking straw.
3. A drinking vessel as in claim 1, wherein the beverage can
consists of a standard beverage can modified to include a lip on
its bottom to help hold the drinking straw in place.
4. A drinking vessel as in claim 1, wherein the protective cover
comprises a paper or plastic sheath.
5. A drinking vessel as in claim 1, further comprising adhesive
that adheres the protective cover to the beverage can within the
depression.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a beverage can with an
expandable/compressible and bendable drinking straw disposed in its
base.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Numerous attempts have been made to integrate a drinking
straw into a beverage container. Examples include U.S. Pat. No.
6,443,324 (Buntain), entitled "Beverage container with
self-contained straw," with the following Abstract: [0005] A tab
top beverage can has a compressible drinking straw held between the
can bottom and an upwardly extending detachable closed cavity
formed in the can top. Detachment of the cavity by a pivoting tab
top uncovers a straw access orifice through which the straw is
projected by the force of a previously compressed corrugated spring
section formed in the straw wall. A bulge located on the straw
prevents passage of the straw from the can and facilitates
extension of the straw. The tab is attached to the can top by
outwardly projecting lips formed on upwardly projecting closed
cavities defined in the can top. The cavities extend through
openings in the tab and the lips extend beyond the opening
perimeters to secure the tab to the cavities and top. and U.S. Pat.
No. 4,228,913 (Mack), entitled "Beverage can having a self
contained straw," with the following Abstract: [0006] The invention
relates to a tab top can having a self contained drinking straw.
The straw includes a resilient bellows structure on its bottom
which serves to bias the top end of the straw against the underside
of the tab top. A straw guide secured on the interior of the can
aligns the top end of the straw with the underside of the tab top.
The bellows structure forces the top end of the straw through the
drinking slot formed when the tab top is removed from the can.
[0007] Other examples of beverage containers that include straws
exist, for example drinking bottles with integrated straws, juice
boxes with straws taped to their outsides, and others.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] One issue with previous attempts to include straws with
beverage cans is that the straws are at least partially disposed
inside the cans. Thus, manufacture of these beverage cans can be
more complex (and therefore expensive) than manufacture of standard
beverage cans.
[0009] The invention addresses this issue with a drinking vessel
that includes a beverage can with a depression in its bottom, a
compressible and expandable bendable drinking straw, and a
protective cover over the drinking straw. The drinking straw fits
within the depression at least when the drinking straw is
compressed and bent, and the drinking straw with the protective
cover is disposed within the depression.
[0010] Preferably, the beverage can is a standard beverage can
unmodified to accommodate the drinking straw. Thus, no retooling is
required for manufacture of the beverage can. In this embodiment,
the covered drinking straw preferably is attached to the beverage
can using adhesive. Alternatively, the beverage can can be a
standard beverage can modified to include a lip or to have an
enlarged lip on its bottom to help hold the drinking straw in
place.
[0011] This brief summary has been provided so that the nature of
the invention may be understood quickly. A more complete
understanding of the invention may be obtained by reference to the
following description of the preferred embodiments thereof in
connection with the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIGS. 1 to 4 show various views of one embodiment of a
drinking vessel according to the invention.
[0013] FIGS. 5 and 6 show one embodiment of a drinking straw that
can be used with the invention.
[0014] FIG. 7 shows this drinking straw with a protective
cover.
[0015] FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of a beverage can that can
be used with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] FIGS. 1 to 4 show various views of one embodiment of a
drinking vessel according to the invention. This vessel includes
beverage can 1 with depression 2 in its bottom. The vessel also
includes compressible and expandable bendable drinking straw 3,
which is shown in compressed form in FIGS. 2 and 5 and expanded
form in FIGS. 3 and 6. In a preferred embodiment, the drinking
straw compresses down to a length of 3.5 inches and expands to a
length of 5.75 inches. Alternatively, a straw that compresses and
expands to different lengths from these can be used.
[0017] A protective cover 4 preferably is placed over the drinking
straw (not shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, but shown in FIG. 7). Any
suitable cover such as a plastic or paper cover can be used.
[0018] The drinking straw with the protective cover is disposed
within the depression in the bottom of the beverage can. According
to the invention, the drinking straw fits within the depression at
least when the drinking straw is compressed and bent as shown in
FIG. 2. The drinking straw might also fit within the depression
when expanded and bent as shown in FIG. 3.
[0019] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the beverage can
is a standard beverage can unmodified to accommodate the drinking
straw, and the covered drinking straw preferably is attached to the
beverage can using adhesive. Thus, no retooling of the beverage can
manufacturing process is necessary to implement these embodiments
of the invention.
[0020] Alternatively, the beverage can can be a standard beverage
can modified to include a lip or to have an enlarged lip on its
bottom to help hold the drinking straw in place, for example as
shown as lip 5 in FIG. 8. This lip can keep the drinking straw in
place, possibly without the use of adhesive, or can help to keep
the drinking straw in place if adhesive is used.
[0021] In use, the drinking straw is removed from the depression in
the beverage can's bottom, the protective cover is removed from the
drinking straw, the beverage can is opened, and the straw is
inserted into the beverage can. This convenient arrangement makes
use of a straw with a beverage can far more likely. When the straw
is used, fluid from the beverage can flows through the straw into a
person's mouth and tends to make less contact with the person's
teeth, thereby dramatically decreasing the potential for tooth
decay and the like.
[0022] Drinking vessels according to the invention can be used with
vending machines. In contrast, beverage cans with straws attached
to their outside walls (akin to the arrangement used with many
juice boxes) can jam vending machines. Thus, the invention also
facilitates use of straws in the vending machine context, extending
the above dental benefits to these situations as well.
ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0023] The invention is in no way limited to the specifics of any
particular embodiments and examples disclosed herein. For example,
the terms "preferably," "preferred embodiment," "one embodiment,"
"this embodiment," "alternatively" and the like denote features
that are preferable but not essential to include in embodiments of
the invention. Many other variations are possible which remain
within the content, scope and spirit of the invention, and these
variations would become clear to those skilled in the art after
perusal of this application.
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