Spill proof straw

• US 20050218242A1
• Filed: 06/07/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edgewell Personal Care Brands, LLC (Edgewell Personal Care Company)
• Original Assignee: Playtex Products Incorporated (Edgewell Personal Care Company)
• Inventors: Renz, Charles J., Lieberman, Joshua S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,748,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/18 Drinking straws or the like as integral parts of drinking containers A47G19/2266; for therapeutic purposes A61J15/00 ; adapted to emerge from drinking containers when opened B65D77/283
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2400/027 Non-return valves

Abstract

There is provided a drinking straw assembly. The assembly has a first straw portion and a housing that can be removably secured to the first straw portion. The housing has a housing cavity, and a valve that can be removably connected to the housing cavity. The valve is also adapted to receive a second straw portion.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A drinking assembly for use with a container having a straw, the assembly comprising:

a straw section;

a housing secured to said straw section and defining a first cavity; and

a valve removably positioned in said cavity and preventing a flow of liquid into said straw section when positioned in said cavity, wherein said valve defines a second cavity that receives the straw of the container, and wherein said valve is a flexible membrane having at least one slit therein.

23. The drinking assembly of claim 22, wherein said first cavity of said housing frictionally engages said valve.

24. The drinking assembly of claim 22, further comprising a flexible tether.

25. The drinking assembly of claim 24, wherein said flexible tether connects said valve to said housing.

26. The drinking assembly of claim 22, wherein said valve has a gripping tab.

27. The drinking assembly of claim 22, wherein said valve forms a stack, and wherein said membrane is at a top portion of said stack.

28. The drinking assembly of claim 22, wherein said membrane is concave in a direction towards a lower portion of said valve.

29. The drinking assembly of claim 22, wherein said at least one slit is a pair of slits.

30. The drinking assembly of claim 29, wherein said pair of slits define a cross.

31. The drinking assembly of claim 22, wherein said membrane opens only when negative pressure is applied to said straw section.

32. The drinking assembly of claim 22, wherein said valve is tethered to said housing.

33. The drinking assembly of claim 22, wherein said housing is substantially round.

34. The drinking assembly of claim 22, wherein said straw section, said housing and said valve are made of a flexible material.

35. The drinking assembly of claim 34, wherein said flexible material is selected from the group consisting of silicone, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, or any combinations thereof.

36. The drinking assembly of claim 22, wherein said second cavity of said valve frictionally engages the straw of the container.

37. A drinking straw assembly for use with a container, the assembly comprising:

a first straw portion;

a second straw portion having an upper end;

a housing connected to said first straw portion and having a housing cavity; and

a valve removably connected to said housing cavity and having a valve cavity that receives therein said upper portion of said second straw portion, wherein said valve permits a flow of liquid into said first straw portion from said second straw portion upon application of a negative pressure to said first straw portion.

38. The drinking straw assembly of claim 37, wherein said valve is a membrane having a slit therein.

39. The drinking straw assembly of claim 38, wherein said membrane is positioned across an upper portion of said valve.

40. The drinking straw assembly of claim 39, wherein said membrane is concave in a direction towards a lower portion of said valve.

41. The drinking straw assembly of claim 39, wherein said slit is a pair of slits defining a cross.