Disposable beverage containers having integral drinking straws

• US 5,054,631 A
• Filed: 09/25/1989
• Issued: 10/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Edward S Robbins IIi (EDWARD S. ROBBINS)
• Original Assignee: Edward S Robbins IIi (EDWARD S. ROBBINS)
• Inventors: Robbins, Edward S. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Weaver, Sue A.
• Application Number:
  US07/411,893
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 215/1 A, 215/229, 215/1 C, 220/90.2, 220/85 SP, 220/90.4, 220/907, 229/1.5 B, 229/103.1, 222/530, 222/211, 222/107, 239/33, 383/906, 383/666
• US Class Current: 215/389
• 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: B65D 1/0292 Foldable bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/16 Loose, or loosely-attached, linings
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/286 formed integrally with the container containers having integrally formed tubes with contents expelled by deforming the container B65D1/326
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/90 Collapsible wall structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/902 Vent

Abstract

A one-piece container for potable liquids (e.g., beverages) includes a body portion formed of a plastics material and sized to accommodate a predetermined volume of potable liquid, and a drinking straw in fluid communication with the potable liquid within the body portion. A flexible bellows member interconnects the straw to the body portion so as to allow the straw to be foldable between a stowed position (e.g., during periods of nonuse) and an erected position (e.g., during periods of use). A recess may be formed in the body portion (e.g., in a side wall and/or an upper portion thereof) so as to accommodate the drinking straw in its stowed position. Longitudinal rigidity and stability may be provided by a series of circumferentially spaced-apart ribs integrally formed on the otherwise flexible (and collapsible) body portion.

Claims

1. A beverage container comprising:

a flexible container body which defines an interior volume for containing a liquid beverage therein;

said container body including a bottom wall, opposing front and rear panels each joined at a lower region to said bottom wall and converging towards one another at an upper region, and a pair of opposing generally triangularly shaped side panels joined to respective side edges of said front and rear panels and to said bottom wall;

a drinking straw integrally coupled to said upper regions of said front and rear panels and in fluid-communication with said interior volume for allowing a user to withdraw said contained beverage from said interior volume; and

bellows means for integrally coupling said drinking straw to said container body and for allowing said drinking straw to be foldable between a stowed position wherein said drinking straw is closely adjacent said container body, and an erected position wherein said drinking straw outwardly extends from said container body, wherein

said front panel of said container body includes means defining a recess sized and configured to hold said drinking straw therein when in said stowed position.

2. A beverage container as in claim 1, further comprising detent means associated with said recess defining means for releasably holding said straw within said defined recess when in said stowed position.

8. A container as in claim 1 or 3, wherein said drinking straw includes a mouthpiece.

9. A container as in claim 8, wherein said mouthpiece includes a pair of flexible lip members which open during suction of the potable liquid from said interior volume.

3. A one-piece container for potable liquids comprising:

a body portion formed of plastics material and sized to accommodate a predetermined volume of potable liquid,

a drinking straw in fluid communication with the potable liquid within said body portion, and

bellows means for unitarily interconnecting said body portion and said drinking straw and for allowing said drinking straw to be foldable relative to said body portion, wherein

said body portion includes a bottom wall, opposing and upwardly converging front and rear panels, and an opposing pair of side walls each of which includes a pair of inwardly converging and generally triangularly shaped side panels, each said pair of side panels being joined along a midline and includes means wherein pressure applied against said front and rear panels causes said pair of side panels of said side walls to collapse towards one another along said midline thereof so as to encourage the potable liquid to be expelled through said drinking straw.

4. A container as in claim 3, further comprising means defining a recess in said body portion sized and configured to accept therein said drinking straw when folded into a stowed condition.

5. A container as in claim 4, further comprising means associated with said recess defining means for releasably holding said drinking straw in said stowed condition within said defined recess.

6. A container as in claim 3, further comprising means associated with said body portion for rigidly said body portion in a longitudinal direction.

7. A container as in claim 6, wherein said rigidifying means includes a number of longitudinally extending and circumferentially spaced apart ribs.