Straw for drinking cup

• US 5,897,013 A
• Filed: 04/14/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Playtex Products Incorporated (Edgewell Personal Care Company)
• Original Assignee: Playtex Products Incorporated (Edgewell Personal Care Company)
• Inventors: Manganiello, Francis X.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Newhouse, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US08/834,074
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 220/703, 220/705-710, 220/717, 220/252, 220/256, 220/259, 220/345, 220/351, 220/254, 215/387, 215/388, 215/229, 215/322, 222/528, 222/529, 222/530, 222/464.1, 239/33, 224/148.2
• US Class Current: 220/252
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2266 Means for facilitating drinking, e.g. for infants or invalids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/2037 the element being opened or closed by actuating a separate element which causes the deformation, e.g. screw cap closing container slit
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/283 located initially inside the container, whereby the straw is revealed only upon opening the container, e.g. pop-up straws

Abstract

A straw assembly has a flexible first segment with at least one longitudinal glide ridge extending inwardly from a drinking end thereof, a retaining shoulder at a fixed distance from the drinking end, and an orienting finger extending from the retaining shoulder.

Claims

1. A straw assembly for use with a drinking cup, the drinking cup having an opening and having a cup lid with an aperture therethrough, said straw assembly comprising

a straw having a flexible first segment with an elongated body, said elongated body having a portion that is adapted to pass through the aperture of the cup lid, said portion having a drinking end, said first segment including:

at least one longitudinal glide ridge extending outward from only part of the circumference of said elongated body;

a retaining shoulder extending outward from said first segment to an extent greater than an extent of the aperture through the cup lid but less than that of the opening of the drinking cup, said retaining shoulder being located at a fixed distance from said drinking end for preventing said straw from being pulled outward through the aperture beyond said fixed distance; and

an orienting finger extending from said retaining shoulder.

2. The straw assembly of claim 1, wherein said first segment has a first end that is removed from said drinking end, said straw further comprising a second segment adapted to be joined to said first end of said first segment.

3. The straw assembly of claim 2, wherein said first segment and said second segment are made of different materials.

4. The straw assembly of claim 3, wherein said first segment is made of a flexible elastomeric material, and wherein said second segment is made of a semi-rigid material.

5. The straw of claim 1, wherein said at least one longitudinal glide ridge includes a plurality of said longitudinal glide ridges located about only 180 degrees or less of the circumference of said first segment, and said longitudinal glide ridges extend from said drinking end of said first segment to said retaining shoulder.

6. The straw assembly of claim 1, wherein said orienting finger extends orthogonally from said retaining shoulder.

7. The straw assembly of claim 1, wherein said orienting finger extends from a distal edge of said retaining shoulder, and wherein said orienting finger is adapted to engage the cup lid and orient said flexible first segment of said straw against rotation about the longitudinal axis of said straw, such that said at least one glide ridge faces a certain direction relative to the cup lid when said first segment is received in the aperture of the cup lid and said orienting finger is engaged with the cup lid.

8. The straw assembly of claim 1, wherein the cup lid has an underside with an indentation therein, and wherein said orienting finger is adapted to be received in the indentation of the cup lid.

9. The straw assembly of claim 8, wherein said orienting finger is disposed from a circumferential centerpoint of said at least one longitudinal glide ridge at an angle equivalent to the angle between said indentation and a plane of movement of a sealing cap mounted on said cup lid, to aid in properly locating said at least one longitudinal glide ridge in relation to said sealing cap.

10. A cup assembly comprising:

a cup;

a lid removably mounted on said cup having an aperture therethrough;

a flexible straw element adapted to be inserted through said aperture from an underside of said lid; and

a sealing cap mounted on said lid adjacent said aperture;

wherein said flexible straw element includes a plurality of longitudinal glide members, a retaining shoulder adapted to arrest the movement of said straw element through said aperture when a predetermined portion of said straw element protrudes through a top side of said lid, and an orienting finger adapted to engage a location of said lid, such that said glide members face said sealing cap when said sealing cap is in an open position.

11. The cup assembly of claim 10, further comprising a straw segment adapted to be joined to said straw element.

12. The cup assembly of claim 10, wherein said flexible straw element and said straw segment are made of different materials.

13. The cup assembly of claim 11, wherein said flexible straw element is made of a flexible elastomeric material, and wherein said straw segment is made of a semi-rigid material.

14. The cup assembly of claim 10, wherein the underside of the lid has an indentation therein, and wherein said orienting finger extends upward from said retaining shoulder and is adapted to be received in the indentation in the lid, to rotationally orient said flexible straw element into a fixed position relative to the longitudinal axis of said straw element and to the lid.