Individual beverage carton with a straw therein and a method of manufacture

• US 6,431,434 B1
• Filed: 09/23/1999
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snappull Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Snappull Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Haughton, Glenn Wallace, Haughton, Keith Louis, Hillar, Peter Christopher Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US09/401,314
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 229/103.1, 220/705, 220/708, 220/710, 215/388
• US Class Current: 229/103.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/205 for adding drinking straws to a container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/28 Cards, coupons, or drinking straws B65D5/4212, B65D23/14, B65D25/205, B65D33/004, B65D51/245, B65D75/54 take precedence

Abstract

A liquid container of plastic coated boxboard, laminated cardboard or the like having a straw therein is disclosed. The container includes a container body, a holder, a straw and a seal. The container has an interior volume and a plurality of exterior walls. The holder is mounted with a liquid and gas tight seal in an exterior wall. The holder has an aperture formed therein. A straw extends through the aperture in the holder with a snug fit. The straw has a stowed position and an in use position. The seal is for sealing the straw in the stowed position with a liquid and gas tight seal thereby sealing the liquid inside the container. A method of manufacturing the container with a straw therein in a continuous form, fill and sealing process is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A liquid container of plastic coated boxboard, or laminated cardboard comprising:

a container body having an interior volume and a plurality of exterior walls;

a holder having an aperture and a trough formed therein, the trough having a vent hole formed therein, the trough being contiguous with the aperture, the trough being dimensioned to receive a straw in a stowed position, the trough having an upper edge and the holder having peripheral flange extending outwardly from the upper edge of the trough and the flange being mounted with a liquid and gas tight seal in an exterior wall of the container;

the straw extending through the aperture in the holder having the stowed position and an in use position and the straw having a snug fit in the aperture;

a sealing means for sealing the straw in the stowed position with a liquid and gas tight seal thereby sealing the liquid inside the container.

2. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the straw is resiliently deformable.

3. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container body is a parallelepipedic shape.

4. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the holder has a sleeve extending orthogonally from the trough with the distal end thereof encircling the aperture.

5. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealing means is a sealing strip attached to the flange in a liquid and gas tight seal.

6. A liquid container as claimed in claim 5 wherein the sealing strip has a tab portion that extends outwardly from the container.

7. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealing means is a sealing strip attached to the flange and the container in a liquid and gas tight seal.

8. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealing means is a sealing strip attached to the container in a liquid and gas tight seal.

9. A liquid container as claimed in claim 5 wherein the sealing strip has written material thereon.

10. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container body is a gable top shaped box.

11. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container body is a gable top shaped box.

12. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container is a parallelepipedic type carton.

13. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container is a gable type carton and the flange is adapted to be attached to the inside thereof.

14. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container is a gable type carton and the flange is adapted to be attached to the outside thereof.

15. A holder for use with an individual beverage container and a straw comprising:

a trough having an aperture formed therein dimensioned to receive the straw snugly therein and a vent hole formed therein;

a flange extending laterally from the trough to be attached to the container;

a sleeve extending orthogonally from the trough with the distal end thereof encircling the aperture; and

a straw integrally attached to the holder.

16. A holder as claimed in claim 15 wherein the holder has a thin uniform wall thickness.

17. A holder as claimed in claim 15 further including a straw extending through the aperture in the trough.

18. A holder as claimed in claim 15 further including a straw extending through the aperture in the trough the straw having a stowed position and an in use position, a sealing strip attached to the holder in an liquid and gas tight seal and covering the straw in the stowed position.

19. A liquid container of plastic coated boxboard, or laminated cardboard comprising:

a container body having an interior volume and a plurality of exterior walls;

a resiliently deformable holder having an aperture and a trough formed therein, the trough being contiguous with the aperture, the trough being dimensioned to receive a straw in a stowed position, the trough having an upper edge and the holder having a peripheral flange extending outwardly from the upper edge of the trough and the flange being mounted with a liquid and gas tight seal in an exterior wall of the container;

the resiliently deformable straw extending through the aperture in the holder having the stowed position and an in use position and the straw having a snug fit in the aperture;

a sealing means for sealing the straw in the stowed position with a liquid and gas tight seal thereby sealing the liquid inside the container.

20. A liquid container of plastic coated boxboard, or laminated cardboard comprising:

a container body having an interior volume and a plurality of exterior walls;

a holder having an aperture and a trough formed therein, the trough being contiguous with the aperture, the trough being dimensioned to receive a straw in a stowed position, the trough having an upper edge and the holder having a peripheral flange extending outwardly from the upper edge of the trough and the flange being mounted with a liquid and gas tight seal in an exterior wall of the container;

the straw extending through the aperture in the holder having the stowed position and an in use position and the straw having a snug fit in the aperture;

a resealable cap releasably attached to the holder for sealing the straw in the stowed position with a liquid and gas tight seal thereby sealing the liquid inside the container.

21. A liquid container of plastic coated boxboard, or laminated cardboard comprising:

a container body having an interior volume and a plurality of exterior walls;

a holder having an aperture and a trough formed therein, the trough being contiguous with the aperture, the trough being dimensioned to receive a straw in a stowed position, the trough having an upper edge and the holder having a peripheral flange extending outwardly from the upper edge of the trough and the flange being mounted with a liquid and gas tight seal in an exterior wall of the container;

the straw extending through the aperture in the holder having the stowed position and an in use position and the straw having a snug fit in the aperture;

a a resealable flap attached to the holder with a living hinge for sealing the straw in the stowed position with a liquid and gas tight seal thereby sealing the liquid inside the container.

22. A holder for use with an individual beverage container and a straw comprising:

a trough having an aperture formed therein dimensioned to receive the straw snugly therein;

a flange extending laterally from the trough to be attached to the container;

a sleeve extending orthogonally from the trough with the distal end thereof encircling the aperture; and

a resealable flap attached to the holder with a living hinge.

23. A holder for use with an individual beverage container and a straw comprising:

a trough having an aperture formed therein dimensioned to receive the straw snugly therein;

a flange extending laterally from the trough to be attached to the container;

a sleeve extending orthogonally from the trough with the distal end thereof encircling the aperture; and

a resealable cap releasably attached to the holder.