Illuminated implements for drinking and/or eating and related methods

• US 7,073,917 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carl R. VanderSchuit
• Original Assignee: Carl R. VanderSchuit
• Inventors: VanderSchuit, Carl R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, WILLIAM JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US10/851,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20050259435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 362/562, 362/96, 362/101
• US Class Current: 362/96
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/182 with means for amusing or giving information to the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/08 Illumination
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0036 Table-ware or table equipment, e.g. dishes, cutlery or trays

Abstract

An implement for use in connection with drinking and/or eating includes a tube having a passage therethrough. A housing for a power source is situated in the passage such that a fluid may be drawn through the passage past the housing. One or more light sources in the tube are powered by the power source. This implement can be used, for example, as a drinking straw and/or a stick for frozen treats.

Claims

1. An implement for use in connection with drinking and/or eating, the implement comprising:

a tube having a inner fluid flow passage therethrough in which a fluid may be received and delivered through the inner fluid flow passage;

a power source situated entirely in the inner fluid flow passage such that a fluid may be received in and drawn through the inner fluid flow passage generally around and past the power source; and

one or more light sources in the tube powered by the power source.

2. The implement of claim 1, further comprising a housing for the power source positioned within the passage.

3. The implement of claim 2, wherein the housing comprises an elongate extension into the passage, at least one of the one or more light sources being disposed in the extension.

4. The implement of claim 3, wherein the at least one of the one or more light sources disposed in the extension includes at least one electrolunminescent wire extending within the elongate extension into the passage.

5. The implement of claim 2, wherein at least one of said one or more light sources are within the housing such that a fluid may be received in and drawn through the passage past the at least one light source within the housing.

6. The implement of claim 2, wherein the tube includes a surface defining the passage, and wherein the implement further includes one or more spokes attaching the housing to the tube surface defining the passage such that the housing is spaced apart from the tube surface defining the passage.

7. The implement of claim 6, wherein the one or more spokes are configured such that the housing is generally centrally positioned within the inner fluid flow passage along a longitudinal centerline axis of the inner fluid flow passage.

8. The implement of claim 2, wherein the tube includes a surface defining the passage, and wherein the housing is attached directly to the tube surface defining the passage such that the housing is situated asymmetrically within the passage.

9. The implement of claim 1, wherein the tube further comprises a sidewall, the one or more light sources in the tube comprising one or more light sources in the sidewall.

10. The implement of claim 1, wherein the tube further comprises inner and outer surfaces defining one or more chambers in a sidewall of the tube.

11. The implement of claim 10, further comprising a substance in at least one or more chambers, wherein the substance includes one or more of a gel, a hot/cold gel, a colored substance, a fluorescent substance, and a glow-in-the-dark substance.

12. The implement of claim 10, wherein the one or more light sources comprise at least one LED and at least one optical fiber extending into at least one of the one or more chambers such that light from the at least one LED is transmitted through the at least one optical fiber.

13. The implement of claim 1, wherein the implement is operatively connected with a drinking straw.

14. The implement of claim 1, wherein the tube comprises at least a portion that can be flexed.

15. The implement of claim 1, further comprising a housing for the power source mounted to the tube for rotation in the passage.

16. The implement of claim 15, wherein the housing further comprises one or more blades extending into the passage and configured such that at least a portion of a fluid received in and drawn through the passage past the housing contacts the one or more blades for causing rotation of the housing relative to the tube.

17. The implement of claim 1, wherein the tube comprises a sidewall having a plurality of different thicknesses.

18. The implement of claim 1, wherein the tube comprises a display element.

19. The implement of claim 18, wherein the display element is illuminated by at least one of the one or more light sources.

20. The implement of claim 1, wherein the tube comprises an ornamental top.

21. The implement of claim 20, wherein the ornamental top is illuminated by at least one of the one or more light sources.

22. The implement of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources in the tube comprise one or more light sources within the passage such that a fluid may be received in and drawn through the passage past the one or more light sources within the passage.

23. A method of making an implement for use in connection with drinking and/or eating, the method comprising:

placing a power source in a housing;

inserting the housing entirely into a inner fluid flow passage of a tube such that a fluid may be received in and drawn through the inner fluid flow passage of the tube generally around and past the housing;

inserting one or more light sources into the tube; and

connecting the power source to the one or more light sources.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising configuring a display element on at least a portion of the tube.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising illuminating the display element using the one or more light sources.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein inserting the housing into the passage comprises mounting the housing to the tube for rotation in the passage.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising fitting a drinking straw over the tube.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising fitting a top relative to the tube.

29. In combination with a drinking straw, an implement for use in connection with drinking through the straw, the implement comprising:

a tube having a inner fluid flow passage therethrough, at least part of the straw coupled to at least part of the tube such that a fluid can be received in and delivered through the inner fluid flow passage to the straw;

a power source situated entirely in the inner fluid flow passage of the tube such that a fluid may be received in and drawn through the inner fluid flow passage of the tube generally around and past the power source and through the straw; and

one or more light sources in the tube powered by the power source.

30. The combination of claim 29, wherein the implement further comprises a housing for the power source.

31. The combination of claim 30, wherein the housing comprises an elongate extension into the passage, at least one of the one or more light sources being disposed in the extension.

32. The combination of claim 29, wherein the tube further comprises a sidewall, the one or more light sources in the tube comprising one or more light sources in the sidewall.

33. The combination of claim 29, wherein the tube further comprises inner and outer surfaces defining one or more chambers in a sidewall of the tube.

34. The combination of claim 33, wherein the tube further comprises a substance in at least one of the one or more chambers, wherein the substance includes one or more of a gel, a hot/cold gel, a colored substance, a fluorescent substance, and a glow-in-the-dark substance.

35. The combination of claim 33, wherein the one or more light sources comprise at least one LED and at least one optical fiber extending into at least one of the one or more chambers such that light from the at least one LED is transmitted through the at least one optical fiber.

36. The combination of claim 29, wherein the tube comprises at least a portion that can be flexed.

37. The combination of claim 29, further comprising a housing for the power source mounted to the tube for rotation in the passage.

38. The combination of claim 37, wherein the housing further comprises one or more blades extending into the passage and configured such that at least a portion of a fluid received in and drawn through the passage past the housing contacts the one or more blades for causing rotation of the housing relative to the tube.

39. The combination of claim 29, wherein the tube comprises a side wall having a plurality of different thicknesses.

40. The combination of claim 29, wherein the tube comprises a display element.

41. The combination of claim 40, wherein the display element is illuminated by at least one of the one or more light sources.

42. The combination of claim 29, wherein the tube comprises an ornamental top.

43. The combination of claim 42, wherein the ornamental top is illuminated by at least one of the one or more light sources.

44. An implement for use in connection with drinking and/or eating, the implement comprising:

a tube having a inner fluid flow passage therethrough in which a fluid may be received and delivered through the inner fluid flow passage;

a housing configured to receive at least one power source therein, the housing situated entirely in the inner fluid flow passage such that a fluid may be received in and drawn through the inner fluid flow passage generally around and past the housing; and

one or more light sources powered by the at least one power source.

45. The implement of claim 44, wherein the housing is rotatably mounted to the tube for rotation in the passage.

46. The implement of claim 45, wherein the housing further comprises one or more blades extending into the passage and configured such that at least a portion of a fluid received in and drawn through the passage past the housing contacts the one or more blades for causing rotation of the housing relative to the tube.

47. The implement of claim 46, wherein at least one of said one or more light sources is within and rotatable along with the housing.

48. An implement for use in connection with drinking and/or eating, the implement comprising a sidewall having an inner fluid flow channel therethrough, at least one light source in the sidewall for illuminating at least a portion of the sidewall;

and a housing configured to receive at least one power source therein, the housing generally centrally positioned within the inner fluid flow channel along a longitudinal centerline axis of the inner fluid flow channel such that a fluid may be received in and drawn through the inner fluid flow passage generally around and past the housing.