Receptacles – Container attachment or adjunct – Drinking device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-25
2001-07-24
Moy, Joseph M. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Container attachment or adjunct
Drinking device
C220S709000, C220S710000, C215S389000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264057
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED ART
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2000-0005811, filed on Feb. 8, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drink instrument, and more particularly, to a drink instrument with an internal straw inserted into the interior thereof during a packaging process, such that it can draw the internal straw automatically from the interior thereof when the drink instrument is opened to address the fluid contained therein.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In general, in case of drinking the drinking fluid within a drink instrument, such as a bottle, a can and the like, a separate straw should be prepared.
This of course gives much inconvenience to those who desire to drink the drinking fluid. To solve the inconvenience, there are provided various kinds of proposals in which a straw is inserted into the interior of the drink instrument such that a user can drink the fluid in a more convenient manner.
In the conventional practice, as shown in
FIG. 9
, a straw
10
is disposed in the just downward position of an opener
31
of a can
30
and if the opener
31
is depressibly separated from the can
30
, the straw
10
is raised upwardly. In the above construction, the straw
10
must be disposed immediately below the opener
31
eccentrically formed on a predetermined position of the can
30
, thereby making it difficult to be ideally applied in an automatic process line for, a large scale production of drinking cans.
That is to say, in the package process where the drinking fluid produced on the large scale after passing through a variety of automatic processes is filled in the drink instrument, the additional process in which the straw should be fixedly disposed immediately below the opener eccentrically formed on the predetermined position of the can has to be made by increasing separate facilities therefor and also can not be really realized in some respects, considering the automation production line of the factory.
As shown in
FIG. 10
, on the other hand, there has been provided another prior art proposal in which the straw
10
is inserted into the interior of a drink bottle
40
. As shown, a predetermined hole is formed on a bottle opener
41
, through which the straw
10
is inserted. However, this embodiment fails to obtain a practical use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a drink instrument with an internal straw that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related arts.
An object of the present invention is to provide a drink instrument with an internal straw in which the straw is positioned to be erected on a center portion of the drink instrument to be automatically drawn upon opening the drink inrurent, by adding a simple process in which the straw is inserted into the interior of the drink instrument regardless of the direction or position of the insertion of straw in an existing factory automation process, such that a production process can be smoothly completed, without having any affect to the package process of the drinking fluid and a mass production can be really achieved, without any difficulties,
To accomplish the above and other objects of the present invention, there is provided a drink instrument with an internal straw, including: the straw forming a plurality of upright guides which are adapted to be upright at the center portion of the drink instrument, as an integral body with a predetermined outer peripheral surface thereof, the straw comprised of an outer pipe and an inner pipe for the purpose of extending the length thereof, being adapted to draw a suction part, and having a predetermined buoyancy; and a straw floating preventing part with a predetermined load being inserted into the lower portion of the straw and being adapted to serve as the bob of weight to be thereby submerged at the lower portion thereof on the bottom of the drink instrument upon the insertion of the straw into the interior of the drink instrument, the straw floating preventing part being made of an edible material which is dissolved in the drinking fluid after a predetermined time elapses, whereby the straw and the straw floating preventing part are inserted into the drink instrument which is to be opened at the center portion of the top surface thereof and upon the opening of the center portion thereof, the straw is drawn to the outside of the drink instrument by the operation of the buoyancy thereof.
The straw preferably comprises: the plurality of upright guides being adapted to be upright at the bottom end of the inner pipe and a predetermined position of the outer pipe; a first locking projection on a predetermined position of the outer pipe for preventing the deviation of the inner pipe; and a stopper adapted to be inserted into the top portion of the first locking projection for preventing the deviation of the outer pipe from the drink instrument, the stopper having a deviation preventing plate formed on the outer peripheral surface of the top end thereof for being locked to a center opening of the drink instrument, without any deviation and a second locking projection formed on the lower end thereof to which the first locking projection of the outer pipe is locked to prevent the deviation of the outer pipe.
Otherwise, the straw comprises: the plurality of upright guides being adapted to be upright at the bottom end of the inner pipe and a predetermined position of the outer pipe; a locking projection on a predetermined position of the outer pipe for preventing the deviation of the inner pipe; and a deviation preventing plate of a predetermined radius formed on the top portion of the locking projection to be locked to the center opening of the drink instrument, without any deviation, the deviation preventing plate integrally formed with the radial upright guides on the outer peripheral surface thereof.
Each of the upright guides formed on the outer peripheral surface of the straw has a plurality of horizontally formed guide plates radially within the radius of the drink instrument and is retracted vertically by the outer pipe inserted to the outside.
Preferably, the drink instrument, generally in a form of a beverage can or bottle has an opener at the top surface thereof and an opening containing a primary opening member which is cut by the manipulation of the opener for forming a hole thereon, comprises a center opening member formed on the center portion of the top surface of the can to be continued with the primary opening member and cut by a secondary manipulation of the opener and a reentrant portion provided to easily grasp the opener.
Each of the guide members of the upright guide is provided with a reentrant groove, such that it can be bent to be inserted when passing a bottle neck.
According to the present invention, a drink instrument for carrying drinking fluid comprises a container, generally a beverage can or bottle, defining an opening that is enclosed by a removable opening member; and a straw assembly disposed inside the container to be withdrawn through the opening when the opening member is removed. The straw assembly comprises an outer pipe longitudinally erected inside the container; an inner pipe slidably disposed inside the outer pipe, the inner pipe having a plurality of upright guides radially extending from a lower portion of the inner pipe to place the inner pipe substantially below the opening of the container, and a straw floating preventing part with a predetermined load slidably positioned in surrounding relation to the inner pipe to counter act the buoyancy of the inner pipe and to keep the inner pipe to be placed on the bottom of the container. The straw assembly further includes a cylindrically shaped stopper placed in surrounding relation to the outer pipe, wherein the stopper is larger than the opening of the container to prevent the outer pipe from completely withdrawn from the container.
A
Lee & Hong
Moy Joseph M.
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