Individual beverage carton with a straw therein

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. The holder is constructed such that liquid that enters the holder drains into the interior volume. 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.

What is claimed as the invention is:  
     
         1 . A liquid container of plastic coated boxboard, laminated cardboard or the like comprising: 
 a container body having an interior volume and a plurality of exterior walls;    a holder mounted with a liquid and gas tight seal in an exterior wall, the holder having an aperture formed therein and a drainage means whereby liquid that enters the holder drains into the interior volume;    a straw extending through the aperture in the holder having a 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 holder has a trough contiguous with the aperture and is dimensioned to receive the straw in the stowed position.  
     
     
         3 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the trough has an upper edge and the holder has a peripheral flange extending outwardly from the upper edge of the trough and the flange is attached to the container.  
     
     
         4 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the trough is sloped slightly downwardly toward the aperture and the snug fit between the straw and the aperture allows liquid to drain into the interior volume thereby providing the drainage means.  
     
     
         5 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the trough has a vent hole formed therein and the vent hole is the drainage means.  
     
     
         6 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the straw is resiliently deformable.  
     
     
         7 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the holder is resiliently deformable.  
     
     
         8 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the container body is a parallelepipedic shape.  
     
     
         9 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the holder has a sleeve extending orthogonally from the trough with the distal end thereof encircling the aperture.  
     
     
         10 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the sealing means is a sealing strip attached to the flange in a liquid and gas tight seal.  
     
     
         11 . A liquid container as, claimed in  claim 10  wherein the sealing strip has a tab portion that extends outwardly from the container and wherein the tab portion is generally positioned over the aperture.  
     
     
         12 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the sealing means is a sealing strip attached to the flange and the container in a liquid and gas tight seal.  
     
     
         13 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the sealing means is a sealing strip attached to the container in a liquid and gas tight seal.  
     
     
         14 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the sealing strip has written material thereon.  
     
     
         15 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the container body is a gable top shaped box.  
     
     
         16 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the container body is a gable top shaped box.  
     
     
         17 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 15  wherein a pair of plurality of exterior walls of the gable top shaped box are opposed side walls and each opposed side wall has a top sloped portion having a bottom side and a top middle and wherein the holder extends from bottom side to the top middle.  
     
     
         18 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 16  wherein a pair of plurality of exterior walls of the gable top shaped box are opposed side walls and each opposed side wall has a top sloped portion having a bottom side and a top middle and wherein the holder extends from bottom side to the top middle.  
     
     
         19 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the container is a parallelepipedic type carton.  
     
     
         20 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the container is a gable type carton and the flange is adapted to be attached to the inside thereof.  
     
     
         21 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the container is a gable type carton and the flange is adapted to be attached to the outside thereof.  
     
     
         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 drainage means whereby liquid that enters the holder drains from the trough;    a flange extending laterally from the trough to be attached to the container; and    a sleeve extending orthogonally from the trough with the distal end thereof encircling the aperture.    
     
     
         23 . A holder as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the holder has a thin uniform wall thickness.  
     
     
         24 . A holder as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the straw is integrally attached to the holder and further including a vent hole formed in the trough.  
     
     
         25 . A holder as claimed in  claim 21  further including a resealable flap attached to the holder with a living hinge.  
     
     
         26 . A holder as claimed in  claim 21  further including a resealable cap releasably attached to the holder.  
     
     
         27 . A holder as claimed in  claim 21  further including a straw extending through the aperture in the trough.  
     
     
         28 . A holder as claimed in  claim 21  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.  
     
     
         29 . A liquid container of plastic coated boxboard, laminated cardboard or the like comprising: 
 a container body having an interior volume and a plurality of exterior walls;    a holder mounted with a liquid and gas tight seal in an exterior wall, the holder having an aperture formed therein and a venting means thereby allowing atmospheric pressure into the interior volume;    a straw extending through the aperture in the holder having a 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.    
     
     
         30 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the holder has a trough contiguous with the aperture and is dimensioned to receive the straw in the stowed position.  
     
     
         31 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the trough has an upper edge and the holder has a peripheral flange extending outwardly from the upper edge of the trough and the flange is attached to the container.  
     
     
         32 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the snug fit between the straw and the aperture allows air to vent into the interior volume thereby providing the venting means.  
     
     
         33 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 31  wherein the trough has a vent hole formed therein and the vent hole is the venting means.  
     
     
         34 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 31  wherein the flange has a vent hole formed therein and the vent hole is the venting means.  
     
     
         35 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 31  wherein the container body is a parallelepipedic shape.  
     
     
         36 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 31  wherein the holder has a sleeve extending orthogonally from the trough with the distal end thereof encircling the aperture.  
     
     
         37 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 31  wherein the container body is a gable top shaped box.  
     
     
         38 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the container body is a gable top shaped box.  
     
     
         39 . A liquid container as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the container is a parallelepipedic type carton.  
     
     
         40 . 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 venting means thereby allowing atmospheric through the holder;    a flange extending laterally from the trough to be attached to the container; and    a sleeve extending orthogonally from the trough with the distal end thereof encircling the aperture.    
     
     
         41 . A holder as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the holder has a thin uniform wall thickness.  
     
     
         42 . A holder as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the straw is integrally attached to the holder and further including a vent hole formed in the trough.  
     
     
         43 . A holder as claimed in  claim 40  further including a resealable flap attached to the holder with a living hinge.  
     
     
         44 . A holder as claimed in  claim 40  further including a straw extending through the aperture in the trough.  
     
     
         45 . A holder as claimed in  claim 40  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.