Drinking straw

Abstract

A drinking straw that can be easily inserted through a lid or into a beverage pouch or box but that cannot be easily removed, for example, by a child, once the straw is in place. Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a drinking straw apparatus with a mechanism that makes it difficult to remove a straw once inserted through a lid or opening into a beverage container. One or more retaining extensions extending from a sleeve attached to the straw provide force against the underside of the lid of a container, preventing the straw from being pulled out of the container. One or more retaining extensions can also be formed integrally with the straw. Preferred embodiments are also inexpensive to manufacture so that the products are suitable for use as single-use, disposable straws.

1 . A drinking straw assembly, comprising:
 a straw formed from a cylindrical tube, the straw having a top portion adapted for being placed in a person's mouth in order to draw liquid through the straw and a lower end adapted for inserting through an opening in a beverage container; and   a sleeve fitted around the exterior of the tube and fixed in place on the straw, the sleeve having a plurality of retaining extensions extending away from the sleeve up toward the top portion of the straw.   
   
   
       2 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve and retaining extensions when inserted with the straw through an opening in a beverage container will prevent the easy removal of the straw. 
   
   
       3 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 1  wherein the straw with sleeve and retaining extensions can be inserted through an opening in a beverage container using substantially the same force required to insert a straw without the sleeve and retaining extensions. 
   
   
       4 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 1  in which the sleeve fitted around the exterior of the tube comprises a cylindrical sleeve fitting around the exterior of the straw, said sleeve having an upper portion oriented toward the top portion of the straw and a lower portion oriented toward the lower end of the straw and said sleeve fixed in place on the straw so that when the straw is fully inserted through an opening in a beverage container the sleeve passes completely through the opening. 
   
   
       5 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 4  in which the plurality of retaining extensions extend from the upper portion of the sleeve, said retaining extensions continuous with the sleeve only at the base of each retaining extension so that the transition between the sleeve and the base of each retaining extension is located in a plane substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the drinking straw. 
   
   
       6 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 5  in which the retaining extensions have an upper portion distal to the upper portion of the sleeve and in which the upper portions of the extensions are spread out away from the straw so that the retaining extensions have a wider overall diameter at said upper portion than at the base of the extensions. 
   
   
       7 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 1  in which the plurality of retaining extensions are formed so that the purely longitudinal force of pushing the straw and sleeve down through the opening will push each retaining extension flat against the straw and allow the sleeve to easily pass through the opening, but when the straw is then pulled back up, the retaining extensions will contact the beverage container and spread out away from the straw preventing the straw and sleeve from being easily pulled through the opening. 
   
   
       8 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 5  wherein the sleeve and retaining extensions comprise a cylindrical tube of material having one or more longitudinal slits through the cylinder material, the slits running from a first end of the cylinder and extending longitudinally only partially along the length of the cylinder. 
   
   
       9 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 2  in which the beverage container comprises a beverage container and lid and in which the opening in the beverage container is an opening in the lid. 
   
   
       10 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 2  in which the beverage container opening is covered by foil or flexible plastic that is punctured when the straw and sleeve are inserted through the opening. 
   
   
       11 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 1  in which the straw has a diameter of less than 15 mm. 
   
   
       12 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 1  in which the straw has a diameter of 3 mm to 6 mm. 
   
   
       13 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 1  in which the straw and the sleeve comprise a polypropylene resin. 
   
   
       14 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 1  in which the sleeve is held in place around the exterior of the straw by friction, adhesive, or by heating. 
   
   
       15 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 1  in which the sleeve is fixed in place on the straw so that the lower edge of the sleeve is 3 inches or less from the lower end of the straw. 
   
   
       16 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 1  in which the sleeve and extensions is ¾ to 1½ inches in length. 
   
   
       17 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 1  in which the straw is formed with one or more indentions to facilitate placement and attachment of the sleeve. 
   
   
       18 . A drinking straw comprising:
 a straw formed from a cylindrical tube, the straw having an upper end, a lower end, and a longitudinal axis, the lower end adapted for inserting through an opening in a beverage container;   one or more extensions extending from the straw, said one or more extensions:
 (i) positioned on the straw so that the extensions will pass completely through said opening when the straw is inserted into a beverage container; 
 (ii) formed so that the purely longitudinal force of pushing the straw and sleeve down through the opening will push the extensions against the straw and allow the extensions to easily pass through the opening, but when the straw is then pulled back up, the extensions will contact the beverage container and prevent the straw from being easily removed from the beverage container. 
   
   
   
       19 . The drinking straw of  claim 18  in which at least one extension is cone-shaped with the base of the cone extending toward the upper end of the straw and in which said cone-shaped extension is formed with one or more longitudinal slits completely through the extension, said slits serving to allow the cone-shaped extension to be easily compressed as the straw and sleeve are inserted into a beverage container. 
   
   
       20 . The drinking straw of  claim 18  having a plurality of extensions extending from the straw. 
   
   
       21 . The drinking straw of  claim 20  where at least one extension is integrally formed with the straw. 
   
   
       22 . The drinking straw of  claim 18  in which the one or more extensions have a proximal portion with respect to the main straw body and a distal portion opposite the straw body and formed so that the distal portion that tends to spread out away from the straw so that the distal portion of the one or more extensions has a wider overall diameter than the proximal portion. 
   
   
       23 . A cylindrical sleeve which can be fitted around the exterior of a standard drinking straw, said sleeve having an upper portion which can be oriented toward the upper end of the straw and a lower portion which can be oriented toward the lower end of the straw so that the sleeve passes completely through said opening when the straw is inserted into a beverage container;
 said sleeve further having a plurality of retaining extensions extending from the upper portion of the sleeve, said extensions:   (i) continuous with the sleeve only at the base of each extension so that the transition between the sleeve and each extension is located in a plane substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the drinking straw;   (ii) having an upper portion that tends to spread out so that the extensions have a wider overall diameter at the top than at the base.