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 integrally formed extensions extending from the straw provide force against the underside of the lid of a container, preventing the straw from being pulled out of the container. Preferred embodiments are also inexpensive to manufacture so that the products are suitable for use as single-use, disposable straws.

1 . A drinking straw, comprising:
 a straw having a body 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   at least one retaining extension integrally formed with the straw, retaining extension extending away from the straw body up toward the top portion of the straw.   
     
     
         2 . The drinking straw of  claim 1  wherein the at least one retaining extension comprises a plurality of retaining extensions. 
     
     
         3 . The drinking straw of  claim 2  wherein the straw and retaining extensions when inserted so that the portion of the drinking straw with the retaining extensions passes through an opening in a beverage container will prevent the easy removal of the straw. 
     
     
         4 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 2  wherein the straw with retaining extensions can be inserted through an opening in a beverage container using substantially the same force required to insert a straw without retaining extensions. 
     
     
         5 . The drinking straw assembly of  claim 2  in which the retaining extensions are formed on a lower portion of the straw body so that when the straw is fully inserted through an opening in a beverage container the portion of the drinking straw with the retaining extensions passes completely through the opening. 
     
     
         6 . 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 and integrally formed with 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.   
     
     
         7 . The drinking straw of  claim 6  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. 
     
     
         8 . The drinking straw of  claim 2  in which the extensions are formed with longitudinal slots in the extensions. 
     
     
         9 . The drinking straw of  claim 2  in which the straw body and the at least one retaining extension are formed by injection molding. 
     
     
         10 . The drinking straw of  claim 2  in which the straw body comprises high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         11 . A drinking straw, comprising:
 a straw having a body 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;   a plurality of retaining extensions integrally formed with the straw, the retaining extension extending away from the straw body up toward the top portion of the straw;   wherein said straw and retaining extensions are formed as a single unit using injection molding.   
     
     
         12 . The drinking straw of  claim 11  wherein the straw and retaining extensions are formed as a single unit using a hot runner mold with deep draw injection molding. 
     
     
         13 . The drinking straw of  claim 11  wherein the straw and retaining extensions are formed using a one-step process. 
     
     
         14 . The drinking straw of  claim 11  wherein the extensions are less than 0.3 inches in length. 
     
     
         15 . The drinking straw of  claim 11  wherein the angle between the extensions and the straw body is greater than 30 degrees. 
     
     
         16 . The drinking straw of  claim 11  in which the extensions are:
 (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. 
 
     
     
         17 . The drinking straw of  claim 16  in which the force required to pull the extensions back up out of the beverage container is at least 8 ounces. 
     
     
         18 . The drinking straw of  claim 16  in which the force required to pull the extensions back up out of the beverage container is at least 1 pound. 
     
     
         19 . The drinking straw of  claim 11  wherein the extensions are 0.02 to 0.03 inches in thickness. 
     
     
         20 . The drinking straw of  claim 11  wherein the top edge of each extension extends approximately 0.15 to 0.2 inches from the straw body. 
     
     
         21 . The drinking straw of  claim 11  in which the overall length of the straw is 4.5 to 6.5 inches. 
     
     
         22 . The drinking straw of  claim 16  in which, when the extensions are bent inward to allow the straw to pass through an opening, the diameter of the straw plus extensions is no more than 150% of the diameter of the straw body alone. 
     
     
         22 . The drinking straw of  claim 16  in which, when the extensions are uncompressed, the diameter at the top of the extensions is approximately 250% of the diameter of the straw body alone. 
     
     
         23 . The drinking straw of  claim 16  in which, when the extensions are spread by contact with a beverage container, the diameter with the extensions completely spread is more than 300% of the diameter of the straw body alone. 
     
     
         24 . The drinking straw of  claim 11  in which the extensions are formed with slots in the center of each extension. 
     
     
         25 . The drinking straw of  claim 24  in which the slots are 0.05 to 0.07 inches in width and extend more than half of the length of the extensions. 
     
     
         26 . The drinking straw of  claim 25  in which the slots do not extend all the way to the straw sidewall. 
     
     
         27 . The drinking straw of  claim 24  in which the slots formed in the center of each extension allow increased flexure in the center of the extensions rather than at the base of the extensions. 
     
     
         28 . The drinking straw of  claim 11  in which the extensions are strong enough to withstand tension of at least 10 pounds, both in a direction longitudinal to the main axis of the straw and in a direction perpendicular to the long axis, for a period of at least 5 seconds without separating from the straw body.