Collapsible Safety Drinking Straw

Abstract

A disposable or reusable collapsible safety drinking straw consisting of a plurality of tubular segments fabricated to nest within one another with a friction fitting wherein the male end of each segment is dimensioned with an opening whose edge is rounded outwardly to a curved/rolled edge and the female end of each segment is dimensioned correspondingly with an opening whose edge is rounded inwardly to a curved/rolled edge. The male and female ends of each tubular segment are designed by dimensioning and material selection such that the tubular segments join together in a liquid-tight junction with other segments so as to be extendable to different lengths, collapsible, packable, and sterilizable, wherein the junction improves safety by separating when a designed amount of force is applied (yield and/or break strength). Tubular segments can be made from any suitable material such as food grade plastic, biodegradable matter, metal, glass, ceramic, composites, concrete, nano-material, and polymers.

1 . I claim, a Collapsible Safety Drinking Straw comprising a plurality of tubular segments connected together end to end, said tubular segments having one inwardly rolled over end edge on one end of said tube, and one outwardly rolled over end edge on the opposing end of said tube, said tubular segments dimensioned and made of any material suitable for use by humans as a drinking straw so as to provide a predetermined yield and/or break strength in the resulting friction fitted liquid tight connection between one male connector end (outwardly rolled edge) on one tubular segment and one female connector end (inwardly rolled edge) on another tubular segment of two like dimensioned tubular segments. 
     
     
         2 . I claim, a male connector end cap for any tubular segment of the Collapsible Safety Drinking Straw of claim one that closes and seals the female connector of said Collapsible Safety Drinking Straw, comprising a tubular segment having one end of said tubular segment filled in closing it, and an one outwardly rolled over end edge on the opposing end of said tube dimensioned and made of any material suitable for use as an end cap for said tubular segment so as to provide a predetermined yield and/or break strength in the resulting friction fitted liquid tight connection between said male connector end cap and the female connector end of said Collapsible Safety Drinking Straw or any tubular segment thereof. 
     
     
         3 . I claim, a female connector end cap for any tubular segment of the Collapsible Safety Drinking Straw of claim one that closes and seals the male connector of said Collapsible Safety Drinking Straw, comprising a tubular segment having one end of said tubular segment filled in closing it, and an one inwardly rolled over end edge on the opposing end of said tube dimensioned and made of any material suitable for use as an end cap for said tubular segment so as to provide a predetermined yield and/or break strength in the resulting friction fitted liquid tight connection between said female connector end cap and the male connector end of said Collapsible Safety Drinking Straw or any tubular segment thereof.