Shot straws and methods for making and using the same

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a straw and a one-way valve. The straw can include a top end, a straw body, and a bottom end opposite the top end and configured to be placed in a container. The one-way valve can be removably coupled to the bottom end of the straw and configured to allow liquid in the container to enter the straw when a suction force is created at the top end of the straw. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a straw comprising:
 a top end; 
 a straw body; and 
 a bottom end opposite the top end and configured to be placed in a container; and 
   a one-way valve removably coupled to the bottom end of the straw and configured to allow liquid in the container to enter the straw when a suction force is created at the top end of the straw.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a top cap removably coupled to the top end of the straw. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein one or more of:
 the top cap further comprises one of:
 a threaded lid; 
 a shooter lid; 
 a hinged flip cap; 
 a twist cap; or 
 a squeeze lid; or 
   the top cap further comprises a top one-way valve configured to allow a second liquid in the straw to exit the straw from the top end when the suction force is created at the top end of the straw.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the top one-way valve comprises one of:
 a cross-slit valve; 
 a duckbill valve; 
 a spring valve; or 
 a tension valve. 
   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a bottom cap removably coupled to the one-way valve and configured to seal the one-way valve. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the bottom cap further comprises one of:
 a quarter-turn threaded cap; or 
 an end cap. 
   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one-way valve comprises one of:
 a cross-slit valve; 
 a duckbill valve; 
 a spring valve; or 
 a tension valve. 
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more of:
 a film configured to removably seal the top end of the straw;   a second liquid in the straw body;   a height of approximately 9 inches;   an outer diameter of approximately ¼ inch to % inch; or   a volume of approximately 1 fluid ounce to 3 fluid ounces.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of:
 the straw body comprises clear plastic or thermoplastic; or   an exterior surface of the straw body comprises branding information.   
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 providing a straw with a straw body; and   coupling a one-way valve at a bottom end of the straw, wherein:
 the bottom end is configured to be placed in a container; and 
 the one-way valve is configured to allow liquid in the container to enter the straw when a suction force is created at a top end of the straw, the top end opposite the bottom end of the straw. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising one or more of:
 removably coupling a top cap to the top end of the straw;   removably coupling a bottom cap to the one-way valve to seal the one-way valve;   sealing the top end of the straw by a removable film; or   filling a second liquid into the straw body.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein one or more of:
 the top cap further comprises one of:
 a threaded lid; 
 a shooter lid; 
 a hinged flip cap; 
 a twist cap; or 
 a squeeze lid; 
   the top cap further comprises a top one-way valve configured to allow the second liquid in the straw to exit the straw from the top end when the suction force is created at the top end of the straw; or   the bottom cap further comprises one of:
 a quarter-turn threaded cap; or 
 an end cap. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the top one-way valve further comprises one of:
 a cross-slit valve; 
 a duckbill valve; 
 a spring valve; or 
 a tension valve. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein one or more of:
 the one-way valve further comprises one of:
 a cross-slit valve; 
 a duckbill valve; 
 a spring valve; or 
 a tension valve; 
   the straw body comprises clear plastic or thermoplastic;   an exterior surface of the straw body comprises branding information;   a height of the straw is approximately 9 inches;   an outer diameter of the straw body is approximately ¼ inch to ¾ inch; or   a volume of the straw body is approximately 1 fluid ounce to 3 fluid ounces.   
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 placing an apparatus into a container, with a bottom end of the apparatus submerged in a first liquid in the container, the apparatus comprising:
 a straw comprising:
 a top end; 
 a straw body; and 
 the bottom end opposite the top end; 
 
 a one-way valve removably coupled to the bottom end of the straw; 
   drinking the first liquid and a second liquid in the straw from the apparatus by sucking at the top end of the straw.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the second liquid is filled into the straw from the top end or the bottom end.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein one or more of:
 (a) the apparatus further comprises a top cap removably coupled to the top end of the straw; and;
 drinking the first liquid and the second liquid in the straw further comprises opening the top cap; 
   (b) the apparatus further comprises a bottom cap removably coupled to the one-way valve and configured to seal the one-way valve; and
 drinking the first liquid and the second liquid in the straw further comprises opening the bottom cap; 
   (c) the apparatus further comprises a film configured to removably seal the top end of the straw; and
 drinking the first liquid and the second liquid in the straw further comprises removing the film; or 
   (d) the apparatus further comprises one or more of:
 a height of approximately 9 inches; 
 an outer diameter of approximately 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch; or 
 a volume of approximately 1 fluid ounce to 3 fluid ounces. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein one or more of:
 the top cap further comprises one of:
 a threaded lid; 
 a shooter lid; 
 a hinged flip cap; 
 a twist cap; or 
 a squeeze lid; 
   the top cap further comprises top one-way valve configured to allow the second liquid in the straw to exit the straw from the top end when a suction force is created at the top end of the straw; or   the bottom cap further comprises one of:
 a quarter-turn threaded cap; or 
 an end cap. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the top one-way valve comprises one of:
 a cross-slit valve; 
 a duckbill valve; 
 a spring valve; or 
 a tension valve. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein one or more of:
 the one-way valve comprises one of:
 a cross-slit valve; 
 a duckbill valve; 
 a spring valve; or 
 a tension valve; 
   the straw body further comprises clear plastic or thermoplastic; or   an exterior surface of the straw body comprises branding information.