Drinking straw

Abstract

A reusable drinking straw has a metal tubular body with a first cylindrical segment at one free end, a second cylindrical segment at the opposite free end and a corrugated segment between the first and second segments. The cross-section of the opening of the drinking end is smaller than the cross-section of the tubular body and is preferably oval-shaped.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drinking straw, comprising a tubular base body of metallic material, which has a first cylindrical segment at one free end and a second cylindrical segment at the other free end, wherein a third segment formed as a corrugated tube is arranged between the first segment and the second segment, wherein the first segment, the second segment and the third segment are made of the same material and formed in one piece and wherein the free end formed from the first segment forms a drinking opening, wherein the cross-section of the drinking opening is smaller than the cross-section of the base body. 
     
     
         2 . The drinking straw according to  claim 1 , wherein the drinking opening is provided with a rounded edge. 
     
     
         3 . The drinking straw according to  claim 2 , wherein the free end of the drinking opening is bent inward. 
     
     
         4 . The drinking straw according to  claim 3 , wherein the free end of the drinking opening is shaped in the form of a quarter circle. 
     
     
         5 . The drinking straw according to  claim 4 , wherein the radius of the quarter circle is between 0.2 mm and 1 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The drinking straw according to  claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness of the base body is between 0.15 mm and 0.3 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The drinking straw according to  claim 1 , wherein the drinking opening is oval-shaped. 
     
     
         8 . The drinking straw according to  claim 1 , wherein the base body is formed of stainless steel. 
     
     
         9 . The drinking straw according to  claim 1 , wherein the third segment is produced by compressing or rolling. 
     
     
         10 . The drinking straw according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of the first segment is between 5 mm and 15 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The drinking straw according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of outer diameter of the third segment to outer diameter of the first segment and the second segment is between 1.1 and 1.75. 
     
     
         12 . The drinking straw according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the inner diameter of the third segment to the inner diameter of the first segment and the second segment is between 0.75 and 1.5. 
     
     
         13 . The drinking straw according to  claim 1 , wherein the third segment has between 10 and 15 radially outward protruding projections. 
     
     
         14 . The drinking straw according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of outer diameter of the third segment to outer diameter of the first segment and the second segment is between 0.9 and 1.1. 
     
     
         15 . The drinking straw according to  claim 14 , wherein the ratio of the inner diameter of the third segment to the inner diameter of the first segment and the second segment is between 0.5 and 0.9.