Drinking straw

Abstract

A drinking straw is set forth, comprising an elongate tubular body fabricated from a material that loses rigidity when wet, and at least one ring of perforations circumscribing the elongate tubular body forming at least one frangible segment that can be removed when the material loses rigidity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drinking straw, comprising:
 an elongate tubular body fabricated from a material that loses rigidity when wet; and   at least one ring of weakened material circumscribing the elongate tubular body forming at least one frangible segment that can be removed from the drinking straw when the material loses rigidity.   
     
     
         2 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of rings of weakened material circumscribing the elongate tubular body forming a plurality of frangible segments. 
     
     
         3 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the material is paper or paperboard. 
     
     
         4 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the ring of weakened material extends from an outer wall of the elongate tubular body toward an inner wall thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the ring of weakened material is in the form of a solid line. 
     
     
         6 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the ring of weakened material is in the form of a dashed line. 
     
     
         7 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the ring of weakened material is in the form of a tooth-shaped line. 
     
     
         8 . The drinking straw of  claim 7 , wherein pointed portions of the tooth-shaped line project from the frangible segment.