Cup assembly with built-in straw

Abstract

A drinking assembly includes a cup for holding a beverage. A lid is connectable to the cup and has a top surface and a bottom surface. An integral straw extends along a wall of the cup between a bottom end and a top end. A tapered member extends from one of the bottom surface of the lid and is received by the top end of the integral straw, or from the top end of the integral straw and received by a connecting member at the bottom surface of the lid. A flexible straw is connectable to the tapered member for receiving fluid from the integral straw.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drinking assembly, comprising:
 a cup for holding a beverage;   a lid being connectable to the cup and having a top surface and a bottom surface;   an integral straw extending along a wall of the cup between a bottom end and a top end;   a tapered member extending from one of the bottom surface of the lid for being received by the top surface of the integral straw, or from the top surface of the integral straw for being receiving by a connecting member at the bottom surface of the lid; and   a flexible straw connectable to the tapered member for receiving fluid from the integral straw.   
     
     
         2 . The drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a connecting member with a top region which meets the flexible straw and has a circle-shaped cross-section, and a bottom region which defines the tapered member and which is received by the internal straw and has an oval-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         3 . The drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the tapered member tapers inwardly as the tapered member extends away from the bottom surface of the lid. 
     
     
         4 . A drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the tapered member is part of the lid, and the lid and the flexible straw are integrally connected to one another. 
     
     
         5 . A drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the top surface of the lid defines a receiving recess on a circumferentially opposite side of the lid as the tapered member for receiving another tapered member of another of the lids for permitting a plurality of cups to be stacked on top of one another in a compact manner. 
     
     
         6 . A drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the top surface of the lid further defines a cavity adjacent to the receiving recess for receiving the flexible straw when the flexible straw is in a stored position. 
     
     
         7 . A drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the cavity extends linearly to a location adjacent to the receiving recess, and wherein the tapered member is located along the cavity. 
     
     
         8 . A drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein a pull tape is configured to removeably overlie the cavity to seal the flexible straw prior to use. 
     
     
         9 . A drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , further including a kinking tab extending from the top surface of the lid adjacent to the flexible straw for causing the flexible straw to deflect at a top of the kinking tab and to kink at the kinking tab to seal the flexible straw. 
     
     
         10 . A drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the top surface of the lid defines a cavity extending linearly for receiving the flexible straw when the flexible straw is in a stored position, wherein the flexible straw extends from the lid in the cavity, and wherein the kinking tab extends from the top surface of the lid in the cavity. 
     
     
         11 . A drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the lid and the flexible straw and the kinking tab are integrally connected to one another. 
     
     
         12 . A drinking assembly, comprising:
 a cup for holding a beverage;   an integral straw extending along a wall of the cup;   a lid being connectable to the cup, the lid having a top surface;   a flexible straw connected to the top surface of the lid and connectable to the integral straw for receiving fluid from the integral straw when the lid is connected to the cup; and   the integral straw being larger in a circumferential direction of the cup than in a radial direction to permit multiple cups to be stacked inside one another in a compact arrangement.   
     
     
         13 . A drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the integral straw has an oval-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         14 . A drinking assembly, comprising:
 a cup for holding a beverage;   a lid being connectable to the cup, the lid having a top surface and a bottom surface;   an integral straw extending along a wall of the cup between a bottom end and a top end;   a flexible straw connected to the lid and coupled with the integral straw for receiving fluid from the integral straw; and   the flexible straw defining at least one rib along a portion of the flexible straw adjacent to the top surface of the lid, the at least one rib extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of the straw, and a pair of notches defined on opposite sides of the at least one rib for providing a pivot point for the flexible straw to bend into a stored position in which the flexible straw is kinked to inhibit fluid from passing through the flexible straw.   
     
     
         15 . The drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein an indent is defined between adjacent notches. 
     
     
         16 . A drinking assembly, comprising:
 a cup for holding a beverage;   an integral straw extending along a wall of the cup;   a lid being connectable to the cup, the lid having a top surface;   the top surface of the lid defining a cavity extending linearly between a first end and a second end, wherein the cavity is defined by adjacent walls;   a flexible straw connected to the top surface of the lid in the cavity adjacent to the first end of the cavity and connectable to the integral straw for receiving fluid from the integral straw when the lid is connected to the cup, the flexible straw bendable between an upright position in which the flexible straw extends generally perpendicularly to the top surface and a stored position in which the flexible straw extends in the linear direction of the cavity;   the cavity defining a narrow portion along the flexible straw and a widened portion extending away from the narrow portion, wherein the walls of the cavity are closer to one another in the narrow portion than in the widened portion, wherein the narrow portion prevents kinking of the flexible straw while the flexible straw is in the upright position by squeezing the flexible straw in a lateral direction between the walls of the narrow portion while permitting kinking of the flexible straw while the flexible straw is in the stored position.   
     
     
         17 . A drinking assembly, comprising:
 a cup for holding a beverage;   an integral straw extending along a wall of the cup;   a lid being connectable to the cup, the lid having a top surface;   the top surface of the lid defining a cavity extending linearly between a first end and a second end, wherein the cavity is defined by adjacent walls;   a flexible straw connected to the top surface of the lid in the cavity adjacent to the first end of the cavity and connectable to the integral straw for receiving fluid from the integral straw when the lid is connected to the cup, the flexible straw bendable between an upright position in which the flexible straw extends generally perpendicularly to the top surface and a stored position in which the flexible straw extends in the linear direction of the cavity; and   a sipping tab located on the top surface of the lid and pivotable between a sealed position in which a top of the sipping tab is generally flush with the top surface of the lid, and an open position in which the sipping tab is pivoted upwardly relative to the top surface of the lid to define a sipping opening for a user to sip the cup without use of the flexible straw.   
     
     
         18 . The drinking assembly as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the sipping tab is located circumferentially opposite the flexible straw on the lid. 
     
     
         19 . The sipping tab as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the sipping tab is removeably secured to the lid with a plurality of perforations. 
     
     
         20 . The sipping tab as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the sipping tab is biased toward the sealed position.