WO2013030607A1

WO2013030607A1 - Flavouring straw

Info

Publication number: WO2013030607A1
Application number: PCT/HU2012/000081
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ferenc Ecseri; József DUDÁS; Mónika ECSERI
Original assignee: Silman Invest & Trade Ltd.
Priority date: 2011-09-01
Filing date: 2012-08-30
Publication date: 2013-03-07

Abstract

The invention relates to a tubular flavouring drinking straw (1) for imparting flavour to liquid passing through and/or to some filling (2) contained in the drinking straw (1) which is also filled with flavouring agent (10). The flavouring drinking straw (1) is formed from a thermoplastic plastic tube (3) and is provided with closing elements (4) shaped from the material of the tube (3) by deforming it. In a preferred embodiment fixing element(s) (7) shaped in a similar way to the closing elements (4) are provided along the longitudinal axis of the tube (3) in order to hold the filling(s) (2) in position.

Description

FLAVOURING STRAW

The invention relates to a tubular flavouring drinking straw for imparting flavour to liquid passing through and/or to some filling contained in the drinking straw. The drinking straw is also filled with flavouring agent and is formed from a thermoplastic plastic tube which is provided with closing elements allowing the liquid to pass through but preventing the undissolved filling from falling out. The closing elements are shaped by deforming the material of the tube.

Drinking straws are known for flavouring or changing the flavour of a liquid passing through the drinking straw. Such drinking straws can impart different flavours (e.g. cocoa, fruit, etc.) to a liquid for example milk.

There are solutions in which the flavouring agent is applied on a portion of the drinking straw and dissolves when this portion is immersed in the liquid. Patent application US 3,615,595 describes such flavouring drinking straw. In another embodiment according to US 3,615,595 the flavouring agent is applied on the inner wall of the drinking straw. A disadvantage of this solution is that dissolution of the flavouring agent thereby the flavouring effect is unsatisfactory.

Patent application US 5,094,861 _% discloses an improved embodiment of the flavoured drinking straw of US 3,615,595. Here, carriers of flavouring agent are inserted in the drinking straw. Embodying of this drinking straw is complicated, placing the flavouring agent in the straw requires an elaborate method while the flavouring effect is still unsatisfactory.

The solution proposed in patent application US 6,109,538 is different from the earlier known solutions in that a large sized flavouring object is disposed in the lumen of the drinking straw.

A common disadvantage of the aforementioned embodiments is that proportionally to the dissolution of the flavouring agent placed in the interior of the drinking straw the flavouring effect also decreases and the force required to sip the drinking straw varies significantly especially in the latter solution.

Patent application WO 9851259 is directed to an oral active agent delivery device comprising improved flow controllers.

Here, a hollow tubular member containing the active agent formulation and having a fluid passing controller is placed at one end into a fluid and at a second end into a patient's mouth. The active agent is delivered when the patient sips on the end of the tube. This improved solution prevents leakage of the active agent formulation. This document teaches a number of complicated filtering elements that can be inserted in the drinking straw. On the one hand dosing of the active agent according to this solution is complicated on the other hand it is expensive and flavouring of the active agent may be realized at most by flavouring the fluid in which the device is placed.

Patent application US 2008197141 discloses a filled drinking straw both end parts of which are pressed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drinking straw in order to prevent the undissolved filling from falling out. By pressing the end parts the plastic body of the tube may also be pressed in a certain extent. To avoid it braces are placed in the tube near the pressed portion. However, if the tube is pressed transversally, large sized fillings can not be fixed in given portions of the tube since they may crack. Further, flow of liquid is restricted because the cross-section is narrowed down in case of large sized fillings.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a drinking straw in which fillings of several kinds may be placed and the order of the fillings can be determined, their position may be fixed while the flow of liquid is ensured as required. In this manner fillings for example medicines or active agents, vitamins, medicinal products, possibly food supplements that do not taste good but taking them is necessary for the organism can be made enjoyable.

Another aim is to provide a drinking straw without filters thereby reducing the costs of manufacture. Manufacturing the filters used in known solutions is rather difficult. They must be inserted in the interior of the drinking straw as separate pieces where they have to be fixed.

It has been realized that if the end portions of the tube forming the drinking straw are narrowed down by longitudinal indentations then it is suitable for keeping even the fine-grained filling and flavouring agent in the lumen of the tube. By deforming the tube in this manner, the filling may be placed in optionally between the closing elements provided at the ends of the tube. The advantage of it is that as a function of the rate of dissolving the filling may be put in a segment of the tube different from the middle one. In this case the consumer may decide which end of the tube is to be placed in the liquid in order to obtain the required flavouring effect. Naturally, number of or several kinds of fillings may be placed lengthwise in the drinking straw each of which can be held in position according to the invention. Consequently, it has been realized that not only different popular, genuinely good to taste fillings but fillings that are beneficial to health but do not taste so good may be placed in the tube. This is especially advantageous in case of fillings (medicines, etc.) which should be dissolved or chewed when taking them.

Some of the known drinking straws and filters could be used for this purpose, but they are more complicated and more expensive.

With the present invention a tubular flavouring drinking straw for imparting flavour to liquid passing through and/or to some filling contained in the drinking straw is provided. The drinking straw is also filled with flavouring agent and is formed from a thermoplastic plastic tube which is provided with closing elements allowing the liquid to pass through but preventing the undissolved filling from falling out. The closing elements are shaped by deforming the material of the tube. The closing elements are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube and are shaped from at least two preferably three or more recesses formed on the sheath of the tube near the ends of it. The recesses are formed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube by deforming the tube so that flow of liquid is enabled but the undissolved filling and flavouring agent are prevented from falling out. The inner points of the recesses nearest to each other are in contact with each other. The size of the filling is determined in such a manner that the liquid is able to flow through by its side, but its cross-section is larger than that of the flavouring agent. Advantageously, on the sheath of the tube in order to determine the position of the filling(s) in the tube a pair or pairs of closing elements are formed similarly to the closing elements. The number of the pairs of closing elements corresponds to the number of the fillings. In another embodiment fixing elements are formed similarly to the closing elements in order to fix the filling(s). In this case the nearest points of the recesses forming the fixing element are in a distance from each other that makes fixing of the filling possible.

Preferably, more than one filling is placed in the tube. The filling can be for example medicine, active agent, vitamin, medicinal product, possibly food supplement.

Advantageously, the flavouring agent consists of a carrier comprising sugar on which flavouring coating is applied. Detailed description of the invention will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure a is the perspective view of a possible embodiment of the drinking straw according to the invention in which the filling is held in position by means of a fixing element;

Figure 1 b is the perspective view of a possible embodiment of the drinking straw according to the invention in which the filling is held in position only by means of the flavouring agent;

Figure 2 is the side view of another possible embodiment of the drinking straw according to the invention in which the filling is held in position by means of a closing element;

Figure 3 is the side view of a drinking straw provided with several fillings;

Figure 4 is the longitudinal cross-section of a drinking straw provided with several fillings;

Figure 5 shows the drinking straw viewed from the direction of its longitudinal axis; Figure 6 is the sectional view of the fixing element of Figure 3 taken along line IV- IV;

Figure 7 is the sectional view of the fixing element of Figure 1a taken along line

VII- VII;

Figure 8 is the sectional view of the closing element of figure 2 taken along line

VIII- VIII;

Figure 9 is the side view of the closing element of the drinking straw according to Figure 1a, here the drinking straw is turned by 60°;

Figure 10 is the side view of the fixing element of the drinking straw according to Figure 1a, here the drinking straw is turned by 60°; and

Figure 11 is a sectional view of the drinking straw of figure 1 b taken along line XI- XI.

The tubular drinking straw 1 according to the invention is suitable for imparting flavour to liquid passing through and/or to some filling 2 contained in the drinking straw 1 which is also filled with flavouring agent 10 (Figures 1 a, 1 b, 2, 5, 7, 8, and 11 ). The drinking straw is formed from a thermoplastic plastic tube 3 which is provided with closing elements 4 allowing the liquid to pass through but preventing the filling 2 and the undissolved flavouring agent 10 from falling out. In the embodiment of the drinking straw 1 according to the invention (Figures 1a-4) the closing elements 4 are provided on the sheath 5 of tube 3, near the ends, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of tube 3 by forming at least two, preferably three recesses 6 (Figure 9). The number of recesses 6 can be optional within reasonable limits, considering a suitable cross-section for flow-through. Recesses 6 are formed parallel to the longitudinal axis of tube 3 by deforming the tube 3 in such a manner that flow of liquid is allowed but the undissolved filling 2 and flavouring agent 10 are prevented from falling out. The nearest inner points 11 of the recesses 6 are in contact with each other. The positions of fillings 2 in tube 3 can be ensured in several ways. Basically, the cross-section of filling 2 should be chosen so that the liquid is able to flow through alongside filling 2. Further, its cross-section should be larger than that of the flavouring agent 10 thereby ensuring that the order of the flavouring agent 10 and filling 2 is not changed during solution (Figures 1 b and 11 ). Naturally, the positions of fillings 2 in tube 3 can be ensured in other ways too. In one embodiment in order to determine the position(s) of filling(s) 2 in tube 3 a pair of closing elements 4 formed similarly to closing elements 4 is provided on the sheath 5 of tube 3. The number of the pairs of closing elements 4 corresponds to the number of fillings 2 (Figure 2). In another embodiment a fixing element 7 formed similarly to the closing elements 4 is provided for holding filling(s) 2 in position (Figures 1a, 3, 4 and 10). In this embodiment the nearest points 8 of the recesses 6 forming fixing element 7 are formed so that there is a distance 9 between them so that fixing of filling 2 is enabled (Figures 6 and 7).

In the embodiments of Figures 1a and 7 the position of filling 2 - which can be some substance having especially intensive taste, medicine, active agent, vitamin, medicinal product, possibly food supplement - is determined by fixing element 7. In drinking straw 1 flavouring agent 10 is placed on both sides of filling 2. Naturally, fillings 2 are not necessarily arranged symmetrically within drinking straw 1. As it is obvious, it is not shown in the Figures. Possible advantages of the asymmetric arrangement have already been set forth in the foregoing.

In the embodiments according to Figures 2 and 8 the position of filling(s) 2 is ensured by closing elements 4. In this case filling 2 is placed in the tube 3 between a pair of closing elements 4 formed similarly to the closing elements 4. In the embodiments according to Figures 1a, 3 and 4 in order to hold the fillings 2 in position fixing elements 7 the number of which corresponds to the number of fillings 2 are formed similarly to the closing elements 4 on the sheath 5 of tube 3 along the longitudinal axis of the tube 3. In this manner the position of fillings 2 can be determined during manufacture and consumption. Recesses 6 forming fixing element 7 are shaped similarly to closing elements 4, with the difference that the nearest points 8 of recesses 6 of fixing element 7 are formed so that there is a distance 9 between them so that fixing of filling 2 is enabled (Figures 6 and 7). Naturally, in case of the embodiments according to Figures 3 and 4 flavouring agent 10 may also be filled between fillings 2.

Depending on the length of tube 3 and filling 2 a number of fillings 2 and a number of fixing elements 7 corresponding to the number of fillings 2 may be arranged between the closing elements 4 (Figure 4). Advantageously, the fillings 2 are cylinder shaped and each of them is fixed in a required position by means of the fixing element 7. Naturally, if flavouring agent 10 is also filled in tube 3, the number and the size of fillings 2 must be chosen according to this.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1b closing elements 4 may be formed at the border of fillings 2 and flavouring agent 10 if it is reasonable. This embodiment is not shown in the Figures as it can easily be accomplished on the basis of the foregoing.

Though the drinking straw 1 according to the invention can be used as a conventional drinking straw, it can also be used to impart flavour to medicines. In this manner the solution according to the invention can advantageously be used for taking medicines or active agents. In this case e.g. at least one of the fillings 2 is the medicine or the active agent, and the flavouring agent 10 matches to it in flavour. In the drinking straw 1 shown in Figure 3 for example only one filling 2 is fixed by fixing element 7, the other fixing elements 7 fix the flavouring agent. If the filling 2 is arranged in the middle portion, between two flavouring agent 10, then it makes no difference which end is immersed in the liquid and which end is sipped. Preferably, the flavouring agent 10 consists of a carrier comprising sugar and a flavouring coating applied on the carrier. Its shape is optional. It may comprise granules or may be formed cylindrical. In this case the size and the shape of flavouring agent 10 may correspond to the size and shape of filling 2. If filling 2 and flavouring agent 10 can be visibly distinguished and the sheath 5 of the drinking straw 3 is transparent, then dissolution of filling 2 is perceptible to the eye. In this manner the proper proportion of filling 2 and flavouring agent 10 can be well determined during manufacture.

Use of the drinking straw 1 according to the invention completely corresponds to the use of a conventional drinking straw. Drinking straw 1 can be used for flavouring any liquids. Naturally, if filling 2 is medicine or active agent, vitamin, medicinal product, possibly food supplement, consumption of certain liquids with the drinking straw 1 according to the invention may be contra-indicated.

The advantage of the present invention as compared to the known solutions is that manufacturing is simpler, inexpensive, since there is no need for separate filters. The positions of the fillings can be determined and fixed. The taste of an unflavoured filling for example medicine can be made nicer. In case of heterogeneous fillings a flavouring agent may be prepared which dissolves more slowly than the medicine or the active agent thereby ensuring that the taste does not become unpleasant during consumption. Further, if the filling foams during dissolution, foaming can be significantly restrained by using a suitable flavouring agent. Dissolution of the filling can be followed in case of transparent drinking straw. A medicine can be taken inconspicuously e.g. in a restaurant or in any public places. Producing such filling is well within the knowledge of a person skilled in the art.

Claims

1. Tubular flavouring drinking straw (1 ) for imparting flavour to liquid passing through and/or to some filling (2) contained in it, said drinking straw (1 ) is also filled with granulated flavouring agent (10) and is formed from a thermoplastic plastic tube (3) which is provided with closing elements (4) allowing the liquid to pass through but preventing the undissolved filling (2) from falling out, said closing elements (4) are shaped by deforming the material of said tube (3) characterized in that said closing elements (4) are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tube (3) and are shaped from at least two preferably three or more recesses (6) formed on the sheath (5) of said tube (3) near the ends of it, said recesses (6) are formed parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tube (3) by deforming said tube (3) so that flow of liquid is allowed but the undissolved filling (2) and flavouring agent (10) are prevented from falling out, the inner points (1 1 ) of said recesses (6) nearest to each other are in contact with each other, and the size of said filling (2) is determined so that the liquid is able to flow through by the side of said filling (2), but its cross-section is larger than that of said flavouring agent (10).

2. Drinking straw according to claim 1 characterized in that on the sheath (5) of said tube (3) in order to determine the position of said filling(s) (2) in said tube (3) a pair or several pairs of closing elements (4) are formed similarly to said closing elements (4) wherein the number of the pairs of closing elements (4) corresponds to the number of said fillings (2).

3. Drinking straw according to claim 1 characterized in that in said tube (3) a fixing element (7) formed similarly to said closing elements (4) is provided in order to fix said filling(s) (2), wherein the nearest points (8) of the recesses (6) forming said fixing element (7) are in a distance (9) from each other that makes fixing of filling (2) possible.

4. Drinking straw according to any of claims 1-3 characterized in that more than one filling (2) is arranged in said tube (3).

5. Drinking straw according to any of claims 1-4 characterized in that said filling (2) is medicine or active agent or vitamin or medicinal product possibly food supplement.

6. Drinking straw according to any of claims 1 -5 characterized in that said flavouring agent (10) consists of a carrier comprising sugar on which granulated flavouring coating is applied.