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(11) |
EP 2 128 039 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
| (45) |
Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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01.12.2010 Bulletin 2010/48 |
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Date of filing: 16.04.2009 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC):
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Beverage container equipped with straw
Mit einem Strohhalm ausgestatteter Getränkebehälter
Conteneur de boisson équipé de pailles
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Designated Contracting States: |
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AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO
PL PT RO SE SI SK TR |
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Priority: |
26.05.2008 HU 0800332
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Date of publication of application: |
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02.12.2009 Bulletin 2009/49 |
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Proprietor: Kiss, Balázs |
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8000 Székesfehérvár (HU) |
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Inventor: |
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- Kiss, Balázs
8000 Székesfehérvár (HU)
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Representative: Harangozo, Gabor |
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Danubia
Patent & Law Office LLC
Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 16 1051 Budapest 1051 Budapest (HU) |
| (56) |
References cited: :
EP-A- 0 933 308 WO-A-00/46123 NL-A- 7 908 774 US-A- 6 123 219
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EP-A- 1 291 295 WO-A-00/49921 US-A- 5 823 422 US-A1- 2008 173 610
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
|
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a beverage container equipped with a straw.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a beverage container within which
a pop-up straw is arranged that emerges automatically when the container is being
opened.
[0002] Beverage cans, in particular the paper containers of reduced size that are used for
storing a liquid volume of approximately 200-300 ml, which are packaged together with
a straw, have been widely used nowadays. To this end, the simplest solution is to
package the straw in a thin packaging material and subsequently to fix the packaged
straw to the beverage can from outside, typically by gluing. However, several other
solutions are also known, wherein the straw is arranged within a can or a bottle before
or after the filling thereof with the beverage, and this kind of straw is formed to
pop up automatically from the can or the bottle when the can or the bottle is being
opened.
[0004] The beverage can or bottle of the above mentioned type is also disclosed, for example,
in the
US Patent No. 4,892,187. Figures 3 and 4 of this document illustrate a bottle for beverages within which
a straw is arranged that pops up from the bottle automatically when being opened.
The straw has a buoyant member to which a buoyant force is exerted by the liquid in
the bottle, and both above and under the buoyant member the straw further has a rigid
upper portion and a lower portion, respectively, wherein at least a section of said
lower portion is formed in an accordion-like manner to be extendible and flexible.
This straw emerges automatically from the bottle filled up with the liquid when the
bottle is being opened, due to the buoyant force exerted to the buoyant member. A
drawback of this arrangement is, however, that as the level of the liquid lowers,
the upper portion of the straw gradually sinks back to the bottle, and below a certain
level of liquid it may even entirely return into the bottle, which makes it difficult
to withdraw the straw from the bottle by hand. A further drawback of this solution
is that the consumer must keep holding the straw while the level of liquid is lowering
so that it does not sink back into the bottle. Finally, it is a further drawback of
the above mentioned solution is that when the bottle is being opened, the straw emerges
from the bottle substantially in an unguided way, and after releasing the straw, the
upper portion of the straw, depending on the diameter of the mouth of the bottle,
can move within a relatively large angular range, which may require the consumer,
who is holding the bottle in his one hand, to use also his other hand to move the
upper end of the straw to his mouth.
[0005] The object of the present invention is to eliminate to foregoing drawbacks and to
provide a beverage container, in particular a beverage can or bottle, equipped with
a straw that has a simple design, that may be manufactured at little cost in great
quantities and that may be used in an easier and more convenient manner compared to
the prior art solutions.
[0006] The invention is based on the recognition that the above mentioned drawbacks may
be easily eliminated by guiding the upper portion of the straw arranged above the
buoyant member and by forming said upper portion in an extendible manner.
[0007] The above objects are achieved by providing a straw according to the characteristics
of appended claim 1. These objects are further achieved by providing a beverage container
equipped with a straw according to appended claim 2, wherein said straw is arranged
within the container so that the straw pops up automatically when the container is
being opened The beverage container further comprises, at its upper end, a means for
guiding the straw, when the container is being opened, substantially in the same direction
as the longitudinal axis of the container, said guiding means being adapted to fix
the upper end of the straw in the state of storage of the container and to limit the
extent of emersion of the straw.
[0008] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings. In the drawings:
- Figures 1a to 1c illustrate sectional views of the beverage container equipped with
a straw, taken along the longitudinal axis of the container, in accordance with a
first preferred embodiment of the invention, in a state of storage of the bottle (Figure
1a), at the upmost end position of the straw after opening the bottle (Figure 1b),
and at the lowest end position of the straw with a partly or entirely emptied bottle
(Figure 1c);
- Figures 2a to 2c illustrate sectional views of the beverage container equipped with
a straw, taken along the longitudinal axis of the container, in accordance with a
second preferred embodiment of the invention, in a state of storage of the bottle
(Figure 2a), at the upmost end position of the straw after opening the bottle (Figure
2b), and at the lowest end position of the straw with a partly or entirely emptied
bottle (Figure 2c);
- Figures 3a to 3c illustrate sectional views of the beverage container equipped with
a straw, taken along the longitudinal axis of the container, in accordance with a
third preferred embodiment of the invention, in a state of storage of the bottle (Figure
3a), at the upmost end position of the straw after opening the bottle (Figure 3b),
and at the lowest end position of the straw with a partly or entirely emptied bottle
(Figure 3c), respectively.
[0009] In Figures 1a to 1c, the beverage container equipped with a straw according to the
invention is illustrated in three different states in sectional views taken along
the longitudinal axis of the container, which is a plastic bottle 10 in this example.
The bottle 10 shown in Figures 1a to 1c comprises a body 11, a base 12, a neck portion
13 and a mouth 17. Within the bottle 10 there is provided a straw 14 that emerges
automatically from the bottle 10 when the bottle 10 containing a beverage D is being
opened 10, said straw 14 having an upper portion 14a which can be extended by means
of an accordion section 14b thereof, a buoyant member 14c and a lower portion 14d.
On the mouth 17 of the bottle 10, a preferably flat inset 15 having a central through-hole
is mounted from outside, wherein said inset 15 is adapted to guide the straw 14 emerging
from the bottle 10 when the bottle is being opened, in such a way that the straw 14
emerges substantially in the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the bottle
10. The diameter of the through-hole of the inset 15 exceeds the outer diameter of
the buoyant member 14c of the straw 14 to a minimum extent, typically by several tenths
of a millimeter, thus allowing the insertion of the straw 14 into the bottle 10 through
the hole of said inset 15 after the filling of the bottle 10, whereas during a later
use, the relatively narrow through-hole prevents the straw 14 from its entire ejection
due to that the upper end of the buoyant member 14c of the straw 14 is blocked by
the lower edge of the through-hole at the bottom of the inset 15. Consequently, the
extent of the emersion of the straw 14 is limited. In the special case, where the
central axis of the straw 14 was aligned, at the moment of emerge, with the central
axis of the through-hole serving as the guiding means, the straw 14 would be entirely
ejected, that is the buoyant member 14c would more or less emerge from the bottle
10, but in practice, this situation hardly ever arises due to the narrow diameter
of the through-hole.
[0010] As shown in Figure 1a, in the state of storage of the bottle 10, when the bottle
10 containing the beverage D is closed by a cap 16, for example, the upper end 14e
of the straw 14 is inserted into the through-hole of the inset 15 serving as the guiding
means, thus the upper end 14e of the straw 14 is substantially fixed in the state
of storage of the bottle 10. In this state of storage, the bottle 10 is sealed by
the cap 16, for example by a threaded cap.
[0011] As shown in Figure 1b, after opening the bottle 10, i.e. after removing the cap 16
in this case, the straw 14 emerges automatically from the bottle 10 through the inset
15 due to the buoyant force exerted by the beverage D to the buoyant member 14c. With
respect to the fact that the diameter of the through-hole of the inset 15 serving
as the guiding means is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the buoyant
member 14c (or preferably larger than the latter by several tenths of a millimeter
as mentioned above), and to the fact that the length of the through-hole of the inset
15 is such that the straw 14 can be moved in the hole only in a direction substantially
identical to the longitudinal axis of the bottle 10, it is achieved that the straw
14 emerges from the bottle 10 in a guided manner and after its emersion, the straw
14 always extends in the same direction. At the upper end position of the straw 14,
due to the practically limited emersion of the straw 14, only the upper portion 14a
projects from the bottle 10, whereas the buoyant member 14c remains inside the bottle
10.
[0012] When the level of liquid L in the bottle 10 lowers so much that the straw 14 starts
moving down, the upper portion 14a of the straw 14 may be extended by expanding the
accordion section 14b to an extent that as the level of liquid L lowers further, even
until the bottle 10 gets entirely empty, a substantially long section of the straw
projects from the bottle 10 that the consumer can move to his mouth. This state is
shown in Figure 1c.
[0013] The straw construction used for the beverage container according to the invention
will now be described. The buoyant member 14c of the straw 14 is formed as an air-containing
cell of cylindrical ring shape, the inner wall of which is defined by the wall of
the suction channel of the straw 14, whereas its outer wall is defined by another
wall arranged concentrically with said inner wall. The outer wall and the inner walls
of the buoyant member 14c are connected to each other at the upper and the lower ends
of the buoyant member 14c so that they air-tightly seal the space enclosed thereby.
The length of the buoyant member 14c is significant relative to the entire length
of the straw 14, preferably at least the half, more preferably at least the two third
of the entire length of the straw 14 being in its initial state. In this context,
the initial state of the straw 14 is defined as the state in which the straw has a
collapsed accordion section 14b. As shown in Figures 1a to 1c, the entire length of
the straw 14 in its initial state is so that when the straw 14 is oriented in the
direction of ejection, it may be accommodated within the closed bottle 10 (or in the
container, in general).
[0014] The length of the lower portion 14d of the straw 14 is, however, at most 5% of the
entire length of the straw being in its initial state. In an alternative embodiment
of the straw (not shown), the length of the lower portion 14d is virtually zero, that
is the lower end of the straw is defined by the lower end of the buoyant member.
[0015] Due to the above mentioned construction, that is to the relatively very short lower
portion 14d and the relatively long buoyant member 14c, the buoyant force effecting
to the straw 14 holds the straw 14 in an entirely ejected position until the level
of liquid L of the beverage D in the bottle 10 decreases significantly. The upper
end position of the straw 14 is defined by the inset 15 serving as a guiding means
in a manner that the upper end of the buoyant member 14c is blocked by the edge of
the through-hole at the bottom of the inset 15.
[0016] Although in the embodiments described above, the stem of the straw and, accordingly,
the buoyant member of the straw have a cylindrical shape, the cross-sectional profile
of the straw may obviously has any other shape, like an ellipse, a square or the similar.
Thus the through-hole of the guiding means of the container may have not only circular
shape, but any other shape corresponding to the cross-sectional profile of the straw,
however, the through-hole should be wider than the cross-sectional area of the straw
only to a minimum extent.
[0017] In Figures 2a to 2c, second embodiment of the beverage container equipped with a
straw according to the invention is illustrated in three different states in sectional
views taken along the longitudinal axis of the container. Figure 2a illustrates a
bottle 20 wherein a straw 24 that has the same design as the straw 14 shown in Figures
1a to 1c is arranged within the bottle 20 and fixed by a cap 26, preferably by a threaded
cap, in the state of storage of the bottle 20, wherein the upper end 24e of the straw
24 is inserted into a through-hole formed at the center of the cap 26. In the second
embodiment illustrated in Figures 2a to 2c, the inset 15 used for the first embodiment
is not applied, because in this case, the means for guiding and fixing the straw 24
in its state of storage is formed by the cap 26 itself. For an airtight sealing of
the bottle 20 in the state of storage, a sticker 28 adhered to the upper side of the
cap 26 may be used, for example. Preferably, the sticker 28 may be re-adhered several
times.
[0018] In Figure 2b, the bottle 20 according to the second embodiment is shown in a situation
after the sticker has been torn and removed, when the straw 24 pops up automatically
through the hole of the cap 26 in response to the buoyant force exerted by the liquid
in the bottle 20.
[0019] Figure 2c shows the bottle 20 according to the second embodiment, when due to a decrease
of the level of liquid L, the accordion section 24b of the straw 24 has been extended
so that the upper portion 24a of the straw 24 projects from the bottle 20 to the necessary
extent.
[0020] In the second embodiment illustrated in Figures 2a to 2c, the diameter of the through-hole
formed in the cap 26 of the bottle 20 is the same as the diameter of the central hole
of the inset 15 used for the first embodiment, which allows for the straw 24 to be
pushed into the bottle, while this arrangement is suitable for guiding the straw 24
and for limiting the extent of the emersion.
[0021] In Figures 3a to 3c, a third preferred embodiment of the beverage container equipped
with a straw according to the invention is illustrated in three different states in
sectional views taken along the longitudinal axis of the container. In this case again,
the container is a bottle 30 of beverage, within which a straw 34 is arranged so that
it can pop up from the bottle 30 automatically when the bottle 30 is being opened.
In this embodiment, the neck portion 33 of the bottle 30 is formed as conically tapered,
wherein the inner diameter of the mouth 37 of the bottle 30 is substantially equal
to the outer diameter of the buoyant member 34c of the straw 34. In this embodiment,
the bottle 30 is preferably closed by a small cap 39 of the snap type that can be
snapped off by even one hand. In this embodiment, the means for guiding the straw
34 is the conically tapered neck portion 33 of the bottle 30. The straw 34 can move
through the mouth 37 substantially in the same direction as the longitudinal axis
of the bottle 30. Anyway, the construction of the straw 34 is similar to which has
been applied for the straw 14 and 24 according to the first and second embodiments,
respectively.
[0022] In Figure 3b, the bottle 30 is illustrated in a state in which after the removal
of the cap, due to the buoyant force exerted by the liquid in the bottle 30, the straw
34. has been entirely emerged and thus it is staying in its upper end position. In
this state, the upper end of the buoyant member 31c is blocked adjacent to the upper
end of the tapered neck portion 33.
[0023] In Figure 3c, the bottle 30 is illustrated in a state in which due to a decrease
of the level of liquid L, the accordion section 34b of the straw 34 is extended so
that a substantially long portion of the upper portion 34a of the straw 34 projects
from the bottle 30.
[0024] In the foregoing, the beverage container equipped with a straw according to the invention
has been described through three different preferred embodiments. The present invention
is, however, not limited to the embodiments as shown. For example, the beverage container
may be not only a plastic bottle, but also a glass bottle, a paper container or an
aluminum can. For closing the container, several other solutions may be suitable that
are well-known in the field of packaging technology. It is to be noted that any modifications
of the beverage container equipped with a straw according to the invention are to
be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by
the appended claims, wherein all of these modifications will be apparent to those
skilled in the art.
1. A straw adapted to pop up automatically from a beverage container, said straw comprising
a buoyant member (14c, 24c, 34c), an upper portion (14a, 24a, 34a) above said buoyant
member (14c, 24c, 34c), an accordion section (14b, 24b, 34b) arranged along the upper
portion (14a, 24a, 34a) and suitable for extending in an accordion-like manner, and
a lower portion (14d) of fixed length arranged underneath the buoyant member (14c,
24c, 34c), wherein the length of the lower portion (14d) is at most 5% of the entire
length of the straw (14, 24, 34) associated with the initial state thereof,
characterized in that
the buoyant member (14c, 24c, 34c) is formed as an air-tightly closed, cylindrical
ring shaped space with permanent length and volume, the length of which being at least
the half, preferably at least the two third of the entire length of the straw (14,
24, 34) having a collapsed accordion section (14b, 24b, 34b) associated with the initial
state thereof.
2. A beverage container equipped with a straw, wherein said straw (14, 24, 34) is arranged
within the container so that the straw pops up automatically when the container is
being opened, said straw (14, 24, 34) comprising a buoyant member (14c, 24c, 34c)
and an accordion section (14b, 24b, 34b) above said buoyant member (14c, 24c, 34c),
the beverage container further comprising, at its upper end, a means for guiding the
straw (14, 24, 34), when the container is being opened, substantially in the same
direction as the longitudinal axis of the container, said guiding means being adapted
to fix the upper end (14e, 24e, 34e) of the straw (14, 24, 34) in the state of storage
of the container and to limit the extent of emersion of the straw (14, 24, 34),
characterized in that
the straw (14, 24, 34) is formed according to claim 1; and
the guiding means comprises an opening with an inner diameter substantially equal
to the external diameter of the buoyant member (14c, 24c, 34c) of the straw (14, 24,
34).
3. The beverage container according to claim 2, characterized in that the guiding means is mounted to the upper opening of the container, and in that the opening is a through-hole extending in the same direction as the longitudinal
axis of the container; wherein the length of the through-hole is such that the straw
(14, 24, 34) can move in the through-hole substantially in the same direction as the
longitudinal axis of the container.
4. The beverage container according to claim 3, characterized in that the guiding means is formed as a flat inset (15) permanently fixed to the upper opening
of the container.
5. The beverage container according to claim 4, characterized in that the through-hole of the guiding means is closed from outside by a sticker, preferably
by a sticker that can be re-adhered several times.
6. The beverage container according to claim 4, characterized in that the through-hole of the guiding means is closed from outside by a cap, preferably
a threaded cap (16) mounted to the container.
7. The beverage container according to claim 3, characterized in that the guiding means is formed as a cap, preferably a threaded cap (26), provided with
a through-hole and mounted to the container.
8. The beverage container according to claim 7, characterized in that the through-hole of the cap is closed from outside by a sticker (28), preferably
by a sticker that can be re-adhered several times.
9. The beverage container according to claim 2, characterized in that the guiding means is defined by the conically tapered neck portion (33) of the container,
the mouth (37) of the container being the opening which inner diameter is substantially
equal to the outer diameter of the buoyant member (34c) of the straw (34), thus allowing
the straw (34) to move substantially in the same direction as the longitudinal axis
of the container.
10. The beverage container according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the container is selected from the group of a plastic bottle (10, 20, 30), a glass
bottle, a paper container and an aluminum can.
1. Aus einem Getränkebehälter automatisch vorspringender Trinkhalm, welcher Trinkhalm
ein Schwimmelement (14c, 24c, 34c), einen oberen Abschnitt (14a, 24a, 34a) über dem
besagten Schwimmelement (14c, 24c, 34c), einen entlang des oberen Abschnittes (14a,
24a, 34a) angeordneten und auf balgartige Weise verlängerbaren Harmonikaabschnitt
(14b, 24b, 34b) und einen unter dem Schwimmelement (14c, 24c, 34c) angeordneten unteren
Abschnitt (14d) mit festgelegter Länge aufweist, wobei die Länge des unteren Abschnittes
(14d) höchstens 5% der gesamten Länge des Trinkhalmes (14, 24, 34) in dessen Ausgangszustand
beträgt, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Schwimmelement (14c, 24c, 34c) als ein luftdicht verschlossenes zylinderringförmiges
Raumteil mit gleichbleibender Länge und Volumen ausgebildet ist, dessen Länge mindestens
der Hälfte, vorzugsweise zwei Dritteln der gesamten Länge des mit zusammengedrücktem
Harmonikaabschnitt (14b, 24b, 34b) im Ausgangszustand befindlichen Trinkhalmes (14,
24, 34) entspricht.
2. Getränkebehälter mit einem Trinkhalm, wobei der besagte Trinkhalm (14, 24, 34) in
dem Behälter so angeordnet ist, dass der Trinkhalm beim Öffnen des Behälters automatisch
vorspringt, wobei der Trinkhalm (14, 24, 34) ein Schwimmelement (14c, 24c, 34c) und
einen Harmonikaabschnitt (14b, 24b, 34b) über dem besagten Schwimmelement (14c, 24c,
34c) aufweist, der Getränkebehälter weiterhin an seinem oberen Ende eine Führung enthält,
die den Trinkhalm (14, 24, 34) beim Öffnen des Behälters in mit der Längsachse des
Behälters im wesentlichen übereinstimmender Richtung führt, die besagte Führung dazu
geeignet ausgebildet ist, das obere Ende (14e, 24e, 34e) des Trinkhalmes (14, 24,
34) im Lagerungszustand des Behälters zu fixieren und das Vorspringen des Trinkhalmes
(14, 24, 34) zu begrenzen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Trinkhalm (14, 24, 34) gemäß Anspruch 1 ausgebildet ist; und
die Führung eine Öffnung enthält, deren Innendurchmesser im wesentlichen dem Aussendurchmesser
des Schwimmelementes (14c, 24c, 34c) des Trinkhalmes (14, 24, 34) entspricht.
3. Getränkebehälter nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Führung an der oberen Öffnung des Behälters angebracht ist, und dass die Öffnung
eine in gleicher Richtung wie die Längsachse des Behälters verlaufende durchgehende
Bohrung ist, wobei die Länge der durchgehenden Bohrung so ausgebildet ist, dass sich
der Trinkhalm (14, 24, 34) in der durchgehenden Bohrung im wesentlichen in mit der
Längsachse des Behälters übereinstimmender Richtung bewegen kann.
4. Getränkebehälter nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Führung als ein dauerhaft an der oberen Öffnung des Behälters befestigter flacher
Einsatz (15) ausgebildet ist.
5. Getränkebehälter nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die durchgehende Bohrung der Führung von aussen durch einen Aufkleber, vorzugsweise
durch einen mehrmals wieder aufklebbaren Aufkleber verschlossen ist.
6. Getränkebehälter nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die durchgehende Bohrung der Führung von aussen durch eine Kappe, vorzugsweise durch
eine an dem Behälter angebrachte mit einem Gewinde versehene Kappe (16) verschlossen
ist.
7. Getränkebehälter nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Führung als eine Kappe vorzugsweise durch eine mit einem Gewinde versehene Kappe
(26) ausgebildet ist, welche mit einer durchgehenden Bohrung versehen ist, und an
dem Behälter befestigt ist.
8. Getränkebehälter nach Anspruch 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die durchgehende Bohrung der Kappe von aussen durch einen Aufkleber (28), vorzugsweise
durch einen mehrmals wieder aufklebbaren Aufkleber verschlossen ist.
9. Getränkebehälter nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Führung durch einen sich konisch verjüngenden Halsabschnitt (33) des Behälters
definiert ist, wobei der Mund des Behälters (2) durch die Öffnung gebildet ist, deren
Innendurchmesser im wesentlichen mit dem Aussendurchmesser des Schwimmelementes (34c)
des Trinkhalmes (34) übereinstimmt, wodurch sich der Trinkhalm (34) in im wesentlichen
mit der Richtung der Längsachse des Behälters übereinstimmender Richtung bewegen kann.
10. Getränkebehälter nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 9, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Behälter aus der Gruppe der Plastikflaschen (10, 20, 30) Glasflaschen, Papierbehälter
und Aluminiumdosen ausgewählt ist.
1. Paille adaptée à sortir automatiquement d'un récipient pour boisson, ladite paille
comprenant un élément flottant (14c, 24c, 34c), une partie supérieure (14a, 24a, 34a)
au-dessus dudit élément flottant (14c, 24c, 34c), une section en accordéon (14b, 24b,
34b) agencée le long de la partie supérieure (14a, 24a, 34a) et appropriée à s'étendre
à la manière d'un accordéon, et une partie inférieure (14d) de longueur fixe agencée
en-dessous de l'élément flottant (14c, 24c, 34c), la longueur de la partie inférieure
(14d) étant au plus 5% de la longueur totale de la paille (14, 24, 34) associée à
l'état initial de celle-ci,
caractérisée en ce que
l'élément flottant (14c, 24c, 34c) est formé comme un espace en forme de bague cylindrique
fermé de façon étanche à l'air avec une longueur et un volume permanents, la longueur
duquel étant au moins la moitié, préférablement au moins les deux tiers de la longueur
totale de la paille (14, 24, 34) ayant une section en accordéon (14b, 24b, 34b) écrasée
associée à l'état initial de celle-ci.
2. Récipient pour boisson équipé d'une paille, dans lequel ladite paille (14, 24, 34)
est agencée à l'intérieur du récipient de telle façon que la paille sort automatiquement
lorsque le récipient est ouvert, ladite paille (14, 24, 34) comprenant un élément
flottant (14c, 24c, 34c) et une section en accordéon (14b, 24b, 34b) au-dessus dudit
élément flottant (14c, 24c, 34c), le récipient pour boisson comprenant en outre, à
son extrémité supérieure, un moyen pour guider la paille (14, 24, 34), lorsque le
récipient est ouvert, substantiellement dans le même sens que l'axe longitudinal du
récipient, ledit moyen de guidage étant adapté à fixer l'extrémité supérieure (14e,
24e, 34e) de la paille (14, 24, 34) en l'état de stockage du récipient et à limiter
l'extension d'émersion de la paille (14, 24, 34),
caractérisé en ce que
la paille (14, 24, 34) est formée selon la revendication 1 ; et
le moyen de guidage comprend une ouverture avec un diamètre intérieur substantiellement
égal au diamètre externe de l'élément flottant (14c, 24c, 34c) de la paille (14, 24,
34).
3. Récipient pour boisson selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que le moyen de guidage est monté sur l'ouverture supérieure du récipient, et en ce que l'ouverture est un trou traversant s'étendant dans le même sens que l'axe longitudinal
du récipient, dans lequel la longueur du trou traversant est telle que la paille (14,
24, 34) peut se déplacer dans le trou traversant substantiellement dans le même sens
que l'axe longitudinal du récipient.
4. Récipient pour boisson selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que le moyen de guidage est formé comme un insert plat (15) fixé de façon permanente
à l'ouverture supérieure du récipient.
5. Récipient pour boisson selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en ce que le trou traversant du moyen de guidage est fermé de l'extérieur par un autocollant,
préférablement par un autocollant qui peut être recollé plusieurs fois.
6. Récipient pour boisson selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en ce que le trou traversant du moyen de guidage est fermé de l'extérieur par un bouchon, préférablement
un bouchon fileté (16) monté sur le récipient.
7. Récipient pour boisson selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que le moyen de guidage est formé comme un bouchon, préférablement un bouchon fileté
(26), prévu avec un trou traversant et monté sur le récipient.
8. Récipient pour boisson selon la revendication 7, caractérisé en ce que le trou traversant du bouchon est fermé de l'extérieur par un autocollant (28), préférablement
par un autocollant qui peut être recollé plusieurs fois.
9. Récipient pour boisson selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que le moyen de guidage est défini par la partie de col (33) en forme de cône du récipient,
l'embouchure (37) du récipient étant l'ouverture dont le diamètre intérieur est substantiellement
égal au diamètre extérieur de l'élément flottant (34c) de la paille (34), permettant
ainsi que la paille (34) se déplace substantiellement dans le même sens que l'axe
longitudinal du récipient.
10. Récipient pour boisson selon l'une quelconque des revendications 2 à 9, caractérisé en ce que le récipient est choisi parmi le groupe d'une bouteille en plastique (10, 20, 30),
d'une bouteille en verre, d'un récipient en papier et d'une canette en aluminium.
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only.
It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has
been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and
the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description