Drinking straw and package

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024251978-A1
Application number	US-202218566163-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2022
Priority date	Jun 24, 2021
Publication date	Aug 1, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is described a drinking straw for a package being filled with a pourable food product. The drinking straw being configured to be at least partially inserted into a package main body of the package. The drinking straw comprises a tubular main body including a coupling portion extending along a central axis; and a sleeve fitted on and surrounding at least the coupling portion of the tubular main body. The sleeve comprises an abutment portion configured to abut onto an inner surface of the package main body after a partial insertion of the drinking straw into the package main body and during a movement of the drinking straw out of the package main body for impeding and/or hindering and/or blocking a removal and a separation of the drinking straw out of and from the package main body. The abutment portion has a frustoconical shape.

First claim

1 . Drinking straw for a package being filled with a pourable food product;
the drinking straw being configured to be at least partially inserted into a package main body of the package; the drinking straw comprises:
a tubular main body including a coupling portion extending along a central axis (B); and
a sleeve fitted on and surrounding at least the coupling portion of the tubular main body;
wherein the sleeve comprises an abutment portion configured to abut onto an inner surface of the package main body after a partial insertion of the drinking straw into the package main body and during a movement of the drinking straw out of the package main body for impeding and/or hindering and/or blocking a removal and a separation of the drinking straw out of and from the package main body; wherein the abutment portion has a frustoconical shape.

2 . Drinking straw according to claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises an end portion having an inlet opening configured to allow for the introduction of the pourable food product into the drinking straw.

3 . Drinking straw according to claim 2 , wherein the tubular main body comprises a first end having an outlet opening configured to allow for the outflow of the pourable food product from the drinking straw and a second end opposite to the first end;
wherein the second end is interposed between the abutment portion and the inlet opening.

4 . Drinking straw according to claim 2 , wherein the coupling portion is spaced apart from the inlet opening.

5 . Drinking straw according to claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises an engagement portion fitted to and surrounding the coupling portion.

6 . Drinking straw according to claim 5 , wherein the abutment portion comprises an abutment profile configured to abut onto the inner surface of the package main body;
wherein the abutment portion is connected to the engagement portion; wherein the abutment portion tapers from the abutment profile towards the engagement portion.

7 . Drinking straw according to claim 5 , wherein the sleeve comprises an end portion having an inlet opening configured to allow for the introduction of the pourable food product into the drinking straw;
wherein the engagement portion is interposed between the abutment portion and the end portion.

8 . Drinking straw according to claim 5 , wherein the end portion extends from the engagement portion and is not in contact and/or is not fitted onto the coupling portion.

9 . Drinking straw according to claim 5 , wherein the engagement portion has an external transversal extension (d 3 ) being smaller than an external cross-sectional extension (d 2 ) of the abutment portion.

10 . Drinking straw according to claim 5 , wherein a wall thickness of the engagement portion is substantially equal to a wall thickness of the abutment portion.

11 . Drinking straw according to claim 1 , wherein the abutment portion is obtained from an insertion of a coning tool having a heated cone-shaped portion into a tubular precursor;
wherein the cone-shaped portion is configured to form and define the abutment portion.

12 . Package comprising a package main body filled with a pourable food product and a drinking straw according to claim 1 .

13 . Package according to claim 12 , wherein the package main body comprises a main opening allowing for the introduction of the drinking straw into the package main body;
wherein the abutment portion is configured to abut against a section of the inner surface positioned at a rim delimiting the main opening.

14 . Package according to claim 13 , wherein a maximum cross-sectional extension of the abutment portion is larger than a maximum transversal extension of the main opening.

15 . Package according to claim 13 , wherein the package main body comprises a piercable separation membrane covering the main opening;
wherein the sleeve comprises an end portion having an inlet opening configured to allow for the introduction of the pourable food product into the drinking straw and being configured to pierce the separation membrane during an insertion of the drinking straw into the package main body.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Bertani Giulio
• Martini Pietro

Classifications

• B65D51/2835

  ruptured by a sharp element, e.g. a cutter or a piercer · CPC title

• A47G21/186 Primary

  Details of bendable straws · CPC title

• A47G21/18 Primary

  Drinking straws or the like ({as integral parts of drinking containers A47G19/2266;} for therapeutic purposes A61J15/00 {; adapted to emerge from drinking containers when opened B65D77/283}) · CPC title