Apparatus and method for regulation of fluid flow from a straw

Abstract

A regulating component to regulate fluid flow through the axial passage communicating between the intake end, and mouth engageable distal end, of a drinking straw. The component has an upper wall separated from a lower wall by an engaged sidewall all defining a restriction chamber. When engaged in the axial passage of a drinking straw, fluid traversing the straw all traverses through apertures in the lower and upper wall and thereby through the restriction chamber. Force of the moving fluid on a ball in the restriction chamber acts to raise the ball to seal the aperture in the upper wall. If the fluid reaches too high a speed or continues long enough at a lower speed to move the ball upward it seals the restriction chamber from the exit end of the straw.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 830,493, filed Jul. 12, 2006. The disclosed device relates generally to a drinking straw. More particularly, the device relates to a straw for consumption of liquids which provides a regulated fluid flow of fluid volume and velocity from the distal end of the straw upon which suction is imparted by a user. The device is particularly useful for users having impaired control of mouth suction such as hospital and ambulatory patients or children who inherently tend to drink too fast and too much which can be dangerous to their health.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Hospital and ambulatory patients frequently need to drink using a straw. While some such patients are able to employ a cup or limited pouring glass device, for many patients a straw is the only means for ingesting liquid from a container. Such patients may suffer from stroke causing facial paralysis to one side of th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021]When calculated properly for distance between the top and bottom walls, density and size of the ball, and the anticipated acceleration of the fluid though the chamber between the two apertures, the ball will only seat when the fluid flow reaches sufficient velocity to force it the distance to the seat. Once seated, fluid flow will cease, causing the ball to drop away from the seat due to a higher density than the fluid. In this fashion, the velocity of the fluid stream exiting the straw can be limited not to exceed a certain speed, thereby providing a means to prevent a user from sucking too hard and having fluid accidentally traverse the throat into the lungs from slow reflexes. Further, the total potential volume allowed per suck on the straw may be reasonably accurately determined by forming the ball of a size and material yielding a density to seat the ball against the spaced top wall and seat, only after a determined period of time, depending on the strength of the user sucking on the straw and accelerating the fluid stream. A hard and quick suck will yield quicker fluid acceleration and a faster sealing of the flow since the ball will be forced up quickly to cease flow. A softer sucking action will yield a slower fluid flow and a longer time for the ball to rise to the seat if the specific gravity of the ball and its exterior dimensions are correctly calculated to cause it to rise in the direction of the fluid stream with minimal fluid acceleration. Further adjustments for volume allowed in any one sucking of the straw may be provided by spacing distance of the top wall from the bottom wall and thus the total volume of the chamber and total distance the ball must travel to seat and cease flow.

[0023]Another embodiment of the device for limiting exiting fluid velocity and volume from a straw can be provided using micro electronics rather than the ball and chamber apparatus noted above. While more expensive from a manufacturing standpoint, this electronic means for limiting fluid velocity and volume exiting the straw may be desirable for a long term user.

[0024]In this embodiment, a rotating plate is mounted in an axial passageway which feeds the fluid stream to the mouth of a user. The rotating valve plate would be dimensioned in a size slightly smaller than the circumference of the passageway and would be electronically engaged through its axle to an external computing device which would calculate both fluid velocity and total volume of fluid passed, by counting the number and velocity of the rotations of the plate. The computing device would be miniature and best run by small batteries. It can be programmable through conventional means such as blue tooth or Wifi and would allow the caretaker to adjust the volume and potential velocity of fluid a patient could receive. While this embodiment is adjustable to infinite settings for volume and velocity, it would be more expensive due to higher manufacturing costs so it would best be used as a permanent device for this purpose. Therefore the first embodiment being inexpensive to manufacture would be the preferred mode of the device from a cost and sterility standpoint since the inexpensive ball and chamber device is thrown away after each use.

[0025]Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a drinking straw that provides a mechanism to limit the velocity of fluid exiting the straw into the user's mouth.

Problems solved by technology

Such patients may suffer from stroke causing facial paralysis to one side of the mouth or other motor function problems inhibiting muscular control of the mouth and throat.

For patients suffering from facial paralysis affecting one side of their mouths, or lack of muscle control, or lack of experience using a straw, there is an inherent risk if they are allowed to ingest the total volume of liquid reaching the distal end of the straw on which they are sucking.

Due to such poor control of the pharyngeal muscles, such patients may tend to draw too much fluid through a straw or be too slow to swallow the volume of fluid drawn therethrough and accelerated into the mouth and throat.

As a result of such inherent or acquired disabilities, many patients are in constant danger of ingesting too much fluid when sucking on a straw to drink or being unable to swallow effectively the volume of fluid naturally drawn into their mouths.

Either occurrence can result in the patient losing the drawn fluid out of their mouth or nose through choking or coughing, thereby yielding an embarrassing occurrence.

Worse yet, patients who ingest too much in a suck of the straw or fail to dispose of the fluid from the nose or mouth during choking may suffer from passage of the fluid into their lungs.

Communication of such fluid to the lungs can result in the indignity of medical personnel having to aspirate the fluid from their lungs and throat, or can result in infection from fluid being deposited in their lungs.

However, the device teaches inhibiting the straw from draining to allow easier subsequent suction and only inhibits a flow rate rather than total allowed volume before cessation by employing a narrowing passage adjacent to an outlet.

However, Edstrom teaches a device adapted to provide a continuous flow so long as the patient sucks on the straw and would not prevent the problems inherent to patients unable to swallow the volume they can suck into their mouths.

However, Galetschky provides no flow rate control nor any maximum volume per suck on the straw and is solely concerned with preventing drainage from the straw once sucking upon it has ceased.

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