Adapter for a drinking straw and drinking device

Abstract

An adapter for a drinking straw, the adapter extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end and comprising: - a fastening element with a receiving volume for accommodating a drinking straw; - a mouthpiece attached to the fastening element or formed integrally with the fastening element, the mouthpiece forming a drinking opening at the second end of the adapter; and - means for attaching at least one aroma source; wherein - the fastening element is provided with at least one air inlet opening formed in the wall surrounding the receiving volume or in the first end of the adapter; wherein - the air inlet opening is in fluid communication with - at least one aroma source, and - an air guiding structure which is at least partially formed as a recess in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume; - the air guiding structure forms at least one discharge opening for aromatised air; and - the dispensing opening for flavoured air in the mouthpiece is preferably arranged at the level of the drinking opening or close to the level of the drinking opening.

Description

Field of the InventionThe invention relates to an adapter for a drinking straw and an associated drinking device for retronasal sensing of a flavoring substance.Prior ArtThere is an increasing need to absorb drinking liquids which on the one hand have a pleasant taste profile but on the other hand avoid health risks which could be caused by the absorption of aroma substances or stabilizers dissolved in the drinking liquid. Furthermore, the absorption of an increased amount of calories is to be avoided.Therefore, water provided with a slightly fruity flavor has become very popular. However, even in this flavoured water undesirable additives such as stabilisers and a certain proportion of sugar are found, for which reason these flavoured beverages also have a caloric amount which is rejected by many consumers. A first step to solve this problem is to add the flavor to the beverage just prior to its consumption. An originally separately provided aroma substance is supplied to the drinking liquid immediately before or during consumption of the beverage and dissolved therein. Although this measure makes it possible to avoid problems such as the stabilization of the drinking liquid over a relatively long period of time, the problem of the undesired absorption of additives remains.Since the olfactory sensation constitutes a substantial part of the gu statoric sensation when food and drink is consumed, systems have been tried to influence the odour perceived when drinking. For this purpose, U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,229 proposes an aroma element which can be fastened to a drinking container close to the drinking opening, so that the aroma element is located in the immediate vicinity of the nose of the user who inhales through the nose during drinking and thereby takes up the aroma orthonasally.For the retronasal perception of a flavoring substance, drinking devices have been proposed which have a storage container for drinking liquid, at least one flavoring container through which air can flow, and a transport channel for drinking liquid running from the storage container to a mouth end of the drinking device. Furthermore, an air duct is provided for transporting aromatized air, wherein the air duct runs from an aroma container to the transport duct for drinking liquid or to the mouth end. Such a drinking device is known from WO 2019 / 016096 A1.WO 2021 / 233516 A1 describes an aroma container and a drinking device which also serves for the retronasal perception of an aroma.The essential aspect of such drinking systems is that the aroma substance is perceived retronasally. When drinking, the aroma substance reaches the user's mouth together with the drinking liquid and subsequently rises retronasally via the pharynx to the olfactory mucosa (regio olfactoria), where it is captured by the receptors located there and perceived by the user. In this case, use is made of the fact that there is a close relationship between the odor sense and the taste sense. The user therefore feels to taste the flavour, although it will actually only be retronasally smelled.The human taste sense is essentially determined by the retronasal odor sense. The receptors of the tongue can only distinguish between sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami, whereas the differentiated taste arises due to the gaseous phase of foods and liquids rising in the pharynx via the retronasal pathway and reaching the olfactory mucosa. The sensors located there trigger neurological processes which give rise to the taste impression in the brain. A person who is supplied with a aroma into the pharyngeal cavity during drinking thus gains the impression as if the beverage was aromatized, since the retronasal olfactory process in the brain generates the sensation that the beverage is the aroma source, even though the user takes on a pure and pure, i.e. non-aromatized, liquid such as water.If the odour is perceived during inhalation by the nose, i.e. during the so-called orthonasal perception of a flavouring substance, this impression does not arise to the same extent, since the sensory impression is coupled to the breathing frequency and the user thus gains the correct impression that he / she merely smells the flavouring substance, but does not taste as in the case of the retronasal perception.EP 3 944 792 A1 describes a drinking straw to which an aroma container can be fastened in order to provide a drinking device for retronasal sensing of an aroma substance. The drinking straw is designed specifically for such a drinking device.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe object of the invention is to propose an adapter for a straw which can be used with any conventional straw as used in existing straw drinking systems.This object is achieved by an adapter for a drinking straw having the features of claim 1 and a drinking device for retronasal perception of an aroma substance having the features of claim 12. Preferred embodiments follow from the other claims.The adapter according to the invention for a drinking straw extends in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end and has a fastening element with a receiving volume for receiving a drinking straw, as well as a mouthpiece which is attached to the fastening element or is formed integrally with the fastening element, wherein the mouthpiece forms a drinking opening at the second end of the adapter, and a means for fastening at least one aroma source, wherein the fastening element is provided with at least one air inlet opening which is formed in the wall surrounding the receiving volume or in the first end of the adapter. The at least one air inlet opening is in fluid communication with the aroma source and with an air guiding structure which is at least partially formed as an air guiding structure at least partially as a depression in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume. The air guiding structure forms at least one discharge opening for flavoured air, and the at least one discharge opening for flavoured air is arranged in the mouthpiece preferably in the plane of the drinking opening or in the vicinity of the plane of the drinking opening.Since relevant functions of the adapter according to the invention can be accommodated in the adapter for a straw along that part in the longitudinal direction of the adapter in which the accommodation volume is formed for inserting a straw, the adapter can be used with any conventional straw of normal dimensions. In the event that a straw with a smaller outer diameter than usual should be used, a cylindrical adjusting element with the required outer diameter could be used for the fastening element and an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the straw, which can be attached to the outer wall surface of the straw before the straw is fixed in the receiving volume of the adapter.The advantageous provision of an air-guiding structure from the air inlet opening to the discharge opening arranged in the mouthpiece can reduce the risk that drinking liquid entering the air-guiding structure will reach the replaceable aroma container, since drinking liquid entering the discharge opening for aromatized air must travel a relatively long distance upwards as far as the air inlet opening. However, it is also possible to arrange the dispensing opening such that aromatized air enters the drinking liquid at a certain distance from the drinking opening.The air guiding structure is formed in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume. This allows the adapter to be used with any conventional drinking straw. However, it is also possible to provide the depression in the wall or depressions surrounding a straw both in the wall surrounding a straw and in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume. A design with depressions in both the wall surrounding a straw and the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume can be used to create a tortuous path for the air flowing along the air guiding structure.In this connection, it is advantageous if, according to a preferred embodiment, the at least one air inlet opening is formed close to the first end of the adapter. Such an arrangement of the air inlet opening also helps to avoid undesired penetration of water into the replaceable aroma container, since the length of the air guiding structure is increased.The further advantage of the adapter according to the invention is that the air guiding structure is at least partially and preferably completely formed as a depression in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume. Therefore, the adapter as such does not have a closed air guiding structure, i.e. one which is completely surrounded by a wall. Only after the introduction of a straw is an air channel formed between the depression in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume and the outer wall surface of a straw. Such an air guiding structure designed as a depression is simpler to produce and makes it possible to realize complex shapes of the air guiding structure.The adapter can be easily attached to a straw. In addition, at least one aroma source can be attached to the adapter.By providing a plurality of aromatized air discharge openings, the total flow of aromatized air is divided into a plurality of partial flows which are less noticeable to a user during drinking.Preferably, the at least one aroma source has an exchangeable aroma container, and the fastening means is preferably designed such that it serves for positioning the exchangeable aroma container.In use, when a user sucks liquid through the mouthpiece of the adapter, drinking liquid is conveyed through the straw and dispensed through the drinking opening at the second end of the adapter. At the same time, the negative pressure which the user generates when sucking in liquid through the drinking opening leads to the transport of aromatized air. The negative pressure at the drinking opening of the drinking liquid leads to a negative pressure within the air guiding structure and the air inlet opening, which is in fluid communication with an air outlet opening of the replaceable aroma container. A pressure difference between the external atmosphere and the interior of the replaceable aroma container generates an air flow into the replaceable aroma container through its air inlet opening. The air is enriched with a flavoring substance and exits the replaceable flavoring container through an air outlet opening that is in fluid communication with the air inlet opening of the adapter. The flavoured air flows through the air guiding structure to the aromatized air discharge opening which is arranged in the mouthpiece in the plane of the drinking opening or in the vicinity of the plane of the drinking opening. In this way, the user draws in drinking liquid and simultaneously flavoured air. The flavoured air is either sucked in by the user separately from the drinking liquid, or a certain mixing of the drinking liquid and the flavoured air takes place, so that the drinking liquid with small bubbles of flavoured air distributed therein reaches the mouth of the user. The adapter provided with a replaceable aroma container can be used with each straw to either impart a certain taste to the water or to enhance an aroma already contained in a certain drinking liquid.According to a preferred embodiment, the air-guiding structure has at least one concave pressure compensation chamber which is formed in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume. The air-guiding structure preferably has a multiplicity of pressure compensation chambers which are connected to one another by air-guiding sections which are formed as a groove in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume.In a pressure compensation chamber, the cross-sectional area available for the flow of the flavoured air increases so that the air velocity decreases. Therefore, the flavoured air flowing through a pressure compensation chamber has a higher residence time so that thorough mixing of the flavoured air takes place, resulting in a more uniform degree of flavouring. A pressure compensation chamber may be shaped to promote intermixing of the flavoured air, for example by providing a geometry that promotes the formation of a vortex of the flavoured air flowing in the pressure compensation chamber.However, the primary function of the pressure compensation chamber is to provide a buffer volume that reduces the pressure peaks that arise when a user draws liquid through the mouthpiece.The provision of a plurality of pressure compensation chambers which are connected to one another by air guiding sections which are formed as grooves in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume further improves the mixing of the flavoured air, which leads to a more uniform degree of flavouring of the flavoured air. Furthermore, by providing a plurality of pressure compensation chambers with a larger cross-sectional area, which are connected to one another by narrow connecting sections formed as grooves, the risk of undesired entry of drinking liquid into the replaceable aroma container is even further reduced.According to a preferred embodiment, in a longitudinal extension of the adapter, at least one concave pressure compensation chamber extends further to the first end of the adapter than the position of the air inlet opening.Such geometry also helps to trap liquid entering the air guiding structure at the discharge opening. When the adapter is mounted on a substantially upright straw, the mouthpiece forming the uppermost part of the adapter, liquid entering the air guiding structure and finally the pressure compensation chamber can be trapped at the lowermost location of the pressure compensation chamber, which is lower than the position of the air inlet opening. In this way, an undesired entry of drinking liquid into the replaceable aroma container can be prevented more effectively.Preferably, the air inlet opening extends between an outer wall surface and the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume and is formed in a concave pressure compensation chamber. In other words, it is preferred that the air inlet opening opens into a pressure compensation chamber.This measure further reduces the risk of drinking liquid entering the replaceable aroma container, since, unlike in the case of a tubular geometry, the drinking liquid entering a pressure compensation chamber does not necessarily flow to the air inlet opening, which leads to the air outlet opening of the replaceable aroma container.According to a preferred embodiment, the air guiding structure is provided with a means for guiding water away from the air inlet opening, wherein the means for guiding water away from the air inlet opening is preferably a protrusion in the wall surrounding the receiving volume, wherein the protrusion is arranged adjacent to the air inlet opening. Such a protrusion may surround the air inlet opening such that water flowing along the wall surrounding the air inlet opening is directed around and away from the air inlet opening. Alternatively, a protrusion may be provided which is disposed adjacent to the air inlet opening at a position between the air inlet opening and the discharge opening which, when the adapter is attached to a drinking straw and the mouth end forms the vertically uppermost part of the adapter, is located at a position vertically above the air inlet opening. Accordingly, the drinking liquid flowing downward is guided away from the air inlet opening.According to a preferred embodiment, the adapter further comprises a fixing structure for fastening a straw, wherein the fixing structure comprises a stop means for defining the maximum longitudinal introduction of a straw into the receiving volume of the adapter.Such a fixing structure serves various purposes. First, it fixes the straw and prevents it from accidentally slipping out of the receiving volume of the adapter. Secondly, a stop means can be provided which defines the maximum longitudinal introduction of a drinking straw into the receiving volume of the adapter. By providing such a stop means, when the adapter is fastened to a straw, the adapter and the straw are moved relative to each other until the straw abuts the stop means. This clearly indicates to the user that the adapter and the drinking straw are in the correct position with respect to one another. Since the air guiding structure is formed only as a depression in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume, a straw must be completely inserted into the receiving volume so that an air channel is formed between the depression in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume and the outer wall surface of the straw. If a drinking straw does not extend as far as the stop means, the function of the drinking system may be impaired.Preferably, the stop means is a step element formed in the wall surrounding the receiving volume near the second end of the adapter. As soon as the straw abuts the stop means, the user receives a tactile feedback that the correct positioning of the adapter relative to the straw has been achieved.According to a preferred embodiment, the adapter further comprises at least one groove in the step element, which groove is part of the air guiding structure.This groove in the step element places the aromatized air discharge opening immediately above the end of the straw closest to the mouthpiece. Therefore, the flavoured air is added to the drinking liquid at a location which, in use, is immediately upstream of where the drinking liquid leaves the drinking opening of the mouthpiece. A plurality of grooves are preferably provided when a plurality of aromatized air discharge ports are provided.Preferably, the means for securing and positioning an exchangeable aroma container is an annular projection around the wall surrounding the receiving volume. Such a structure has a number of advantages. First, providing an annular protrusion around the wall surrounding the receiving volume is easy to accomplish. Secondly, such an annular protrusion can be used with a flavor container which is substantially annular and extends around the attachment member of the adapter. An annular aroma container has a balanced weight distribution, which is advantageous for the adapter according to the invention, which is used on a drinking straw.Preferably, in the region where the replaceable aroma container is attached to the adapter, the cross-sectional area defined by the outer wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving opening deviates from a circular shape. In other words, the outer wall around which the annular flavor container is fixed is non-circular. This has the result that the replaceable aroma container with a correspondingly shaped inner side wall can only be placed in a single angular position with respect to the rotation about the longitudinal axis of the receiving volume. Accordingly, this preferred feature promotes exact positioning of an exchangeable aroma container.The flavor container may be of any suitable shape that allows a user to attach the flavor container to the adapter in a proper orientation.The cross-sectional area defined by the outer wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving opening could also have a circular shape and the aroma container could be provided with a circumferential groove formed in its inner side wall which establishes a fluid connection between the aromatized air leaving an air outlet opening of the aroma container and the air inlet opening.The drinking device according to the invention for retronasal perception of a flavoring substance has an adapter for a drinking straw as described above, a drinking straw held in a frictionally locking manner in the receiving volume of the adapter and having a surrounding wall and a flavoring source, wherein the air-guiding structure is formed by the depression in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume and an outer wall surface of the drinking straw.According to a preferred embodiment, when the aroma source is a replaceable aroma container that is properly attached to the adapter, the air inlet opening of the attachment member is in fluid communication with an air outlet of the aroma container.Brief Description of the DrawingsIn the following drawings, the invention is described purely by way of example with reference to a specific embodiment. The figures show the following: FIG. 1 shows an adapter according to the invention in a three-dimensional view and with a drinking straw inserted; FIG. 2 shows the adapter as in FIG. 1, but with a replaceable aroma container attached to the adapter; FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the adapter with the replaceable aroma container attached to it; FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view from above of the adapter with the replaceable aroma container according to FIG. 3 fastened thereto; and FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the adapter with the replaceable aroma container attached thereto and the drinking straw inserted in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to that according to FIG. 4.DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSIn the following exemplary embodiment, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, respectively.In FIG. 1, an adapter 10 is shown which is attached to a drinking straw 12. The adapter 10 has a substantially elongate extent between a first end 14 and a second end 16, and includes a fastener 18 and a mouthpiece 20 integrally formed with the fastener 18. The mouthpiece 20 forms a drinking opening 22, In FIG. 1 a discharge opening 32 for flavoured air can also be seen, which will be discussed in more detail further below.The fastening element 18 is provided with a means for fastening and positioning a replaceable aroma container, which is not shown in FIG. 1. One such means for securing is a substantially annular protrusion 24 that extends outwardly from the outer wall surface 26 of the fastener 18 and is integrally formed with the fastener 18. Further, a positioning protrusion 28 is provided that extends radially outward from the outer wall 26 of the fastening element 18 and is formed integrally with the fastening element 18. The positioning protrusion 28 has an outer peripheral wall 30 whose shape is deviated from a circular shape. In cooperation with the specific flavor container 34 shown in FIG. 2, such specific positioning protrusion 28 serves to position the replaceable flavor container 34 and define a single rotational position of the flavor container about a longitudinal axis O as shown in FIG. 5.Other shapes of replaceable aroma container are also possible which require corresponding matching of the positioning projection 28 and the geometry of the annular projection 24 which serves as a support surface.The adapter is preferably made of food-compatible plastic. The adapter 10 shown in FIG. 1 is preferably formed integrally from plastic.In FIG. 2, the adapter 10 according to FIG. 1 is attached to a drinking straw 12 and provided with an exchangeable aroma container 34.The replaceable aroma container 34 is shaped in this specific embodiment to surround the fastening element 18 and in particular the positioning protrusion 28. The replaceable flavor container 34 is substantially annular and has an annular outer side wall and an inner side wall that deviates from the circular shape. In other words, the space surrounded by the inner side wall has a cross-sectional area that is non-circular. This exemplary geometry of the inner side wall of the replaceable aroma container illustrated in FIG. 2 allows a defined positioning of the replaceable aroma container on the annular protrusion 24 and around the positioning protrusion 28 of the fastening element 18. An air outlet opening 64 of the replaceable aroma container 34 is located in the inner side wall, and an air inlet opening 66 is located in a bottom wall of the replaceable aroma container 34, preferably diametrically opposite the air outlet opening 64, so that the air stream flowing through the replaceable aroma container 34 must travel as far a distance as possible and can thus be enriched with an aroma substance in a particularly effective manner.The shape of the replaceable flavor container 34 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 is just one example, which is described in great detail in the incorporated WO 2021 / 233516 A1 with respect to the outer geometry of the replaceable flavor container. However, any suitable form of replaceable flavor container may be provided.Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the adapter with the replaceable flavor container 34 attached thereto.The fastening element 18 has a wall 36, the inner wall surface 38 of which is provided with an air guiding structure 40, which is formed as a depression of complex shape in the inner wall surface 38 of the wall 36. The wall 36 of the fastening element 12 encloses a receiving volume 42 for receiving a drinking straw, not shown in FIG. 3. Further, a stop member 46 may be provided near the adapter second end 16. The stop element 46 limits the insertion movement of a straw 12 and provides tactile feedback to the user if the adapter 10 has been properly attached to the straw 12.The air guiding structure 40 includes a plurality of individual portions, specifically a first pressure compensation chamber 48 and a second pressure compensation chamber 50. the first pressure compensation chamber 48 and the second pressure compensation chamber 50 are connected to each other by a first groove 52, and the second pressure compensation chamber 50 is in fluid communication with a second groove 54 that connects the second pressure compensation chamber 50 to the discharge port 32. Another portion of the air directing structure 40 is a third groove 56 formed in the stop member 46 that establishes fluid communication between the second groove 54 and the aromatized air discharge opening 32.Furthermore, an air inlet opening 58 is provided, which connects the air guiding structure 40 to an air outlet opening 64 in the inner circumferential side wall of the replaceable aroma container 34. Accordingly, in the specific embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the air guide structure 40 is formed by the air inlet port 58, the first pressure compensation chamber 48, the first groove 52, the second pressure compensation chamber 50, the second groove 54, the third groove 56, and the discharge port 32.As shown in Figure 4, the first pressure compensation chamber 48 extends in a longitudinal direction between the first end 14 and the second end 16 of the adapter further towards the first end 14 of the adapter 10 than the air inlet opening 58, which results in that, in use, should drinking liquid enter the dispensing opening 32 and move towards the first end 14 of the adapter under the influence of gravity, it is enclosed in the lowermost part of the first pressure compensation chamber 48 which is closer to the first end 14 of the adapter 10 than the position of the air inlet opening 58.As a further measure for preventing drinking liquid from passing through the air inlet opening 58 into the replaceable aroma container 34, both pressure compensation chambers 48, 50 are provided with projections. A second protrusion 62 is provided in the second pressure compensation chamber 50, while a first protrusion 60 is provided in the first pressure compensation chamber 48. The term "protrusion" as used herein may not be quite applicable because, as described above, the air guiding structure 40 is formed as a depression in the inner wall surface 38 such that the first protrusion 60 and the second protrusion are actually areas where either no depression or a depression is present with a depth less than in surrounding areas.The second protrusion 62 in the second pressure compensation chamber 50 separates the flavoured air flow flowing upwards to the discharge opening 32 into two partial flows which flow on both sides along the protrusion 62. Such separation of the flavoured air flow occurs because, as shown in the cross-sectional view in Figure 5, the projection 62 is of such a height that it abuts the wall of the straw 12 and forces the flavoured air to take a path along both sides of the projection 62.Likewise, the first protrusion 60 has a height such that it also abuts the wall of the straw 12, which also leads to a division of the air flow flowing upward to the dispensing opening 32 into two partial streams along both sides of the first protrusion 60. The first protrusion 60 has the additional effect that, as also shown in Fig. 5, drinking liquid entering the aromatized air discharge opening 32 is forced to flow down along both sides of the first protrusion 60 and collect in the lower part of the pressure compensation chamber 48 where it is held by gravity and cannot enter the air inlet opening 58 when the adapter 10 is held in a position in which the second end 16 is in the uppermost position or at least in a position substantially higher than that of the first end 14 of the adapter.Referring to Fig. 5, in use, a user drinks from the drinking opening 22 as by a conventional drinking straw. By applying a suction pressure, drinking liquid is conveyed in the direction of arrow B through the inner volume of the drinking straw functioning as a liquid transport channel. At the same time, the negative pressure at the drinking opening 22 and the liquid flow generate a negative pressure within the air guiding structure, which also acts via the fluid connection between the air inlet opening 58 and the air outlet opening 64 of the replaceable aroma container 34 within the replaceable aroma container 34. This results in ambient air entering the interior volume of the flavor container through the air inlet opening 66 in a bottom wall of the replaceable flavor container 34. The air entering the replaceable flavor container 34 is enriched with a flavoring substance and exits the replaceable flavor container 34 through the air outlet 64 communicating with the air inlet port 58 as a flavored air. The air inlet opening 58 leads into the air guiding structure 40 and in particular into the first pressure compensation chamber 48 with the first protrusion 60, where the air flow is divided into partial flows which flow along both sides of the first protrusion 60. The partial streams re-unite downstream of the first protrusion 60 and enter the first groove 52 leading into the second pressure compensation chamber 50. The flow of flavoured air is again divided into two partial flows which pass along both sides of the second protrusion 62. Downstream of the second pressure compensation chamber 50, the aromatized air flows through the second groove 54, the third groove 56 arranged in the stop element 46, and leaves the air guiding structure 40 through the discharge opening 32 in the direction of arrow A.The adapter according to the invention is simple to produce. This is an integral, one-piece structure, wherein the air guiding structure 40 is formed by a depression in the inner wall surface of the fastening element 18. The air duct system is configured as a closed path only in combination with a conventional straw 12 fastened to the adapter, which guides aromatized air exiting from an exchangeable aroma container 34 along the straw 12 as far as a location at the drinking opening 22. The adapter 10 may be used with a conventional straw which does not need to be inserted in a particular rotational orientation relative to the adapter, nor need it be provided with an opening through which flavoured air is directed into the interior volume of the straw. Therefore, the adapter according to the invention can be used together with a conventional drinking straw or can be connected to an existing drinking system with drinking straw.List of reference characters10 Adapter 12 Drinking straw 14 First end of the adapter 16 Second end of the adapter 18 Fastening element 20 Mouthpiece 22 Drinking opening 24 Annular projection 26 Outer wall surface of the fastening element 28 Positioning projection 30 Outer circumferential wall 32 Dispensing opening 34 Replaceable aroma container 36 Wall of the fastening element 38 Inner wall surface 40 Air guiding structure 42 Receiving volume 46 Stop element 48 First pressure compensation chamber 50 Second pressure compensation chamber 52 First groove 54 Second groove 56 Third groove 58 Air inlet opening 60 First projection 62 Second projection 64 Air outlet opening 66 Air inlet openingReferences included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedU.S. Pat. No. 5,635,229

[0004] WO 2019 / 016096 A1

[0005] WO 2021 / 233516 A1 [0006,0051]EP 3 944 792 A1

[0010]

Claims

An adapter for a drinking straw, the adapter extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end and comprising: - a fastening element having a receiving volume for receiving a drinking straw; - a mouthpiece attached to the fastening element or formed integrally with the fastening element, the mouthpiece forming a drinking opening at the second end of the adapter; and - means for fastening at least one source of aroma; wherein - the fastening element is provided with at least one air inlet opening formed in the wall surrounding the receiving volume or in the first end of the adapter; wherein - the air inlet opening is in fluid communication with - the at least one source of aroma, and - an air guiding structure formed at least partially as a depression in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume; the air guiding structure forms at least one discharge opening for flavoured air; and the discharge opening for flavoured air is arranged in the mouthpiece preferably in the plane of the drinking opening or in the vicinity of the plane of the drinking opening.The adapter for a drinking straw according to claim 1, wherein the air guiding structure comprises at least one concave pressure compensation chamber formed in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume, and preferably comprises a plurality of pressure compensation chambers connected to each other by air guiding sections formed as a groove in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume.Adapter for a drinking straw according to claim 2, wherein in a longitudinal extension of the adapter at least one concave pressure compensation chamber extends further towards the first end of the adapter than the position of the air inlet opening.The adapter for a drinking straw according to claim 2 or 3, wherein - at least one of the at least one air inlet openings extends between an outer wall surface and the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume; and - is formed in a concave pressure compensation chamber.Adapter for a drinking straw according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air guiding structure is provided with a means for guiding water away from the air inlet opening, wherein the means for guiding water away from the air inlet opening is preferably a protrusion in the wall surrounding the receiving volume, which protrusion is arranged adjacent to the air inlet opening.The adapter for a straw according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a fixing structure for fixing a straw, wherein the fixing structure comprises a stop means for defining the maximum longitudinal insertion of a straw into the receiving volume of the adapter.The adapter for a drinking straw according to claim 6, wherein the stop means is a step element formed in the wall surrounding the receiving volume near the second end of the adapter.The adapter for a drinking straw according to claim 7, further comprising at least one groove in the step element that is part of the air guiding structure.Adapter for a drinking straw according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the at least one aroma source has an exchangeable aroma container; and - the fastening means is preferably designed such that it serves for positioning the exchangeable aroma container.The adapter for a drinking straw according to claim 9, wherein the means for attaching and positioning the replaceable aroma container is substantially an annular protrusion around the wall surrounding the receiving volume.The adapter for a drinking straw according to claim 9 or 10, wherein in the region where the replaceable aroma container is attached to the adapter, the cross-sectional area defined by the outer wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving opening deviates from a circular shape.A drinking device for retronasal sensing of a flavouring substance, comprising: - an adapter for a drinking straw according to any one of the preceding claims; - a drinking straw with a surrounding wall held frictionally in the receiving volume of the adapter; and - a source of flavouring; wherein - the air guiding structure is formed by the depression in the inner wall surface of the wall surrounding the receiving volume and an outer wall surface of the drinking straw.Drinking device according to claim 12, wherein - the at least one aroma source comprises an exchangeable aroma container; and - the fastening means is preferably configured such that it serves for positioning the exchangeable aroma container.Drinking device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the air inlet opening of the fastening element is in fluid communication with the aroma source and preferably in fluid communication with the at least one air outlet opening of an exchangeable aroma container.

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