ATTACHMENT FOR A DRINKING DEVICE FOR RETRONASAL ABSORPTION OF A FLAVOR SUBSTANCE AND DRINKING DEVICE

Description

Field of invention

[0001] The invention relates to an attachment for a drinking device for the retronasal absorption of an aroma substance and to a drinking device with such an attachment. State of the art

[0002] There is a growing need for beverages that are both pleasantly flavored and avoid health risks associated with ingesting flavorings or stabilizers dissolved in the beverage. Furthermore, an increased calorie intake should be avoided.

[0003] Therefore, water with a subtle fruit flavor has become popular in recent years. However, this flavored water also contains undesirable additives, such as stabilizers and a certain amount of sugar, which is why these flavored drinks also have a calorie count that is unacceptable to many consumers.

[0004] A first step towards solving the problem is to add the flavoring to a beverage immediately before consumption. US 2008 / 028353 A1 and US 2015 / 030726 A1 are examples of dosing systems in which a flavoring substance, originally intended to be added separately, is added to and dissolved in the beverage immediately before or even during consumption. While this measure can avoid problems such as stabilizing the beverage over an extended period, the issue of unwanted ingestion of additives remains.

[0005] Since the olfactory sensory impression constitutes a significant part of the gustatory perception when consuming food and beverages, existing drinking systems attempt to influence the smell perceived while drinking. For this purpose, US Patent 5,635,229 proposes an aroma element that can be attached to a drinking vessel near the drinking opening, so that the aroma element is in close proximity to the user's nose, who breathes through their nose while drinking and thus inhales the scent. The drinking vessel described in US Patent 8,662,339 B2 also operates on this principle, whereby an aroma is inhaled through the nose while drinking.

[0006] From WO 2019 / 016096 A1, a drinking device is known for the retronasal ingestion of an aroma substance, comprising an air-permeable aroma container that supplies aromatized air to a transport channel for drinking liquid. In this way, the aroma substance is ingested retronasally. When drinking, the aroma substance enters the user's mouth along with the drinking liquid and then rises retronasally through the pharynx to the olfactory mucosa, where it is detected by the receptors located there and perceived by the user. This utilizes the fact that there is a close connection between the sense of smell and the sense of taste. The user therefore gets the impression of tasting the aroma, even though they are actually only smelling it retronasally.

[0007] WO 2020 / 126210 A1 describes a specific embodiment of such a drinking device for retronasal absorption of an aroma substance, including the geometry of a drinking straw with a transport channel for drinking liquid and the geometry of an essentially ring-shaped aroma container.

[0008] The drinking device according to DE 20 2016 004961 U1 represents the next state of the art. dar. Description of the invention

[0009] There is an increasing need to design drinking devices for the retronasal intake of an aroma substance to be as variable as possible with regard to the drinking liquids to be ingested, but also to be used as sustainably as possible.

[0010] The invention is therefore based on the objective of making a drinking device for the retronasal absorption of an aroma substance more variable with regard to the drinking liquids and more sustainable.

[0011] This problem is solved by an attachment for a drinking liquid with the features of claim 1 and a drinking device for retronasal absorption of an aroma substance with the features of claim 12. Preferred embodiments follow from the remaining claims.

[0012] The inventive attachment for a drinking device for the retronasal administration of an aroma substance comprises an adapter element for liquid-tight attachment to a reservoir for drinking liquid, a headpiece for detachable attachment to the adapter element, and an air-permeable aroma container attached to the headpiece. Furthermore, a transport channel for drinking liquid can be attached to the headpiece. The adapter element comprises a first adapter part and a second adapter part, the first adapter part being adapted for attachment to the reservoir and for attachment to the second adapter part. The second adapter part has a first opening with a first longitudinal axis and a second opening with a second longitudinal axis, the first longitudinal axis being at an angle to the second longitudinal axis of at least 20°.

[0013] Providing an adapter element comprising a first adapter part and a second adapter part makes it possible to attach the first adapter part to different drinking liquid containers. This is because differently shaped first adapter parts can interact with the second adapter part, allowing each first adapter part to be attached to the second adapter part and adaptable to different mounting geometries of drinking liquid containers. In the simplest case, these geometries could be different thread shapes or thread diameters used on the drinking liquid container.

[0014] Furthermore, the adapter element, which comprises a first and a second adapter part, offers the advantage of simplified manufacturing. This is because the angled design of the adapter element, with its first and second longitudinal axes arranged at an angle to each other, entails increased manufacturing effort. Manufacturing the adapter element from two adapter parts also simplifies adherence to manufacturing tolerances.

[0015] Furthermore, the attachment according to the invention, in the sense of a modular system, can also be mounted on a reservoir for drinking liquid made of any material, such as glass, steel, or plastic. In particular, when using a steel reservoir for drinking liquid, it has a longer service life compared to an attachment made of plastic, so that the attachment can be replaced. Replacing the attachment according to the invention may also be desirable for hygienic reasons. Since in this case only the attachment, and not the entire drinking device, needs to be replaced, the attachment according to the invention contributes to the sustainability of the drinking device equipped with it.

[0016] The first opening of the second adapter part, with a first longitudinal axis, can serve for the detachable attachment of the headpiece, while the second opening, with a second longitudinal axis, represents the side of the attachment to which the first adapter part can be attached. The second longitudinal axis corresponds to the longitudinal axis of a reservoir for drinking liquid that can be connected to the attachment.

[0017] The angled arrangement of the first longitudinal axis to the second longitudinal axis has the advantage that the head is positioned at an angle to the reservoir for drinking liquid, thus improving the ergonomics of a drinking device equipped with the attachment according to the invention and making it intuitively clear to the user how to hold the drinking device. Furthermore, by providing a bend in the extension of the adapter element and thus of the drinking device connected to the adapter element, the drinking device is tilted significantly less during drinking, thereby reducing the risk of unintentional spillage. The angle between the first and second longitudinal axes also allows the drinking container to be replaced in an upright position without having to tilt it.

[0018] Preferably, the aroma container comprises an inner cavity enclosed by a container wall, an air inlet opening through the container wall, and an air outlet opening through the container wall.

[0019] An aroma substance can be contained in the inner cavity enclosed by the container wall in a suitable manner. For this purpose, a carrier material impregnated with the aroma substance or a mixture of different aroma substances can be located in the inner cavity of the aroma container. The aroma substance is preferably in liquid form.

[0020] It is also preferred that, in addition to the carrier material containing the aroma substance, the inner cavity also contains a headspace filled with air, which serves to enrich the air flowing in through the air inlet opening through the container wall as uniformly as possible with the aroma substance before exiting through the air outlet opening through the container wall.

[0021] The carrier material in the inner cavity of the aroma container comprises a porous aroma carrier material, preferably nonwoven material. Furthermore, the air permeability of the porous aroma carrier material at a differential pressure of 100 Pa is preferably at least 200 l / (m²·s) and preferably between 220 l / (m²·s) and 280 l / (m²·s).

[0022] Furthermore, the porosity of the flavor carrier material is preferably between 70% and 93%, and preferably between 70% and 80%.

[0023] It is further preferred that the Reynolds number Re in the area of ​​the air inlet opening of the aroma container is at least 2300, wherein the dimensionless Reynolds number is defined as Re=(w·d) / v with the kinematic viscosity of air ν[m 2< / s], the diameter d[m] of the air inlet opening and the flow velocity w[m / s] of the air when flowing through the air inlet opening into the aroma container with an average volume flow between 250 ml / min and 600 ml / min.

[0024] A Reynolds number of at least 2300 characterizes turbulent flow, or at least a flow that is already in the transition range between laminar and turbulent flow. Turbulent flow ensures good mixing, thereby improving the absorption of the flavoring substance in the airflow passing through the flavoring container. The specified volumetric flow rate per minute takes into account the sometimes considerable fluctuations in the temporary volumetric flow rate when the attachment according to the invention is coupled with a reservoir for drinking liquid and a user drinks from the drinking device.Since the drinking process is not a uniform, steady-state process, but rather involves varying pressures and flow velocities in the transport channel for drinking liquid during the sucking and swallowing phases, there is a considerable fluctuation in the temporary volume flows and thus also in the flow velocities at which the air passes through the air inlet opening. However, it has been experimentally demonstrated that an attachment according to the invention with an aroma container, when used as intended, is subjected to an average volume flow rate of between 250 ml / min and 600 ml / min. The physiological drinking process was determined in numerous different adult subjects.Since the volume flow rate is the product of flow velocity and cross-sectional area, a suitable range for the opening cross-section of the air inlet opening can be determined, provided that the Reynolds number describing the flow state must be at least 2300.

[0025] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second adapter part is multi-walled, in particular double-walled, at least in some areas.

[0026] This design has the advantage of significantly improving the thermal insulation of the adapter, making it suitable for use with a liquid reservoir that needs to keep liquids hot or cold for extended periods. The double-walled adapter is particularly well-suited for use with a liquid reservoir that functions as a thermos.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of a double-walled adapter section, a UV light-emitting component, including accessories such as batteries and processors, can be placed in the space between an inner and an outer wall of the second adapter section. A UV light-emitting component, for example, in the form of a UV diode, can be positioned so that, during operation, it disinfects the space enclosed by the inner wall of the second adapter section. Sensor elements, such as a level sensor, can also be installed and integrated into the adapter. These sensors can be wirelessly connected to a smart device via NFC. Besides the modularity of the system, a key advantage of integrating functional elements into the adapter is the ability to quickly, cost-effectively, and sustainably replace sensor technology, which is subject to rapid technological advancements.

[0028] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the head part has an air channel, the second end of which is in flow communication with an interior space in the transport channel for drinking liquid, and the first end of which is arranged such that the aroma container can be moved into a position in which the air outlet opening of the aroma container is in flow communication with the first end of the air channel.

[0029] In this way, the air flowing through the aroma container can enter the air channel, which leads into the liquid transport channel, immediately upon exiting the aroma container's air outlet. The feature that allows the aroma container to be moved into a position where the air outlet is in direct contact with the first end of the air channel also implies that the aroma container can be moved into a position where this connection does not exist, and therefore no air can escape from the aroma container. In this position, no aromatized air enters the liquid transport channel, and the aroma container is in a resting position where the escape of aromatized air is prevented, or at least largely prevented.

[0030] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transport channel for drinking liquid has a longitudinal axis that has a curved course.

[0031] According to the invention, the attachment comprises an adapter element, the second adapter part of which is cranked, since the first longitudinal axis is at an angle to the second longitudinal axis, and the transport channel for drinking liquid can be attached to the head part, the curved course of the transport channel has the advantage that it can be led almost to the bottom of a reservoir for drinking liquid, so that when the attachment according to the invention is used on a reservoir with drinking liquid of suitable geometry, the drinking liquid can be almost completely absorbed by the user.

[0032] It is advantageous to design the transport channel for drinking liquid as a drinking straw, the outer cross-section of which, at least in the area of ​​attachment to the head, is designed such that the drinking straw can only be attached to the head in a single rotational position with respect to the longitudinal axis. The head is preferably made of silicone and can hold the inserted drinking straw in a frictional fit.

[0033] The advantage of this design is that by defining the rotation position when attaching it to the head, the curvature along the longitudinal axis of the transport channel also has a defined orientation, which is tailored to the overall geometry of the attachment for a drinking device when it is mounted on a reservoir for drinking liquid.

[0034] Preferably, the aroma container is essentially ring-shaped with a radially outer boundary wall and a radially inner boundary wall, wherein the radially inner boundary wall encloses a space whose cross-sectional area has a geometry that deviates from a circular shape.

[0035] Designing an aroma container with a predominantly ring-shaped geometry offers numerous advantages. Firstly, such an aroma container can be attached around the liquid transport channel at the top of the attachment without its weight being perceived as bothersome when the attachment is used on a liquid reservoir, as this prevents an asymmetrical weight distribution on the drinking device. Furthermore, the ring-shaped geometry, combined with a targeted arrangement of the air inlet and outlet openings, ensures that the airflow passing through the aroma container travels the longest possible path, thereby becoming as completely saturated as possible with the flavoring substance contained within the aroma chamber.

[0036] By enclosing a space with a non-circular cross-sectional geometry, the radial inner boundary wall facilitates the correct placement of the aroma container on the attachment. If this non-circular geometry allows only a single position for the aroma container with respect to its rotation relative to the head, unambiguous positioning of the aroma container relative to the head can be ensured. Furthermore, changes in cross-section and curvature of the aroma chamber's inner cavity improve the mixing of the air flowing through the aroma container, as all changes in the flow pattern promote the formation of turbulence.

[0037] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the adapter element has a receiving device for attaching a carrying strap. The receiving device can, for example, be designed as a tongue-and-groove system.

[0038] This allows different carrying straps to be conveniently attached to the adapter element. Choosing the color of the carrying strap allows the attachment to be personalized according to the user's wishes, and also makes it easy for the user to differentiate between different first adapter parts used to attach them to different drinking containers.

[0039] By positioning the carrying strap on the second adapter part such that its length coincides with that of the reservoir, the carrying strap can be used even during the drinking process. Furthermore, the carrying strap is located on a part of the drinking device that does not rotate when the lid 22 is screwed on or off, allowing a user to hold the drinking device by the carrying strap while the lid is being screwed on or off.

[0040] Since the carrying strap is removable, it can be easily replaced if damaged. Furthermore, the carrying strap can serve as an interface to an energy storage device, such as a battery or accumulator, to power, for example, a UV-emitting component that requires an associated energy storage device.

[0041] The angled shape of the second adapter part allows the user to drink comfortably from the mouthpiece without having to tilt the entire drinking device. The drinking device can be kept upright using the carrying strap. dh It can be used with the base in a horizontal orientation, or the drinking device can stand on a horizontal surface during the drinking process.

[0042] Preferably, the adapter element and the headpiece are made of plastic. Using plastic allows for easy mass production of the adapter element through injection molding. Furthermore, by selecting a suitable color for the plastic material, in addition to choosing the color of the carrying strap, further individualization and color coordination with the carrying strap can be achieved. Plastics are particularly suitable because of their low density, which enables lightweight construction. This not only saves material and reduces transport costs but is also perceived as more comfortable by users. Moreover, plastics allow for greater design freedom through processing as a melt in injection molding.This is not only advantageous for the production of complex geometries in integral construction, where the functionalities of several components are combined in a single component, but also for reducing associated manufacturing steps.

[0043] According to a preferred embodiment, the second adapter part has at least one first positioning element in the area of ​​the first opening, which interacts with a second positioning element provided on the head part, so that the head part can only be attached to the second adapter element in a defined position relative to the first longitudinal axis.

[0044] The headpiece can be centered by providing at least one initial positioning element. This is necessary due to the angled shape of the attachment, as the headpiece contains a pressure equalization channel that should be positioned at the top of the drinking device during use to prevent leakage. Furthermore, a liquid transport channel with a curved longitudinal axis can only function correctly if the headpiece is properly inserted. dh The headboard was inserted in the correct orientation. The first and second positioning elements preferably consist of one or more ribs and one or more recesses, which also serve a guiding function when attaching the headboard to the second adapter element, thus facilitating the attachment of the headboard to the adapter element.

[0045] The drinking device according to the invention preferably consists of a different material than the adapter element, wherein the adapter element is preferably made of plastic and the reservoir is made of metal.

[0046] In this way, the different service lives of the individual modular components can be taken into account, or damage to either the reservoir for drinking liquid or the attachment can be eliminated by specifically replacing only the damaged component, so that the drinking device according to the invention can be used sustainably over a long period of time.

[0047] Preferably, the reservoir for drinking liquid is at least partially double-walled. This allows the reservoir to be used to keep both hot and cold drinking liquids hot or cold for as long as possible. Furthermore, a double-walled structure provides the same mechanical stability as a single-walled reservoir with less material. This allows for significant material savings in the mass production of the drinking devices according to the invention.

[0048] A suitable positioning and guiding element can also be provided in the area of ​​the connection between the first adapter part and the second adapter part, for example in the form of a guide rib on the wall of the second adapter part facing the first adapter part, in order to facilitate the attachment of the first adapter part to the second adapter part by ensuring that the first adapter part can only be inserted into the second adapter part in a defined position relative to the second adapter part.Furthermore, a positive-locking guide and positioning device between the first adapter part and the second adapter part can also act in such a way that the second adapter part cannot be rotated relative to the first adapter part, so that a user can automatically loosen a first adapter part screwed onto the drinking liquid reservoir or screw it onto the reservoir by rotating the second adapter part relative to the reservoir.

[0049] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the head section has an air chamber connected to the air channel. This air chamber acts as a safety buffer to absorb pressure fluctuations during and after drinking, thus preventing drinking liquid from flowing into the flavor container. This particularly solves the problem that fluctuations in pressure and flow conditions in the liquid transport channel and the air channel in the head section, which occur at the end of the drinking process, can lead to drinking liquid entering the air channel and / or the flavor container. Liquid entering the flavor container could result in undesirable dilution of the flavoring substance or lead to hygiene problems.The interruption of the air channel by an intermediate air chamber can be achieved by providing a recess in the headpiece of the drinking device at the contact point between the liquid transport channel and the air channel. If the air chamber runs in a ring around the liquid transport channel, this has the additional advantage that the liquid transport channel can be attached to the headpiece in any rotational position relative to its longitudinal axis, since an air inlet channel into the liquid transport channel terminates in the air chamber, and thus the radial orientation does not need to be aligned with the air channel in the headpiece.

[0050] The essential aspect of the attachment according to the invention for a drinking device is that the attachment can be placed on different reservoirs for drinking liquid and can be adapted to the material and connection geometry of the reservoir for drinking liquid by a suitable design of the first adapter part.

[0051] The reservoir for the drinking liquid can be filled with plain water, but it can also hold carbonated water or a flavored drinking liquid. When using a flavored drinking liquid, the existing flavor can be either enhanced by the flavoring substance from the flavoring container or supplemented by one or more additional flavor components.

[0052] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the replaceable aroma container is movable in an axial direction from a sealing position to a non-sealing position relative to the head. In this way, a simple axial movement of the aroma container allows it to be moved from a sealing position to an operating position in which air can flow through the aroma container. When the air inlet of the aroma container is closed in the sealing position, the evaporation of the aroma substance into the environment and the ingress of liquid into the aroma container are prevented.

[0053] The attachment according to the invention, comprising the adapter element, can be mounted as a modular system onto various storage containers with different connection dimensions and made of different materials. The storage container can be easily filled and refilled, as the entire attachment simply needs to be detached from the container, while the entire attachment, including the lid and drinking straw, can remain in its operating position.

[0054] Since a reservoir for drinking liquid, for example made of metal, has a longer lifespan than an attachment made of plastic material, the drinking device can be reused by replacing the attachment and thus be used as sustainably as possible.

[0055] The design of the attachment, which can be detached from the reservoir for drinking liquid in the area of ​​the first adapter part, allows the filling opening of the drinking device to be positioned as close as possible to the maximum fill level. This facilitates refilling the drinking device, for example, under a tap in confined spaces. Similarly, even in limited spaces between a tap outlet and a sink, the drinking device can be filled by removing the head and adding water through the first opening in the second adapter part 18, while the longitudinal axis of the reservoir is tilted to the vertical.

[0056] The drinking device can be used while drinking without having to either hold the drinking device or manually move it into a specific position, making it easy to use even for people with physical limitations. Brief description of the drawings

[0057] The figures illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention. These include: Fig. 1 a three-dimensional view of the drinking device; Fig. 2 a side view of the in Fig. 1 The drinking device shown; Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the device shown in the Figs. 1 and 2 The drinking device shown; Fig. 4 a sectional view of the drinking device shown in the Figs. 1 and 2 The drinking device shown; Fig. 5 a sectional view of the two adapter parts of the adapter element; Fig. 6 a three-dimensional view of the in Fig. 5The two adapter parts of the adapter element are shown; Fig. 7 the assembled adapter element; Fig. 8 a sectional view corresponding to the illustration according to Fig. 4 a further embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 9 a sectional view through an aroma container. Description of preferred embodiments

[0058] In the exemplary embodiments described below, the same components will be designated with the same reference numbers, and only the specific differences between the individual embodiments will be discussed where necessary.

[0059] In the Figs. 1 and 2Figure 10 shows a drinking device according to the invention. The drinking device comprises a reservoir 12 for drinking liquid, an attachment 11 according to the invention, and a lid 22. A carrying strap 24 is attached to the attachment 11. In the external view with the lid screwed or attached, only the adapter element 14 of the attachment 11 is visible. It can be seen that the lid 22 is arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the reservoir 12 for drinking liquid with respect to its axis of rotation, the angle being at least 20°. This angled arrangement is created by the geometry of the attachment 11 and, in particular, the adapter element 14. The adapter element 14 has a bend, such that the plane of connection between the adapter element 14 and the reservoir 12 is perpendicular to the plane of connection between the adapter element 14 and the lid 22.

[0060] The adapter element 14 is preferably made of plastic, while the storage container 12 is preferably made of metal and / or glass. However, the storage container 12 can also be made of plastic.

[0061] In Fig. 3 are the ones in the Figs. 1 and 2The individual elements of the drinking device 10 are shown in an exploded view. The reservoir 12 for drinking liquid has a substantially annular base 52 and a side wall 54 extending upwards from the base 52. At the upper end of the side wall is a top surface 56, which extends substantially horizontally and radially inwards from the side wall 54 and from which an annular filling opening 58 extends upwards, the outer wall of which is provided with a fastening thread 60. However, instead of the fastening thread 60, a bayonet-like structure or a suitable locking device could be provided in the same way.

[0062] The attachment 11 according to the invention can be screwed onto the mounting thread 60. For this purpose, an adapter element 14 is required, which is inserted into the Figs. 1 and 2The illustration shows that the device comprises a first adapter part 16 and a second adapter part 18. The first adapter part 16 is designed so that it can be screwed onto the mounting thread 60 of the storage container 12 and can also be connected to the second adapter part 18. The second adapter part 18 is cranked. dh It has a bend, so that the second opening receiving the first adapter part 16 lies in a plane that is arranged at an angle to a first opening which serves to attach a head part 20.

[0063] The head section 20 is, as shown in the sectional view, according to Fig. 4 As can be seen, it is equipped with a mouthpiece 62 and with a suitable receiving geometry for an aroma container 32. In addition, the head part 20 is designed in such a way that a drinking straw 26 can be attached to it and preferably inserted into the head part.

[0064] The drinking straw 26 has a longitudinally curved shape and, at least in the area of ​​the attachment end 62, with which the drinking straw 26 can be attached to the head part 20, has an outer contour which, in conjunction with a correspondingly shaped receiving geometry in the head part, allows only a single orientation with respect to the axis of rotation.

[0065] The second adapter part has a receiving device 34 for a carrying strap, wherein the carrying strap 24 is provided with a complementary shaped fastening geometry 64 which interacts with the receiving device 34 in such a way that the fastening strap can be inserted in one direction up to a stop and is held in this position in a form-fitting manner.

[0066] In the area of ​​the first opening 38 of the second adapter part 18, guide elements 46 are provided which have a suitable receiving geometry (in Fig. 3(not shown) of the headpiece interact and thus allow only a single, predefined orientation of the headpiece 20 relative to the second adapter part 18. A unique orientation of the headpiece relative to the adapter element is important because the drinking device has a pressure equalization opening 66, which should be located at the top during the drinking process and serves to allow ambient air to flow into the drinking device during drinking to replace the volume of drinking liquid drawn from the drinking device.

[0067] The second adapter part 18 is provided with an external thread 36 in the area of ​​the first opening, which is connected to a Fig. 3 the internal thread in the lid 22 (not shown) interacts to screw the lid 22 onto the attachment 11.

[0068] Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the exploded view in Fig. 3 depicted drinking device. In Fig. 4The illustration shows the intake of the aroma container 32 in the head section 20 and its ring-shaped geometry in cross-section, although the geometry of the aroma container 32 deviates from a perfect circular ring. Furthermore, it can be seen that the second adapter part 18 is double-walled, comprising an inner wall 28 and an outer wall 30. The double walling of the second adapter part 18 creates a cavity 68, which improves the insulating effect of the second adapter part 18 and thus delays the cooling of warm drinking liquids or the warming of cold drinking liquids. The cavity 68 can also be filled with foam to further enhance the insulating effect. The double walling also allows for a reduction in wall thickness while maintaining the same mechanical properties, thereby reducing the amount of material required to manufacture the attachment.

[0069] The cavity 68 can also be used to accommodate other elements, such as sensors, batteries, diodes, e.g. for emitting UV light, or heating or cooling elements.

[0070] As also in Fig. 4 As can be seen, a ring-shaped recess 70 is formed in the lid, which seals against the head 20 when the lid 22 is screwed on. Furthermore, a deactivation ring 72 is molded into the lid, which moves the aroma container 32 downwards relative to the head 20 when the lid is closed, thus bringing it into a rest position in which the aroma container 32 is sealed. This is because an air outlet opening from the aroma container 32 is not aligned with an air channel 74, which, in the activated position of the aroma container, serves to convey the aromatized air exiting the aroma container into the transport channel 44 for drinking liquid.

[0071] As further in Fig. 4As shown, the axial connection between the first adapter part 16 and the second adapter part 18 is a friction-fit connection. However, a snap-fit ​​connection could also be created here, which, for example, can only be released when pressure is applied to a specific point on the second adapter element to release the locking mechanism.

[0072] As also in Fig. 4 As shown, the drinking straw 26 is inserted into the head part 20 to such an extent that one end of the drinking straw 26 extends to the immediate vicinity of the bottom 52 of the reservoir 12 for drinking liquid.

[0073] A specific embodiment of the design of the adapter element 14, consisting of the first adapter part 16 and the second adapter part 18, is shown in Fig. 5The inner wall 28 of the second adapter part, the outer wall 30 of the second adapter part, the receiving device 34 for attaching the carrying strap, the at least one guide element 46 for positioning the head part, and the external thread 36 in the area of ​​the first opening 38 of the second adapter part are shown in more detail than in the preceding embodiments. The angular arrangement of the first opening 38 relative to the second opening 40 is also shown in the same way. The centering and positioning element 42, which prevents unintentional rotation between the first adapter part 16 and the second adapter part 18, can be designed as a simple, longitudinally extending rib that interacts with a correspondingly shaped groove in the first adapter part 16.

[0074] The inner wall 28 of the second adapter part 18 is provided with a guide collar 76 which, when the adapter element 14 is mounted, engages in an upper opening 78 of the first adapter part 16, as also in Fig. 4 is evident, and ensures both the stability of the adapter element 14 and the correct positioning of the first adapter part 16 relative to the second adapter part 18.

[0075] In the Figs. 6 and 7 The adapter element 14 is shown again, with the Fig. 6 a three-dimensional representation of the Fig. 5 corresponds, and in Fig. 7 A sectional view of the adapter element 14 is shown, in which the first adapter part 16 is connected to the second adapter part 18, i.e., in the assembled state of the adapter element. Fig. 7The angle α at which the longitudinal axes L1 and L2 are positioned relative to each other is also shown, wherein the first longitudinal axis L1 is perpendicular to the first opening 38, and the second longitudinal axis L2 is perpendicular to the second opening 40, with the second longitudinal axis L2 also corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the first adapter part 16. The angle α between the first longitudinal axis L1 and the second longitudinal axis L2 is at least 20° and preferably lies between 20° and 40°.

[0076] In Fig. 7 Furthermore, the interaction of the guide collar 76 of the second adapter part 18 with the upper opening of the first adapter part 16 is shown.

[0077] In Fig. 6 A possible design of the receiving device 34 for attaching the carrying strap is shown, which has a positive-locking geometry for inserting a correspondingly shaped fastening geometry 64 (see Fig. 3 ) on the carrying strap 24 is permitted. In addition, in Fig. 6A sealing receptacle 80 is shown, which serves to accommodate an elastic sealing ring (not shown) that seals in the threaded area between the reservoir 12 and the adapter element 14 when the first adapter part 16 is screwed onto the reservoir 12.

[0078] Distributed around the circumference of the annular seal receptacle 80 are numerous recesses 100, which, in the assembly position, are located between the first adapter part 16 and an annular seal inserted into the seal receptacle 80. The air cushions in the recesses 100 are used to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and improve the sealing effect by compressing the air in the recesses 100 when the adapter element is screwed onto the drinking water reservoir. The provision of numerous recesses 100 also increases the service life of the sealing element.

[0079] The embodiment according to Fig. 8 largely corresponds to that after Fig. 4 Therefore, for an explanation of the attachment 11, reference can be made to the preceding embodiments. The difference from the previously described embodiments, however, is that the reservoir 12 for drinking liquid is a double-walled vessel 50, such as an insulated container or thermos. The double-walled reservoir 50 is preferably made of metal, while the attachment 11 is made of plastic. However, other material combinations are also possible, and, for example, the reservoir could also be made of glass or a combination of an outer shell made of metal and an inner shell made of mirrored glass.

[0080] In Fig. 9Figure 32 shows a cross-sectional view of the aroma container 32. The aroma container 32 has an aroma chamber 82, which is formed by an inner cavity 68 in the aroma container 32. This aroma chamber 82 contains a carrier substance 84, which is located in the Fig. 8 The carrier substance 84 rests on the underside 86 of the aroma chamber 82 in the illustrated operating position. A headspace 90 is formed between the carrier substance 84 and the top 88 of the aroma chamber 82, in which the aroma chamber 82 is not filled with carrier substance 84. The provision of the headspace 90 serves to enable better enrichment of the air and homogenization of the air flowing through the aroma chamber with the aroma substance. The headspace 90 has a height that is less than 50% of the height of the aroma chamber 82. However, it is preferred that the carrier substance 84 occupies at least 80% of the height of the aroma chamber 90.

[0081] The aroma container 32 is formed from a lower bowl 92 and an upper bowl 94. The air inlet opening, shown in the sectional view after Fig. 9 The air outlet, which is not shown, is located in the lower shell 92, while an air outlet opening 96 is formed in an inner side wall of the essentially ring-shaped aroma container. For manufacturing reasons, it has proven advantageous to arrange the air outlet opening 96 at a seam between the lower shell 92 and the upper shell 94, which is beneficial for mass production of the aroma containers using injection molding.

[0082] The carrier substance 84 is a porous aroma carrier material, for example a nonwoven material, the porosity of which is preferably between 70% and 93% and preferably between 70% and 80%. The diameter of the in Fig. 9 The air inlet opening in the lower wall, not shown, is between 1.1mm and 1.3mm.

[0083] The lower shell 92 and the upper shell 94 can be joined together by ultrasonic welding and are thus tightly connected all around except in the area of ​​the air outlet opening 96, so that a potential ingress of air into the aroma container as well as an unwanted escape of aroma substance from the aroma container 32 can be avoided. Reference symbol list

[0084] 10 Drinking device 11 Attachment 12 Liquid reservoir 14 Adapter element 16 First adapter part 18 Second adapter part 20 Head 22 Lid 24 Carrying strap 26 Drinking straw 28 Inner wall of the second adapter part 30 Outer wall of the second adapter part 32 Flavor reservoir 34 Carrying strap holder 36 External thread near the first opening 38 First opening 40 Second opening 42 Centering and positioning device 44 Liquid transport channel 46 Guide element 48 Internal thread of the first adapter part 50 Double-walled reservoir 52 Base 54 Side wall 56 Top 58 Filling opening 60 Mounting thread 62 Mounting end 64 Mounting geometry 66 Pressure equalization opening 68 Cavity 70 Recess 72 Deactivation ring 74 Air channel 76 Guide collar 78 Upper opening 80 Seal receptacle 82 Aroma chamber 84 Carrier substance 86 Bottom of aroma chamber 88 Top of aroma chamber 90 Headspace 92 Lower shell 94 Upper shell 96 Air outlet opening 98 Inner side wall 100 Recesses

Claims

1. Attachment for a drinking device for the retronasal perception of an aroma substance, comprising: - an adapter element (14) to be fluid-tightly attached to a storage container (12) for drinking liquid; - a head part (20) provided with a mouthpiece (62) and to be detachably fastened to the adapter element (14); - an aroma container (32) through which air can flow and which can be fastened to the head part (20); and - a transport channel (44) for drinking liquid, which can be fastened to the head part (20); characterized in that - the adapter element (14) comprises a first adapter part (16) and a second adapter part (18); and - the first adapter part (16) is adapted to be attached to the storage container (12) and to be attached to the second adapter part (18); and - the second adapter part (18) comprises a first opening (36) having a first longitudinal axis (L1) and a second opening (40) having a second longitudinal axis (L2); and - the first longitudinal axis (L1) is at an angle to the second longitudinal axis (L2), which is at least 20°.

2. Attachment for a drinking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the aroma container (32) has an inner cavity (68) enclosed by a container wall, an air inlet opening through the container wall and an air outlet opening (96) through the container wall.

3. Attachment for a drinking device according to claim 2, characterized in that the head part (20) has an air channel (74), the second end of which is in flow connection with an interior space in the transport channel (44) for drinking liquid, and the first end of which is arranged in such a way that the aroma container (32) can be moved into a position in which the air outlet opening (96) is in flow connection with the first end of the air channel (74).

4. Attachment for a drinking device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second adapter part (18) is at least sectionally multi-walled, in particular double-walled.

5. Attachment for a drinking device according to claim 4, characterized in that a UV-radiation-emitting component can be placed in a cavity (68) between an inner wall (28) and an outer wall (30) of the second adapter part (18).

6. Attachment for a drinking device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport channel (44) for drinking liquid has a longitudinal axis which extends in a curved manner.

7. Attachment for a drinking device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport channel for drinking liquid is a drinking straw (44), the outer cross-section of which is configured in such a way, at least in the area where it is fastened to the head part (20), that the drinking straw (44) can only be fastened to the head part (20) in a single rotational position in relation to a longitudinal axis of the transport channel for drinking liquid.

8. Attachment for a drinking device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aroma container (32) is essentially annular with a radially outer boundary wall and a radially inner boundary wall (98), wherein the radially inner boundary wall (98) encloses a space, the cross-sectional area of which has a geometry deviating from a circular shape.

9. Attachment for a drinking device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adapter element (14) has a receiving means (34) for attaching a carrying strap (24).

10. Attachment for a drinking device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adapter element (14) and the head part (20) are made of plastic.

11. Attachment for a drinking device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the area of the first opening (36) the second adapter part (18) has at least one first positioning element (42) interacting with a second positioning element provided at the head part (20), so that the head part (20) can only be attached to the second adapter part (18) in a defined rotational position relative to the first longitudinal axis (L1).

12. Drinking device for the retronasal perception of an aroma substance, comprising - a storage container (12) for drinking liquid; and - -an attachment (11) fastened to the storage container (12) for drinking liquid according to one of the preceding claims.

13. Drinking device according to claim 12, characterized in that the storage container (12) for drinking liquid is made of a different material than the adapter element (14), preferably the adapter element (14) is made of plastic and the storage container (12) for drinking liquid is made of metal.

14. Drinking device according to claim 12 or claim 13, characterized in that the storage container is at least sectionally double-walled.