Beverage Container Drinking Straw with Rotational Flow Regulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing beverage containers with integrated drinking straws lack simplicity and cost-effectiveness in regulating inflow quantity, leading to inefficiencies in liquid consumption and potential leakage during use.

Innovation Solution

A beverage container design featuring a drinking straw with two tubular sections, where one section is movable relative to the other, allowing for adjustable inflow regulation through rotational movement, minimizing residual liquid, and incorporating radial projections for sealing and secure positioning, enabling easy handling and multiple functions like pouring without suction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a drinking valve is arranged in the through-channel to regulate flow rate, then the inflow quantity can be regulated, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinflow quantity regulationVSAvoiddrinking straw structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drinking straw is divided into two separate tubular sections (first tubular section and second tubular section) that can move relative to each other. Each section has its own inlet opening, and the relative movement between sections regulates the overlap of these openings to control flow rate, replacing the need for a complex drinking valve mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second tubular section is made movable relative to the first tubular section along the longitudinal axis. By moving the second section axially, the degree of overlap between the inlet openings of the two sections changes dynamically, thereby regulating the inflow quantity without requiring complex valve mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If recesses are arranged directly above the closed bottom to minimize residual liquid, then liquid consumption efficiency improves, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveliquid consumption efficiencyVSAvoidrecess positioning
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The recesses are pre-positioned directly above the closed bottom of each tubular section during manufacturing. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the sections are assembled, the recesses are already in the optimal location to drain residual liquid, reducing the need for high-precision adjustment during final assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If radial projections are added for sealing and positioning, then the reliability of sealing improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing functionVSAvoiddrinking straw structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function and positioning function are merged into the same radial projections. These projections serve dual purposes: they provide sealing against the container wall and simultaneously position the drinking straw correctly, eliminating the need for separate sealing elements and positioning structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3603459B1Beverage container, in particular a beverage bottle, a beverage box or a beverage can, comprising a drinking straw that is directed to regulate the supply quantity
Publication Date: 2022.09.28 ABBASI HAMID
  • EP3603459B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3603459B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3603459B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a beverage container (14) with a closable interior and a drinking straw (1) connected to the interior, which is designed to regulate the flow rate, wherein the drinking straw (1) comprises a first tubular section (2) and a second tubular section (3) which is inserted into the first section (2) and is movable relative to it, wherein the first section (2) and the second section (3) are each provided at a lower end with an inlet opening (7, 10) and at an upper end with an outlet opening (6, 11), wherein the first section (2) and the second section (3) each have a closed bottom (5, 9) at their lower end and above the closed bottom (5, 9) each have a section extending circumferentially in the circumferential direction of the first section (2) or the second section (3).The second section (3) has a recess (7a, 10a) extending as an inlet opening (7, 10) with a corresponding contour, wherein the inlet openings (7, 10) can be converted by a relative movement of the second section (3) about the longitudinal axis (12) of the drinking straw (1) into a closed position of the drinking straw (1), in which the inlet openings (7, 10) of the second section (3) and of the first section (2) are closed by the outer surface of the respective other section (2, 3) of the drinking straw (1), into a drinking position of the drinking straw (1), in which the inlet openings (7, 10) overlap each other at least section by section in order to allow flow through the drinking straw (1).