Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
12~i43V7
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
CONTAINERS FOR BEVERAGES
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for
beverages, and particularly to a container for beverages
such as metal cans, paper cans, composite cans, etc. which
contain soda, beer, and soft drinks such as fruit juice,
vegetable juice or the like.
Description of Prior Art
In the past, among containers for beverages of
this kind, for example, in a container with an easy-open
end, a top plate is bored with an outlet by a ring tab,
a reverse tab or the like, and a mouth is placed directly
against the outlet to drink or a separately prepared straw
is inserted into the container to drink.
However, there has been encounterd problems that
particularly in the case where the top plate is made of
metal, the outlet has a sharp cut end and therefore if
the mouth is placed against the outlet, there is a danger
of cutting a lip, and that directly placing the mouth against
the outlet is ~nsanitary.
In addition, the insertion of a straw into the
container always entails the preparation of the straw,
which is cumbersome.
-- 1 --
~'~
" ~2~;43D7
In order to overcome these problems, there has
been proposed a container which houses therein a straw.
However, it is not only difficult to remove a straw but
when a beverage is sealed into a container while the ~atter
` O ~ o ~c Q
is being manufactured, it is cumbersome to i~mnnr~ratc
a straw therein, which is not practical.
Moreover, in prior art, the length of a straw
is shorter than the depth of a container, and the straw
becomes sunk therein. In addition, there was a further
proposal in which a straw is formed spirally so that when
a container is opened, the upper part of the straw jumps
up. However, this involves an inconvenience in use or
there poses a problem in manufacture.
Furthermore, prior art proposals have problems
that a straw easily slips out of an outlet and becomes
lost, and that when a used container is discarded, a straw
falls into pieces, and one is at a loss for disposal thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been achieved in order
to solve these problems noted above with respect to prior
art. It is an object of the invention to provide a container
for beverages in which a straw is housed in the container
and one can drink juice or the like safely and hygienically
without directly placing one's mouth against the drinking
~264307
opening, and in which a straw may be removed positively and
simply at the same time a discharge opening or an outlet is
opened.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a
container for beverages in which a straw may be extended simply
and positively to render drinking easy.
It is another object of the invention to provide a
container for beverages in which a container may be discarded
for disposal in a state wherein a straw is positively stayed
therein to be useful for prevention of public hazards.
Accordingly, a container for beverages is provided
comprising a houslng, a straw in the housing and a removable
opening portion on the top of the housing which forms an
opening upon its removal. The straw includes an upper end
mounted in a caulked attachment to the removable opening
portion which extends from the rear side of the removable
opening portion, a cut-off portion in the vicinity of the upper
end of the straw, a body portion formed into a bellows adapted
to be extendable and a stopper formed as a float and attached
at a lower portion of the straw. The stopper is larger in size
than the opening in the housing formed by removal of the
removable opening portion to prevent passage of the stopper
through the opening. Accordingly, the straw may be pulled to
extend it in its bellow body portion while its bottom end is
held within the opening in the housing which provides the
opposite force to the force applied for extending the length
of the straw.
JJ: ~ - 3 -
.
12~i43~)7
8RIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of
a container for beverages according to the present invention,
in which FIG. lA is a top view of a top plate and FIG. lB is
a rear view of the top plate;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view in a
state wherein a straw is caulked against a tearing opening of
the top plate, in which FIG. 2A is a sectional view for
explaining a process of caulking a strawi
FIG. 3 is a sectional view for explaining the state
wherein the tearing opening is opened; and
FIG. 4 is a sectional view for explaining the
ascending action of a straw by a float-like stopper.
JJ:` - 3a -
12643~7
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An embodiment of the present invention will be
described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a container body indicated
at 1 is molded from a metal sheet into a tubular configuration,
of which upper and lower ends are integrally formed with
a top plate la and a bottom plate lb by caulking (rolling)
or the like. It is noted that the container body 1 can
be formed of materials such as paper, composite material,
etc. other than the aforesaid metal sh~et, and can be of
shape and construction such as a polygonal tube, a box,
a beer barrel, a bottle, a spherical body, etc. other than
the aforesaid tubular body. In short, any of material,
shape and construction may be employed as long as the container
is one which can seal beverages therein.
The top plate la is in the form of a so-called
easy-open end in which a tearing line is incorporated to
form a tearing opening la'. A ring tab 2 is mounted in
a caulked fashion on the front surface of the opening la'.
While in the present embodiment, the ring tab 2 is not
to be separated from the top plate la, it will be noted
that the tab 2 may be separated therefrom.
A straw indicated at 3 has its upper end mounted
in a caulked fashion on the rear side of the opening la'.
-- 4
12643V7
While in the present embodiment, the ring tab 2 is not
to be separated from the top plate la, it will be noted
that the tab 2 can be separated therefrom.
A process of caulking the straw 2 comprises,
for example, as shown in FIG. 2A, inserting an upper end
of the straw 3 internally into an annular groove la" drawn
to a depth of approximately 2 mm while being adjusted to
the diameter of the straw 3, setting a caulking re~ceiving
bed 4a externally of the annular groove la", pressing a
caulking rod 4b from the above to crush the annular groove
la" between the rod and the bed 4a, and clamping the upper
end of the straw 3 in the caulking state. It is to be
noted that particularly in case of paper cans, composite
cans, etc., the straw 2 may be mounted by adhesives or
the like.
A cut-off portion 3a is formed in the vicinity
of the aforesaid mounting portion of the straw 3. Any
process of forming the cut-off portion 3 may be used.
For example, perforations may be incorporated along the
periphery of the straw 3 or a number of pores are bored.
In short, it will suffice that the straw 3 may be bended
or torn off by a finger tip to easily cut it away.
A major portion of an intermediate portion of
the straw 3 is formed into a bellows 3b so that it may
be extended to make the length of the straw 3 longer than
126~3~7
the depth of the container 1.
The straw 3 may be extended, other than the afore-
said bellows 3b, by forming the straw into a coil-like
configuration or by forming the straw into a double-tube
which are slidably moved each other.
A stopper 5 is mounted on the lower portion of
the straw 3.
The outer contour of the stopper S is formed
to be larger than an outlet made by the tearing opening
la' so that even if an attempt is made to pull out the
straw 3, it cannot be pulled out because the stopper 5
has engaged with the outlet.
This stopper 5 not only prevents the straw 3
from being slipped out but is useful when the straw 3 is
extended as will be described later.
The function of a float is imparted to the stopper
5 to thereby prevent the straw 3 from falling into the
container 3 during the time from cutting it away from the
tearing opening la' to extension thereof. Also, the straw
3 may be positioned close to the wall of the container
1, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 1, so as not
to be a hindrance when drinks are filled.
Since the container according to the present
embodiment is constructed as described above, when one
drinks the beverage within the container, the finger is
126~307
first engaged with the ring tab 2 to tear the tearing line
portion of the top plate la to open the tearing opening
la' (see FIG. 3).
When the opening la' is opened, the upper portion
of the straw 3 attached to the rear side is pulled out.
Then, the underside of the cut-off portion 3a
of the straw 3 is picked by the finger to cut away the
straw 3.
After the straw 3 has been cut away, it is raised
while being picked and both upper and lower portions of
the straw 3 are picked to pull and extend it, or the stopper
5 is engaged with the outlet and in that state the straw
3 is pulled and extended for used.
In the event that even if the straw 3 is erroneously
disengaged from the finger before the straw 3 is extended,
the stopper 5 has the function as a float, the straw 3
naturally floats off and rises, and therefore, it is safe.
The present invention has the following effects.
(1) Since the upper end of the straw is mounted
on the rear side of the opening of the container body,
the straw may be taken out positively and easily simultaneously
with the opening of the opening portion. Furthermore,
since the upper end of the straw is mounted in the caulking
fashion,~straw may be mounted positively and in a stabilized
manner. In addition, since the cut-off portion is provided
12643~7
in the vicinity of the upper end of the straw, said portion
may be cut into fine strips to thereby remove the straw
simply and positively.
(2) Since the straw is formed into a bellows
so that it may be extended, the straw may be extended simply
and positively to provide easy drinking.
(3) Since the stopper is provided at the lower
portion of the straw so as not to be slipped out of the
outlet of the container, the stopper may be engaged with
the outlet to facilitate the extension when the straw is
extended.
(4) Since the stopper is provided at the lower
portion so as not to be slipped out of th outlet of the
container, the container may be discarded for disposal
with the straw positively stayed within the container,
which is useful in prevention of public hazards.
(5) Since the stopper is formed into a float,
it is possible to positively prevent the straw from sinking
into the container.
