Kraft General Foods, Inc.

Kraft Foods, Inc.

Hideyoshi Okita

Andrew T Kostanecki

Richard H Kaufman

Robert H Brainard

Theodore J Kovacic

Martin M Bostwick

Patrick B Nolan

Martin M Bestwick

Partick B Nolan

A unitary beverage container includes a main body defining a container volume. A flexible straw is fluidly connected at a proximal end with the volume adjacent the bottom of the main body. The flexible straw also includes a distal end in the form of a hollow mouthpiece having a central aperture therein with the mouthpiece is located adjacent the top of the main body. In many configurations of the mouthpiece, the mouthpiece includes a cylindrical base portion from which levers extend. An attaching mechanism removably attaches the mouthpiece of the flexible straw to the top of main body and closes the aperture of the mouthpiece. The attaching mechanism includes a short hollow bridge extending from the aperture at the distal end of the flexible straw which is broken during removal of the flexible straw to uncover the aperture prior to use. The hollow bridge is connected to a hollow chamber which is attached to the top. A concavity in which the mouthpiece is received is provided at the top. The hollow chamber is permanently attached in some embodiments and removably attached in others. Various different configurations of the mouthpiece are provided for use with the various embodiments.

Beverage container

A unitary beverage container includes a main body defining a container volume. A flexible straw is fluidly connected at a proximal end with the volume adjacent the bottom of the main body. The flexible straw includes a series of segments which provide bending diaphragms. The straw also includes a distal end which is preferably in the form of a planar hollow mouthpiece having vertical wings and a central aperture therein with the mouthpiece is located adjacent the top of the main body. The segments of the straw near the bottom are strengthened and a curved portion of the straw has wedge shaped segments. An attaching mechanism removably attaches the distal end of the flexible straw to the top of main body and closes the aperture of the distal end. The attaching mechanism includes a short hollow bridge extending from the aperture at the distal end of the flexible straw which is broken during removal of the flexible straw to uncover the aperture prior to use. The hollow bridge is connected to a hollow chamber which is otherwise isolated fluidly from the container volume. A concavity in which the mouthpiece is received is provided at the top. A second attaching mechanism removably attaches the flexible straw to the main body.

Unitary beverage containers include a main body defining a container volume. A flexible conduit or straw is fluidly connected at a proximal end with the volume adjacent the bottom or top of the main body. The conduit or straw also includes a distal end which is preferably in the form of some shape of hollow mouthpiece having a central aperture therein with the mouthpiece is located adjacent the top of the main body. A connection or closing mechanism removably attaches a hollow member to the distal end of the flexible straw or conduit and closes the aperture of the distal end. The mechanism includes a short hollow bridge extending from the aperture at the distal end of the flexible straw or conduit which is broken during removal of the hollow member to uncover the aperture prior to use. The hollow member is otherwise isolated fluidly from the container volume. A indentation in which the mouthpiece and hollow member are received is provided at the top. A second attaching mechanism in some embodiments removably attaches the flexible straw or conduit to the main body.

Unitary beverage containers and methods of filling thereof are disclosed where the beverage container includes a main body and a filling conduit extending from the top thereof which is closed off after filling. In embodiments with a separate straw, an attaching mechanism removably attaches the distal end of the flexible straw to the top of main body and closes the aperture in the distal end. The attaching mechanism includes a short hollow bridge extending from the aperture which is broken during removal of the flexible straw to uncover the aperture prior to use. The hollow bridge is connected to a hollow chamber member which is otherwise isolated fluidly from the container volume. A concavity is provided at the top in which a mouthpiece at the distal end of the straw is received. In some preferred embodiments, the filling conduit extends from the top of the main body, and from adjacent the mouthpiece or from the mouthpiece itself. In another embodiment, the filling conduit acts as a beverage conduit and mouthpiece for both filling and ultimate drinking by the consumer. With this latter embodiment, the beverage conduit is inverted into the main body after filling and returned outside of the main body for drinking.

Growing community of inventors

Huntington Beach, CA, United States of America

Hideyoshi Okita