The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 14, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 17, 1997
Peter F Murphy, Grosse Pointe, MI (US);
Stephen W Cornell, Naperville, IL (US);
Jon Taylor, Chicago, IL (US);
David C Brown, Chicago, IL (US);
Doug Brewer, Chicago, IL (US);
The PopStraw Company, Roseville, MI (US);
Abstract
A beverage container has a straw-dispensing mechanism that is disposed within the container to bring the straw into alignment with the orifice in the top of the container. When the orifice is opened, the straw elevates through the orifice to become accessible to the user. In one embodiment, the straw is attached to a buoyant member which urges the straw into contact with a contoured surface on the can lid. In a second embodiment, the straw engages a floating member which is urged against the lid of the container. In a third embodiment, a buoyant member is integrally formed with the straw and is disposed orthogonally within the body of the can. In a fourth embodiment, the floating member includes a surface treated for facilitating the nucleation of CO.sub.2 thereon. In a fifth embodiment, the floating member is provided with a skirt for entrapping a head space gas bubble under the floating member. In a sixth embodiment, the floating member reacts to a change in pressure to disengage from the container wall. In a seventh embodiment, a latch is provided on the floating member for releasing the floating member from engagement with the container walls. In an eighth embodiment, the floating member is provided with a threaded aperture for releasably engaging a threaded member on the bottom of the container. In a ninth embodiment, a straw positioning member is provided with an inertia latch which opens to increase the diameter of the straw positioning member such that it engages the container wall.