US20110215107A1

US20110215107A1 - Liquid container with integrated straw

Info

Publication number: US20110215107A1
Application number: US12/719,196
Authority: US
Inventors: Tzu-Kang LEE
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-03-08
Filing date: 2010-03-08
Publication date: 2011-09-08

Abstract

A liquid container having a tubular wall or handle formed integral with the peripheral wall of the container body thereof and a suction hole defined in the tubular wall or handle in communication with the holding space surrounded by the container body so that the user can drink the liquid from the container body with the mouth through the suction hole.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to liquid containers and more particularly to such a liquid container, which has a straw formed integral with the peripheral wall or handle of the container body so that the user can drink or suck in the contained liquid.
2. Description of the Related Art
When drinking a liquid from a liquid container, for example, cup 11 a, as shown in FIG. 1, the user may attach the mouth to the topmost edge 10 a of the cup 11 a and drink the liquid. Alternatively, the user may use a straw 12 a to suck in the liquid from the cup 11 a. Regular straws for this purpose are commonly prepared from plastics. Improperly disposing off waste straws will cause environmental pollution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a liquid container, which has a straw formed integral with the peripheral wall or handle of the container body so that the user can drink or suck in the contained liquid.
To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, A liquid container, comprising a container body formed of a peripheral wall and a bottom wall, a tubular wall formed integral with the peripheral wall, a suction hole defined in between the tubular wall and the peripheral wall, the suction hole having a top end extending to the topmost edge of the cup body and a bottom end extending to the bottom wall of the container body, and a water inlet in communication between the suction hole and the holding space surrounded by the container body. Thus, the tubular wall works as a straw for enabling the user to suck in the contained liquid from the container body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional cup used with a straw.

FIG. 2 is an oblique elevation of a liquid container in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of the liquid container in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a liquid container in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a liquid container in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a liquid container in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a liquid container in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an oblique elevation of a liquid container in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an oblique elevation of a liquid container in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the liquid container shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an oblique elevation of a liquid container in accordance with an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a liquid container in accordance with a ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a liquid container in accordance with a tenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a liquid container in accordance with an eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an oblique elevation of the liquid container in accordance with the eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a liquid container in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a bottom wall 15, a peripheral wall 11 extending along the border of the horizontal bottom wall 15, a tube wall 12 formed integral with the peripheral wall 11 and the bottom wall 15 and upwardly extended to the topmost edge 10 of the peripheral wall 11, a water inlet 14 vertically cut through the bottom wall 15 and a suction hole 13 defined in the tube wall 12 in communication with the water inlet 14. According to this first embodiment, the liquid container is made in the form of a water cup, i.e., the peripheral wall 11 and the horizontal bottom wall 15 constitute a cup body. When drinking water or a fluid is filled in the holding space surrounded by the bottom wall 15 and peripheral wall 11 of liquid container, the user can suck in the drinking water or fluid with the mouse through the suction hole 13.
FIG. 4 illustrates a liquid container in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. According to this second embodiment, the liquid container comprises a bottom wall 15, a peripheral wall 11 extending along the border of the bottom wall 15, a tube wall 12 vertically formed integral with the peripheral wall 11, a suction hole 13 defined in the tube wall 12, and a water inlet 14 in communication between the bottom end of the suction hole 13 and the holding space surrounded by the bottom wall 15 and peripheral wall 11. Further, the topmost edge 13 of the tube wall 12 is higher than the elevation of the topmost edge of the peripheral wall 11. Further, the bottom wall 15 slopes downwardly to the water inlet 14 so that the user can suck in the contained drinking water or fluid with the mouse through the suction hole 13 and the water inlet 14.
FIG. 5 illustrates a liquid container in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. According to this third embodiment, the liquid container comprises a bottom wall 15, an peripheral wall 11 extending along the border of the horizontal bottom wall 15, a tube wall 12 formed integral with the peripheral wall 11 and the bottom wall 15 and upwardly extended to an elevation below the topmost edge of the peripheral wall 11, a water inlet 14 vertically cut through the bottom wall 15 and a suction hole 13 defined in the tube wall 12 in communication with the water inlet 14. According to this first embodiment, the bottom wall 15 slopes radially from the border area thereof to the water inlet 14 so that the contained drinking water or fluid can be easily sucked by the user with the mouse through the suction hole 13 and the water inlet 14.
FIG. 6 illustrates a liquid container in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. According to this fourth embodiment, the liquid container is made in the form of a standing cup in which the tube wall 12 is formed integral with the tapered peripheral wall 11 and extended to the topmost edge of the tapered peripheral wall 11, and the water inlet 14 is located on the bottom end of the suction hole 13 adjacent to the bottom wall 15 of the cup body of the standing cup.
FIG. 7 shows a liquid container in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention. This fifth embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid third embodiment with the exception that the peripheral wall 11 of this fifth embodiment is smoothly curved.
FIG. 8 illustrates a liquid container in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention. This sixth embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that this sixth embodiment has multiple tube walls 12 formed integral with the peripheral wall 11 and equiangularly spaced from one another.
FIGS. 9 and 10 show a liquid container in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present invention. According to this seventh embodiment, the liquid container has a hollow handle 16 formed integral with the peripheral wall 11 of the container body (cup body) of the liquid container. The hollow handle 16 defines therein a suction hole 17 that extends through the peripheral wall 11 and terminating in a water inlet 14 in communication with the holding space surrounded by the bottom wall 15 and peripheral wall 11. The hollow handle 16 has a top extension portion 161 suspending above the elevation of the topmost edge 10 of the peripheral wall 11. The top end of the suction hole 17 upwardly extends through the topmost edge of the top extension portion 161.
FIG. 11 illustrates a liquid container in accordance with an eighth embodiment of the present invention. This eighth embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid seventh embodiment with the exception that the liquid container of this eighth embodiment has two hollow handles 16 symmetrically disposed at two opposite sides.
FIG. 12 illustrates a liquid container in accordance with ninth embodiment of the present invention. This ninth embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid seventh embodiment with the exception that the suction hole 17 extends to the bottom side of the bottom wall 15, and the water inlet 14 cut through the bottom wall 15 in vertical communication between the suction hole 17 and the holding space surrounded by the peripheral wall 11 and bottom wall 15 of the container body (cup body) of the liquid container.
FIG. 13 illustrates a liquid container in accordance with tenth embodiment of the present invention. According to this tenth embodiment, the peripheral wall 11 of the container body (cup body) of the liquid container has one side curved inwards, and a tubular handle 18 is connected between the top and bottom ends of the inwardly curved side of the peripheral wall 11. The tubular handle 18 defines therein a suction hole 19 that has its bottom end terminating in a water inlet 14 in communication with the holding space surrounded by the peripheral wall 11 and bottom wall 15 of the container body (cup body) of the liquid container.
FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate a liquid container in accordance with an eleventh embodiment of the present invention. According to this eleventh embodiment, the liquid container 2 is a bottle, comprising a bottle body 21, a tubular wall 22 formed integral with the peripheral wall 211 of the bottle body 21 and vertically extending along the peripheral wall 211 from the topmost edge 26 to an elevation in proximity to the bottom wall 25 of the bottle body 21, and a suction hole 23 defined in the tubular wall 22 and terminating in a bottom water inlet 24 in proximity to the e bottom wall 25 of the bottle body 21 and in communication with the holding space surrounded by the bottle body 21. Further, the bottle body 21 is covered with a cap 27. After removal of the cap 27 from the bottle body 21, the user can drink the contained liquid from the bottle body 21 with the mouth through the suction hole 23.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A liquid container, comprising a container body formed of a peripheral wall and a bottom wall, a tubular wall formed integral with said peripheral wall, a suction hole defined in between said tubular wall and said peripheral wall, said suction hole having a top end extending to the topmost edge of said cup body and a bottom end extending to said bottom wall of said container body, and a water inlet in communication between said suction hole and the holding space surrounded by said container body.

2. A liquid container, comprising a container body formed of a peripheral wall and a bottom wall, at least one handle formed integral with said peripheral wall, a suction hole defined in each of said at least one handle, and a water inlet in communication between a bottom end of each said suction hole and the holding space surrounded by said container body.

3. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top end of said suction hole suspends above the elevation of the topmost edge of said container body.

4. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, said tubular wall has the topmost edge disposed below the elevation of the topmost edge of said container body.

5. The liquid container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the suction hole that is defined in each said handle extends vertically through the whole length of the respective handle.

6. The liquid container as claimed in claim 2, wherein each said suction hole has the topmost end thereof extended to a selected part of the respective handle.

7. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said water inlet cut through said bottom wall of said container body.

8. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said water inlet is disposed in proximity to said bottom wall of said container body at a selected location.

9. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said water inlet is selectively formed of a single hole or multiple small holes.

10. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said bottom wall of said container body slopes downwards to said water inlet.

11. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein each said suction hole has a circular cross section.

12. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein multiple tubular walls are formed integral with the peripheral wall of said container body, and multiple suction holes are respectively defined between the multiple tubular walls and the peripheral wall of said container body in communication with the holding space surrounded by said container body through said water inlet.

13. The liquid container as claimed in claim 2, wherein multiple handles are formed integral with the peripheral wall of said container body, and multiple suction holes are respectively defined in said multiple handles in communication with the holding space surrounded by said container body through said water inlet.

14. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said container body is smoothly curved.

15. The liquid container as claimed in claim 2, wherein said handle is smoothly curved.

16. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said container body is shaped like a cup.

17. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said container body is shaped like a bottle.