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US 12,690,663 B2Granted
Drinking straw cleaning device
OwnerDavid Optekarinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A straw cleaning device for cleaning drinking straws utilizing a motor for rotating a cleaning member for cleaning the inside and/or the outside of a drinking straw, the cleaning member optionally able to dispense cleaning solution about at least a portion of the drinking straw.
Claims17
A motorized straw cleaner, comprising:
- an enclosure having a first opening;
- and
- a straw cleaning member extending out a length from said first opening and rotatable about said enclosure, said straw cleaning member having a proximal end and a distal end, said straw cleaning member forming an interior straw cleaning portion and an exterior straw cleaning portion, said interior straw cleaning portion having first cleaning bristles capable of cleaning an interior wall of a straw, said exterior straw cleaning portion having second cleaning bristles capable of cleaning an exterior wall of the straw, said exterior straw cleaning portion is positioned at least partially around said interior straw cleaning portion;
- wherein said interior straw cleaning portion is configured to be insertable, with said distal end of said straw cleaning member, into an interior of the straw such that said first cleaning bristles clean at least a portion of the interior wall of the straw while said exterior straw cleaning portion simultaneously engages at least part of the exterior wall of the straw during rotation such that said second cleaning bristles clean at least a portion of the exterior wall of the straw;
- and
- wherein a plurality of dispensing openings are spaced along said straw cleaning member and configured to dispense cleaning solution along a length of said straw cleaning member, wherein said plurality of dispensing openings comprises (i) a first plurality of dispensing openings spaced along said interior straw cleaning portion and (ii) a second plurality of dispensing openings spaced along said exterior straw cleaning portion, said second plurality of dispensing openings configured to dispense cleaning solution onto the exterior wall of the straw during rotation.
3 more elements
A motorized straw cleaner, comprising:
- an enclosure having a tubular shape extending at least partially along an axis, said enclosure having a first opening;
- a straw cleaning member extending out a length from said first opening, said straw cleaning member rotatable about said enclosure, said straw cleaning member forming an interior straw cleaning portion and an exterior straw cleaning portion;
- an electric motor contained within said enclosure, said electric motor configured to rotate said straw cleaning member about said enclosure;
- a cleaning solution reservoir contained within said enclosure, said cleaning solution reservoir in fluid communication with said straw cleaning member, said cleaning solution reservoir capable of delivering cleaning solution through said straw cleaning member;
- and
- a plurality of dispensing openings spaced along a length of said straw cleaning member, wherein said plurality of dispensing openings comprises (i) a first plurality of dispensing openings spaced along said interior straw cleaning portion configured to dispense cleaning solution onto an interior surface of a straw and (ii) a second plurality of dispensing openings spaced along said exterior straw cleaning portion configured to dispense cleaning solution onto an exterior surface of the straw during rotation.
3 more elements
A motorized straw cleaner, comprising:
- an enclosure body, said enclosure having a first opening;
- an electric motor contained within said enclosure body;
- a cleaning solution reservoir contained within said enclosure body, said cleaning solution reservoir in fluid communication with said straw cleaning member;
- a straw cleaning member extending out at a proximal end from said first opening, said straw cleaning member formed of a flexible elongated body capable of rotating inside a curved drinking straw, said straw cleaning member having a plurality of cleaning bristles extending outward along said elongated body, said straw cleaning member forming an interior straw cleaning portion and an exterior straw cleaning portion, said exterior straw cleaning portion positioned at least partially around said interior straw cleaning portion;
- wherein said straw cleaning member is in mechanical communication with said electric motor, and said interior straw cleaning portion and said exterior straw cleaning portion are capable of being driven in rotation via said electric motor;
- wherein said elongated body is insertable into an interior space of the drinking straw to clean at least a portion of an interior surface and an exterior surface of the drinking straw simultaneously via said rotation of said cleaning bristles;
- and
- wherein a plurality of dispensing openings are spaced along said straw cleaning member, wherein said plurality of dispensing openings comprises (i) a first plurality of dispensing openings spaced along said interior straw cleaning portion and (ii) a second plurality of dispensing openings spaced along said exterior straw cleaning portion, and wherein said cleaning solution reservoir is configured to deliver cleaning solution through said straw cleaning member to at least one of said first plurality of dispensing openings and said second plurality of dispensing openings.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.