Apparatus and method for stripping a protective covering from a drinking straw
OwnerAaron W. Jonesinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for removing a portion of a protective covering from a drinking straw, including a support mounted on a container for receiving the portion of the protective covering removed from the drinking straw, and an orifice in the support having a shape and size adapted for receiving a drinking straw packaged in a protective covering through the orifice to the extent corresponding to the length of the portion of the covering to be removed from the drinking straw, the orifice positioned in the support to allow the protective covering to be received through the orifice but not withdrawn from the orifice. A related method is also disclosed.
Claims10
An apparatus for removing a portion of a protective covering from a drinking straw, comprising:
- (a) a support mounted on a container for receiving the portion of the protective covering removed from the drinking straw;
- and
- (b) an orifice in the support having a shape and size adapted for receiving a drinking straw packaged in a protective covering through the orifice to the extent corresponding to the length of the portion of the covering to be removed from the drinking straw, the orifice positioned in the support to allow the protective covering to be received through the orifice but not withdrawn from the orifice.
An apparatus for removing a portion of a protective covering from a drinking straw, comprising:
- (a) a support mounted on a container for receiving the portion of the protective covering removed from the drinking straw;
- (b) a tapered opening in the support for guiding the straw into the support:
- and
- (c) an orifice defining the bottom of the support and having a shape and size adapted for receiving a drinking straw packaged in a protective covering through the orifice to the extent corresponding to the length of the portion of the covering to be removed from the drinking straw, the orifice including a flexible blade defining the perimeter of the orifice positioned to allow the protective covering to be received through the orifice but not withdrawn from the orifice.
A method of removing a portion of a protective covering from a drinking straw, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a support mounted on a container for receiving the portion of the protective covering removed from the drinking straw;
- (b) providing an orifice in the support having a shape and size adapted for receiving a drinking straw packaged in a protective covering through the orifice to the extent corresponding to the length of the portion of the covering to be removed from the drinking straw, the orifice positioned in the support to allow the protective covering to be received through the orifice but not withdrawn from the orifice;
- (c) grasping a top portion of the protective cover of a drinking straw to remain on the drinking straw and extending the drinking straw through the orifice to the extent of a desired amount of protective covering to be removed;
- and
- (d) withdrawing the drinking straw from the orifice while still grasping the top portion of the protective cover to remove the portion of the protective cover extended through the orifice.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.