Reusable foldable drinking straw in storage case

A reusable drinking straw foldable for storage, the drinking straw comprising:

• an external tube formed of a plurality of tubular segments, said external tube having a proximal end, an opposite distal end, a hollow interior and a central longitudinal axis passing through said ends, said hollow interior being accessible through said ends and having an interior diameter, each of said tubular segments when adjacent to one another along the central longitudinal axis, forming said external tube;
• and
• a flexible internal tubing having a proximal end, an opposite distal end, and a passageway through said ends of said internal tubing, said internal tubing being formed of an elastic material allowing passage of liquid through said passageway and being impermeable to liquids, said internal tubing being positioned within said external tube with said proximal and distal ends of said internal tubing proximate to said proximal and distal ends, respectively, of said external tube,
• wherein each of said tubular segments at least partially surrounds a portion of said internal tubing,
• wherein said drinking straw is in an extended configuration when at least two of said tubular segments are adjacent to one another along the central longitudinal axis to form said external tube with said flexible internal tubing therethrough, said flexible internal tubing being under tension within said external tube to maintain said tubular segments adjacent to one another along the central longitudinal axis,
• wherein said drinking straw is in a folded configuration when at least two of said tubular segments are apart from one another and said internal tubing is folded between said at least two tubular segments.

A system for drinking liquids, comprising:

• a reusable drinking straw foldable for storage, the drinking straw comprising:
• an external tube formed of a plurality of tubular segments, said external tube having a proximal end, an opposite distal end, a hollow interior and a central longitudinal axis passing through said ends, said hollow interior being accessible through said ends and having an interior diameter, each of said tubular segments configured to be coupled to at least another one of said tubular segments when adjacent to one another along the central longitudinal axis to form said external tube;
• and
• a flexible internal tubing having a proximal end, an opposite distal end, and a passageway through said ends of said internal tubing, said internal tubing being formed of an elastic material for conducting liquid through said passageway and being impermeable to liquids, said internal tubing being positioned within said external tube with said proximal and distal ends of said internal tubing proximate to said proximal and distal ends, respectively, of said external tube;
• a cleaning element configured to clean the passageway of said flexible tubing;
• and
• a storage case configured to contain said drinking straw and storing said cleaning element,
• wherein said drinking straw is in an extended configuration when at least two of said tubular segments are coupled together to form said rigid external tube with said flexible internal tubing therethrough, said flexible internal tubing being under tension within said external tube to maintain said tubular segments coupled together,
• wherein said drinking straw is in a folded configuration when at least two of said tubular segments are uncoupled and moved apart along said flexible internal tubing by stretching said internal tubing and folding said internal tubing between said at least two tubular segments,
• wherein said storage case contains said drinking straw in said folded configuration,
• wherein said storage case stores said cleaning element.

A method of using a foldable and reusable drinking straw, the method comprising:

• providing the drinking straw having:
• an external tube formed of a plurality of tubular segments, said external tube having a proximal end, an opposite distal end, a hollow interior and a central longitudinal axis passing through said ends, said hollow interior being accessible through said ends and having an interior diameter, each of said tubular segments configured to be coupled to at least another one of said tubular segments when adjacent to one another along the central longitudinal axis to form said external tube;
• and
• a flexible internal tubing having a proximal end, an opposite distal end, and a passageway through said ends of said flexible internal tubing, said flexible internal tubing being formed of an elastic material for conducting liquid through said passageway and being impermeable to liquids, said flexible internal tubing being positioned within said external tube with said proximal and distal ends of said flexible internal tubing proximate to said proximal and distal ends, respectively, of said external tube;
• extending said drinking straw in an extended configuration when at least two of said tubular segments are coupled together to form said external tube with said flexible internal tubing therethrough, said flexible internal tubing being under tension within said external tube to maintain said tubular segments coupled together;
• and
• folding said drinking straw in a folded configuration when at least two of said tubular segments are uncoupled and moved apart along said flexible internal tubing by stretching said flexible internal tubing and folding said flexible internal tubing between said at least two tubular segments.

A reusable drinking straw foldable for storage, the drinking straw comprising:

• a flexible internal tubing having a passageway allowing passage of liquid;
• an external tube formed of a plurality of tubular segments, said external tube having a hollow interior and a central longitudinal axis, said tubular segments, when positioned co-axially along the central longitudinal axis, forming said external tube, said tubular segments at least partially surrounding a portion of said internal tubing, said internal tubing being within said external tube,
• wherein said drinking straw has an extended configuration when at least two of said tubular segments are co-axial along the central longitudinal axis, said tubular segments supporting said flexible internal tubing in the extended configuration;
• and
• a folded configuration when at least two of said tubular segments are parallel with one another and said flexible internal tubing is folded between said at least two tubular segments.