AU2009100923A4 - Drinking Mouthpiece - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Innovation Patent Applicant: SMILESTRAW PTY LTD Invention Title: Drinking Mouthpiece The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to us: - 2 Drinking Mouthpiece 5 Field of the invention The present invention relates to mouthpieces for drinking. Background 10 Those who are elderly or sick can lose coordination and strength of the jaw muscles, lips or tongue. This can make drinking difficult for a number of reasons. It may become difficult to generate a seal with one's lips, and 15 hard to generate the required suction. Drinking attachments and straws can be used in these situations to assist such adults to drink. The invention provides a drinking attachment and a straw which can be 20 used to make drinking easier. Summary of the Invention In accordance with the invention there is provided a 25 drinking attachment comprising an elongated resilient mouthpiece through which liquid flows, wherein the mouthpiece has a curved longitudinal top profile for lying against a substantial length of the hard palate of a mouth, and a forward end of the mouthpiece has an 30 elongated cross sectional profile. The attachment may be adapted to fit onto a drinking straw or could be fitted to a drinking vessel cap. 1750821_1 (GHMatters) 10/09/09 - 3 Preferably, the elongated cross sectional profile has narrowed ends. 5 In an embodiment the shape of the elongated cross sectional profile resembles a flat ellipse. In another embodiment the cross sectional profile of the forward end has a ratio of height to width greater than 1 10 to 3. The mouthpiece can be made from silicon or latex. Preferably, the height of the forward end is less than 5mm 15 and the inside diameter of the neck is stepped to facilitate attachment to straws of various diameters. In a preferred embodiment the forward end is adapted to sit in the posterior of a user's mouth. 20 There is also provided a straw comprising a long body and an elongated resilient mouthpiece through which liquid flows, wherein the mouthpiece has a curved longitudinal top profile for lying against a substantial length of the 25 hard palate of a mouth, and a forward end of the mouthpiece has an elongated cross sectional profile. The elongated cross sectional profile may have narrowed ends. 30 In some embodiments the elongated cross sectional profile of the forward end resembles a flat ellipse. 1750821_1 (GHMatters) 10/09109 The cross sectional profile of the forward end may have a ratio of height to width greater than 1 to 3. Preferably, the straw is made from silicon or latex. 5 The height of the forward end is preferably less than 5mm. In an embodiment the forward end is adapted to sit in the posterior of a user's mouth. 10 Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1: is an isometric view of a drinking attachment fitted to a drinking straw, in 15 an embodiment of the invention. Figure 2: is a longitudinal cross section of the drinking attachment, and 20 Figure 3: is a lateral cross section of a forward end of a mouthpiece of the attachment. Description of the Embodiments 25 Figures 1 to 3 show a straw attachment 5 in an embodiment of the invention. The attachment is primarily designed for the elderly or sick, but can be used by anyone. The straw attachment is adapted to sit deeper in the mouth than a regular straw to deliver liquid directly to the 30 posterior of the mouth. Those who have lost coordination in the anterior part of their mouth from such causes as trauma, neurological 1750821_1 (GHMatters) 10/09/09 - 5 disease or cancer can find drinking from a cup or through a straw difficult. In addition to people who have difficulty with drinking, this straw attachment may be used by people who wish to reduce the exposure of their 5 teeth to acids and sugars in drinks, such as sports drinks. Furthermore, the straw attachment could be used for drinking beverages which stain the teeth, like tea, so as to reduce the amount to which the front teeth are stained. 10 Figure 1 shows an isometric view of the straw attachment 5, fitted to a straw S. The attachment includes an elongated resilient mouthpiece 51 through which liquid flows, wherein the mouthpiece has a curved longitudinal 15 top profile 54 for lying against a substantial length of the hard palate of a mouth, and a forward end 52 of the mouthpiece has an elongated cross sectional profile. The straw attachment 5 comprises a neck 50 for fitting 20 over the end of the straw S and a channel through which liquid flows to the mouthpiece 51 from which it expels through an aperture 56 at the end of the mouthpiece. In a modified embodiment the straw attachment may not be 25 an attachment at all but may rather comprise an entire straw such that it includes a long straw body with mouthpiece formed at one end of the straw body. Figure 2 shows a longitudinal cross section of the straw 30 attachment 5. The liquid flow through a passageway 57 in the neck 50 and mouthpiece 51. The profile of the mouthpiece 51 tapers to form a thin forward end 52 leading 1750821_1 (GHMatters) 10/09/09 - 6 to an aperture 56. The height of the forward end 52 of the mouthpiece is less than 5mm. The mouthpiece 51 is constructed to facilitate sealing of 5 the straw attachment in the posterior of the mouth. The thin forward end 52 allows the user to insert the attachment 5 deeper into the mouth and create a seal around the forward end 52 between the tongue and the hard palette. This allows a user who is unable to create an 10 adequate seal with their lips to compensate by creating a seal around the forward end 52 of the mouthpiece 51 in the posterior of the mouth. The mouthpiece 51 has a curved longitudinal top profile 54 15 for lying against the hard palate. The curved profile encourages the mouthpiece to be comfortably placed in the mouth and extend to the posterior of the mouth. The attachment 5 can be fitted onto straws of various 20 diameters. The inner diameter of the neck 50 is stepped in three stages 58 to suit a variety of straws. Larger diameter straws (5mm in diameter) will sit in the first stage while smaller diameter straws will sit in the inside of the neck itself (3mm in diameter). 25 Figure 3 shows a lateral cross section of the forward end 52 of the mouth piece. The elongated cross sectional profile is flattened and has narrowed ends 55 to facilitate the creation of the posterior seal discussed 30 above. The thin tip and the elongated cross-section together facilitate this seal. The thin tapered tip allows the forward end to sit comfortably in the posterior of the mouth. The elongated profile sits in the gap 1750821_1 (GHMatters) 10/09109 - 7 between the palette and tongue in this region of the mouth, sealing the gap. This embodiment has a height to width ratio of 1:3; higher ratios may also suit particular users. 5 The narrowed ends 55 facilitate sealing. For example, when the hard palate and tongue converge over a cross sectionly round object (such a round straw) they tend to form an almond-like profile. The gaps on either side 10 prevent an effective seal being maintained. In contrast, the narrowed ends 55 substantially fill these side gaps helping to provide a seal. It is understood that the term 'seal' does not necessarily 15 mean that an air and fluid tight seal will be produced at all times. Rather, a seal is produced substantially closing the gaps between the forward end and surrounding mouth so as to improve a user's sucking action and substantially avoiding entrainment of air. 20 By forming a seal in the posterior of the mouth the thin tip and elongated lateral cross section profile reduce the amount of fluid which washes forward in the mouth and onto the teeth. This reduces the contact of harmful sugars and 25 acids with the teeth. It is understood that the straw drinking attachment may be modified to attach to drinking vessels, and not only be used to attach to a straw. Such drinking vessels could 30 include plastic bottles in which drinks are sold. In this embodiment the drinking attachment could include the curved mouthpiece described above as well as an enlarged base that could be directly attached to the mouth or lid 1750821_1 (GHMatters) 10/09/09 -8 of a plastic bottle. The enlarged base could include a hard plastics attachment having a screw thread or other attachment means to secure the drinking attachment onto a bottle. 5 It will be understood to persons skilled in the art of the invention that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 10 In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, 15 i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention. 1750821_1 (GHMatters) 10/09/09

Claims (17)

1. A drinking attachment comprising an elongated 5 resilient mouthpiece through which liquid flows, wherein the mouthpiece has a curved longitudinal top profile for lying against a substantial length of the hard palate of a mouth, and a forward end of the mouthpiece has an elongated cross sectional profile. 10

2. A drinking attachment according to claim 1, wherein the attachment is adapted to fit onto a drinking straw.

3. A drinking attachment according to claim 1, fitted to 15 a drinking vessel cap.

4. A drinking attachment according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the elongated cross sectional profile has narrowed ends. 20

5. A drinking attachment according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the shape of the elongated cross sectional profile resembles a flat ellipse. 25

6. A drinking attachment according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the cross sectional profile of the forward end has a ratio of height to width greater than 1 to 3. 30

7. A drinking attachment according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the mouthpiece is made from silicon or latex. 1750821_1 (GHMatters) 10/09/09 - 10

8. A drinking attachment according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the height of the forward end is less than 5mm. 5

9. A drinking attachment according to claim 2, wherein the inside diameter of the neck is stepped to facilitate attachment to straws of various diameters.

10. A drinking attachment according to any preceding 10 claim wherein the forward end is adapted to sit in the posterior of a user's mouth.

11. A straw comprising a long body and an elongated resilient mouthpiece through which liquid flows, wherein 15 the mouthpiece has a curved longitudinal top profile for lying against a substantial length of the hard palate of a mouth, and a forward end of the mouthpiece has an elongated cross sectional profile. 20

12. A straw according to claim 11 wherein the elongated cross sectional profile has narrowed ends.

13. A straw according to claim 11 or 12 wherein the elongated cross sectional profile of the forward end 25 resembles a flat ellipse.

14. A straw according to any one of claims 11 to 13 wherein the cross sectional profile of the forward end has a ratio of height to width greater than 1 to 3. 30

15. A straw according to any one of claims 11 to 14 wherein the straw is made from silicon or latex. 1750821_1 (GHMatters) 10/09109 - 11

16. A straw according to any one of claims 11 to 15 wherein the height of the forward end is less than 5mm.

17. A straw according to any one of claims 11 to 16 5 wherein the forward end is adapted to sit in the posterior of a user's mouth. 1750821_1 (GHMatters) 10/09/09