Cleanable straw

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a drinking straw may include a first part that includes a manual manipulation feature and a second part with an interior volume with an open side and at least one open end. The first part may be configured to be accepted into the interior volume and the manual manipulation feature of the first part may be configured to extend through at least one of the open side and open end.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drinking straw, wherein the straw extends in longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions, wherein longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions are mutually orthogonal, wherein extension of the straw in the longitudinal direction defines a length of the straw, and extension of the straw in the lateral and vertical directions defines a diametrical cross section of the straw, wherein:
 a first part comprises a manual manipulation feature; and   a second part comprises a cross sectional shape comprising a closed surface defining an interior volume with an open side and at least one open end, wherein the first part is configured to be accepted into the interior volume and the manual manipulation feature of the first part is configured to extend through at least one of the open side and open end.   
     
     
         2 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first part comprises a first longitudinally separable part, and   the second part comprises a second longitudinally separable part, wherein the first part and the second part join to form a tubular volume open at each end; and   the manual manipulation feature comprises a protrusion extending radially outward from the first part, wherein the protrusion is configured to be grasped by a thumb and opposing finger of a user.   
     
     
         3 . The straw of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion comprises indentations to receive fingertips and the protrusion is configured to be pinched between the thumb and opposing finger of the user. 
     
     
         4 . The straw of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion is symmetrical about a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . The straw of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion s configured such that the straw can be removed from a drink without the user touching a cylindrical body of the straw and wherein the protrusion is configured to prevent the straw from sliding through a lid of the drink. 
     
     
         6 . The straw of  claim 1 , wherein the manual manipulation feature comprises a protrusion of the first part extending out of the open end of the enclosed volume of the second part. 
     
     
         7 . The straw of  claim 6 , wherein the protrusion is configured to be manually manipulated to separate an end of first part and from an end of the second part. 
     
     
         8 . A separable drinking straw comprising:
 a first part;   a second part;   wherein the first part and the second part are configured to join longitudinally to form an interior volume open at both ends, and wherein the first part comprises longitudinal edges and the second part comprises grooves on an interior surface of the second part, wherein the longitudinal edges of the first part engage with the grooves of the second part.   
     
     
         9 . The drinking straw of  claim 8 , wherein longitudinal edges of the second part press on an exterior surface of the first part, thereby pressing the longitudinal edges of the first part into grooves of the second part. 
     
     
         10 . The drinking straw of  claim 8 , wherein the second part comprises a cross section comprising a closed surface with an open side, the closed surface defining an interior volume, wherein the open side is configured to widen to accept the first part into the interior volume. 
     
     
         11 . The drinking straw of  claim 8 , wherein the first part and the second part are configured to be joined by applying opposing pressure applied to an exterior of the straw, a first pressure on the first part and a second opposing pressure on the second part. 
     
     
         12 . A tube comprising:
 a first part;   a second part, wherein at least a portion of the first part is configured to slide within the second part;   wherein at least one of the first part and second part comprises at least one stop, wherein the stop impedes relative motion between the first part and second part in at least one direction, wherein the tube is configured to separate along its length into the first part and second part.   
     
     
         13 . The tube of  claim 12 , wherein the stop is configured to align the first part and the second part in a predetermined positional relationship. 
     
     
         14 . The tube of  claim 12 , wherein the first part comprises an end and the second part comprises a cutout, wherein the cutout is configured to at least partially receive the end of the first part into an interior of the second part. 
     
     
         15 . The tube of  claim 14 , wherein the first part is configured to move within the second part after entering the cutout until the first part engages with a stop in the second part. 
     
     
         16 . The tube of  claim 14 , wherein the first part comprises an end, the end comprising a modification configured to provide deeper engagement of the end with an interior of the second part after entering the cutout. 
     
     
         17 . The tube of  claim 16 , wherein the modification is configured to extend beyond an end of the second part when the first part is engaged with the stop on the second part, wherein modification is further configured to be a manually manipulable element to separate the first part and the second part. 
     
     
         18 . The tube of  claim 12 , wherein the tube comprises a drinking straw. 
     
     
         19 . The tube of  claim 12 , wherein the first part comprises longitudinal edges and the second part comprises grooves on an interior surface of the second part, wherein the longitudinal edges of the first part engage with the grooves of the second part. 
     
     
         20 . The drinking straw of  claim 19 , wherein longitudinal edges of the second part press on an exterior surface of the first part, thereby pressing the longitudinal edges of the first part into grooves of the second part.