A DRINKING STRAW AND A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING IT

Abstract

The object of the invention is a drinking straw, which comprises a liquid channel (3) and one edge section (4), which liquid channel (3) is essentially parallel with the edge section (4). The drinking straw (1) material is sustainable, recyclable and biodegradable coated. cardboard, and in that the drinking straw (1) is formed of one essentially rectangular sheet-like piece (2) of the coated cardboard.

Claims

1. A drinking straw, made of biodegradable material, which drinking straw (1) comprises a liquid channel (3) and one edge section (4), which liquid channel (3) is essentially parallel with the edge section (4), characterized in that the drinking straw (1) material is sustainable and recyclable heat sealable coated cardboard, and in that the drinking straw (1) is formed of one essentially rectangular sheet-like piece (2) of the coated cardboard and that the drinking straw (1) comprises a heat sealed fastening and which material edge is pressed flat in manufacturing phase.

2. The drinking straw according to claim 1, characterized in that the edge section (4) comprises two overlapping layers of material, which are fastened to each other.

3. The drinking straw according to claim 1, characterized in that the drinking straw (1) two overlapping material layers of the edge section (4) have been fastened to each other by heat sealing thin sealable coatings of the coated cardboard together.

4. The drinking straw according to claim 1, characterized in that a sectioned shape of the drinking straw (1) is round or ellipse or drop-shape.

5. The drinking straw according to claim 1, characterized in that the drinking straw (1) comprises a printable surface for printings (5).

6. The drinking straw according to claim 1, characterized in that the drinking straw (1) comprises large and uniform, whole drinking straw (1) covering printable surface for printings (5).

7. The drinking straw according to claim 1, characterized in that whole surface of the sheet-like piece (2) forming outer surface of the drinking straw (1) is pre-printable before drinking straw (1) forming process.

8. A method for manufacturing a drinking straw made of biodegradable material, which drinking straw (1) comprises a liquid channel (3) and one edge section (4), which liquid channel (3) is alongside and essentially parallel with the edge section (4), characterized in that the drinking straw (1) is fabricated from one essentially rectangular sheet-like sustainable and recyclable piece of heat sealable coated cardboard (2) with a production machine and that the drinking straw (1) is formed by heat sealing and which material edge is pressed flat in manufacturing phase.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the drinking straw (1) is fabricated from one shapeable sheet-like piece (2), which is bended without sharp fold so, that the two opposite edges (4x, 4y) of the sheet-like piece (2) are overlapped and overlapped sections are fastened to each other forming one drinking straw (1) edge section (4) and the liquid channel (3) is formed alongside and essentially parallel with the edge section (4).

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that in the material for the drinking straws (1) is rolled out from one or more material rolls (7), preferably as pre-printed with printings (5).

11. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that in the fabricating process the material for the drinking straws (1) is rolled out as a web (8) from the material roll (7), which web (8) is formed and fastened to a shape of the drinking straw (1) and the formed web (8) is cut to a desired length of the drinking straws (1).

12. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the production machine comprises several parallel webs (8), which are rolled out from several parallel material rolls (7) to produce parallelly the drinking straws

13. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the drinking straw (1) edge section (4) is formed by fastening the shapeable sheet-like piece (2) overlapped material layers by heat sealing.

14. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the drinking straw (1) raw cut edges are treated with hydrophobic coating.

Description

[0016] In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail by the aid of some embodiments and by referring to the attached simplified drawings, wherein

[0017] FIG. 1 presents a shapeable sheet-like rectangular piece, from which the drinking straw is formed of, as viewed obliquely from above and from the side,

[0018] FIG. 2 presents a shapeable rectangular sheet-like piece in FIG. 1 bended to form of a round drinking straw, as viewed obliquely from above and from the side,

[0019] FIG. 3 presents a top view of the cross-sectioned drinking straw in FIG. 2,

[0020] FIG. 4 presents a rectangular shapeable sheet-like piece in FIG. 1 bended to form a flat, or drop-shape drinking straw, as viewed obliquely from above and from the side,

[0021] FIG. 5 presents an embodiment of a drinking straw with one edge section and the drinking straw is formed from one sheet-like piece, as viewed obliquely from above and from the side,

[0022] FIG. 5a presents a top view of the cross-sectioned drinking straw in FIG. 5,

[0023] FIG. 6 presents the drinking straw in FIG. 5 with printings on its surface, as viewed obliquely from above and from the side,

[0024] FIG. 6a presets the drinking straw in FIG. 2 with printings on its surface, as viewed obliquely from above and from the side,

[0025] FIG. 7 presents the side view of a manufacturing process of the drinking straw in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 5,

[0026] FIG. 8a presents the top view of a manufacturing process of the drinking straw in FIG. 5, and

[0027] FIG. 8b presents the top view of a manufacturing process of the drinking straw in FIG. 2.

[0028] FIG. 1 presents an essentially rectangular shapeable sheet-like piece 2, from which the drinking straw 1 is formed, as viewed obliquely from above and from the side. This sheet-like piece 2 is cut preferably from a coated cardboard web in the fabrication phase described later. The sheet-like piece 2 comprises opposite edges 4x and 4y.

[0029] The coated cardboard used in this drinking straw embodiment is sustainable environment-friendly cardboard utilized also e.g. in paper cups. This coated cardboard coating is made online with cardboard manufacturing process using dispersion techniques. The coating layer is very thin comprising much less plastic than e.g. conventional PE-/PLA coated card boards. This material is easy to recycle with other paper-products and the material is repulpable. This coated cardboard id also biodegradable and degrade in marine environment easily. This coated cardboard is also heat-sealable providing the drinking straw manufacturing without additional components, like adhesives or glues.

[0030] In FIG. 2 is presented the shapeable sheet-like piece 2 in FIG. 1 bended to form of a round drinking straw 1, as viewed obliquely from above and from the side. The sheet-like piece 2 is bended so, the opposite edges 4x and 4y are overlapped and meets each other and are joined together. In FIG. 3 is presented a top view of the cross-sectioned the round drinking straw in FIG. 2.

[0031] The round drinking straw 1 is formed of one essentially rectangular sheet-like piece 2 and it comprises one edge section 4 and a liquid channel 3. The edge section 4 is alongside or adjacent and essentially parallel with the liquid channel 3. The edge section 4 is also essentially straight. The sheet-like piece 2 is bended so, the opposite edges 4x and 4y are overlapped. In the overlapped cardboard sections, the same side of the sheet-like piece 2 surfaces are facing each other's. The overlapped cardboard sections are fastened tightly together forming the edge section 4. When the edge section 4 is formed, also the liquid channel 3 is formed alongside and essentially parallel to the edge section 4. Comparing to prior art drinking straw technologies, extrusion-based straws (plastic, bioplastic and composite) don't have edge section at all and the edge section in the paper straw is not parallel or straight with the liquid channel, since the edge section traverse spirally in the straw.

[0032] In FIG. 4 is presented the essentially rectangular shapeable sheet-like piece in FIG. 1 bended to form a flat, or drop-shape drinking straw, as viewed obliquely from above and from the side.

[0033] In FIG. 5 is presented an embodiment of a drinking straw 1 with one edge section 4 and the drinking straw 1 is formed from one rectangular sheet-like piece 2, as viewed obliquely from above and from the side. In FIG. 5a is presented a top view of the cross-sectioned drinking straw 1 in FIG. 5.

[0034] The drinking straw 1 is formed of one essentially rectangular sheet-like piece 2 and it comprises one edge section 4 and a liquid channel 3. The sectioned drinking straw 1 is drop shaped. The edge section 4 is alongside or adjacent and essentially parallel with the liquid channel 3. The edge section 4 is also essentially straight. The sheet-like piece 2 is bended so, the opposite edges 4x and 4y are overlapped and meets each other. The overlapped cardboard sections are fastened tightly to each other forming the edge section 4. In the overlapped cardboard sections, the same side of the sheet-like piece 2 surfaces are facing each other's. It is also possible to flip the other edge so, that opposite side surfaces are facing each other's. When the edge section 4 is formed, also the liquid channel 3 is formed alongside and essentially parallel to the edge section 4.

[0035] In FIG. 6 is presented the drinking straw 1 in FIG. 5 with printings 5 on its surface, as viewed obliquely from above and from the side and in FIG. 6a is presented the drinking straw in FIG. 2 with printings on its surface, as viewed obliquely from above and from the side,

[0036] The drinking straw 1 according to this innovation has a coated cardboard surface, which provides good surface for printings 5. In relatively large printing surface, it is possible to design various printing themes. The drop shaped drinking straw 1 has two printable sides. With printings 5, the drinking straws 1 can be personalized. The printing 5 may contain various multicolor printings. Printings 5 may be, for example: advertising, logos, text, product information, seasonal themes, etc.

[0037] In FIG. 7 is presented a side view of a manufacturing process of the drinking straw 1 of FIG. 2 and in FIG. 5 with a production machine. In FIG. 8a is presented a top view of a manufacturing process of the drop-shaped drinking straw of FIG. 5 with a production machine. In FIG. 8a is presented a top view of a manufacturing process of the round drinking straw of FIG. 1 with a production machine.

[0038] The drinking straw 1 coated cardboard material, which is e.g. preprinted, is rolled out from the material roll 7. The out-rolled material forms a continuous web 8. In a phase p1, the web 8 is bent with a bending means 9 in a shape of the drinking straw. In a phase p2, the liquid channel is formed with a mold means 10. In phase a p3, the overlapped edges 4x and 4y of the web 8 are fastened to each other with a fastening means 11 forming the edge section 4 of the drinking straw 1. When the edge section 4 is formed, also the liquid channel 3 is formed alongside or adjacent and essentially parallel to the edge section 4. In phase a p4 the web is cut to the desired length of the drinking straws 1. In a phase p5, the drinking straw 1 is manufactured.

[0039] It is obvious, the original material rolls 7 presented above and in pictures are wider than a single web 8. The material roll 7 is cut to several parallel webs 8 to parallelly produce the drinking straws 1. It is also possible to cut the material roll 7 in desired width of the web 8 in advance, e.g. with preprinting process.

[0040] Advantageously, the material of the drinking straws 1 presented above used in drinking straws is coated cardboard which is sustainable, biodegradable, easily recyclable and repulpable material.

[0041] When at least other side of the sheet-like piece 2 is coated and the sheet-like piece 2 is bended or folded with thin plastic coating layers facing each other, the fastening of the edge section 4 of the drinking straws 1 can be made by heat or cold sealing. When there is no sealable coating on the material, the fastening of the edge section 4 of the drinking straws 1 can made by food-contact approved adhesives. The heat sealing fastening method provides drinking straws 1 without additional components, like adhesives or glues.

[0042] To avoid the waterlogging of the drinking straw 1 material, the raw edges of the material (cut edges) may be treaded with hydrophobic coating or corresponding. The waterlogging can also be reduced by cutting the material edges in skew angle and press the material flat in manufacturing phase.

[0043] In the embodiments presented above, it is advantageous to form the round or the flat/drop shaped drinking straw 1, which feels good in a user's mouth. The drinking straw 1 dimensions depend on the beverage viscosity and on the user target groupbabies, children, adults. For juices and children beverages, advantageously the straw 1 has smaller dimensions. For example, the straw thickness is less than 5.0 mm and the straw width is between 12 mm and 22 mm. For adult beverages and higher viscosity beverages, advantageously the drinking straw 1 thickness, is less than 9.0 mm and the width is between 15 mm and 25 mm.

[0044] It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that different embodiments of the invention are not limited to the example described above, but that they may be varied within the scope of the claims presented below. What is essential is that the disposable drinking straw according to the invention is an environmentally-friendly and easily recyclable or biodegradable drinking straw. Thus, for example, the shapes and dimensions of the drinking straw can be different to what is described in the embodiments. The sectioned shape of the drinking straw may be for example round, ellipse or drop shape.

[0045] It is also obvious to the person skilled in the art that the drinking straw according to the invention can also be made from another sustainable material than mentioned in the embodiments.