Self-cleaning telescopic straw

Abstract

This invention discloses a tubular appliance system utilizing helical fluid self-cleaning, consisting only of an outer tube and an inner tube. The inner wall of the outer tube has a helical guide structure that divides the gap between the inner and outer tube walls into a helical flow channel. In use, this guide structure acts as a precision guide for the extension and retraction of the inner tube; during rinsing, the fluid is forced to rotate and accelerate along the helical flow channel, forming a powerful scouring flow field, achieving tool-free self-cleaning within 3 seconds. This invention completely solves the industry problem of the trade-off between portability and cleanliness in tubular appliances, and is applicable to various tubular appliances such as straws, hoses, drain pipes, and industrial pipelines.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a self-cleaning tubular appliance system, specifically to a tubular appliance system that utilizes a physical spiral structure to guide fluid and achieve self-cleaning of its inner wall, its method of use, and its manufacturing method. This invention is applicable to any tubular appliance requiring cleaning of its inner wall, including but not limited to straws, shower hoses, washing machine drain pipes, kitchen drain pipes, industrial pipes, and medical catheters. Background Technology

[0002] Cleaning the inner walls of tubular appliances has always been a common technical challenge across industries. Take straws as an example: with the continued tightening of plastic restrictions, the market demand for reusable straws has exploded, but existing products have consistently failed to resolve the conflict between portability and ease of cleaning. This problem also exists in other slender tubular appliances, such as shower hoses where water accumulates and breeds bacteria and biofilm, washing machine drain pipes where fibers and detergent residue accumulate, and kitchen drain pipes where grease buildup frequently causes blockages.

[0003] Existing technical solutions can be summarized into the following three categories: 1. Straight tube type: Simple structure and low cost, but the inside cannot be effectively cleaned and the fixed length makes it inconvenient to carry.

[0004] 2. Multi-segment stacking or folding solution: The telescopic mechanism is achieved through parts such as sealing rings, springs, and buckles. However, there are many parts, disassembly and cleaning are cumbersome, small parts are easy to lose, and sealing rings are prone to aging and dirt accumulation.

[0005] 3. Self-cleaning coating solution: A hydrophobic and oleophobic coating is applied to the inner wall of the pipe. However, the coating has a limited lifespan and will fail after long-term use. Consumers also have concerns about the safety of the coating.

[0006] The above solutions often exacerbate or ignore one problem while addressing another, resulting in a structural flaw of neglecting one issue for another.

[0007] It is particularly noteworthy that the technical solution of this invention overcomes a long-standing technical bias in the field. In the field of tubular appliances, especially drain pipes and hoses, those skilled in the art generally believe that the inner wall should be kept smooth to reduce fluid resistance and prevent clogging. Therefore, although spiral structures have been used in industrial pipelines to enhance heat transfer or mix fluids, they have never been used to solve the problem of pipe wall self-cleaning for decades, because those skilled in the art generally believe that spiral structures increase the risk of clogging. Through extensive experiments, the inventors have discovered that when the helix angle is controlled within the range of 15° to 30°, the spiral guiding structure not only does not cause clogging, but can also utilize the kinetic energy of everyday fluids to create an effective self-cleaning flushing effect. This discovery breaks through the technical bias in the field and produces unexpected technical effects. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention aims to fundamentally break the above-mentioned technical biases and provide a completely new system solution.

[0009] The core idea of ​​this invention is to make the inner wall structure of the tubular device itself a structure that enhances cleaning efficiency.

[0010] Specifically, the present invention provides a tubular appliance system utilizing helical fluid self-cleaning, comprising an outer tube and an inner tube coaxially disposed therein. The inner wall of the outer tube is provided with a guide structure extending helically in the axial direction, which divides the annular gap between the inner wall of the outer tube and the outer wall of the inner tube into a continuous helical flow channel.

[0011] In operation, the guide structure acts as a precision guide rail for the sliding and telescopic movement of the inner tube, providing uninterrupted and uniform support along its entire length, resulting in a smooth sliding feel. In flushing mode, the fluid is forcibly guided into the spiral channel, rotating and accelerating along the spiral path to create a forced rotating scouring flow field covering the entire outer surface of the inner tube. The high-speed rotating fluid generates wall shear forces far exceeding those of direct-flow flushing, instantly stripping away residues adhering to the tube wall and achieving self-cleaning without any tools.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the present invention achieves the following breakthroughs: 1. Structure-function integration: The same spiral guide structure serves as both a guide rail and a fluid accelerator, reducing the number of parts to the limit, consisting only of an outer tube and an inner tube.

[0013] 2. A leap in cleaning logic: from relying on external tools for scrubbing to using fluid dynamics for self-cleaning, the cleaning process requires no disassembly, no consumables, and takes no more than 3 seconds.

[0014] 3. Ultimate manufacturing economy: The outer tube is manufactured in one step using a rotary extrusion molding process, and the tube body and spiral guide structure are integrally formed without secondary processing, achieving optimal production efficiency and cost control.

[0015] It should be noted that the technical solution of this invention is not limited to the field of straws. The core principle of this invention—using a spiral guiding structure on the tube wall to form a spiral flow channel, guiding fluid rotation and flushing to achieve self-cleaning—is also applicable to any tubular appliance that requires cleaning of its inner wall, including but not limited to shower hoses, washing machine drain pipes, kitchen drain pipes, industrial pipes, medical catheters, etc. Those skilled in the art, under the above teachings, can easily apply the core structure of this invention to other tubular appliances, and all such applications should fall within the protection scope of this invention.

[0016] The specific form of the guide structure is not limited to ribs; it can also be grooves, ridges, or any combination thereof, as long as it can form a spiral flow channel between the inner and outer pipe walls. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the overall revenue status of an embodiment of the system of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the system in the pulled-out state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-section along the AA direction.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the fluid flow path during flushing in the system of the present invention.

[0021] Figure label: 1-Outer tube; 11-Spiral guide structure; 12-First limiting protrusion ring; 2-Inner tube; 21-Second limiting protrusion ring; 22-Top interface; 3-Spiral flow channel. Detailed Implementation

[0022] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the system provided in this embodiment consists of an outer tube (1) and an inner tube (2), with a total of two parts.

[0023] The inner wall of the outer tube (1) is provided with an integrally formed spiral guide structure (11) with a spiral helix angle of 20°. The outer wall of the inner tube (2) is a smooth mirror surface with a surface roughness Ra of about 0.03 micrometers. The two together form a spiral flow channel (3).

[0024] When in use, simply pull the inner tube (2) out of the outer tube (1) to allow it to work normally. During flushing, retract the inner tube (2) into the outer tube (1), align one end of the outer tube (1) with the fluid source, and allow the fluid to rotate and accelerate along the spiral flow channel (3). Figure 4 As indicated by the arrow, the inner tube (2) outer wall and the outer tube (1) inner wall are flushed and then discharged from the other end, completing the cleaning within 3 seconds.

[0025] Manufacturing method example: The outer tube (1) is manufactured using a rotary extrusion molding process: molten material is extruded through an extruder equipped with a rotary die. The rotational motion of the die simultaneously forms a spiral guiding structure (11) on the inner wall of the tube. After cooling and shaping, it is cut to the required length. The inner tube (2) is manufactured using conventional extrusion or injection molding. The entire production process only includes two steps: molding and cutting.

[0026] Beneficial effects: This invention completely ends the history of tubular instruments having to be cleaned with a brush, and provides a self-cleaning solution that is tool-free, disassembly-free, consumable-free, and cleans in 3 seconds, while achieving extreme portability. It is a generational innovation in tubular instrument cleaning technology.

Claims

1. A tubular device utilizing helical fluid self-cleaning, characterized in that, include: An outer tube, the inner wall of which defines at least one axially spirally extending guide structure; An inner tube is coaxially disposed inside the outer tube, and its outer wall is slidably fitted with the guide structure. The guiding structure divides the annular gap between the inner wall of the outer tube and the outer wall of the inner tube into a continuous spiral flow channel; When fluid is injected from one end of the outer tube, it is constrained by the spiral flow channel and forced to accelerate along the spiral path, forming a forced rotating scouring flow field that covers the entire surface of the outer wall of the inner tube.

2. The tubular device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner tube can slide back and forth along the axial direction of the outer tube, and the guide structure also serves as a guide rail for the sliding extension and retraction of the inner tube.

3. The tubular device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide structure is a spiral rib or spiral groove integrally formed with the outer tube, and its spiral helix angle is 15° to 30°.

4. The tubular device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tubular device has a total of two parts, consisting of an outer tube and an inner tube, and contains no elastomers, fasteners, springs, or clips.

5. The tubular device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inner wall at the top of the outer tube and the outer wall at the bottom of the inner tube are respectively provided with a one-way locking structure to prevent the inner tube from coming out.

6. The tubular appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The tubular device is one of the following: a straw, a shower hose, a washing machine drain pipe, a kitchen drain pipe, an industrial pipe, or a medical catheter.

7. A self-cleaning method using the tubular device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Inject fluid from one end of the outer tube; When fluid enters the spiral flow channel, it is forced to rotate and accelerate along the spiral path, scouring the outer wall of the inner tube and all surfaces of the inner wall of the outer tube; The fluid is discharged from the other end of the outer tube, completing the cleaning process.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The entire cleaning process requires no disassembly or the use of any external cleaning tools and takes no more than 3 seconds.

9. A method for manufacturing the tubular appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The outer tube is manufactured using a rotary extrusion molding process. While extruding molten material, the spiral guide structure is simultaneously formed on the inner wall of the tube by rotating the die, thus achieving the integral molding of the tube body and the guide structure.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The materials of the outer and inner tubes are selected from Tritan copolyester, PPSU, 304 stainless steel or 316L stainless steel.

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