Recyclable or reusable straw in container lid assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing solutions for reducing plastic straw pollution, such as reusable stainless steel or glass straws, face challenges like difficulty in cleaning, need for user carrying, and high costs. Additionally, recyclable paper straws lose form when submerged in liquids, making them ineffective.
Innovation Solution
A recyclable or reusable lid and straw assembly that includes a collapsible straw, sealing plugs, and a mechanism to secure them to the lid, allowing for easy extension and collapse. The assembly is designed to be dishwasher safe and made from materials that increase the likelihood of recycling, such as biodegradable plastics or paper materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If reusable stainless steel or glass straws are used, then the straws can be washed and reused multiple times, but they are difficult to clean, require user carrying, and are costly to purchase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses biodegradable plastic straws that can be disposed of after a single use, eliminating the need for cleaning and carrying reusable straws while reducing costs. The straws are designed to decompose naturally after use, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional reusable materials.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If recyclable paper straws are used, then they are biodegradable and safer for wildlife, but they quickly lose their form when submerged in liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs biodegradable plastic materials that combine the environmental benefits of paper straws with the structural integrity needed to maintain form when submerged in liquid. These composite materials are designed to resist deformation while remaining biodegradable, thus resolving the contradiction between environmental safety and structural stability.
3Ease of operation
If traditional plastic straws are used, then they are lightweight and easy to use, but they pollute the oceans and landfills due to inability to recycle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters of the straws by using biodegradable plastics that maintain the lightweight and easy-to-use properties of traditional plastic straws while adding the capability to biodegrade. This parameter change allows the straws to retain their usability benefits while eliminating the harmful pollution effect by breaking down naturally in the environment.
4Ease of manufacture
If plastic straws are sent to recycling facilities, then they can technically be recycled, but they fall into cracks and crevices of recycling machinery due to their small, thin, and bendable nature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts a disposable approach with biodegradable straws that are designed for single use and natural decomposition. This eliminates the need for recycling processes entirely, bypassing the reliability issues of recycling machinery and the associated costs and complexities of recycling infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A recyclable or reusable assembly is described. The assembly includes a lid having a first side disposed opposite a second side that engages an opening of a container and a hole extending through a width of the lid. The assembly also includes at least a straw having a first portion and a second portion. The assembly further includes a first sealing plug affixed to a first side of the first portion of the straw and a second sealing plug affixed to a first side of the second portion of the straw. The assembly also includes at least one mechanism to secure the first sealing plug and the second sealing plug to the lid or the straw.