Collapsible Telescoping Straw and Lid Assembly for Recyclability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Single-use plastic straws are not effectively recycled due to their small size and lightweight nature, leading to pollution, and existing reusable alternatives are either difficult to clean or not recyclable.
Innovation Solution
A recyclable or reusable lid and straw assembly that is dishwasher safe and collapsible, made from materials like biodegradable plastics or paper, with a telescoping design and sealing plugs for easy use and storage, increasing the likelihood of recycling by being larger and more substantial than traditional straws.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional plastic straws are used, then they are lightweight and easy to manufacture, but they fall into cracks and crevices of recycling machinery and cannot be effectively recycled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the straw with the lid assembly into a single integrated unit. The straw is attached to the lid through a hole, creating a combined assembly that is processed together. This merging ensures the straw does not separate during recycling and is processed as a substantial unit rather than a small, lost component.
Solution Approach 2:
The straw is nested within or attached to the lid structure, with the lid serving as a carrier or housing for the straw. This nesting arrangement ensures the straw remains associated with a larger, recyclable component (the lid) and does not fall into machinery crevices separately.
2Reliability
If reusable straws made of stainless steel or glass are used, then they are dishwasher-safe and durable, but they are difficult to clean and costly to purchase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible straw component that can be collapsed or folded into a compact configuration. This flexibility allows the straw to be easily stored within or against the lid assembly and simplifies cleaning by enabling the straw to be collapsed for thorough washing or disassembly.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If recyclable paper straws are used, then they are biodegradable and safer for wildlife, but they quickly lose their form and usefulness when submerged in liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes a composite straw structure made from multiple materials with complementary properties. The straw combines biodegradable materials (such as paper or plant-based polymers) with more structurally stable materials (such as biodegradable plastics or treated paper composites). This composite construction maintains structural integrity when submerged in liquid while retaining biodegradability and environmental safety.
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. A corrugated flex pipe configured straw fully extendable for use of the assembly is configured to collapse on itself in a telescoping movement and has a first and a second portion. A second side of the first portion engages the hole on the first side of the lid and a second side of the second portion engages the hole on the second side of the lid. A first sealing plug is affixed to the first side of the first portion of the straw and a second sealing plug is affixed to the first side of the second portion of the straw to seal an inside of the straw.