Method for manufacturing flexible paper straw and flexible paper straw
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plastic straws generate significant environmental waste, while reusable stainless straws have low adoption rates, and existing paper straws are not flexible enough to meet user needs and habits.
Innovation Solution
A method for manufacturing flexible paper straws involves creating a spiral paper tube with a corrugated portion using a support shaft and rollers, followed by compression and curing, which allows the straw to be easily bent and maintain its shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional paper straws are made with a flat inner wall, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the straw cannot be bent to the desired degree and cannot maintain its curved shape
Solution Approach 1:
The inner wall of the paper straw is segmented into multiple corrugated sections with different curvature radii, allowing the straw to be bent into complex three-dimensional shapes while maintaining structural integrity. The segmentation of the inner wall into ridges and valleys enables controlled deformation at specific locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a flat two-dimensional inner wall to a three-dimensional corrugated structure with varying curvature radii. This dimensional change allows the straw to achieve complex spatial configurations and maintain bent shapes through the立体 corrugated geometry.
2Ease of operation
If plastic straws are used, then the straw is flexible and meets consumer needs, but significant environmental waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter from non-biodegradable plastic to biodegradable paper, while compensating for the loss of flexibility through structural design. The corrugated inner wall structure with varying curvature radii enables the paper straw to achieve flexibility comparable to plastic straws.
Solution Approach 2:
The paper straw combines paper material with a specifically designed corrugated inner wall structure, creating a composite system that achieves both biodegradability and flexibility. The multi-layer corrugated structure provides mechanical properties that mimic plastic while maintaining environmental friendliness.
3Stability of the object's composition
If circular patterns are formed only on the outer surface with large intervals, then the manufacturing process is simple, but it is hard to keep the paper straw at the curved state after being bent
Solution Approach 1:
The inner wall is segmented into multiple corrugated sections with different curvature radii, creating a complex segmented structure that provides superior shape retention compared to simple outer surface patterns. Each segmented section acts as an independent structural element that maintains the overall curved configuration.
4Strength
If the paper tube is made with single-layer wall, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the structural strength and flexibility are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The paper tube uses multi-layer composite wall structure where each layer contributes to the overall mechanical properties. The combination of multiple paper layers with the corrugated inner wall structure creates a composite system with enhanced strength and flexibility compared to single-layer designs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The flexible paper straws effectively address environmental concerns by being biodegradable and capable of bending at 180 degrees, offering a viable alternative to plastic straws.
Implementation Method 1
applying a pushing force axially to each of two ends of the paper tube with the corrugated portion for compression of the corrugated portion
Implementation Method 2
curing the glue by baking or heating
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing flexible paper straws and flexible paper straws are revealed. The method includes the steps of preparing a paper tube which is a spiral tube by glue and paper, inserting a support shaft into the paper tube axially, placing the paper tube with the support shaft between a first roller and a second roller before curing of the glue while the first and second rollers are in parallel and having a plurality of circular grooves on a cylindrical surface thereof, rolling the paper tube by the first and second rollers to form a corrugated portion on a part of the paper tube, squeezing the corrugated portion to compress the corrugated portion for a period of time for curing the glue and holding shape of the corrugated portion, and removing the support shaft to get a flexible paper straw which is bendable at the corrugated portion.