Drink packaging with straw
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage packaging systems fail to securely retain drinking straws within the packaging, leading to loss and difficulty in liquid removal after the beverage has been consumed.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a tubular straw element with a locking lug, created by a two-sided cut in the stalk wall, which is designed to lock into the packaging, preventing removal while allowing for liquid extraction by bending and forming a T-shape when attempted to be pulled out.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a drinking straw is inserted into beverage packaging without a locking mechanism, then the straw can be easily inserted and moved for liquid removal, but the straw will be lost after the beverage is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The locking lug is designed to be flexible and dynamic, allowing it to bend during insertion to pass through the packaging wall, then spring back to its original position to engage with the inner surface and prevent removal. This dynamic behavior enables the straw to be both easily inserted and securely retained.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking lug is created by a two-sided cut in the straw wall, segmenting the straw wall structure to form a protruding locking element. This segmentation allows the locking lug to independently bend and engage with the packaging while the rest of the straw remains intact and functional.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to prevent straw loss, then the straw can be retained in the packaging, but the straw cannot be moved up and down for liquid removal
Solution Approach 1:
The locking lug is positioned at a specific location on the straw (created by two-sided cut) and has localized flexibility. This allows the locking function to be concentrated at one point while the rest of the straw maintains its full movement capability for liquid removal. The locking lug engages with a small area on the inner packaging surface, permitting vertical movement while preventing complete removal.
3Ease of manufacture
If the locking lug is created by a two-sided cut in the straw wall, then the locking mechanism is simple and effective, but the straw wall structure is modified
Solution Approach 1:
The two-sided cut creates a locking lug that is intentionally designed with reduced structural rigidity at that specific location. This dynamic feature allows the cut portion to bend during insertion and then spring back, providing the locking function while accepting the modified wall structure as a functional advantage rather than a disadvantage.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1E
Figure 1F~1G
AI summary
The invention relates to beverage packaging for holding a liquid product, said beverage packaging comprising an insertion region for introducing a drinking straw (1, 12, 19, 28, 40, 70, 90, 94) and comprising the drinking straw. The drinking straw comprises a tubular straw element (3, 14, 22, 30, 42, 71, 80) that comprises a straw wall (4, 15, 23, 31, 43, 72, 85), an inlet (5, 16, 24, 32, 44, 73, 83) to be placed in the beverage packaging and an outlet (6, 74, 81) to be placed outside the beverage packaging. Provided on an outer surface of the straw wall is at least one catching projection (2, 13, 21, 27, 29, 41, 76, 87, 91) that is connected to the outer surface of the straw wall towards the inlet and that is remote from the outer surface of the straw wall towards the outlet, wherein the at least one catching projection has a distance of at most 30% of the length (I) of the drinking straw from the inlet along the longitudinal axis (8, 39, 48, 86) of the drinking straw.