Paper Straw with Corrugated Profiles for High Bending Capacity

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for a straw made from paper or paper-like material with high bending capacity to enhance usability.

Innovation Solution

A straw design featuring a tubular body with a bendable part comprising at least two corrugated profiles, where inward and outward corrugations are positioned alternately and offset relative to each other, allowing for a high bending capacity, enabling a U-turn.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a straw is made from paper or paper-like material, then it is environmentally friendly and disposable, but it has low bending capacity and cannot form U-turns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebending capacityVSAvoidflexibility to form U-turn

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The straw wall is segmented into multiple corrugated profiles with alternating inward and outward corrugations. This segmentation creates discrete bending zones that allow the straw to flex without compromising structural integrity, enabling U-turn formation while maintaining paper material properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The corrugated profiles introduce controlled curvatures into the straw wall structure. The alternating inward and outward corrugations create a wave-like pattern that provides bending capacity while maintaining the overall cylindrical form, allowing the straw to form U-turns without collapsing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the straw wall is made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then it can hold shape, but it cannot bend or form U-turns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidbending capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the straw wall have different properties: the corrugated profiles provide flexibility in specific zones while the overall tubular structure maintains rigidity. The alternating inward and outward corrugations create localized bending zones that do not compromise the global structural integrity of the straw

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The straw combines paper material with a corrugated structural design to create a composite structure that exhibits both rigidity and flexibility. The corrugated profiles act as reinforcement elements that provide bending capacity while maintaining structural integrity under normal conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS12357116B2Straw made from paper or paper-like material

Publication Date: 2025.07.15 TEMBO PAPER BV

AI summary

A straw (1) made from paper or paper-like material and comprising a tubular body (3) having a circumference formed by a wall (5) surrounding a central axis and a bendable part extending axially along the central axis (6), wherein said bendable part comprises at least two corrugated profiles (8A-D) provided in the wall, and each corrugated profile comprises inward corrugations (9A-D) and outward corrugations (10A-D) being positioned one after the other in axial direction along the central axis, and a system and method to produce the straw.