JPH0366143B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to a diameter reduction device at the end of a drinking straw.

(Prior Art) A straw attached to a beverage container needs to be longer than the depth of the container so that it does not fall into the container during drinking. With a known single straw, even if the straw is stuck into the container, only a small portion comes out of the container, making it difficult to drink the beverage in the container.
To solve this problem, we created a double-stretch straw that is short when it is attached to the container, becomes longer when it is stuck into the container, and becomes longer when the straw sticks out from the container. It has been developed.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, this double straw consists of a thin inner straw 1 and a thicker outer straw 2. The inner straw 1 is inserted into the outer straw 2, and the inner straw 1 is inserted into the outer straw. The inner straw 1 is made longer than the outer straw 2 so that it protrudes beyond the tip of the straw 2. The tip of the inner straw 1 is cut diagonally 4 to form a sharp point 3 so that it can be conveniently stuck into a container. In order to prevent the inner straw 1 from slipping out from the outer straw 2 when the inner straw 1 is pulled out from the outer straw 2 and extended, a reduced diameter portion 5 is formed at the tip of the outer straw 2, while the inner straw 1 is extended. An enlarged diameter portion 7 is formed on the base end side, and the reduced diameter portion 5 and the enlarged diameter portion 7 are engaged with each other. Further, in the straw shown in the drawings, a tapered portion 6 is formed at the tip of the reduced diameter portion 5 to prevent wobbling at this engaging portion when the straw is extended.

Although it is easy to produce the double straw having the above structure by hand, it is extremely difficult to produce it mechanically in large quantities or automatically.

However, the applicant has developed and proposed a double straw manufacturing device that makes it possible to mechanically automate the production of double straws (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 197215/1983).

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) The most difficult point in the automatic production of the double straw is the mechanical and automatic insertion of the inner straw with a slightly smaller diameter into the outer straw with a larger diameter. However, this has already been proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 197214/1983.

Furthermore, what is necessary to automatically and mass-produce this double straw is to reduce the diameter of the end of the outer straw and expand the diameter of the base of the inner straw, and this work can be done mechanically. That's true.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for reducing the diameter of the end portion of a straw, thereby enabling automatic production and mass production of double drinking straws.

(Means for Solving the Problems) For this purpose, the present invention includes a holding member that holds a straw, and a mold that faces the straw held by this holding member, and a mold that faces the straw of this mold. The end portion has a concave portion corresponding to the reduced diameter shape of the straw, and is characterized in that the mold and the straw are moved toward and away from each other.

(Example) The details of the present invention will be explained below using examples shown in the drawings.

The drawing shows a straw end forming device 10 including a diameter reducing device of the present invention, and this device 10 is connected to a straw conveying device 8 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
It is placed in the middle of the area. Further, this straw conveying device 8 is constituted by a plurality of spiral rods 9 arranged in parallel. A spiral groove 11 is formed in this spiral rod body, and inner and outer straws 1 and 2 are positioned in this spiral groove 11, and the straws are fed by rotation of the spiral rod body 9.

In the figure, 12 and 13 are guide plates that stand parallel to the spiral rod body 9 and above the conveying surface of the straws, and are used to keep the straws 1 and 2 parallel to the conveying device 10, respectively. In particular, the guide plate 13 keeps the inner straw 1 slightly inserted into the outer straw 2 and feeds the outer straw 2 to the end forming device 10 (as shown in the second figure).

The end forming device 10 including the straw end diameter reducing device of the present invention includes a straw holding drum 14 as a straw holding member 14 constituting the diameter reducing device of the present invention.
and mold 15, which also constitutes the diameter reducing device of the present invention.
an outer straw end diameter reducing mold 15, an inner straw end expanding diameter mold 16, and a rubber belt 17 for fixing the straw to the holding drum 14.
It consists of. The end forming device 10 is held by a rotating shaft 19 supported by an immovable machine frame 18.

The outer straw end diameter-reducing mold 15 and the inner straw end diameter expanding mold 16 are both held movably in and out by rotary plates 20 and 21 fixed to a rotating shaft 19 with a holding drum 14 in between. And these reduced diameter type 15
The enlarged diameter die 16 is opposed to a holding groove formed in the straw holding drum 14 for holding the straw. Further, the diameter-reducing type 15 and the diameter-expanding type are always given a stored force in the retracting direction by the spring 22, and are guided by the fixed cams 23, 24 by the rotation of the rotary plates 20, 21, and protrude. It's like this.

Straw end diameter reduction type 15 configured with the device of the present invention
has a recessed portion 25 at the end facing the straw that corresponds to the reduced diameter shape of the end of the straw. On the other hand, the end of the inner straw end enlarged diameter mold 16 has a tapered portion 26 corresponding to the enlarged diameter shape of the inner straw end. The shape of the recessed portion 25 may be simply tapered, or may include a tapered portion as shown in FIG. It may have any shape as long as it can be shrunk.

In the apparatus configured as described above, each of the inner straw 1 and the outer straw 2 is transferred from the conveying device 10 to the straw holding drum 14. Therefore, these straws move as the holding drum 14 rotates, and are held down by the rubber belt 17 from the middle of the movement to prevent them from moving. At the same time, as the holding drum 14 rotates, the rotating plates 20 and 21 that hold the diameter reducing die 15 and the diameter expanding die 16 also rotate, moving the diameter reducing die 15 and the diameter expanding die 16, and moving the cams 23 and 21, respectively. 24 to project in the direction of the straw. The concave portion 25 at the end of the reduced diameter mold 15 is
The end of the outer straw 2 is received to form a reduced diameter portion 5. Similarly, the tapered end portion 26 of the diameter expanding die 16 enters the end of the inner straw 1 to expand the diameter thereof. These diameter-reducing mold 15 and diameter-expanding mold 16
The straws 1 and 2, whose ends have been shaped, are each transferred to a conveying device.

In the above embodiment, the end part is formed by combining the inner and outer straws, but it is also possible to form the end part of a single straw by reducing its diameter. It may be formed at the proximal end or both ends. Further, although a spiral rod is used as the straw conveying device, this is not limited to a spiral rod, and any device that can convey the straws at a constant interval may be used.
Further, although the straw holding member is shown as a holding drum, this need not be a drum either, and may be anything that can hold a straw.
Further, in order to bring the reduced diameter mold and the straw closer to each other, the reduced diameter mold is moved in and out, but conversely, the reduced diameter mold may be fixed and the straw moved in and out.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the device of the present invention includes a holding member that holds a straw, and a mold that faces the straw held by the holding member, and the end of the mold that faces the straw has a has a recess corresponding to the diameter-reduced shape of the straw, and is designed to move the mold and the straw closer to each other, so that the diameter reduction of the end of the straw can be performed mechanically and automatically. This has made possible automatic production and mass production of double straws in particular, and has greatly contributed to the development of the straw manufacturing industry.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of a straw end forming device including a straw end diameter reduction device according to the present invention; FIG. 1 is a sectional view thereof, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a front view thereof. It is. Figures 4 and 5 are views showing an example of a double straw whose diameter has been reduced by the device of the present invention, with Figure 4 showing the inner straw housed in the outer straw, and Figure 5 showing the extended straw. FIG. 1...Inner straw, 2...Outer straw, 5
...Reduced diameter part, 14... Straw holding member, 15...
... Molding mold, 25 ... recessed part.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Consists of a holding member that holds a straw and a mold that faces the straw held by this holding member, and the end of the mold that faces the straw has a recess that corresponds to the reduced diameter shape of the straw. A device for reducing the diameter of the end of a drinking straw, characterized in that the mold and the straw are moved closer to each other and separated from each other.