JPH0246205B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for inserting a retractable double straw and a device for inserting the same.

It is desirable that the straw attached to the beverage container be longer than the depth of the beverage container so that the straw does not fall into the container during drinking. However, since a straw of a length that is not inconvenient for drinking is longer than the beverage container itself, it is difficult to attach it to the beverage container.
Therefore, it becomes necessary to attach a retractable straw that is in a contracted state when attached and expands when drinking. Some of these telescopic straws have a double structure. This double straw is constructed by inserting an inner straw into an outer straw, but when assembling the double straw, the straw cannot be inserted unless the inner and outer straws are properly positioned.

That is, as shown in FIG.
The tip of the straw is cut diagonally to form a sharp part 3, and when the inner straw 1 and the outer straw 2 are placed on the same surface, the tip of the sharp part 3 and the edge of the outer straw 2 are It will not be inserted at the abutting position. Further, even if the sharp portion 3 is located outside the outer peripheral surface of the outer straw 2, the inner straw 1 cannot be inserted into the outer straw 2. In order to perform this insertion, as shown in FIG.
It must be located inside the inner peripheral surface of the

This positioning work cannot be performed easily, and therefore, if it were attempted to be performed by a machine, the mechanism would be complicated. Therefore, the mechanical device becomes expensive. Moreover, if it were attempted to be carried out manually, the work would be extremely complicated, resulting in not only low work efficiency, but also a high unit price for the completed double straw. Due to these problems, the double-layered retractable straw has not been widely used despite its high convenience.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention makes it possible to easily position the inner and outer straws at the positions where they are inserted, and therefore, it is possible to easily assemble a straw consisting of a double structure that can be expanded and contracted. It was completed with the main purpose of providing a method. Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical device with a simple structure using this method.

For this purpose, the present invention transports a large number of inner straws in parallel, each having a sharp tip cut diagonally, and also transports a large number of outer straws in parallel, each with a pair of inner straws. The outer straw is transferred on substantially the same plane with the sharp tip of the inner straw facing one end of the outer straw, and while the inner straw is being rotated at least while the inner and outer straws are being transferred oppositely, In order to carry out this method, a plurality of spiral rods each having a spiral groove are arranged in parallel, and one of the inner and outer straws is inserted along the spiral rod. The other straw is dropped into the spiral groove and placed on the spiral rod body, and the spiral rod is rotated to move the other straw diagonally forward and the component velocity in the direction along the spiral rod body is set to above. Insertion of a double straw in which the inner straw is conveyed at a speed substantially equal to the linear speed of one of the straws, and is inserted into the outer straw from the sharp tip of the inner straw while rotating the inner straw that has at least a sharp tip of the inner and outer straws. The apparatus is also characterized in that a straw swinging member is provided in the middle of the movement path of one of the inner and outer straws for vertically moving the insertion side end of the straw in the movement path.

The present invention will now be described in detail based on preferred embodiments shown in the drawings.

As mentioned above, in the figure, 1 is an inner straw, 2 is an outer straw, and 3 is a sharp portion formed by cutting the tip of the inner straw 1 obliquely. This sharp part 3
This makes it easier to insert the inner and outer straws 1 and 2, and also makes it easier to insert this double straw into a beverage container when drinking.

When inserting the inner straw 1 into the outer straw 2, if the sharp portion 3 is located inside the inner peripheral surface of the outer straw 2, the inner straw 1 can be easily inserted by simply pushing it. . This is because the slope portion 4 on which the sharp portion 3 is formed is guided by the inner edge of the outer straw 2. On the contrary, if the inner straw 1 is pushed in when the sharp portion 3 is not positioned inside the inner peripheral surface of the outer straw 2, the sloped portion 4 will be guided by the outer edge of the outer straw 2. Inner straw 1 cannot be inserted. However, even if the sharp portion 3 is not positioned inside the inner circumferential surface of the outer straw 2, the outer diameter of the inner straw 1 is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer straw 2, so If the inner straw 1 is rotated by an appropriate angle, the sharp portion 3 will always be located inside the inner peripheral surface of the outer straw 2. Therefore, it is possible to assemble a double straw by rotating at least the inner straw among the inner and outer straws that are substantially on the same plane and inserting the inner straw into the outer straw from the sharp end. If the above-mentioned insertion work is performed while transferring a large number of inner and outer straws in parallel, it becomes possible to mechanically automate the assembly work of the inner and outer straws, and mass production of double straws can be realized.

Next, a device for carrying out the above-mentioned rotational insertion method will be described based on the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 to 6.

In the figure, numerals 11, 11, . . . are spiral rods, and a plurality of them are arranged in parallel. These spiral rod bodies 11, 11... have spiral grooves 12.
Inner and outer straws 1 and 2 are formed in the spiral groove 12.
The inner and outer straws 1, 2 are placed on the spiral rods 11, 11, . . . A plurality of spiral rods 11, 11, . . . arranged in parallel have spiral grooves 12, 12, . . . formed thereon wound in the same direction, and further rotate in the same direction.

Then, on the outside of the spiral rod body 11' located at the end of the spiral rod bodies 11, 11... on the rotation direction side,
A stop plate 13 is provided along the helical rod 11'. In this embodiment, the spiral rods 11, 11... are the sixth
Since it rotates clockwise, that is, to the right in the figure, there is a stop plate 1 on the outside of the spiral rod body 11' at the right end in the figure.
3 is provided.

In the figure, reference numeral 14 denotes a straw swinging member for swinging the outer straws 2, 2... on the spiral rods 11, 11..., and the position where the opposite end of the outer straw is placed in the operation described later. It is provided in The upper end surface of this straw swinging member 14 has an appropriate number of mountain-shaped parts 15, 1 for swinging the outer straw 2.
5... is formed.

The operation of the double straw insertion device of the present invention having the above configuration will be described below.

In this embodiment, the spiral grooves 12, 12... are formed in a left-handed manner, and the spiral rod bodies 11, 11... rotate clockwise in FIG.
When ... rotates, the inner straw 1 placed on it
And the outer straw 2 will move in the direction of arrow A in FIG.

Then, the inner straw 1 having the sharpened portion 3 formed by cutting the end diagonally in advance is turned in a direction in which the sharpened portion 3 does not face the stop plate 13, and the spiral rod body 11,
11... and place the outer straw 2 at an appropriate position on the downstream side thereof. Inner straw 1 is the third
It moves in the direction of arrow A in the figure, and its end finally hits the stop plate 13, after which it moves straight along the stop plate 13. The outer straw 2 is the inner straw 1
Since the straw is placed downstream from the placement position of the straw, it is conveyed obliquely to the inner straw 1, which is already moving straight along the stop plate 13, and collides with the inner straw 1. However, since the inner straw 1 is being pushed into the spiral grooves 12, 12..., it is rotating itself, and its sharp portion 3
After the straw is positioned inside the inner peripheral surface of the outer straw 2, the outer straw 2 is inserted into the inner straw 1.

A straw swinging member 14 is provided so that the end of the outer straw 2 is guided by the straw swinging member 14 when the outer straw 2 is positioned near the position where it contacts the inner straw 1. It is set as. While the end of the outer straw 2 is guided by the straw swinging member 14, the insertion side end of the outer straw 2 moves up and down slightly, so that the inner and outer straws 1 and 2 can be inserted. It's easy. In this embodiment, in order to swing the outer straw 2, the straw swinging member 14 is provided in the middle of the transport path of the outer straw 2, but it may be provided in the middle of the movement path of the inner straw 1.

In this embodiment, both the inner and outer straws 1 and 2 are conveyed by the spiral rods 11, 11...
Although the inner straw 1 is brought into contact with the stop plate 13 and moves straight, the outer straw 2 may be moved straight. Further, the means for moving one of the straws straight may be other means such as a chain conveyor.
However, it is necessary to make the linear speed equal to the component speed in the direction along the helical rods 11, 11, . . . of the diagonally conveyed straw. In this respect, according to this embodiment, all the spiral rod bodies 11, 11...
, the pitch of the spiral grooves 12, 12... is equal,
All you have to do is synchronize them and rotate them at the same speed.
This is advantageous because it does not require speed-related adjustments. Further, although the outer straw 2 is also rotated by the rotation of the spiral rods 11, 11, . . ., it is of course not necessary to rotate the outer straw 2.

Further, in this embodiment, the spiral grooves 12, 12, . . . are entrusted with conveying the inner and outer straws in an oblique direction, but it is also possible to provide a guide plate and allow the straws to be conveyed in an arbitrary diagonal direction. Furthermore, instead of using a flat surface like a spiral rod or chain conveyor for feeding straws, grooves are formed at equal intervals on the outer circumference of the rotating rotor, and the straws are inserted into these grooves and moved on the circumferential surface. You may also insert it.

Then, the double straw is completed by inserting the inner straw 1 into the outer straw 2 as shown in FIG.

As described above, in the method of the present invention, between an inner straw and an outer straw whose tips are cut diagonally on substantially the same plane to form a sharp point, at least the inner straw is rotated and the outer straw is cut from the sharp tip of the inner straw to the outer straw. Since the tip of the sharp part of the inner straw is inserted into the outer straw, the tip of the sharp part of the inner straw is reliably guided inside the outer straw, and the double straw can be reliably and easily assembled. In other words, the insertion work can be automatically performed by a machine without the use of human hands, providing an epoch-making effect that could not be expected in the past. Therefore, it has the effect of being able to provide a highly convenient double straw at a low cost. Furthermore, the insertion device of the present invention for use in carrying out the above method includes a plurality of spiral rods having spiral grooves formed therein, and one of the inner and outer straws is moved straight along the spiral rods. The other straw is dropped into the spiral groove and placed on the spiral rod, and the spiral rod is rotated to move the other straw diagonally forward, and the component velocity in the direction along the spiral rod is increased by one straw. The straw is conveyed at a speed substantially equal to the linear speed of the straw, and is inserted into the outer straw from the sharp end of the inner straw while rotating at least the inner straw of the inner straw and the outer straw having a sharp end on substantially the same plane. As a result, the double straw assembly operation can be performed reliably and continuously with a simple structure, resulting in an extremely highly rational effect. Moreover, since the straw swinging member that moves the insertion side end of one of the straws up and down is provided, there is an effect that the reliability of the straw insertion operation can be further improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 explain the principle of the insertion method of the present invention, and the insertion cannot be performed in the state shown in FIG. 1, but can be inserted in the state shown in FIG. 2. 3 to 6 schematically show a preferred embodiment of the insertion device of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 4 is a front sectional view. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line --- in FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken similarly along the -- line. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the completed assembly of the double straw. 1...Inner straw, 2...Outer straw, 3
...Sharp part, 4...Slope part, 11...Spiral rod body,
12... Spiral groove, 13... Stop plate, 14... Straw swinging member, 15... Mountain-shaped portion.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A number of inner straws whose tips are cut diagonally to have a sharp point are transported in parallel, and a number of outer straws are also transported in parallel, each of which has a pair of inner straws and an outer straw. The straw is transferred on substantially the same plane with the sharp tip of the inner straw facing one end of the outer straw, and while the inner straw is being rotated at least while the inner and outer straws are being transferred oppositely, the tip of the inner straw is moved from the sharp tip of the inner straw to the outside. A method for inserting a double straw, which is characterized by inserting it into a straw. 2. A plurality of spiral rods having spiral grooves are arranged in parallel,
One of the inner and outer straws is moved straight along the spiral rod, the other is dropped into the spiral groove and placed on the spiral rod, and the spiral rod is rotated to move the other straw diagonally. At least one of the inner straw and the outer straw is conveyed forward with a component velocity in the direction along the helical rod substantially equal to the linear velocity of the one straw, and the inner straw and the outer straw each have a sharp tip on substantially the same plane. A double straw insertion device characterized in that the inner straw is inserted into the outer straw from the sharp tip portion thereof while rotating the straw. 3 A plurality of spiral rods each having a spiral groove formed therein are arranged in parallel,
One of the inner and outer straws is moved straight along the spiral rod, the other is dropped into the spiral groove and placed on the spiral rod, and the spiral rod is rotated to move the other straw diagonally. The straw is transported forward with its component velocity in the direction along the spiral rod substantially equal to the linear velocity of one of the straws, and during the movement path of either the inner or outer straw, the straw on the movement path is A straw swinging member that moves the insertion side end up and down is provided, and at least the inner straw is rotated between the inner straw and the outer straw, each having a sharp tip on substantially the same plane, and the outer straw is moved from the sharp tip of the inner straw to the outer straw. A double straw insertion device characterized by being inserted into the.