TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to an environmental-friendly drinking straw, "6-Straw”, which serves to eliminate the commonly used plastic straws. The known "B-Straw" is biodegradable and disposable. The designed for the convenience of user and hygiene purpose.

BACKGROUND ART

Despite being non-biodegradable, plastic drinking straws are used in such vast quantities across the globe. For instance, beach hawker stores, theme park food stores and fast food industries all over the world are still providing plastic drinking straw to the customers. Many of us have neglected the harmful effect that plastic straws would bring to the environment. On top of that, plastic straws are derived from petroleum. Further reactions result In the production of polypropylene, which are the raw materials for plastics. Polypropylene is harmful human health, in practice, recycling plastic straws does not happen as much as it should because they are light arid small. Hence, plastic straws are usually disposed of as trash and often end up in the ocean.

United States have used over 500 million straws everyday and many of these straws end up in the ocean, leading to water poliutton and, in the meantime, threatening tire aquatic animals. If we do not act upon this issue today, plastic wastes in the ocean would accumulate to a critical level by the year 2050. Plastic straws are among the TOP 10 items found in the beach dean ups. These plastic straws could harm the seabirds, turtles and other marine life.

The drawback of paper straws which are commonly used alf over the world today is that the paper straws will tom soggy easily after the exposure to ice water. This would discourage the customers to use a paper straw as compared to a plastic straw.

The emus $s on us to eliminate plastic straws, to restore the beauty of nature, for the sake of our future generations.

We want to educate and encourage people to stop using plastic straws. Therefore, we are here to introduce "B-Straw" as a replacement of plastic straws. DISCLOSURE OF IHVBiTlON.

The present invention known as ^* B-Straw* is made up of food grade solid card paper, that can be easily recycled and is biodegradable. It biodegrades easily when it is disposed of or buried underground, in addition, it can be used as fertilizers after decomposition. On top of that, "8-Straw" is cost-effective. The cost of production and raw materials are lower as compared to plastic composites.

The creasing lines provide greater strength to toe Shaw's body. This is so that the straw could last even longer after being immersed in water, including ice water.

"B-Straw* is made up of a blank sheet of solid card paper. The solid card paper consists of creating lines. The initial flat body of the solid card paper can be transformed into a tube by pinching toe longitudinal sides. The shape of the straws' cross-section (or the straws' mouth) can be of any type of polygon, such as square, rectangle, pentagon, hexagon etc, which depends on the number of creasing lines on the food grade solid card paper. For instance, 4 creating line in the food grade solid card paper wifi be able to form a tube with squared or rectangular cross-section. Whereas, 5 creating lines in toe food grade solid card paper will form tube with pentagonal cross-section.

"B-Strew" is designed as a single-use product and can be disposed of after use. it will biodegrade within a short period of time after it is buried underground. It then serves as fertilizers in the soil. This is undeniably a benefit to the environment.

To manufacture a straw with a square-shaped body _# 4 creasing lines with equal width must first be created on the solid card paper. Then, fold the first (!) and third (3) creasing line and heat-seai both overlapping ends. B-Straw remained fiat after sterilization process (Figure 2). Users are required to give the longitudinal sides a slight pinch (Figure 3) so that a diamond hollow tube or square hollow tube is formed. "B-Straw" is designed for the convenience of consumers and for hygiene purpose. To sum up, "8-Straw" would provide a better alternative for plastic straw, this is definitely an efficient way of reducing plastic wastes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

To give a dearer idea on the design of*B-Straw* _y a preferred example of the invention will now be described with reference to a detailed diagram: -

Fig. 1 illustrates a blank sheet of food grade solid card paper with appropriate number of creasing lines.

F¾. 2 illustrates the folded portion, heat-seal both overlapping ends permanently, "B-Straw" remained as a flat body in this stage.

Fig. 3 illustrates how the fiat body is being pinched at the longitudinal sides to form a hollow tube upon use.

Fig.4 The shape of a straw is formed and can now be used. This is the 8-Straw.