Pre-filled drinking straw with a cross-slit valve closure on both ends
The invention is characterized in that the straw body ( 1 ) is consisting of two or more segments, which are attached together with connection ( 5 ) and that the straw body ( 1 ) on its both ends has a cross-slit valve ( 2, 3 ) closure and the valves ( 2, 3 ) and the straw body ( 1 ) are integrated by molecular adhesion. The inlet and outlet valves ( 2, 3 ) are of a slit type. The straw body ( 1 ) is preferably made of a thermoplastic material and the valves ( 2, 3 ) are preferably made of elastomer material. The edge of the straw body ( 1 ) is shaped to enable larger surface of the connection between the straw body ( 1 ) and the valve ( 2, 3 ). The said shape is preferably a groove ( 8 ). On the wall on the end of the straw body ( 1 ) a tongue-shaped groove ( 9 ) is formed on the surface side.
1. A pre-filled straw with a cross-slit valve to be used for oral administration of liquid soluble ingredients, comprising:
a straw body ( 1 ) formed from two or more segments, which are attached together with a connection ( 5 ), the straw body having two ends, and
a liquid soluble ingredient ( 11 ) provided within the straw body;
wherein the segments of the straw body ( 1 ) on both its ends have a cross-slit valve ( 2 , 3 ) closure at the end of the segment; wherein each of the cross-slit valves ( 2 , 3 ) is positioned to face a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the respective segment; and
each of the valves ( 2 , 3 ) is attached to the respective segments of the straw body ( 1 ) by molecular adhesion.
2. The straw according to claim 1 , wherein one of the valves ( 2 , 3 ) is an inlet valve ( 2 ), and a membrane ( 7 ) of the inlet valve ( 2 ) is of the concave form.
3. The straw according to claim 1 , wherein one of the valves ( 2 , 3 ) is an outlet valve ( 3 ), and a membrane ( 10 ) of the outlet valve ( 3 ) is of the convex form.
4. The straw according to claim 1 , wherein the straw body ( 1 ) is made of a thermoplastic material.
5. The straw according to claim 1 , wherein an edge of the straw body ( 1 ), at each end thereof, comprises a groove ( 8 ) for connecting the respective valve ( 2 , 3 ) to the straw body ( 1 ).
6. The straw according to claim 1 , wherein the valves ( 2 , 3 ) are made of elastomer material.
7. A process of manufacturing of the pre-filled straw according to claim 1 , comprising:
producing each of the two or more segments of the straw body ( 1 ) separately using a molding process comprising:
in a first step, a first component is injected in a first cavity ( 13 ) of a mold ( 12 ), in which the shape of the first cavity ( 13 ) is in the shape of a separate segment of the two or more segments of the straw body ( 1 );
then the mold ( 12 ) rotates and, in a second step, the already formed separate segment of the straw body comes in contact with a second cavity ( 20 ) having the shape of a corresponding one of the valves ( 2 , 3 );
then a second component is injected into the second cavity ( 20 ), so the valve ( 2 , 3 ) and the corresponding separate segment of the straw body are attached by the molecular adhesion;
providing a liquid soluble ingredient ( 11 ) into the segments; and
connecting the separate segments of the straw body with the connection ( 5 ) to form the straw body ( 1 ).
8. The straw according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid soluble ingredient ( 11 ) is granules ( 24 ).
9. The straw according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid soluble ingredient ( 11 ) is for oral drug administration.
10. The process according to claim 7 , wherein the first component is a thermoplastic material and the second component is an elastomer material.