A drinking straw structure, a sealing device for forming the drinking straw structure, a method for forming the drinking straw structure and a liquid food package

Abstract

A drinking straw structure is disclosed. The drinking straw structure comprising: a U-shaped drinking straw comprising a first portion, a second portion and a bending portion, wherein the first and second portions are connected via the bending portion, and a drinking straw wrap enclosing the U-shaped drinking straw, wherein the first and second portions of the U-shaped drinking straw extend substantially parallel along a longitudinal axis of the drinking straw structure, the drinking straw wrap comprising: a main seal being arranged along a circumference of the drinking straw wrap thereby forming a first unsealed area of the drinking straw wrap, and a longitudinal seal extending in a longitudinal direction of the drinking straw structure from the main seal at a first edge of the drinking straw wrap along a longitudinal seal length.

1 . A drinking straw structure for a liquid food package holding a drinkable food product, the drinking straw structure comprising:
 a U-shaped drinking straw comprising a first portion, a second portion and a bending portion, wherein the first and second portions are connected via the bending portion, and   a drinking straw wrap enclosing the U-shaped drinking straw, wherein the first and second portions of the U-shaped drinking straw extend substantially parallel along a longitudinal axis of the drinking straw structure, the drinking straw wrap comprising:   a main seal being arranged along a circumference of the drinking straw wrap thereby forming a first unsealed area of the drinking straw wrap, and   a longitudinal seal extending in a longitudinal direction of the drinking straw structure from the main seal at a first edge of the drinking straw wrap along a longitudinal seal length.   
     
     
         2 . The drinking straw structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the U-shaped drinking straw is longer than the second portion of the U-shaped drinking straw thereby a distal end of the first portion is arranged further away from the bending portion than a distal end of the second portion. 
     
     
         3 . The drinking straw structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal seal has a longitudinal seal width of 1-3 mm as seen along a transverse axis being transverse to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . The drinking straw structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal seal has the longitudinal seal length of 10-100 mm as seen along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . The drinking straw structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal seal length is shorter than a distance between the respective distal ends of the first and second portions of the U-shaped drinking straw seen along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         6 . The drinking straw structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the drinking straw wrap further comprises a transverse seal extending in a transverse direction of the drinking straw structure from the main seal at a second edge of the drinking straw wrap. 
     
     
         7 . The drinking straw structure according to  claim 6 , wherein the transverse seal has a transverse seal width of 1-3 mm as seen along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         8 . The drinking straw according to  claim 6 , wherein the transverse seal has a transverse seal length of 5-30 mm as seen along the transverse axis. 
     
     
         9 . The drinking straw structure according to  claim 6 , wherein the transverse seal extends to the longitudinal seal. 
     
     
         10 . The drinking straw structure according to  claim 9 , wherein a portion of the main seal at the first edge of the drinking straw wrap, a portion of the main seal at the second edge of the drinking straw wrap, the longitudinal seal and the transverse seal form a second unsealed area being separate from the first unsealed area. 
     
     
         11 . The drinking straw structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the U-shaped drinking straw is made of paper-based material or synthetic-based material. 
     
     
         12 . The drinking straw structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the drinking straw wrap is made of paper-based material or synthetic-based material. 
     
     
         13 . A sealing device for forming a drinking straw structure  200  according to  claim 1 , the sealing device comprising a sealing roller and an abutment device, the sealing device being configured to:
 receive a U-shaped drinking straw being arranged between a first film and a second film, the first and second films being configured to form the drinking straw wrap, the U-shaped drinking straw being arranged such that a first portion and a second portion of the U-shaped drinking straw extend substantially parallel along a longitudinal axis of the drinking straw wrap, and 
 provide a main seal, sealing the first film to the second film, and extending along a circumference of the drinking straw wrap and a longitudinal seal, sealing the first film to the second film, and extending in a longitudinal direction of the drinking straw structure from the main seal at the first edge of the drinking straw wrap by compressing the sealing roller towards the abutment device thereby forming the drinking straw structure. 
 
     
     
         14 . A method for forming a drinking straw structure according to  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 arranging a U-shaped drinking straw between a first film and a second film, the first and second films being configured to form a drinking straw wrap, the U-shaped drinking straw being arranged such that a first portion and a second portion of the U-shaped drinking straw extend substantially parallel along a longitudinal axis of the drinking straw wrap, and   providing a main seal, sealing the first film to the second film, and extending along a circumference of the drinking straw wrap and a longitudinal seal, sealing the first film to the second film, and extending in a longitudinal direction of the drinking straw structure from the main seal at the first edge of the drinking straw wrap.   
     
     
         15 . A liquid food package for holding a liquid food product, the liquid food package comprising:
 a main body for holding the liquid food product, and   a drinking straw structure according to  claim 1  being attached to an outside surface of the main body.