| 摘要 |
A drinking straw for consuming a beverage is prepared by: a) melt-extruding a polymeric material in the shape of a continuous tubular conduit suitable for preparing a plurality of drinking straws; b) cooling said continuous tubular conduit to a temperature below the softening point of the polymer; c) flattening the tubular conduit so as to collapse its structure into a substantially planar form, thereby constricting the central longitudinal cavity and reducing the volume of the continuous tubular conduit; d) cutting a length from the continuous conduit of suitable length for making the straw; and e) dilating the length cut from the conduit so as to restore the cross-sectional area of the central cavity and reconstitute the tubular structure of the straw. Advantages of the invention include minimizing storage space and shipping bulk, as well as reducing the need for packaging materials. In further aspects of the invention, there are provided particular processes for making the drinking straw and a drinking straw dispenser.
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