Bell-Shaped Container Top With Ribbed Stiffeners

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current container tops for volatile substance evaporators are inefficient in plastic usage, leading to reduced rigidity and increased risk of deformation, which affects product integrity and production line efficiency, and are not reusable, posing environmental and economic concerns.

Innovation Solution

A bell-shaped top design with a hollow upper part, middle zone with anchoring elements, and a flared skirt featuring inner and outer ribs that provide structural support while minimizing material usage, allowing for reduced weight and enhanced robustness to prevent deformation and facilitate mass production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of stationary object

If the thickness of the walls of the top is reduced to reduce plastic consumption and weight, then plastic usage and weight are reduced, but the resistance capacity and rigidity are compromised leading to deformations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of topVSAvoidresistance capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of stationary objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The top is divided into multiple functional zones: an upper part for housing the wick, a middle zone with anchoring elements, and a lower skirt portion. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized independently for its specific function while using material efficiently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the top have different wall thicknesses and structural characteristics tailored to their specific functional requirements. The middle zone has greater thickness for anchoring stability, while the upper and lower portions can have reduced thickness where full strength is not required, optimizing material usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 3:

The invention introduces a third dimension by adding ribs that extend both inward and outward from the top body. These ribs create a three-dimensional structural framework that provides reinforcement without increasing the overall footprint or requiring uniformly thicker walls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Loss of substance

If the thickness of the walls of the top is reduced to reduce plastic consumption, then plastic consumption is reduced, but deformations occur during threading and insertion that cause damage to product or production line

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplastic consumptionVSAvoidproduction line efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The ribs are integrated into the top structure during manufacturing, providing pre-established reinforcement points that prevent deformations during subsequent threading and insertion operations. This preliminary structural preparation ensures reliable performance throughout the production process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The ribs extend in multiple dimensions from the top body, creating a three-dimensional reinforcement framework that resists deformation during threading operations. This dimensional approach provides structural support without requiring uniformly thicker walls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Strength

If ribs are added to strengthen the top structure, then resistance capacity and rigidity are improved, but the complexity of the top design increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproverigidityVSAvoidtop design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ribs are designed to coincide with or integrate with existing structural features of the top, such as the anchoring elements in the middle zone. This merging of functions allows the ribs to provide reinforcement while serving dual purposes, reducing overall design complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The ribs serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide structural reinforcement, define the geometry of the top, and can integrate with anchoring mechanisms. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3868412B1Top for container
Publication Date: 2023.06.28 ZENIT ESTUDIO DE DISENO E INNOVACION SL
  • EP3868412B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3868412B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3868412B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Top for container comprising a bell-like body suitable for housing a wick that protrudes from the mouth of a container, the top may present in the upper part a shape suitable for housing part of said wick, a middle zone which on the internal face has means of anchoring to the container and, in the lower zone presents a skirt, in the inner lower zone of the top are some stiffeners which aligns with some outer stiffeners and provide robustness to the part achieving a lower consumption of manufacturing material.