Beverage Container Cap with Nested Ring Member for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cap units with rotatable ring members for beverage containers face issues of bulkiness in storage and interference with external design, while ensuring strength and convenience.
Innovation Solution
A cap unit design where the ring member's lower surface conforms to the shape of the lid top wall, allowing it to be stored within a concave groove, reducing protrusion and enhancing integration with the cap unit's design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the ring member is fixed to the lid body and rises upward, then the ring member has sufficient strength and is easy to use, but the vertical dimension becomes bulky and obstructive when carrying the beverage container in a bag
Solution Approach 1:
The ring member is made rotatable around the hinge, transitioning from a fixed static structure to a dynamic one. In storage mode, the ring member rotates to a folded position where it lies substantially parallel to the lid body, reducing the vertical dimension. When needed, it can be rotated to an upright position for easy carrying, thus resolving the contradiction between compactness and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring member is designed to be stored within or alongside the lid body structure when not in use. The lower surface of the ring member conforms to the shape of the lid top wall, allowing it to nest into the lid body's contour, minimizing protrusion and achieving a compact stored state while maintaining structural integrity.
2Volume of stationary object
If the ring member is made rotatable around the hinge to reduce bulkiness, then compactness is achieved, but the dimension of the ring member protruding above the cap unit in storage state increases and strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable hinge mechanism allows the ring member to dynamically adjust its position. In the stored state, the ring member rotates to lie parallel to the lid body, minimizing protrusion dimension. The hinge is designed to maintain structural strength during rotation and in both stored and operational positions, resolving the contradiction between compactness and strength.
3Ease of operation
If the ring member is made rotatable around the hinge, then convenience is enhanced, but the ring member may influence or interfere with the external design of the cap unit
Solution Approach 1:
The lower surface of the ring member is designed to conform to the shape of the lid top wall, allowing it to nest into the lid body's contour when stored. This integration minimizes the ring member's visual impact on the external design while maintaining the convenience of rotatability for carrying.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring member's lower surface is specifically shaped to match the local geometry of the lid top wall where it contacts during storage. This localized conformal design allows the ring member to blend seamlessly with the cap unit's external design in the stored state while preserving its functional rotatability.
Data Source
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AI summary
PROBLEM To provide a cap unit and a beverage container capable of achieving compactness while ensuring ease of drinking the beverage. RESOLUTION MEANS A cap unit (3D) attached to a mouth/neck part of a container main body (2D) open on a top part, containing: a cap main body (30) that has a liquid passage opening that communicates with an inner part of the container main body (2D); an annular ring member (33) provided above the cap main body (30); a hinge (32) that connects the ring member (33) to the cap main body (30) so as to be freely rotatable around a hinge central axis (A); and a lid body (31) that covers the liquid passage opening; wherein the cap main body (30) has a opening forming member (36) in which the liquid passage opening is provided; the opening forming member (36) has a cylindrical peripheral wall part rising upward from the bottom wall part where the liquid passage opening is formed; and a front end part of the peripheral wall part protrudes upward from other parts; wherein the lid part (31) has a recessed or groove-shaped storage recessed part from the lid top wall part of the lid body (31); at least a portion of the ring member (33) is stored in the storage recessed part in the storage state of the ring member where the lower surface of the ring member and the lid top wall part face each other; the ring member (33) has a ring front end part located on the frontmost side when the ring member (33) is in the storage state; the storage recessed part has a front end placement part in which the ring front end part is provided; and the front end part of the peripheral wall part and the front end placement part are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction.