Beverage Pack Overlay Dispenser for Easy Opening and Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging for beverage containers, such as bottles and cans, faces challenges in balancing economic manufacturing with strength and consumer convenience, particularly in providing easy access and handling, especially for large quantities like bottled water, where shrink wrap packages tend to tear easily and are difficult to open.
Innovation Solution
A package design featuring a paperboard overlay member with a dispenser flap and perforated tear lines, enveloped in thermoplastic shrink wrap, allowing users to easily access bottles through a weakened portion of the overwrap, maintaining package integrity and convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If shrink wrap film is used to provide economical packaging, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the package readily tears at high stress concentration areas
Solution Approach 1:
The overlay member is divided into a central panel and a dispenser panel separated by a tear line. This segmentation allows the package to be opened at a predetermined location without compromising the overall structural integrity of the shrink wrap film, resolving the contradiction between using economical thin film and maintaining package strength.
Solution Approach 2:
A tear line is pre-formed between the central and dispenser panels during manufacturing. This preliminary action creates a predetermined weak point that guides where the package will open, preventing unpredictable tearing at stress concentration areas while maintaining the strength of the main package structure.
2Strength
If thicker film is used to prevent accidental tearing, then package strength is improved, but the package becomes relatively difficult for the consumer to open and conveniently gain access to the containers
Solution Approach 1:
The overlay member is segmented into distinct panels with a tear line between them. This allows the package to maintain overall strength from the complete overlay structure while providing a specific, easy-to-open segment at the dispenser panel that consumers can access without struggling with the entire package.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay member has different properties in different regions: the central panel and perimeter panels provide structural strength, while the dispenser panel with its tear line provides easy opening. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between overall package strength and localized ease of opening.
3Strength
If paperboard cartons or carriers are used to encircle the containers, then package strength and protection are improved, but manufacturing cost increases compared to shrink wrap
Solution Approach 1:
The package uses a composite structure combining shrink wrap film and a paperboard overlay member. This composite approach provides the structural strength and protection of paperboard while using economical shrink wrap for the main enveloping, achieving a balance between strength and manufacturing cost that neither material could provide alone.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a robust, economical, and user-friendly packaging system that allows easy access to individual bottles while maintaining the package's structural integrity, facilitating storage and handling without additional costs to manufacturers or consumers.
Implementation Method 1
a trend toward cheaper thermoplastic film materials which can be heat shrunk into close conforming relationship to a group of containers has emerged
Data Source
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AI summary
A package (10) for a number of beverage containers (12) includes an overlay member (22) covering the top ends (14) of the beverage containers (12). The overlay member (22) has a central generally planar panel (24) positioned atop the top ends (14) of the beverage containers (12) and a number of perimeter panels (26) each joined to and positioned on a perimeter of the central panel (24). Each perimeter panel (26) is oriented generally perpendicularly relative to the central panel (24). A dispenser opening (40) is in the central panel (24) of the overlay member (22) through which the beverage containers (12) may be removed from the package. A dispenser flap (34) is adjacent the dispenser opening (40) and a perimeter edge (36) of the overlay member (22). The dispenser flap (34) may be pulled outwardly from the overlay member (22) by a user to provide access.