Blow-Molded Container Radius Transitions for Material Savings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blow-molded plastic containers are weakened by excessively thin walls near transitions, requiring substantial material to maintain strength, leading to inefficiencies in material usage and increased production costs.
Innovation Solution
A single-piece, blow-molded plastic container with a multi-sided configuration and smoothly tapered radius transitions between the spout and sidewalls, utilizing specialized tooling for even thermoplastic distribution, reducing material usage while maintaining structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If substantial material is used to maintain strength at transition areas, then container strength is improved, but material usage efficiency deteriorates and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing enhanced material distribution specifically at the transition areas between sidewalls and top/bottom sections, while maintaining thinner walls in other areas. This is achieved through modified corner radii that concentrate material where structural strength is needed during filling, rather than uniformly thickening the entire container wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the transition areas by modifying corner radii from sharp angles to curved transitions. This parameter change allows for more efficient material flow and distribution during blow-molding, enabling sufficient wall thickness at critical stress points without increasing overall material consumption.
2Loss of substance
If wall thickness is reduced to save material, then material cost decreases, but container strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by creating non-uniform wall thickness distribution through modified corner radii. The transition areas have enhanced material concentration providing local strength reinforcement, while other areas maintain reduced wall thickness for material savings. This allows the container to be thinner overall while remaining strong where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies curvature by replacing sharp corner transitions with rounded radii at the junctions between sidewalls and top/bottom sections. This curved geometry promotes more even material distribution during the blow-molding process, preventing excessive thinning at transitions and maintaining structural integrity with less material.
3Ease of manufacture
If sharp corner transitions are used in multi-sided container, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but material distribution evenness deteriorates causing weak spots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing sharp corner transitions with rounded radii at the junctions between sidewalls and top/bottom sections. This curved geometry promotes more even material distribution during the blow-molding process, preventing excessive thinning at transitions and maintaining structural integrity with less material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the transition areas by modifying corner radii from sharp angles to curved transitions. This parameter change allows for more efficient material flow and distribution during blow-molding, enabling sufficient wall thickness at critical stress points without increasing overall material consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for forming a blow-molded container includes a mold, a mandrel, and a die. The mold includes a bottom section for forming a container bottom, a sidewall section for forming a plurality of sidewalls, a spout section for forming a spout, and a neck section for forming an upwardly converging neck member coupling the sidewalls to the spout having a convex radius transition section of approximately three inches in a container having an overall height of approximately ten inches. The mandrel and the die are operative to form a parison that assumes an ovoid cross-section within the mold with the outer surfaces of the parison positioned approximately equidistant from sidewall section of said mold.