Bottle Cap Insert Design for Weight and Acoustic Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Luxury cosmetic product bottle caps face challenges in achieving the right weight and surface finish while maintaining an acceptable cost and production efficiency, as traditional methods either result in caps that are too light or too heavy, and often have visible defects due to the difficulty in filling mold cavities with plastic materials.
Innovation Solution
A cap design featuring a hollow body with an insert that includes a platform, cylindrical skirt, and ribs to fill the empty volume, which absorbs and blocks sound waves, providing a muffled noise and enhancing the perceived value, along with a ballast inserted between the chimney and skirt to achieve the desired weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a weight made of high-density material (steel or Zamak) is inserted between the hood body and insert, then the cap achieves the desired weight for perceived value, but the production cost drastically increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from high-density materials (steel, Zamak) to conventional plastic materials, resolving the cost issue while maintaining the weight benefit through a different mechanism (hollow structure optimization)
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive permanent weight materials with a cost-effective plastic insert that achieves the weight effect through structural design rather than material density
2Weight of moving object
If the entire space between the hood and insert is filled with weight material, then the cap achieves maximum weight for perceived value, but the hood becomes excessively heavy and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies weight enhancement locally through the insert positioned in the hollow body, rather than filling the entire space, achieving sufficient weight without excessive heaviness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a partial filling approach with the insert occupying only the necessary space to achieve the target weight, avoiding the excess weight that would result from complete space filling
3Weight of moving object
If thick plastic parts are used to fill the hollow body, then the cap achieves sufficient weight, but visible surface defects such as sink marks appear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the weight-enhancement function into separate elements (insert with ribs and walls) rather than using a single thick plastic part, preventing sink marks while achieving the desired weight
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single thick-dimensional approach to a multi-dimensional structure with ribs and walls distributed throughout the hollow body, achieving weight without surface defects
4Weight of moving object
If an annular weight is integrated between the insert and hood, then the cap achieves the right weight and acceptable production cost, but a large empty space remains within the hood causing a hollow sound
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful hollow sound caused by empty space into a beneficial feature by filling the space with the insert structure, which also provides the weight enhancement function
Solution Approach 2:
The insert serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides weight enhancement, eliminates the hollow sound by filling empty space, and maintains aesthetic appearance, combining several benefits into a single component
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 cap design effectively reduces the 'hollow sound' issue, providing a more pleasant noise when tapped, while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing surface finish and appropriate weight, thus enhancing the perceived value without increasing production costs.
Implementation Method 1
The skirt, in turn, supports the means for filling the empty space. These filling means absorb and dampen sound waves emanating from the cover when the user taps it with their finger, significantly reducing the 'hollow sound' that occurs without these filling means.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a cap for closing a dispensing bottle for a fluid product, said cap comprising a hollow body (1) and an insert (10) inserted into the hollow body (1), said insert (10) comprising: - a platform (11) comprising an upper face (12) delimited by a peripheral perimeter (13) and having a central axis (X); - a skirt (16) extending along the central axis (X) from the platform (11) and having an outer surface; - an empty volume (17) defined by: - a base corresponding to a surface of the upper face (12) included between, on the one hand, the peripheral perimeter (13) and, on the other hand, a joint between the platform (11) and the outer surface of the skirt (16), and - a height corresponding to the height of the skirt (16); the insert (10) also comprising means for filling (18, 18', 19) the volume (17).