Bottle Grip With Undulating Beads For Compression Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Lightweight plastic containers face challenges in resisting environmental factors during manufacturing, shipping, and storage, including deformation under compressive forces and flexibility issues that lead to contents splashing out.

Innovation Solution

The container features a grip portion with undulating beads and a combination of non-adjoining straight and undulating beads, which improves stress distribution and resistance to top load and compression, while also enhancing handling with a reduced diameter for easier gripping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the container wall thickness is reduced to make it lightweight, then the plastic material usage and cost are reduced, but the container becomes more susceptible to deformation under compressive forces during transportation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontainer weightVSAvoidresistance to compression
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The container body is segmented into multiple functional zones with different wall thicknesses. The upper portion has greater thickness for stacking strength, while the lower portion has reduced thickness for lightweight design. This segmentation allows the container to achieve both lightweight construction and adequate compression resistance where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the container body are assigned different wall thicknesses based on their specific functional requirements. The upper portion requires higher thickness for stacking stability, while the lower portion can use thinner material since it experiences lower compressive forces during handling and transportation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Weight of moving object

If the container is designed with reduced wall thickness for lightweight construction, then the cost and environmental impact are reduced, but the sides become too flexible causing contents to splash out when grabbed or squeezed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontainer weightVSAvoidhandling stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The grip portion is designed with locally increased wall thickness compared to other parts of the container body. This local reinforcement provides structural stability and resistance to squeezing forces during handling, preventing contents from splashing out while maintaining the overall lightweight character of the container.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Weight of moving object

If the container geometry is optimized for lightweight construction, then the volume/weight ratio is improved, but the container becomes difficult to store and pile for transportation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontainer weightVSAvoidstorage and stacking
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into functional segments with differentiated characteristics. The upper portion is designed with features that facilitate stacking and storage, while the lower portion maintains streamlined geometry for lightweight construction and efficient transportation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of operation

If the grip portion has a smaller diameter for easier gripping, then the handling is improved, but the structural strength at that location is reduced making it more prone to deformation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegripping easeVSAvoidresistance to deformation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The grip portion combines reduced diameter for ergonomic handling with locally increased wall thickness to compensate for the reduced structural strength. This local reinforcement ensures that the grip portion can withstand handling forces without deforming, while still providing easy gripping capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3802341B1Bottle with grip portion
Publication Date: 2025.05.14 SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE SA
  • EP3802341B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3802341B1 patent drawingFigure 2a
  • EP3802341B1 patent drawingFigure 2b

AI summary

The invention concerns a container (40), preferably a bottle, presenting a longitudinal axis comprising - a neck portion (42), - a shoulder portion (44) connected to the neck portion (42), - a body portion (45) comprising a label portion (46) and a grip portion (48) and connected to the shoulder portion (44) via a first connecting portion (49a), the label portion (46) and the grip portion (48) being connected together via a second connection portion (49b), and - a base portion (50) forming the bottom of the container (40) connected to the body portion via a third connecting portion (49c), wherein the grip portion (48) comprises at least one undulating bead (54).