Bottle Neck Design Reducing Plastic Usage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current plastic material containers for mineral water bottles face challenges in reducing the size of the cylindrical tubular segment and annular components while maintaining sealing, supporting, and handling functionality, due to structural and functional constraints.
Innovation Solution
A plastic material container with a neck featuring a threaded end portion, an annular protrusion serving as both a seal tearing crown and conveying support flange, and an annular groove between the threaded portion and the protrusion, which allows for reduced plastic usage and efficient handling during manufacturing and downstream processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the size of the cylindrical tubular segment and annular components is reduced to decrease plastic material usage, then the amount of plastic required is reduced, but the bottle cannot be properly sealed, supported, or handled due to insufficient structural dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the seal-tearing crown and conveying flange into a single integrated annular component, eliminating the need for separate components. This integration reduces the total plastic material required while maintaining both sealing and supporting functions through the unified structure's geometric design
Solution Approach 2:
The annular component serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the seal-tearing crown and the conveying flange for supporting the bottle during manufacturing. This multi-functionality allows reduction in component quantity and material usage while preserving all necessary operational capabilities
2Loss of substance
If the height of the threaded end segment and annular seat is reduced below standard dimensions, then plastic material usage decreases, but standard plastic caps cannot be properly screwed onto the bottle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different geometric characteristics to different portions of the neck structure. The threaded end segment maintains standard height and threading geometry to ensure cap compatibility, while other portions of the cylindrical tubular segment are optimized with reduced dimensions to minimize plastic material usage
3Loss of substance
If the height of the annular contact portion is reduced to decrease plastic material usage, then the amount of plastic required decreases, but the bottle cannot be safely supported by feeding guides or gripped by manufacturing system components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent compensates for reduced vertical height of the annular contact portion by optimizing its radial extent and surface area. The flange is designed with extended radial dimensions that provide sufficient contact area with feeding guides and gripping members, maintaining support and handling capabilities despite reduced height
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A plastic material container, e.g. a beverage bottle, having a neck (2) which requires the use of a smaller amount of plastic than the bottle necks of the prior art, and which is able to ensure a complete functionality for coupling the cap, ensuring at the same time the possibility of implementing the traditional supporting,; sealing and handling operations of the bottle carried out during the various steps of manufacturing the same.