Bottle Screw Caps With Integrated Seals for Foil-Free Moisture Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bottle caps do not provide sufficient moisture tightness after the initial seal is broken, compromising the preservation of contents, and many require induction sealing equipment that not all filling lines have.
Innovation Solution
A screw-top cap with an annular skirt and internal flexible lip seal members, optionally including a thermoplastic elastomer seal, forms a moisture-tight seal with the bottle neck without the need for foil seals, using injection molding to integrate components like a desiccant and compressible seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a foil seal with induction sealing is used to ensure moisture tightness, then the shelf life of contents is preserved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to special apparatus and materials required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the foil seal and induction sealing apparatus from the system by integrating all sealing functions directly into the cap structure. The cap includes an elastomeric seal member and flexible lip seal members that provide moisture tight sealing without requiring any separate foil seal or induction heating equipment, thus eliminating the complex sealing apparatus while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The cap is designed to perform multiple sealing functions simultaneously: the elastomeric seal member provides the primary moisture tight seal, while the flexible lip seal members provide additional sealing and tamper evidence. This multi-functional integration eliminates the need for separate foil seals and induction sealing equipment, reducing device complexity while maintaining or improving moisture protection
2Reliability
If a foil seal is applied to preserve shelf life, then moisture tightness is achieved, but the ease of manufacture decreases due to requirements for special induction sealing equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the requirement for induction sealing equipment from the manufacturing process by incorporating all necessary sealing functionality directly into the cap structure. The elastomeric and flexible lip seal members can be integrated during standard injection molding, allowing manufacture on conventional filling lines without special induction sealing apparatus
Solution Approach 2:
The cap structure itself provides the sealing function through its integrated elastomeric and flexible lip seal members, eliminating the need for external foil seals and induction sealing equipment. The seal members are self-contained within the cap and require no additional manufacturing steps or specialized equipment beyond standard injection molding capabilities
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional bottle caps are used without integrated seals, then the ease of manufacture is maintained, but the moisture tightness after initial seal breaking is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sealing function directly into the cap structure by integrating elastomeric seal members and flexible lip seal members during the same injection molding process that forms the cap body. This combination allows conventional manufacturing methods to produce caps with built-in moisture tight sealing capability, eliminating the need for separate foil seals while maintaining ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The cap utilizes composite materials including elastomeric polymers and flexible lip seal members with different material properties. The elastomeric seal member provides primary sealing while the flexible lip seal members provide secondary sealing and tamper evidence. This multi-material approach achieves superior moisture tightness while being manufacturable on conventional filling lines using standard injection molding techniques
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 maintains moisture-tight integrity over the shelf life of the contents, allowing resealing and providing tamper evidence without the need for induction sealing, thus simplifying manufacturing and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
at least one internal flexible lip seal member depending downwardly from the base... configured to engage and form a seal with an inner surface or an outer surface of a bottle neck
Implementation Method 2
a thermoplastic elastomer seal member disposed on the base around the entire periphery, the thermoplastic elastomer seal member being configured to engage and form a seal with an end portion of a bottle neck
Data Source
AI summary
A screw cap (14, 502) configured to be removably attachable to a bottle (12) includes a base (40) and an annular skirt (42, 508) extending downwardly therefrom. One or more threads (32) extend radially inwardly from an interior surface of the skirt (42, 508). A retention feature (509) extends radially inwardly from the interior surface of the skirt (42, 508). The retention feature (509) is configured to produce at least one of an audible response or a tactile response when the cap (14, 502) is rotated with respect to a bottle (12).