Tamper-Evident Bottle Stopper With Irreversible Safety Strip

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current closure methods for containers, such as bottles, allow for easy opening and reclosing without leaving any marks, making safety strips ineffective, posing a risk to consumer health and safety as the seal can be reused, compromising the integrity of the product.

Innovation Solution

The stopper and container form a single, integral part upon closure, with the stopper engaging by inserting a part into another part of the container, making it impossible to reopen without damaging the seal, ensuring a one-time safe closure that cannot be reused.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the stopper and container are made as two separate parts that can be easily separated, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of the seal is worsened as the container can be reopened without damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of openingVSAvoidseal integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper and container are merged into a single integral structure where the stopper cannot be separated from the container without damaging the sealing surface. The stopper is designed with a sealing element that forms an irreversible bond with the container opening, ensuring that any attempt to reopen the container will destroy the seal and make reclosing impossible.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If the stopper is designed to be removable and reusable, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety of the product is worsened as tampering cannot be detected

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereusabilityVSAvoidtampering risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing mechanism is designed with a preliminary irreversible action that occurs upon first opening. The stopper's sealing element is configured to break or deform permanently when first removed, creating a visible indicator that the container has been opened. This preliminary action ensures that any subsequent attempt to reclose the container will not restore the original seal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If conventional closure methods are used allowing easy opening and closing, then the productivity is improved, but the consumer safety is worsened due to inability to ensure product integrity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclosure speedVSAvoidconsumer health risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing mechanism employs a disposable sealing element that is designed to be destroyed upon first use. This inexpensive component ensures consumer safety by making the seal non-reusable, while the overall closure process remains simple and quick. The disposable nature of the sealing element guarantees that once opened, the container cannot be safely reclosed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentEP3166863B1A stopper with safety strip for absolute lock of bottles's neck

Publication Date: 2018.09.12 AL IBTIKAR PACKAGING & INVESTMENT

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AI summary

The present invention relates to an absolutely safe closure of beverages, food, medical bottles, so that they cannot be opened and reclosed assuming the shape of first production in the factory. The stopper is engaged with the container via a safety strip (6) located between the wall of the stopper and the wall of the bottle neck, so that detachment of the stopper from the bottle neck is possible only by tampering with the safety strip in such a way that it won't be possible to reinstall the stopper on the bottle the way it was when leaving the factory.