Break-Open Pack with U-Shaped Controlled Breaking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing snus pouch containers lose moisture when opened, leading to unsatisfactory dryness for the last pouches, and blister packs deform the pouches excessively upon opening.

Innovation Solution

A sealed break-open pack comprising a rigid and flexible sheet, with a pre-weakened area for controlled breaking, allowing a 'U'-shaped folding to open without deforming the contents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a blister pack is used for snus pouches, then the pouches can be individually accessed, but the aluminium wall requires considerable pressure to break which excessively deforms the snus pouch and could cause loss of humidity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindividual access to pouchesVSAvoiddeformation and humidity loss of snus pouch

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the rigid aluminium wall of traditional blister packs with a flexible plastic film that can be easily torn by the user. This flexible film maintains the sealed environment while allowing simple opening without requiring excessive force that would deform the snus pouch or compromise its humidity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of operation

If a container containing multiple snus pouches is opened, then the pouches can be accessed, but the inner atmosphere mixes with environment atmosphere causing moisture loss in subsequently picked pouches

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to pouchesVSAvoidmoisture consistency of snus pouch

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the packaging into multiple separate sealed pockets within a single container, with each pocket individually sealed around a snus pouch. This segmentation allows users to open only one pocket at a time while the others remain sealed and protected from environmental moisture, ensuring consistent quality across all pouches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each snus pouch is pre-sealed in its own individual pocket before being placed in the container. This preliminary sealing action ensures that the pouches are protected from moisture loss from the moment of packaging, and only the specific pouch intended for use needs to be accessed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250289638A1Break-open pack and production method thereof

Publication Date: 2025.09.18 GD SPA

AI summary

A sealed break-open pack (1) having: at least one product (5), in particular of the tobacco processing industry; a rigid sheet (2); a flexible sheet (3), which is arranged on top of and is fixed to the rigid sheet (2) so as to define a pocket (4) housing the product (5); and a pre-weakened area (6), which is obtained in the rigid sheet (2) in order to guide, following a “U”-shaped folding of the rigid sheet (2), a controlled breaking of the rigid sheet (2) in the pre-weakened area (6) so as to cause the formation of an output opening for the product (5) through the rigid sheet (2). The pre-weakened area (6) has a non-through incision (7) which is “U”-shaped, is obtained through a surface of the rigid sheet (2), and partially surrounds the product (5) housed in the pocket (4).