Cap Opening Geometry for Glug-Free Refilling of Liquid Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumers find refilling containers difficult and messy due to glugging, which slows down the process and discourages reuse, particularly with small openings and viscous liquids.
Innovation Solution
Containers with a cap design featuring an elongated opening and angled walls to minimize airflow distance, reducing glugging and facilitating refilling by ensuring a balanced flow rate and air entry, while using viscous liquids with specific viscosities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a small opening is used in the container neck, then the container can be sealed better and maintain liquid, but the refilling process becomes difficult and slow
Solution Approach 1:
The opening is segmented into two distinct parts: a small neck opening for sealing and a larger elongated opening in the cap for refilling. This segmentation allows each opening to serve its specific function optimally - the small neck opening maintains sealing reliability while the larger elongated opening facilitates easy refilling operations.
2Productivity
If liquid is poured quickly into a container, then refilling efficiency increases, but glugging occurs causing mess and slowing down the process
Solution Approach 1:
The elongated opening acts as an intermediary structure that mediates between the liquid flow and air entry. Its specific geometry (length, width, and orientation) allows air to enter the container in a controlled manner alongside the liquid, preventing the glugging effect while maintaining high refilling speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The parameters of the opening (dimensions, shape, orientation) are specifically optimized to change the flow dynamics. The elongated opening with its specific width (10-35 mm) and length-to-width ratio creates optimal conditions for simultaneous liquid pouring and air entry, eliminating glugging while maintaining productivity.
3Reliability
If viscous liquid is used, then the liquid provides better cleaning performance, but the liquid flows slower and increases glugging
Solution Approach 1:
The opening parameters (width, length, orientation angle) are specifically adjusted to accommodate viscous liquids. The larger width (10-35 mm) and optimized length-to-width ratio reduce resistance to flow, while the specific orientation facilitates air entry that counteracts the viscous forces, maintaining adequate flow rates for cleaning applications.
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 design reduces glugging, enhances refilling efficiency, and encourages container reuse by ensuring a controlled flow rate and minimizing spillage, thereby reducing plastic waste.
Implementation Method 1
refilling can be tedious. For example, many consumers perceive the refilling of a container to be difficult, particularly where the container being refilled has a small opening through which the refill contents pass. Additionally, consumers may view the task of refilling to be messy as the refill containers tend to glug their liquid contents.
Implementation Method 2
the liquid composition has a viscosity of from about 1 mPa·s to about 10,000 mPa·s, preferably from about 100 mPa·s to about 5,000 mPa·s, more preferably from 300 mPa·s to about 2,000 mPa·s, or most preferably from about 500 mPa·s to about 1,500 mPa·s
Data Source
AI summary
A container having a liquid composition therein is described. The container has a body portion; a neck disposed on the body portion, the neck having a neck opening; a first longitudinal side edge and an opposing second longitudinal side edge defining a container width therebetween; a cap positioned on the neck. The cap has a cap plate having an elongated opening having a width of from about 10 mm to about 35 mm. The elongated opening has a front edge and an opposing a back edge. The back edge is spaced from the second longitudinal side edge by less than about 45 percent of the container width. The liquid composition has a viscosity of from about 1 mPa·s to about 10,000 mPa·s.