Carton Bottle Support Insert for Concave-Shape Filling and Sealing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for filling and sealing carton bottles struggle to maintain the dimensional stability of containers with non-rectangular shapes, particularly those featuring concave portions, during the filling and sealing process, leading to potential bulging and shape changes.

Innovation Solution

A support mechanism, comprising a support insert with a collar and upstanding pegs, engages the plastics top portion and packaging laminate lower portion to provide external support, counteracting internal pressure changes and preventing bulging, especially at concave sections, while ensuring the container remains stable during filling and sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a support mechanism is added to maintain dimensional stability of concave portions during filling and sealing, then shape stability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedimensional stabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A support insert acts as an intermediary element between the container and the filling/sealing apparatus. The support insert includes a collar that contacts the plastics top portion and upstanding pegs that contact the packaging laminate lower portion, providing distributed support to maintain dimensional stability during filling and sealing operations without requiring complex modifications to the existing apparatus

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The support insert is designed as a simple, inexpensive component that can be easily manufactured and replaced. It serves as a temporary support during the filling and sealing process only, then can be removed or replaced for the next container, avoiding the need for expensive, complex permanent modifications to the filling/sealing machinery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Device complexity

If the container is filled and sealed without additional support, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to bulging and shape changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidmanufacturing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The support insert provides localized support at critical areas where bulging is most likely to occur. The collar contacts the plastics top portion at specific locations, and the upstanding pegs contact the packaging laminate lower portion at strategic points, providing precisely where needed to maintain manufacturing precision without requiring uniform support throughout the entire container

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If the support mechanism engages both plastics top portion and packaging laminate lower portion, then stability is improved, but ease of operation worsens due to additional engagement requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The support insert merges multiple support functions into a single integrated component. The collar and upstanding pegs work together as one unit to support both the plastics top portion and packaging laminate lower portion simultaneously, providing comprehensive stability without requiring separate support mechanisms for each container portion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3494053B1A method and apparatus for filling and sealing a packaging container
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE SA
  • EP3494053B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3494053B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3494053B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~4

AI summary

A method is described of filling and/or sealing a packaging container (10) comprising a packaging laminate and having a top portion (16) and a lower portion (14) including one or more side walls (69) and an open base, the method comprising: - supporting the packaging container (10) with open base uppermost on a support (42) comprising an upstanding portion (50), wherein the support (42) engages the top portion (16) of the packaging container (10) and engages part of the one or more side walls (69) of the packaging container (10) via the upstanding portion (50) of the support (42); and - filling the packaging container (10) via its open base and/or sealing the open base of the packaging container (10), wherein the support (42) ensures dimensional stability of the packaging container (10) during the filling and/or sealing step. A related apparatus, support and packaging container are also described.