Chocolate Bar Packaging with Perforated Flap and Adhesive Re-Closure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing packaging solutions for chocolate bars, particularly those made of cardboard, suffer from low mechanical stability, making them prone to breaking under mechanical stress during transportation and handling, and often lack re-closability and secure sealing after initial opening.

Innovation Solution

A cardboard packaging design featuring a box-like structure with folding elements, adhesive bonding points, and a perforation mechanism that allows for re-closure and secure opening, utilizing a combination of cardboard and adhesive materials to ensure stability and minimal material usage, while allowing for various layouts and configurations to optimize different requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a simple paper or film packaging is used for chocolate bars, then the packaging is lightweight and uses minimal material, but the mechanical stability is low and the chocolate may break under mechanical stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical stabilityVSAvoidmaterial outlay
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging is divided into multiple functional elements: a base element, side elements that can be folded inward, and cover elements with perforations for controlled opening. This segmentation allows each part to contribute to mechanical stability while maintaining material efficiency through targeted reinforcement only where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The packaging transitions from a two-dimensional flat layout to a three-dimensional box structure through folding lines and adhesive bonding. This dimensional transformation creates a rigid enclosure that protects the chocolate from mechanical stress while using the same amount of material, effectively resolving the contradiction between strength and material usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If a non-reclosable packaging is used, then the packaging structure is simple, but the packaging cannot protect the chocolate after being opened for the first time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous protectionVSAvoidpackaging structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging incorporates adhesive bonding points and perforations during manufacturing, preparing the structure for both initial opening and subsequent re-closing. The adhesive elements are pre-positioned to enable reliable re-sealing after opening, ensuring continuous protection without requiring complex additional mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The perforated flap is designed to be partially separated during initial opening while maintaining connection through the perforation, allowing the packaging to be re-closed and the protective function recovered. This enables the packaging to transition from a single-use to a reusable protective structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Adaptability or versatility

If a perforation mechanism is added for controlled opening, then the packaging becomes secure against manipulation and re-closable, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvere-closabilityVSAvoidpackaging structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The opening mechanism extracts only the essential elements needed for controlled access: a perforated flap and an adhesive bonding region. By removing unnecessary complexity and keeping only the critical components for secure opening and re-closing, the design achieves adaptability while minimizing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The perforated flap structure enables the packaging to self-seal through the perforation connection and adhesive bonding without requiring external locking mechanisms. The user simply folds the flap back and the adhesive automatically secures it, providing re-closability through a self-service mechanism that minimizes complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 packaging provides enhanced mechanical stability, protects the chocolate from breakage, allows for re-closure and secure handling, and is optimized for weight and resource efficiency, addressing the limitations of prior art while maintaining design and advertising considerations.

Implementation Method 1

The fixing region can be operatively connected in the closed state to the second cover element via first adhesive bonding points

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesive bonding: Adhesive

Implementation Method 2

two side elements which are arranged on opposite sides or edges of the rectangular base, are separated from the base via folding lines and can be folded inwards along the folding lines

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFolding: Folding

Implementation Method 3

The first cover element has a perforation by means of which a flap can be separated from a fixing region and can be opened

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFracture mechanics: Fracture Mechanics

Data Source

PatentEP2205494B2Packaging for bar- like foodstuffs
Publication Date: 2018.10.31 NESTEC SA
  • EP2205494B2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2205494B2 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a packaging (1) for bar- like or bar-shaped foodstuffs, in particular for bars of chocolate, with a rectangular base (2), two side elements (3) which are arranged on opposite sides of the rectangular base (2), are separated from the base (2) via folding lines (5) and can be folded inwards along the folding lines (5), and a first and a second cover element (4.1, 4.2) which are arranged on the two other opposite sides of the rectangular base (2), separated from the latter via folding lines (5), and which partially overlap with the two side elements in the folded state. The first cover element (4.1) has a perforation (6) by means of which a flap (7) can be separated from a fixing region (9), and the second cover element (4.2) can be inserted into an opening (10) for re-closing of the packaging.