Closure Frangible Connection Layout for First-Open Evidence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Closures for containers often lack sufficient space to visually indicate that the seal has been broken, especially with lighter weight designs, compromising user assurance of first-time opening.

Innovation Solution

A closure design featuring sequentially breaking frangible connections that provide evidence of first-time opening through a distinguishable sequence, with varying thickness, length, and circumferential distance, ensuring each connection breaks in a specific order, providing clear feedback to the user.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If lighter weight closure designs are used, then material efficiency is improved, but visual indication space is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial efficiencyVSAvoidvisual indication space

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The closure is divided into multiple frangible connections of varying thicknesses arranged in a sequence. This segmentation allows the visual indication to be distributed across multiple breaking points rather than requiring a single large indicator, thus providing adequate visual feedback in lighter weight designs with limited space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the frangible connections have different thicknesses to create a distinguishable breaking sequence. The varying local qualities (thicknesses) of the frangible connections enable sequential breaking that provides clear visual indication without requiring uniform thick walls throughout the entire closure structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If multiple frangible connections are added to provide sequential breaking evidence, then user assurance is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser assuranceVSAvoidclosure structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The closure structure is segmented into multiple frangible connections with varying thicknesses that break in a predetermined sequence. This segmentation provides reliable sequential evidence of opening while maintaining structural integration within the existing closure components, avoiding excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The thickness parameter of the frangible connections is varied to create the breaking sequence. By changing this single geometric parameter across different sections, the closure achieves sequential breaking functionality without adding complex mechanisms or multiple separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20260077914A1Closure with Sequentially Breaking Connections

Publication Date: 2026.03.19 SILGAN WHITE CAP LLC

AI summary

A closure including a base and a cap that pivot with respect to each other. The front portion of each of the base and cap are detachably coupled together via a series of frangible connections that break sequentially when the closure is opened. The plurality of frangible connections have different configurations to increase a total amount of time between the time when the first frangible connection breaks and when the last frangible connection breaks.