Closure Lid Guarantee Strip Tear-Off Force Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing security seals for closure lids require manual and time-consuming testing of tear-off force, leading to high reject rates due to delayed measurement results and inefficient handling of guarantee strips.
Innovation Solution
A device with a take-along element and stop element for gripping the guarantee strip, combined with a force-measuring device, allows for automated and rapid testing by exerting a tear-off force and severing the strip, facilitating efficient handling and measurement of the tear-off force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual testing methods are used to measure tear-off force, then measurement precision can be achieved, but productivity is low and testing time is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical testing with an automated testing device that uses a force sensor (F1) integrated into a mechanical testing system. The device automatically applies force to the guarantee strip through a tearing mechanism, eliminating manual operation while maintaining precise force measurement capability. This substitution of manual mechanical testing with an automated electromechanical system resolves the contradiction between measurement precision and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing device is designed to automatically perform the entire testing sequence without manual intervention. The device self-positions the closure lid, automatically applies tearing force through the guarantee strip, measures the force via the sensor, and handles the torn components. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual handling and measurement, thereby increasing productivity while maintaining measurement accuracy through the integrated force sensor.
2Ease of operation
If manual handling of guarantee strips is used, then ease of operation is maintained, but loss of time increases due to delayed measurement results
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary actions by automatically positioning the closure lid on the testing apparatus before measurement begins. The force sensor is pre-positioned and calibrated, and the tearing mechanism is ready to engage immediately. This preliminary setup eliminates delays associated with manual positioning and preparation, allowing immediate automated testing while maintaining operational simplicity through the automated sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing device maintains continuous useful action by automatically progressing through the entire testing sequence without interruption. The device continuously applies force, measures the tear-off point, and handles the components in an uninterrupted automated sequence. This eliminates the discontinuities and delays inherent in manual handling, where operators must stop to record measurements, handle strips manually, and prepare for the next test, thereby reducing time loss while keeping the operation simple through automation.
3Device complexity
If guarantee strips are not severed after testing, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in removing and handling torn strips
Solution Approach 1:
The device extracts the guarantee strip from the closure lid through a controlled tearing action, separating the strip into manageable pieces. The tearing mechanism pulls the strip away from the lid body, and the device includes features to handle and remove the torn strip components. This extraction function resolves the contradiction by providing a clear separation mechanism that simplifies strip removal while maintaining reasonable device complexity through the integrated tearing and measurement system.
4Productivity
If automated testing is implemented, then productivity increases and reject rates decrease, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device merges multiple functions into a single integrated testing apparatus. The force sensor, tearing mechanism, positioning system, and measurement capabilities are combined into one unified device that automatically tests guarantee strips. This merging of functions achieves high productivity through automation while managing device complexity by integrating components that work together in a coordinated automated sequence, eliminating the need for multiple separate manual testing devices.
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
Enables rapid and automated testing of closure lid security seals, reducing reject rates and enabling immediate corrective actions in the production process, with the ability to handle multiple lids per minute.
Implementation Method 1
a force-measuring device for measuring the tear-off force during the relative movement of the guarantee strip and the lid main body
Data Source
AI summary
A device for testing a connection of a guarantee strip of a security seal of a closure lid having a lid main body, which device comprises a driver element for gripping the guarantee strip and a stop element for the lid main body. The driver element and the stop element are movable relative to each other such that a tear-off force can be exerted on the guarantee strip. The device also comprises a force-measuring device, for measuring the tear-off force during the relative movement of the guarantee strip and the lid main body, and a separating device for severing the guarantee strip after it has been tom off from the lid main body. The device can be operated in a fully automatic manner and can be integrated in a system for producing closure lids having guarantee strips.