Closure Utensil Retainer With Tapered Flanges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional containers with loosely stored scooping utensils face issues of contamination, user inconvenience, and time wastage due to the need to retrieve the utensil from a buried position, and existing retaining structures lack interchangeability with utensils of varying bowl shapes or dimensions. Additionally, in-mold labeling configurations are limited by draft angles and glossy label issues.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a utensil handle retainer with tapered flanges and ribs that provide a self-centering effect for secure utensil storage, allowing for easy interchangeability of utensils with different bowl shapes, and an in-mold labeling process that accommodates straight side walls and glossy labels by optimizing the mold cavity and label placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a scooping utensil is stored loosely inside the container, then the user has the utensil available for dispensing, but the utensil becomes buried in the stored product and requires manual retrieval which causes contamination and user inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into two functional zones: an upper storage chamber for the scooping utensil and a lower storage chamber for the consumable material. This segmentation allows the utensil to be stored separately above the product, preventing burial and contamination while maintaining accessibility for dispensing operations.
2Reliability
If conventional retaining structures with flanges are used, then the utensil is held securely, but interchangeability with utensils of varying bowl shapes or dimensions is not allowed
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining structure employs a tapered retainer gap configuration that can accommodate multiple utensil types with varying bowl shapes and dimensions. The tapered geometry provides universal retention capability across different utensil designs while maintaining secure holding through the self-centering effect of the tapered flanges.
3Ease of manufacture
If in-mold labeling with conventional draft angles is used, then the label can be inserted into the mold cavity, but straight side walls and glossy labels cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The mold cavity is designed with a reduced draft angle configuration that enables the insertion of labels onto containers with straight side walls. This parameter change in the mold geometry allows conventional in-mold labeling processes to accommodate modern container designs with vertical walls and glossy label surfaces that were previously incompatible with standard molding techniques.
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 solution enhances container usability by preventing contamination, reducing retrieval effort, and enabling secure storage of various utensil sizes, while also improving packaging efficiency and aesthetic appeal through efficient label placement and stacking capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
The utensil handle retainer may include a first flange and a second flange positioned generally outward from the interior closure surface. A tapered retainer gap may be defined between the first and second flanges. The tapered retainer gap includes a minimum gap width A. The utensil handle retainer defines a handle interference ratio equal to handle thickness B divided by minimum gap width A, and the handle interference ratio is greater than about 1.0
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An improved container (10) provides a container body (12) and a closure (14). In some embodiments, a scooping utensil retainer (20) is disposed on the closure. The scooping utensil retainer includes opposing flanges (30, 32) protruding from the closure surface (18). A flange rib (34) protrudes from the first flange (30) into the flange gap, extending from the closure surface to the distal end of the flange. A tapered retainer gap (42) is provided between flanges for resiliently clamping the handle (24) of a scooping utensil (22). In some embodiments, the closure can include an annular ridge (110) shaped for engaging a downwardly extending skirt (98) on a like container when two like containers are vertically stacked. In some embodiments the container body includes an in-mold label (124) affixed to a substantially straight side wall, and covering at least about 95% of the exterior surface area of the container body.