Threaded Closure Scoop Retention for Powder Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Powdered product containers with threaded closures often result in scoops sinking into the product during shipping, causing messy retrieval for consumers.
Innovation Solution
A scoop is retained within or on top of the container closure using various retention methods, such as a nested overcap, bayonet locking, or a liner, to prevent submersion in the product, allowing easy access without sinking during shipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the scoop is placed directly in the container with the powdered product, then the scoop is easily accessible, but the scoop sinks into the powder during shipping causing messy retrieval
Solution Approach 1:
The container system is segmented into separate functional zones: the powdered product occupies the lower portion of the container, while the scoop is segregated in the upper closure assembly. This spatial segmentation prevents the scoop from contacting and sinking into the powder during shipping, yet maintains easy accessibility through the closure mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The scoop is relocated from the vertical dimension (sinking into the powder depth) to the horizontal dimension (stored in the closure assembly). By positioning the scoop in the closure rather than within the product volume, the design eliminates the harmful vertical movement into the powder while preserving accessibility through the closure interface.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the scoop is stored separate from the container, then the scoop does not sink into the product, but the consumer must reach into the powder to retrieve it
Solution Approach 1:
The closure assembly merges multiple functions: it seals the container, provides a user interface for opening, and houses the scoop storage compartment. By integrating the scoop storage within the closure structure rather than as a separate component, the design prevents scoop submersion while maintaining convenient retrieval through the unified closure mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure assembly acts as an intermediary structure between the container and the external environment. It provides a controlled interface that houses the scoop in a protected position above the powder, allowing users to access the scoop through the closure without reaching into the powder container interior.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If an overcap with hinge is used to house the scoop, then the scoop is retained separately, but the closure structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The closure assembly is designed as a multi-functional universal component that integrates sealing, user interface, and scoop storage functions. By combining these functions into a single integrated structure rather than separate components (eliminating the need for hinges and multiple parts), the design prevents scoop submersion while minimizing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The scoop is nested within the closure assembly structure, with the scoop storage compartment integrated into the closure body. This nesting arrangement allows the scoop to be housed separately from the powder without requiring additional external structures or complex mechanisms, achieving compact integration that prevents submersion while maintaining simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A container with a granulated or powdered product stores a scoop in or on a threaded closure for the container, in such a way that the scoop will not sink down into the product. Several embodiments are disclosed, including different ways for retaining the scoop on the closure.