Closure Structure With Segmented Tamper-Evident Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing closure structures face a challenge in increasing ease of opening the cap without compromising the sealing performance.
Innovation Solution
The closure structure incorporates a cap with a top plate portion and a tube portion, where the tube portion is divided into a main portion and a tamper evidence ring portion. The mouth portion includes a tubular portion with a male thread and a flange portion that enhances sealing by increasing the contact area through elastic deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cap structure is simplified to increase ease of opening, then ease of operation is improved, but sealing performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tube portion is divided into a main portion and a tamper evidence ring portion connected by a bridge. This segmentation allows the tamper evidence ring to rotate independently during opening, reducing friction and making opening easier, while the main portion maintains the threaded connection for sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The tamper evidence ring portion is extracted as a separate rotatable element from the main cap structure. This extracted component can rotate freely to reduce opening torque, while the main portion retains the sealing function through its threaded engagement with the mouth portion.
2Reliability
If the cap structure is reinforced to improve sealing performance, then sealing performance is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the cap into a main portion and a tamper evidence ring portion, the patent allows the sealing-critical main portion to maintain strong threaded engagement with the mouth portion, while the separate tamper evidence ring can rotate freely to reduce opening resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the cap have different functional qualities: the main portion has high structural integrity for sealing (with threaded engagement), while the tamper evidence ring portion has low rotational resistance for ease of opening. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between strong sealing and easy opening.
3Reliability
If the contact area between flange portion and cap is increased to improve sealing, then sealing performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flange portion is integrated with the mouth portion as a unified structure rather than a separate component. This segmentation reduces the number of parts and assembly steps, maintaining simplicity while the flange's radial extension provides increased contact area for sealing.
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
This design allows for easier opening of the cap while maintaining or even improving the sealing performance, thanks to the enhanced contact between the flange portion and the cap's inner surface.
Implementation Method 1
The outer-circumferential surface of the flange portion is in contact with the inner-circumferential surface of the main portion
Data Source
AI summary
A closure structure includes a cap, and a spout having a mouth portion to which the cap is attached. The cap includes a top plate portion and a tube portion. The tube portion extends downward from a periphery of the top plate portion. The tube portion is divided into a main portion and a tamper evidence ring portion. The tamper evidence ring portion is connected to the main portion by a bridge. An inner-circumferential surface of the main portion is formed with a threaded portion. The mouth portion includes a tubular portion and a flange portion. The tubular portion is formed with a male thread. The male thread is screwed into the threaded portion. The flange portion extends radially outward from the tubular portion. An outer-circumferential surface of the flange portion is in contact with the inner-circumferential surface of the main portion.