Closure Valve Flange Secured by Folded Lips
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing closure assemblies for containers, such as those for foodstuffs or cosmetics, face challenges in providing reliable self-closing and easy dispensing mechanisms that are hygienic and resistant to contamination, particularly when dealing with substances that may contain particles or pose hygiene risks.
Innovation Solution
A closure assembly featuring a plastic closure cap with a tubular collar and a resilient self-closing valve that includes a central portion with a through slit, a downwardly extending skirt, and an outwardly extending flange, where the flange is secured by folding lips or a cylindrical wall over it, ensuring the valve is enveloped and securely positioned within the cap, and the assembly is manufactured using injection molding with ultrasonic heating for easier handling and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the valve is secured by folding lips or cylindrical wall over the flange, then the valve is securely fixed and hygiene is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closure assembly is divided into distinct functional components: the cap with collar, the valve with flange, and the securing lips. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while maintaining overall system reliability through their coordinated interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve is nested within the cap structure, with the flange positioned within the collar and the lips folding over the flange to secure it. This nested arrangement ensures the valve is firmly held in place while maintaining a compact overall structure.
2Reliability
If the flange extends radially outwardly beyond the collar, then the valve can be securely positioned, but the area occupied by the closure assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is designed with specific local characteristics - it extends radially outwardly only to the extent necessary for secure positioning within the collar, and the lips are folded over only at the necessary locations. This localized approach ensures accurate valve positioning without unnecessarily increasing the overall area occupied by the closure assembly.
3Reliability
If the through slit is closed and seals the container interior, then hygiene is improved, but the ease of dispensing is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The valve's through slit transitions from a closed state that seals the container interior to an open state that allows dispensing. This dynamic behavior enables the valve to provide both reliable sealing when not in use and easy dispensing when needed, resolving the contradiction between hygiene and operational ease.
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 provides improved opening characteristics and enhanced hygiene by ensuring the valve is securely fixed within the cap, preventing contamination and allowing for efficient dispensing of substances while maintaining the assembly's ease of handling and manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
which lips are folded over at least a part of the flange such that the flange is enveloped at least partly between the lips and the top wall
Implementation Method 2
the assembly is manufactured using injection molding with ultrasonic heating for easier handling and assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A closure assembly for a container includes a closure cap having an open ended body with a peripheral wall and a top wall provided with a dispensing passage which is defined by a collar arranged to the top wall. A self-closing valve is arranged in the closure cap. The valve includes a slit central portion and a skirt extending downwardly from the central portion, which has an outwardly extending flange. The skirt is arranged in the collar and the flange is located below the collar and extends radially outwardly beyond it. On a lower surface of the top wall, a plurality of lips is formed outward from the collar. The lips are folded over the flange such that the latter is partly enveloped between the lips and the top wall so as to secure the valve in the closure cap.