Collapsible Resealable Lid Container for Paint Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current paint cans are environmentally unfriendly due to landfill disposal, heavy and costly to ship, and inefficient in space usage during storage and transportation, primarily because of their rigid metal construction and round shape.
Innovation Solution
A corrugated container with a removable and resealable lid, featuring a collapsible shell and liner, made from lightweight materials like cardboard, which reduces waste, shipping costs, and storage space by allowing for rectangular packing and easy recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid metal materials are used to make paint cans, then strength and durability are improved, but weight increases and shipping costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid metal containers with flexible plastic liners that can be collapsed when empty. The plastic material provides sufficient strength to contain paint while being significantly lighter than metal, reducing shipping weight and costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The container design allows the liner to transition from a rigid filled state to a collapsed empty state. This dynamic capability enables the container to adapt its volume and weight based on whether it is full or empty, optimizing shipping efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If round shape paint cans are used, then manufacturing and sealing are simplified, but space utilization during shipping and storage decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into a permanent shell structure and a removable flexible liner. The liner can be extracted and disposed of separately, allowing the shell to be reused for different products. This segmentation enables better space utilization when shipping empty shells.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible liner can be collapsed when empty, transforming from a rigid round shape to a compact form. This dynamic collapse capability dramatically improves space utilization during return shipping and storage while maintaining the simple round shape when full for easy manufacturing.
3Stability of the object's composition
If full rigid containers are used for storage, then structural integrity is maintained, but storage space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container system allows the liner to be collapsed when empty while the shell maintains its structural integrity. This dynamic state change enables empty containers to be stored in a compact form, significantly reducing warehouse space requirements while the shell remains intact for reuse.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible plastic liner can be collapsed when empty, reducing the volume occupied by the container system. The rigid shell provides structural integrity and protection, while the flexible liner adapts to minimize storage space when empty.
4Ease of manufacture
If metal paint cans are disposed in landfills, then disposal is simple, but environmental impact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a system where the flexible liner is discarded after use while the rigid shell is recovered and reused for subsequent paint containers. This reduces the volume of material sent to landfills and promotes resource efficiency, lowering environmental impact while maintaining simple disposal processes for the contaminated liner.
Data Source
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AI summary
A container for holding contents includes a shell having a peripheral rim defining a substantially open top, a lid positioned on the shell, covering the substantially open top, and having a peripheral portion engaging the peripheral rim, and a liner disposed within the shell, conforming to the shape of the shell, and having peripheral ribbon secured to the lid forming a continuous seal between the liner and the lid.