Composite Container Bottom Sealing via Thermal Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming composite containers for perishable products face issues such as increased weight and energy usage with metal bottoms, inefficient manufacturing processes, and manufacturing flaws like pin holes, pleats, and cracking, which can lead to product deterioration and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
A method for forming composite containers with a composite bottom that uses a mandrel assembly with an outer and inner mandrel, and a sealing member that is rotatably coupled to the die assembly, allowing for compression and heat sealing without introducing manufacturing defects, resulting in a hermetically sealed container that maintains product freshness and is environmentally friendly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal bottoms are used in closed containers, then sealing reliability is improved, but container weight increases and energy usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to composite material for the container bottom, while maintaining the sealing function through modified process parameters (heating to melting point, injection molding). This resolves the contradiction by achieving reliable sealing with lighter composite materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical crimping/seaming processes with a thermal injection molding process. The sealing member is heated to its melting point and injected under pressure to form a hermetic seal, substituting mechanical fastening with thermal bonding and material flow.
2Weight of moving object
If composite bottoms are used in closed containers, then container weight is reduced, but manufacturing efficiency decreases and production rate lowers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous manufacturing by integrating the sealing process into the existing container forming line. The sealing member is heated and injected in a continuous operation without stopping the production flow, maintaining high productivity while using composite materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a sealing member as an intermediary component that facilitates the joining of composite materials. This sealing member acts as a mediator between the container body and bottom, enabling efficient assembly while maintaining the weight benefits of composite materials.
3Weight of moving object
If composite bottoms are used in closed containers, then container weight is reduced, but manufacturing defects increase (pin holes, pleats, cracking)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical crimping processes that cause pleats and cracking with a thermal injection process. The heated sealing member flows into the sealing groove and bonds composite materials without mechanical deformation, eliminating defects while maintaining weight reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the sealing mechanism from mechanical compression to thermal bonding with controlled material flow. By heating the sealing member to its melting point and controlling injection pressure, the process achieves defect-free sealing of composite materials.
4Device complexity
If traditional sealing methods are used for composite bottoms, then process simplicity is maintained, but sealing reliability decreases and product freshness is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specialized sealing member as an intermediary tool that enables reliable sealing of composite materials. This sealing member, when heated and injected, creates hermetic seals that maintain product freshness, justifying the added complexity for the reliability gain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes traditional mechanical sealing methods with a thermal injection process. The sealing member is heated to its melting point and injected under pressure to form a hermetic seal, replacing simple mechanical operations with a more sophisticated thermal-mechanical process that achieves superior sealing reliability.
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 method produces containers that are stable under varying atmospheric conditions, resistant to deformation, and suitable for recycling, with reduced environmental impact, while ensuring the freshness of perishable products by preventing pin holes, pleats, and cracking, and maintaining a stable internal environment.
Implementation Method 1
the sealing member is heated to a melting point of the sealing member
Implementation Method 2
heated to a melting point of the sealing member
Implementation Method 3
the composite body and the composite bottom are compressed between the second mandrel surface and the sealing member
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for forming a composite structure including positioning a composite sheet (140) adjacent to a die opening (310), constraining a portion of the composite sheet between a first forming surface (214) and a second forming surface (314) being spaced apart by a gap dis- tance being substantially equal to or greater than the sheet thickness, and urging the composite sheet through the die opening and along a third forming surface (312) to form a composite bottom from the com- posite sheet. According to another aspect the composite sheet is deformed into a deformed sheet (240) comprising a radius portion (250) disposed be- tween an inner portion (246) and an outer portion (248), the latter comprising an elastic radius (252); and removing the elastic radius from the outer portion of the deformed sheet to form a composite bot- tom. According to yet another aspect processing steps are performed con- currently on a plurality of sheets.