Composite Spout and Bag Aerosol Container for Gas Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bag-in-can aerosol containers fail to provide an adequate barrier against compressed gas, leading to premature foaming of gel products like shaving gel, which affects dispensing and user expectations.
Innovation Solution
A composite spout and bag arrangement featuring a polymer-coated metal tubular section and a plastic fishtail section, with a multilayer bag containing a metal foil layer for enhanced gas barrier properties, ensuring a secure bond and leak-proof seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a plastic spout made from polypropylene is used, then the spout is inexpensive, flexible, water resistant and can be easily heat sealed to the bag material, but the barrier properties against propellant are insufficient causing pre-foaming
Solution Approach 1:
The spout is constructed as a composite structure with a polymer-coated metal tubular section providing superior barrier properties against propellant diffusion, combined with a plastic fishtail section that provides flexibility and heat sealing capability. This composite design resolves the contradiction by integrating materials that individually excel at different functions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the spout are made from different materials optimized for their specific functions: the tubular section exposed to propellant uses polymer-coated metal for barrier properties, while the fishtail section uses plastic for flexibility and sealing. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between manufacturing ease and barrier properties.
2Reliability
If an all metal spout is used, then the best barrier properties are provided, but it is difficult to obtain a good seal between the spout and the bag
Solution Approach 1:
The spout combines polymer-coated metal with a plastic fishtail section, where the metal provides barrier properties and the plastic provides sealing capability. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between barrier properties and ease of sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic fishtail section acts as an intermediary between the metal tubular section and the bag, providing the necessary flexibility and heat sealing capability that metal alone cannot provide, while the metal coating on the tubular section provides the barrier properties.
3Reliability
If a metallised polymer spout is used, then the polymer retains advantageous sealing properties and the metal layer provides the best barrier, but the metallised layer is vulnerable to damage leaving bare polymer exposed and diminishing barrier properties
Solution Approach 1:
The spout uses a polymer-coated metal construction where the metal substrate provides inherent damage resistance and barrier properties, while the polymer coating provides flexibility and sealing. This resolves the vulnerability issue of metallised polymer by reversing the structure: metal becomes the substrate and polymer the coating.
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 effectively prevents premature foaming by providing a robust barrier against propellants, allowing for the dispensing of shaving gel as a clear, smooth product without pre-foaming.
Implementation Method 1
a multilayer bag containing a metal foil layer for enhanced gas barrier properties
Implementation Method 2
The polymer coating on the steel provided a good bond with the plastic fish-tail sealing section
Implementation Method 3
which was then heat sealed to the bag, providing a good seal with the bag
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An aerosol container (1) comprising a body (50) and cone (60) and encasing a composite spout (30) and bag (40) combination. The composite spout (30) has a metal tubular section (10), adapted to accommodate a valve arrangement (70, 75) and a polymer fishtail section (20), adapted to form a leak-proof seal with the bag (40). A product is filled into the bag (40) and propellant is filled into the sealed chamber defined between the outside of the bag (40) and the internal surface of the body (50) / cone (60).