Movable Truncated-Cone Container Base for Hot-Fill Vacuum Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing active base designs for containers subject to improvement, particularly those with horizontally oriented invertible panels, are inefficient in reducing internal vacuum and prone to over-displacement, leading to potential spilling and material thickness issues.
Innovation Solution
A container base design featuring a mechanically movable truncated cone that displaces vertically from an as-blown position to a retracted position, reducing internal volume and enhancing vacuum control, with a low cone diameter to displacement ratio and increased surface area support, allowing precise volume adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a horizontally oriented invertible panel is used to reduce internal vacuum, then the internal volume can be displaced, but the design is prone to over-displacement and material thickness issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by using a vertically oriented movable base panel instead of a horizontally oriented invertible panel. This vertical configuration with a low diameter-to-displacement ratio (less than 2:1) prevents over-displacement while effectively reducing internal vacuum through controlled volume reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the orientation parameter from horizontal to vertical and adjusts the diameter-to-displacement ratio parameter to less than 2:1. These parameter changes transform the displacement mechanism to achieve precise vacuum control without the material thickness and over-displacement problems of horizontal designs.
2Reliability
If a large diameter panel is used for volume displacement, then internal vacuum can be reduced, but the panel diameter to inversion distance ratio becomes high leading to inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional horizontal panel approach and implements a vertically oriented movable base panel. This vertical configuration achieves superior displacement efficiency with a low diameter-to-displacement ratio (less than 2:1), allowing effective vacuum reduction without requiring large panel diameters.
3Volume of stationary object
If the movable base panel has a high diameter to displacement ratio, then volume can be displaced, but the design becomes inefficient and prone to over-displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the diameter-to-displacement ratio parameter to less than 2:1 and reorients the panel from horizontal to vertical. This parameter optimization ensures stable displacement control, prevents over-displacement, and maintains structural integrity during the volume reduction process.
4Reliability
If existing active base designs are used, then internal vacuum can be addressed, but material thickness issues and potential spilling occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional horizontal panel design and uses a vertically oriented movable base panel with low diameter-to-displacement ratio. This configuration provides precise vacuum control that prevents both spilling and material thickness problems by achieving controlled volume reduction without excessive displacement.
Data Source
AI summary
A container including an opening defined by a finish portion. A base is at an end of the container opposite to the opening. The base includes a deep base ring between a standing surface and a truncated cone at a center of the base. The truncated cone is mechanically movable a displacement distance from an as-blown position to a displaced position subsequent to hot-filling and capping of the container to reduce an internal volume of the container. In the displaced position, the truncated cone is closer to the opening than in the as-blown position.