Container Cap Hinge-Band Structure for Stable Flip-Open Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bottle caps with retaining rings and closing elements face issues of stability and ease of movement between open and closed conditions, with connecting bands affecting interference and durability, leading to difficulties in opening and closing the cap.
Innovation Solution
A cap design featuring a retaining ring, a closing element, and a tab with a pair of movement bands and hinge bands that allow the closing element to remain connected to the retaining ring, facilitating easy rotation and stability in the open condition while maintaining durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the connecting bands are made sturdy to prevent breaking, then the durability is improved, but the ease of rotation of the closing element deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting structure is divided into two distinct types of bands: sturdy connecting bands that maintain strength and prevent breaking, and flexible hinge bands that enable easy rotation. This segmentation allows each component to fulfill its specific function without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between durability and ease of rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the connecting structure have different mechanical properties: the connecting bands are designed with high strength and low flexibility to prevent breaking, while the hinge bands are designed with high flexibility to allow rotation. This local differentiation of quality enables the system to simultaneously achieve durability and ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If the connecting bands are made deformable to allow rotation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the stability of the open condition deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting structure is segmented into sturdy connecting bands that maintain stability and flexible hinge bands that enable movement. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve ease of operation through the flexible hinge bands and stability of the open condition through the sturdy connecting bands.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the connecting structure have different mechanical properties: the hinge bands are located where flexibility is needed for rotation, while the connecting bands are positioned where strength and stability are required. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the tab is added to prevent rotating movement, then the stability of the open condition is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tab is merged with the connecting bands to form an integrated structure. The tab is not a separate component but is formed as part of the connecting band assembly, which reduces the number of discrete parts and simplifies manufacturing while still providing the required stability function.
Data Source
AI summary
What is described herein is a closing cap for a container, comprising a lateral wall extending around an axis and a transversal wall positioned at one end of the lateral wall, a separating line being provided on the lateral wall to define a retaining ring, which comprises a retaining portion which extends as far as a free edge of the retaining ring and is configured to internally engage with a locking ring of a neck of the container, and a closing element removably engageable with the neck, so as to open or close the container. The separating line extends between a first end and a second end and is circumferentially interrupted to leave the closing element and the retaining ring joined. An incision line is provided on the lateral wall between the separating line and the free edge. The cap additionally comprises a tab, configured to rest on the neck when the closing element is in an open condition, and a pair of movement bands, that is to say, a first movement band and a second movement band which are defined between the separating line and the incision line and a pair of hinge bands, that is to say, a first hinge band and a second hinge band, which extend from the first movement band and from the second movement band towards the transversal wall, the tab being circumferentially interposed between the first hinge band and the second hinge band.