Container Cap Hinge Structure for Stable Open Locking
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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 difficulty in opening and closing, and potential weakening of the hinge connection.
Innovation Solution
A cap design featuring a retaining ring, closing element, and a tab with movement and hinge bands that allow stable locking in the open condition while facilitating easy rotation and deformation, ensuring durability and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the connecting bands are made sturdy to prevent breaking during use, then the reliability of the connection is improved, but the ease of movement between open and closed conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting structure is divided into two functional segments: movement bands that facilitate rotation and opening/closing movement, and hinge bands that provide stable connection and resistance to breaking. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between durability and ease of movement.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the connecting structure are given different mechanical properties: the movement bands are designed with higher flexibility to enable rotation and movement, while the hinge bands are designed with higher rigidity to prevent breaking and maintain connection stability. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If the connecting bands are made deformable to allow movement between open and closed conditions, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of the connection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting structure is segmented into movement bands for facilitating rotation and hinge bands for maintaining stable connection. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both ease of movement (through the movement bands) and connection stability (through the hinge bands) simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of movement facilitation and connection stability into a single integrated connecting structure comprising both movement bands and hinge bands. This combination allows the structure to simultaneously provide deformability for movement and rigidity for stable connection, resolving the contradiction.
3Reliability
If the hinge connection is strengthened to prevent weakening over time, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of movement between open and closed conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge connection is segmented into hinge bands that provide stable, non-weakening connection and movement bands that facilitate rotation and movement. This segmentation allows the hinge bands to be optimized for connection durability while the movement bands maintain ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge connection structure is differentiated locally: hinge bands with high rigidity and resistance to weakening are positioned for connection stability, while movement bands with higher flexibility are positioned for rotation and movement. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between connection durability and ease of movement.
Data Source
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AI summary
What is described herein is a closing cap 1 for a container, comprising a lateral wall 3 extending around an axis Z and a transversal wall 4 positioned at one end of the lateral wall, a separating line 5 being provided on the lateral wall to define a retaining ring 301, which comprises a retaining portion which extends as far as a free edge 304 of the retaining ring and is configured to internally engage with a locking ring 202 of a neck 201 of the container, and a closing element 302 removably engageable with the neck, so as to open or close the container. The separating line extends between a first end 501 and a second end 502 and is circumferentially interrupted to leave the closing element and the retaining ring joined. An incision line 7 is provided on the lateral wall between the separating line and the free edge. The cap additionally comprises a tab 308, 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 306a and a second movement band 307a 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 306b and a second hinge band 307b, 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.