Container Closure Assembly With Gap-Free Inner Sealing Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current container closure assemblies face challenges in sterilization, particularly in vertical form-fill-sealing lines for pouches, as existing methods leave residual sterilants on surfaces in contact with food products, affecting product stability and requiring complex, time-consuming processes.
Innovation Solution
A closure assembly design featuring an inward tapering annular guide surface on the neck that causes elastic deformation of the inner sealing ring, eliminating gaps between the ring and neck, allowing for efficient sterilization by immersion in a liquid sterilant bath and ensuring minimal residual sterilant remains, along with a tamper-evident structure for visual indication of first-time opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional closure assembly design is used, then the sterilization process can be performed, but residual sterilant remains trapped in the gap between the inner sealing ring and the neck, requiring complex and time-consuming removal processes
Solution Approach 1:
The design extracts or eliminates the problematic gap space between the inner sealing ring and the neck by making the sealing ring apex lie directly against the neck interior surface. This removes the trapped space where sterilant would otherwise accumulate, allowing complete drainage and eliminating the need for complex removal processes.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of designing a structure that allows sterilant to enter and then requiring complex removal, the invention inverts the approach by designing the sealing ring and neck interface to prevent sterilant accumulation in the first place. The apex-to-neck contact configuration ensures sterilant flows straight through without trapping, reversing the problem-solution logic.
2Ease of manufacture
If a conventional closure assembly design with gaps is used, then assembly is simpler, but residual sterilant remains on surfaces in contact with food product, affecting product stability
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful trapped space for sterilant accumulation is extracted or eliminated by configuring the sealing ring apex to contact the neck interior surface directly. This removes the gap where sterilant would otherwise remain and potentially contaminate the food product, solving the harmful residue problem while keeping the design simple.
3Reliability
If the inner sealing ring is designed to contact the neck at the apex, then sealing capacity is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing ring design allows the apex to naturally find and contact the neck interior surface during the closing operation. The elastic deformation of the sealing ring provides self-adjustment, enabling the apex to locate itself against the neck surface without requiring high-precision pre-positioning, thus reducing manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
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 design enhances sterilization efficiency by preventing residual sterilant retention and improving sealing capacity, while providing a clear visual indication of the first opening, thus ensuring product stability and simplifying the sterilization process.
Implementation Method 1
the inward tapering annular guide surface... is contacted by the inner sealing ring when the cap is secured onto the spout body and then causes an elastic deformation of the inner sealing ring
Implementation Method 2
A well-known sterilant is hydrogen peroxide. It is for example known to use hydrogen peroxide as sterilant followed by the use of heat... to increase the effect of the sterilant and to dissipate the residual hydrogen peroxide
Data Source
AI summary
A pre-assembled container closure assembly (1) has a plastic spout body (2) with a tubular neck (4) delimiting a product passage (6) that extends to a mouth opening (8) of the neck. A rotational cap (30) is secured in closed position on the neck. The cap has a cap body including a top wall (31) and a skirt (32). The cap body further includes an annular inner sealing ring (40) depending from the top wall. The inside of the neck is provided with an inward tapering annular guide surface (15) that is contacted by the inner sealing ring when the cap is secured onto the spout body and then causes an elastic deformation of the inner sealing ring and/or the neck. The inner sealing ring is embodied such that the first annular sealing surface (41) on the exterior side of the inner sealing ring and a lowermost annular surface (43) of the interior side of the sealing ring adjoin one another directly at an apex (44) which forms the lower edge of the inner sealing ring, and in that—with the cap in closed position—said apex lies against the interior side of the neck, said lowermost annular surface extending from said apex to form an angle of at least 90° with an exposed surface portion of the interior side of the neck directly below said apex so as to avoid the presence of any gap between the inner sealing ring and the neck at said apex.