Container Inner Surface Coating Thickness Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for coating the internal surfaces of containers, such as glass bottles, are inefficient in achieving uniform and precise coating thickness, leading to potential chemical reactions with pharmaceutical products and aesthetic issues, while also requiring harmful treatments and increased material usage.
Innovation Solution
A process involving tilting and rotating the container to control the flow of a hardenable liquid coating material, applying it at a specific temperature and flow rate, and using a flexible or curved tool to ensure even coverage, resulting in a layer with precise thickness and improved hydrolytic resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional coating methods are used, then coating application is achieved, but coating uniformity and precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The container is set into rotation around its axis while being tilted at a determined angle, creating dynamic motion that enables uniform coating distribution. The relative rotation between the container and the coating tool ensures all surfaces are evenly covered, eliminating the burrs and thickness gradients that occur with static coating methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating process controls multiple parameters simultaneously: container tilt angle, rotation speed, coating material flow rate, and temperature. By regulating these parameters together, the method achieves precise coating thickness uniformity while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
2Reliability
If harmful treatments are used to protect glass walls, then chemical reactions with products are prevented, but process complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The method extracts and eliminates the need for harmful sulfur dioxide and difluoroethane treatments. Instead, it uses a simple hardenable liquid coating material applied directly to the container interior, removing the complex rinsing and neutralization steps while maintaining product protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, toxic chemicals with a simple, biocompatible coating material that can be applied in a single step. The coating serves its protective function and then remains as a permanent layer, eliminating the need for subsequent neutralization treatments.
3Ease of operation
If vertical coating application is used, then coating material is applied easily, but coating quality deteriorates due to gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The container is tilted at a determined angle relative to the vertical axis, creating an asymmetric orientation that prevents gravity from causing material accumulation in specific areas. This asymmetric positioning, combined with rotation, ensures uniform coating distribution throughout the container interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic rotation of the container during coating application counteracts gravitational effects. By continuously changing the orientation of the container surface relative to gravity, the system maintains uniform coating thickness without the burrs and gradients that occur in static vertical coating.
4Reliability
If increased material quantities are used to guarantee coverage, then coating completeness is improved, but cost and drying time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The method optimizes the coating material flow rate and application parameters to achieve complete coverage with minimal material. By controlling the coating material properties and application conditions, the system ensures 100% surface coverage without excessive material usage, thereby reducing drying time and cost.
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 method achieves a uniform coating with improved hydrolytic resistance and aesthetic quality, reducing chemical interactions and material usage, while avoiding harmful treatments and ensuring precise geometry and thickness control.
Implementation Method 1
the container is set in relative rotation with respect to the tool around the axis Oz at a first determined speed V, by heating it to a determined temperature
Implementation Method 2
the liquid coating material is regularly applied to the internal surface of the container so as to obtain a deposit of regular thickness
Implementation Method 3
the container is tilted by a first determined angle α with respect to the vertical
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~6B
Figure 7A~10
AI summary
The present invention relates to: a method for coating at least one portion of the inner surface of a container with a curable liquid material, said container being suitable for containing products which are biocompatible with humans and/or animals; a device for implementing said method; and a container obtained by said method. According to the method, the container is positioned on a holder and secured thereto; a tool for applying the coating is inserted into the container and the coating liquid is applied using the tool on at least one portion of the inner surface of the container. To achieve this, the container is tilted at a first angle α determined in relation to the vertical, said container is rotated relative to the tool at a first predetermined speed V, while heating said container to a predetermined temperature, and the liquid coating material is uniformly applied to the inner surface of the container such as to obtain a uniform, substantially identical thickness, based on the viscosity parameters η of the liquid at the predetermined temperature, the roughness R of the portion of the container surface, the tilt angle α, the rotation speed V, and the flow rate D for supplying the liquid material.