Plastic Container Gripping Recesses for Deformation Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plastic containers for consumer use, especially those designed for beverages, face issues with deformation under compressive forces and pressure differentials, leading to reduced storage volume and altered pouring characteristics, which complicates handling and packaging.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates gripping recesses with a curved concave inner surface and oblong shape, featuring multiple horizontal indentations to distribute grip pressure evenly and withstand pressurization, along with an annular rib for enhanced pressure resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional gripping recesses are designed for consumer comfort, then ease of operation is improved, but the container becomes susceptible to deformation under compressive forces
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping recess is divided into multiple discrete horizontal indentations rather than a continuous recess. Each indentation is sized to receive a finger, segmenting the grip interface into distinct zones that distribute compressive forces across multiple separated contact points rather than concentrating them in a single continuous area.
Solution Approach 2:
The indentations are positioned at specific locations around the container circumference to optimize both grip comfort and structural strength. The local geometry of each indentation is designed to match finger dimensions while maintaining adequate material thickness between indentations to prevent deformation, creating different local properties for gripping versus structural integrity.
2Ease of operation
If gripping recesses are made deeper for better grip, then ease of operation is improved, but storage volume is reduced and pouring characteristics are altered
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the gripping recess into discrete horizontal indentations, the design achieves effective grip depth without creating a continuous deep recess. The segmented structure allows each indentation to be sufficiently deep for finger reception while the spaces between indentations preserve overall container volume and maintain smooth surfaces near the pouring opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping feature is developed primarily in the circumferential dimension through multiple indentations arranged around the container, rather than increasing depth in the axial dimension. This dimensional shift allows effective gripping without compromising storage volume or altering the axial profile near the pouring opening.
3Reliability
If the container is designed to withstand pressure differentials, then reliability is improved, but the gripping structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The container wall thickness and material distribution are optimized locally around each indentation to provide adequate strength for pressure differential resistance. The indentations are designed with specific depth and spacing parameters that maintain structural integrity under pressure while preserving a relatively simple overall gripping structure without requiring additional reinforcement elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A plastic container includes a shoulder portion having an annular rib defined therein and a generally cylindrical main body portion having a longitudinal axis. At least one gripping recess is defined in the main body portion that has an oblong shape when viewed in front elevation and that is defined in part by a curved concave inner surface when viewed in side elevation. The gripping recess includes a plurality of horizontal indentations, each of which is sized to receive a finger of a consumer when the plastic container is being gripped by the consumer.