Container Overcap Piercer for Self-Contained Venting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing container designs face challenges in venting without additional tools, often requiring secondary openings or user intervention with sharp objects, leading to inconsistent and inconvenient venting, increased risk of leakage, and aesthetic issues.

Innovation Solution

A single-neck container design featuring an overcap with a piercer that aligns with a protrusion on the container body, allowing for self-contained venting by applying force, eliminating the need for external tools and minimizing headspace.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a secondary opening is provided for venting, then the container can vent, but the risk of leakage increases and aesthetics are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveventing functionVSAvoidleakage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The venting function is extracted from the traditional secondary opening approach and integrated into the closure system through a piercer mechanism that creates a controlled vent opening only when needed, eliminating continuous leakage risks while maintaining venting capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The piercer is pre-positioned within the closure assembly, ready to pierce the container wall at the appropriate moment. This preliminary positioning allows for controlled venting without requiring external tools or creating permanent openings that could leak

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a secondary opening is provided for venting, then the container can vent, but aesthetics are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveventing functionVSAvoidaesthetics

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The venting mechanism is merged with the closure assembly, combining the sealing and venting functions into a single integrated component. This eliminates the need for separate secondary openings and maintains the container's aesthetic appearance while providing necessary venting functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If user intervention with sharp objects is required, then venting can be achieved, but ease of operation deteriorates and inconsistency occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveventing functionVSAvoidventing operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The closure assembly performs the venting function itself through an integrated piercer mechanism that requires no external tools or user intervention. The piercer automatically pierces the container wall when the closure is attached or activated, providing consistent and easy operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The piercer acts as an intermediary component within the closure assembly that mediates between the closure and the container wall. This intermediary mechanism provides controlled, consistent piercing action without requiring the user to directly apply sharp objects to the container

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Enables convenient, self-contained venting without additional tools, reducing the risk of leakage and improving aesthetics by creating a vent opening using integrated components, thus accommodating pressure changes during liquid dispensing.

Implementation Method 1

the piercer is configured to pierce the protrusion to create a vent opening when the shield at least partially surrounds the protrusion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure equalization: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS11772862B2Cap for venting a container

Publication Date: 2023.10.03 HENKEL KGAA

AI summary

A container for dispensing a liquid that includes a body, a closure, and an overcap. The body includes an interior storage volume, a neck finish on a first wall of the body, and a protrusion on a second wall of the body. The neck finish defined outlet through the first wall for dispensing the liquid. The closure for sealing the outlet and coupled to the neck finish. The overcap is removably coupled to the closure and includes a first end including a recess configured to receive a portion of the closure when the overcap is coupled to the closure and a second end including a shield defining a shield recess and a piercer. The shield is configured is configured to at least partially surround the protrusion of the body such that the piercer pierces the protrusion to create a vent opening when the shield at least partially surrounds the protrusion.