Container Seal Segmented Opening Tabs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing container seals for plastic or glass containers lack ease of opening, reliability, and safety, often resulting in poor aesthetic appearance, content spoilage, and contamination due to incomplete sealing and random tearing, especially when used for drug containers or products prone to moisture and oxygen exposure.

Innovation Solution

A thermal seal with a top layer featuring partial and full opening tabs, separating lines, and a guide-separating band, thermally bonded to an aluminum foil and polymer layer, allowing for partial and full opening, and incorporating laser-cut lines to reduce tensile strength for easy opening, while maintaining secondary sealing and shock-absorbing capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a thermal seal is used to completely seal the container entrance, then sealing reliability is improved, but ease of opening deteriorates and tamper evidence is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidease of opening
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The seal is divided into multiple functional regions: a first separating line for partial opening, a second separating line for full opening, and a ring-shaped thermal bonding band. This segmentation allows the seal to be opened in stages - first partially for access, then fully for complete removal - thereby improving ease of opening while maintaining sealing reliability when closed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seal structure is pre-configured with designated separating lines and bonding bands before use. The first separating line is positioned to enable initial partial opening, and the second separating line is positioned to enable subsequent full opening. This preliminary arrangement of opening paths allows users to easily open the seal in stages without requiring excessive force or damaging the container

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a thermal seal without opening tab is used, then sealing integrity is improved, but ease of opening deteriorates due to random tearing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing integrityVSAvoidease of opening
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The seal incorporates distinct separating lines (first and second separating lines) that segment the sealing structure into可控 opening paths. These pre-defined lines guide the opening process, preventing random tearing while maintaining sealing integrity when closed. The segmentation creates predictable failure paths that are easy to follow during opening

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The separating lines act as intermediaries between the sealed state and the opened state. Rather than requiring direct force application that could cause random tearing, the separating lines provide a controlled interface for opening, guiding the separation process along predetermined paths that preserve both integrity and ease of opening

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the entire entrance is opened at once, then ease of opening is improved, but safety and protection deteriorate due to lack of tamper evidence

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of openingVSAvoidsafety and protection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The opening process is segmented into two stages: first partial opening along the first separating line, then full opening along the second separating line. This staged approach maintains safety and tamper evidence during the initial opening phase, as the ring-shaped thermal bonding band remains intact and can indicate if the seal has been improperly opened

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seal is pre-configured with a ring-shaped thermal bonding band that provides preliminary protection and tamper evidence. This bonding band is positioned to remain intact during proper opening, creating a visible indicator that the seal was opened correctly. The preliminary arrangement of bonding bands and separating lines ensures safety is maintained during the opening process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If a wide opening is provided for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but content protection deteriorates due to moisture and oxygen ingress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of accessVSAvoidmoisture and oxygen ingress
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The seal creates a controlled opening sequence where the first separating line enables partial opening for minimal necessary access. This segmentation allows users to open just enough to access contents without creating a wide opening that would expose contents to moisture and oxygen. The staged opening maintains protection by limiting exposure time and area

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 container seal provides convenient, reliable, and safe opening with tamper evidence, preventing content leakage and moisture/oxygen ingress, and maintaining a secondary sealing effect when closed, while allowing for easy removal and use of contents without contamination.

Implementation Method 1

a container seal for closing the entrance of a container made of plastic or glass etc., and, more particularly, a container seal that can open a portion or the entirety of the entrance of a container, and a method of manufacturing the container seal

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal bonding: Welding

Implementation Method 2

incorporating laser-cut lines to reduce tensile strength for easy opening

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser cutting: Laser Ablation

Data Source

PatentEP3093257B1Container seal
Publication Date: 2020.06.10 SEAL & PACK CO LTD
  • EP3093257B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3093257B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3093257B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention provides a container seal having excellent thermal resistance, opening ability, and sealing ability. The container seal includes a top layer having an opening tab and a bottom layer thermally bondable to aluminum foil and a container. The top layer includes: first and second partial opening tabs (102a, 502a); first and second opening guide-separating bands (108, 508) connected to the first and second partial opening tabs and formed so as to extend along the inner edge of the container entrance so that the top layer and the bottom layer can be open along the inner edge of the container entrance when the first and second opening tabs are pulled; and a ring-shaped thermal bonding layer spaced from the first and second opening guide-separating bands by the first and second separating lines and being in contact with a lip of the container outside the first and second opening guide-separating bands.In other embodiments the seal includes one partial opening tab.