Crown Cap Closure with Deformable Sealing Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Crown cap closures for containers, such as bottles, often result in moistened container mouths during filling operations, leading to potential mold and contamination issues due to partially open cavities beneath the fitted cap, which compromises hygiene.
Innovation Solution
A cap-like closure system featuring metal or aluminum-containing crown caps with jag-like ends and a deformable, rubber-like or foam-like sealing material that interacts with the cap to close cavities, which can be activated by energy inputs like heat to expand and ensure a tight seal, and may include features like memory effects or hot-melt adhesives for enhanced hygiene and tamper-proofing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If crown caps are fitted to containers with partially open cavities beneath the teeth, then the closure structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but contamination and mold growth occur in the cavities compromising hygiene
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful open cavity space beneath the crown cap teeth is eliminated by extracting/ removing the void and replacing it with sealing material that fills the entire cavity, preventing contamination while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
A deformable sealing material is introduced as an intermediary substance between the crown cap teeth and the container surface. This sealing material fills the cavities and prevents direct contact between the product and the potentially contaminated cavity spaces, thereby preventing mold growth while allowing the simple crown cap structure to remain
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sealing material is provided to close cavities beneath crown cap teeth, then hygiene is improved by preventing contamination, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable sealing material is designed to be automatically deployed and positioned during the normal crown cap closing operation. The material self-adjusts and deforms to fit the cavity shape under the crown cap teeth without requiring separate application steps or additional complex mechanisms, thus improving hygiene while minimizing added complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing material undergoes parameter changes in its physical state during the closing process. It is provided in a deformable state that allows it to be easily positioned and then transforms to a sealed state that closes the cavities, achieving contamination prevention without requiring complex deployment mechanisms
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 system provides improved hygienic properties by minimizing contamination risks and ensuring a secure seal, while also acting as a safeguard against tampering through the use of energy-activatable sealing materials that expand to fill cavities and potentially embrittle for increased durability.
Implementation Method 1
which can be activated by energy inputs like heat to expand and ensure a tight seal
Implementation Method 2
A deformable sealing material which closes the cavities... when the shaped ends are deformed for the final container closure they press or sink into the sealing material
Data Source
AI summary
Crown caps comprising jag-like or tooth-like shaped ends, wherein one or a plurality of cavities is formed between an outer container surface and the shaped ends, and wherein in the region of the shaped ends a deformable sealing material is provided which closes the cavities at least to the extent of the edge of the crown cap that points to the base of the container, with the sealing material forming a ring-like or hoop-like element separate from the crown cap and which interacts with the crown cap in such a way that when the shaped ends are deformed for the container closure they press or sink into the sealing material.