Curved Base Section for Plastic Beverage Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic beverage containers face challenges in achieving shape stability and cost-effective production due to reduced material usage, leading to potential structural weaknesses and increased stress concentrations.
Innovation Solution
A plastic container design featuring a base section with a central injection point and a transition section that merges into the wall section, with continuous curvature in all radial directions, eliminating rectilinear sections and points of inflection, thereby enhancing stability and ease of molding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If rectilinear sections are used in the base section design, then manufacturing is simpler, but shape stability decreases and stress concentrations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature principle by designing the base section with continuously curved surfaces instead of rectilinear sections. The transition section features smooth curved transitions that eliminate sharp edges and corners, distributing stress evenly throughout the structure. This curvature design maintains manufacturing feasibility while significantly improving shape stability and reducing stress concentrations in the plastic container base.
2Loss of substance
If material usage is reduced to save costs, then production cost decreases, but structural strength and stability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the base section by implementing continuously curved surfaces with optimized radius of curvature. This parameter optimization allows the structure to achieve maximum strength with minimum material by distributing stresses evenly throughout the curved geometry, eliminating the need for excessive material while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
By using curved surfaces instead of flat or angular sections, the patent creates a more efficient stress distribution pattern that requires less material to achieve the same structural strength. The curved geometry naturally redirects and distributes loads, reducing material requirements while maintaining or improving structural performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If rectilinear sections with sharp edges are used, then manufacturing is easier, but fractures and stress concentrations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates sharp edges and corners by implementing continuously curved surfaces throughout the base section. The transition section uses smooth curved transitions that distribute stress evenly, preventing stress concentrations that would lead to fracture initiation. This curved geometry design significantly improves fracture resistance while remaining manufacturable through standard molding processes.
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 design achieves increased shape stability and simplifies the molding process, reducing material usage while minimizing the risk of fractures and stress concentrations, making the container more robust and cost-effective to produce.
Implementation Method 1
By avoiding rectilinear sections, edges or points which mathematically speaking cannot be differentiated are also avoided and thus the shape stability of the particularly sensitive base section is increased
Data Source
AI summary
A container made from plastic for holding beverages. The container comprises a mouth, a wall section which adjoins the mouth in a longitudinal direction (L) of the container, and a base section which is designed as a standing face. The wall section merges into the base section. The container is formed in one piece. The base section has an injection point located in the interior in a radial direction (R) with respect to the longitudinal direction (L), and a central region which surrounds this injection point, and also a transition section which extends from the central region to the wall section. The transition section has a curvature with a finite radius of curvature in at least one and preferably in every radial direction (R) of the container in every geometric sub-section.