Deflectable Dome Base Resists Pressure Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic containers are prone to deformation and instability due to pressure differentials, especially at varying altitudes, leading to permanent deformation and making them unsuitable for use.
Innovation Solution
A base for containers made of polymeric material with a deflectable dome design, featuring a support surface and an inner wall with a dome that can deflect up to 3.2 PSI without permanent deformation, maintaining structural integrity across different pressures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the container is made lighter to reduce weight and cost, then weight and manufacturing cost are reduced, but the container becomes more susceptible to deformation under pressure differentials
Solution Approach 1:
The base is divided into multiple functional zones with different thicknesses: a first region with initial thickness and a second region with greater initial thickness. This segmentation allows the base to provide enhanced structural support in critical areas while maintaining lighter weight in less critical areas, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and deformation resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the base are given different initial thicknesses based on their functional requirements. The second region with greater thickness is positioned to provide enhanced support where needed, while the first region maintains lighter weight. This local differentiation of properties allows the base to resist deformation under pressure differentials without requiring the entire base to be thick and heavy.
2Reliability
If the base thickness is increased to withstand pressure differentials, then resistance to deformation is improved, but the container weight and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base is segmented into regions with different thickness characteristics. The second region with greater initial thickness is strategically positioned to provide enhanced support against pressure differentials, while the first region maintains lighter weight. This segmentation allows selective reinforcement without uniformly increasing weight throughout the entire base.
Solution Approach 2:
The base exhibits non-uniform thickness distribution where the second region has greater initial thickness than the first region. This local quality differentiation concentrates material and weight where structural support is most critical for withstanding pressure differentials, rather than uniformly thickening the entire base and unnecessarily increasing overall weight.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the container base is designed to be rigid to maintain structural integrity, then stability is improved, but the container cannot accommodate pressure differentials without permanent deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The base is designed with varying thicknesses that allow dynamic response to pressure differentials. The second region with greater initial thickness can deflect and accommodate pressure changes while the first region provides structural support. This dynamic capability allows the base to adapt to pressure differentials without permanent deformation, maintaining structural integrity while accommodating environmental variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The base design incorporates changes in the thickness parameter across different regions. The transition from the first region with initial thickness to the second region with greater initial thickness creates a gradient that allows the base to flex and adapt to pressure differentials while maintaining overall structural integrity. This parameter variation enables the base to withstand pressure changes without permanent deformation.
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 base effectively withstands pressure differentials without permanent deformation, ensuring the container's stability and usability across various environments, including elevations up to 7,000 feet.
Implementation Method 1
The dome is deflectable in response to a differential pressure across the base of at least 3.2 PSI without permanent deformation of the base
Implementation Method 2
The dome is deflectable in response to a differential pressure across the base of at least 3.2 PSI without permanent deformation of the base
Data Source
AI summary
Base for a container, the base being made of polymeric material, including a support surface having an outer perimeter defining a first dimension along a major axis and a second dimension along a minor axis disposed at an angle to the major axis. An inner wall is coupled to the support surface opposite the outer perimeter. A dome projects upwardly from the inner wall and has an initial depth with respect to the support surface, the initial depth of the dome is between approximately 8 percent to approximately 15 percent of the first dimension. The dome includes a major radius of curvature along the major axis and a minor radius of curvature along the minor axis. The dome is deflectable in response to a differential pressure across the base without permanent deformation of the base.