Dispensing Cap Cup with Raised Fill Level Indicia
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container designs for liquid laundry detergent and similar products lack effective fill level indicators and secure, user-friendly dispensing mechanisms, leading to difficulties in measuring and dispensing precise quantities.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing cap/cup with a unitary molding design featuring a sidewall, transverse web, and fill level indicia, including raised boundaries and texturing, which provides a secure threaded engagement with the bottle or spout fitment, allowing for precise measurement and dispensing, and includes a flange and external thread for sealing and handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional container designs are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but fill level indication and measurement precision are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is merged with a measuring cup structure, combining the sealing function of the cap with the measurement function of the cup into a single integrated component. This allows the cap to serve dual purposes: sealing the container opening and providing accurate fill level indicators for measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses visual indicators (raised boundaries and texturing) on the cap/cup structure to provide clear fill level indication. These tactile and visual features allow users to easily identify the correct fill level without requiring complex electronic or mechanical measurement systems.
2Reliability
If simple cap designs are used, then manufacturing is easier, but sealing reliability and user friendliness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cap integrates a threaded engagement structure with the measuring cup, combining sealing functionality with measurement capabilities. The external thread on the cap allows for secure threaded engagement with the bottle or spout fitment, ensuring reliable sealing while maintaining ease of assembly through a single component design.
3Ease of operation
If traditional spout fitments are used, then assembly is simpler, but dispensing precision and user experience are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cap/cup assembly serves multiple functions: it acts as a seal for the container opening, provides a threaded engagement interface for secure attachment, offers tactile and visual fill level indicators for precise measurement, and functions as a dispensing mechanism. This multi-functionality enhances ease of operation while consolidating multiple components into a single unitary molding.
Data Source
AI summary
The dispensing cap/cup (26) has a sidewall (100) and a transverse web (102) spanning the sidewall to create a cup structure. The sidewall has an interior surface and an exterior surface. The sidewall has a plurality of fill level indicia (140, 142) along the interior surface. The fill level indicia comprise a raised boundary (150) and texturing (152) within the boundary.