Displaced Grip Opening Device for Package Material

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing package containers for liquid foods face production speed and cost inefficiencies due to conventional opening devices that consume excessive material and time.

Innovation Solution

A package material blank with a multilayer structure featuring a cellulosic material and plastic laminate, incorporating a plastic opening device with a grip portion displaced from the surface, connected via a material bridge, allowing for high-force opening without ripping, and manufactured using injection molding techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional opening devices are used in high-volume packages, then package production speed and cost efficiency are improved, but the opening devices consume excessive material and time to manufacture

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackage production speedVSAvoidmaterial consumption for opening device
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The opening device is designed as a simple, single-use plastic component that is inexpensive to manufacture and dispose of. The device uses a basic injection-molded structure with a grip portion and opening mechanism that requires minimal material while providing sufficient functionality for one-time use, thereby reducing material consumption compared to more complex conventional opening devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the material parameters by using a thin plastic laminate layer (5-20 micrometers) instead of thicker materials, and optimizes the opening device geometry to minimize material usage while maintaining structural integrity during the opening process, thus reducing overall material consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If conventional opening devices are used in high-volume packages, then package production speed and cost efficiency are improved, but the manufacturing time for each opening device increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackage production speedVSAvoidmanufacturing time for opening device
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The opening device is designed as a simple, single-use plastic component that is inexpensive to manufacture and dispose of. The device uses a basic injection-molded structure with a grip portion and opening mechanism that requires minimal material while providing sufficient functionality for one-time use, thereby reducing material consumption compared to more complex conventional opening devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the material parameters by using a thin plastic laminate layer (5-20 micrometers) instead of thicker materials, and optimizes the opening device geometry to minimize material usage while maintaining structural integrity during the opening process, thus reducing overall material consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If the grip portion is attached to the surface of the package material, then manufacturing is simpler, but consumer grabbing and bending becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveopening device attachment simplicityVSAvoidconsumer grabbing and bending ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The grip portion is designed to extend outward from the package surface in the third dimension, creating a protruding handle that is easily accessible to consumers. This dimensional extension allows the grip to be comfortably grabbed and bent by hand while maintaining a simple attachment structure to the package body, thus improving ease of operation without significantly complicating manufacturing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Strength

If the opening device uses a material bridge penetrating through the material structure, then high forces can be exerted without ripping, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforce resistance of opening deviceVSAvoidopening device structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The opening device is segmented into distinct functional portions: a grip portion for consumer handling, a bridge portion that penetrates the package material to provide structural support and force transmission, and an attachment portion that connects to the package sealing. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity and force resistance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The opening device utilizes composite construction by integrating the plastic opening device with the multilayer package material structure. The material bridge penetrates through different layers (cellulosic material and plastic laminate) to create a unified structure that combines the strengths of different materials, enabling high force resistance without requiring excessive complexity in the device design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 solution enhances production efficiency by reducing material usage and time, while ensuring the opening device can withstand high forces without detachment, facilitating easier consumer access and improved stackability.

Implementation Method 1

Due to pressure being built up in said cavity or said recess, the melt penetrates through penetration area in the package material structure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentEP3089918B1Package material blank, package with such device and method for manufacturing an opening device
Publication Date: 2020.12.02 TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE SA
  • EP3089918B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3089918B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4B
  • EP3089918B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A package material blank comprises a plastic opening de- vice, having a first portion on a first side and a second portion on a second side of the package material blank. The portions are connected with each other via a material bridge penetrating the blank. A grip portion is attached to a distal end of the first portion and dis- placed form the blank to facilitate easy grabbing for a consumer