Disposable Beverage Container with Integrated Barriers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage dispensing systems, particularly for large volumes like draught beer, face issues with costly production, storage, and hygiene due to heavy steel kegs and thick-walled plastic containers that require additional support and result in increased resource consumption and disposal challenges.
Innovation Solution
A freestanding, disposable, thin-walled container made from polymer materials like PET, PEN, or polylactide, with integrated oxygen and carbon dioxide barriers, and a check valve or pierceable cap for cost-effective production, storage, and efficient dispensing, eliminating the need for external support and reducing waste volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If steel kegs are used for beverage storage and dispensing, then durability and reusability are improved, but production cost, storage space requirement, and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable plastic containers instead of reusable steel kegs. These single-use containers are lightweight, cost-effective to produce, and eliminate the need for heavy steel construction while maintaining adequate functionality for beverage storage and dispensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to discard empty containers after use rather than collecting and returning them for refilling. This approach eliminates the logistics infrastructure needed for container recovery and reuse, reducing overall system complexity and cost.
2Strength
If steel kegs are used for beverage storage, then container strength is improved, but production cost and storage space requirement increase
Solution Approach 1:
Disposable plastic containers provide sufficient strength for their intended use without the excessive durability of steel kegs. This allows for lighter-weight construction that occupies less storage space both when full and when empty.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic, which has different strength-to-weight ratios and storage characteristics. Plastic containers can be designed with optimized wall thicknesses that provide adequate strength while minimizing material usage and storage volume.
3Stability of the object's composition
If thick-walled plastic containers are used for non-carbonated beverages, then manageability and stability are improved, but production cost, transportation cost, and disposal resource requirement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes wall thickness parameters to achieve adequate stability with minimal material. By carefully selecting and testing wall thickness values, the container maintains structural integrity during handling and dispensing while using less plastic, thereby reducing production and disposal costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs thin-walled flexible plastic containers that can deform under pressure during dispensing. This flexibility allows for thinner walls compared to rigid containers, reducing material usage and cost while maintaining functional stability during normal operation.
4Weight of stationary object
If thin-walled containers are used for beverage dispensing, then production cost and storage space are reduced, but container collapse during handling and dispensing occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs thin-walled containers with controlled flexibility that allows them to deform during dispensing without collapsing. The wall thickness and material properties are optimized to provide just enough structural integrity to withstand handling and dispensing forces while maintaining minimal weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent carefully selects wall thickness parameters and material properties to achieve the optimal balance between weight and structural integrity. By adjusting these parameters, the container maintains adequate strength for its intended use without the excessive weight and cost of thicker walls.
5Strength
If thick-walled containers are used to prevent collapse, then structural integrity is improved, but sub-atmospheric pressure during dispensing causes air ingress and hygiene degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin-walled flexible containers that can deform during dispensing to maintain more stable internal pressure. This flexibility reduces the magnitude of sub-atmospheric pressure drops compared to rigid thick-walled containers, thereby minimizing air ingress through the dispensing system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes wall thickness and material elasticity parameters to control container deformation characteristics during dispensing. By adjusting these parameters, the container maintains more stable internal pressure, reducing the driving force for air ingress while still providing adequate structural support.
Data Source
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AI summary
A container (100), a system and a method for distribution and dispensing of beverages is described. The container (100) is blow moulded from a preform of plastics and has a mouth portion (108), a shoulder portion (110), a base portion (114) and a body portion (112) extending between the shoulder portion (110) and the base portion (114). The container (100) is freestanding, formed in one piece and disposable.