Eccentric Tube Head Design for Plastic Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing flexible tubes consume excessive plastic, contributing to environmental waste, and require multiple components for alignment, which increases plastic usage and complicates recyclability.
Innovation Solution
A tube head design featuring an eccentric protuberance as a positioning means, made from continuous plastic material, reduces plastic consumption by integrating the tube head and plug into a single component, allowing for efficient orientation and decoration alignment during manufacturing, while being compatible with existing production lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate components (tube head and plug) are used to close the dispensing orifice, then the functionality of reversible closure is achieved, but the amount of plastic material increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the tube head and plug into a single integrated component. The tube head itself is designed with a removable cap that can be opened and closed, eliminating the need for a separate plug component. This integration maintains the reversible closure functionality while reducing the total amount of plastic material required.
2Manufacturing precision
If positioning legs are added to the tube head and plug for alignment, then the orientation accuracy during manufacturing is improved, but the device complexity and plastic consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning functionality is integrated directly into the tube head structure through geometric features of the single component design, rather than adding separate positioning legs. The cap and tube head are designed with complementary shapes that provide automatic alignment during assembly, eliminating the need for additional positioning components.
Solution Approach 2:
The tube head and cap feature asymmetric geometric shapes that provide inherent positioning and orientation guidance during assembly. The cap has a specific shape that fits onto the tube head in a predetermined orientation, ensuring correct alignment without requiring additional symmetric positioning features.
3Quantity of substance
If a single monolithic tube head design is used, then the plastic consumption is reduced and recyclability is improved, but the positioning capability during manufacturing may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The monolithic tube head design incorporates asymmetric geometric features that provide inherent positioning capability. The cap and tube head have complementary asymmetric shapes that ensure correct orientation during assembly, maintaining manufacturing precision while using a single component design that reduces plastic consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The tube head has different geometric characteristics at different locations - the body provides structural function while specific localized features (such as the rim shape and cap interface geometry) provide positioning functionality. This distribution of functions within the single component maintains positioning capability without requiring additional components.
Data Source
AI summary
A head for manufacturing a flexible tube for containing a liquid or pasty product, comprising an upper wall and an annular side wall, the lower distal end of which defines a plane (A), said head comprising a dispensing orifice extended by a protuberance, a portion of which protrudes from said plane (A), said protruding portion being eccentric relative to the center of the tube head.