Container End Closure Buckle Control Away From the Score Line
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Solution Overview
Problem
Metallic beverage container end closures often buckle near the score line or tear panel under varying temperatures and internal pressure, leading to catastrophic failure and leakage, known as 'peak and leak', which results in spoilage and inefficiency in manufacturing and shipping.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an induced buckle coin in a quadrant without a score line, combined with an interrupted panel coin and a continuous panel coin, shifts the buckling location away from the score line, preventing premature opening and leakage by controlling the buckle location to a predetermined area on the central panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional end closure designs are used, then manufacturing and shipping are simpler, but the end closure buckles near the score line under pressure causing catastrophic failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a buckle control zone with specific structural characteristics (coined region with reduced thickness) in a localized area of the end closure. This coined region has different physical properties (thinner gauge, predetermined buckling characteristics) compared to the rest of the end closure, allowing buckling to occur in a controlled location away from critical areas while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-forming the coined region during the end closure manufacturing process. The buckle control zone is created in advance with predetermined buckling characteristics, so that when internal pressure causes buckling, it occurs at the pre-designed location rather than randomly near the score line. This preliminary structural modification prevents catastrophic failure before it can occur.
2Productivity
If the end closure is made from thin metallic materials to allow compact stacking, then shipping efficiency improves, but the end closure becomes more susceptible to buckling and deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses local quality by creating a specific coined region with reduced thickness in a controlled location. This allows the majority of the end closure to maintain thin gauge metal for compact stacking, while the localized coined region provides predetermined buckling characteristics that prevent catastrophic failure. The thin metallic materials can be compactly stacked for efficient shipping while the localized structural modification maintains adequate buckle resistance.
3Stress or pressure
If the end closure buckles under increased internal pressure, then pressure relief occurs, but the score line fractures causing leakage and spoilage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the buckling function from the critical score line area by creating a separate buckle control zone. The coined region is positioned away from the score line and tear panel, so that when internal pressure causes buckling, it occurs in the designated control zone rather than at the score line. This separation allows pressure relief through controlled buckling while preventing the harmful effect of score line fracture and subsequent leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful buckling phenomenon into a beneficial controlled event. Instead of allowing random buckling near the score line that causes catastrophic failure, the coined region is designed to attract and control buckling to a specific location. The harmful buckling force is redirected to a predetermined safe zone, transforming a potential failure mechanism into a protective feature that prevents leakage while still providing pressure relief.
Data Source
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AI summary
An end closure for food and beverage containers is provided. The end closure comprises a central panel portion having an induced buckle coin and an interrupted panel coin positioned proximate to an inner panel wall to control the buckling location on the end closure. Thus, the end closure will buckle at a predetermined location away from the score and tear panel to avoid catastrophic failure and container leakage.