Plastic Flanged Container Curved Lower Portion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermoformed plastic flanged containers, such as yoghurt pots, face challenges with thin side walls that are prone to deformation under load, making them unsuitable for robust transportation and stacking, and require significant material for decorative strips to maintain strength and aesthetics.
Innovation Solution
Designing containers with a cylindrical upper portion and a curved lower portion, where the lower portion has a thicker thickness profile than the upper portion, optimizing mechanical properties while reducing material usage, and incorporating a decorative strip that is proportionally smaller to save material without compromising strength or aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the side wall thickness is reduced to use less plastic material, then the weight and material usage decrease, but the mechanical strength and resistance to deformation under load deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is designed with non-uniform thickness distribution: thicker at the bottom portion and junction areas to provide strength where loads are applied, and thinner at the upper portion to reduce material usage. This local variation in thickness optimizes the strength-to-material ratio by placing material only where structurally necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom portion of the container is designed with a curved, rounded shape rather than sharp angles. This curvature distributes stress more evenly throughout the structure, enhancing mechanical strength and resistance to deformation under compression loads while using less material compared to angular designs.
2Loss of substance
If the decorative strip height is reduced to save material, then the total packaging weight decreases, but the aesthetic appearance and structural reinforcement may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The decorative strip is positioned to cover only the upper cylindrical portion of the container, which is the most visible area from the front. This selective placement provides adequate aesthetic coverage and maintains structural reinforcement at the junction areas without requiring the strip to extend around the entire container, thus reducing material usage.
3Loss of substance
If the container design uses less plastic material, then the environmental impact and cost decrease, but the robustness for transportation and stacking deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The container employs varying wall thicknesses strategically: the bottom and junction areas have thicker walls to withstand stacking and transportation loads, while the upper portions use thinner walls to reduce material. This localized thickness optimization maintains transportation robustness while minimizing overall material consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The rounded bottom design distributes compressive loads more effectively during stacking and transportation, enhancing reliability without requiring additional material. The curved geometry naturally reinforces the structure against deformation under load.
4Shape
If the container has a curved lower portion for aesthetic appeal, then the visual distinctiveness improves, but the resistance to top compression decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The curved lower portion is designed with optimized radius and transition angles that maintain visual appeal while distributing compressive loads effectively. The curvature is not excessive, and the transition to the cylindrical upper portion is designed to prevent stress concentration, thereby maintaining compression resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved portion is concentrated at the bottom where aesthetic appeal is most visible, while the upper cylindrical portion provides the necessary structural strength for compression resistance. This spatial separation of aesthetic and structural functions resolves the contradiction between visual distinctiveness and compression resistance.
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 design enhances the resistance to vertical and transverse loads, reduces material usage, and maintains user-friendliness, allowing for efficient transportation and stacking while maintaining the aesthetic appeal of the packaging.
Implementation Method 1
the plastic sheet is heated and then drawn into a cavity such as by vacuum and/or pressure
Implementation Method 2
the plastic sheet is heated and then drawn into a cavity such as by vacuum and/or pressure
Implementation Method 3
the plastic sheet is heated and then drawn into a cavity
Data Source
AI summary
The flanged container for a dairy product or similar food composition is provided with a hollow body and a generally planar annular flange connected to the top of the body, the flange having outer straight side edges and an inner edge defining a circular upper opening of the container. The body has a planar bottom and a lower portion tapering from a generally cylindrical upper portion toward the bottom in a curved manner. The lower portion has a height h1 in some embodiments not less than 14 mm and the ratio h1/H is less than 2:5 where H is the height of the container. The side wall of the body has a thickness profile such that the average thickness of the lower portion is more than the average thickness of the upper portion. Several identical containers can be grouped in a pack with breakable junctions at the outer straight side edges.