Flexible Container Carrier With Frangible Separation Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional container carriers are heavy, generate waste, and do not efficiently facilitate high-speed application of unitized containers, while also not providing an aesthetically pleasing handling experience for consumers.
Innovation Solution
A flexible container carrier with an arrangement of container receiving apertures divided by frangible lines of separation, allowing for the placement over containers and subsequent removal of both the container and the carrier portion by applying torque or force, enabling high-speed application and zero waste packaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional rigid carriers are used to unitize containers, then the package structure is strong and stable, but the carrier weight is high and generates waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible plastic film carrier instead of rigid materials, allowing the carrier to be lightweight yet maintain structural integrity through elastic deformation during container engagement and high-speed application processes
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier is divided into multiple container receiving apertures with frangible lines of separation between them, allowing the film to be segmented into individual portions that can be applied to containers while maintaining overall package strength
2Weight of moving object
If a flexible plastic ring carrier is used to reduce weight, then the carrier weight is reduced, but the application speed is limited and cannot accommodate high-speed production
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier design incorporates dynamic flexibility allowing it to stretch and deform during high-speed application, then recover its shape to secure containers, enabling the lightweight flexible carrier to meet high-speed production requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The frangible lines of separation and aperture geometry are specifically designed to change physical parameters (flexibility, stretch resistance) at critical points, allowing the carrier to withstand high-speed application forces while maintaining container security
3Ease of operation
If frangible lines of separation are added to enable individual container removal, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is segmented into individual container portions by frangible lines of separation, allowing clean separation between containers while maintaining simplicity in the overall film structure and manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The frangible lines are designed to automatically break or separate when force is applied during container removal, eliminating the need for complex release mechanisms or additional operational steps
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 flexible carrier effectively unitizes a large number of containers into a tight, aesthetically pleasing package that can be efficiently applied at high speeds, while minimizing weight and waste, and allowing for easy handling by consumers.
Implementation Method 1
A series of frangible lines of separation between each container receiving aperture are provided. The frangible lines of separation are adapted to break or separate when force is applied to remove a container from the package
Implementation Method 2
The carrier is suitably configured with a combination of webs and container receiving apertures that permit opening up and generally even, distributed stretching for high-speed application to the containers
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A flexible container carrier (10) and related method for unitizing a plurality of containers (5) that includes a plurality of flexible bands (30) forming an array of container receiving apertures (20), the array arranged in longitudinal rows and transverse ranks. A series of frangible lines of separation (60) are provided between each container receiving opening so that removing a container from the package results in the separation of the frangible lines of separation defining the respective container receiving opening and thus the container and a respective band of the plurality of bands are removed from the package together.