Flexible Container Sealing and Cutting Apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional rigid containers for fluent products are expensive to produce, require significant materials, are difficult to decorate, prone to damage, and challenging to dispense from, due to their solid structure and design limitations.

Innovation Solution

Flexible containers made from materials that can be easily cut and sealed, using novel support structures and a sealing apparatus to form containers with sufficient structural integrity for handling and use, allowing for easier decoration and controlled dispensing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If rigid containers are used for fluent products, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and material usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies flexible material containers made from thin film or sheet material that can be heat sealed to form secure closures. The flexible container includes a body formed from heat sealable material with an open end that can be sealed by heating and pressing, creating a secure closure without requiring rigid construction. This resolves the contradiction by providing sufficient structural integrity through the sealing mechanism rather than through rigid walls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state and properties of the container material by using heat sealable flexible material. The material transitions from an open flexible state to a sealed closed state through thermal energy application, creating permanent or temporary closures. This parameter change allows the container to maintain structural integrity for storage and transport while being manufactured from inexpensive flexible material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If rigid containers are used for fluent products, then structural integrity is improved, but material usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidmaterial usage

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses thin film or sheet material to form the container body, which requires significantly less material than rigid container construction. The flexible material is heat sealed to create secure closures, providing the necessary structural integrity for containing and dispensing fluent products without the excessive material usage inherent in rigid containers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Strength

If rigid containers are used for fluent products, then structural integrity is improved, but ease of dispensing worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidease of dispensing

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible container that can dynamically change shape and volume during dispensing operations. The flexible material allows the container to be squeezed, compressed, and manipulated by hand to control product flow, while the heat sealed closures maintain structural integrity during storage and transport. This dynamic flexibility resolves the contradiction between strength and ease of dispensing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Strength

If rigid containers are used for fluent products, then structural integrity is improved, but susceptibility to damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidsusceptibility to damage

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses flexible heat sealable material that inherently resists damage from impact, dropping, and handling abuse. The flexible material can deform and absorb energy without cracking or breaking like rigid containers. The heat sealed closures provide secure structural integrity while the flexible body protects against damage during storage, transport, and use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

Flexible containers are cost-effective, use less material, are less prone to damage, and facilitate easy and controlled dispensing of fluent products while maintaining structural integrity for handling and use.

Implementation Method 1

contacting a seam region of the at least two flexible material with the sealing surface to form a seal in the seam region

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

contacting a seam region of the at least two flexible material with the sealing surface to form a seal in the seam region and cut the seal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentUS9993986B2Flexible containers and methods of forming the same

Publication Date: 2018.06.12 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

A method for sealing and cutting of a flexible material for forming a flexible container comprising a product volume and at least one structural support volume can include feeding at least two flexible material into a sealing apparatus comprising a sealing surface and an opposed anvil surface; contacting a seam region of the at least two flexible material with the sealing surface to form a seal in the seam region and cut the seal to form a seam in a single unit operation. The seal defines one or both of at least a portion of a boundary of the product volume and at least a portion of a boundary of the at least one structural support volume.