Flexible Container Seam Reinforcement for Dispensing
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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, especially for users with limited hand strength.
Innovation Solution
Flexible containers made with novel support structures that eliminate the need for thick solid walls, allowing for easier production, decoration, and user-friendly dispensing, while maintaining structural integrity to withstand handling and environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid containers are used for fluent products, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and material usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible film walls instead of rigid container walls, using thin film structures that can be sealed and joined to provide containment while reducing material usage and manufacturing complexity. The flexible nature of the film walls allows for simpler production processes compared to rigid container manufacturing.
2Strength
If thick solid walls are used in rigid containers, then structural integrity is improved, but material usage increases and ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thick solid walls with thin flexible film walls that are sealed together to form the container structure. This approach significantly reduces material usage while maintaining the container's ability to contain and protect the fluent product through the sealed film construction.
3Strength
If rigid container structures are used, then structural integrity is improved, but ease of operation decreases for users with limited hand strength
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible film walls that can dynamically deform and flex during the dispensing process. This flexibility allows users with limited hand strength to easily squeeze and manipulate the container to dispense products, as the flexible material requires less force to deform compared to rigid structures.
4Strength
If conventional rigid containers are used, then structural integrity is improved, but adaptability decreases for handling and display purposes
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible film construction allows the container to adapt to various handling positions and display configurations. The film walls can flex and conform to different orientations, enabling the container to be effectively displayed and handled in multiple ways while maintaining its structural integrity through the sealed construction.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-durable flexible container can include a first film wall including a first portion comprising at least one first structural support member defined in the first film wall, and a second portion that is free of a structural support member. The container can further include a second film wall including at least one second structural support member defined in the second film wall, wherein at least a portion of the first structural support member is adjacent to at least a portion of the second structural support member to define a seam region, and a side of the seam region defines an edge of the non-durable flexible container. The container can also include a closed produce volume defined between first and second film walls; and a seam projecting outwardly from the seam region at an intersection of the first and second film walls.