Flexible Containers With Support Frames for Low-Material Strength
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
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 change in size, leading to inefficiencies in manufacturing and usage.
Innovation Solution
Flexible containers with structural support frames are developed, using less energy and material, allowing for easier decoration and handling, and enabling variable sizing without the need for new molds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid containers are used for fluent products, then structural integrity is improved, but production cost and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid container structure is segmented into two functional parts: an inflatable membrane that provides the barrier function and a collapsible support structure that provides structural integrity. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall material usage while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional rigid walls with thin flexible membrane structures that can be inflated to provide structural support. These thin films and flexible shells achieve the required structural integrity with minimal material consumption compared to conventional rigid containers.
2Strength
If rigid containers are used for fluent products, then structural integrity is improved, but production energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process utilizes flexible membrane structures that require less energy-intensive forming operations compared to rigid container production. The membranes can be thermally formed or laminated at lower energies, and the inflatable structure provides structural integrity without requiring high-energy molding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and mechanical properties of the container structure by using inflatable membranes that transition from a flat low-volume state to an inflated high-volume state. This parameter change allows the structure to achieve rigidity on-demand during use while maintaining flexibility during manufacturing, reducing production energy requirements.
3Strength
If rigid containers are used for fluent products, then structural integrity is improved, but ease of decoration decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane surfaces provide smooth, continuous areas that are ideal for decoration applications. These surfaces can be easily printed, coated, or adorned with graphics while maintaining the structural integrity of the container through the inflatable support structure.
4Strength
If rigid containers are used for fluent products, then structural integrity is improved, but adaptability to size changes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The container structure incorporates dynamic elements through inflatable membranes that can be inflated to different volumes and collapsed to different sizes. This dynamic capability allows the same container structure to adapt to various product sizes and quantities while maintaining structural integrity through controlled inflation, eliminating the need for different rigid container sizes.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of making flexible containers that include structural support frames, including methods for sealing such containers.