Tamper-Evident Closure With Frangible Inner Skirt

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing closure mechanisms fail to ensure that a container has not been completely removed to prevent refilling with an inferior product, as they do not effectively prevent re-application of the closure after removal.

Innovation Solution

A closure design featuring an inner skirt with regions of weakness that break or deform irreversibly upon removal, preventing re-application by incorporating lines of weakness, such as localized thinning or frangible sections, and snap engagement means to secure the closure to the container neck.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the closure is designed to be removable for refilling, then the container can be refilled, but the closure can be re-applied allowing inferior products to be introduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverefilling capabilityVSAvoidprevention of re-application

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The inner skirt is pre-formed with regions of weakness (thinned sections or frangible bridges) that are designed to break during the removal process. This preliminary structural configuration ensures that when the closure is removed for refilling, the inner skirt permanently deforms and cannot return to its original sealing configuration, thus preventing re-application while allowing the refilling action to occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the closure structure is made robust to prevent removal, then re-application is prevented, but removal for legitimate refilling becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of re-applicationVSAvoidremoval for refilling

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The inner skirt is constructed with non-uniform thickness, featuring localized thinned sections or frangible bridges at specific positions while maintaining adequate thickness in other areas. This local quality variation creates predetermined weak points that fail at lower forces during removal, allowing the closure to be taken off for refilling while ensuring permanent deformation that prevents re-application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of information

If tamper-evident bands are used to indicate opening, then opening detection is provided, but they do not prevent complete removal and re-application

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveopening indicationVSAvoidprevention of re-application

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The inner skirt is pre-formed with regions of weakness that are designed to break during the removal process. This preliminary structural configuration ensures that when the closure is removed for refilling, the inner skirt permanently deforms and cannot return to its original sealing configuration, thus preventing re-application while allowing the refilling action to occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8777030B2Non-reusable closure

Publication Date: 2014.07.15 THE CLOROX CO

AI summary

In various embodiments, a non-reusable closure may include a base attachable to a container. The closure base contains an engagement insert that can screw onto a container neck. The base and engagement insert together contain one or more regions of weakness which break and/or deform when the closure is removed from the container thereby preventing re-attachment of the closure to the container.