Glass Baby Bottle with Polyurethane Coating for Thermal Shock Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Glass bottles are not resistant to thermal shocks and are expensive to manufacture, while plastic bottles contain bisphenols that are harmful, especially for infant use.

Innovation Solution

A glass bottle with a sodocalcic glass container coated externally with a flexible polyurethane-based material for thermal shock protection, providing impact resistance and retention functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If glass baby bottles are made from conventional glass, then they are safe and free from harmful chemicals, but they are highly susceptible to thermal shock and breakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechemical safetyVSAvoidthermal shock resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by combining soda-lime glass (which provides chemical safety and is free from harmful chemicals) with a protective coating layer (which provides thermal shock resistance). This composite structure allows the bottle to simultaneously achieve chemical safety from the glass and thermal resistance from the coating, resolving the contradiction between these two properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If glass baby bottles are made from borosilicate glass to improve thermal shock resistance, then thermal shock resistance improves, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal shock resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the thermal protection function from the container material itself. Instead of using expensive borosilicate glass throughout, it applies a separate protective coating layer only on the outer surface of the glass container. This segmentation allows the use of inexpensive soda-lime glass for the container while providing thermal shock resistance through the coating, significantly reducing manufacturing cost and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protective coating acts as an intermediary layer between the glass container and the thermal environment. This coating mediates the thermal shock by providing a protective barrier that reduces temperature stress on the glass, allowing the use of cheaper soda-lime glass instead of expensive borosilicate glass while still achieving adequate thermal shock resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Strength

If a protective coating is applied to the glass bottle, then thermal shock resistance improves, but the coating may reduce the transparency and visual appearance of the bottle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal shock resistanceVSAvoidtransparency
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a thin film coating applied to the outer surface of the glass bottle. This thin film provides thermal shock resistance while minimizing impact on transparency and visual appearance. The flexible nature of the thin coating allows it to conform to the bottle surface without creating significant optical interference, thus resolving the contradiction between protection and transparency.

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

The coated glass bottle offers improved thermal shock resistance and safety, maintaining mechanical strength and preventing breakage, while being cost-effective and free from harmful chemicals.

Implementation Method 1

a protective coating comprising at least a first layer of a flexible material adhering to said glass container

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP3359500B1Glass baby bottle covered with a coating for protection against heat shock, and related manufacture method
Publication Date: 2021.03.24 S G D
  • EP3359500B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a baby bottle (1) including a glass container (2). Said baby bottle (1) is characterized in that it also includes a coating (4) for protection against heat shock that covers the outside of at least one fraction of said glass container (2). Said glass container (2) is made of soda-lime glass. Said baby bottle is also characterized in that said protective coating (2) includes at least one first layer (4A) of a flexible material adhering to said glass container (2). The invention also relates to a related manufacture method. - Glass baby bottles