Glued Corner Top Flange Container Forming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional containers with top flanges are prone to disengagement, leading to poor seals and nesting issues, making them difficult to separate and requiring complex, time-consuming, and costly sealing processes.
Innovation Solution
A method of forming containers with a fully formed top flange by applying adhesive to side flange tabs and rotating end and side flange panels into parallel orientations, coupling end flange tabs to side flange tabs to create a secure and flat sealing surface, and incorporating denesting assemblies to prevent sticking during stacking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the flange is formed by merely folding into place without adhesive, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the container is weak and prone to disengagement
Solution Approach 1:
Adhesive is applied to the flange tabs during the initial container formation process, before the container is stacked or sealed. This preliminary application of adhesive ensures that when the flange tabs are folded and interlocked, they form a strong, permanent bond that prevents disengagement during subsequent handling, stacking, and sealing operations.
2Productivity
If the flange is not glued in place during formation, then the production process is faster, but the seal quality is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive is applied to the flange tabs during the initial container formation process, allowing the bonding action to occur before stacking and sealing. This preliminary bonding ensures that the flange maintains its structural integrity and provides a reliable sealing surface, eliminating the need for additional sealing complexity while maintaining high production speeds.
3Volume of stationary object
If the flanges rest directly on top of one another when nested, then the containers stack more tightly, but separation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is divided into multiple tabs that are folded and interlocked with adjacent flange tabs. This segmentation creates a mechanical interlock with small gaps between the interlocked tabs, allowing the containers to stack tightly while providing natural separation points that enable easy manual or automated separation without damage.
4Reliability
If a more robust seal is used to prevent disengagement, then the seal reliability improves, but the sealing process becomes more complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The flange tabs are pre-bonded with adhesive during container formation, creating a strong, permanent structural bond before the sealing process. This preliminary bonding eliminates the need for complex, robust sealing mechanisms, as the flange itself is already secured against disengagement. The result is a simple, cost-effective sealing process that maintains high reliability.
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 solution enhances the structural integrity and sealing ability of containers, allowing for easier separation and faster, simpler sealing, while reducing the risk of structural failure and material costs.
Implementation Method 1
applying an adhesive to an interior surface of the side flange tabs... coupling the end flange tabs to the side flange tabs
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming a container from a blank includes applying an adhesive to an interior surface of side flange tabs of the blank, rotating the end panels of the blank inwardly towards a bottom panel, rotating side panels of the blank inwardly towards the bottom panel, and rotating the side flange panels of the blank outwardly into a parallel orientation to the bottom panel. The method further includes, after rotating the side flange panels, rotating end flange panels into a parallel orientation to the bottom panel and coupling the end flange tabs to the side flange tabs to form the container having a fully formed top flange.