Hinged Closure Cap With Desiccant Chamber And Spring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing closure caps for containers storing moisture-sensitive products like effervescent tablets are inefficient in maintaining product quality over time and require complex assembly processes, leading to increased costs and potential product damage during transport.

Innovation Solution

A closure cap design featuring a hinge-connected top part with a desiccant chamber and a single-loop spring element that pre-tensions products, allowing easy desiccant access and integration with the cap, reducing assembly complexity and costs while enhancing storage performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a closure cap is manufactured separately and connected to the container body after product introduction, then the closure cap can be assembled with the container, but the assembly process becomes complex and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the closure cap and container body into a single molded piece, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly operations. The closure cap is now formed as an integral part of the container body during the molding process, which simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces assembly complexity while maintaining all necessary functional features including the desiccant chamber and product engagement mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If products are stored loosely in the container body, then product access is easy, but products move around during transport and break or create dust

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct accessVSAvoidproduct integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a spring element that acts as a flexible mechanical constraint to hold products in place. The spring element can be made of flexible material that provides gentle pressure to secure products during transport while allowing easy access when the container is opened, thus maintaining both product integrity and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If the desiccant chamber is small, then the closure cap structure is simple, but the desiccant cannot effectively protect products over long periods

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshelf lifeVSAvoidclosure cap structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a desiccant chamber that is nested within the closure cap structure, utilizing the internal volume of the closure cap itself. This nested design allows for an enlarged desiccant chamber capacity without increasing the overall external dimensions of the closure cap, thereby extending shelf life while maintaining structural simplicity and avoiding additional complex components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple container body lengths are used, then a range of product sizes can be accommodated, but manufacturing and inventory complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct size rangeVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the closure cap with universal features including an adjustable spring element and scalable desiccant chamber that can accommodate different product sizes and quantities. This multi-functional design allows a single closure cap type to work with various container body lengths and product specifications, thereby maintaining manufacturing efficiency and inventory simplicity while providing adaptability to different product requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 improves storage characteristics by preventing product movement and breakage during transport, extends desiccant chamber volume, and simplifies assembly, accommodating a range of product sizes with fewer container body lengths, thus enhancing shelf life and handling efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a spring element for pre-tensioning products received in the container body is provided. By the provision of the spring element in the form of a single loop that extends from the top part, the spring element can be provided in a cost efficient manner. Furthermore, it improves the storage characteristics of the closure cap as the spring element pretensions the products received in the container body, in particular the tablets or pills, such that they do not move around during transport

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

Into the desiccant chamber, a desiccant such as silica gel, a molecular sieve or any other drying agent is provided in order to ensure that the quality of the products within the container can be maintained over a long period of time and over repeated opening and closing cycles

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP2307282B1Closure cap for a container
Publication Date: 2016.04.13 CLARIANT PROD (FRANCE) SAS
  • EP2307282B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2307282B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP2307282B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

The present invention pertains to a closure cap (3) for a container (1), the closure cap comprising a top part (32) connectable to a container body (2) via a hinge (34), the top part (32) being pivotable about the hinge (34). The top part (32) further includes a sealing skirt (36) to sealingly engage with an opening (20) of the container body (2), and the cop part (32) includes a desiccant chamber (38) for accommodating a desiccant. A spring element (4) for pre-tensioning products (5) received in the container body (2), the spring element (4) extending from the top part (32) in a single loop is present.