Hinged Closure With Recessed Hinge Protecting From Blade Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container closures with caps and tabs face challenges in maintaining the cap in an open position securely while simplifying manufacturing processes, particularly in managing the blade cutting process for forming the closure without damaging the hinge.
Innovation Solution
A closure design featuring a recessed hinge that pivotally couples the retention band with the annular wall, allowing for a reduced complexity in manufacturing and enabling the blade to cut the weakened section without cutting the hinge, along with an interference band that interfaces with the container neck when opened, providing a secure and efficient opening mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a blade is used to cut the closure to form the annular wall and retention band, then the closure can be manufactured with reduced complexity, but the hinge may be damaged or cut by the blade
Solution Approach 1:
The closure is divided into distinct functional segments: the annular wall, the retention band, and the hinge. The blade cutting path is designed to separate the annular wall from the retention band while stopping before reaching the hinge, ensuring the hinge remains intact. This segmentation allows each component to be formed and positioned independently, simplifying manufacturing while protecting the hinge from damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge is pre-positioned and secured to the retention band before the blade cutting process begins. This preliminary action ensures the hinge is already in its correct location and orientation, allowing the blade to cut the annular wall and retention band without risking damage to the hinge. The hinge serves as a reference point that guides the cutting process.
2Ease of operation
If the hinge extends closer to the rotational axis, then the retention band can pivot more effectively, but the blade may cut the hinge during manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is positioned at a specific radial distance from the rotational axis that optimizes pivoting effectiveness while maintaining safety from blade damage. This local positioning creates a quality gradient where the hinge has the ideal characteristics for rotation (sufficient distance from axis for leverage) while avoiding the hazardous zone where the blade operates during cutting.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular wall serves as an intermediary structure between the blade cutting process and the hinge. The blade cuts through the annular wall and retention band but is designed to stop before reaching the hinge, using the annular wall as a protective barrier. This intermediary structure allows the hinge to be positioned optimally for pivoting while protecting it from direct blade contact.
3Productivity
If the closure structure is simplified for manufacturing, then production efficiency increases, but the secure opening mechanism may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into integrated components: the retention band serves both as a structural element and as the pivoting mechanism for opening; the hinge provides both the rotational joint and the reference for blade cutting; the annular wall provides both structural support and defines the cutting path. This merging reduces the number of separate parts and assembly steps, improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining secure opening functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention band is designed as a multi-functional component that serves as both a structural element maintaining closure integrity and as the moving element that pivots to open the closure. The hinge serves dual purposes: enabling rotation and providing a reference point for the manufacturing cutting process. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity while ensuring reliable operation.
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 closure design simplifies manufacturing by protecting the hinge during cutting and ensures a secure opening mechanism through the interference band, enhancing the operational efficiency and reliability of the closure.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of frangible members that break a first time the annular wall is pivoted with respect to the retention band
Implementation Method 2
a hinge having an inner surface that extends a second distance from the rotational axis that is less than the first distance, and a retention band pivotally attached to the annular wall by the hinge
Data Source
AI summary
A closure includes a cap having a top wall and a skirt perpendicular to the top wall and extending downwardly from the top wall to a lower edge. The skirt includes an inner surface having a sealing formation. A band is concentric with and attached to the lower edge of the skirt by a plurality of frangible members. A tab is formed at a hinge location from the band and extending from the lower edge of the skirt to a pair of co-linear slits in the band separated by a frangible member. The tab is bounded by a pair of slits extending from the lower edge of the skirt to the pair of co-linear slits, with each of the pair of slits being separated from a respective first co-linear slit by a respective frangible member.