One-Piece Hinged Container With Dual Sealing Sections

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing containers face challenges in achieving reliable sealing while being simple to manufacture and operate, often requiring separate components and additional sealing elements that project into the container space, leading to increased dimensions and material usage.

Innovation Solution

A container design where the container body and closure are injection molded as a one-piece part with a hinge, featuring a snap closure mechanism and two sealing portions, where the second sealing portion abuts the rim's end face in the closed position, eliminating the need for separate assembly and internal sealing elements, allowing for smaller dimensions and reduced material usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If separate container closure and container body are manufactured and assembled, then assembly flexibility is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly flexibilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container closure and container body are merged into a single one-piece injection molded part, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly processes. This reduces device complexity and manufacturing cost while maintaining the functional separation between closure and body through integrated hinge and sealing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If sealing elements project into the container space, then sealing reliability is improved, but container volume increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidcontainer volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of projecting sealing elements inward into the container space, the invention uses outwardly directed sealing surfaces on the rim that engage with corresponding surfaces on the closure. The sealing interface is inverted to face outward, allowing reliable sealing without compromising container volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing mechanism transitions from a radial inward projection to an axial engagement at the rim's end face. By utilizing the axial dimension and the outer surface of the rim rather than radial inward projection, the patent achieves sealing without volume loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple separate components are used, then functionality is improved, but material usage and waste increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctional capabilityVSAvoidmaterial waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple functional components (closure, hinge, sealing elements) are combined into a single injection molded part, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing of individual components. This reduces total material usage, manufacturing waste, and assembly complexity while maintaining all necessary functionalities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Volume of stationary object

If larger container dimensions are used, then filling volume is improved, but transport cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer volumeVSAvoidtransport cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the sealing mechanism to use outwardly directed surfaces rather than inward projections, the patent maximizes the internal container volume for a given external dimension. This allows larger filling volume without increasing transport dimensions, reducing transport costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP3288843B1Container having two sealing sections

Publication Date: 2020.06.17 SANNER

Figure 1a
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Figure 1c

AI summary

The invention relates to a container comprising a container body (1) having a container opening, and comprising a container closure (2) for the container opening (8), wherein the container body (1) and the container closure (2) are designed as an integral injection-moulded part and have a hinge (10), said hinge movably joining the container closure (2) to the container body (1), wherein the container body (1) has a container wall (3) forming a container chamber (4), wherein the container opening (8) is surrounded by an edge (9), wherein the container closure (2) is designed as a snap closure and can adopt an open position and a closed position, wherein the container closure (2) has a base (12) on which a skirt (13) is arranged, and the container closure (2) has a first sealing section (30) and a second sealing section (22), wherein the first sealing section (30) is arranged on an inner side of the skirt (13) and the second sealing section (22) is arranged on the base (12), wherein, in the closed position, the first sealing section (30) is in contact with an outer side of the edge (9) in order to form a first seal. The invention is characterised in that, in the closed position, the second sealing section (22) is in contact with an end surface of the edge (9) in order to form a second seal.