Hot-Fill Bottle Base Diaphragm for Pressure-Responsive Shape Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic containers used for hot-filling beverages and sauces face deformation issues due to thermal and pressure changes, which affect functionality and appearance, and existing vacuum panels are inefficient and visible, requiring improved base configurations to manage internal pressures effectively.
Innovation Solution
A hot-fillable plastic bottle design featuring a base portion with a diaphragm having an arcuate inner wall and conical structure that moves in response to internal pressure changes, including a base sidewall with circumferential ribs to resist radial distortion and a bottom support surface to maintain structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If vacuum panels are added to the container to accommodate internal pressure changes, then the container can resist deformation during hot-filling, but the container creates visible voids and requires additional components that affect appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the vacuum panel functionality directly into the base portion of the container, merging the pressure compensation feature with the structural base. This integration eliminates the need for separate vacuum panels on the sidewall, reducing visible voids and improving appearance while maintaining pressure resistance capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent relocates the vacuum panel from the sidewall (two-dimensional surface) to the base portion (three-dimensional structural element), utilizing the vertical space and cross-sectional area of the base to provide pressure compensation without affecting the visual appearance of the container body
2Strength
If vacuum panels are incorporated into the base portion, then the container can accommodate pressure changes, but the limited surface area of the base reduces the efficiency of pressure compensation
Solution Approach 1:
The base portion is segmented into multiple functional zones including the vacuum panel area, the support surface, and structural reinforcement elements. This segmentation allows the limited base area to be utilized more efficiently, with specific regions dedicated to pressure compensation while others provide structural support
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the base portion, including increasing the cross-sectional area of the base and optimizing the thickness and configuration of the vacuum panel within the base to maximize pressure compensation efficiency within the available space
3Weight of moving object
If the container is made lighter in weight, then the container is easier to handle and transport, but the container may have reduced structural integrity to withstand hot-filling pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The container employs local quality enhancement by concentrating material thickness and structural reinforcement specifically in the base portion where pressure compensation is needed, while maintaining lighter wall thicknesses in the body to reduce overall weight. This localized reinforcement provides structural integrity where required without unnecessarily increasing overall container weight
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 design effectively manages internal pressure variations during hot-filling and cooling, minimizing deformation and maintaining container shape and functionality while being visually appealing, with the diaphragm moving to accommodate pressure differentials without visible voids.
Implementation Method 1
The diaphragm is configured to move from the initial as-formed position toward a second position when an internal pressure relative an external pressure external of the bottle exceeds a threshold value
Implementation Method 2
The body sidewall has at least one circumferential rib extending about its circumference and is configured to resist radial distortion
Data Source
AI summary
Hot-fillable plastic bottle including a finished portion, a body portion with at least one circumferential rib configured to resist radial distortion, and a base portion. The base portion comprises a base sidewall, a bottom support surface extending radially inward from the base sidewall and defining a reference plane, an inner support wall extending upwardly from the bottom support surface, and a diaphragm extending radially inward from the inner support wall. The diaphragm comprises an inner wall having an arcuate shape with a radius r1 and a central conical structure, where the diaphragm is in an initial as-formed position with the conical structure above the reference place. The diaphragm is configured to move from an initial as-formed position toward a second position when an internal pressure relative an external pressure exceeds a threshold value.