Hot-fill Container Dome Design for Top-Load Collapse Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic containers lack structural rigidity, making them susceptible to collapse under external downward vertical forces, such as those encountered during filling, storage, transportation, and display, leading to frequent failures.
Innovation Solution
A dome-designed plastic container featuring hydrostatic pressure absorption panels and a circumferential ring that absorb a substantial portion of the downward force, allowing the container to restore its original shape and geometry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If plastic containers are used instead of traditional containers, then advantages such as lighter weight and lower cost are achieved, but structural rigidity is insufficient causing collapse under top-load forces
Solution Approach 1:
The container body is divided into multiple sections with vertically extending ribs that create compartmentalized structures. These ribs segment the wall into regions that can independently deform and absorb energy, preventing catastrophic collapse while maintaining overall structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The container incorporates a domed top and curved body sections instead of flat surfaces. The curved geometry distributes applied loads more effectively across the structure, enhancing structural rigidity and resistance to collapsing under top-load forces while maintaining the lightweight plastic construction
2Productivity
If plastic containers are stacked and stored in trays or during shipment, then storage efficiency is improved, but top-load forces increase dramatically causing bottle failure
Solution Approach 1:
The container design incorporates built-in structural features such as reinforced domed tops, curved body sections, and ribbed walls that are pre-engineered to absorb and distribute top-load forces. These features act as cushioning elements that protect the container from collapse during stacking and transportation before actual failure can occur
Solution Approach 2:
The container utilizes changes in geometric parameters including domed curvature radius, rib height and spacing, and wall thickness distribution to optimize structural performance. These parameter variations enable the container to withstand dramatically increased top-load forces during stacking while maintaining lightweight construction for efficient storage
3Strength
If the container structure is reinforced to withstand top-load forces, then structural rigidity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The structure is segmented into modular components including a domed top section, curved body sections with vertically extending ribs, and a base section. These segmented elements work together to provide enhanced top-load resistance through distributed load paths while maintaining relatively simple individual component geometries that are easy to manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The domed top and curved body sections provide structural reinforcement through geometric curvature rather than adding complex mechanical components. The curved surfaces naturally distribute applied forces across larger areas, achieving enhanced strength with minimal increase in manufacturing complexity
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 enhances the container's ability to withstand 80% to 200% greater downward forces compared to similar containers without these features, preventing collapse and restoring the original shape after force removal.
Implementation Method 1
the hydrostatic pressure absorption panels move outwardly to absorb at least a substantial portion of the positive, internal pressure in the container resulting from the application of the external downwardly directed vertical force
Implementation Method 2
the design in accordance with the invention allows the bottle to typically withstand about 80% greater downwardly directed force compared to a similar bottle without the hydrostatic pressure absorption panels and the circumferential ring
Data Source
AI summary
A plastic container comprising a base that is attached to a body section which is connected to a dome section by a circumferential ring is provided. The dome section comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced hydrostatic pressure absorption panels each located between vertically extending, circumferentially spaced ribs that absorbs at least a substantial portion of the external downwardly directed vertical forces exerted on the container and restores the container to its original shape. In addition, a method of absorbing a downward, vertical top-load is provided.