Injection Molded Opening Device for Sheet Packaging

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing opening devices for packages with gas barrier materials require increased user effort and result in jagged, frayed edges when opening, impairing the smooth pour-out of food products due to the need to tear through the gas-barrier layer.

Innovation Solution

An injection molding apparatus and method that forms a plastic confetti portion directly attached to a prelaminated hole, piercing and resealing it to create a pouring spout, ensuring gas-sealing properties while simplifying the opening process by using a tearable membrane connection portion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the confetti portion is fixed directly over a prelaminated hole in the packaging material including the gas-barrier layer, then the package maintains gas-sealing properties, but the user effort required to open increases and the edge quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas-sealing propertiesVSAvoiduser effort to open

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The injection molding process preliminarily pierces the gas-barrier layer and forms the spout through the hole before the user opens the package. This preliminary action eliminates the need for the user to tear through the gas-barrier material, reducing opening effort while maintaining sealing integrity during storage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The gas-barrier material is transformed from a state requiring mechanical tearing to a state that has been pre-pierced and resealed by molten plastic. This parameter change in the material's structural state allows easy opening through membrane tearing alone, while the resealed hole maintains gas-sealing properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas-sealing propertiesVSAvoidhole edge quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The potential harm of the gas-barrier material creating jagged edges when torn is converted into a benefit by pre-piercing the hole with molten plastic. The plastic material acts as a benefit that smooths and resealed the hole edges, eliminating fraying while maintaining the gas-sealing function of the gas-barrier layer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Ease of operation

If the gas-barrier material is torn during opening, then the package can be opened, but material entrapment occurs and pouring quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackage openingVSAvoidpouring quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The injection molding process preliminarily removes the gas-barrier material from the hole area and resealed it with plastic material before the user opens the package. This preliminary action prevents material entrapment during opening, ensuring clean edges and smooth pouring quality while maintaining ease of opening through membrane tearing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 allows for easier package opening and improved pouring quality by ensuring the gas-barrier material is pierced and resealed, reducing user effort and preventing material entrapment, thus maintaining package integrity and smooth product flow.

Implementation Method 1

an injection molding apparatus (10) for injection molding opening devices (3) on sheet packaging material (2) for packaging pourable food products, comprising: a clamping unit (20) clamping a sheet packaging material (2) between a fixed mold (11) and a moving mold (12) in a mold cavity (31); a nozzle (38) injecting molten material into the mold cavity (31)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInjection molding:

Implementation Method 2

the molten material is then forced to pierce the prelaminated hole at such annular peripheral portion to form a pouring spout (18) of the opening device (3) projecting from an opposite side of the prelaminated hole (9)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPiercing and re sealing:

Data Source

PatentUS8998599B2Apparatus and method for injection molding opening devices on sheet packaging material for packaging pourable food products

Publication Date: 2015.04.07 TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE SA

AI summary

An apparatus for injection molding an opening device on a sheet packaging material having a hole possessing an axis, formed through a first layer and sealed by a cover portion of a second layer; comprises a mold cavity coaxially housing the cover portion and comprising a first chamber adapted to be filled with molten plastic material on a first side of the cover portion, and a second tubular chamber projecting along the axis from the first chamber and adapted to be filled with the molten plastic material coming from the first chamber through an annular peripheral portion of the cover portion to form, on a second side of the cover portion, a spout; an annular rib delimiting a passage connecting the first and second chamber and defining, when filled with the plastic material, an annular tearable membrane connection portion between the spout and the plastic material covering the cover portion.