Interlocking Rectangular Container Vacuum Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic containers, particularly PET containers, face challenges in maintaining structural integrity and aesthetic appeal when subjected to vacuum pressures resulting from hot filling and pasteurization/retort processes, leading to deformation and instability, especially during storage and transportation.
Innovation Solution
A rectangular plastic container design featuring vacuum panels in the sidewall to absorb vacuum pressures without deforming other parts, combined with interlocking structures at the shoulder and base regions for stable nesting with adjacent containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the amount of plastic is reduced to save material costs, then material cost decreases, but container rigidity and structural integrity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into distinct functional zones: rigid portions (base, shoulder, top) that maintain structural integrity and interlocking capability, and flexible vacuum panels that accommodate pressure changes. This segmentation allows different parts to have different thickness and rigidity requirements, optimizing both material usage and structural performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the container have different structural properties tailored to their specific functions. The vacuum panels are designed with localized flexibility to absorb vacuum pressures, while the base, shoulder, and interlocking portions maintain higher rigidity for structural support and stability during stacking and transportation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If vacuum panels are added to accommodate vacuum pressures, then container deformation is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sidewall is segmented into rigid portions and flexible vacuum panels, creating a hybrid structure that combines the benefits of both rigid and flexible designs. This segmentation allows the container to maintain overall structural integrity while accommodating vacuum pressures through localized panel deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum panels are designed to be dynamically flexible, allowing them to deform inward to accommodate vacuum pressures during cooling, while the rest of the container remains statically rigid. This dynamic response prevents unwanted deformation in the rigid portions while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If interlocking structures are added at shoulder and base regions, then stacking stability improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking structures are integrated directly into the blow-molding process, combining the container formation and interlocking feature creation into a single manufacturing step. The interlocking portions are formed as integral parts of the container during blow-molding, eliminating the need for separate assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking structures are designed to self-align and self-lock when containers are stacked. The complementary geometric shapes automatically engage with each other, providing stacking stability without requiring external fasteners, adhesives, or complex adjustment mechanisms.
4Reliability
If the container is designed for hot filling, then sterilization is achieved, but vacuum pressure deformation occurs during cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into rigid portions that maintain shape during hot filling and cooling, and flexible vacuum panels that specifically accommodate the vacuum pressures generated during cooling. This segmentation allows the container to withstand thermal processing while preventing unwanted deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum panels are designed to intentionally deform inward to accommodate the vacuum pressures that naturally occur during cooling of hot-filled containers. By providing a designated flexible area, the design converts the potentially harmful vacuum pressure into a controlled, aesthetic deformation that protects the rest of the container from distortion.
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 container maintains aesthetic and mechanical integrity by accommodating vacuum pressures and ensuring stability during handling and transportation, preventing unwanted deformation and distortion, while allowing adjacent containers to interlock securely.
Implementation Method 1
vacuum forces generated within the container resulting from heating and cooling of its contents
Implementation Method 2
heating and cooling of its contents
Data Source
AI summary
A plastic container includes an upper portion having a mouth defining an opening into the container. A shoulder region extends from the upper portion. A sidewall portion extends from the shoulder region to a base portion. The base portion closes off an end of the container. The sidewall portion is defined in part by at least two vacuum panels formed therein. The vacuum panels are movable to accommodate vacuum forces generated within the container resulting from heating and cooling of its contents. The shoulder region and the base portion each define an interlocking structure suitable to achieve a nesting relationship with complementary mating surfaces of an adjacent container.