Laminate Container Precursor With Peeled Edge Region

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional food and pet food containers, such as cans and glass jars, face issues with storage efficiency, weight, energy consumption, and safety due to their cylindrical shape and material limitations, while laminate containers have challenges with moisture penetration and high production costs.

Innovation Solution

A container precursor made from a sheet-like composite with a specific layer structure, involving multiple carrier and barrier layers of varying thicknesses, is folded to create a shell-shaped container with reduced seams and no internal plastic barriers, using a process that minimizes components, time, and dust formation, and enhances stability and durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a polymer sealing strip is sealed on the inside along the longitudinal seam to prevent moisture penetration, then moisture protection is improved, but production costs increase due to additional components and sealing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoisture protectionVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the separate polymer sealing strip component and integrates moisture protection directly into the laminate structure through a multi-layer construction with an outer layer, intermediate layer, and inner layer, where the layers themselves provide the barrier function without requiring additional sealing components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the structural layers and moisture barrier function into a single integrated laminate structure, merging what were previously separate functions (structural integrity and moisture protection) into one unified component system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If a sealable plastic with barrier effect (such as EVOH layer) is used in the sealing strip, then moisture protection is improved, but production costs increase due to expensive materials

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoisture protectionVSAvoidmaterial cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention employs a composite laminate structure consisting of multiple layers with different properties (outer layer, intermediate layer, inner layer) that work together to provide moisture protection, replacing the need for expensive single-material solutions like EVOH

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If the laminate is folded several times with opposite ends sealed to form a shell-shaped precursor, then container formation is achieved, but moisture can penetrate through the longitudinal seam joints into the carrier layer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer formationVSAvoidmoisture protection

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different layer configurations at different locations along the longitudinal seam, with the seam area having a specific multi-layer construction that provides enhanced moisture protection at the critical joint region while maintaining overall container formation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10625488B2Container precursor, in particular for the manufacture of a food container, from a laminate with a peeled edge region, which is partially folded back on itself

Publication Date: 2020.04.21 SIG SERVICES AG

AI summary

The invention relates to a container precursor comprising a wall, wherein the wall a) surrounds an interior region, and b) comprises a first wall region and a second wall region. Further, the invention relates to a process for manufacturing a container precursor, a container precursor obtainable through this process, a closed container, a process for manufacturing a closed container, a closed container obtainable through this process, a use of the aforementioned container precursor, and a further use of the aforementioned container precursor.