Flexible Laminate Container Venting for Squeeze Dispensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional rigid containers for fluent products are expensive to produce, require significant material, are difficult to decorate, prone to damage, and challenging to dispense, and require significant changes when product size is altered.

Innovation Solution

Flexible containers made from film laminates with a venting structure, featuring a structural support frame and a removable portion for dispensing, allowing easy printing and decoration, and providing structural integrity for handling and use without failure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If rigid containers are used for fluent products, then structural integrity is improved, but production cost increases and material usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies flexible containers made from laminated films instead of rigid materials, achieving sufficient structural integrity through the multi-layer laminate structure while reducing production costs and material usage. The flexible container includes an outer layer, intermediate layer, and inner layer that work together to provide strength without requiring thick rigid walls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite laminated materials consisting of multiple layers with different properties (outer layer for strength, intermediate layer for barrier properties, inner layer for flexibility). This composite structure achieves the required structural integrity while using less material and reducing production costs compared to solid rigid containers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If rigid containers are used for fluent products, then structural integrity is improved, but material usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidmaterial usage

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible container uses thin film laminates instead of thick rigid materials, achieving sufficient structural integrity through the multi-layer construction while significantly reducing the amount of material required. The thin flexible walls provide adequate strength for containing and dispensing fluent products without the material excess of rigid containers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The composite laminate structure distributes structural requirements across multiple thin layers, each optimized for specific functions (strength, barrier, flexibility). This allows the container to achieve required integrity with minimal total material usage, reducing waste compared to solid rigid containers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Loss of substance

If flexible containers are made from thin film laminates, then material usage is reduced, but structural integrity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial usageVSAvoidstructural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a multi-layer composite laminate structure where each layer contributes specific properties: the outer layer provides strength and rigidity, the intermediate layer provides barrier properties, and the inner layer provides flexibility. This composite construction achieves sufficient structural integrity despite using thin films, resolving the contradiction between material reduction and strength maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible container uses specifically engineered thin film laminates that, when layered and sealed properly, provide adequate structural integrity for handling and dispensing. The thin flexible construction reduces material usage while maintaining sufficient strength through proper laminate design and sealing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Strength

If conventional rigid containers are used, then structural integrity is improved, but ease of dispensing deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidease of dispensing

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible container allows easy dispensing of fluent products by enabling the user to squeeze and deform the container walls, directly pushing product toward the dispensing opening. This flexibility eliminates the need to overcome rigid container resistance, making dispensing intuitive and easy while the laminate structure maintains sufficient integrity for handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

Flexible containers offer cost-effective production, reduced material usage, enhanced durability, easy dispensing, and adaptable sizing, while maintaining structural integrity and functionality.

Implementation Method 1

a venting structure in the headspace portion of the product volume. The venting structure can include an unsealed portion between adjacent layers of material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir entry through venting structure: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3448773B1Flexible containers with venting structure

Publication Date: 2026.04.15 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

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AI summary

In a container (100) made of flexible laminate sheets (180-1, 180-2) and including a product space and dispensing and optional venting structures, a flow channel (159) in fluid communication with the product space (150) and with a normally closed dispenser (160) is provided. When a squeeze force is applied to the product space (150) the dispenser (160) opens and the container dispenses the fluent product from the product volume, through the flow channel, and out the dispenser.