Laundry Scent Additive Package With Venting Dosing Cup Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current packaging designs for particulate laundry scent additives are prone to dosing cup separation during handling, leading to incomplete products, potential spills when consumers test the scent, and inconvenience in dispensing with three separate elements, which results in financial losses and user dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A package design featuring a container with a closure and dosing cup secured by a shrink sleeve, allowing the dosing cup to be securely attached and providing a vent opening for scent sampling without opening the package, enabling two-handed dispensing and preventing spills.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the dosing cup is releasably engaged with the closure, then the consumer can remove the dosing cup for dispensing, but the dosing cup may become separated during shipping or handling
Solution Approach 1:
The dosing cup is pre-engaged with the closure in a secured state during manufacturing, and the consumer performs the releasing action only when needed for dispensing. This preliminary engagement ensures the dosing cup remains attached during shipping and handling, while still allowing easy removal at the point of use.
2Ease of operation
If the closure is opened to smell the product, then the consumer can verify the scent, but the product may spill or be exposed to the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The dosing cup is extracted from the sealed container environment and provided with a vent opening that allows air (and scent) to pass through while retaining the particulate laundry scent additive. This enables the consumer to smell the product by simply opening the dosing cup or creating pressure differential, without opening the main closure and risking product spillage.
3Ease of manufacture
If three separate elements (container, closure, dosing cup) are handled during dispensing, then each component can be optimized independently, but the consumer requires three hands or complex manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The dosing cup and closure are merged into a single assembled unit where the dosing cup is releasably engaged with the closure. This merging allows the consumer to handle them as one component during dispensing operations, simplifying the user experience while maintaining the manufacturing advantages of having separate, optimizable parts.
4Ease of operation
If the vent opening is large enough for scent sampling, then the consumer can smell the product easily, but the particulate laundry scent additive may escape through the vent opening
Solution Approach 1:
The vent opening is designed with specific local dimensions that are optimized for the dual function of allowing air and scent molecules to pass through while being small enough to retain the larger particulate laundry scent additive. This local quality control at the vent opening enables effective scent sampling without product loss.
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 robustness, prevents dosing cup separation, allows scent sampling without opening the package, and simplifies dispensing with two hands, reducing product loss and improving consumer experience.
Implementation Method 1
a shrink sleeve wrapping around the container and the closure and at least a portion of the tapered portion of the dosing cup wall
Implementation Method 2
the vent opening is sized and dimensioned to retain the particulate laundry scent additive
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A package (5) for a particulate laundry scent additive comprising a container (10), a closure (20), a dosing cup (30) and a shrink sleeve (90).