Lightweight Plastic Container Neck Structure for Stable Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plastic containers and preforms face challenges in achieving stability and handling while maintaining reduced weight for economic efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The design of a plastic container with a reduced neck portion weight and center of gravity, utilizing a support flange and tamper-evident formation, made from materials like PET, with dimensions optimized for improved stability and handling, including a neck portion weight of 3.0 grams or less and specific vertical distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the weight of the neck portion is reduced to 3.0 grams or less, then material efficiency and economic benefits are improved, but the stability and handling during manufacturing may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating material strategically in the support flange region rather than uniformly distributing it throughout the neck portion. The support flange is designed with specific thickness and radial extent to provide localized structural reinforcement that maintains stability while keeping the overall neck weight at 3.0 grams or less. This localized material distribution resolves the contradiction by providing stability where needed without adding unnecessary weight elsewhere.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent resolves the weight-stability contradiction by transitioning from a purely vertical dimension consideration to a three-dimensional structural solution. The support flange extends radially outward and has specific thickness, creating a distributed structural element that lowers the center of gravity and provides rotational stability. This dimensional approach allows the neck portion to achieve both low weight and high stability through spatial configuration rather than simply increasing mass.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the lower surface of the support flange is reduced to 0.580 inches or less, then the center of gravity is lowered improving stability, but the neck portion height is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the contradiction between lowering the center of gravity and maintaining neck height by utilizing radial and thickness dimensions. The support flange is designed with optimal radial extent and thickness to provide structural support and stability without requiring excessive vertical height. This three-dimensional approach allows the vertical distance to be reduced to 0.580 inches or less while maintaining adequate neck portion dimensions through compensation in other spatial dimensions.
3Ease of operation
If the support flange is designed with optimized dimensions for stability, then handling during manufacturing is improved, but the complexity of the neck portion structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support flange is designed as a multi-functional element that simultaneously provides structural support, lowers the center of gravity, facilitates handling during manufacturing, and serves as the mounting surface for the closure. By consolidating these multiple functions into a single structural feature rather than adding separate components, the patent improves ease of operation without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the support function, the structural reinforcement, and the closure mounting function into a single integrated support flange structure. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate support elements and simplifies the overall neck portion design while achieving improved handling characteristics during manufacturing and processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A plastic container includes a hollow body portion including a lower supporting base portion; a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion. The neck portion includes a support flange having an upper and lower surface, at least one thread, and a dispensing opening at the top of the neck portion. In embodiments, a closure may be provided to form an assembly. A preform and method for making a container are also disclosed.