Nested Tamper-Evident Closure for Active Material Integration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tamper-evident closures for screw-necked containers either compromise the ability to integrate active materials for atmosphere control or require modifications to the container design, limiting their versatility and compatibility with conventional filling lines.
Innovation Solution
A tamper-evident closure with an outer and inner cap, connected by a safety strip via a frangible structure, allowing for child-resistant, tamper-evident, and atmosphere-controlling features without modifying the container, utilizing engagement mechanisms that require specific torque and force combinations to open.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a foil is welded on the upper surface of the container opening to provide tamper-evidence, then tamper-evident function is achieved, but the ability to integrate a chamber for active material is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The closure is divided into two separate caps: an outer cap that provides tamper-evident functionality through the safety strip, and an inner cap that contains the chamber for active material. This segmentation allows both functions to coexist without interfering with each other, resolving the contradiction between tamper-evidence and active material integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner cap with its active material chamber is nested within the outer cap. The safety strip connects these two nested components, providing tamper-evidence while preserving the inner chamber's functionality. This nesting arrangement allows both tamper-evident features and active material containment to be integrated in the same closure structure.
2Reliability
If a collar is arranged at the lower end of the cap with bosses to restrict rotation, then tamper-evident function is achieved, but compatibility with conventional containers is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The safety strip design provides universal applicability across different container types. Instead of requiring specific boss features on the container, the safety strip engages with the outer and inner caps through frangible connections that work with conventional screw-threaded containers. This allows the tamper-evident function to be achieved without modifying the container design, maintaining compatibility with existing conventional containers.
3Reliability
If a safety strip with frangible structure is used to connect outer and inner caps, then tamper-evidence and active material integration are achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety strip is integrally formed with one of the caps (either the outer or inner cap) through a frangible connection. This merging of the safety strip with the cap structure reduces the number of separate components and simplifies manufacturing, while still providing the necessary tamper-evident functionality and supporting the active material chamber integration.
Data Source
AI summary
A tamper-evident closure including an outer cap with a sidewall and a top wall; an inner cap with a sidewall and a top wall, coaxially nested in the outer cap; a safety strip arranged between the outer cap and the inner cap to block at least one degree of freedom of relative movement of the outer and inner caps, wherein the safety strip is integrally made with one cap and connected thereto by a frangible structure; a first engagement mechanism between the safety strip and the other cap, to drive the caps in unison in a screwing direction to mount the closure on the container; a second engagement mechanism between the caps, to drive the caps in unison in an unscrewing direction (R2) to remove the closure from the container, wherein the second engagement mechanism is activatable when the safety strip has been removed.