Opaque Container Closure With Visible Tamper-Evident Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container closures require transparent materials, limiting material and color choices, expose contents to light, and complicate quality control due to inaccessible tamper-evident rings.
Innovation Solution
A container closure design featuring a tamper-evident ring separate from the cap and base portions, with an annular bead in an outer groove, allowing for opaque materials and color contrasts, and a breaking zone that visibly changes upon opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If transparent material is used for the injection molded piece, then the tamper-evident ring is visible through the cap portion, but the contents are exposed to light and material choices are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tamper-evident ring from the injection molded piece, making it a separate component that can be attached to the cap portion. This allows the cap to be made opaque while the ring remains visible from the exterior, solving both the light exposure problem and the visibility requirement
Solution Approach 2:
The tamper-evident ring is positioned within the groove of the cap portion, creating a nested structure where the ring is housed in the cap's groove but remains externally visible. This nesting allows the cap to provide light protection while the ring provides tamper visibility
2Ease of manufacture
If the tamper-evident ring is integrated into the injection molded piece, then assembly is simplified, but the ring becomes inaccessible for quality control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the container closure system into separate components: the injection molded piece (cap and base), the spout, and the tamper-evident ring. This segmentation makes the ring accessible for quality control inspection while still achieving simple assembly through snap-fit attachment
3Ease of manufacture
If the tamper-evident ring is mounted through the opening of the base portion, then the ring can be attached, but the closure must be produced from at least three separate pieces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the tamper-evident ring attachment with the cap portion by integrating the ring into the cap's groove structure. This combining reduces the overall component count and simplifies the closure construction while maintaining easy ring attachment
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
Enables use of various materials and colors, provides clear tamper evidence, and simplifies quality control by maintaining ring accessibility.
Implementation Method 1
the breaking zone breaks when the cap portion is opened and causes a non-reversible and visible change in the container closure
Implementation Method 2
the tamper-evident ring for form-fit connection to the cap portion has an annular bead which is not radially covered by the base portion and extends in an annular groove of an outer wall of the cap portion
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a container closure comprising a base portion which extends about a reference axis of the container closure, a cap portion which in a closed positioned covers a drinking hole in the container closure and in an open position leaves said drinking hole in the container closure uncovered, and a tamper-evident ring which is separate from the cap portion and the base portion and is interlockingly connected to the cap portion and connected to the base portion in a hooked manner. The tamper-evident ring has an annular bead that is not radially covered by the base portion and extends in an annular groove of an outer wall of the cap portion, which wall faces radially outward.