Overcap Tab Piercing Laminated Container Caps

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Solution Overview

Problem

Containers with laminated caps pose challenges during opening, leading to product spillage, sharp fragments, and contamination risks due to improper opening techniques, which existing solutions like hard overcaps do not adequately address, especially when handled and stored before consumption.

Innovation Solution

An overcap device with a base and a tab featuring piercing and cutting means that, when turned, creates a mouthpiece for direct consumption by piercing the laminated surface, reducing spills and contamination risks while allowing hygienic access to the content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If consumers open laminated caps by forming an exit hole manually, then product spillage and sharp fragments are reduced, but the exit hole size and quality depend on user skills and the contaminated surface is still exposed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct spillage and sharp fragmentsVSAvoiduser skill dependency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The piercing element automatically forms an exit hole of appropriate size and shape when the cap is opened, eliminating the need for user skill in creating the hole. The system serves itself by incorporating the piercing function into the opening mechanism, ensuring consistent hole quality regardless of user ability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The piercing element is pre-positioned and pre-configured to automatically pierce the laminated cap at the correct location and angle during the opening process. This preliminary preparation ensures that the exit hole is created properly before the consumer needs to access the product, removing the dependency on user skill.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If consumers partially open the laminated surface to consume products, then sharp fragments are avoided, but content residue is exposed and may smear on the consumer's nose

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesharp fragmentsVSAvoidproduct smearing

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The piercing element acts as an intermediary that creates a controlled exit hole through the laminated cap, allowing product flow while preventing direct contact between the consumer and the contaminated cap surface. This intermediary structure enables consumption without the need to partially open the cap, thereby avoiding both sharp fragments and product smearing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If hard overcaps are used to protect container edges, then contamination is prevented, but they do not facilitate proper opening and reduce spills

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecontaminationVSAvoidopening facilitation

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The protective cap and piercing element are merged into a single integrated component. The protective cap not only shields the container edges from contamination during handling and storage but also incorporates the piercing element that facilitates proper opening. This combination eliminates the need for separate protective and opening mechanisms, resolving the contradiction between protection and ease of opening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of operation

If the laminated cap is designed for easy opening, then consumer convenience is improved, but improper opening techniques lead to spillage and sharp fragments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveopening convenienceVSAvoidopening safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The piercing element automatically performs the critical piercing action at the correct location and angle when the cap is opened, eliminating the need for consumer skill in this delicate operation. The system self-regulates the opening process to ensure safety while maintaining convenience, resolving the contradiction between easy opening and reliable safe opening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10081462B2Overcap with means to facilitate the opening of a container and the subsequent direct consumption of its content

Publication Date: 2018.09.25 DANONE ALQUERIA

AI summary

This invention discloses an innovative device to effectively open a recipient or container whose cap is formed by a laminated surface, also forming a mouthpiece that allows the direct and hygienic consumption of the content within. The disclosed device is an overcap comprising: i) a base with an inner hollow space, and ii) a tab located within the hollow space of the base, having piercing and cutting means on one of its ends and comprising an inner hollow space; which is connected to the base by means of two end pieces forming an axis for the tab to be turned. Once said overcap is coupled with the container, the laminated surface can be pierced and removed/pulled away by turning the tab, thereby creating an opening in the laminate allowing the content to exit there from. The tab completes its turn when the end opposite to the one containing the piercing and cutting means reaches the base of the cap, in such a way that a mouthpiece is formed, thereby facilitating the direct and hygienic consumption of the content within a container whose cap is formed by a laminated surface, ensuring no contact between the mouth of the consumer and the container or its cap, and with no spills or splashes.