Tamper-Evident Overcap With Weakening Line Slit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overcaps for bottle necks with tamper-evidence features often require a knife to cut away the top part, leading to potential injury from burrs and ridges, and existing tear strips or bands can cause skin irritation.
Innovation Solution
A cup-shaped overcap with a cap portion and cylindrical jacket, featuring a weakening line with a slit or incisions that allows easy peeling without the need for a knife, made from aluminum or polymer-coated metallic film to prevent burrs and ensure safe removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a tear strip or tear band is provided on the overcap, then the overcap can be removed without a knife, but ridges or burrs are formed on the remaining parts causing skin injury risk
Solution Approach 1:
The overcap is divided into two distinct portions: a cap portion that is easily removable and a jacket portion that remains on the bottle neck. The weakening line creates a clean separation between these portions, allowing the cap to be peeled off without forming burrs or ridges on the remaining jacket portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The weakening line is strategically positioned only where needed for removal, while the rest of the overcap maintains its smooth, intact structure. This localized modification allows easy removal without compromising the overall smoothness and safety of the remaining overcap portion.
2Ease of operation
If a tear strip or tear band is provided on the overcap, then the overcap can be removed without a knife, but the tear strip causes skin irritation
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful tear strip is completely removed from the design. Instead, a weakening line is provided that allows clean separation without creating irritating fragments or edges. The cap portion peels off cleanly, leaving no harmful elements on the remaining jacket portion.
3Strength
If the overcap is made of thick material for strength, then the overcap is durable, but a knife is required to cut away the top part
Solution Approach 1:
The overcap can be made of relatively thick material for overall strength and durability, but the weakening line provides a localized area of reduced strength or thickness that enables easy manual removal without requiring a knife. This allows the bulk of the material to remain strong while a specific region facilitates easy opening.
Data Source
AI summary
Overcap (10) for a bottle neck (50) having a centre line (15) and a mouth (55) closed by a cork (60), screw cap, bung or other form of closure to provide a tamper-evidence cover for the closure. The overcap (10) comprises a cap portion (4) having a top transverse surface (6) and an adjacent short cylindrical skirt (8), a cylindrical jacket portion (2) adjacent to said skirt (8) of the cap portion (4) and a weakening line (20) between said two portions (2, 4) of the overcap (10), wherein apart from the weakening line (20) the overcap (10) has a smooth or embossed surface. The weakening line (20) is a circumferential line of the overcap (10) having at least a compressed line part and a slit (30, 35), the weakening line (20) surrounds the bottle neck (50) and runs at least partly perpendicular to the centre line (15), wherein the slit (30, 35) has a length and a width that allows the introduction of a knife blade (63) or a fingernail (65).