Package Material Blank Funnel Opening Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging solutions for consumable liquid food products do not efficiently facilitate high pouring speed while minimizing material consumption and production time, particularly in creating a significant opening for easy pouring.
Innovation Solution
A package material blank with additional lines of weakness on the main panel to form a funnel-shaped opening, combined with a weakened area and an elongated opening strip connected via a bridge, allows for a substantial enlargement of the opening and improved pouring functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional opening devices are used on packages, then the package structure remains simple, but the pouring speed is limited due to small opening size
Solution Approach 1:
The opening device is segmented into multiple functional elements: a tab for user activation, a bridge connecting the tab to the opening strip, and an elongated opening strip that creates the pouring aperture. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The opening strip extends elongated across a significant portion of the package width, transitioning from a conventional small point-like opening to a distributed linear opening structure. This dimensional change across the width dimension enables high pouring speed by creating a large aperture area
2Speed
If a large opening is created for fast pouring, then pouring speed improves, but material consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lines of weakness are pre-formed on the main panel during package manufacturing, creating predetermined folding paths that will form the funnel-shaped opening. This preliminary action eliminates the need for additional material to create the opening structure, as the geometry is built into the base material configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The main panel geometry is modified by adding lines of weakness that enable transformation from a flat panel to a three-dimensional funnel shape. This parameter change in the panel configuration allows creation of a large pouring opening without adding material volume
3Ease of operation
If additional lines of weakness are added to form funnel-shaped opening, then pouring functionality is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lines of weakness are incorporated into the main panel during the blank formation stage, before package assembly. This preliminary creation of the funnel geometry ensures that the enhanced pouring functionality is achieved through the base structure itself, without requiring complex post-manufacturing operations or additional components
4Speed
If an elongated opening strip is used to create large opening, then pouring speed improves, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tab, bridge, and opening strip are merged into a single integrated opening device structure that is applied as one unit to the package. This merging eliminates the need for separate assembly steps for each component, reducing production time while maintaining the elongated opening geometry for high pouring speed
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5A
Figure 6~7
AI summary
A package material blank comprises a body panel having a main panel, two second panels arranged adjacent to the main panel and at least one third panel. End closure panels arranged adjacent to the body panel, the end closure panels comprising a top and bottom closure panels arranged adjacent to the main and the at least one third panel, respectively and flap closure panels arranged adjacent to the two second panels. Lines of weakness separate each of the body and end closure panels. A line of weakness is provided on the main panel having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion extends from a first point to a second point and the second portion extend from a third point to the second point.