Packaging Laminate Opening Device Merged Structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing packaging materials for aseptic containers of liquid or semi-liquid food lack efficient and cost-effective methods for producing packaging containers with molded opening devices that minimize material usage and production time while ensuring the integrity and longevity of the packaging.

Innovation Solution

A packaging material laminate comprising a bulk layer of paper or paperboard, a heat-sealing layer, and a barrier layer, with weakening elements that facilitate a molded plastic opening device connected via a material bridge, allowing for efficient production of containers with a consumer opening area that maintains the packaging's gas-tight and moisture-resistant properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a molded opening device is added to the packaging container, then consumer opening is facilitated, but the production time and material usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsumer openingVSAvoidproduction time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The opening device is merged with the packaging material laminate itself, forming an integrated structure where the opening device comprises a first portion on the outside connected via a material bridge to a second portion on the inside. This integration eliminates separate manufacturing steps for adding opening devices, thereby facilitating consumer opening while maintaining high production speeds of thousands of containers per hour.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If a molded opening device is added to the packaging container, then consumer opening is facilitated, but the material usage and production complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsumer openingVSAvoidproduction complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If the packaging material laminate structure is modified to include an attenuation and material bridge, then the opening device efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveopening device production efficiencyVSAvoidlaminate structure precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging material laminate is segmented into distinct functional layers including a bulk layer, a barrier layer, and a heat-sealing layer, with the attenuation selectively positioned in the barrier and heat-sealing layers. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity, thereby improving opening device production efficiency without excessively increasing manufacturing precision requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The attenuation is positioned specifically in the barrier layer and heat-sealing layer rather than uniformly throughout the entire laminate. This local modification allows the opening device to be formed with appropriate precision in the critical areas while maintaining standard tolerances in other regions, thus improving production efficiency without uniformly increasing manufacturing precision requirements across the entire structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If the packaging material uses a multi-layer laminate with barrier layer, then the gas-tight and moisture-resistant properties are maintained, but the production time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackaging integrityVSAvoidproduction time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The multi-layer laminate structure with barrier layer, heat-sealing layer, and bulk layer is prepared in advance as a pre-assembled packaging material laminate. The attenuation and weakening elements are also pre-positioned during laminate manufacturing. This preliminary preparation allows the opening device to be formed in a single injection molding operation without requiring sequential assembly steps, thereby maintaining packaging integrity while enabling high-speed production of thousands of containers per hour.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The solution enables the production of packaging containers with efficient material usage and reduced production time, ensuring effective consumer access while maintaining the packaging's integrity and shelf-life, capable of producing thousands of containers per hour with high-quality seals and reduced risk of delamination or moisture absorption.

Implementation Method 1

injecting a plastic melt into at least one of the mould cavities, allowing the plastic melt to come through the packaging material laminate in an overlapping area in order to form a material bridge

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlastic flow:

Implementation Method 2

a heat-sealing layer on one side

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat sealing: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3089919B1Packaging material and packaging container having an opening device made therefrom

Publication Date: 2021.06.16 TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE SA

Figure 1~2a
Figure 2b
Figure 3

AI summary

Described herein are packaging materials and their use in manufacturing packaging containers having an opening device, and intended for food products.