Packaging Seal Strength via Segmented Temperature Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing packaging technologies face challenges in achieving a balance between ensuring the packaging is securely closed and easily openable, often requiring additional materials or design changes to adjust seal strength, which increases costs and manufacturing complexity.

Innovation Solution

A method for producing heat-sealed plastic packaging that divides the sealing seam into sections, using different sealing temperatures to adjust the peeling force, allowing for precise control of the opening behavior without additional means or design changes, utilizing a sealing device with a divided sealing contour and heating elements to apply specific temperatures to each section.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the cover material is sealed too tightly to the molded part to ensure a strong bond, then the sealing strength is improved, but the packaging becomes difficult to open and may require excessive force or sudden tearing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing strengthVSAvoidease of opening
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing seam is divided into multiple sections (first section, second section, and optionally third section) with different sealing temperatures. The first section uses a first sealing temperature to create a seal with appropriate strength, while the second section uses a second sealing temperature (lower than the first) to create a weaker seal that facilitates easy opening. This segmentation allows different portions of the seal to serve different functions - one for secure closure and another for easy opening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the sealing seam are assigned different local properties through varying sealing temperatures. The first section has higher sealing temperature and thus higher bond strength, while the second section has lower sealing temperature and thus lower bond strength. This local differentiation of quality allows the packaging to simultaneously achieve strong sealing in critical areas and easy opening in designated areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If additional materials or design changes are made to adjust seal strength, then the seal strength control is improved, but the manufacturing cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseal strength controlVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adding physical materials or structural modifications to control seal strength, the invention changes the process parameter - specifically the sealing temperature - to achieve different bond strengths in different sections. By controlling the sealing temperature (first sealing temperature for strong bond, second sealing temperature lower than the first for weaker bond), the manufacturing process achieves precise seal strength control without additional materials or complex design changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This method enables the packaging to be securely closed while ensuring easy opening, optimizing the sealing seam's strength in sections, thus maintaining product integrity and ease of use without increasing costs or complexity.

Implementation Method 1

heating the plurality of segments according to the sealing temperatures

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

sealing the cover film to the molded part along the sealing seam by means of a sealing device with a first sealing temperature in the first section and a second sealing temperature in the second section

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal energy transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4000875B1Method for manufacturing a packaging
Publication Date: 2024.05.01 KOCH PAC SYST GMBH
  • EP4000875B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4000875B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP4000875B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

Method for producing a packaging (30) comprising at least one product receptacle (34) of a molded part sealed by means of a cover film, comprising the steps: a) defining a sealing seam (40), b) dividing the sealing seam (40) into a plurality of sections (A1, A2, A3), c) determining a peel force of the cover film from the molded part at least for a first section (A1), and d) sealing the cover film to the molded part by means of a sealing device, wherein at least a first sealing temperature for the first section (A1) is selected based on the peel force determined according to step c).