Packaging Tube With Integrated Inverted Cap for Collapsible Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging tube manufacturing methods face limitations in geometry, require complex tools, and cannot easily integrate multi-layer structures or sustainable materials, especially when producing a tube body and cap as a single piece.
Innovation Solution
A multi-part forming tool is used to create a tube head with an integrated inverted tube cap, connected via a predetermined breaking section, allowing for a stable connection with the tube body without adverse demolding effects, enabling versatile and sustainable packaging tube production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a one-piece injection-molded tube is produced with integrated tube head and tube cap, then manufacturing complexity is reduced and productivity is improved, but the tool complexity becomes excessively high and tool costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The forming tool is divided into multiple parts including a collapsible female mold and a male mold that can be separated. This segmentation allows the tube head to be formed in one piece with the tube cap while enabling easier demolding by separating the mold parts, thus reducing tool complexity while maintaining production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The female mold is designed to be collapsible rather than rigid. This dynamic structure allows the mold to collapse onto the formed tube head during demolding, reducing the complexity of the tooling system while still enabling one-piece manufacturing of the tube, tube head, and tube cap.
2Ease of manufacture
If a one-piece injection-molded tube is produced with integrated tube head and tube cap, then manufacturing steps are reduced, but the tool technology requirements become particularly demanding
Solution Approach 1:
The forming tool is segmented into a collapsible female mold and a male mold that can be separated. This segmentation simplifies the demolding process while maintaining the one-piece manufacturing capability, thus reducing tool technology requirements while keeping manufacturing simple.
Solution Approach 2:
A collapsible female mold acts as an intermediary structure that enables the one-piece formation of the tube, tube head, and tube cap while facilitating easy demolding. This intermediary component reduces the overall tool technology requirements by providing a manageable demolding mechanism.
3Device complexity
If the tube cap is separately manufactured and connected to the tube head, then tool complexity is reduced, but additional processing and assembly effort is required
Solution Approach 1:
The tube head and tube cap are merged into a single integrated component formed in one injection molding process. This merging eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly operations, reducing assembly effort while the collapsible mold design keeps tool complexity manageable.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a multi-layer laminate tube body is used, then adaptability to intended use is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The tube body is constructed as a multi-layer laminate composite material, allowing different material properties to be combined for optimized performance. This composite structure improves adaptability to various uses while the collapsible mold design helps manage the manufacturing process complexity by enabling effective demolding.
Data Source
Figure 1~2b
Figure 3a~3d
Figure 4~6
AI summary
Packaging tube with a tube head, preferably produced by compression molding, which is materially connected in a shoulder region to a separate tube body, preferably produced from a multi-layer laminate, wherein an inverted tube lid (11) formed integrally with the tube head (07) [as part of the tube head (07)] is arranged in a longitudinal direction (L) adjacent to a tube neck (10) of the tube head (07), wherein the tube neck (10) and the tube lid (11) are connected to one another via a predetermined breaking section (12) of the tube head (07).