Paper-Based Beverage Lid with Resin Coating for Thermal Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plastic lids for beverages suffer from thermal insulation issues, leading to discomfort when handling hot beverages, and are not environmentally friendly. Additionally, they can leak easily, especially with low-viscosity liquids, and pose challenges in manufacturing and user experience.
Innovation Solution
A lid made from a paper material with a side wall fitted to the container and a top lid featuring an inlet/outlet formation part and a temporary fixing part, which enhances thermal insulation, reduces leakage, and is more user-friendly while being environmentally conscious.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If plastic material is used for the lid, then the lid can be molded precisely and sealed tightly, but the lid has poor thermal insulation and transfers heat to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is made from a composite material comprising a paper base layer and a heat-resistant resin layer. The paper base layer provides thermal insulation to prevent heat transfer to the user, while the heat-resistant resin layer maintains structural integrity and sealability at high temperatures. This composite structure resolves the contradiction between tight sealing and thermal insulation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the thickness of plastic material is increased to improve thermal insulation, then heat transfer is reduced, but the weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the thickness of a single plastic material, the invention uses a composite structure with a paper base layer and a thin heat-resistant resin coating. This provides effective thermal insulation without significantly increasing weight, as the paper material itself is lightweight and the resin layer is applied as a thin coating rather than using thick plastic.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the thickness of plastic material is increased to improve thermal insulation, then heat transfer is reduced, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure uses paper as the base material, which is generally more cost-effective than thick plastic. The heat-resistant resin is applied as a thin coating layer, minimizing material cost while providing the necessary thermal insulation. This approach is more economical than using increased thickness of expensive plastic material.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a paper material is used for the lid, then environmental friendliness is improved and cost is reduced, but the lid becomes soft and allows beverage to jet out
Solution Approach 1:
The paper base layer provides environmental friendliness and cost-effectiveness, while the heat-resistant resin layer imparts structural rigidity and strength to the lid. This composite structure prevents the lid from becoming soft and allows it to contain beverages effectively without jetting out, while maintaining the environmental benefits of paper material.
5Ease of operation
If an opening is made larger to facilitate drinking, then ease of operation is improved, but leakage increases when the lid is tilted or wobbled
Solution Approach 1:
The resin layer is applied with controlled thickness and distribution, particularly concentrated around the opening perimeter. This parameter optimization allows the opening to be sufficiently large for drinking convenience while the resin reinforcement prevents leakage when the lid is tilted or wobbled, balancing ease of operation with leak prevention.
6Manufacturing precision
If the opening is positioned closer to the center for molding purposes, then manufacturing precision is improved, but it becomes difficult to drink all the beverage
Solution Approach 1:
The opening position is optimized within acceptable molding tolerances, and the resin layer distribution is adjusted to provide structural support around the opening. This allows the opening to be positioned favorably for both manufacturing and ease of beverage consumption, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and drinking convenience.
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A lid that closes a mouth of a container is made of a material principally including a paper material. The lid includes a side wall that is fitted into the mouth of the container, and a top lid that is surrounded by the side wall. The top lid includes an inlet/outlet formation part that forms an inlet/outlet for an article stored in the container, and a temporary fixing part that temporarily fixes the inlet/outlet formation part to the top lid. This can achieve a lid that has satisfactory thermal insulation, can reduce leakage, is user-friendly, can reduce a manufacturing cost, and is conscious of environmental issues.