Pharmaceutical Cap Tray With Flexible Abutments for Easy Detachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging trays for pharmaceutical caps face issues such as significant force requirements for detachment, potential damage due to excessive flexing, and incorrect clipping due to dimensional discrepancies between caps and bottles.
Innovation Solution
A packaging tray design featuring flexible bridges connecting abutments to a base, allowing perpendicular movement, and flexible tabs for secure cap holding, with optional damping elements to accommodate dimensional variations, and spacers for stability during stacking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid abutments are used to hold caps securely, then holding reliability is improved, but detachment force becomes excessive and may damage the tray
Solution Approach 1:
The abutment is transformed from a rigid structure to a dynamic one by connecting it to the base through flexible bridges. This allows the abutment to move vertically relative to the base, enabling it to adapt its position during cap detachment while maintaining secure holding during assembly. The flexible bridges provide the necessary compliance to reduce detachment force while preserving holding reliability.
2Productivity
If multiple rods are used to push caps off the tray, then detachment completeness is improved, but the force applied causes excessive flexing and potential tray damage
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple rigid rods to push caps off, the invention employs flexible bridges that dynamically absorb and distribute the forces during detachment. The flexible nature of these bridges prevents excessive force concentration that would otherwise damage the tray structure, while still enabling complete cap removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the mechanical parameters of the abutment-base connection by introducing flexibility through flexible bridges. This parameter change allows the system to accommodate force variations during cap detachment without transmitting excessive forces to the tray base, thereby protecting structural integrity while maintaining detachment efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If dimensional precision of caps and bottles is maintained, then clipping accuracy is improved, but the system becomes sensitive to manufacturing variations
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible bridges enable the abutment to dynamically adjust its position to accommodate dimensional variations in caps and bottles. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to maintain reliable clipping accuracy even when manufacturing tolerances cause variations in cap or bottle dimensions, thereby improving adaptability without sacrificing precision.
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
Facilitates easy detachment of caps from the tray without damage, improves clipping reliability, and accommodates variations in bottle height, ensuring secure and efficient cap-bottle assembly.
Implementation Method 1
each abutment being connected to the base by flexible bridges, enabling the abutment to move perpendicularly to the main plane
Implementation Method 2
at least one abutment comprises a damping element, configured to be positioned against the cap
Data Source
AI summary
A packaging tray for caps includes a generally plate-shaped base having an upper face and a lower face extending along a main plane (x,y); a plurality of abutments, each abutment being configured to be in contact with a cap when a plurality of caps is held on the side of the lower face of the base; and a plurality of fastening systems, each fastening system being associated with an abutment and being configured to hold a cap against the abutment. Each of the abutments is connected to the base by flexible bridges enabling the abutment to move perpendicularly to the main plane (x,y).