Non-circular Plastic Bottle Base with Recessed Injection Point

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Plastic containers with circular cross-sections used for carbonated beverages face challenges in material efficiency, pressure resistance, and tipping stability, while non-circular designs like square cross-sections offer advantages but can lead to unfavorable stress distributions and increased material requirements.

Innovation Solution

A plastic container with a base featuring a non-circular cross-section, including radially extending main ribs and a recess around the injection point, which increases stability and pressure resistance without significantly increasing wall thickness, and additional secondary ribs for further support.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If circular cross-section bottles are used for carbonated beverages, then pressure resistance is improved, but material consumption increases and tipping stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure resistanceVSAvoidmaterial consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The base is segmented into multiple functional zones: a recessed central region housing the injection point, radially extending main ribs for structural support, and secondary ribs for additional reinforcement. This segmentation allows concentrated material placement where needed while minimizing overall material consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The base exhibits local quality variations through different thickness zones and rib structures. Thicker material is strategically placed at the recess and rib locations to enhance pressure resistance, while thinner walls are used in non-critical areas to reduce material consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of substance

If wall thickness is reduced to decrease material consumption, then material requirements are reduced, but pressure resistance and structural stability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial consumptionVSAvoidpressure resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The base structure is divided into reinforced zones (recess, main ribs, secondary ribs) and reduced zones. This segmentation enables thin-walled construction in non-critical areas while maintaining adequate thickness and adding rib reinforcement in critical load-bearing areas to ensure pressure resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The base combines thin-walled plastic material with integrated rib structures formed as a composite unit during injection molding. The ribs act as structural reinforcements embedded within the base material, creating a composite structure that achieves high strength-to-weight ratio.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Stability of the object's composition

If non-circular cross-section (square/rectangular) is used to improve space utilization and stability, then tipping stability is improved, but unfavorable stress distributions occur and material requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetipping stabilityVSAvoidmaterial consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The base features an asymmetric design with a central recessed region and radially extending ribs that are not uniformly distributed. This asymmetric structure optimizes stress distribution under internal pressure while maintaining the non-circular cross-section for improved tipping stability and space utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The base incorporates a recessed central region with curved surfaces and radially extending ribs that follow curved paths. These curved elements help distribute stress more evenly compared to sharp corners, reducing unfavorable stress concentrations while maintaining the non-circular overall shape.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Stability of the object's composition

If main ribs extend to injection point to increase stability, then structural stability is improved, but unfavorable stress distributions occur at injection point

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidstress distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The injection point is extracted and isolated within a separate recessed region, physically separated from the main rib structures. This extraction prevents the ribs from directly contacting the injection point, thereby avoiding stress concentrations at this critical location while maintaining overall structural stability through the rib framework.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The recessed region acts as an intermediary element between the injection point and the main ribs. It provides a transition zone that distributes loads away from the injection point, preventing unfavorable stress distributions while still allowing the ribs to provide structural support to the base.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2163483B1Plastic container
Publication Date: 2013.01.09 KRONES AG
  • EP2163483B1 patent drawingFigure 1~8
  • EP2163483B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2163483B1 patent drawingFigure 4~7

AI summary

The bottle has a base (2) that is provided with a cross-section different from a circular cross-section, where an injection point (4) is provided in a central region of the base. The base has radially extending two main ribs (6a, 6b) that linearly extend over the base such that a geometric connection line (L1) runs through the injection point. The injection point is arranged in a recess (12) of the base, where the recess extends in a direction of an interior of the bottle and separates both the main ribs from each other.