Pour Spout Internal Trough Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional containers lack an efficient mechanism to direct the flow of products through a pour spout, leading to issues with pouring and spillage, especially in wide mouth containers.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a container with a neck finish featuring thickened wall portions and a pour spout configuration that includes radially inwardly disposed spout walls with axially recessed shoulders, creating an internal trough to guide the product flow towards the spout, and a lid with a sealing mechanism that ensures secure closure without interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional containers without internal trough structures are used, then the structure is simple, but the product flow direction cannot be controlled leading to spillage
Solution Approach 1:
The internal trough structure segments the container interior into distinct flow channels, guiding product along a controlled path from the bulk toward the pour spout. This segmentation creates defined flow zones that prevent random splashing and improve pouring control without requiring complex external mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal trough acts as an intermediary structure between the product bulk and the pour spout outlet. It mediates the flow transition by providing a controlled intermediate path that directs product smoothly toward the spout, reducing turbulence and spillage while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Ease of operation
If a pour spout structure is added to direct flow, then pouring capability is improved, but the lid and spout wall clearance must be precisely controlled to avoid interference
Solution Approach 1:
The spout walls are thickened specifically at critical locations where clearance control is needed, while other portions of the container maintain standard wall thicknesses. This localized thickening provides the necessary structural support and clearance control only where required, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while ensuring proper lid fit and flow direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The design modifies local geometric parameters of the spout walls, specifically increasing wall thickness in key areas and creating axially recessed shoulders. These parameter changes create built-in clearance zones that accommodate manufacturing variations and prevent interference between the lid and spout structure, reducing the need for extremely tight tolerances.
3Ease of operation
If thickened wall portions are used to create internal trough, then product flow direction is controlled, but the container wall thickness varies
Solution Approach 1:
The container features localized thickened wall portions specifically at the spout walls where flow direction control is needed, while the remainder of the container maintains uniform wall thickness. This approach provides the necessary flow control functionality only where required, minimizing the impact on overall container shape and manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal trough structure segments the container interior by creating localized thickened wall portions that form flow channels. This segmentation achieves flow direction control through discrete structural elements rather than requiring uniform wall thickness changes throughout the entire container, preserving overall shape consistency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A container (22, 122, 222, 322, 422, 522) includes a neck finish (34, 134, 234, 334, 434, 534) extending from a body (26, 126, 226, 326) and having at least two thickened wall portions (66, 266, 466, 566) circumferentially spaced apart and extending radially inwardly, and including interior surfaces (68, 468) disposed radially inwardly of a neck finish interior surface to at least partially establish an internal trough, and axially facing shoulders (48, 448, 548) axially recessed with respect to a sealing lip (54, 454) of the neck finish.