Injection Molded Pourer with Oxygen Barrier Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pourers for pouch packs allow oxygen to penetrate through the plastic, compromising the shelf life of products like food and fruit juice.
Innovation Solution
An injection molded pourer with a dual plastic material system, where a main plastic material is combined with an oxygen-barrier plastic material, such as ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, to form a barrier layer within the pourer, preventing oxygen ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single plastic material is used for the pourer, then the manufacturing process is simple and cost-effective, but oxygen can penetrate through the plastic into the pouch interior
Solution Approach 1:
The pourer is manufactured using a composite material system consisting of a first plastic material (polypropylene or polyethylene) and a second plastic material (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer or polyvinyl alcohol). The second material forms an oxygen barrier layer within the pourer structure, preventing oxygen penetration while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through injection molding processes.
2Reliability
If a second plastic material forming an oxygen barrier is injected together with the main plastic material, then oxygen penetration is prevented, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The injection molding process is designed to first inject the main plastic material (polypropylene or polyethylene) to form the basic pourer structure, then subsequently inject the second plastic material (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer or polyvinyl alcohol) which forms the oxygen barrier layer. This sequential injection approach ensures proper material distribution and barrier formation while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An injection molded pourer for a pouch pack. The injection molded pourer includes an inner pouring channel having a pouring spout arranged at an upper end of the inner pouring channel and a boat-shaped weld-in portion which surrounds a lower end of the inner pouring channel, and an injection molding gate arranged on an outside. The pouring spout can be closed with a cap. The boat-shaped weld-in portion has boat-shaped ribs which are arranged parallel to one another and which have a gap there-between. A plastic melt can be pressed into the injection molding gate. The plastic melt includes a main plastic material, and a second plastic material which forms an oxygen barrier.