Plastic Pre-Container Segmentation for Recyclable Hollow Bodies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic containers with outer flanges and thicker bottom sections consume more material, increasing production costs and environmental footprint, and are difficult to recycle due to mixed plastic compositions and flexible lids that complicate sorting.
Innovation Solution
A method of producing hollow bodies with two opposite openings by cutting a pre-container along circumferential grooves, allowing for easy separation of flexible lids and recycling, using a single piece of plastic with reduced flange thickness and no outer flange, facilitating the use of flexible lids for sealing and enhancing recyclability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If containers are produced with outer flanges and thicker bottom sections, then structural strength and stability are improved, but material consumption increases leading to higher costs and environmental footprint
Solution Approach 1:
The container body is divided into multiple hollow bodies from a single pre-container, with each body having opposite openings. This segmentation allows redistribution of material to critical areas while reducing overall material consumption by eliminating redundant flange structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different wall thicknesses locally - thicker walls only where structurally necessary and thinner walls where not needed. This eliminates the need for uniformly thick flanges and bottom sections, reducing material consumption while maintaining strength where required.
2Stability of the object's composition
If containers are produced with outer flanges and thicker bottom sections, then structural stability is improved, but recyclability deteriorates due to mixed plastic compositions and flexible lids
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the pre-container into multiple separate hollow bodies with opposite openings, the invention creates uniform, simple structures that are easier to sort and recycle. The segmentation eliminates complex flange structures that complicate recycling processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the structural parameters by eliminating outer flanges and using uniform wall thicknesses, creating a simpler geometry that is more compatible with existing recycling infrastructure and sorting processes.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional thermoforming is used to produce containers, then production cost is reduced, but material efficiency deteriorates due to thicker flange and bottom sections
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-container is segmented into multiple hollow bodies, allowing one pre-container to produce multiple final products. This increases material efficiency by reducing waste and eliminating the need for excessive material in flange and bottom sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the molding parameters and process sequence, using blow molding of a pre-container followed by cutting, rather than direct thermoforming. This allows better material distribution and reduces material waste while maintaining production efficiency.
4Quantity of substance
If containers are produced with reduced flange thickness and no outer flange, then material usage is reduced, but structural strength may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-container is divided into multiple hollow bodies, and the cutting process creates flanges with optimized thickness. The segmentation allows the material to be distributed more efficiently, providing sufficient strength at the cut surfaces without requiring thick flanges.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by creating flanges with appropriate thickness only where needed for structural integrity, rather than using uniformly thick flanges throughout. The cutting process produces flanges with optimized local properties.
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
The method reduces material usage and costs, improves recyclability by allowing easy separation of lids, and results in lighter, more sustainable containers with reduced environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
cutting the pre-container to sever the opened pre-container section and a bottom section of the pre-container, the cutting being performed transversally to the central axis
Implementation Method 2
forming, by blowing plastic material, a pre-container (elongated pre-container) extending along a central axis
Data Source
AI summary
A thermoplastic pre-container, typically a blow molded piece, is provided to form several hollow bodies. The pre-container is elongated along a central axis and includes a bottom section, an opened section and in-between at least one hollow body section. A plurality of circumferential grooves are provided in a pre-container sidewall, each with a bottom line formed in a virtual plane perpendicular to the axis. The bodies are obtained after cutting the pre-container in a direction transverse to the central axis and severing the end sections. Due to the cutting at several of the circumferential grooves, a top opening and a base opening are respectively obtained for at least two hollow bodies, each opening being delimited by an annular inner rim of a body flange.