Reclosable Stopper with Double Frangible Tamper Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reclosable stoppers for containers fail to effectively indicate tampering and maintain product integrity, as they are complex, difficult to use, and lack robustness while ensuring the quality and originality of the contents.
Innovation Solution
A simplified, economical reclosable stopper design with a minimum number of components, featuring a double connection system and frangible bridges that reveal tampering through a specific opening mechanism, ensuring easy use and robustness while maintaining product quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional reclosable stoppers with frangible portions are used, then tampering indication is provided, but device complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper is divided into a body portion and a closure portion connected by frangible bridges. The frangible bridges are segmented into multiple portions that can break independently, providing clear tampering indication while keeping the overall structure simple. The closure portion can be reclosed by simply pressing it against the body portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The frangible bridges are extracted as separate, breakable elements connecting the body and closure portions. When tampering occurs, these bridges break and cannot be reconnected, providing permanent tampering indication. This extraction allows the closure portion to be easily removed and reclosed without complex mechanisms.
2Reliability
If multiple components are used to ensure robustness and tampering indication, then reliability improves, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The body portion, closure portion, and frangible bridges are combined into a single integrated stopper structure that can be molded in one piece. This merging eliminates the need for separate assembly steps while maintaining the tampering indication function through the built-in frangible bridges. The design achieves both reliability and ease of manufacture through this unified construction.
3Ease of operation
If frangible portions are made robust for easy application, then ease of operation improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The frangible bridges are designed with localized weakness at specific points where breaking should occur, while maintaining sufficient strength elsewhere for easy application. The bridges have a uniform cross-section with controlled thickness that provides the right balance between robustness for handling and precision for controlled breaking. This local quality differentiation achieves both ease of operation and manageable manufacturing precision requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A reclosable stopper for revealing a first opening includes a base body for positioning on a container mouth (12), from which base body a pouring element extends upwardly, and a protection and closing cap integrally and hingedly connected to the base body. The base body also includes a guarantee ring connected by frangible bridges to a collar. The cap is firmly positioned on the base body for closure. A tamper-proof feature is provided between the base body having the pouring element, and the cap, for revealing a first opening, which includes a double frangible connection system which can be actuated towards the inside of the cap.