Recyclable Smart Closure with Wireless Tag for Anti-Counterfeiting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current closure systems for containers lack integration of anti-counterfeiting and tampering protections with dynamic authentication features, and often rely on materials difficult to recycle, failing to meet sustainability and user-interaction requirements.
Innovation Solution
A smart closure system that incorporates a wireless tag, such as NFC, RFID, or Bluetooth, sealed between a cap and a plate with anti-rotation ribs, which alters its signal upon initial opening, allowing real-time verification and authentication using mobile devices, while being made from recyclable materials to facilitate single-stream recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional tamper evident features (breakable plastic wrap/foil seal) are used, then clear indication of compromise is provided, but no additional information or verification of origin is available
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines conventional tamper evident features (breakable plastic wrap, foil seal) with wireless communication tags (NFC, RFID, Bluetooth) and visual indicia into a single integrated closure system. This merging allows the closure to simultaneously provide physical tamper indication and digital information about product origin, authenticity, and supply chain history.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides mechanical sealing, tamper evident indication through breakable materials, wireless communication capabilities for authentication, and visual identification through barcodes or other indicia. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the closure both a reliable tamper indicator and an information carrier.
2Loss of information
If barcodes and visual indicia are used for identification, then product identification is enabled, but dedicated scanners and third party intervention are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical scanning system (dedicated barcode scanners) with wireless communication tags that can be read by mobile devices with NFC, RFID, or Bluetooth capabilities. This substitution eliminates the need for specialized scanning infrastructure while maintaining product identification and authentication capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If wireless communication tags (NFC, RFID, Bluetooth) are used, then dynamic information communication is enabled, but integration with conventional anti-counterfeiting features is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates wireless communication tags with conventional anti-counterfeiting features (breakable plastic wrap, foil seal, tamper evident indicators) into a unified closure system. The wireless tag is embedded within or attached to the closure, which also contains the physical tamper evident materials, creating a cohesive system that provides both dynamic information communication and reliable tamper indication.
4Reliability
If integrated chips or structures are formed from thermosetting materials for authentication, then anti-counterfeiting capability is improved, but recyclability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wireless communication tag from the molded closure structure, allowing it to be a separate component that can be removed during recycling. The closure body can be made from recyclable thermoplastic materials, while the wireless tag (which may contain non-recyclable electronic components) is separated and removed, enabling the main closure to be recycled without contamination from electronic waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows the wireless communication tag to be discarded separately from the recyclable closure materials. The closure body made from post-consumer recycled thermoplastic can be recovered and reprocessed, while the electronic tag is removed and disposed of or recovered through separate electronic waste streams, maintaining both anti-counterfeiting capability and recyclability.
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 solution effectively prevents counterfeiting and tampering, provides interactive authentication, and enhances user experience by enabling real-time information access, while ensuring recyclability and sustainability by using post-consumer recycled materials.
Implementation Method 1
Both types of wireless tag communicate via electromagnetic (EM) radiation
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3~4A
AI summary
A "smart" closure system, apparatus, and method are described. The closure includes mechanical solution, used in conjunction with wireless technologies and/or web-based or remote authentication, verification, and serialization via a mobile computing device, to provide information about the closure and the contents concealed within that closure. Further, the construction of the closure allows for any and all non-recyclable components of the wireless technologies to be removed so as to enable the closure to be recycled and/or converted to post consumer resin.