Refill Container Fitment Design for Reduced Packaging Waste

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Solution Overview

Problem

Consumer products packaged in plastic containers often end up in landfills, contributing to environmental waste, and while refills can minimize waste, they require effort and awareness from consumers to reuse or recycle effectively.

Innovation Solution

A refill container system featuring a thin-walled or flexible product chamber within a rigid outer shell container, supported by a fitment that allows easy access and minimal secondary packaging, using a destructive cover and airless pump for convenient use, reducing material usage and environmental impact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If traditional rigid plastic containers are used for consumer products, then product protection and durability are improved, but environmental waste and landfill contribution increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct protectionVSAvoidenvironmental waste

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging system is divided into two segments: a reusable rigid outer shell container and a disposable thin-walled refill container. The refill container can be removed and replaced, allowing the outer shell to be reused multiple times while only the refill portion is discarded, significantly reducing plastic waste compared to discarding entire rigid containers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The thin-walled refill container is designed to nest within the rigid outer shell container. The refill container includes a product chamber that fits inside the outer shell's interior space, creating a compact nested structure that maximizes space utilization and facilitates easy storage and handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If refill containers are provided to minimize waste, then environmental impact is reduced, but consumer effort and awareness requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental impactVSAvoidconsumer effort

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The refill container is designed with self-service features including a fitment with integrated pump mechanism and a destructive cover that easily opens to reveal the product. The container structure itself guides the consumer through the refilling process, minimizing the need for instructions or complex consumer actions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The refill container is pre-assembled with the fitment and pump mechanism before reaching the consumer. The destructive cover is pre-positioned to indicate the opening mechanism, and the overall structure is pre-configured to guide proper insertion and usage, eliminating the need for consumers to assemble or figure out the packaging system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of substance

If thin-walled or flexible refill containers are used, then material usage and environmental impact are minimized, but structural support and stability are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial usageVSAvoidstructural support

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The fitment acts as an intermediary component between the thin-walled product chamber and the rigid outer shell container. The fitment provides the necessary structural support, connection points, and mechanical interface, allowing the thin-walled chamber to maintain its low-material usage while still achieving adequate structural support through the fitment's rigidity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Ease of operation

If refills are designed to be convenient and attractive, then consumer acceptance is improved, but packaging complexity and secondary packaging requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsumer convenienceVSAvoidpackaging complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rigid outer shell container is designed as a universal container that can accommodate multiple different refill containers for the same product line. The closure system and overall container structure remain consistent across different refill variants, allowing consumers to use the same outer shell with different refills without requiring different packaging designs, thus maintaining simplicity while providing convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20240131545A1Shell container suitable for housing a discrete refill container

Publication Date: 2024.04.25 CONOPCO INC

AI summary

A discrete product refill container and a rigid outer shell container. The refill container includes a product chamber and a fitment secured thereto. The fitment includes a ledge which is suitable for resting on a ledge of the rigid outer shell container while permitting the product chamber to pass into the shell interiorly to the ledge. It may also include a rim for grasping by transfer equipment. The fitment includes a destructive cover, i.e., one which cannot readily be re-closed, so that the consumer can easily make the product within the refill available for pumping, as desired. The rigid outer shell container can be snap fit closed. The refill bottle may be a pouch or a thin walled bottle, with a fitment. The fitment may serve to support the bottle in an inverted position for display or storage. The refill bottle may also include an integral ledge for support in the rigid outer shell container, instead of a discrete fitment. A modular fitment may be used which accommodates different types of closures, if desired.