Refillable Container with Cup-Shaped Refills for Hygienic Reuse

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing single-use packaging for nicotine pouches poses environmental concerns and is costly, while reusable options face hygiene issues, necessitating a sustainable and safe refillable container solution.

Innovation Solution

A refillable container with a removable refill unit featuring a rigid cup-shaped body and separate compartments for fresh and used products, sealed by dual lids to prevent contamination, using eco-friendly materials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If single-use packaging is used for nicotine pouches, then hygiene and health safety are maintained, but environmental impact increases and cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehygiene and health safetyVSAvoidenvironmental impact

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The container system is divided into two separate parts: a reusable outer container and disposable inner refill units. This segmentation allows the outer container to be reused multiple times (reducing environmental impact) while the inner refill units are disposed of after use (maintaining hygiene and health safety). The refill units are designed to be easily removable and replaceable within the outer container.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies the disposable principle to the inner refill units, which are designed as low-cost, single-use components. These refill units contain the nicotine pouches and are discarded after use, while the more expensive outer container is reused. This approach maintains hygiene standards (through disposable contact with product) while reducing overall environmental impact compared to single-use entire containers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If reusable packaging is used for nicotine pouches, then environmental impact is reduced, but hygiene and health safety are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental footprintVSAvoidhygiene and health safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The container system is divided into two separate parts: a reusable outer container and disposable inner refill units. This segmentation allows the outer container to be reused multiple times (reducing environmental impact) while the inner refill units are disposed of after use (maintaining hygiene and health safety). The refill units are designed to be easily removable and replaceable within the outer container.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If a refillable container with separate compartments is used, then product freshness is maintained and contamination is prevented, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct freshness and safetyVSAvoidcontainer structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container system is divided into two separate parts: a reusable outer container and disposable inner refill units. This segmentation allows the outer container to be reused multiple times (reducing environmental impact) while the inner refill units are disposed of after use (maintaining hygiene and health safety). The refill units are designed to be easily removable and replaceable within the outer container.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The refill units are designed to nest within the outer container. The outer container provides the main structure and protection, while the inner refill units fit inside, creating a nested configuration. This nesting approach maintains product freshness by providing multiple layers of protection while avoiding the need for complex internal compartment structures within each refill unit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS20250223094A1Refillable container

Publication Date: 2025.07.10 PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS SA

AI summary

A refillable container for a product for oral consumption is provided, the container including: a refill component; a casing having an access opening at a top end of the casing, the casing being configured to removably receive the refill component through the access opening; and a lid movable between a closed position in which the lid occludes the access opening and an open position in which the lid is displaced to reveal the access opening and enable access to the refill unit, the refill component including a rigid cup-shaped body including a bottom wall and a side wall, the cup-shaped body defining an internal receptacle to accommodate the product, and the bottom wall of the cup-shaped body including a downwardly concave portion, such that when the refill component is received inside the casing a compartment is defined between the downwardly concave portion and a bottom wall of the casing.