Resealable Beverage Can Lid With Threaded Cap for Leak Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional disposable beverage containers cannot be resealed, leading to uncontrolled release of carbonation and leakage, especially in moving environments.
Innovation Solution
A resealable beverage container design featuring a main body with a lid and a tubular member, along with a removable sealing cap that includes a snap-lock mechanism and O-ring for airtight sealing, allowing the container to be reopened and reclosed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional press fitted lid with opening tab is used, then the container can be opened easily, but the seal cannot be resealed leading to carbonation loss and leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is divided into separate functional components: a sealing member with O-ring for airtight sealing, a tubular member for fluid passage, and a removable cap for user control. This segmentation allows the sealing mechanism to be independently designed and resealed while maintaining ease of opening through the removable cap design.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system transitions from a static broken seal to a dynamic resealable mechanism. The removable cap can be attached and detached, allowing the seal to be opened and closed multiple times. The snap-lock mechanism provides dynamic locking to maintain seal integrity during transport and storage.
2Ease of operation
If the seal is broken for opening, then the beverage can be accessed, but liquid may exit the container in moving environments
Solution Approach 1:
The removable cap acts as an intermediary element between the user and the beverage. It provides a controlled interface for accessing the beverage while maintaining the seal integrity of the main container. The cap can be removed for pouring and reattached to prevent leakage during transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening function is extracted from the permanent lid structure and placed in a removable cap. This allows the main seal to remain intact while providing temporary access when needed. The tubular member is also extracted as a separate component to control fluid passage independently.
3Reliability
If a resealable mechanism is added, then the container can be reused and seal integrity maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The removable cap serves multiple functions: sealing the container, controlling fluid passage, providing a user interface for opening/closing, and maintaining seal integrity during transport. The tubular member also serves dual purposes as both a structural component and a fluid passage channel. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member with O-ring is nested within the removable cap structure. The tubular member is integrated into the lid assembly, with the cap fitting over it. This nested arrangement allows compact packaging of multiple functional elements within a unified structure, reducing overall complexity.
4Ease of operation
If the opening is positioned off-center, then pouring control is improved, but the seal geometry becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function and the opening function are segmented into separate locations. The O-ring seal is positioned at the center of the removable cap for effective sealing, while the opening is positioned off-center in the tubular member for improved pouring control. This spatial segmentation allows each function to be optimized independently without compromising the other.
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 design prevents leakage and minimizes de-carbonation, enabling the container to be reused and ensuring a secure seal when closed, while allowing easy pouring and resealing.
Implementation Method 1
The seal is preferably airtight and strong enough to prevent leakage of the contents of the container
Implementation Method 2
a removable sealing cap that includes a snap-lock mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A resealable beverage container includes a main body having a cylindrical sidewall, a bottom wall, and a lid. The lid includes an opening formed through its thickness. The main body of the container defines an interior cavity for holding a beverage. A tubular member extends from a lower surface of the lid downwardly at least partially into the interior cavity of the main body. The tubular member has open opposite axial ends, and a plurality of slots formed through its thickness axially along its length. The tubular member is aligned with the lid opening and defines a bore so that fluid may flow from the interior cavity through the bore and out the lid opening. The tubular member is interiorly threaded. A sealing cap is threadingly received by, and removable from, the bore of the tubular member to seal and unseal the lid of the beverage container.