Retort Pouch Internal Drain System for Liquid Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Canned foods pose challenges such as difficult opening, safety concerns from sharp edges, need for additional storage after opening, inability to be microwaved, and high energy consumption in manufacturing and logistics, while retortable stand-up pouches lack functionality for cooking and storage in the same package.

Innovation Solution

A retort pouch with an inner cavity and a drain element attached to its surface, allowing for easy opening and liquid drainage without tools, re-sealability, and compatibility with retorting, microwaving, and recycling, made from materials that reduce energy consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a metal can is used for food storage, then the package provides long shelf life and protection, but it requires tools to open and creates safety concerns from sharp edges

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshelf lifeVSAvoidopening

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces rigid metal cans with flexible retort pouches made of multiple polymer layers. These flexible films provide the necessary protection and shelf life while eliminating the need for metal can openers and sharp edges, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The retort pouch incorporates a perforated tear strip that segments the sealing layer, allowing users to easily tear open the package without tools. This segmentation of the sealing structure provides both long-term sealed protection and easy tool-free opening, addressing the contradiction between shelf life and opening ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a metal can is used for food storage, then the package provides protection and shelf life, but it requires additional storage containers after opening

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveprotectionVSAvoidstorage requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the food product from the protective retort pouch after opening, allowing users to transfer only the necessary amount to separate storage containers. The perforated tear strip enables precise portion extraction while maintaining the integrity of the remaining sealed pouch, reducing the need for additional storage containers compared to opening entire metal cans.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If a metal can is used for food storage, then the package provides protection, but water generated during retorting must be drained using a strainer

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveprotectionVSAvoiddraining

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates a drain element with mesh structure into the retort pouch before sealing. This preliminary inclusion of the draining function eliminates the need for external strainers during the retorting process, allowing water to be drained directly through the integrated mesh while retaining food particles, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If a metal can is used for food storage, then the package provides protection and shelf life, but it cannot be directly used in the microwave for cooking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshelf lifeVSAvoidcooking compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The retort pouch is constructed from composite materials including polypropylene, nylon, and aluminum oxide layers that are specifically selected to be both retort-compatible (providing shelf life) and microwave-safe (enabling cooking). This composite structure allows the package to serve dual purposes of long-term storage and direct microwave heating, resolving the contradiction between shelf life and cooking compatibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

5Reliability

If metal cans are used for food storage, then the package provides protection, but they consume excessive energy during manufacturing and logistics

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveprotectionVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces energy-intensive metal can manufacturing with flexible polymer film pouches that require significantly less energy to produce and transport. The flexible films maintain protective functionality while reducing the energy consumption associated with metal extraction, processing, and heavy-weight logistics, directly addressing the contradiction between protection and energy use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS20240182224A1Retort pouch with internal drain system

Publication Date: 2024.06.06 ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

AI summary

The retort pouch includes an inner cavity located within an outer seal and comprising a volume configured to receive a substance therein. A first tear strip is configured to generate an opening in the outer seal to expose the inner cavity. A drain element is located within and attached to a surface of the inner cavity. The drain element is positioned within the generated opening to allow a user to drain liquid from the inner cavity while retaining the substance in the inner cavity.