Reusable Cup Lid with U-Shaped Peripheral Body for Multi-Rim Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lids for cups with alternative rim designs do not provide effective closure and are not stackable, lacking compliance with regulatory materials and strength requirements for repeated use.
Innovation Solution
A reusable lid design featuring a central body with a peripheral U-shaped body and bulge, snap-fit mechanism, and injection molding technology using materials like polypropylene, ensuring stackability and compliance with food contact regulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional thermoformed polystyrene lids are used, then production is simple and cost-effective, but they cannot achieve effective closure with alternative rim designs and lack stackability
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is divided into distinct functional segments: a peripheral body with U-shaped cross-section for rim engagement, a central body for closure, and specific geometric features like the bulge and concave curves. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall adaptability to different rim designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The peripheral body is designed with a U-shaped cross-section that engages with the cup rim in a three-dimensional configuration. The bulge with concave curves creates a snap-fit mechanism that operates in the radial dimension, enabling effective closure with various rim profiles without increasing overall lid complexity.
2Weight of moving object
If lid thickness is reduced for weight reduction, then transportation and storage efficiency improves, but strength and durability for repeated use may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The lid employs varying wall thicknesses strategically: thinner walls (0.2-0.3mm) in non-critical areas for weight reduction, and thicker sections at the bulge and engagement points where structural strength is needed. This local differentiation maintains overall lightness while ensuring durability at critical locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid is made from polypropylene, a material that provides high strength-to-weight ratio and compliance with food contact regulations. The material selection enables thin-walled construction without compromising strength, allowing repeated use while maintaining low weight for efficient transportation and storage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If lids are designed for effective closure with various cup types, then versatility improves, but stackability for transportation and storage becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The peripheral body features a U-shaped cross-section with curved surfaces that can accommodate various rim profiles. The bulge with concave curves creates a snap-fit mechanism that adapts to different rim shapes while maintaining a consistent outer profile that enables efficient stacking. The curved geometry provides both versatility for closure and regularity for stackability.
4Manufacturing precision
If injection molding is used to produce thin-walled lids, then production precision and strength are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The injection molding process parameters (temperature, pressure, injection rate) are optimized to produce consistent thin-walled structures with precise geometric features. The process controls wall thickness within tight tolerances (0.2-0.3mm) and creates the complex U-shaped peripheral body with integrated bulge geometry in a single operation, achieving high precision despite process complexity.
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 allows for effective closure with various rim types, stackability, and compliance with regulatory standards, while maintaining low weight and durability for repeated use, reducing material waste and carbon footprint.
Implementation Method 1
The lid may be produced by injection molding, for example hot runner injection molding, injection compression molding
Data Source
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AI summary
A reusable lid for liquid cups with a rim with a central body with a perimeter, and a peripheral body. The central body is connected to the peripheral body along the perimeter of the central body. The peripheral body has a cross-section of a U-form with an outer face having a contour, and two opposite legs, namely an inner leg and an outer leg, and a cavity configured to house the rim of the cup. The cavity has an opening, the outer leg has a free edge, an inner face within the cavity and a bulge on the inner face, adjacent to the free edge of the outer leg.